In "The Flourishing Age", why did Li Li sell Miss Wang's stamp collection?

Business and Favors: The Intricate Dance of Survival

Without ruthlessness, a woman’s position is unstable.

Li Li gave General Wei a way out by taking on the opening banquet without charge when no one else would take the order at Huanghe Road. This was a favor to General Wei. When Miss Wang hurried over, she didn’t head straight for the banquet but settled accounts with Li Li first. Li Li accepted her stamps and made it clear that while favors are favors, business must be kept distinct, a favor in return to Miss Wang.

Having accepted the stamps meant taking Miss Wang’s banquet money. Not cashing them in would be pretentious; instead, openly monetizing them is a practical action letting Miss Wang know that moving forward and doing business well means not mixing emotions into it.

Favors are for last night when Li Li would have waited without starting the banquet if Miss Wang did not show up. When Miss Wang came and was ready to pay, Li Li accepted it gracefully, giving due respect to both Miss Wang and General Wei. It’s not about holding onto the stamps but about keeping an unspoken agreement in heart.

Business is business, which means if it’s about collecting banquet money, then it should be taken straightforwardly. If Miss Wang thinks it’s only worth 100,000, then Li Li insists on raising it to 150,000, reflecting the merchant’s nature of pursuing profit in the business world. Even helping is about creating buzz for Zhi Zhen Yuan, generating topics, and making it renowned on Huanghe Road. That’s the true nature of a businessman!

Whether Li Li is dealing with Boss Bao, General Fan, General Wei, Miss Wang, or Lingzi, she always knows clear boundaries, discussing both affection and money. She is both a person of the world and of natural disposition.

As the old saying goes, “Talking about money hurts feelings, talking about feelings hurts money.” But it can also be said, “Talking about money cultivates feelings, talking about feelings cultivates money.”

Everything is about perspective, shifting and creating opportunities at every step.

In “Fan Hua,” none of the female characters are untainted. On the contrary, behind their worldly personas, they all harbor a passionate heart.

Li Li seems immune to all poisons, but her unwavering stand beside Mr. A is her flame.

Lingzi seems to have cleared all debts, but soon a savings book of Jin Ling will appear before Boss Bao (a teaser).

Miss Wang, needless to say, from her past fiery love, having learned to talk about money, will surely have her peaceful years.

Who says “Fan Hua” is a purely male-centric drama, or a mindless romance? It’s a colorful journey through a history that’s been lived and erased, containing both you and me.

I am @Luo Molli, a post-80s freelance writer. I gallop through my professional field by day and indulge in writing by night, feeling deeply and expressing sincerely. I live freely and age gracefully. Stay tuned for updates on popular and classic drama reviews, and join me in light discussions about dramas and life.

How are episodes 23-24 of the TV series “Fan Hua” filmed? What are some noteworthy plot points? How are episodes 21-22 of the TV series “Fan Hua” filmed? What are some noteworthy plot points? How are episodes 19-20 of the TV series “Fan Hua” filmed? What are some noteworthy plot points?

Experts appraise a stamp to be worth one hundred thousand, why does Li Li think it can be sold for one hundred and fifty thousand?

Oh, coincidentally, President Bao has a friend named “Stamp Li.”

On the night when Miss Wang refused President Bao’s impulsive generosity, President Bao would probably be willing to spend another fifty thousand in impulsiveness.

Selling it for one hundred and fifty thousand is Li Li’s capability; only asking for one hundred and fifty thousand is Li Li’s favor.

The Art of Being Human in Business

From Li Li’s perspective, people say they do business without sentiment, but they are actually quite skilled at managing relationships.

After receiving this stamp album, it couldn’t just sit idly. The twenty thousand yuan spent on the banquet must be accounted for. While TV dramas depict a world of splendor, with vibrant flowers and intense competition, twenty thousand yuan is still a significant amount. In reality, back in the 1990s in ordinary villages and towns, having a ten thousand yuan family was considered wealthy.

For the restaurant industry that requires quick capital turnover, recovering twenty thousand yuan shouldn’t be a problem. Li Li, the restaurant owner, is not a charity organization. Selling the stamp album for fifteen thousand yuan is a reasonable financial move.

From Mr. Bao’s perspective, gifting a brand-new Cadillac to Miss Wang was not a timely rescue but rather an offense, creating competition. As for the remaining stamp album, it serves as a bargaining chip in building a better relationship with Miss Wang. Although Li Li, who gifted the stamp album, may not receive Mr. Bao’s favor directly, he also avoids making enemies, ending up with real money in hand, which is much better than just having a stamp album.

