Chapter 22: Three Months in Hong Kong, The First Apartment…

Bai Yuanzhi walked to the side entrance reserved for hotel staff.

Zhou Weihao was already waiting there in his car.

As it was lunch break, many employees from the administration department were heading out in groups for lunch.

Thus, under everyone’s watchful eyes, Bai Yuanzhi confidently got into Zhou Weihao’s car. “Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Zhou.”

Zhou Weihao ignored the strange looks from colleagues around them and earnestly corrected Bai Yuanzhi, “Ah Zhi, you’re already my contract girlfriend. You shouldn’t call me Mr. Zhou anymore. You should call me—Ahao or Brother Hao.”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled and just as earnestly told Zhou Weihao, “Sorry, Mr. Zhou, but not yet! I can only call you Brother Hao after I personally see you hand the HK$100,000 cheque to the agent and sign as the guarantor on my property purchase contract.”

Zhou Weihao was taken aback for a moment, then smiled helplessly.

He reminded Bai Yuanzhi to fasten her seatbelt and started the car.

Bai Yuanzhi instructed him, “We’ll go to Jiang’s Roast Meat Shop first. Fourth Uncle will treat us to Roast Goose rice. After lunch, Fourth Uncle will take us to view the property, and then we’ll all go together to the real estate agency where Fourth Uncle works to sign the contract.”

Zhou Weihao steered with one hand, glancing at Bai Yuanzhi when he could. “Are you sure you want to eat roast meat for lunch? I could take you for Western food.”

Bai Yuanzhi firmly refused, “No, I want roast meat now.”

Zhou Weihao fell silent.

He was a bit distracted.

Because—

Interacting with Bai Yuanzhi was simply too straightforward.

This girl was refreshingly candid.

—He offered a cooperation fee of ten thousand a month, which she found unsatisfactory, so she said so directly, even bluntly stating her own conditions.

—She sensed his dislike for Marry, so she clearly told him she would provoke Marry.

—She had doubts about the cooperation method he proposed, so she would ask directly, speak directly, and even offered her own suggestions.

—She didn’t want the Western food and steak he arranged for lunch, so she directly refused.

Zhou Weihao didn’t think Bai Yuanzhi was particularly greedy.

Just as Bai Yuanzhi had said, what he wanted to do was actually quite outrageous.

She was putting her reputation on the line to cooperate with him.

So he felt that spending one hundred thousand dollars to secure a contract girlfriend—on one hand to improve his parents’ opinion of Duoluoxi, and on the other to make Duoluoxi feel more of a sense of crisis and be more willing to actively face their relationship—was really a bargain.

Zhou Weihao was just wondering, why couldn’t his interactions with Duoluoxi be like his interactions with Bai Yuanzhi?

“Mr. Zhou, we’re here,” Bai Yuanzhi reminded Zhou Weihao.

Zhou Weihao snapped back to reality, parked the car by the roadside, and got out with Bai Yuanzhi.

Yes, the place Bai Yuanzhi had arranged to meet Zhou Weihao for roast meat today was indeed Aunt Jiang’s shop.

Fourth Uncle, already dressed in a suit, had been waiting nearby for a long time.

As soon as he saw Bai Yuanzhi, Fourth Uncle hurried over excitedly, calling out, “Ah Zhi! Over here! I’ve already grabbed a table!”

Fourth Uncle had always been rather unkempt, so it was rare to see him in a suit and tie today.

However, this suit he was wearing seemed to be some long-forgotten item from the bottom of a trunk. Not only did it have obvious creases, but the clothes were also too small for him.

The suit simply wouldn’t button up, and the white shirt inside was barely fastened, with wide gaps between the strained buttons…

Bai Yuanzhi made introductions for Fourth Uncle and Zhou Weihao:

“Fourth Uncle, this is Mr. Zhou Weihao.”

“Mr. Zhou, this is Fourth Uncle, the agent helping me buy a house.”

Fourth Uncle looked at Zhou Weihao excitedly, “Mr. Zhou, hello, hello! Our Ah Zhi has great taste! Ah, her first apartment was rented through me, and that second apartment she’s eyeing… is also a real bargain (meaning: it will appreciate significantly in the future)! Mr. Zhou, if you ever want to buy or rent a place in the future, come find me! For Ah Zhi’s sake, I’ll waive the agency fee!”

Zhou Weihao could only smile and nod.

