Chapter 138: instant fame
The headline from Galaxy Daily was a bit long, but the moment it hit the streets, it immediately caught the attention of every newspaper stall owner in Hong Kong. As industry insiders, they all knew—more than anything else, what ordinary people in Hong Kong cared about most was wealth.
How many dreamed of striking it rich? And naturally, they loved reading stories of those who already had. Words like "business legend," "tycoon," and "fortune" were irresistible. All mortals, after all, lived in pursuit of wealth.
Soon, Galaxy Daily was delivered to stalls across the city. While headlines like these weren't unheard of, they weren't common either. The front page was attention-grabbing, so naturally, the vendors gave it a read.
Interestingly, the front cover didn't feature a photo—something quite rare. Most character features at least included a blurry image or a candid shot from afar. But this one had none.
Turning to the next page revealed the story summary—standard practice for longer articles: start with the overview, then get into the details.
[Early last year, a boy from the squatter settlements named Yang Wendong, driven by poverty and hunger, scavenged discarded bamboo from Hong Kong's largest construction waste dump. He crafted the bamboo into rudimentary rat traps and sold them at local markets.
Like many successful entrepreneurs, Yang wasn't content with meager returns. He expanded into warehouse pest control.
Mid-year, the rat extermination campaign at the Wharf in Kowloon—the most successful in its history—was led by none other than Yang himself. That project gave him his first bucket of gold.
He founded Changxing Industrial and invented a new mouse-catching product: the glue trap.
The glue trap quickly overtook traditional cages, becoming the most convenient rodent control tool on the island.
But Yang didn't stop there. At the end of last year, he invented a new product—Post-it notes. It became a favorite among office workers.
After gaining traction in Hong Kong, Post-its became a hit in California. Now, Changxing Industrial is building a massive factory in Tsim Sha Tsui to manufacture them. Rumors suggest over 2,000 workers will be hired—making it one of Hong Kong's largest employers.]
"Unreal. Starting a business can be that miraculous?" one newspaper vendor muttered as he read word for word, cigarette dangling from his lips, leg crossed.
His heart brimmed with envy. Why had Yang Wendong's entrepreneurial path been so smooth?
It had taken him over a decade to save up and open a humble newsstand—something others already envied. But compared to Yang, he felt utterly insignificant. Comparison was indeed the thief of joy.
He kept reading. The article's second half detailed the company's three main products and their current sales performance. Galaxy Daily had dedicated two full pages to the coverage.
"So the Rubik's Cube was also from Changxing?" the vendor murmured. Only now did he realize the toy he'd been selling lately came from the same company.
Just then, a middle-aged man approached. "Boss, give me a copy of The Overseas Chinese Daily."
"Sure~" The vendor set down the paper, rummaged under the counter, and pulled out a copy. "Thirty cents."
"Mmhmm." The man reached into his pocket but paused when his eyes scanned the front covers of the stacked papers. One title in particular caught his attention—Galaxy Daily with the bold characters "Business Legend" splashed across it.
"Can I take a look at this one first?" he asked, pointing to the Galaxy Daily on display.
"You know the rule—you can look at the front cover, but not the inside," the vendor said with a grin.
With decades of experience, he knew exactly which headlines sold papers. This "New Business Legend" one had even drawn him in. Clearly a winner—it was prominently displayed.
A single newspaper was packed with content, but most of it was filler. It only took one or two compelling pieces to sell an issue. That's why an eye-catching cover was everything. If customers were allowed to flip through freely, no one would buy anything.
"Fair enough. Skip Overseas Chinese Daily—I'll take this one instead," the man said.
"The content in Overseas Chinese Daily isn't bad either…" the vendor said hurriedly, realizing he had just lost one sale to another paper. "Tell you what—take both for fifty cents?"
"Deal," the man nodded.
He paid and stepped aside to the shady part of the street, leaning against the wall to read.
The vendor didn't mind. This was common. People who weren't in a rush often read nearby—and might even buy drinks or snacks afterward.
After a while, the man put the paper down and sighed, "Incredible… to build something like this in just one year."
"Yeah, Hong Kong might be small, but it's full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers," the vendor replied with a smile.
