Chapter 238: Family Harmony and the Opportunity of Plastic Bags
"Bags made of plastic?" Wei Zetao thought for a moment and said, "I don't think they exist in Hong Kong right now, but theoretically, film materials can be shaped into bags. I'll arrange for someone to investigate this abroad."
"Good. Get the full picture as soon as possible," Yang Wendong nodded. "Pay special attention to patents in the U.S. and Europe, or whether any companies are actively researching this. Ask industry insiders too."
In theory, thin film from regular adhesive tape could be turned into bags, but there were bound to be usability issues—too thick, too stiff, not enough flexibility.
Alternatively, as with Post-it notes, the technology might already exist, but no one had applied the idea creatively yet.
Still, Yang doubted that. Post-its were a novel invention, but bags were a daily necessity. If similar materials existed, someone would've likely already considered the idea. The only plausible explanation was that the materials available simply didn't yet meet the requirements.
"Got it," Wei said, nodding in acknowledgment.
"Treat this seriously, but it's not urgent. Don't let it affect our current operations," Yang continued. "For now, let's talk about the industrial park. That's still our top priority."
The plastic bag venture was a spur-of-the-moment idea, and there was no certainty it would work. It couldn't distract from more immediate business.
At the moment, the Changxing Wanren (Ten-Thousand People) Industrial Park was one of Yang's most important projects—more crucial than real estate or shipping. If it launched successfully, it would provide continuous cash flow for the entire group, while significantly raising Yang's personal status in the industrial sector.
"Understood," Wei replied. "Mr. Yang, although the park isn't fully completed yet, the first factory building is set to start operations on the 8th of next month.
The first floor will be a joint venture with Dehe, producing rolling suitcases. The second floor will house small plastic manufacturing equipment—things like Rubik's cubes, adhesive hooks, and other plastic accessories. The third and fourth floors will be used for our assembly operations, while the fifth and sixth will serve as warehouse space.
We're planning an opening ceremony. Would you like to attend?"
"Another ribbon-cutting, huh?" Yang chuckled but nodded. "Of course I'll come."
As the scale of his industries expanded, and given how much Hong Kong culture valued grand openings, he had to be present at all major project launches. Whether it was a mall, a new building, or the arrival of a new cargo ship, ceremonies mattered. A brand-new ship, after all, wasn't like a used one—it deserved a proper welcome.
And the Changxing Industrial Park? It was more than just another factory opening. It was a landmark in Yang's career—and perhaps in the broader history of Hong Kong industry.
Wei added, "We're still waiting for confirmation on which government official will attend. The colonial office hasn't responded yet."
"Doesn't matter," Yang said indifferently. "If they come, great. If not, I don't care."
His industrial business was aimed at exports. Any government presence at the opening was purely for show. What mattered was that he had secured the land, and the wealth it would generate over the next 20 years would belong to him alone.
Still, if someone from the government did show up—especially a high-ranking official—it would certainly be good PR.
…
That evening, Yang sat at home playing with his son, recounting the day's events to Su Yiyi.
"Plastic bags? Are they really better than paper ones?" she asked curiously.
"Much better," Yang replied. "They're lighter, more durable, can be folded and put in your pocket, and they're waterproof. If we can mass-produce them, they should also be very cheap—unless the raw material is too expensive."
He still wasn't sure about the exact production feasibility of polyethylene, so he couldn't give a precise estimate. But even a thin film, lighter than tape, might be enough to create a usable bag.
These bags didn't need to match the perfection of future products—just outperform the current paper and bamboo alternatives.
"If that's the case, this could be another invention as useful as the Post-it," Su Yiyi said in amazement.
"Even better," Yang smiled. "Plastic bags would benefit everyone, not just offices. But for us businesses, they're less attractive—we can't control the market. Not even a company like 3M could do that."
Post-its had stable corporate clients. Rolling suitcases were bulky and needed retail space. But plastic bags? Once the technology became public, anyone could manufacture them.
As soon as production spread, the whole market would be flooded.
"Such a pity," Su Yiyi nodded. Over the years, she'd been more involved in business and understood the stakes. "So what should we do?"
"We dominate through low-cost production," Yang shrugged. "That's how most of Hong Kong's industries have grown—competing on price."