Aunt Jiang also called out from nearby, “Wow, Ah Zhi is here! Come sit down quickly! Your Fourth Uncle reserved three roast goose rice meals for me! I’ll serve you a goose leg in a moment!”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled and greeted Aunt Jiang, then followed Fourth Uncle with Zhou Weihao to a small table nearby and sat down.

Fourth Uncle fidgeted nervously as he made small talk with Zhou Weihao, “Mr. Zhou, Jiang’s Roast Meat Shop… hehehe, the food here is really good! You can eat a bit more later!”

Zhou Weihao glanced around the surroundings—strictly speaking, Jiang’s Roast Meat Shop’s storefront was just a kitchen doubling as a chopping window, with no proper dining area for customers.

Aunt Jiang had set up six folding tables at the shop entrance, each paired with four short-legged plastic stools.

Most of the people eating here were workers from nearby, dressed plainly. Only at Bai Yuanzhi’s table—

Bai Yuanzhi was youthful and beautiful, Fourth Uncle was dressed in a suit and leather shoes,

and although Zhou Weihao wasn’t wearing formal attire, his demeanor and overall presence…

In short, the trio frequently drew sidelong glances.

Soon, Aunt Jiang brought over three roast goose rice meals.

She didn’t forget to tease Bai Yuanzhi a bit, “Wow, it’s been a while since I last saw you, Ah Zhi has grown into a fine young lady! Getting prettier and prettier!”

Bai Yuanzhi also quipped playfully, “Wow, it’s been a while since I last saw you, Aunt Jiang’s roast goose legs seem even more delicious! Aunt Jiang, did you get some secret recipe again?”

Aunt Jiang laughed heartily, “Of course!”

After a few more pleasantries, Aunt Jiang went to attend to other customers.

Bai Yuanzhi said to Zhou Weihao, “There’s free soup, would you like some?”

Fourth Uncle had already dashed off, “I’ll get the soup, I’ll get the soup! You two eat first!”

Zhou Weihao: …

He tasted the delicious roast goose leg, just as Bai Yuanzhi had said—it was truly delicious! Even better than what he’d had at upscale restaurants before!

Not only was the skin thin and crispy, but the meat was tender and juicy.

With the first bite, he experienced the crispy texture, followed by the rich aroma of the marinade.

So delicious!

The roast goose sauce mixed with rice was also exceptional—the grains were plump, moist, and flavorful…

Before he knew it, Zhou Weihao had finished the entire roast goose leg rice meal.

What surprised him was—Bai Yuanzhi had also polished off a whole bowl of roast goose leg rice!

At the moment, she was sipping the free soup provided by the shop.

—Pork bone and dried vegetable soup.

Though free, it actually tasted quite good.

Perhaps because he had been staring at Bai Yuanzhi for too long,

Bai Yuanzhi looked up from her soup bowl and glared at Zhou Weihao, “What? Not enough to eat?”

Zhou Weihao quickly shook his head, “Enough, enough.”

“Was it good?” Bai Yuanzhi asked again.

Zhou Weihao nodded seriously. “The roast goose leg from this place is truly delicious.”

Bai Yuanzhi giggled. “I wouldn’t recommend it if it wasn’t good!”

Infected by her smile, Zhou Weihao also began to laugh.

However, his thoughts were actually on Duoluoxi.

Duoluoxi was completely different from Bai Yuanzhi.

—Bai Yuanzhi would openly bring him to this kind of humble eatery without any hesitation, and she didn’t mind at all that all her acquaintances were from the lower strata of society.

—Duoluoxi, on the other hand, was too self-conscious and very unwilling to let him into her social circle.

When he offered to accompany her back to her hometown to visit relatives, she evasively disagreed.

When he said he could treat her fellow villagers or friends to a meal, she also timidly refused. One moment she’d say her fellow villagers would feel uncomfortable, the next she’d mention having to consider Zhou Weihao’s tastes and preferences, saying it would trouble others too much…

Even when he tried to cheer her up by having someone bring specialties from her hometown, she took it as him looking down on her for not being sophisticated enough.

Zhou Weihao felt Duoluoxi was too insecure.

She was so insecure… she even looked down on her own hometown.

She took pride in everything European and American; even the daily meals at home were Western-style.

But Zhou Weihao was Chinese; he preferred traditional Chinese cuisine.

Right now, he really liked this roast goose leg.

With such a comparison,

that strange feeling surfaced again.

One was the confident, generous, and composed Bai Yuanzhi,

the other was the humble, self-deprecating, and timid Duoluoxi.

