Chapter 208: Citywide Buzz and Jin Yong's Interview
Kwun Tong:
"Hey, brother, looking to rent a shop?" a middle-aged man called out to a younger man passing by. "This spot's right near the future Changxing Industrial Ten-Thousand-Person Industrial Park. You look like a businessman—lock it in now, and you'll be rich for sure."
The young man raised an eyebrow. "If it's that good, why aren't you doing business yourself?"
The man laughed. "I'm not that smart. I came from the mainland and scraped by for years to buy a flat here in Kwun Tong. Never thought I'd strike it rich like this."
"Yeah, sounds like you got lucky," the young man said with a chuckle. "So, business around here has picked up?"
"Better than ever. You wouldn't believe it," the man said, clearly eager to talk. "This area used to be quiet—barely saw anyone from outside. Now it's flooded with people.
You've got speculators, businessmen... I've had multiple offers to buy my house—people offering several times what I paid, just because it's close to the road."
"Then don't sell. It'll be worth even more later," the young man smiled.
"Of course not. I'm no fool."
The young man asked again, "What about people coming to look for jobs?"
"Lots of them. That's probably the biggest group," the man said. "After that squatter fire, a lot of people were wandering around the Kwun Tong area. But ever since news of the Industrial Park came out, more and more people have been coming.
I heard Changxing Group already started recruiting. Their benefits are amazing. If you're hired, even before the factory opens, you can work near the site doing manual labor and still earn enough to get by.
And if there's not enough work, they'll even advance part of your future wages—just to make sure you can afford food and rent."
"That Changxing boss really is a kind man," the young man said with admiration. "I've never seen a Hong Kong capitalist who pays workers in advance. Most are praised just for paying on time."
The man laughed. "That's why people call him the 'Post-it King.' He's the only rich man to come from the poor. Ever since he made it, he's treated his workers really well.
If you don't believe me, just go to Tsim Sha Tsui and ask around. Everyone there gives him a thumbs-up."
"Do you work in Tsim Sha Tsui, too?" the young man asked.
"Yeah, but I work for one of Changxing's suppliers, not the company itself. Our benefits don't compare," the man said with a sigh. "I heard about it too late—never got into Changxing."
"Well, now the factory's moving near your place," the young man said. "Maybe this is your second chance."
"True." The man nodded, then looked at the young man more carefully. "Wait, you still want to rent a place? I've been talking for ages—are you just fishing for information?"
"I'm a journalist with Sing Tao Daily," the young man admitted with a smile. "I'm doing a story on how the Industrial Park is transforming Kwun Tong."
"An interview? Sure," the man said after a moment. "Being in the paper might be good for us, too. But why don't you just go interview the Post-it King himself?"
"He won't see someone like me," the young man replied with a shrug. "I'm not high-ranking enough."
April 3 — Sing Tao Daily publishes a special feature:
"Kwun Tong's Great Transformation: The Tremendous Business Potential Sparked by the Ten-Thousand-Person Industrial Park"
The article gave a thorough, professional analysis of how a massive factory project could uplift a once-impoverished district like Kwun Tong, revealing untapped economic potential.
First, the most direct benefit was employment. Not just for the factory itself, but for the ripple effects across nearby businesses—restaurants, recreation centers, cinemas, and more.
Second, property values and rents had surged. The first to benefit were local residents and those slated for relocation. Many had lived hard lives and were now, unexpectedly, becoming landlords earning passive income. To them, Yang Wendong was no less than a living Bodhisattva.
Third, private developers had begun quietly scoping out the area. While no major moves had been made yet, investment was clearly on the horizon. And with it would come more jobs and local economic growth.
The report caused a stir across all of Hong Kong.
Previously, the media had only mentioned that Changxing Group bought 8.5 million square feet of land and planned to build a large industrial park.
But few had understood what that really meant.
Now that the numbers and projections were laid out, the public finally realized what kind of economic machine was being built—and how much employment it could generate.
Factories, once looked down upon, were now being recognized as economic powerhouses.
Central — inside an office.
"Boss, I really think we should move into Kwun Tong's real estate market," said a middle-aged man to his superior.
