Chapter 17: The $5,000 Fresh Shrimp and Crab Roe Wonton…

After leaving the Xu Family, Bai Yuanzhi boarded a minibus to head down the mountain back to the city.

Gazing at the blue sky, white clouds, green hills, and azure sea outside the window,

Bai Yuanzhi hugged the crossbody bag containing the contract and deposit tightly, feeling overjoyed inside.

Suddenly—

With a screech, the minibus speeding along slammed on its brakes!

Caught off guard, Bai Yuanzhi was thrown forward by the momentum, her forehead hitting the soft leather back of the front seat with a heavy thud.

Not only was Bai Yuanzhi jolted,

many other passengers on the bus were also startled, and they complained one after another:

“What are you doing!”

“Driver, slamming on the brakes like that could easily cause an accident!”

“Who drives like that? Do you want to kill everyone on board?”

“Just drive properly, no need to go so fast, safety is what matters!”

But the minibus driver cursed even louder.

He stopped the bus, rolled down the window, stuck his neck out, and shouted angrily outside:

“Damn it! You think you’re so great driving luxury cars? On a winding mountain road with two-way single lanes, you dare to overtake? Damn it, you think having money makes you special… If you’re so rich and so eager to die, then go die! Don’t drag the whole bus down with you!!!”

The passengers fell silent.

And because it was a winding mountain road—with a mountain on one side and a cliff on the other—everyone could see two luxury cars chasing each other up ahead.

One was a black Mercedes-Benz, the other a white Cadillac.

The black car was in front, the white car behind.

The white car kept charging forward, seemingly pushing full throttle to ram the black car ahead;

so the black car kept accelerating, even swerving into the opposite lane to avoid the white car…

Everyone, including Bai Yuanzhi, was utterly shocked.

The scene looked as if… the white car behind was trying to chase down and kill the black car, determined to ram it off the cliff.

It turned out that the minibus had been driving normally on the winding mountain road, and it was precisely because of the chase between those two cars that the driver had to slam on the brakes.

At this point, no one complained about the minibus driver anymore.

All the passengers felt a chill down their spines, and someone whispered in a trembling voice, “Should we call the police?”

The driver closed the window, restarted the bus, and sneered, “What good would calling the police do? Are you all idiots? This is the luxury villa area halfway up the mountain, and those two cars are worth millions! More expensive than all our lives combined! Let me tell you, even if you report this to the police, it won’t matter—the police wouldn’t dare touch them! Hey, we’re just ordinary folks, why get involved in this mess? Sit tight, all of you. For us commoners, getting home safe and sound is good enough!”

The minibus fell into silence, and Bai Yuanzhi didn’t feel like speaking either.

Although the minibus driver’s words were harsh,

what he said was the truth.

Hong Kong City’s jurisdiction was still in the hands of the British.

So sometimes,

having money truly meant you could do whatever you wanted.

Take Zhou Sier, for example. Her friends and family all knew she would never have taken her own life,

and the police had also launched an investigation.

But the incident had already happened and more than half a month had passed, with no progress in the investigation.

Was there really no clue at all?

Or was it that someone who knew the truth had suppressed this case?

Bai Yuanzhi sighed.

If the authorities couldn’t bring justice for her sister,

then she would find the murderer herself and settle the score, eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth!

After this little incident,

the minibus driver didn’t dare drive too fast, and the steady speed made the ride noticeably smoother.

At a bend on the winding road, Bai Yuanzhi even saw scattered car parts from the black vehicle on the ground…

Bai Yuanzhi hugged her bag tightly and drifted off into a hazy sleep.

By the time she got off, the city was already lit up with evening lights.

The working drones had finished their shifts, and the streets were bustling with crowds, neon lights dazzling the eyes.

Bai Yuanzhi decided to treat herself to a good meal to celebrate.

Unconsciously, she found herself at the street corner again, spotting the food cart selling the fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles she had always wanted to try but never got the chance to.

The cart’s sign was lit with bulbs, a pot set up on it, bubbling with rich, milky broth.

The dried seafood in the soup gave off a unique aroma,

luring Bai Yuanzhi over…

But she looked left and right and couldn’t see the vendor.

She had to raise her voice and ask, “Excuse me—”

A figure in black sitting on the steps not far away turned at the sound and looked toward her.

The movement made Bai Yuanzhi glance over as well,

and just like that, their eyes met in a dramatic moment.

Bai Yuanzhi’s first thought was—this boy looks only fifteen or sixteen, and he’s already out here selling wonton noodles to make a living?

Second thought: Is he really a boy? Could he be a girl with short hair? Otherwise, how could he be prettier and more delicate than a girl!

Third thought: Huh? Who is this? He looks a little familiar.

The boy stared blankly at Bai Yuanzhi,

and after a long moment, he suddenly smiled.

Bai Yuanzhi froze.

How to put it,

the boy was sitting on the dim, unlit steps with his legs bent, dressed in black from head to toe…

At first, Bai Yuanzhi hadn’t even noticed him.

But when he smiled like that,

it was as if a beam of light from nowhere had shone directly on his face.