Yet they both clearly came from the bottom, didn’t they?

“Mr. Zhou, since we’ve finished eating, shall we go see the apartment now?” Bai Yuanzhi’s voice rang out.

Zhou Weihao snapped back to reality and nodded.

He habitually took out his wallet to pay,

but Bai Yuanzhi stopped him with a smile. “Fourth Uncle is treating today!”

Zhou Weihao was taken aback.

Fourth Uncle laughed heartily. “That’s right, that’s right! For this meal, we’ll have roast goose first. After we sign the contract and I get my commission, I’ll treat you both to steak at a Western restaurant!”

Bai Yuanzhi also laughed. “Forget the steak, I’m not that fond of it… Fourth Uncle, just treat me to a bowl of roast goose Lai Fun at Auntie Jiang’s place then!”

Fourth Uncle thumped his chest loudly. “No problem!”

“Roast goose Lai Fun?” Zhou Weihao was very surprised and asked Bai Yuanzhi, “You like roast goose Lai Fun too?”

Bai Yuanzhi nodded. “The roast goose Lai Fun at Auntie Jiang’s is really delicious!”

Fourth Uncle immediately said, “Then it’s settled! After we sign the deal later, we’ll come to Auntie Jiang’s for roast goose Lai Fun for dinner!”

Then he turned and shouted to Auntie Jiang, “Hey, Auntie Jiang, reserve three large bowls of roast goose Lai Fun with greens (and) fried fish skin for dinner!”

Auntie Jiang laughed loudly. “Fourth Brother, have you struck it rich?”

Fourth Uncle patted his belly. “Gotta thank Ah Zhi for her patronage!”

Amid the laughter, Fourth Uncle led Bai Yuanzhi and Zhou Weihao out of Jiang’s Roast Meat Shop.

The apartment Bai Yuanzhi had her eye on was nearby.

It was about a ten-minute walk away.

—The apartment Bai Yuanzhi wanted to buy was on the 19th floor of Guanlan Building. The entire unit was 290 square feet (approximately 30 square meters). The original owner had emigrated last year, but the apartment hadn’t been sold yet.

Zhou Weihao took a look around the apartment and sincerely praised Bai Yuanzhi, “You have great taste! The layout of this apartment is very good, the orientation is decent, and as for the price… you’ve really found a bargain!”

After some thought, he couldn’t help but say, “You usually work several jobs a day. Do you even have time to come out and look at apartments?”

Bai Yuanzhi was momentarily taken aback before quickly replying, “I heard Fourth Uncle mention a place that would be perfect for me, so I made time to come take a look.”

This was the truth.

But it wasn’t Fourth Uncle who brought it up—she had deliberately steered the conversation that way.

Zhou Weihao didn’t suspect a thing.

He simply thought that despite Bai Yuanzhi’s young age, she had quite the determination.

To dare buy a property less than three months after arriving in Hong Kong!

Bai Yuanzhi then discussed the home-buying procedures further with Fourth Uncle.

In Hong Kong City, the property purchase process took at least three months, with most of the time spent on price negotiations, title searches, public notices, and notarization by lawyers.

Since Bai Yuanzhi had already settled on this apartment early on, the subsequent steps would be much easier to handle.

After viewing the apartment, the three of them went together to the real estate agency where Fourth Uncle worked.

Under Fourth Uncle’s guidance, Bai Yuanzhi and Zhou Weihao signed document after document.

They kept busy until a little past six in the evening, when Fourth Uncle finally completed the letter of intent to purchase, the power of attorney, and the agreement Zhou Weihao had signed as her guarantor.

The HK$100,000 check Zhou Weihao had brought was also handed directly to the agency where Fourth Uncle worked.

Fourth Uncle then asked Bai Yuanzhi, “Ah Zhi, Aunt Huang’s place is almost up for renewal, right? Are you going to extend the lease?”

Bai Yuanzhi thought for a moment and replied, “I’ll go back and ask Aunt Huang to extend it for another month first!”

Truthfully, she would much rather move into this newly purchased little nest.

But the original owner had already emigrated. Although they had entrusted the property to Fourth Uncle’s agency, the agency still needed to convey Bai Yuanzhi’s purchase intention to the original owner. Bai Yuanzhi also wanted to negotiate the price, which required the owner’s response.

Bai Yuanzhi had already asked Fourth Uncle to convey her wish to move in as soon as possible, even if the property hadn’t been fully handed over yet.

