"Stop talking nonsense! If others hear it, we'll definitely get into unnecessary trouble. But speaking of which, Xiao Hua, do you really have something going on with Miss Liu?"
The speaker was a middle-aged man in his forties, holding a horse racing magazine. He seemed serious, but his last words revealed his true thoughts.
This man was Xiao Hua's uncle, his mother's younger brother, named Dai Zhiqiang. He owned several teahouses in Causeway Bay and was a small but influential businessman.
Xiao Hua's mother was named Dai Shufen. Her father came to Hong Kong in 1949 and, after more than twenty years of hard work, finally secured a small teahouse in Sai Kung. Later, Liao Chengde worked there and gradually fell in love with the boss's daughter. Dai's father initially disapproved of the marriage, but Dai Shufen was very stubborn and insisted on marrying Liao Chengde. This was quite rare in the conservative society of that time. In the end, Dai's father reluctantly agreed to their marriage.
With his father-in-law's support, Liao Chengde's business began to thrive. Before leaving the mainland, Dai's father came from a scholarly family and was very knowledgeable about antiques. When he learned that the mainland had experienced a decade of turmoil, he realized it was the right time to buy and resell antiques. In recent years, he had funded Liao Chengde to operate this business under the guise of investing in the mainland. Within a few years, Liao Chengde had bought several shops in Causeway Bay.
However, this business was not sustainable. As the mainland government and relevant departments became more concerned about the loss of cultural relics, people like Liao Chengde found it increasingly difficult to operate. Dai's father also knew that his actions were morally questionable. After making a fortune, he handed over the business to Liao Chengde and retired as a wealthy man. His son, Dai Zhiqiang, inherited several shops and teahouses.
In fact, Dai's father, as a middleman, still had some conscience. Most of the antiques he and Liao Chengde traded were second or third-grade items that could be legally traded. The top-tier antiques were kept in his private collection.
If Liao Chengde hadn't met Zhong Shi, he might still be operating this shady business on the mainland.
In another corner of the hospital room, Xiao Hua's mother was pouring hot soup from a thermos. The simultaneous incidents involving her husband and son had terrified her. In the past two days, she had been reciting scriptures and praying at the family altar, and even planned to visit the temple on Kowloon Peak to make offerings.
Standing on either side of the door were two muscular men in black suits and sunglasses, their stern faces clearly saying "No Trespassing." These were the new bodyguards Liao Chengde had hired. As soon as he returned home safely, he fired Zhao Xingyun and others and quickly hired temporary bodyguards through a security company.
With such a major incident involving the Liao family, it was natural for Uncle Dai Zhiqiang to be present. At such a time, family support was especially needed.
"Uncle, please don't tease me. I have nothing to do with Miss Liu." Xiao Hua glanced nervously at his mother, confirming that she had no particular reaction, before speaking weakly. He had no way to deal with this mischievous uncle.
Miss Liu was exceptionally smart and well-versed in the rules of the entertainment industry. It was hard to say whether the journalists surrounding them were not informed by her. Regardless, this was definitely a headline-worthy event.
Outside the hospital room, there were several plainclothes police officers, as instructed by higher-ups. Given the severity of the situation, it was uncertain whether the mercenaries would honor their word.
In this situation, it would be quite difficult for Miss Liu to enter Xiao Hua's hospital room directly. Lying in bed, Xiao Hua maliciously wondered how she would manage to contact him.
To his and Dai Zhiqiang's disappointment, Miss Liu did not show up even after half an hour. After Xiao Hua finished the soup, his mother nagged a bit more, then tidied up the dishes and prepared to leave. Seeing her son gradually recovering, she felt more at ease.
Originally, these tasks could have been done by the servants, but Dai Shufen insisted on doing them herself. In recent years, she had become devoutly religious and gradually distanced herself from other trivial matters. Now, the only people she cared about were her family.
After tidying up, Dai Shufen looked at her brother, who was still waiting, and wondered if he would leave with her. However, Dai Zhiqiang, who was still eager to see the commotion, picked up the horse racing magazine and pretended to read it.
"Uncle, what's going on with Miss Liu?" After a bodyguard escorted Dai Shufen away, Xiao Hua, who had been lying in bed, suddenly jumped up and snatched the magazine from Dai Zhiqiang. His agility belied his condition as a patient.
