Next, Li Xiangdong returned to Huichuan County and established three more companies in one go.
These three companies are:
Huifengyuan Food Co., Ltd. mainly deals in various pickled vegetables, soy sauce, vinegar and other condiments;
Shengshi Zhencang Antique Culture Co., Ltd. mainly deals in the appraisal, consultation, auction and exhibition of antiques and artworks.
Guangsha Real Estate Development Co., Ltd.'s main businesses include commercial housing development, affordable housing, property management, land development, and asset management.
The seven necessities of life are firewood, rice, oil, salt, ginger, vinegar, and tea.
Some say it should be called the seven necessities of life: music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine, and flowers.
In any case, Li Xiangdong's current business layout covers almost all seven necessities of life.
Although some of the companies registered by Li Xiangdong do not yet have any specific business, such as Guangsha Real Estate Development Co., Ltd.
However, Pan Mingzhong knew about it as soon as Guangsha Real Estate Development Co., Ltd. was established.
He thought about it at home again and again, but he really couldn't understand what Li Xiangdong was trying to do, so he simply went to Li Xiangdong's house to ask him directly.
After Li Xiangdong finished registering six companies, it was already late spring.
In late spring and early summer, the greenery gradually fades, the grass and trees become lush and vibrant, a cool breeze blows, and there are no mosquitoes. This is Li Xiangdong's favorite time of year.
He lay leisurely in the rocking chair, holding a chubby calico cat in his arms, with winter plum blossoms at his feet and Jasmine running around chasing butterflies in the rose bushes.
Life is peaceful and serene; even time seems to slow down.
It was at this time that Pan Mingzhong came to visit.
He was still wearing a suit, with his hair slicked back, and three-piece leather shoes. He was carrying two bottles of white wine in his left hand and a pot of stewed beef in his right.
Pan Mingzhong walked in a hurry, his forehead covered with a fine layer of sweat, his face showing a mixture of doubt, anxiety, and unease. But when he faced Li Xiangdong, who was sitting leisurely in the courtyard, all of these expressions suddenly turned into a sincere smile.
Li Xiangdong watched him quietly. Pan Mingzhong had obviously gained weight in the past few years, and his square face carried the air of a successful man.
"Xiang Dong, you really have a lot of free time!"
"This is the best time of the year, how can we waste it?"
Li Xiangdong smiled and replied, then stood up and ushered Pan Mingzhong into the house.
Pan Mingzhong placed the wine and beef on the table. "This white wine is said to have been brought back from France. Let's try this foreign stuff!"
As he spoke, he opened the box containing the beef, and a delicious aroma of meat wafted out.
"Look! I had your sister-in-law cook this stewed beef! This meat is great, it's from Xinjiang brown cattle! This beef is taken from two-year-old bull calves, it's delicious and not gamey at all!"
Li Xiangdong went to the kitchen to get two pairs of chopsticks and two bowls, and then took two glasses specifically for drinking white wine from the wine cabinet.
As Pan Mingzhong poured the wine into his glass, he laughed and said, "Xiangdong, you have so much money, why don't you pay more attention to food?"
As the saying goes, "Three generations judge a person by their food, four generations by their clothes." We all come from the countryside, so we need to be particular about what we eat and wear, and broaden our horizons so that city people won't look down on us.
Li Xiangdong glanced at him but didn't say anything.
He could understand Pan Mingzhong's thoughts; in fact, he had been the same as Pan Mingzhong in his past life.
But now his thinking has changed.
What does it mean to broaden one's horizons?
To see the world is to have seen another side of it; the other side of the city is the countryside, and the other side of the countryside is the city.
Are city dwellers who can't distinguish between leeks and wheat seedlings any more noble than rural people who can't distinguish between a Santana and a Volga?
They set the wine glasses down and the two sat down.
Pan Mingzhong downed a glass without saying a word.
"Brother, it's been so long since we've eaten together. I'll drink first as a sign of respect!"
Li Xiangdong also drank a glass in return.
I must say, this white wine tastes really good.
I took a bite of the beef; it was stewed until tender and juicy—the chef's skill was truly excellent.
Seeing that Li Xiangdong was eating with relish, Pan Mingzhong asked, "I'll have Mingyi bring you fifty jin later!"
"I cannot accept rewards without merit. Is there something you need, brother?"
"Oh, it's just some beef, what's with all the 'specialty' stuff!"
Pan Mingzhong waved his hand, but then changed the subject and asked, "Brother, I'll get straight to the point! I'm here today because I have something to ask you."
Li Xiangdong tossed a piece of meat to Lamei and Moli, then looked earnestly at Pan Mingzhong, "Ah, tell me!"
"I heard you registered a real estate development company?"
After saying this, Pan Mingzhong held his breath and focused intently on Li Xiangdong's expression, not missing even the slightest change in his eyes.
"Are you unhappy with the dividends from last year's end? Actually, we can discuss the dividends..."
Li Xiangdong stopped him, looking at Pan Mingzhong with remarkable openness.
"Brother, do you think that I started a real estate company to steal your business?"
Even though that's what Pan Mingzhong thought, he was too embarrassed to say it out loud.
His face suddenly flushed red, and he wanted to retort.
But looking into Li Xiangdong's eyes, those eloquent words that he could have easily uttered suddenly became impossible to say.
He lowered his head and said after a long while, "Xiang Dong, don't blame me for being heartless. My skills are no match for yours. If you start your own company, then my current company is probably doomed."
Li Xiangdong smiled helplessly, "Did I start this company just to drive your company out of business?"
Having said that, Pan Mingzhong was ready to go all out.
"I barely finished my meal, and now another person is coming, younger, stronger, and more powerful than me. Don't you think I'm being forced to starve to death?"
Li Xiangdong retorted, "Is this all there is to life in all of China?"
"Huh? What?"
Pan Mingzhong was a little dumbfounded.
"The country is so big, and countless cities will develop real estate in the future. Why are you only focusing on our small county town?"
"Ah! You mean..."
"What I mean is, the whole of China is a vast blue ocean right now. Don't just focus on your own little patch of land; look out to the stars and the sea!"
"But, would it work if we went somewhere else?"
Pan Mingzhong had considered it, but developing real estate is different from other businesses.
Acquiring land, taking out bank loans, building construction, obtaining permits, and selling properties—none of these tasks can be accomplished independently by a mere businessman.
The real estate business is interconnected by a complex web of relationships, where a single misstep can have far-reaching consequences, easily leading to a complete loss.
This is why many real estate developers are deeply rooted in the local market.
"If one company doesn't work, we can cooperate with two! Brothers fight side by side, and fathers and sons fight tigers together. Instead of guarding against relatives and friends sticking up, we should unite and cooperate to strive for greater benefits."
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