Low price, after all, was the ultimate marketing tool—but it depended on having either better tech or a stronger supply chain.
Whoever could produce the same quality at the lowest cost held the advantage. It applied to everything—from screws to automobiles.
Even Coca-Cola didn't win by having the best taste, but by achieving unbeatable scale and pricing.
"That's true," Su nodded. "If we produce them here in Hong Kong, no one else can match our cost."
"Exactly," Yang agreed. "But as a big company, we need to respect patents. If plastic bags haven't been patented yet, we should register them. If they have, we buy the rights. That's the basic rule.
The last thing we need is someone suing us down the road. And you'll need to keep this in mind too—especially when your fashion business grows."
"Got it." Su Yiyi nodded firmly.
Yang continued, "Plastic bags may not bring in massive profits, but they'll create a lot of jobs. Right now, Hong Kong is full of immigrants—and what they need most is employment.
More importantly, plastic bags are economically impactful. They make life easier for almost everyone on the planet. That's why I want to succeed with this."
In his past life, environmental groups had rallied hard against plastic bags. But no one could deny their utility and contribution to modern society.
They revolutionized short-distance transport, let people carry groceries with ease, and stimulated countless retail interactions. Their benefits far outweighed the pollution they caused.
Yes, they were hard to degrade and ended up everywhere—but they didn't threaten human health directly, unlike some "cleaner" materials. Even paper, often seen as eco-friendly, consumed massive amounts of water and energy in production.
In fact, from a purely environmental standpoint, plastic bags might actually be greener—especially when you factored in their lightweight nature and how much they saved in transportation energy.
Even in the simple act of taking out the trash, plastic bags were indispensable. Without them, garbage would be scattered everywhere—or worse, require more manpower and resources to manage, causing even greater pollution.
Of course, Western "environmentalists" never considered these angles. They only focused on immediate drawbacks, ignoring the wider impact and long-term benefits.
"If they're waterproof, lightweight, and fit in your pocket…" Su said, "then yeah, they'd be amazing."
"Exactly," Yang nodded. "And cheap."
People in the modern world had grown so used to plastic bags that they couldn't imagine life without them. If they suddenly vanished, it would wreak havoc on the economy—and everyday life.
Suddenly, while neither of them were paying attention, little Zhihwen, who had been rolling around on the bed, went completely still—lying flat on his stomach, silent.
"Uh-oh." Yang Wendong immediately became alert. When a baby goes quiet, it usually means trouble.
Su Yiyi, equally experienced, hurriedly scooped up the baby—only to find the bed was already soaked.
"Another set of sheets to change." Su Yiyi sighed in resignation. "Even with the diaper wrapped tight, it didn't help."
Yang Wendong wasn't surprised. "It's normal. Babies are like that. Let's start using disposable diapers during the day."
"Mm, I just worry about him being uncomfortable," Su Yiyi replied.
"Just change them frequently," Yang said.
When their son was first born, Yang had already looked into disposable diapers. He'd found that Procter & Gamble had introduced a modern version back in 1956. But even then, they didn't match the quality of the ones from his previous life—the absorption rate was lower, and after soaking, the surface often stayed damp, leading to diaper rash. That's why Yang preferred using cloth diapers, especially since they had maids to wash them.
Improving the design of disposable diapers would be extremely challenging. It required advanced material science—specifically, new absorbent materials—and even if such materials existed, the patents belonged to others. Just like better glue was developed for Post-it notes, but no one else could legally produce them.
Two professional nannies quickly came in and began cleaning the baby and stripping the sheets.
Yang didn't pay it much mind. "Let's sleep in another room tonight."
"Mm," Su Yiyi agreed.
The Yang family's villa had eight master bedrooms, all over 500 square feet and equipped with private bathrooms. Any of them would be fine.
After freshening up, Yang began the nightly routine of putting the baby to sleep. Though they had hired help, Yang and Su insisted on sleeping with the baby and taking turns soothing him. It was a way to build stronger bonds—and a way not to miss out on his growth.
Little Zhihwen gnawed on Yang's cheek as he was rocked up and down. Before long, he was fast asleep.
