1982 Started from Hong Kong

Chapter 500 Royal Party
Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time.

If Wei Yixin had notified Charles and Diana of their visit to Hong Kong a month in advance,
Zhai Yuan was even confident in building a set on the surface of the moon.

At that time, actors from 91 Entertainment will be dressed in spacesuits and will show the Crown Prince and his wife the Earth-Moon video communication interface exclusively implemented by China Communications through a screen.

Four and a half days of preparation only demonstrated real-time email interaction and daily city browsing.
And finally, the voice-activated dialing system.

Princess Diana recited the phone number, and the computer interacted with the telephone to issue commands, remotely and automatically dialing the number.

High technology at its most advanced level!

It's easy to implement. First, the princess says a number into the microphone. While the computer screen displays the negligible "voice recognition in progress" message, the staff listening in can manually input the numbers and then manually dial the number using a speaker cable...

All three moves were used.

This technology show, which was only prepared for four and a half days, had no satellite launches, no rocket launches, and not even a single pyrotechnic effect, yet it managed to keep Charles and Diana under control for more than two hours.

Two hours! If Diana hadn't been a member of the royal family, tomorrow's newspapers would have been writing all over the place.

“I must admit, Sir David, if it weren’t for your personal recommendation, Diana and I might have missed a truly meaningful journey.”

As Prince Charles walked out of the classroom, he smiled and encouraged Wei Yixin: "The fact that Hong Kong has talents like Mr. Zhai and his team is less a matter of luck and more a result of your governance wisdom. I will report your achievements in Hong Kong to London."

Wei Yixin was flattered and bowed humbly, saying, "Your Highness is too kind. I was just doing my duty."

Charles and Princess Diana then walked together to Zhai Yuan.

“Mr. Zhai, your presentation today was not only impressive, but also visionary.”

Charles smiled and said, "I will be hosting a farewell party on the Britannia tonight, and I would be very happy if you could attend."

Princess Diana, arm in arm with the prince, smiled and nodded, softly echoing, "I hope that on your next visit to Hong Kong, Your Excellency's rich creativity will bring us even more surprises..."

……

"Can I only bring one female companion to the party tonight?"

After the Crown Prince and his wife left, Zhai Yuan fiddled with the gold-embossed invitation that Wei Yixin had handed him, and asked with a frown.

"If you're having trouble, you can consider not bringing any of them; no one will care."

Wei Yixin glanced at the frivolous Zhai Yuan, shook his head with a smile, and continued, "Prince Charles is very satisfied with today's arrangements, even though you lied to him... In short, everything is for the future development of Hong Kong. I can give you this now. Remember to wear it on your chest when you board the ship tonight."

As Wei Yixin spoke, he took a velvet box from his assistant, opened it, and took out a gleaming silver metal badge.

Zhai Yuan reached out and took the badge, examining it briefly.

The badge is about half the size of a finger, entirely silver-white, with a light gold trim around the edge.

In the center is a raised royal shield, on which a lion and a unicorn stand facing each other.

Below the coat of arms, there is a string of thin English text:

Justice of the Peace - Hong Kong
“Mr. Zhai, on behalf of the Hong Kong Government, I hereby confer upon you the honorary title of Justice of the Peace.”

After speaking seriously, Wei Yixin smiled and said, "The substantive documents will be issued in a couple of days. After the party ends tonight, you will have an extra seat on my Legislative Council direct election list. I hope you can continue to contribute to Hong Kong."

……

Royal yacht Britannia.

The Crown Prince and his wife hosted a cocktail party on their yacht, inviting a host of Hong Kong gentlemen and celebrities.

A total of seventy guests received royal invitations, and each guest may bring one partner.

Under British rule in Hong Kong, this invitation was quite valuable.

Let's put it this way,

If Zhai Yuan brings a female celebrity onto the ship tonight, even a young model like Qiu Shuzhen, Li Jiaxin, or Zhang Min, once they disembark, they can use their photos with the Crown Prince and his wife, along with a little marketing, to enjoy all sorts of resources in the industry.

But the Rashomon effect is that at a party of this caliber, no celebrity would bring a female star onto the ship...

People whose conversations and insights are not on the same level are prone to making fools of themselves.

In a parallel universe, Anita Mui, who was already a top star among actresses at the time, had to rely on an invitation from her close friend Eddie Lau to board the Britannia and catch a glimpse of Diana.

Who is Eddie Lau? He may not be well-known in Hong Kong's political and business circles, but he once served as the royal tailor and has deep ties with Britain.

Zhai Yuan didn't care about any of that; he was fine with bringing anyone, and didn't care about etiquette.
It was quite casual, because he had just left Chunqiu College and drove to the Chinese University of Hong Kong to pick up his cousin from school. As soon as they met, he threw the invitation to Zhou Haimei.

"Cousin~ Come with me to see the prince tonight~"

"What prince?"

Zhou Haiming accepted the invitation with a puzzled look, glanced at the contents, and then gasped in astonishment, "Prince Charles and Princess Diana? The future King of England?"

Zhai Yuan pursed his lips.