"I'm not sure. Let's wait a bit longer! By the way, shouldn't you be more familiar with these female celebrities than I am?" Dai Zhiqiang felt something was off when his nephew asked, but having been around women for years, he understood their thoughts well. He wondered if Miss Liu was just being coy to increase her leverage.
He didn't believe for a moment that his nephew had nothing to do with Miss Liu. His nephew was somewhat like him, being quite open in matters of the heart. Of course, they had both studied abroad and were somewhat influenced by Western culture.
As they stared at each other, they heard a commotion downstairs, accompanied by the sound of camera shutters. They quickly went to the window and saw a crowd of journalists surrounding Dai Shufen, taking photos, but unable to get close due to the bodyguard and plainclothes officers maintaining order.
"Mrs. Liao, how is your son recovering?"
"Mrs. Liao, what do you think of Miss Liu? Do you approve of her?"
"Mrs. Liao, was the wealthy businessman reported to be kidnapped your husband and son?"
...
Dai Shufen, faced with these strangers, remained silent. She silently recited a few prayers and focused on her breathing. The journalists had no choice but to move on. Soon after Dai Shufen left in her Rolls-Royce, Miss Liu Meiling appeared from the hospital.
As soon as Liu Meiling appeared, she was surrounded by journalists, bombarded with questions about marriage, joining the wealthy, and meeting her in-laws. The short distance from the hospital to the door took her and her assistant more than ten minutes.
No matter how the journalists pressed, Liu Meiling insisted that she was just visiting a sick friend. She neither confirmed nor denied whether the friend was the notorious "star killer" and son of the wealthy businessman Liao Chengde. Instead, she ambiguously said, "Thank you for your concern. We all need to stay healthy."
This vague response did not satisfy the journalists, but it did not stop them from reporting. After all, Hong Kong was a place of free speech, and there were no cross-provincial manhunts. If the journalists went too far, the worst that could happen was a court battle to determine the truth.
In mainland China, there was once an incident where two competing companies in a province, with similar products, engaged in fierce competition. One company, with support from higher-ups, still lost to the other, which had deep local roots. The victorious company became increasingly arrogant and, after a journalist reported negative news about them, they even mobilized local police to chase the journalist across provinces, causing a major scandal that reached the highest levels of government.
However, Hong Kong's media dared not report on British affairs. Not only was Hong Kong a British colony, but newspapers and magazines required approval from the British Hong Kong government to be established. This limited freedom was a sad reality of Hong Kong at the time.
After the handover, Hong Kong developed a dual nature. On one hand, some people nostalgically recalled the benefits of the British colonial period and occasionally expressed hostility towards mainlanders. On the other hand, they pressured the mainland government, which had granted Hong Kong significant freedom, to implement so-called "public opinion," such as demanding immediate universal suffrage for the Chief Executive.
Seeing the scene below, Xiao Hua and Dai Zhiqiang were stunned. They did not think it was a coincidence that Dai Shufen and Liu Meiling left one after the other. A common thought arose in their minds: This woman is extremely cunning. It was clearly a well-thought-out plan. Through this publicity, Miss Liu's pay and work would surely rise.
The entertainment industry values exposure, and anything can be used for publicity. Some actresses even auctioned their used sanitary napkins online to attract attention.
Hong Kong, with its small size and large population, had a competitive entertainment industry. To stand out, one needed not only talent but also luck and sustained attention. For example, Liu Meiling had several competitors with similar backgrounds and support from film company bosses. To stand out, she needed exceptional skills.
"Miss Liu's bold actions will surely get her into trouble someday." Xiao Hua watched for a while, then fell back onto the bed, feeling helpless.
If Zhong Shi were here, he would be impressed by Xiao Hua's judgment. In fact, a few years later, Miss Liu Meiling would face a significant crisis.
However, at the moment, she was basking in her success. After this publicity, her offers flooded in, and she soon became a top star.
"Forget it!" Dai Zhiqiang felt sympathetic towards his nephew, who had not only failed to achieve his goal but also caused trouble. He was somewhat relieved that his father, Xiao Hua's grandfather, understood the principle of not flaunting wealth. The management of the shops was always done discreetly, so few people knew the true extent of the Dai family's wealth.
"Maybe we should take a trip to Macau to clear your mind?" Dai Zhiqiang, looking at the dejected Xiao Hua, suggested out of the blue. (Thank you for your continued support, recommendations, and collections!)