More customers arrived shortly after, most of them also drawn by the Galaxy Daily headline. Many bought it on the spot.
Newspapers had a ripple effect—one person bought a copy, and it usually got passed around.
By the afternoon, traffic at the stall had more than doubled, and the vendor noticed that most customers were specifically asking for Galaxy Daily.
"They really nailed this headline," the vendor thought to himself. "Bet they sell a few times more than usual today."
—
Meanwhile, as soon as Galaxy Daily hit the streets, Zhao Chengguang called Yang Wendong.
"Mr. Yang, congratulations! From today on, you'll be firmly on the radar of the Hong Kong government and business community."
"Haha, thank you, Mr. Zhao." Yang chuckled over the phone. "I was hoping to stay under the radar a bit longer. At least until the new factory launched. Unfortunately, they jumped the gun by half a month."
Zhao said, "Many tycoons think that way. But once your business grows, it's impossible to stay off the media's radar—especially with a factory your size.
People already noticed. The papers just hadn't realized it was newsworthy. But with your hiring spree and export volumes, this would've come out sooner or later."
"True. I expected it." Yang agreed.
In Hong Kong, even the largest real estate tycoons couldn't avoid media attention once their businesses reached a certain scale. Whether it was shipping magnates, industrial barons, or developers—once they grew big enough, they were public figures.
The only exceptions were those in low-profile trades, like Zhao's own international trade business.
Zhao added, "I've used my connections to warn a few gangs not to mess with you. But I can't reach all of them.
The smart ones will stay away. But you should still be cautious—there are always hot-headed thugs and desperate men. Your security needs to be tight."
"Got it. Don't worry, I've made preparations," Yang replied.
The factory was safe. With hundreds of young men on-site, it was practically a fortress. His home was safe too—thankfully, he'd bought an apartment in a private estate. If he were still renting, things could get tricky now that he was famous.
The most worrying part now was Yang Wendong's commute, but as long as he traveled in a convoy of several cars, there likely wouldn't be any real danger.
Zhao Chengguang added, "Mr. Yang, you really only need to be cautious for a while. Once society in Hong Kong gets used to your presence, things will settle down.
And now that you've been exposed publicly, what you need to do next is make connections—with government officials or prominent business figures in Hong Kong. That way, both the black and white sides of society will at least show you some respect."
"Understood," Yang Wendong nodded. "By the end of this month, Liao Chong Hing Bank will be hosting a banquet. I'll be attending. There should be a fair number of businessmen there."
"Good," Zhao agreed, then asked, "Do you have any political contacts?"
"Not really," Yang admitted honestly. The only person he'd connected with early on was Elena, who had helped him in the beginning.
But her influence didn't seem strong enough anymore.
Zhao thought for a moment. "Alright, I know a senior Chinese officer in the police force. I can be the go-between—arrange a dinner so you can get acquainted. How about that?"
"That would be great. Thanks, Mr. Zhao," Yang said happily.
Most of his products relied on exports, and even his locally sold items had extremely low unit prices. So even with the company's growing scale, he hadn't had much contact with Hong Kong's business or political circles. Apart from a few encounters with government departments due to factory expansions, he knew virtually no one in those sectors.
Zhao laughed, "Don't mention it. We've worked together long enough. If you do well, I do well. We're all in the same boat.
But Mr. Yang, even though you've achieved a lot, you're still young. I'll be frank with you—Hong Kong's government doesn't tightly regulate the economy, as you probably know. That includes high-ranking officials.
They usually won't accept bribes directly. They prefer… indirect benefits."
"Indirect?" Yang nodded. "So how does that work?"
Currently, the Hong Kong police held significant power. The root cause was the British Empire's decline—it could no longer effectively govern distant colonies. Even its crown jewel, India, had gained independence.
With limited ability to manage Hong Kong, the British were forced to rely on local Chinese—starting with the police force.
Police officers in this era were notoriously arrogant. But Chinese tycoons were also people the colonial government tried to win over. So as long as everyone minded their own business, even unspoken deals were left untouched. Unlike how street vendors were bullied, factories rarely faced random extortion.
