There was no denying that current educational conditions and standards were many times better than before. Children started learning English in kindergarten and were introduced to computers in elementary school. An eight-year-old knew about privacy rights and was even savvy enough to use a diary with a lock.

Of course, Yi Anguo unconditionally supported his daughter's request and was happy to indulge her.

Going shopping and strolling through supermarkets with his daughter was quite enjoyable, and she was very happy. Her father not only bought her a diary with a lock but also a Pretty Goat pillow, a Pleasant Goat backpack, and a large teddy bear.

"Xin Yi, if you like these things, why didn't you ask one of your mothers to buy them for you?" Yi Anguo asked, a bit perplexed.

These things weren't expensive. If his daughter wanted them, any of her mothers would surely have bought them for her!

"Because I wanted Dad to buy them for me!" Yi Xinyi replied with a smile.

Yi Anguo thought for a moment, patted his daughter's head, and sighed to himself, saying no more.

The older his daughter got, the more she understood, and the more sensible she became. She knew that no matter how kind people like Hu Jing were to her, they weren't her biological mother. Perhaps a barrier had subconsciously formed in her heart. Only her father was her real dad, so she naturally felt closer to him and relied on him more. There were many things—many thoughts—that she would rather confide in her dad than in Hu Jing and the others. She was probably more willing to act spoiled in front of her dad than in front of them. This was likely the difference between biological and non-biological family.

Big Sister was returning home, so of course, they had to get her some parting gifts. Everyone animatedly discussed what to give her. After all, they all knew the weight and status Big Sister held in Yi Anguo's heart. As Yi Anguo's women, they had to make a gesture and buy her some valuable gifts for her departure.

But what kind of gift would be considered valuable? Nutritional supplements, health products, cosmetics—Big Sister didn't particularly like these. Expensive watches, bags, luxury clothes, and shoes weren't quite appropriate either. Such things were impractical in the countryside; even the most expensive watch or luxury bag would go unappreciated, as people there wouldn't even recognize the brands!

In the end, it was Yi Anguo who offered a piece of advice, hitting the nail on the head. "In the countryside, people pride themselves on wearing gold and silver. In the past, whoever had gold rings and gold earrings was considered to have the most prestige.

"When arranging a marriage, what mattered was the amount of gold and silver given as a betrothal gift. Besides, gold and silver hold their value well. The price of gold has dropped recently, but it's bound to rise again. In my opinion, giving Big Sister some gold jewelry is the best choice!

"Additionally, I predict that the price of gold will surge in the next few years. Right now, it's over 170 yuan per gram, but in a few years, it should rise to over 400 yuan per gram. You all should buy some extra gold jewelry and treat it as an investment. You can also invest in gold-related stocks. Earning three to five times your investment in a few years shouldn't be a problem."

In fact, he'd just now remembered that investing in gold was a great idea. In 2012, the price of gold had skyrocketed to over 420 yuan per gram. He remembered this vividly because he had bought a gold necklace at a jewelry store in July or August of that year for exactly that price—420 yuan per gram. He also made a mental note to have his stock market traders buy some gold stocks. A three-to-five-fold return over a few years wasn't much compared to semiconductor or internet company stocks like Tencent, Apple, or Amazon, where it wasn't unusual for prices to increase by that much in a single year. Still, a return of three to five times the initial investment was nothing to sneeze at. It was far better than letting the money sit in a bank account. Plus, he could liquidate it anytime he needed cash. Even if the profits didn't reach their full potential, they would still be substantial. After all, the price of gold had been rising since 2009; it didn't just suddenly spike in 2012. That meant he could sell at any point during that period and make a profit, with the only difference being how much he stood to earn.

On New Year's Day, Zhuo Weidong suddenly called Yi Anguo, inviting him to a cocktail party to introduce him to a friend. Yi Anguo thought about it and agreed, as getting to know more friends couldn't hurt.

The party was at a five-star hotel in the Houhai area. Upon arriving, Zhuo Weidong was thrilled and eagerly started chatting with him.

The Blue Coast Times Square project was now fully completed and had passed inspection. The exterior had been finished for a while, and the interior was also nearly done. The official handover was now complete. The project transfer procedures were also finalized, and the transfer fee had long been paid in full.

Clearly, the real estate market was in a worse state than it had been a few months prior, with commercial properties taking the biggest hit. After all, a large number of companies had gone bankrupt, and many migrant workers had lost their jobs, forcing them to return to their hometowns to farm or start new businesses. This population decrease made business difficult, driving down rents even as more commercial properties entered the market. With sales stagnating and properties simply not moving, some developers had no choice but to slash their prices to recoup their funds.

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