Letting her see his features clearly,

and the strange glow that lit up in his eyes.

To avoid awkwardness, Bai Yuanzhi cleared her throat, “Boss, I’d like a bowl of fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles.”

As she spoke, she pointed at the food cart.

The boy’s delighted expression vanished instantly.

Replaced by a look of utter bewilderment.

He stared at Bai Yuanzhi, seemingly wanting to explain, but as soon as he opened his mouth, “Sis—”

“Hey there, pretty lady!” a rough voice suddenly called out from behind.

Bai Yuanzhi turned to look,

and saw three or five shady-looking men walking toward her from about four or five meters away.

The leader was burly, with dragon and tiger tattoos on his arms and a thick gold chain around his neck. Despite the hot weather, he was shirtless but wore a vest covered in pockets.

He looked like a tough guy you wouldn’t want to mess with.

The one who had called out to Bai Yuanzhi was a lackey beside the boss.

The lackey asked her, “Pretty lady, have you seen a guy wearing black clothes and pants?”

Bai Yuanzhi pointed toward a large group of people waiting at the traffic light, about to cross the road.

—Among the dozen or so office workers, about half of the young men were wearing black pants and black suits.

The street thugs were left dumbfounded.

The guy continued, “No, he’s different from those people. He, he… well, he’s young, like a student.”

Bai Yuanzhi shook her head, “Didn’t notice.”

The street punks swaggered away again.

Only when they had gone far and were completely out of sight did Bai Yuanzhi turn around.

—Sure enough, the steps were now empty.

Bai Yuanzhi glanced again at the small food cart selling “fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles.”

After a moment’s pause, she turned to leave.

“Sister.”

A clear, pleasant young voice rang out.

Bai Yuanzhi followed the sound and saw the boy in black standing in the stairwell.

He looked at her with a smile, his eyes sparkling like stars.

As if drawn by some unseen force, Bai Yuanzhi walked toward him. “Were those people just now… looking for you?”

The boy nodded.

Bai Yuanzhi was taken aback, wondering what trouble you could have gotten into and why those fierce-looking street punks would come after you.

But the boy cheerfully said to her, “Sister, don’t you remember me?”

Bai Yuanzhi widened her eyes.

“Last month, Qingtang Bay!” the boy prompted with a smile in his eyes.

—Qingtang Bay?!

Bai Yuanzhi understood immediately.

After all, in this lifetime, she had only been to Qingtang Bay once.

So???

He was the boy who had fallen into the water!

“It’s you!” Bai Yuanzhi also smiled.

After all, when she had saved the boy back then, his numb and bewildered expression had truly saddened her.

Although now he seemed to have gotten into trouble again,

the vibrant vitality shining in his eyes didn’t seem fake.

That was enough.

After all, she and he were strangers.

“Sister,” the boy said softly, “thank you for saving me again.”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled faintly, “It was nothing.”

She had already taken in the boy’s sorry state.

Yes, he was indeed very handsome.

But there was a bruise on his temple, with traces of blood still seeping out. He must have wiped it, leaving a few streaks of dried blood;

His clothes and pants were covered in scuff marks;

This time, he wasn’t wearing expensive sneakers but a pair of tattered, worn-out shoes with holes.

“What happened to you?” Bai Yuanzhi asked in surprise.

The boy in black whispered, “I… offended someone. Sister…”

“Call me Ah Zhi!” Bai Yuanzhi said.

The boy cheerfully called her Ah Zhi and added, “My name is A Yao.”

Bai Yuanzhi hummed in acknowledgment and rummaged through her bag for a clean handkerchief, a small bottle of iodine tincture, and a pack of medical cotton balls.

—She worked as a promoter in a mall, stocking goods. Sometimes, to demonstrate the deliciousness of Xia Mei sauce to customers, she had to cut vegetables with a knife, cook them in a pot, and then dip them in the sauce for customers to taste…

She often ended up injuring her hands.

She didn’t want to get tetanus, nor did she want her wounds to become infected or fester,

as that would slow down her ability to earn money.

So she kept a small bottle of iodine tincture and a pack of medical cotton balls in her bag, just in case she hurt her hands again, making it easy to treat them anytime.

Bai Yuanzhi handed the iodine tincture and cotton balls to A Yao.

A Yao looked at her in surprise, not taking them, but with a puzzled expression.

Bai Yuanzhi reminded him, “Your head is bleeding.”

A Yao let out an “ah” and understood.

But he still didn’t take them.

Bai Yuanzhi sighed, unscrewed the cap of the iodine tincture, poured some onto a cotton ball, and reached out to wipe the boy’s wound.

The young man was taken aback for a moment, then obediently lowered his head, letting out a sharp hiss of pain.

Bai Yuanzhi patiently wiped his wound several times, only stopping once the blood was cleaned away.

The pain made the young man grimace, baring his teeth.

Yet, with his strikingly beautiful features, even a contorted expression couldn’t mar his good looks.

Bai Yuanzhi couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

She handed him the iodine and cotton swabs. “If possible, it’s best to go to a clinic to treat the wound properly. You should take care of your own body.”

