"Xiao Lu, you're overthinking it," Chen Feng said with a smile.
"Overthinking? Dare you say that Chinese history wasn't like this? Can someone enter the upper echelons of Chinese politics without the help of a big shot? Take Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of China as an example. Why did Zhu Yuanzhang become emperor? Wasn't it because of Empress Ma, the 'Big Foot Ma'? She was the daughter of an rebel leader. Not to mention the formidable Huai Xi generals under him. In the five thousand years of Chinese history, no one succeeded solely on their own." Cheng Lu said earnestly.
"Xiao Lu, since you've brought this up, let me explain a little. To be honest, none of the women around me can help me enter the upper echelons of politics. But that's alright. You can be my strong backing. Only when my home front is stable can I advance without hesitation. As for those who can help me enter the upper echelons of politics, none have appeared yet. However, there's no need to rush. I've only just emerged from the bottom of the political arena, and I still have a long way to go to reach the higher levels. Also, you are not only my strong backing in the political arena, but also my women. With you, my life has another layer of meaning. Entering the upper echelons of politics is one of the meanings of my life, but it is not the only one," Chen Feng explained seriously.
"That's true, I was overthinking. By the time you enter the upper echelons of politics and initiate a top-down reform of China's political arena, we'll probably be middle-aged," Cheng Lu said with a self-deprecating smile.
"So, all we need to do now is to be happy every day in the political arena. Alright, you should hurry back to the office. The development and reform commission of Mingshan District has been quite busy lately," Chen Feng said, subtly dismissing Cheng Lu.
He suddenly thought of something. He had returned from secretly investigating in Sandong City and hadn't gone to see Li Hongling. It had been several months, and he didn't know how Li Hongling had developed the two shops in Mingshan District. It was a good time to visit Li Hongling now that Qin Yan's matter was settled.
In the afternoon, Chen Feng drove to Li Hongling's shop. When he arrived, Chen Feng was stunned. "Damn it, I underestimated Li Hongling. She's got a knack for business." The two ordinary shops had been turned into bustling businesses by Li Hongling, packed with people. Chen Feng didn't go in to disturb Li Hongling; he just watched her busy herself in the shop from his car. After watching for the whole afternoon, Chen Feng had a profound realization: First, Li Hongling could endure hardship. She directly carried one hundred jin of raw materials, which would be difficult for a man to move, without even batting an eye. Second, Li Hongling was not only hardworking but also intelligent. She knew how to attract customers by giving away small gifts for free and allowing children to play in the shop. It had to be said that Li Hongling had grasped the initial wisdom of doing business.
That evening, after Li Hongling's shop closed, Chen Feng stopped her at the entrance. "Feng Ge, am I seeing things? Is that you?" Li Hongling rushed into Chen Feng's arms excitedly, her eyes filled with tears. "I returned to Mingshan District a long time ago, but I've been busy. I'm only coming to see you now. You won't blame me, will you?" Chen Feng asked apologetically. "How could I blame Feng Ge? Feng Ge is a big shot in politics, busy with myriad affairs. It's my lifelong honor that you remembered to see an ordinary working woman like me. How could I blame you?" Li Hongling said, unwilling to let go of Chen Feng. Her parents gave her life; Chen Feng gave her a second life. In Sandong City, if it weren't for Chen Feng, she would have been exploited by those bad people at the electronics factory and become a foolish working girl who got pregnant early. Later, if it weren't for Chen Feng lending her money and shops to start her business, she wouldn't have the stage to showcase her talents today. In this life, she only recognized one man, and that was Chen Feng. "You can't say that anymore. You've transformed. You're not a working girl anymore; you're a boss now. To be honest, I watched you do business all afternoon today. Your cross-border clothing store is very successful," Chen Feng said, looking at Li Hongling with admiration. Although Li Hongling was now just the owner of a small shop, her business acumen was even higher than that of Jia Ye Meizi. After years of experience in the business world, she would undoubtedly become a strong businesswoman. "Thank you for your praise, Feng Ge," Li Hongling said, blushing shyly. "Xiao Ling, tell me, what are your plans for the future?" Chen Feng asked Li Hongling deliberately. If Li Hongling were like other working girls, her answer would be to manage this cross-border clothing store well. If Li Hongling were like Jia Ye Meizi and had business talent, the answer would be different. "Feng Ge, I'd better not say it; it feels a bit like a pipe dream." Li Hongling's face turned redder. "I'm your elder brother in name, so just say whatever comes to mind," Chen Feng encouraged Li Hongling to speak boldly. "I'm not too keen on running a cross-border clothing store anymore. The internet is too developed now, and there are more and more duty-free zones in China. The prices of cross-border goods are becoming more transparent, making it difficult to earn big money," Li Hongling explained earnestly. "Well said, continue," Chen Feng said, his eyes shining brightly. From Li Hongling's words, it was clear that she had considerable business talent. "Feng Ge, I want to leverage your connections in the business and political circles..." Li Hongling said softly. "That's interesting, go on," "I want to venture into the high-tech industry. The high-tech industry has high profits and doesn't require a lot of low-end physical labor. I've thought carefully about it; I want to start as a supplier of new energy vehicle components. After accumulating experience and capital, I will establish a new energy vehicle company exclusively for women," Li Hongling envisioned softly. "Xiao Ling, you have truly transformed. You really don't look like the electronics factory working girl you were before. Your idea is quite good. How about this? I'll invest, and you can directly establish a women's new energy vehicle company," Chen Feng continued to probe Li Hongling. It was still the same saying: women who are good at business cannot be impatient. Haste makes waste; once you're too anxious, you'll definitely suffer a great loss. "Feng Ge, thank you for your kindness, but I don't plan to open a women's exclusive new energy vehicle company right now," Li Hongling refused without hesitation. "Any reason?" "Feng Ge, here's what I think. Doing business requires accumulating experience and a feel for it... If you try to do big business in one go, you will definitely fail. For example, if you have the ability to send a middle school student directly to the Capital University, would that be useful? No. Everything must be done step by step," Li Hongling explained calmly. "Xiao Ling, I'm very reassured by your thinking. Tell me, what kind of new energy vehicle component supplier do you plan to be?" Chen Feng asked directly. "Feng Ge, I don't plan to produce new energy components myself. I plan to import them from abroad and resell them to new energy vehicle companies in Mingshan District," Li Hongling said confidently. "Xiao Ling, then tell me, why would so many new energy vehicle companies in Mingshan District import new energy vehicle components directly from overseas themselves, instead of buying them from you at a higher price?" Chen Feng pressed.