But this was the 1980s—even making an overseas call was somewhat difficult. The agency could only inform the original owner via an overseas fax.

Getting a definite response from them would take at least a week.

Bai Yuanzhi also told Fourth Uncle, “I’ll ask Zhao’er if she wants to renew the lease. If she doesn’t, then you’ll have to help Aunt Huang find other tenants.”

On this point, Fourth Uncle was quite understanding and open-minded. “It’s no big deal. Water flows downhill, and people strive for better things! If you’re doing well, Fourth Uncle and Aunt Huang are happy for you! Besides, Aunt Huang’s place is really nice—it won’t be hard to find tenants at all!”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled and nodded.

Zhou Weihao, who was standing nearby, asked curiously, “Who’s Zhao’er?”

Bai Yuanzhi answered patiently, “She’s my cousin.”

Zhou Weihao exclaimed, “Wow, you sure have a lot of cousins!”

As soon as the words left his mouth, his expression stiffened slightly.

He was an only child and was simply curious about the relationships and dynamics among siblings…

Duoluoxi had many relatives—reportedly dozens of brothers and sisters combined—and he had asked her about it out of curiosity before.

But every time he asked, Duoluoxi would become sad and tearful.

At first, he thought it might be because her family favored sons over daughters, or perhaps her parents showed preference to other siblings.

But no matter how clumsily he tried to comfort her,

the outcome was always the same: the more he comforted her, the sadder Duoluoxi became.

Only when he completely stopped asking about her family background could Duoluoxi behave somewhat normally.

So…

Zhou Weihao nervously watched Bai Yuanzhi, afraid she would also get angry over this.

Unexpectedly, Bai Yuanzhi started counting on her fingers, “My maternal grandmother’s family only had two sisters—my mother and my aunt…”

The reality was that Zhou Xiangmei had been sold multiple times as a child bride, long since losing track of her biological parents, making her practically an orphan.

“My mother had a harder life. She married my father, and a year later, after giving birth to me, both of them passed away,” Bai Yuanzhi began fabricating, “So I grew up in my aunt’s household.”

“Including me, my aunt raised five children.”

“My uncle also has other relatives, so there are about fourteen or fifteen cousins in total!” Bai Yuanzhi said, mixing truth with lies.

Zhou Weihao carefully observed the expression on Bai Yuanzhi’s face, confirming she wasn’t angry, and finally let out a long sigh of relief.

Then—

He asked the question he had always wanted to but never dared to, “Since you grew up in your aunt’s household, you must have gotten along with her children like real siblings, right?”

Seeing Bai Yuanzhi nod, Zhou Weihao pressed further, “So, were you close to them?”

Bai Yuanzhi thought for a moment and answered seriously, “That’s a difficult question to answer.”

“Human nature is too complex. A single person can possess two extreme qualities… They might have many flaws, perhaps even no redeeming qualities at all, but when one of the sisters is abandoned by everyone else, only the greedy and opportunistic one would exhaust everything to help…”

Yes, Bai Yuanzhi was talking about Zhou Zhaodi.

“Or they might be a flawless saint, striving desperately to pull their family out of the mud until they burn themselves out. Yet what they receive in return isn’t gratitude but betrayal from their own family…”

Yes, Bai Yuanzhi was talking about Zhou Sier.

Zhou Weihao couldn’t help but ask, “So, were you very close to them?”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled, “When things were good, they were truly good. But when interests were involved, there was always consideration and hesitation…”

Zhou Weihao listened intently.

Fourth Uncle chimed in, “Let’s go, handsome and pretty folks! Fourth Uncle made some money today and must treat everyone to… Roast Goose Lai Fun!”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled faintly, “Add a bottle of cola!”

Zhou Weihao, caught up in the cheerful atmosphere, joined in, “Add another bottle!”

Fourth Uncle waved his hand grandly, “Double!”

Bai Yuanzhi burst into laughter at Fourth Uncle’s comical voice.

Zhou Weihao also laughed foolishly along.

This simple joy…

Truly brought happiness.

When they went to Jiang’s Roast Shop to eat Roast Goose Lai Fun, Aunt Jiang couldn’t help but ask Bai Yuanzhi, “Ah Zhi, what good thing happened? Why are you so happy?”

Before Bai Yuanzhi could answer,

Fourth Uncle eagerly replied, “Our Ah Zhi bought a house!”

Aunt Jiang was shocked, “What?”