Zhao explained, "It usually comes in the form of legitimate business. For example, your company could make purchases from vendors connected to them."
"That sounds hard to implement," Yang frowned. "My raw materials are pretty specific, and mostly imported."
Zhao chuckled. "You're overthinking it. These people aren't stupid—they won't interfere in your core operations, and they certainly don't understand your technical processes.
What they really want are the logistics and support businesses. For instance, with over 2,000 employees, your factory will need gloves, uniforms, chairs, food, and so on. The scale alone is enough to feed a few of them."
"Ah, I see now," Yang nodded.
Zhao continued, "You're probably too busy these days anyway. And with the media watching you, it's not the right time to meet with the police officials. Wait until things cool down a bit."
"Alright. Thanks again," Yang replied with a smile.
After a bit more small talk, they hung up.
Wei Zetao, who had been standing nearby, said, "A few reporters have already gathered outside. Looks like they want an interview. Should we let them in?"
Yang replied with a question, "There've been plenty of famous Chinese industrialists in Hong Kong—have they all accepted interviews?"
"Yes," Wei nodded. "But most of them used the media to promote themselves or their companies—especially if they were manufacturing in Hong Kong.
Even those focused on exports would try to build a name locally first, so they could negotiate with foreign firms from a stronger position."
"All for profit," Yang nodded. "I'll hold off for now. Getting noticed was inevitable, but I'm not ready for interviews yet. I can't just agree to talk to any random reporter."
Once your factory hit a certain scale, staying low-key was nearly impossible. But there was a difference between people knowing that "the Post-it King exists" and them recognizing your face instantly.
The former was far safer, and it wouldn't disrupt his daily life as much.
Of course, this only applied to the general public. He still needed to network with businessmen and government officials when appropriate.
Maybe one day, when his accomplishments rivaled those of Bao Yugang in the '70s and anonymity was impossible, then he'd deal with the public side of fame.
Wei nodded. "That makes sense. Even if you do give an interview, it should be to a major outlet. Those small-time reporters out there aren't worth it."
"Exactly," Yang said. "According to Zhao Chengguang, media interest usually fades after a week or two. Once that passes, we'll be in the clear."
Wei laughed. "Yeah, back when plastic flowers were all the rage, reporters chased Cheung Kong Holdings around for almost a month.
But that was because the market was mainly in Hong Kong. After a while, it stopped being newsworthy."
"Alright," Yang nodded. "Still, even if we don't give interviews, those reporters outside are standing in the heat. Let's take some cold drinks from the fridge and hand them out.
It might not do much, but building a little goodwill never hurts."
"Will do," Wei said with a smile, then left the office.
Yang stayed behind, frowning at the copy of Galaxy Daily in his hands. "These reporters really did their homework. They've found details even I've forgotten."
The article didn't perfectly reproduce his entire entrepreneurial journey, but it was impressively accurate. Clearly, they'd followed his timeline closely and interviewed a lot of people.
Outside, each reporter soon received an ice-cold Coke—and was grateful. A small act of kindness in the sweltering heat went a long way.
But they were still frustrated. The man they were here to interview refused to be interviewed. All they could do was wait at the gate, hoping to snap a photo or get a quick word.
By 6 or 7 p.m., one reporter finally asked the security guard, "Hey, doesn't your boss go home?"
The guard glanced at him. "No idea. He might've already left. Our factory has several exits."
"What?" The group exploded.
They'd waited half the day and didn't even see him. Realizing it was hopeless, they reluctantly went home.
Back at Galaxy Daily headquarters, the sales team was busy tallying up the day's newspaper sales.
Chairwoman Hu Xian was present, along with Editor-in-Chief Li and several others.
After a while, one staffer exclaimed, "Today's total: 27,236 copies sold!"
"Over 27,000? That's great," said Editor Li with a satisfied grin.
"Excellent." Hu Xian was delighted. "Did our reporters in Tsim Sha Tsui manage to meet Yang Wendong? If we could get his first interview, the value would skyrocket.
A young entrepreneur who succeeded like this—he could become a role model not just in Hong Kong, but for Chinese communities overseas."
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