Chapter 46: Going South to Guangzhou and Shenzhen

Chapter 46: Going South to Guangzhou and Shenzhen

The next morning, after finishing his packing, Li Yi stepped outside to find Wei Sanpao already waiting downstairs.

Bidding farewell to Xu Qingnan, he slung a simple backpack over his shoulder and walked out.

Li Yi had packed light—only a few changes of clothes and no valuables. In this era, railway stations lacked strict security, and theft was rampant. The most valuable thing he carried was 1,500 yuan, which Xu Qingnan had insisted he bring. She had even sewn the cash into his underwear, worried that he might run short while away from home.

Originally, Li Yi had planned to carry only a passbook, but under his wife's firm gaze, he had no choice but to accept.

Coming downstairs, he glanced at Wei Sanpao's attire and nodded approvingly.

It seemed this kid had learned something as well—like Li Yi, he had avoided bringing anything too valuable.

"Brother Yi, let's go! We should get to the train station early!" Wei Sanpao urged excitedly.

Li Yi nodded but remained vigilant.

"Old Third, make sure you keep your money safe. If you lose it, you're done for!" he warned.

Wei Sanpao grinned and whispered, "Don't worry, Brother Yi, I know! Besides, which idiot in Jiangcheng would dare steal from me?"

Li Yi smirked. Thieves didn't care who their targets were—everyone was fair game to them.

"Just stay cautious. Better safe than sorry," he advised.

Hearing the seriousness in Li Yi's tone, Wei Sanpao nodded.

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When the two arrived at the train station, they caught sight of a train pulling in.

In this era, the Jiangcheng station was still quite basic—somewhat rundown even—but to Li Yi, it felt nostalgic.

In his previous life, this was where he had taken his first step toward wealth. He had traveled from this very station to other cities for wholesale goods, eventually amassing a fortune of over 100 billion.

Now, after his rebirth, he was starting over from the same place, embarking on a new journey toward even greater success.

The station hall buzzed with activity. People hurried in all directions, creating a lively, bustling atmosphere.

After queuing for two to three hours, Li Yi finally purchased two train tickets to Jiangzhan City. Since they still had nearly two hours before departure, he sat down on an empty bench to rest, closing his eyes.

Meanwhile, Wei Sanpao, who was taking the train for the first time in his life, was visibly excited, looking around curiously.

Li Yi's thoughts drifted to the train stations of thirty years later. By then, buying tickets at a counter had become obsolete. Everything was handled through mobile phones. Checking in was even easier—just a swipe of an ID card, with no paper tickets required.

Sighing softly, he pulled his attention back to the present, focusing on his plans for Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

As coastal cities, Guangzhou and Shenzhen were hubs of international trade. Following the economic reforms, they had been among the fastest-growing cities, experiencing rapid financial development.

Many foreign businessmen had flooded in, eager to profit from the booming market. Among the products they sought, antiques were highly prized. Foreigners had a strong fascination with China's ancient culture, and owning a piece of history was a status symbol for them.

Besides antiques, fashion trends were also beginning to take off in these cities. Popular overseas styles—such as bell-bottom pants, bat shirts, step-on pants, and windbreakers—had yet to reach Jiangnan City. To Li Yi, this presented a lucrative opportunity.

Jewelry and accessories were another potential goldmine. Earrings, necklaces, and other fashion items were in high demand.

However, his immediate priority was antique trading.

The largest antique market in Guangzhou and Shenzhen was Dongyuan Antique Market. It was here that, in his past life, a friend of his had stumbled upon a valuable jade artifact, which later sold for a staggering 700,000 yuan.

700,000 yuan in this era was an astronomical sum, an amount even many tycoons couldn't afford.

This jade piece had been carved into the shape of a pavilion, yet it had been found in an unassuming street stall. If Li Yi could locate it this time, it would provide the capital he needed for his future business ventures.

The challenge, however, was that antiques were a tricky business.

Unlike Chang'an, Jinling, or Longcheng—cities that had been capitals in ancient times—Guangzhou and Shenzhen lacked historical prominence. Authentic heirlooms were rare, and most of the antique market was flooded with counterfeits.

Foreigners, despite their enthusiasm, were often deceived. An estimated 80% of the antiques they purchased were fakes, while the remaining 20% were genuine but not particularly rare.

That jade, however, had been an exception.

If Li Yi could acquire it this time, it would set him up for success.

As he was lost in thought, the station's loudspeaker crackled to life:

"Attention passengers traveling to Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The K666 train has arrived. Please proceed to the ticket gates for boarding."

Checking the train number on his ticket, Li Yi patted Wei Sanpao's shoulder.

"Let's go, Lao San. Time to board."

Wei Sanpao immediately jumped up and followed him.

The ticket inspection process was cumbersome—far more complicated than it would be in the future.

Security checks were nonexistent, but the sheer number of passengers made things chaotic.

In recent years, the government had relaxed household registration restrictions. Unlike before, people no longer needed letters of introduction to travel, leading to an explosion in population movement.

Guangzhou and Shenzhen, as prime destinations for job seekers from inland provinces, were packed with travelers. The sheer crowd rivaled the rush of the Spring Festival migration.

After struggling for more than half an hour, Li Yi and Wei Sanpao finally squeezed onto the train.

Their journey south had officially begun.

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