The young man stared at her hand for a long while, his eyes seeming to churn with turbulent emotions.

“Thank you, sister,” he said, accepting the iodine and cotton swabs from her.

Bai Yuanzhi hesitated for a moment before speaking to him. “It’s wise to avoid drawing attention before you’re fully capable, to bide your time and build your strength. Stay silent until you’re ready to make a stunning impact.”

Then she took a few steps back and waved at him. “Goodbye!”

The young man was startled. “Sister, don’t go! Last time you saved me, I…”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled. “I originally wanted to try your cooking, but it seems like it’s not the right time. Maybe another day. I’ll be off now!”

The young man stood there blankly, watching Bai Yuanzhi’s figure disappear around the street corner, clutching the iodine and cotton swabs tightly in his hand.

Soon, several people came running from another direction. The one leading them, named Ah Jiu, anxiously asked, “A Yao, are you alright?”

Ming Jiayao looked at the bodyguards, his expression dark and cold. “What do you think?” he said flatly.

The bodyguards all lowered their heads in unison.

“Ah Jiu,” Ming Jiayao instructed, “there’s a girl wearing jeans and carrying a cloth bag up ahead. Take some people and follow her. Find out where she lives and investigate her background as thoroughly as possible.”

Ah Jiu was taken aback. “Is that girl connected to the person who tried to run you off the mountain road in the white Cadillac today?”

Ming Jiayao shook his head. “She’s not involved, but her matter is very important to me. Go quickly.”

Ah Jiu fell silent for a few seconds, then nodded and hurried off to pursue Bai Yuanzhi.

A bodyguard named Ah Wu asked Ming Jiayao, “A Yao, should we head back now? We still don’t know who we’ve crossed paths with, or why they’re so relentlessly pursuing us.”

Another chimed in, “That’s right, we must get to the bottom of this!”

Someone else asked, “Should we report this to the police?”

“We can’t involve the police,” Ming Jiayao sneered. “I already know who wants me dead.”

The bodyguards were all stunned.

If that was the case, why couldn’t they go to the police?

This was attempted murder!

Ah Wu murmured, “Who is it?”

Ming Jiayao replied calmly, “…My mother.”

The bodyguards exchanged glances, then fell into a collective silence.

Ming Jiayao turned and walked a few steps, feeling uncomfortable underfoot. He looked down, frowning at the tattered shoes on his feet.

—That afternoon, when he had left the old mansion on the hillside in a black Mercedes, a white Cadillac had pursued him, trying to force him off the road. Fortunately, the bodyguard driving was highly skilled and managed to shake off the white car.

But during the repeated collisions, Ming Jiayao’s shoe had gotten stuck, and his foot was injured.

The bodyguards couldn’t let him walk barefoot, so one of them took off his own shoes and offered them to Ming Jiayao as a temporary solution.

Ming Jiayao didn’t say anything about it.

But before leaving, he suddenly glanced back at the food stall cart selling “fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles.”

A shabby-looking, unkempt middle-aged man emerged from a nearby alleyway, humming a tune as he prepared to push the cart away.

Ming Jiayao thought for a moment, then turned and gave Ah Wu a few instructions.

Although Ah Wu didn’t know why Ming Jiayao wanted to do this, he still stepped forward and stopped the wonton noodle vendor. “Hello, I’d like to buy your food cart. Name your price!”

The grubby vendor: …

Ming Jiayao returned to his spacious city apartment where he lived alone.

Though it was called living alone, he actually had quite a few bodyguards and subordinates staying with him—it was just that his grandfather and parents weren’t around.

But this place was entirely his territory.

He didn’t have to worry about being killed by them at any moment.

Ming Jiayao instructed Ah Wu, “Have Aunt Tao make me a bowl of fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles. If she can’t make it, send someone to Huacui to pack some for me.”

Ah Wu acknowledged the order.

Ming Jiayao turned and headed to the bathroom.

After showering, Ming Jiayao sat down to eat the fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles.

These had been packed from Huacui Restaurant by Ah Wu’s men.

“Ah Yao, we don’t have the ingredients at home, and Aunt Tao doesn’t know how to make Bamboo Pole Noodles either,” Ah Wu explained.

Ming Jiayao grunted in response, first taking a sip of the incredibly flavorful broth, then eating a wonton.

The broth looked clear and oil-free, but it tasted rich and savory in the mouth.

The wontons were large, with thin wrappers hiding a plump, red shrimp, a pinch of bright red crab roe, and a pork filling with a perfect balance of lean and fat.

The shrimp meat was firm and springy, the crab roe burst with flavor, and the pork filling was rich and delicious.

Truly, nothing could be more delicious.

No wonder his sister liked it.

After finishing the entire bowl of savory fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles, Ming Jiayao sighed contentedly.

He instructed Ah Wu, “Find me a chef who knows how to make fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles. Have him teach me how to make them tomorrow. I need to learn within a day…”

Ah Wu froze for a moment before belatedly letting out an “ah” of surprise. He asked in astonishment, “Ah Yao! Right now, we’re fighting for territory and docks, and we still need to investigate who was trying to kill you today… The situation is so urgent. Is learning how to make fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles really that important?”