After carefully questioning Bai Yuanzhi, she learned that most of the money Bai Yuanzhi used to buy the house came from Zhou Weihao…

Auntie Jiang wore an expression of mixed emotions. “Ah, we struggled in Hong Kong City for decades, piling up debts before finally buying an apartment! How can it compare to Ah Zhi, who’s only been here for three months and already owns a place! Truly, fate treats people differently—why haven’t I ever met a ‘wealthy friend’ like that?”

After uttering these sour and pointed words, Auntie Jiang turned and walked away.

Fourth Uncle quickly said to Bai Yuanzhi, “…Don’t mind Auntie Jiang. She can be like that sometimes! What kind of job you find, how much money you earn, whether you buy an apartment or not… it really all comes down to fate. Take me, for example. I came to Hong Kong City even earlier than Auntie Jiang, and I work as an agent myself. Yet here I am—old, still unmarried, and without a home… Ah Zhi, isn’t this what they mean by ‘being early isn’t as good as being lucky’?” Fourth Uncle hurriedly comforted Bai Yuanzhi.

Bai Yuanzhi smiled and nodded, not taking it to heart.

Zhou Weihao was also completely unfazed.

However, Zhou Weihao still whispered quietly to Bai Yuanzhi, “When we came for lunch earlier, Auntie Jiang was still quite friendly. But by evening, after she heard you bought an apartment, she started acting a bit sarcastic… So, people really do have two sides.”

Bai Yuanzhi nodded repeatedly. “When I first came to Hong Kong City, the first ones to help me were Auntie Jiang and her son, Officer Xiao Jiang. They’re both very, very good people.”

Zhou Weihao said, “So you won’t hold Auntie Jiang’s rudeness against her.”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled faintly. “When I was little, I often had to cross a shallow stream while working in the mountains. I didn’t want to get my shoes wet, so I cut down a few bamboo stalks nearby and built a simple bamboo bridge. As I grew older, taller, and heavier, one day when I crossed the stream again, the bamboo bridge seemed unable to bear my weight. When I stepped on it, it creaked and groaned as if protesting, but it still held me firmly as I crossed… Mr. Zhou, would you blame that bamboo bridge?”

Zhou Weihao shook his head.

Despite her envy, Auntie Jiang still offered her congratulations. “Such a joyous occasion deserves celebration. Here, this platter of roasted meats is for you. Congratulations, Ah Zhi! I’m so happy you finally have your first home in Hong Kong City!”

With that, Auntie Jiang brought over a large platter filled with soy sauce chicken, salted chicken, char siu, and other roasted meats.

Bai Yuanzhi beamed with joy and thanked Auntie Jiang repeatedly.

Zhou Weihao looked at Auntie Jiang in surprise.

After dinner, everyone went their separate ways.

Zhou Weihao had offered to walk Bai Yuanzhi back to Xingfu Building, but she had other plans and declined.

Zhou Weihao, preoccupied with thoughts of Duoluoxi, didn’t insist. After reminding her to stay safe, he hurriedly drove off.

Bai Yuanzhi walked home alone.

After about ten minutes, she finally spotted the “Fresh Shrimp and Crab Roe Wonton Noodles” stall at the street corner!

Bai Yuanzhi smiled and quickened her pace.

—The young man in black was sitting on the steps not far from the stall, engrossed in reading a book.

“A Yao!” Bai Yuanzhi greeted him with a smile.

The young man looked up at the sound of her voice.

He immediately set the thick book aside and happily ran toward Bai Yuanzhi. “Ah Zhi!”

Bai Yuanzhi couldn’t help but smile.

This street was part of her daily commute to and from work, but she rarely saw A Yao here.

Thinking that today was the day she and A Yao had agreed to treat themselves to fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles after getting paid, she politely declined Zhou Weihao’s offer to escort her, hoping to come and try her luck.

Unexpectedly, A Yao was actually here!

This guy might usually set up his stall elsewhere, but today, he had set up right here again.

Which meant she wasn’t the only one who remembered their agreement.

He remembered too!

 

“Ah Zhi, want a large bowl of fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles today?” Ming Jiayao looked at Bai Yuanzhi with a gentle smile.

—The broth for today’s wonton noodles was simmered with fresh, top-quality South African black abalone and soft-centered dried abalone, making it exceptionally delicious!

Bai Yuanzhi waved her hand. “Not today, I can’t eat anymore… I just had a meal with a friend.”

Ming Jiayao was taken aback. “A friend?”

