Chapter 89: Hongqi Street and Haidong Hotel

Chapter 89: Hongqi Street and Haidong Hotel

Near the train station in Haidong City lies Hotel Street, and Li Yi's current destination is this very street.

Despite never having visited Haidong City in this era, Li Yi knew about Hotel Street because it had come up during a tea session with a business partner.

This person, a native of Haidong, had worked with Li Yi on a financial project. During a conversation after dinner, he had shared his story of making a fortune and had mentioned Hongqi Street in passing.

But this was no ordinary street. Not only was it filled with hotels, but more notably, it was the most active area for streetwalkers, making it a well-known pleasure district in Haidong City. Whenever the name "Hongqi Street" was mentioned, every man in Haidong would smile knowingly.

Due to its proximity to several commercial buildings and a large electronic product exhibition center, it had also become a prime lodging area for traveling businessmen.

With all this in mind, Li Yi had decided to stay here and observe the situation for himself.

As they approached, a long, modern-looking street stretched out before Li Yi and Wei Sanpao.

Li Yi glanced at the seemingly endless row of buildings and sighed inwardly.

This street is unbelievably long… It just keeps going!

Still, he knew that choosing the right hotel was crucial—cutting corners on accommodation could lead to trouble.

Although the cost of lodging here wasn't particularly high, public security was a real concern.

Cheap inns might be affordable, but they were notorious for crime. It wasn't uncommon for thieves to sneak in through windows in the dead of night. Once inside, they could take valuables at will, then casually walk out the front door.

With nearly 100,000 people passing through the station daily, recovering stolen items was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Even filing a police report was usually futile, as small inns rarely had security cameras.

Keeping this in mind, Li Yi made a firm decision—no cheap inns. Instead, he led Wei Sanpao to one of the most luxurious hotels on the street: Donghai Hotel.

Despite being labeled as a hotel, Donghai Hotel was more akin to a high-end establishment.

With nearly 30 years of history, it stood as the premier hotel on Hongqi Street and was among the most reputable accommodations in all of Haidong City.

"Brother Yi, we're not really staying here, are we?" Wei Sanpao asked hesitantly.

"What's wrong?" Li Yi replied.

"This place… Is this really a hotel? It looks way too luxurious!"

Li Yi patted his shoulder and said, "We're staying here. I brought you here for a reason."

Wei Sanpao swallowed nervously. "Brother Yi, maybe we should pick another place? That small inn on the corner looks decent… It must be a lot cheaper."

Li Yi chuckled and shook his head. "Old Third, people who achieve great things don't fuss over minor expenses. We're not struggling for money anymore, so why stay in a cheap inn?"

"But…"

"No more 'buts.' Trust me, the money we spend will only multiply under my management."

Hearing this, Wei Sanpao reluctantly nodded, though he still felt uneasy.

Can we really stay in such a high-end hotel? Won't they throw us out?

Had Li Yi known his thoughts, he would have laughed.

Hotels weren't run by fools—money was money. As long as a guest could afford to pay, no one cared who they were. Conversely, even a man in a tailored suit would be turned away if he couldn't cover the bill.

"Come on, let's go in."

Wei Sanpao hesitated, but seeing Li Yi confidently push open the glass doors, he had no choice but to follow.

The moment they stepped inside, Li Yi was stunned by the hotel's décor.

He hadn't expected such a luxurious, European-style interior in this era.

This kind of opulence wasn't common in China at the time. The hotel must have been constructed with foreign investment.

Could the owner be a foreigner?

It was a bold assumption, but Li Yi had a hunch.

Regardless, that wasn't his primary concern—securing a safe and comfortable room was. If the hotel was indeed foreign-owned, safety would be the least of his worries.

Li Yi walked toward the front desk, and his eyes widened in surprise.

The hotel's receptionists were foreigners—one man and one woman.

What a coincidence! Why do I keep encountering foreigners every time I leave Jiangnan City for a bigger place?

With a friendly smile, Li Yi addressed the front desk in flawless British English, "Excuse me, do you have any double rooms available?"

The female receptionist's blue eyes widened in shock.

She hadn't expected such perfect English from a casually dressed Chinese man, leaving her momentarily speechless.

The male receptionist, however, quickly regained composure and responded respectfully, "Sir, please wait a moment. I'll check for you right away."

To them, Li Yi seemed like a Chinese businessman returning from England.

In this era, many Chinese professionals had studied abroad or had business ties overseas, especially in major cities like Haidong.

Li Yi simply nodded, signaling for the receptionist to proceed, then stood quietly with his hands behind his back.

His poised demeanor further reinforced the impression of a well-traveled gentleman.

Soon, the male receptionist returned with an answer.

"Sir, we do have a double room available. How long will you be staying?"

Li Yi thought for a moment before replying, "Five days."

Five days—that was the deadline he had set for himself.

Within this time, he needed to find a manufacturer capable of producing a 361-liter refrigerator.

And not just any manufacturer—it had to be a reputable foreign brand.

At present, domestic refrigerators were not competitive in terms of technology. Although China would eventually catch up in the mid-to-late 1990s and dominate the market in the 21st century, foreign brands still held the edge in this era.

The first person who succeeded in this venture had chosen a South Korean manufacturer—not widely known but still superior to domestic brands in both technology and pricing.

With that in mind, Li Yi swiftly took out his money, paid for the room, and motioned for Wei Sanpao to follow him to the elevator.