A. The Economic Prophet with Precise Predictions

Take a closer look, what’s her identity? She used to be a former securities trader and a student turned lover of the failed banker, Mr. A.

Now she’s the female boss of Zhi Zhen Garden, disrupting the Yellow River Road catering industry.

As a restaurant owner, what is she doing with a stamp album? Is she planning to pass it down as a family heirloom?

She hasn’t given it to Mr. Bao as a pet monkey, so who is she planning to pass it on to?

Moreover, a worn-out stamp album with colorful stamps doesn’t seem to hold much value. What if one day the kitchen can’t find a lighter, and Chef Zhong Zhen Tao decides to use it to start a fire? That would be a waste.

Furthermore, Li Li’s business acumen is incredibly sharp, almost like an “economic prophet.” When Mr. Bao finally managed to get her to open up her heart while sharing lamb hotpot, she revealed her insights. She emphasized the need for stronger regulation, the importance of legal matters, and involvement in the real estate industry. Every statement was a precise prediction of the economic trends for the next few decades.

A small stamp album, not some unique collector’s item like “National Scenery in Red,” has lost its value today and is unlikely to attract much interest. Taking advantage of the market hype and numerous collectors at that time was the smart move.

B. Business Talk: Deceptive Words

“When someone’s infatuated, a man’s promises are nonsense.”

“When driven by interests, a businessman’s politeness is just an act.”

Miss Wang and Mr. Wei, the “Wei Zhu” CP, have been causing concern for everyone. Especially Mr. Wei, who talks and acts flamboyantly, with an extravagant attitude. Instead of focusing on business and building relationships at the beginning of their venture, he rushed to Zhi Zhen Garden to book 88 tables and host a wedding banquet, or rather, an opening banquet.

Is this extravagant spending behavior characteristic of a successful businessman? It’s undoubtedly a case of squandering family wealth and ending up in a dismal business failure.

Can’t someone as shrewd as Li Li see their true nature? Li Li told Miss Wang, “It’s not about making money; it’s about face.”

It’s like a fallen woman saying, “Big brother, you’re so gentle and strong; I really like that. But there won’t be a penny less for the tip.”

These are just surface words, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have taken the money; that was impolite. I’ll sell you this one at cost price; I won’t charge you a penny for my effort.”

If you believe in these words, it only proves you’re an inexperienced greenhorn.

Despite Miss Wang’s cheerful nature, she grew up as a second-generation official, exposed to various situations. She understands basic etiquette, so she used the stamp album to pay for the meal.

Little Wang also knew that Li Li would exchange the stamp album for cash immediately. In business, interests come first. There’s no room for fake politeness games, which is the real side of “Splendor” that captivates the audience.

Returning to the point, the stamp album was given to Little Wang by Jin Hua, and Little Wang used it to settle the bill. Jin Hua glanced at the stamp album one last time, tears welled up in her eyes, undoubtedly carrying a sense of nostalgia and memories. However, Little Wang and Li Li had no emotional attachment to the stamp album. Why keep it as a decoration? It was worth 150,000 in the 1990s. In Chengdu, that could buy a house, and it would have appreciated many times by now.

The End.

Riding the Stamp Hype of the 90s

The stamp craze of the 1990s was akin to playing the stock market.

Today, a stamp may be worth ten thousand, but tomorrow, as the hype subsides, it could drop to five thousand.

The day after, if no new investors enter the scene, it might plummet to one thousand.

Let me give you a real example. The Hong Kong Handover Gold Foil Miniature Sheet stamp issued in 1997 had a face value of 50 Hong Kong dollars. It was immediately speculated upon, with prices skyrocketing to over 100 dollars per sheet, and some reaching as high as 300 dollars.

However, once the speculative fervor died down, the market prices crashed. The miniature sheets even fell below their face value, selling for around 30 dollars.

So, it’s best to take advantage of the prices and sell quickly.

Now, who is Li Li?

She’s a socialite on Huanghe Road, the owner of a big restaurant.

She’s in the matchmaking business; when people approach her, she can tell whether they are suitable for the trade.

Who is Miss Wang? She’s clueless!

She organized a trade fair, and hardly anyone showed up. Without any resources in the industry, she dared to venture into foreign trade.

