Chapter 382: Visiting the Bai Family Again
If Yang Wendong was going to buy a yacht, he intended to do it right in one go.
First, a larger yacht would naturally allow for more comprehensive entertainment facilities and accommodate more guests. For instance, after founding TVB, Yang Wendong also planned to take over the Miss Hong Kong Pageant, much like in the original timeline. And if he wanted to take the prestige of the Miss Hong Kong brand to the next level, he'd need to invest accordingly—such as hosting a grand cruise tour across Hong Kong on the largest private yacht. That alone would generate massive publicity.
On the other hand, a larger vessel also meant better safety. As long as it didn't encounter a super typhoon, such a yacht could sail comfortably. And with current weather monitoring, super typhoons could usually be spotted well in advance.
After hearing Yang Wendong's idea, Pierre said, "Mr. Yang, our shipyard has never designed a private yacht of that size before. However, if you're interested, we can scale up an existing model proportionally and then create a brand-new interior layout. What do you think?"
"That works." Yang Wendong nodded. "How long will that take?"
"About three months," Pierre replied.
Yang Wendong thought for a moment. "Alright. I'd like to see the design drawings in about three months, then."
In Europe, work moved at a slower pace—after all, it was already a developed region. People weren't so eager to work like beasts anymore.
As for the price, that would naturally be negotiated after the design was finalized. This was how it worked with all non-standard equipment: the manufacturer had to design first, and pricing would follow.
Over the next few days, Yang Wendong and Bai Yujie visited several shipyards capable of building luxury yachts in Germany, the United Kingdom, and Norway. The conversations were largely similar: custom design, long timelines, and price negotiation to come later. Once intentions were clear, the rest would be handled over time.
February 2nd — Yang Wendong and Bai Yujie returned to Hong Kong.
Before going home, Bai Yujie did not accompany him to the Yang residence. When Yang Wendong arrived on his own, Su Yiyi had already instructed the house staff to unpack his luggage.
"So, how was Europe?" Su Yiyi asked.
"Not bad. I toured a few yacht manufacturers," Yang Wendong replied. "I also took some photos. You'll want to see them."
Bai Yushan came over just in time and joined Su Yiyi in flipping through the photo album.
"The inside of this boat is more luxurious than our house," Su Yiyi said after a while.
"That's normal," Yang Wendong chuckled. "Luxury yachts are often more opulent than homes. They're built by specialized design teams in Europe, where luxury craftsmanship is on another level."
Europe was, after all, the birthplace of luxury goods—LV, Hermès, Chanel, Dior, and even many top-tier car brands. Even the United States, the world's economic powerhouse, found it hard to compete in that space.
Once a brand achieved recognition, it was incredibly difficult for newcomers to catch up.
"I think they all look amazing," Su Yiyi said. "Let Brother Dong make the final decision. I'm good with any of them."
"Alright," Yang Wendong said. "The shipyards will bring the blueprints to Hong Kong in a month or two. We'll go over them together then."
"Brother Dong, these photos were taken by Yujie, right?" Bai Yushan asked suddenly. "I can tell by the way they're shot."
Yang Wendong hesitated, then said, "Yes, she took them. If I had done it, they wouldn't look half as good."
Photography was an art form. The same subject, shot from different angles and under different lighting conditions, could look completely different. In this era, photography was an expensive skill. Only the wealthy had access to proper training. The Bai sisters had learned it when they were young. Yang Wendong, on the other hand, hadn't.
Su Yiyi smiled. "Her photography is really good. Maybe she could take some maternity photos for us?"
"That's a great idea," Bai Yushan agreed.
Later, after they finished browsing the photos, Su Yiyi quietly said to Yang Wendong, "Brother Dong, since you and Yujie are together now, it's time to formally bring her into the family. She's not that young anymore."
"Of course." Yang Wendong nodded.
In 1960s Hong Kong, the legal marriage age was 18 for men and 16 for women. Educated or Westernized families sometimes delayed marriage, but most people tied the knot around 20.
Both Bai sisters were 22. Bai Yushan was pregnant with her second child. It was only natural that her sister should also get married soon.
Su Yiyi added, "But Brother Dong, we've known the Bai sisters since before you got rich. We understand them, so marrying them was fine.
But from now on, you need to be more careful. You're a major tycoon now."
"I know. Don't worry," Yang Wendong replied.
Powerful families often suffered from internal strife. With the three women in his life now, there was still harmony. But adding anyone new would risk upsetting that balance—especially now that his fame made it likely that many women would approach him for his wealth.
He just wouldn't bring anyone new home.
The next day, Yang Wendong called Bai Yujie over. After a moment of intimacy, he shared his plans.
Bai Yujie was overjoyed but still a little shy. "I'll follow your lead."
"Alright," Yang Wendong said. "But since you're officially becoming part of the Yang family, I think it's time for you to stop working at the university. Just stay home and relax."