The King of England? That was ages ago. He's probably the only one in the world to have sat on the throne for seventy years.

But Zhou Haimei still seemed very excited.

The monarchical system, subtly influenced by British rule, still holds considerable sway in Hong Kong. Historically, visits by members of the royal family to Hong Kong have always been a major event and a significant part of local celebrations.

"Ugh, a bunch of female celebrities are pestering me, insisting that I take them with me."

Zhai Yuan pinched his cousin's cheek and said casually, "How can that be? For such an important occasion, you absolutely have to bring your favorite person!"

Hai Mei's cousin let out a soft "woof" in gratitude and snuggled into Zhai Yuan's arms like a kitten, rubbing against him.

Finally, she looked up guiltily and asked, "Should I wear a dress? That's how it's portrayed on TV."

"It's nothing~" Zhai Yuan casually tucked his cousin's hair behind her ear, leaned down and kissed her lips, laughing, "My Hai Mei looks beautiful in anything~"

Zhou Haimei smiled, her eyes crinkling, but still somewhat uncertain, and asked, "Then... should I bow when I go in? What if I run into the prince and princess? How should I greet them? What if they ask me questions? Will the other guests at the reception laugh at me...?"

Listening to her incessant barrage of questions, Zhai Yuan rolled his eyes helplessly and said lazily, "Fine, give me the invitation, I'll bring the second woman over."

Zhou Haimei's expression changed, and she immediately fell silent, clutching the invitation to her chest with both hands and saying warily, "No!"

…………

That night,

As the sunset glowed, the waters on the east side of Hong Kong Island shimmered with light and shadow.

The royal yacht Britannia has slowly entered its berth in Victoria Harbour.
The farewell reception for the Crown Prince and his wife officially began, with seventy guests, each accompanied by their partner, boarding the ship in their finest attire.

The Governor and the three Secretaries took the lead.
The head of the Security Bureau and the Commissioner of Police followed closely behind.
Representatives from various legislators, prominent lawyers, and judges attended the event.

Li Ka-shing, Cheng Yu-tung, Li Zhaoji, the shipping magnate, Mr. Tung, Zhao Yifu, Liu Luanxiong, Guo Kuang Xiaoqing, Li Lu Yanqun... Celebrities from both the political and business circles gathered, adorned with jewels and dazzling with brilliance.

Zhou Haimei finally put on an evening gown. She didn't have time to order one and went straight to pick out a ready-made one, with a crescent moon peeking out from her chest.

A diamond necklace adorned her fair neck, and sparkling crystal pendants hung from her earlobes.

She walked carefully beside Zhai Yuan in her high heels, afraid of twisting her ankle or tripping over her skirt.

Hearing the girl beside him taking deep breaths, Zhai Yuan smiled, put his arm around her waist, and whispered in her ear, "Don't be afraid. Think of it this way: with so many officials and rich guys on the same boat as a student like you, they should be the ones who are nervous."

The entire event was a cocktail party showcasing royal power and a place for celebrities to exchange resources; there's really not much to say about it.

It's high society, after all. At parties, everyone is dressed to the nines, the men look respectable, and the women are elegant. Even though they just had a party together in a mansion last night, and played with female celebrities and male models, when they meet someone, they greet each other with things like, "Mr./Mrs. X, long time no see, how many rounds of golf have you played lately?"

There's eight parts falsehood and two parts truth in his words; whether you're qualified to accept the other two parts of truth depends on your own abilities.

“Mr. Zhai, I am Morrison from Hong Kong Telecom. His Highness Charles praised China-Hong Kong Communications highly today and hopes that we will have the opportunity to exchange and cooperate in the future.”

"Hello again, Mr. Zhai. When are you going to release some 997 shares? People call me a 'stock market sniper,' but I haven't even had a chance to buy your entertainment group's shares at a high price!"

“Ms. Fong, your film ‘Mr. Possessed’ did well at the box office. I plan to go to the mainland next year to discuss the development of TVB. I will definitely need your help with this Metropolis.”

Morrison, Liu Luanxiong, and Zhao Yifu, each accompanied by their partners, greeted Zhai Yuan.

Li Luyan glanced at Zhai Yuan, then at Zhou Haimei beside him with a tense little face, and teased in a low voice, "I thought you would bring my goddaughter. Zhizhi even specially made soup for me last week and praised you highly. You!"

Zhai Yuan blinked and said, "Cousin, cousin."

Li Luyan smiled and pointed to Li Jiacheng, who was chatting and laughing with Prince Charles not far away, and his wife Li Zhuangyueming beside him: "The richest couple were cousins, weren't they?"

Throughout the entire party,

As the youngest new elite, Zhai Yuan handled the group of celebrities and gentlemen with ease and confidence.

My cousin Hai Mei, however, was like a duckling learning to swim, falling into the adults' pool.

Zhou Haimei stayed by Zhai Yuan's side the whole time. One after another, big shots who could only be seen on TV appeared in front of them. While shaking hands and talking with Zhai Yuan, they inevitably had to greet her as well. Although Haimei tried her best to be generous and proper, she still couldn't hide a bit of student awkwardness.