Ming Jiayao nodded seriously. “At this moment, it’s the most important thing.”

Ah Wu gaped foolishly, not understanding, not comprehending, not grasping it.

But Ah Wu still agreed and went off in confusion to find a chef.

At that moment, Ah Jiu hurried back. “Ah Yao, I’ve already found out. That pretty girl is called Bai Yuanzhi. She lives with her cousin in a subdivided flat in Xingfu Building.”

“Miss Bai doesn’t have a fixed job right now and makes a living doing odd jobs.”

“Currently, she has two jobs. One is as a room cleaner at Bilanting Hotel, working from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The other is as a temporary promoter at Yaxin Mall, working from 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m…”

“Oh, and Ah Yao, it seems Miss Bai also has a cousin who’s currently in the ICU at a hospital, but I haven’t found out which hospital yet.”

…

Ming Jiayao thought to himself: No wonder he ran into her at that street corner today.

That spot was on her way home from Yaxin Mall to Xingfu Building.

Ming Jiayao nodded and said decisively, “Tomorrow night, I’m going to set up a stall at the street corner and sell fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles.”

Ah Wu, Ah Jiu, and all the bodyguards let out a collective “ah,” each one stunned.

At 10:30 the next night, when Bai Yuanzhi was on her way home from work, she spotted the fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodle cart at the street corner from a distance.

The young man wore a slightly worn short-sleeved T-shirt and a pair of affordable sneakers, sitting on a small stool as he idly gazed in the direction she was coming from.

Still quite far away,

the young man seemed to recognize her and leaped up in excitement, startling those nearby.

He waved vigorously at her with a wide grin, shouting loudly, “Sister! Come quickly, I’ll treat you to fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles!”

Ah Wu and Ah Jiu, who were disguised as passersby nearby, along with the other bodyguards, were nearly stunned!

They stared blankly at Ming Jiayao, who had instantly transformed into a lively, sunny young boy,

wondering if this was still the Ming Family’s eldest young master they knew.

After all, Ming Jiayao was known for being mature beyond his years, cold, silent, and somewhat brooding and obsessive…

Despite being only sixteen, those around him secretly felt a hint of fear toward him.

So?

What had happened to him?

How had he suddenly become like this?!

Before anyone could figure it out,

Bai Yuanzhi had already hurried over.

Ming Jiayao shot a cold, sidelong glance at the bodyguards.

Taking the hint from his warning look, they quickly dispersed, pretending to be either customers or ordinary passersby.

Bai Yuanzhi was delighted.

She had been craving fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles for so long, and today she could finally have some!

She rushed over, pulled twenty dollars from her bag, and said, “A Yao, get me a large bowl!”

Ming Jiayao took the money she handed him, clutching it tightly, his eyes crinkling with a smile. “Okay.”

He carefully put the money away, put on gloves, and deftly began counting wontons and boiling noodles. He then called out to Bai Yuanzhi, “Sister, have a seat!”

As soon as Bai Yuanzhi sat down, she noticed a young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes sitting at a small table nearby, staring at her intently with wide, alert eyes.

Feeling a bit awkward, she made small talk, “Do you often come here for wonton noodles too?”

Ming Jiayao suddenly coughed a few times.

The young man shook his head frantically, “No, no! I wouldn’t dare!” He then quickly finished the wonton noodles in his bowl, put it down, and hurried away.

Bai Yuanzhi: …

While boiling the noodles, Ming Jiayao observed Bai Yuanzhi and suddenly asked, “Sister, haven’t you been resting well?”

Bai Yuanzhi sighed.

She really hadn’t been resting well.

Zhou Zhaodi hadn’t returned until after two in the morning, waking her up, and she hadn’t been able to fall back asleep.

Her mind was filled with thoughts—could she and Xia Mei Factory reach an agreement on those four hundred sets of sauce?

And could she find a gift box manufacturer willing to cooperate?

So as soon as dawn broke, she got up early and headed to Tsuen Wan.

She had heard that Tsuen Wan had many factories, and Xia Mei Factory was also located there.

Bai Yuanzhi wanted to try her luck.

She planned to talk to Xia Mei and also look for a gift box manufacturer.

As expected, when Bai Yuanzhi found the salesperson at Xia Mei Factory, the moment they heard she was a promoter from Yaxin Mall, they became extremely friendly. “So you’re Miss Bai, the one with the highest sales performance for our Xia Mei sauces! Please, have a seat. Our boss just got a bottle of Taiwanese high-mountain Tieguanyin tea—come, let’s try some premium tea…”

However—

when Bai Yuanzhi mentioned that she wanted to place an order for four hundred sets of sauce as a client and requested custom gift box packaging,

the salesperson’s expression instantly changed. “Oh, Miss Bai, if a client wants to order four hundred sets of sauce and requires custom gift box packaging… you could just leave that to us!”

“I get it, you want a kickback! Then you can also go through the mall route and get a commission for four hundred sets!”

“Speaking of which, who is the client? I can visit them in person. We can provide any kind of packaging gift box the customer needs.”