An indescribable jealousy and bitterness quietly surged within him!

She has other friends! What kind of friend? They’ve already reached the point of eating together?

Wait… is that friend of hers… a man or a woman?

In that instant, Ming Jiayao could barely maintain his smile.

Bai Yuanzhi took a can of cola from her bag and handed it to Ming Jiayao.

Ming Jiayao accepted it, confused.

Seeing his bewildered expression, Bai Yuanzhi laughed. “It’s for you!”

“I bought a property today. Fourth Uncle, who works as a real estate agent, treated me to a meal,” Bai Yuanzhi explained. “So I really can’t eat anymore…”

Ming Jiayao inexplicably felt relieved.

So her friend is a real estate agent…

Since he’s called Fourth Uncle, he must be quite old.

Just as he relaxed, Ming Jiayao suddenly froze again. “You… bought a property?”

She’s only been in Hong Kong City for three months, working in low-level sales and service jobs. How could she afford to buy a property so soon?

Bai Yuanzhi nodded with a smile. “I dabbled in a bit of speculative business.”

Ming Jiayao immediately grew anxious. “Ah Zhi, if you’re in trouble, you can tell me… Don’t go down the wrong path.”

Bai Yuanzhi burst out laughing. “Don’t worry, I haven’t gone down the wrong path.”

Seeing Ming Jiayao’s anxious and worried expression, Bai Yuanzhi felt strangely at ease.

It seemed that in both her past and present lives, aside from her eldest sister arranging for her to come to Hong Kong, she had never experienced anyone genuinely caring for her.

The anxiety in Ming Jiayao’s eyes didn’t seem fake.

“A friend asked for my help and offered a hundred thousand Hong Kong Dollars as payment. I really wanted to have a home entirely of my own, so I bought a property!” Bai Yuanzhi explained.

Hearing this, Ming Jiayao grew even more worried. “What kind of help is worth a hundred thousand Hong Kong Dollars?”

He wanted to say, be careful of those idle rich people with peculiar tastes…

“That friend wants to create a sense of urgency for his girlfriend, so he paid me to be his nominal girlfriend,” Bai Yuanzhi said.

Ming Jiayao: …

“You mean, that person already has a girlfriend, but he’s paying you to be his girlfriend?” Ming Jiayao frowned. “Why? Doesn’t he already have one?”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled. “Because his girlfriend doesn’t want a formal title.”

Ming Jiayao gaped in disbelief.

“Can’t figure it out, right?” Bai Yuanzhi asked.

Ming Jiayao nodded.

Bai Yuanzhi laughed. “I don’t get it either. Maybe rich people… are just that bored!”

Ming Jiayao wanted to say: Not all rich people are that bored.

Bai Yuanzhi reassured Ming Jiayao, “A Yao, don’t worry, I won’t go down the wrong path. I agreed to help this friend because I have some understanding of his character. Besides, if I didn’t accept his request, he’d just find someone else… So, I might as well earn that money.”

Ming Jiayao was still very uneasy. “Is that person really reliable?”

Bai Yuanzhi smiled. “He’s just a wealthy young man with a simple personality, a good temper, a pure heart, and who follows the rules. All he wants is to pursue true love, but his girlfriend…”

Bai Yuanzhi thought for a moment and felt she shouldn’t speak ill of her client’s girlfriend behind her back, so she vaguely said, “…maybe due to low self-esteem or other reasons, she has repeatedly rejected him. So he hopes my presence can awaken a sense of crisis in his girlfriend.”

Then she half-jokingly, half-seriously added, “As long as he still has morals, I’m not afraid of any accidents.”

“No!” Ming Jiayao still felt it was inappropriate. “Ah Zhi, you can’t do this.”

The smile on Bai Yuanzhi’s face slowly faded.

Ming Jiayao was still very anxious. “Even if this man cares about his reputation and is reasonable, you can’t ignore his girlfriend… What if his girlfriend, out of jealousy, does something to hurt you…”

Bai Yuanzhi’s expression relaxed.

She had thought A Yao’s reason for opposing was to accuse her of interfering in Zhou Weihao and Duoluoxi’s relationship…

She never expected A Yao was only worried about her safety?

“Since he’s paying such a high fee, it proves that this matter… inherently carries risks,” Bai Yuanzhi patiently explained. “A Yao, I’ve assessed it myself, so please don’t try to persuade me anymore.”