By the time the first half of the yacht party ended, Zhou Haimei felt her face stiff from smiling, and her back was slightly damp with nervousness.

The second half of the party was held at the Tamar Naval Base.

The group traveled by bus, and upon arrival, waited for roll call before boarding the warship one by one to shake hands with Charles and Diana.

When it was Zhou Haimei's turn, she saw the prince and princess smiling at her from so close by, and the little girl felt dizzy.

Charles took the initiative to greet Zhai Yuan, and asked with a smile, "We meet again, our tech genius. Won't you introduce your female companion?"

Zhou Haimei murmured softly, "The prince asked you to introduce me..."

Zhai Yuan hugged the bewildered Zhou Haimei and smiled at the Crown Prince and his wife, saying, "My wifi...wife!"

My cousin Hai Mei's face was already red, and this time it spread all the way to her ears.

Upon seeing this, Princess Diana smiled slightly, a hint of affection appearing in her eyes, and turned to Charles, saying, "She's very lovely."

Charles smiled and nodded.

Then, Diana reached out and took off a delicate sapphire bracelet from her wrist, put it into Zhou Haimei's bewildered hand, and said with a light laugh, "Something for luck, my dear."

Whether they were aboard or not, all the celebrities and gentlemen on and off the warship couldn't help but turn their heads in amazement at this sight.

Morrison of Hong Kong Telecom turned green with rage.

Is this praising that little Chinese girl? It's clearly praising Zhai Yuan, this so-called scientific prodigy!
To put it another way, my lord, you're slapping the telecommunications company in the face!
Zhou Haimei, the person involved, stood there stunned, holding the bracelet for a long time before she reacted and whispered, "Thank you, Your Royal Highness."

Diana smiled and nodded, then took Charles's arm and continued walking to the next guest.

Then, led by the Crown Prince and his wife, a group of celebrities stood on the warship, watching a group of foreign naval personnel conduct a military exercise below.

It is also a regular program after each visit to Hong Kong by members of the royal family.

With the military exercise over, the evening's activities were finally concluded. Charles and Diana then took a night flight back to London.

During the three-day visit of the Crown Prince and his wife to Hong Kong, under the management of Wei Yixin, China Communications became one of the biggest beneficiaries.

Hai Mei's cousin even received an SSR-level Princess Bracelet.

On the way back, Zhou Haimei completely relaxed, hugging Zhai Yuan and chattering all the way, praising Princess Diana endlessly: "The Princess was so beautiful, so elegant, so noble, so kind, so nice..."

Looking at the night outside the car window, Zhai Yuan yawned, put his arm around his cousin Hai Mei's shoulder, and his rough hand slid into the crescent-shaped slit of her dress.

With a gentle kneading, my cousin's chattering immediately stopped.

Zhai Yuan then asked, "It's too late, how about staying at the Peninsula Hotel tonight?"

Zhou Haimei nestled softly into her cousin's arms and murmured an "Mmm".

…………

Early on the morning of November 11, even before the Crown Prince and his wife had arrived in London, local Hong Kong newspapers published a series of headlines related to the event.

The September 1st Daily News enlarged a photo of Zhai Yuan, Charles, and Diana getting into the car together and published it on the front page.

"China-Hong Kong Communications Amazes the Crown Prince and His Wife; Zhai Yuan's High-Tech Demonstration Stuns the Audience"

Is Hong Kong's true future in China-Hong Kong telecommunications? Prince Charles praises Zhai Yuan's innovative abilities, saying they are worthy of study in London. The couple spent over two hours just to visit China-Hong Kong telecommunications operations; prodigy Yuan's innovative spirit soars to the heavens.

Various sensational headlines and rhetoric emerged one after another, interspersed with introductions to the business of China-Hong Kong Communications.

On the day the exchange opened, bolstered by Zhai Yuanxin's newfound fame, stock 997 rose steadily.

Correspondingly, the stock of Hong Kong Telecom Co., Ltd. (stock code 682) has been declining steadily.

Not to be outdone, the head of the telecommunications company, Morrison, released the previous year's annual results the very next day.
An attempt to boost investor confidence and, incidentally, deter Hong Kong and mainland telecommunications companies.

Hong Kong Telecom announced its annual results for last year, with a profit of HK$2.99 ​​billion.

Morgan Stanley's board of directors pointed out that the group's performance is steadily improving, and this year's profit is expected to exceed the 3.5 billion mark.

The Board of Directors of Xiangjiang Communications has decided to distribute a final interest payment of 0.5 cents per share, and will also issue 3 bonus shares for every 20 shares held by existing shareholders.

Investors' confidence was indeed boosted, and the stock price, which opened at 682, rebounded on the same day.

But its deterrent effect is zero.

Holding the newspaper, Zhai Yuan looked at the financial reports of telecommunications companies in the stock market column, and only one thought occupied his mind:
They could make 3 billion a year just by making something this ridiculous.
If my China-Hong Kong communications business were to be established there, wouldn't it take off?!

(End of this chapter)