Wei, the General Manager who collaborated with Miss Wang, is a playboy!

When he drove off in that luxury car, it was like telling Huanghe Road, it was like telling Shanghai, “I don’t care about this son anymore. I won’t provide him with resources; let him fend for himself.”

Without the original Wei, Wei became a nobody.

Two unreliable people starting a company doesn’t mean they can’t do business. With the help of a mentor, they could manage for a while.

The 88-table grand opening ceremony revealed their true capabilities to Li Li.

Li Li had seen plenty of people on Huanghe Road, and the guests at the 88 tables were mostly nobodies trying to show off. Instead, they ended up making a fool of themselves.

Li Li realized that the business wasn’t viable, and the people she had recruited weren’t competent.

Incompetence plus incompetence equals complete incompetence.

Favors are for those with potential and the strong, not for the worthless.

Since they were utterly incapable, there was no need to maintain these favors.

So, sell the stocks quickly, the sooner, the better!

Furthermore, Li Li mentioned that in business, showing sentiment is one approach, while not showing sentiment is another. Li Li was merely practicing her own business philosophy.

The Business Perspective on Sentiment and Stamp Albums

Firstly, Li Li is a businesswoman, and the banquet cost of twenty thousand is undoubtedly not low. Making money in business comes first.

Secondly, Li Li has no knowledge of the story behind this stamp album. All she saw was Miss Wang using it to pay. In that case, she would naturally convert it into cash, especially since she herself mentioned that she wouldn’t stay on Huanghe Road for long. Having the stamp album and cash, she would definitely opt for immediate liquidity.

Thirdly, selling Mr. Wei’s favor was a no-brainer for Li Li because this situation guaranteed a profit without risk. By taking on the role of an honorable figure, with Mr. Wei’s financial background, even if Little Wei actually failed, Li Li could recover the banquet expenses. However, if Little Wei succeeded, it would be like a timely rescue. In the future, Mr. Wei and Miss Wang’s business interactions and relationships would undoubtedly revolve around Zhi Zhen Garden.

Hence, this favor was worth doing because the returns were immediate and virtually guaranteed.

As for why the stamp album was sold, apart from the reasons mentioned earlier, including Li Li’s lack of knowledge about the story behind it, there was also the diminishing “marginal benefit” of keeping it for “returning it to Miss Wang in the future.” Having the banquet expenses covered was sufficient.

For someone like Li Li, who had ventured through the ups and downs of the stock market and was now running her restaurant business solo on Huanghe Road, it was clear.

Lastly, the story of this stamp album had already concluded. From the day Miss Wang first helped Jin Hua with the stamps to the point where Jin Hua handed over all the stamps to Miss Wang, it was a perfect “act of kindness.” This stamp album held a significance far beyond being a keepsake of their love; it was a vessel of the bond between Jin Hua and Miss Wang as mentor and disciple. However, the story had happened, it was etched in their hearts, and there was no need for the stamp album to return to their hands for some supposed closure.

After all, stamps in circulation can carry new stories.

Settling Debts and Favors with Stamp Sales

Selling the stamp served two purposes, extending favors to both Miss Wang and Mr. Bao.

Miss Wang made it clear that she wouldn’t owe Li Li; she was determined to repay the dinner bill. With Miss Wang offering one hundred thousand for the stamp, it left a balance of ten thousand for the total bill of two hundred thousand.

However, using her own tactics, Li Li purchased the stamp for one hundred fifty thousand, reducing Miss Wang’s debt to Zhi Zhen Garden to just fifty thousand. This lightened Miss Wang’s burden, as now she only needed to repay fifty thousand in the future.

Simultaneously, Li Li sold the stamp to a stamp collector downstairs on Huanghe Road.

There was only one stamp collector on Huanghe Road, and that was Stamp Li.

Stamp Li was associated with Mr. Bao, and as soon as he learned the origin of the stamp, he would inform Mr. Bao. Mr. Bao would then agree to purchase the stamp for one hundred fifty thousand. Mr. Bao’s actions served two purposes: settling Miss Wang’s fifty thousand dinner debt and safeguarding the stamp for Miss Wang’s future use. After all, for Miss Wang, this stamp was extremely valuable. Mr. Bao had deep affection and a sense of duty toward Miss Wang, so he would undoubtedly take this step. This is also why Li Li dared to sell the stamp to the stamp collector downstairs at a price fifty percent higher than the market rate.