“I just need to stick it out for these six months, and I’ll earn enough for an apartment. From then on, I’ll have a home too! I think it’s worth it,” Bai Yuanzhi said seriously.

Ming Jiayao breathed a sigh of relief again. “Just six months?”

Bai Yuanzhi nodded. “Yes.”

Ming Jiayao looked at her deeply. “Ah Zhi, go get a pager! Tell me the number, and I’ll give you my pager number too. If you encounter any emergencies… call me immediately, and I’ll figure out a way to help you.”

Bai Yuanzhi appreciated his kindness,

but she didn’t rely on A Yao.

After all, A Yao, like her, belonged to the bottom rung of society, and he was even younger than her…

If it really came down to who protected whom,

it was probably her protecting him.

Bai Yuanzhi smiled generously. “Alright, A Yao, thank you!”

She really should get a pager too.

Staying in touch with Zhou Weihao was necessary,

and she also needed to start planning her next business ventures.

Without a means of communication, it would indeed be very inconvenient.

Ming Jiayao asked her again, “You… really won’t eat the fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles I made for you?”

To be honest, Bai Yuanzhi really couldn’t eat anymore.

For dinner, she had a whole bowl of Roast Goose Lai Fun, a can of cola, and a platter of roasted meats Aunt Jiang gave her…

But looking at A Yao’s hopeful eyes, Bai Yuanzhi couldn’t bring herself to refuse.

“Well, give me a small bowl to go. I’ll take it back and eat it,” she said, taking money from her purse and putting it into the snack stall’s money jar.

Ming Jiayao’s expression instantly brightened from gloomy to sunny.

As he worked, he taught Bai Yuanzhi to memorize his pager number.

Actually, his pager number was particularly simple—among the seven digits, the first three were the same, and the last four were the same.

So Bai Yuanzhi memorized it right away.

Ming Jiayao also instructed her, “My pager has a Chinese display, so if it’s urgent, just leave a message directly with the call service. If you’re getting a pager, get one with a Chinese screen too.”

—Actually, he had a mobile phone, commonly known as a “big brother phone,” but he didn’t dare reveal it, fearing Bai Yuanzhi might overthink it, so he could only give her his pager number.

However, after hearing his words, Bai Yuanzhi remained silent for a long time.

—Pagers themselves were expensive. The cheapest numeric pager, including network fees, cost around eight hundred yuan, with a monthly rental of thirty-five. Chinese display pagers were newly released last year, with the device and network fees totaling nearly two thousand Hong Kong dollars, and a monthly rental as high as eighty yuan!

For Bai Yuanzhi, the cost of a Chinese pager clearly exceeded what she could afford.

But Bai Yuanzhi didn’t brush off Ming Jiayao’s suggestion.

She replied earnestly, “A Yao, I will buy a pager, but whether it’s a numeric one or a Chinese display one, I’ll decide after I’ve thought it over.”

Ming Jiayao certainly knew—money was the biggest obstacle preventing her from choosing a Chinese pager.

He really, really wanted to say: How about I give you a Chinese pager as a gift!

But he didn’t dare to be so abrupt.

In the end, he said nothing. Instead, he personally cooked fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles for her, packed them up, and handed them to Bai Yuanzhi with both hands.

“Thank you, A Yao,” Bai Yuanzhi said.

For some reason, she suddenly felt reluctant to leave.

And A Yao’s expression seemed… somewhat troubled too.

Bai Yuanzhi didn’t want to overanalyze it.

After all, both she and A Yao were still young, and each had their own struggles.

For now, it was best not to think too much.

First, they needed to climb out of the quagmire of the “bottom rung.”

Bai Yuanzhi carried the packed fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles back to the subdivided flat in Xingfu Building.

Perhaps because she felt she would soon be moving out, about to move into a home truly her own, Bai Yuanzhi looked around at this… first place she had lived in after her rebirth in Hong Kong. For some reason, she felt a twinge of reluctance.

Compared to the squalid subdivided flat she had lived in during her previous life, this little nest was practically a paradise.

—After all, the high rent limited the quality of the neighbors, indirectly making everyone part of each other’s social network.

Footsteps sounded behind her.

Bai Yuanzhi turned and saw Securities Brother Liu Zhengsong.

She quickly greeted him, “Brother Song, off work already?”

Liu Zhengsong was carrying a food container, his face glowing.

Bai Yuanzhi could tell at a glance that he had been drinking again—when she had come with Fourth Uncle to view the place, she had seen Liu Zhengsong drunk.