The boss nodded. "You're impressed by the Industrial Park, too?"
"Yes. I knew about it before, but after reading Sing Tao's analysis, I checked how Japan's economy functions around major factories. The impact is massive.
Entire small cities live off one plant. And as long as the factory is stable, everyone prospers. It's not just the workers—their families spend money, and that consumption fuels shops, restaurants, services... The economic chain feeds itself.
So a ten-thousand-person factory can easily support a population of tens of thousands. And all those people need homes—that's where we come in. The earlier we move, the better."
"You're right," the boss said. "Now I understand why Changxing Real Estate bought up so much land there—it wasn't luck. It was insider information."
"With a factory like that in place, the real estate business will boom," the man said with a grin. "They'll be eating the main course, but we can still drink the soup."
"Alright, go survey the area immediately. The government will probably auction land nearby soon—they're sharp."
"Yes, sir," the man replied. "But even if they do, we can start by buying old buildings. Most people haven't caught on yet."
"Go for it," the boss nodded. "If you find anything promising, I'll back you."
Across Hong Kong, many developers were waking up to Kwun Tong's hidden potential.
There weren't any big moves yet—but everyone had begun investigating. The next real estate boom was brewing.
As a result, land prices in Kwun Tong began to rise rapidly. The first wave of beneficiaries from the Ten-Thousand-Person Industrial Park began to reap their rewards—not only those around the park itself, but across nearly the entire Kwun Tong district. In particular, the town center, which would always be the heart of the local economy, saw the sharpest gains.
Tseung Kwan O:
A group of boys in patched-up clothes were crowded together, using torn rags to stop the bleeding from one of their friend's injured hands.
"Ah Long, we really shouldn't be in the gang anymore," a girl with tears in her eyes said softly. "I'm afraid one day, they're really going to kill you."
Ah Long, clutching his wounded hand, muttered, "You think I want this life? But if we don't run with a gang, what do we eat?"
"There might be another way," said a younger boy nearby. "Last time I was picking up scrap paper near a newspaper stand, I overheard people saying that a huge new factory opened in Kwun Tong—run by the 'Post-it King' Yang Wendong—and they're about to start hiring."
"Post-it King?" Ah Long blinked, momentarily forgetting his pain. "Really? I've heard about his factory before—pays well and even gives out food regularly.
But that's in Tsim Sha Tsui. Way too far for us to go."
The girl's face brightened. "But Kwun Tong is really close to us! If we can work there, it's way better than getting into fights every day."
"But leaving a gang isn't easy," Ah Long said with unease.
The little brother piped up, "Just tell them your hand's messed up and you can't fight anymore. The gang won't care—they might stop giving us money, but if we get into the factory, they won't bother us."
"Alright. Let's give it a shot," Ah Long said, finally deciding. "If we can work, who wants to keep fighting? The real problem was that there were no factories around here until now."
"But wait until your hand heals," the girl said worriedly.
Ah Long nodded. "Okay."
April 4, Ganghua Tower.
Yang Wendong received a guest.
"Mr. Cha, long time no see," Yang greeted Jin Yong with a warm smile.
Jin Yong returned the greeting. "Indeed, it's been a while. I never imagined you'd drop such massive news so quietly. When I read about it, I was truly amazed."
Yang chuckled. "Why? Do you have a lot of property in Kwun Tong?"
"No, not at all," Jin Yong shook his head. "But when I heard that your industrial park would employ ten thousand people, my first thought was about all those refugees finally getting a chance to live again.
I've been writing appeals in Ming Pao for donations to help them, but honestly, it's just a drop in the ocean. What you're doing—providing jobs and stability—is a real solution."
Yang nodded. "It's mutual, really. I need workers, and they need work. Being able to help others along the way—of course I'm happy to do it."
He wasn't just being polite. Deep down, most people do have a desire to help others. It's just that too often, helping comes with risk or no return—and self-preservation wins out.
Like in his previous life, when people were still willing to help the elderly after a fall—until that one high-profile case ruined everything. After that, unless you were worth hundreds of millions, you'd hesitate to lend a hand, for fear of being sued into ruin.