"No more work?" she asked. "Won't that be boring? Your sister and Sister Yiyi both have children."
Yang Wendong chuckled. "You'll have kids too. The most important thing is raising the next generation. As for a career, that's still possible. Yiyi runs her own fashion retail chain.
Your sister doesn't have a business right now, but she's still studying finance and other subjects."
"I'm not as studious as she is," Bai Yujie said with a wry smile. "I don't like staring at numbers."
"That's fine. She can teach the kids math, and you can teach them P.E. A perfect division of labor," Yang Wendong teased.
"That works too." Bai Yujie nodded with a smile.
"So, I'll find a suitable date and we'll arrange the wedding?" Yang Wendong asked.
"Mhm." She paused. "But you should probably talk to my parents first, right?"
"Yeah… that part might be a little tricky." Yang Wendong scratched his head.
Polygamy was legal at the time, but marrying two sisters—especially twins—was still controversial, even then.
Still, it wasn't a huge issue.
February 5 — Two days later, Yang Wendong visited the Bai family. According to Chinese custom, a son-in-law should visit his wife's family before major holidays like Lunar New Year, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Dragon Boat Festival.
Now that both sisters were part of his household, one visit covered both obligations—saving time.
The Bai family treated him with the utmost respect. Although the elders outranked him by generation, Yang Wendong was one of Hong Kong's most powerful men. It was like being the in-law of a high-ranking official in ancient times—no one dared put on airs.
Yang Wendong brought generous gifts—nutritional supplements, luxury cosmetics, and more—since he was preparing to marry their second daughter.
During lunch, Bai Qiwen was all smiles. While marrying off both daughters to the same man might seem questionable, he couldn't object. It was consensual. After a few drinks, the two men chatted like old friends.
Western liquor didn't hit too hard, so after a short nap, they woke up around 3 p.m. to find the women playing mahjong. The two men strolled into the garden to entertain a young child.
That's right—Bai Yushan and Bai Yujie had a younger half-brother, just over one year old, born to Bai Qiwen's younger wife. The Bai family now had a male heir.
"Want a cigarette, Ah Dong?" Bai Qiwen offered.
"No thanks," Yang Wendong replied. "I don't like the smell."
"Fair enough," Bai Qiwen said with a laugh. "It's not a good habit. I started because life was boring and I needed something to keep me going. Now I can't quit."
"Trying to quit cold turkey is tough," Yang Wendong said. "But cutting back gradually might help."
Smoking and drinking were both about chasing dopamine—ways to find enjoyment in life when there weren't many options. Once you were hooked, quitting was hard.
In his past life, Yang Wendong never had that problem. There were too many forms of entertainment in the digital age. After reincarnating, he kept himself disciplined.
A bit of alcohol was fine for socializing. But he never touched cigarettes.
Bai Qiwen nodded, stepped downwind, lit a cigarette, and said, "Take care of my daughters, alright?"
"Of course." Yang Wendong nodded. "Yushan is doing great now. Yujie will too."
"I believe in your ability and your character," Bai Qiwen said with a smile.
Just the fact that Yang Wendong had arranged water deliveries for Hong Kong during the drought was enough to earn the gratitude of every citizen. Even other wealthy people admired him. If nothing else, everyone had to respect that kind of integrity.
"Haha, thank you," Yang Wendong replied.
Then Bai Qiwen asked, "Ah Dong, I noticed you've stopped investing in real estate lately. Do you think the market's cooling?"
"Exactly," Yang Wendong said. "Since '58, prices have tripled in many areas. That's far beyond what the average person can afford.
Foreign capital is still coming in, and industrial growth has propped things up for now. It might go a bit higher—but it won't last much longer."
"In that case, I'll follow your lead," Bai Qiwen said. "To be honest, prices are so high now, I don't even dare to make a move."
Yang Wendong laughed. "Now's the time to sell. Once we see a correction like in '57, we can jump back in."
"Really?" Bai Qiwen asked, studying his son-in-law's face. "Are you sure?"
Yang Wendong smiled. "Pretty sure. Just wait a bit longer. Changxing Real Estate will follow the same strategy."
Once the correction started, the news wouldn't stay secret. There was no harm in mentioning it now. Many people still firmly believed that real estate prices would rise forever.
"Alright. I'll wait," Bai Qiwen nodded. Then he asked, "So when are you marrying Yujie? It'd be good to do it sooner rather than later. She's not that young anymore."
"Around March or April," Yang Wendong replied. "A month or two after Lunar New Year. We'll host the wedding at the Four Seasons."
Now that he had his own hotel, it wasn't the most profitable asset in his empire—but it made personal events far more convenient.
Whether it was weddings, meetings with VIPs, or other important occasions—it was the perfect venue.
"Good," Bai Qiwen said with a smile.
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