Over the next few days, Song Ziqing and Lin Chengyu returned to Hong Kong via Tang Sancai (a type of pottery). After spending a few days in Hong Kong, Lin Chengyu arranged work for several companies before continuing his journey back to Myanmar.
Lin Chengyu was a man who couldn't sit still. After returning to Myanmar, he drove around recruiting soldiers and horses in major cities of Myanmar with the three members of the Song family.
Even though Myanmar is poor, it still has a certain number of talented people. The two of them registered a company called Songlin International Trading Company in Myanmar and recruited many people who had some knowledge of jade, gemstones, and timber.
They traveled to major cities in Myanmar, interviewing talented individuals one by one. These included experienced jade experts and gemologists, specialists with in-depth knowledge of timber, and young people with unique insights into marketing. Each person brimming with passion and talent gave Song Ziqing and Lin Chengyu hope for the company's future.
During the interview process, Song Ziqing and Lin Chengyu were not only selecting talent, but also communicating and interacting with these individuals.
They listened to everyone's stories and experiences, and felt their passion for their work. In this process, they were not just employers, but also friends and partners.
Ultimately, they recruited a group of outstanding talents, forming a dynamic and creative team. This team included people from different countries and regions, bringing diverse cultures and ways of thinking. But they all shared a common goal: to grow the company and bring Myanmar's jade, gemstones, and timber to the world.
Song Ziqing and Lin Chengyu did not stop, but immediately began working. They led their team to various mines and forests in Myanmar, searching for jade, gemstones and timber of all kinds.
They carefully studied the jade, gemstones, and every type of wood in each place to ensure they had a good understanding of these raw materials so they wouldn't be cheated.
During this process, they encountered many difficulties and challenges. Sometimes, they had to face harsh weather and terrain; other times, they had to face pressure and challenges from competitors.
The family stayed in Myanmar for two whole months, and even trained several educated youths from China and veterans who had come during the war. These people could only be considered as the lower class in Myanmar.
After joining Songlin International Trading Company, these people will help manage the company. Even the single medicine for gunpowder was included in the trading company's list by Lin Chengyu.
After all, in the 1960s, no country completely banned guns, and guns were the best way to protect people's personal safety.
That evening, Lin Chengyu and Song Ziqing returned to their room and discussed their plans for the future.
Although they have been spending a lot of time in Myanmar recently, they have not given up on Hong Kong. It is almost Chinese New Year in Hong Kong, and the family will go there to celebrate the New Year. The Spring Festival atmosphere there is much better than in Myanmar.
“Qingqing, we’ve been in Myanmar for two months now, and things are very stable here,” Lin Chengyu said. “I’m thinking of taking my parents back to Hong Kong. What do you think?”
Hearing Lin Chengyu's words, Song Ziqing felt a surge of longing. She thought of her family and friends in Hong Kong, and of its prosperity and vibrancy. She knew that Lin Chengyu's parents had always lived in Hong Kong and had always hoped to return to their hometown for the Lunar New Year. She understood Lin Chengyu's feelings and knew he was a very filial person.
“I think it’s great,” Song Ziqing said. “We’ve been in Myanmar for so long, it’s time to go back and visit. Besides, the New Year is coming soon, and we can reunite in Hong Kong and celebrate the festival together.”
Lin Chengyu looked at Song Ziqing with emotion and said, "We've been busy with work lately and haven't had a chance to properly explore Myanmar. How about we go sightseeing before we leave? I'd like to take you to visit some of the temples."
Song Ziqing nodded and said, "I also want to visit the temples. The most famous places in Myanmar are its temples, which are also the richest places in Myanmar. Many temples cast Buddha statues directly from gold!"
Lin Chengyu felt a surge of curiosity upon hearing Song Ziqing's words. He had always heard that the temples in Myanmar were magnificent, but he had never had the chance to visit them. He felt this was a great opportunity to learn about Myanmar's culture and history.
“Okay, let’s visit the temple tomorrow,” Lin Chengyu said. “I want to see those Buddha statues cast in gold and experience the charm of Buddhism.”
Song Ziqing nodded and said, "Okay, I'd love to go see it too. But we need to be careful and not get scammed."
Lin Chengyu said, "Don't worry, I'll be careful. As long as we don't trust strangers easily, there won't be any problems."
Song Ziqing said, "Okay, let's set off tomorrow. We'll go straight to Yangon, where there are the most temples."
Lin Chengyu suggested directly, "Let's go see the Shwedagon Pagoda first. It's a paradise of gold! When my dad and I went there to apply for jobs before, we were stunned by the gold in the temple."
The Shwedagon Pagoda is arguably the most sacred pagoda in Myanmar, a source of pride for all the people of Myanmar, and attracts numerous Buddhist pilgrims from Southeast Asia every year. Buddhist legend says that after attaining enlightenment, the Buddha, in gratitude for the Burmese people's gift of honey cakes, gave them eight strands of his hair. These hairs were brought back to Myanmar, where they miraculously rained down golden bricks from the sky. The people then used these bricks to build the pagoda, which has stood for over a thousand years.
“Let’s invite Mom and Dad along too. We can also visit the Sule Pagoda, which is located in the very heart of Yangon. We can definitely visit it together,” Song Ziqing suggested.
Song Ziqing previously thought that Song Lin International Trading Company should be established in the city center of Yangon, so that he could better control the overall situation.
Later, Lin Chengyu chose to locate in northern Myanmar, where jade, gemstones, and timber were most abundant, as sourcing raw materials there would be more convenient. However, they still established a branch of Songlin International Trading Company in Yangon.
The branch office purchased a large plot of land directly on the Yangon coast and hired a local construction company to build a large factory. High-quality jade, gemstones, and timber procured in Myanmar will be transported here by the head office and then shipped back to Hong Kong via large ships in Yangon.
Thinking of this, Song Ziqing was filled with ambition. She seemed to see the future, that Songlin International Trading Company's business would flourish globally.
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