"This kind of long-term, mutual support is the only way to solve these problems," Jin Yong said with admiration. "Frankly, I think you're the only person in Hong Kong who could do something like this."
"That's why I care so much about industrial development," Yang said. "One day, I hope to expand my operations to several times—maybe ten times—the current size. Then I could employ so many people that it would lift a huge portion of Hong Kong's population."
Jin Yong smiled. "I sincerely hope you succeed."
"Thank you," Yang said. "But tell me, what brings you here today?"
He didn't believe Jin Yong had come just to offer praise—there had to be another reason.
Jin Yong chuckled. "I'd like to do an official interview with you. I know you've avoided the media these past few years—you've kept a low profile.
But now that your Industrial Park has made headlines, you've instantly become the most famous Chinese businessman in Hong Kong. The government's attitude toward you is going to shift as well.
So staying low-key doesn't serve you anymore. On the contrary, you should embrace the spotlight. You should become someone whose words can shake the entire economy."
"You've got a point," Yang nodded. "Different times call for different approaches."
In the past, staying low-profile made sense—his industrial business had little to do with local players, most of his revenue came from exports, and his company was still in its early stages. Safety was also a concern.
But now, Changxing Industrial was massive. The government relied on him to stabilize not just the economy but also society. His factory's economic impact was so large it could shift local property markets.
He was no longer the same person—and he had invested in a professional security team with dozens of trained staff to keep him safe.
"So, would you agree to an interview?" Jin Yong asked.
Yang replied with a grin, "Mr. Cha, speaking as a businessman, shouldn't this interview be done by my own newspaper?"
Jin Yong laughed. "Of course it could be. But your paper and Ming Pao target different readers—there's no conflict.
We can run the interview simultaneously."
"That won't work," Yang said. "Maybe it doesn't hurt me, but it doesn't benefit me either."
Jin Yong smirked. "You really are a true businessman. Alright then—how about this? I heard you've acquired quite a few cinemas and plan to enter the film business. I'll give you the screen rights to one of my novels in exchange for the interview."
"Any novel?" Yang asked.
"Yes. The Legend of the Condor Heroes, Return of the Condor Heroes—your choice," Jin Yong replied.
Yang thought it over, then nodded. "Alright. Deal."
The interview could be handled by his own paper, sure. But more importantly, it was about reaching the public.
Jin Yong had immense influence among ordinary readers—and Ming Pao had a wide circulation.
"Great," Jin Yong said, smiling. "Here's the draft of the interview. Have a look."
"You came prepared," Yang said, accepting the manuscript and skimming through it.
There were three main questions listed in the interview draft: the first, about Yang Wendong's entrepreneurial journey; the second, regarding his future plans; and the third, his views on Hong Kong's economy.
All standard topics—nothing too sharp or controversial. Interviews like this were generally amicable and mutually beneficial, with all content agreed upon beforehand.
Jin Yong asked, "Do you need time to prepare?"
Yang Wendong replied, "No need. I'll just speak freely for now. You take notes, and we can finalize the content later."
"Alright," Jin Yong nodded. "Let's start with the first question."
Yang thought for a moment and said, "The story of how I started is pretty much the same as what's already out there in the public narrative—though there are a few differences."
People loved stories of self-made tycoons. Yang's rise had often been exaggerated in public retellings, but he had never bothered to correct them. There hadn't been any need—until now.
This interview would serve as the first official, detailed account of his background.
Yang began recounting his story while Jin Yong jotted everything down. Half an hour later, the first question was completed. Yang kept a few key details confidential, but otherwise gave an honest and comprehensive version of events.
"Haha, what a fascinating journey, Mr. Yang," Jin Yong praised.
"It was alright," Yang said modestly with a smile.
"Now, what about your future plans?" Jin Yong asked.
"That one's harder to answer," Yang replied. "It's too broad. I can't say much about my business plans—those are trade secrets.
But in terms of what will influence the public, I can share a little. Let's take Changxing Industrial, for example. Even though it's arguably the largest factory operation in Hong Kong right now, this is only the beginning.
In the future, there will be more new products. Based on my projections, those products will create even more jobs."