Bai Yuanzhi knew the other party thought she looked too young and easy to bully.

Of course, they might also be a bit annoyed at having their business poached.

Before coming, Bai Yuanzhi had already anticipated encountering such a situation.

She didn’t get angry either, maintaining a calm and composed demeanor while communicating with them.

The other party went from being very angry at first to becoming quite helpless later on.

“Since Miss Bai is so insistent, we’ll have to treat you as a client. Here, I’ll give you a price list with the prices of various sauces and all the transaction methods clearly listed.”

“Please think it over again, Miss Bai!”

The other party couldn’t help but advise once more, “Actually, leaving everything to us would be more convenient and worry-free!”

Bai Yuanzhi, of course, declined with neither arrogance nor humility.

—Yes, she knew that if she handed this matter over to Xia Mei Factory, she could still get her commission, and Xia Mei Factory wouldn’t be overcharged by her as a middleman.

But this was also an opportunity for her to step through the door to success.

How could she possibly give it up?

And so, Bai Yuanzhi took the price list and left.

She rode the bus around Tsuen Wan twice, hoping to see signs like “XX Packaging Gift Box Factory” along the roadside.

But disappointingly,

there were none.

So Bai Yuanzhi had no choice but to return to the city center. First, she went to work at Bilanting, then rushed to Yaxin Mall for another shift.

Only now, after finishing her work, did she finally catch her breath.

Hearing Ming Jiayao’s question,

Bai Yuanzhi instinctively took out the price list from Xia Mei Factory from her bag, opened it, and studied it carefully before casually replying to Ming Jiayao, “Yes, I’ve been quite busy lately.”

“Busy with what?” Ming Jiayao asked, craning his neck to glance at the price list in her hand.

Bai Yuanzhi smiled slightly, “I want to be a small boss like you, so I’m busy with business matters…”

Then she frowned deeply, unsure where to find a factory that could make gift boxes.

In her previous life, she had no connections in this area.

In this life, she had even less support.

Ming Jiayao asked curiously, “What kind of business?”

Bai Yuanzhi felt there was no need to hide it. She even planned to ask Miss Chen and Miss Liang, who worked in office buildings, if they had any connections in this field after returning to the subdivided flat.

So, Bai Yuanzhi explained everything in detail.

Ming Jiayao fell into thought, “So you need a sauce factory and a gift packaging factory.”

Bai Yuanzhi shook her head, “Sauce production involves food safety and recipes. I don’t plan to change factories. But I definitely need to find a gift packaging factory.”

Then she smiled wryly, “I’ve already prepared myself mentally. If I can’t find a suitable factory, then I’ll—”

“I’ll buy the materials and make them myself.”

“Even if I have to personally make four hundred gift boxes, I must ensure this order is shipped smoothly,” Bai Yuanzhi declared resolutely.

Ming Jiayao wore a thoughtful expression.

Bai Yuanzhi then asked Ming Jiayao, “A Yao, is my wonton noodle ready?”

Ming Jiayao snapped back to reality, realizing that because he had been talking to Bai Yuanzhi, he had almost overcooked the wonton noodles.

He hastily scooped the cooked Bamboo Pole Noodles from the strainer and laid them at the bottom of the bowl;

Then, he fished out plump, chubby wontons from another strainer and placed them over the noodles.

Finally, he ladled two scoops of broth over it…

And just like that, a bowl of wonton noodles was complete.

Carrying this bowl of fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles he had made with his own hands, he walked over to Bai Yuanzhi with a beaming smile. “Sister, try my cooking!”

“Thank you!” Bai Yuanzhi picked up a spoon and took a sip of the broth first.

She was instantly captivated by the exquisite flavor.

Ming Jiayao widened his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s so delicious!” Bai Yuanzhi praised without hesitation.

Ming Jiayao’s handsome face flushed slightly, and his eyes crinkled with a smile.

Indeed, aside from the Bamboo Pole Noodles, which required fermentation and couldn’t be prepared for her to eat today, everything else in this bowl of fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles Bai Yuanzhi was enjoying had been made by Ming Jiayao himself.

The broth was a rich, savory soup he had simmered for eight hours using fresh pork ribs, chicken, duck bones, and dried seafood like scallops, dried oysters, dried shrimp, dried octopus, and dried squid, along with premium seafood such as abalone, grouper, and lobster, before straining it to perfection!

Bai Yuanzhi took a bite of a wonton.

The plump, juicy fresh shrimp filling was absolutely divine!

And the crab roe, though tiny, burst with flavor in every bite…

The pork filling was also exceptionally delicious—chewy and springy!

Ah, even though she had loved fresh shrimp wonton noodles in her past life,

she had never tasted anything this good before!

So satisfying!

“Is it good?” Ming Jiayao asked, his voice tinged with hope.

Bai Yuanzhi was overjoyed by the meal and gave him a full dose of emotional validation!

“It’s amazing!” Bai Yuanzhi praised him earnestly. “A Yao, your cooking is incredible! I’ve never had such delicious fresh shrimp wonton noodles before!”