Yang gently laid him on his side in the crib and patted his bottom. Su Yiyi didn't dare speak—this baby had a sixth sense. The moment you made a sound, he'd wake up, and the whole bedtime process would start all over.
A minute later, Yang raised the baby's hand and let go. It dropped limply onto the mattress.
"He's out," Yang said, stretching. Once the baby was asleep, peace returned.
"Mm," Su Yiyi confirmed with a nod.
They got into bed. Suddenly, Yang said, "We should have another child."
"Huh? So soon? Isn't that a little early?" Su Yiyi hesitated. "Zhihwen is still so small. If I get pregnant again, it'll be hard to take care of him."
Now that the Yang family had risen to prominence in Hong Kong's Chinese elite, Su understood that having many children would be expected. But this still felt too soon.
Yang replied, "It's fine—we have plenty of help."
Su thought it over. "But I'm worried the second child might make Zhihwen jealous."
"No problem. We'll just spend extra time with him," Yang said casually.
Then Su added, "Well, Miss Bai could have a child first. I think that might be better—stagger them a bit. Otherwise, you won't know which one to spend time with."
Yang paused. "Hmm, that's an idea."
Su continued, "Regardless of whether we're rushing or not, I think it's time we let Miss Bai officially join the household. Everyone knows about your relationship anyway."
"Yeah," Yang agreed. "How about I bring her over next time?"
"Good. It's time she got familiar with the family." Su Yiyi was surprisingly gracious.
"You're the best," Yang said with a grin. "Now let's get back to business."
"Hmm? The baby's right there," Su said reflexively.
"He's asleep. He won't understand anything," Yang replied. "And even if he did—18 years from now he'll get it…"
"Don't be ridiculous," Su Yiyi laughed. "My son's going to be loyal and devoted—not like you."
"No way," Yang declared with absolute certainty.
When his son turned 20, it would be 1981. By then, the Yangs would be one of the top families in Hong Kong. Who knew what the second generation would get up to…
…
Two days later, Yang brought Bai Yushan to the family estate for the first time.
"Don't be nervous. Everyone in my family is easy to get along with," Yang reassured her.
Bai Yushan nodded. "Okay."
They got out of the car. Su Yiyi and Aunt Guo were already waiting inside.
After brief introductions, Su Yiyi said, "Yushan, let me show you around the house."
"Thank you," Bai Yushan said, glancing briefly at Yang before following Su upstairs, her nervousness slowly fading.
Aunt Guo seemed slightly displeased, but she said nothing. "I'll go prepare lunch."
Yang was left alone in the living room—not quite a battlefield of jealous rage, but still a little awkward.
The servants knew what was going on and had vanished, only appearing when summoned. Even the two chefs worked quietly beside Aunt Guo.
After a while, with no one coming downstairs, Yang went up to the second floor. Following the sound of conversation, he found Su Yiyi and Bai Yushan playing with Zhihwen.
Thanks to the family's habit of taking him out regularly, Zhihwen wasn't shy with strangers—especially not when his mother was present. He didn't resist playing with the new "auntie," though he wasn't quite ready to let her hold him.
"Looks like you're having fun," Yang said as he approached, smiling.
Su Yiyi replied, "What you said two days ago might actually be true."
"Two days ago? Oh…" Yang quickly remembered.
"Ahh~!" Zhihwen reached out his arms happily, wanting to be picked up.
Yang lifted his son, gently bouncing him while the women continued chatting. With his son's help, he had an excuse to stick around and listen to their conversation.
They talked about trivial things—makeup, food, fun places to go. Yang played with the baby and listened in, realizing just how effective babies were as conversation glue.
Lunchtime came, and though the atmosphere was still slightly tense, things relaxed noticeably after the meal.
The two women returned upstairs to continue playing with the child, and Yang finally got some peace. He took his fishing rod and wandered over to a small rock garden to fish.
Looking down, he saw a big fish followed by dozens of tiny ones. In that moment, he felt a renewed sense of purpose—he needed to keep working hard.
…
November 5th
Yang Wendong returned once more to the Changxing Wanren Industrial Park in Kwun Tong.
Though operations had yet to begin, equipment was already being moved into the factories.
In his office, Wei Zetao greeted him. "Mr. Yang, I've got the results of your request. We looked into polyethylene and plastic bags."
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