"That's great news," Jin Yong said. "Will you continue investing in Kwun Tong?"
"That I can't confirm, but it will be somewhere in Hong Kong," Yang replied.
Questions like this needed to be answered carefully. A direct confirmation might fuel another wave of speculation and drive up property prices in Kwun Tong.
In the short term, that would benefit Changxing Real Estate. But in the long term, if he later chose not to invest further there, it could backfire and damage his credibility.
Jin Yong nodded. "As long as it's in Hong Kong, that's good news."
"I'm a Hongkonger. Of course I'm willing to invest here and help our fellow Chinese rise out of poverty," Yang said with a grin.
"Haha, yes, that's how we Chinese should think," Jin Yong agreed. "So, the third question—how do you view Hong Kong's future?"
"I'm very optimistic about Hong Kong's future. That's why nearly all of my assets are based here," Yang said. "I believe that one day, Hong Kong will become the richest city in Asia—on par with Tokyo."
"On par with Tokyo?" Jin Yong blinked. "Isn't that a bit much?"
"Not at all," Yang replied. "East Asian cultures all emphasize hard work and perseverance. The Japanese are like us Chinese—they just got a head start by a few decades.
If we're given peace and a fair opportunity to develop, I believe we Chinese can succeed just as well—if not better."
This was something he had already seen proof of in his previous life. Not just in mainland China, but also in Korea and Taiwan, the economies had risen dramatically.
The East Asian cultural sphere had the internal drive for growth—as long as external conditions allowed it.
Jin Yong nodded. "Your perspective is definitely different."
Yang added, "While Hong Kong has benefited from its port, the success of its factories is due to the hard work of Chinese people."
"Absolutely," Jin Yong agreed. "Hong Kong's growth in recent years has been astonishing."
"I think the next decade will be even faster—especially in industry," Yang said. "Mr. Cha, if you don't mind, I'd like to use your paper to spread a message: I'm very optimistic about the future of the electronics industry.
If there are any factory owners out there looking for a new direction, this is one they should seriously consider."
"Electronics?" Jin Yong had a general idea what that meant. "But I haven't heard about you investing in that field."
"Not yet," Yang said with a smile.
He had long considered entering electronics, and there was no way he'd ignore it.
But for now, his existing operations were already hard enough to manage. One more viral product could overload his production or lead to quality issues.
Another challenge was Hong Kong's current lack of an electronics foundation. Without supply chain infrastructure, any high-concept product he created would still require importing every component—meaning he'd just be working for foreign suppliers.
That's why encouraging other capitalists to get involved in electronics would benefit him, too.
"Haha, sounds like you'll make waves in electronics someday too," Jin Yong laughed. "Well then, shall we talk about the property market? That's something a lot of people are curious about."
"I don't have much to say about that," Yang shook his head. "I own some properties and have a real estate company, but it's not my main business."
While real estate was a key part of his financial strategy—because of the enormous wealth it generated—he never considered it his core industry. At most, it was just one pillar.
"Fair enough. I suppose it's not an easy topic to navigate," Jin Yong said. "Let's wrap up today's interview. I'll write up the content and bring it to you tomorrow for approval.
Once you've reviewed it, I'll coordinate with Ganghua Daily and we'll publish it together."
"Alright," Yang nodded.
Jin Yong added, "Mr. Yang, just a word of friendly advice—this interview will probably influence Hong Kong's economy, at least to a small extent. You should be more cautious with future interviews.
Your words carry enormous weight now."
"Understood. Thank you for the reminder," Yang said.
At a certain level of influence, even a single statement could sway short-term economic trends.
This was becoming his new normal.
The next day, Jin Yong personally brought the final version of the interview manuscript.
Yang scanned through it. The content was mostly the same as what they had discussed the day before, but of course, it had been refined for print. Jin Yong had polished the language and added vivid descriptions, making the whole article more engaging and powerful.
"Well?" Jin Yong asked, sipping his tea.
"Looks good. Let's publish it," Yang replied.
"Great. I'll go meet with Mr. Qin from Ganghua Daily now," Jin Yong said with a smile.
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