Ming Jiayao grinned from ear to ear.

Not far away, Ah Wu and Ah Jiu whispered to each other:

“How could it not be delicious? That pot of broth alone cost five thousand! But our young master only charged her twenty!”

“Exactly, A Yao even had South African abalone and Australian lobster airlifted urgently today. The broth A Yao made for Miss Bai is even more precious…”

“I want to try it too.”

“Dream on! Though I really want some too…”

Bai Yuanzhi didn’t notice them at all. After finishing the bowl of fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles with great care, she stood up and said to Ming Jiayao, “Alright, thank you for the wonton noodles. I should head back now!”

Hearing this, Ming Jiayao looked at her with puppy-dog eyes and asked pitifully, “Sister, will you come again tomorrow?”

Bai Yuanzhi was tempted to say that twenty Hong Kong Dollars for a bowl of wonton noodles was too much to eat every day!

Even though it was truly made with premium ingredients.

But on one hand, the wonton noodles were incredibly delicious,

and on the other…

The young man looked so pitiful, clearly someone just trying to earn a hard living.

Fine, fine—she would come back tomorrow to support him one more time.

“I’ll come tomorrow, but I’ll only have a small bowl.” As she spoke, Bai Yuanzhi glanced at the price list on the food cart.

It read: 【Fresh Shrimp and Crab Roe Wonton Noodles (Small Bowl): 12 Yuan】.

She thought to herself, tomorrow she would have a bowl for twelve Hong Kong Dollars.

As for such expensive wonton noodles, she would indulge at most once a month as a treat.

Hearing this, Ming Jiayao nodded happily, his face lighting up.

Ming Jiayao watched Bai Yuanzhi’s retreating figure for a long, long time.

So long that a smile lingered on his lips.

Nearby, Ah Wu lowered his voice and asked Ah Jiu, “Does A Yao like Miss Bai?”

Ah Jiu said, “It’s over.”

“What’s over?” Ah Wu didn’t understand.

Ah Jiu replied, “It’s over. You actually figured it out.”

Ah Wu: …

“But,” Ah Wu found it strange, “A Yao hasn’t even seen Miss Bai many times. How did he suddenly fall for her? In my opinion, although Miss Bai is quite pretty, her overall conditions are just average.”

Ah Jiu said, “When fate arrives, even the heavens can’t stop it! You… forget it, what do you know!”

At that moment—

A passerby was also drawn by the aroma of the fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles. “Boss, one bowl of fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles.”

Ming Jiayao said coldly, “Sold out.”

Passerby: …

In any case, as soon as Bai Yuanzhi left, Ming Jiayao had his bodyguards pack up the food cart.

After returning to the apartment, Ming Jiayao, beaming with joy, asked Aunt Tao to cook the remaining fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles for him.

Then he sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, facing the direction of Xingfu Building. Amidst the dazzling, scattered lights, he would eat one wonton and laugh for a while, then eat another wonton and laugh again.

Aunt Tao stood timidly to the side, worried that the fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles she had cooked might have been poisoned.

Otherwise, why would A Yao, who was usually expressionless, be laughing so happily?

After Ming Jiayao finished the fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles with great satisfaction,

he then took out the twenty-dollar Hong Kong banknote from his pocket, carefully smoothed it out, went to the study to find a sheet of cellophane, placed the banknote inside, and then tucked it into a thick copy of the “Maritime Convention Code.”

Ming Jiayao smiled.

That night, while trying to sleep, Ming Jiayao tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

The image of her adorable expression when she ate the wonton noodles surfaced in his mind,

and he couldn’t help but smile.

Even though they had only met a few times,

he was certain that she didn’t know he was the primary heir of the Ming Family, Hong Kong City’s wealthiest family.

But she seemed to understand all his grievances…

Or perhaps, she herself was someone who had endured many grievances.

So she had cautiously offered him a little bit of advice.

Little did she know—

how much impact those two sentences had on Ming Jiayao!

Ming Jiayao came from a bizarre family.

His grandfather, Ming Jingxing, was sixty-five years old. The Ming Family was not only Hong Kong City’s shipping magnate but also a leader in the global maritime industry.

Yet, Ming Jingxing’s approach to educating his only grandson, Ming Jiayao, was something not to be spoken of lightly.

—Ming Jingxing firmly believed that the best way to shape Ming Jiayao into an heir was through constant suppression, even… assassination attempts!

Only someone accustomed to assassination attempts and kidnappings, and who could emerge unscathed, would be worthy of being his grandson and inheriting the Ming Ji Shipping Line.

Ming Jiayao’s father, Ming Zhixuan, hated Ming Jiayao to the core.

The reason was simple.

—Ming Jingxing looked down on the playboy Ming Zhixuan and directly stripped him of his inheritance rights.

In other words, after Ming Jingxing passed away, the Ming Ji Shipping Line would be handed directly to Ming Jiayao!

Ming Zhixuan was deeply resentful of this and had been secretly scheming, hoping Ming Jiayao would meet an early demise.

Ming Jiayao’s mother, Xu Wenrui, had a terrible relationship with Ming Zhixuan.