For Mr. Bao, this also incurred a favor to Li Li. Li Li gave him this precious stamp instead of selling it to just anyone, ensuring it wouldn’t be lost forever. Moreover, Li Li was planning to leave, and even if she didn’t sell it, the stamp would be lost when she departed Huanghe Road. She wasn’t the type to invest time and effort in returning the stamp to Miss Wang. So, it made sense to sell it to Mr. Bao.

The Decision to Sell Miss Wang’s Stamp Album: Motives and Implications

Thank you for inviting me to discuss this topic.

Firstly, I find this question intriguing as it delves into some of the nuances in “The Blooms of Today” and the relationships and motivations between characters. In my view, Li Li’s choice to sell Miss Wang’s stamp album can be attributed to several reasons.

Firstly, from a plot perspective, this decision aligns with Li Li’s character and approach to handling situations. In the novel, Li Li is portrayed as a savvy and capable woman who knows what she wants and takes decisive actions to achieve her goals. Selling Miss Wang’s stamp album may have been driven by financial considerations, as she might have needed the money to support her life or business. Additionally, she may not have perceived the stamp album as particularly valuable and preferred to sell it for tangible benefits rather than letting it sit idle in Miss Wang’s possession.

Secondly, in terms of character dynamics, there exists a subtle competitive relationship between Li Li and Miss Wang. In the novel, Miss Wang is depicted as a refined and tasteful woman, while Li Li is characterized by a strong and decisive personality. Their competition extends beyond their careers and encompasses personal preferences and lifestyles. Li Li selling Miss Wang’s stamp album could also be seen as a challenge to Miss Wang’s values and taste, expressing Li Li’s disdain for her and confidence in herself.

Lastly, in the context of societal background, this decision reflects certain values prevalent in that era. In 1990s China, during a phase of ongoing economic reforms, the emphasis on economic development and personal interests was growing stronger. In such a backdrop, the new generation of women like Li Li prioritized practical benefits and the realization of their own self-worth. Li Li’s choice to sell Miss Wang’s stamp album can also be viewed as an embodiment of this value system.

In conclusion, I believe that Li Li’s decision to sell Miss Wang’s stamp album primarily stemmed from considerations related to her personal character, approach to handling situations, and value system. This decision aligns with the development of the novel’s plot and reflects the societal values and context of that time.

Your uncle, four hot searches, disgusting, there is really no need for this.

I just found out that this is a TV series, and it’s directed by Wong Kar-wai.

I can’t accept it. Wong Kar-wai is actually directing a TV series? He is my number one film director in my heart. Why?

Increase the popularity of these two issues for episodes 25 and 26, right? I used to watch the drama every day and then read the answers on Zhihu. One night, there were 3.40 answers at the top. Today, for episodes 25 and 26, there are hundreds of answers below. It’s evident how much these two episodes have angered the audience.

Doubtful about the current so-called hit TV shows and dramas, they all seem to rely on buying trending topics and flooding the screen with excessive promotion. Moderate marketing is acceptable, but the excessive and annoying ones feel like plastering everywhere.

Mr. Bao offered a Cadillac, but Miss Wang declined.

From this detail, Li Li understood Miss Wang’s determination not to rely on Mr. Bao.

The stamp collection no longer held any value for Li Li…

Whether or not Li would sell it to Mr. Bao for stamps is another story.

In my opinion, Li Li initially helped Mr. Wei and Miss Wang because she believed that Mingzhu Company would grow bigger with Mr. Bao’s support. However, Miss Wang declined Mr. Bao’s Cadillac, which means she would refuse Mr. Bao’s assistance in the future business. Without Mr. Bao’s help, Li Li doesn’t have much confidence that this couple can successfully run the company, so the 200,000 yuan for the dinner is unlikely to be recovered. It’s better to just sell the stamps and get whatever money can be obtained.

To buy trending topics on social media, one needs money, so I sold my stamps.

Without breaking, there is no establishment. In business, it’s all about business. What you see in front of you is stamp collecting, it’s 150,000. What you can’t see behind it is a densely woven network of business knowledge and social connections! Ordinary people can only see numbers and emotional ethics, but what’s invisible is the top emotional value of a businessman!

Don’t buy the trending topics anymore; four out of the top ten are about “chrysanthemums.”

You occupy four out of the top ten trending topics, while the recent explosion of that dog influencer is diverting attention.