"Moving a supermarket online is definitely a viable idea, but the investment will be huge," Yi Haiyang said after a moment of thought.

"First, you need a warehousing center, as well as logistics and distribution. You can't possibly rely on courier companies to deliver goods for you, can you? If I were to buy a single bottle of mineral water online, how much profit could you make from it? Your prices can't be higher than a physical supermarket, right? Then you have to factor in the cost of manual delivery! With all that, can an online supermarket still be profitable? If there's no money to be made, what's the point of starting one?"

Yi Anguo nodded. "In the beginning, we definitely can't expect to make a profit. We'll certainly need our own large warehousing centers, along with logistics and distribution infrastructure. However, we can build our warehouses in more remote locations where rent is cheaper, or even buy the land and build them ourselves, which would be more cost-effective in the long run. We absolutely can't cut corners on logistics and distribution, and our prices certainly can't be higher than physical supermarkets."

"In the early stages, we can operate without restrictions and deliver even a single bottle of water. But once we've established a market presence, we can set a minimum purchase amount for free delivery. Customers who don't meet the minimum will be charged a delivery fee. Besides a monetary limit, we can also set a weight limit, capping orders at ten or perhaps twenty kilograms."

"We can establish a logistics hub in each city and a warehouse center in each district. Below those, we'll set up smaller delivery stations. From there, our delivery staff, or couriers, will be responsible for dispatching orders within their designated areas and getting them directly to the customers. Of course, this has to be done step by step, expanding from one city to the next. It's impossible to launch across all major cities nationwide at once."

"So, our online supermarket model is different from Taobao and eBay's. In internet industry jargon, one is B2C and the other is C2C. That's the general idea, anyway—I don't fully understand the specifics myself."

Yi Haiyang quickly grasped Yi Anguo's concept. He thought for a moment before replying, "I understand what you're getting at, and the model isn't unfeasible. The problem is still the funding. Never mind a nationwide rollout; even just covering the inner districts of Shenzhen City would require an astronomical investment. You couldn't get much done without tens of millions. Look at how much money eBay and Taobao have poured into their platforms. Unless we can secure venture capital, the risk is just too great."

Yi Anguo smiled. "I'm not worried about the other aspects; my main weakness is my lack of understanding of internet technology. If I put you in charge of building the website and ensuring its secure operation, protecting it from malicious hackers, could you handle it? Or could you at least assemble a technical team capable of doing so?"

Yi Haiyang nodded. "That's not a major problem. While I won't boast about my own abilities, with enough money, we can easily headhunt talent from other internet companies. Firms like Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, and eBay are brimming with talent, and there are always skilled people who feel undervalued. If we're sincere and offer a competitive price, poaching them won't be difficult. As someone in the industry, I know the situation. The tech experts at those big corporations are under immense pressure and face fierce competition. That's why I'd rather stay at a smaller company than try to make it in a large one."

"Great! That's all I need to hear," Yi Anguo said with a nod. "You don't need to worry about the funding. I'll find a way to get venture capital investment. Once our company is established, we'll launch our online supermarket in Shenzhen first. We'll accumulate experience step-by-step before expanding outward. We'll build a solid foundation and not rush things."

After his initial discussion with Yi Haiyang, Yi Anguo went to Harbor Island with Ding Jing to register an investment company. While there, they toured the island and purchased an office building to serve as their local headquarters. They also bought two luxury homes, spending tens of millions of Hong Kong dollars.

"The real estate here is ridiculously expensive," Ding Jing lamented. "Over 10,000 per square foot, which is almost 110,000 per square meter. The price has more than doubled since 2003."

"You said it yourself, that was 2003. It's 2006 now, so it's normal for the price to have doubled," Yi Anguo replied with a smile. "Think about the housing prices in Shenzhen. Haven't the luxury properties there also shot up? They've more than doubled, an even more dramatic increase than here on Harbor Island."

"Even if prices doubled in Shenzhen, it's still much cheaper than here. It's already so expensive, yet you're still buying several properties," Ding Jing said.

"It's fine, just think of it as an investment. The prices are bound to keep rising. Besides, whenever we have free time, we can come to Harbor Island to relax or take a vacation," Yi Anguo explained. "Now that we have an investment company here, we'll definitely be coming often. And as the general manager, you'll have to visit frequently in the future."

"That's not really necessary," Ding Jing countered. "The only reason to register a company here is to enter the mainland market with foreign investor status and enjoy the preferential treatment that comes with it. We don't actually need a physical office."

"That doesn't matter. If we don't use it, we can rent it out. We definitely won't lose money by buying it," Yi Anguo said with an air of indifference.

Harbor Island was a paradise for both shoppers and foodies. Since they were there, they naturally had to indulge in some serious shopping.

Now that I have so many people around me, it would be wrong to come back from Harbor Island empty-handed. For instance, if I buy a gift for Hu Jing, I have to get one for her sister, too. She calls me brother-in-law for a reason, after all. Then there are Li Sisi and her two younger sisters. I can't forget Chen Ting, either, especially since she's given me so many gifts. It's important to reciprocate. I also need gifts for my third sister's family, my niece Fu Huanhuan, and of course, my own precious daughter. No one can be left out. Naturally, Ding Jing and her daughter are on the list as well.

They stayed on Harbor Island for several nights. Perhaps it was the atmosphere of the city, but Ding Jing completely let go and revealed her true, uninhibited self. Every night, she eagerly cooperated with Yi Anguo, exploring all sorts of new positions, leaving him utterly delighted and with no desire to return home. As a reward, Yi Anguo showered her with gifts.

Of course, Ding Jing wasn't short on money anymore. She had managed Yi Anguo's portfolio, speculating on international crude oil futures and earning a massive 270 million US dollars. It was only natural for Yi Anguo to show his appreciation. He didn't dwell on whether she might leave him now that she was wealthy. A woman who was meant to be his would stay even if he tried to push her away, and one who wasn't could never be kept, no matter how hard he tried.

In the past, Yi Anguo had worried that Li Sisi wouldn't accept his relationships with other women. But now she knew about him and Hu Jing and had accepted the reality without demanding to break up or draw a line between them. This brought great peace to Yi Anguo's heart. As long as there was harmony at home, everything else was manageable.

Yi Anguo returned fully laden, distributing the gifts he had brought back from Harbor Island to everyone's delight.

However, just as Yi Anguo was about to show Hu Jing some affection, she suddenly pushed him away, dashed into the bathroom, and began to retch.

Concerned, he followed her and gently patted her back. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

"I don't know," she said, shaking her head. "I just suddenly felt this wave of nausea. I feel like I need to throw up, but nothing comes out."

"Did this just start today, or has it been happening for a while? Have you seen a doctor?" Yi Anguo asked.

"I haven't had a chance yet. It's just been the last couple of days. I keep getting these sudden bouts of nausea where I feel like vomiting, but nothing comes up. It's really uncomfortable," Hu Jing explained.

"You couldn't be pregnant, could you?" Yi Anguo guessed suddenly. "When was your last period?"

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