The couple had been separated for many years, each living their own lives.

Xu Wenrui was also a socialite from a wealthy family, but the Xu Family’s foundation was far inferior to that of the Ming Family.

Due to their poor marital relationship, Ming Zhixuan hardly gave Xu Wenrui any money. When Xu Wenrui ran out of funds, she would turn to Ming Jiayao.

If Xu Wenrui’s demands were not met,

Then she would also spend money to hire someone to give Ming Jiayao “a little lesson”…

Ming Jiayao suddenly remembered his first encounter with Ah Zhi.

It was the day she fished him out of the sea.

That day, after Xu Wenrui demanded two hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars from Ming Jiayao and was refused,

Xu Wenrui flew into a rage.

She knew Ming Jiayao suffered from insomnia and liked to go for night runs when he couldn’t sleep.

So that night, while Ming Jiayao was leaning against the railing on the seaside cliff near the villa after his run, enjoying the night breeze, she rushed over and pushed him into the sea.

Caught completely off guard, Ming Jiayao fell into the sea just like that.

Actually—

In the instant before he fell, he turned his head and saw his mother’s twisted expression.

Under normal circumstances, Ming Jiayao would have resisted somewhat.

But at that moment…

For some reason,

he suddenly felt extremely, extremely weary, and extremely, extremely tired.

He thought to himself, since he lived in this world unloved by both father and mother,

what was the point of living anyway?

Ming Jiayao looked at his mother calmly for the last time.

From a very young age, he knew his parents didn’t love him,

even now, as his mother pushed him into the sea…

the hatred and disgust still shone brightly in her eyes as she looked at him.

Ming Jiayao’s heart turned ice-cold.

He closed his eyes, letting his body fall freely,

then landed with a heavy “thud” in the seawater below the cliff.

However, a panicked scream suddenly rang in his ears, “…Ah! Third Sister! What’s that? What is it? Ahhhhhh—it’s a person!”

Ming Jiayao opened his eyes and saw two young girls on the shore not far away, shouting and screaming at him.

One of them jumped into the sea without a second thought and swam toward him.

Still immersed in despair, Ming Jiayao made no move to save himself.

He watched as the girl swam over, grabbed the back of his collar, and swiftly dragged him toward the shore.

The wind and waves were especially fierce that night.

Time and again, she tried to swim toward the shore, only to be pushed back by the waves.

For a moment, Ming Jiayao really wanted to tell her—forget it, stop struggling…

But the girl was tenacious.

She refused to give up!

She made him float on his back, one hand dragging the back of his collar, the other paddling desperately,

who knows how long she swam,

but she finally found a suitable spot to land and, panting heavily, dragged him ashore.

From the moment Ming Jiayao fell into the sea until the girl finally got him ashore,

Ming Jiayao not only lost all sense of time but also felt dazed, his mind automatically replaying flashback after flashback.

He saw his younger self in childhood, suffering abuse from nannies and servants.

He ran to complain to his grandfather, only to be scolded and blamed for lacking the grace and skill befitting a young master of the Ming Family.

His grandfather even confined him, demanding he reflect on his mistakes.

Later, he accidentally overheard a conversation between his tutor and the butler and learned that those nannies and servants had been acting on his grandfather’s orders to treat him that way.

It was glorified as the family head’s way of tempering the young master.

He saw himself, upon learning the truth, panicking and trying to run to his father for help,

only to overhear his parents in a secret conversation.

His father said, “I really don’t understand why Dad insists on making that little bastard his first-in-line heir?”

His mother said, “Your father’s just senile!”

The father continued, “Does that little bastard have to die for Dad to make me the first in line to inherit the Ming Family?”

The mother then said, “Aren’t you afraid that if you really kill Jiayao, your father will hold you accountable?”

The father sneered, “If that little bastard dies, I’ll be the old man’s only blood relative. Even if he wants to hold me accountable, how far can he really go?”

Hearing this, Ming Jiayao felt a chill run through his entire body.

From that moment on, he avoided everyone in the Ming Family like the plague.

But it was useless.

No matter how much he wanted to escape or hide,

he was just a child.

He couldn’t break free from the Ming Family.

The only thing he could do was stop trusting anyone.

Especially his closest family.

The memories continued to flash before his eyes, frame by frame.

Ming Jiayao saw his younger self during his teenage years.

Having lost trust in his closest family,

Ming Jiayao learned to cultivate his own influence.

He sought out a few orphans around his age to stay by his side, living, eating, and studying together. With their protection, at least the food he ate wasn’t poisoned, and he could sleep safely.

However, cultivating loyal followers required money.

After he turned ten, his grandfather, Ming Jingxing, allocated him five hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars every month.

But Ming Jiayao knew that as long as he lacked the ability to earn money himself, he would forever be under his grandfather’s control.

After much thought, he had an older companion by his side step forward to start a business.

The largest business under the Ming Family conglomerate was maritime shipping.

So, Ming Jiayao bought land near the docks, built warehouses, and formed a team of porters, among other things.

If anyone dared to cause trouble for Ming Jiayao, he would have his people invoke his grandfather Ming Jingxing’s name. Knowing they couldn’t afford to provoke him, the troublemakers would back off.

Ming Jiayao believed that Ming Jingxing must have known he was earning money outside,

but Ming Jingxing never questioned it.

As long as Ming Jiayao didn’t cause trouble in front of him, he pretended to know nothing and continued to allocate funds to Ming Jiayao every month.

If Ming Jiayao had any conflicts with his parents that became public and brought shame to the Ming Family, his grandfather’s method was to cut off his and his parents’ monthly allowances.

Thus, Ming Jiayao never spoke about his business ventures openly but quietly continued to earn money.

It was precisely because Ming Jiayao had his own “small business” and money in hand

that, as a child, he mistakenly believed that as long as he gave money to others, like his grandfather did, they would treat him well and show him respect.

So, when Xu Wenrui asked him for money, he gave it to her.

He thought that by doing so, he would become a useful son in his mother’s eyes and eventually earn her love.

Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned.

This only fueled Xu Wenrui’s ambition even more!

The memories in his mind continued to flash before his eyes, frame by frame.

Ming Jiayao suddenly saw…

the moment his biological mother, Xu Wenrui, pushed him into the sea.

The feeling was strange.

It was as if he had a god’s-eye view.

He saw the pale moonlight shining on “his” face… “He” wore an expression of shock and disbelief.

Then, for a moment, “he” tried to reach out and grab the railing…

“He” wanted to save himself!

“He” even instinctively called out to Xu Wenrui, “…Mommy?!”

Then, he saw Xu Wenrui pull out a baseball bat from behind her and swing it hard at “his” hand, which had just touched the railing!

He saw the venomous glare Xu Wenrui directed at “him.”

“He” saw it too.

And then—

All expression instantly vanished from “his” face.

Heartbreak, despair, and extreme agony spilled from “his” eyes like a tide.

“He” withdrew his hand,

“his” expression numb,

“he” didn’t even struggle, just fell freely straight into the sea.

The flashback continued to play frame by frame.

His loyal companions rushed out of the house and, without hesitation, jumped into the sea to save him.

But with strong winds and high waves, by the time they managed to pull “him” ashore, “he” was already unconscious.

“He” became a vegetable.

Ming Jingxing was furious.

What was infuriating was that Ming Jingxing ignored Xu Wenrui, the true culprit, and instead blamed his companions for negligence, believing it was their fault that “he” had become a vegetable.

As a result, Ming Jingxing tortured his companions relentlessly…

But they refused to give up, always wanting to kill Xu Wenrui to avenge him. However, in the end, they all died from poverty and severe illness, with not a single one meeting a peaceful end.

Over a decade later, Ming Jingxing’s health began to fail.

Ming Zhixuan achieved his wish and became the first in line to inherit the Ming Family, while Xu Wenrui remained the glamorous and esteemed young mistress of the Ming Family.

Even worse, since the Ming Family had no third generation, Chen Shuojie, the son Xu Wenrui had with another man before marriage, became the second in line to inherit the Ming Family!

In the end, Ming Jingxing was poisoned to death by Ming Zhixuan!

Three months after Ming Jingxing’s death,

the oxygen tube of the vegetable “Ming Jiayao” was pulled out by Xu Wenrui.

The observer Ming Jiayao watched as his own body on the hospital bed struggled in agony for a moment before closing its eyes forever.

How could he swallow this injustice?

He gasped for breath in anger!

Then, he heard a young girl’s voice, “Did you accidentally fall into the sea?”

Ming Jiayao, trapped in the flashback, finally snapped back to reality.

He saw a… slender young girl, drenched from head to toe.

The girl was staring at the shoes on his feet, wearing a thoughtful expression.

Ming Jiayao was a bit dazed; the flashback had felt too real.

It made him feel as though he had already lived through the next decade or so…

But hadn’t this girl just saved him?

He asked in a daze, “What… what time is it now? What year is it? Where is this?”

The girl was taken aback and suddenly turned to look at Ming Jiayao.

After a moment of silence, she calmly said to him, “It’s April 16, 1981. This is Hong Kong City, probably near Qingtang Bay.”

Ming Jiayao froze.

—Near Qingtang Bay?

His family’s villa was about three kilometers away from here!

What was going on?

Had he, a wandering ghost drifting in the mortal world for over a decade, suddenly returned to 1981?

Or was it that he had just had a distant, absurd dream while falling into the sea and being rescued?

At this moment—

Ming Jiayao, lying in bed, curled his lips.

No matter what,

the him now was a reborn him!

Even Ah Zhi was living so earnestly, striving and fighting.

Why should he resign himself to fate!

So,

tomorrow he would find a way to help her with the gift box factory issue,

and he should also start planning for himself properly.

—Not only would he not give up his inheritance rights to the Ming Family, but he must also grow up as quickly as possible. Once his wings were fully grown, he would drive Ming Jingxing, Ming Zhixuan, and Xu Wenrui out of Hong Kong City!

Ming Jiayao hugged the thick “Maritime Convention Code” and fell asleep comfortably.