However, even when drunk, Liu Zhengsong’s actions were somewhat uncontrolled, but his speech and manners remained manageable.

Back then, he had fallen to the ground, unable to get up and unable to find his way home. It was Bai Yuanzhi who pointed him in the right direction, allowing him to crawl back into his own place.

Because of this, Liu Zhengsong had always harbored an indescribable sense of shame and guilt toward Bai Yuanzhi.

Seeing Bai Yuanzhi now, Liu Zhengsong paused for a moment. “Ah, Ah Zhi, just got back?”

He raised the food container in his hand. “Got some roast goose, want some?”

Bai Yuanzhi lifted the packed fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles in her hand, showing it to him, and politely declined, “Thanks, Brother Song, I’ve got supper too.”

Liu Zhengsong nodded and was just about to take out his keys to unlock the door and enter the house when—

Bai Yuanzhi suddenly asked him, “Brother Song, I’d like to ask, if I want to open an account to trade stocks, what do I need to do?”

Actually—

Bai Yuanzhi was very familiar with the Hong Kong stock market.

After all, in her previous life, she had made her fortune by trading Hong Kong stocks.

But in this era, opening an account to trade Hong Kong stocks was a complicated matter; not everyone could simply open a stock account whenever they wanted.

First, there was capital verification.

Second, retail investors couldn’t trade freely; they could only follow institutional investments—which was actually more like trading funds in later times.

In her previous life, Bai Yuanzhi had only been able to enter the stock market after connecting with Song Junshu (who was already a capitalist by then) and being introduced by him.

Now, Bai Yuanzhi wanted to see if she could get an entry ticket to the Hong Kong stock market from Liu Zhengsong, a securities broker.

As soon as Liu Zhengsong heard a question related to his professional field, his entire demeanor changed!

His eyes lit up.

“Wow, if you want to talk about this, then I’m wide awake,” he said, looking around before inviting Bai Yuanzhi to the ground floor of the building—where the landlady Aunt Huang’s small shop was located—to sit down. He offered to buy Bai Yuanzhi a soda.

Bai Yuanzhi happily agreed.

But she politely declined the soda. Instead, she spent two dollars at Aunt Huang’s shop to buy half a kilogram of roasted sunflower seeds, inviting Aunt Huang and Liu Zhengsong to snack on the seeds and chat.

Liu Zhengsong then began talking about his work—how to open an account, how to trade stocks, and so on.

Bai Yuanzhi and Aunt Huang listened intently.

Even Miss Chen and Miss Liu, who had returned late after going out together after work to eat and shop, couldn’t resist sitting down to listen to Liu Zhengsong’s stories.

After Liu Zhengsong finished speaking,

Bai Yuanzhi asked, “Brother Song, so can I also open an account to trade stocks?”

Liu Zhengsong shook his head vigorously. “No, no, you can’t.”

“Why not?” Bai Yuanzhi asked, already knowing the answer.

Liu Zhengsong patiently replied, “You need capital verification, little sister!”

“How much money is needed for capital verification?” Bai Yuanzhi posed another probing question.

Liu Zhengsong answered, “…At least one million to start!”

He sighed, “So, the stock market is a playground for the rich! As for us working folks… forget it!”

Bai Yuanzhi asked again, “What if a hundred of us pooled together one million? Could we open an account then?”

Liu Zhengsong laughed, “In principle, yes!

But you’d need to deposit the one million into one person’s bank account. After the capital verification is done, the money would be returned to everyone.

However, not everyone would feel comfortable putting their money into someone else’s account!

What if that person took everyone’s money and refused to return it or even acknowledge it?

We’re all working folks; earning a little money isn’t easy, little sister. Don’t you think so?” Liu Zhengsong said.

Everyone listening nodded in agreement.

Bai Yuanzhi also nodded.

At that moment, Aunt Huang suddenly said, “Oh, Zhaodi? You’re back so early today?”

Hearing the name “Zhaodi,” Bai Yuanzhi turned around and indeed saw a thin, frail-looking girl standing on the steps.

She stared at the girl for a few seconds before finally confirming that it was Zhou Zhaodi.

The reason she hadn’t recognized her was that Bai Yuanzhi hadn’t seen Zhou Zhaodi during the daytime in a long time.

The two of them had always been on opposite schedules.

Bai Yuanzhi left early and returned late,

while Zhou Zhaodi started work in the evening and didn’t finish until the early hours of the morning.

Bai Yuanzhi could only see Zhou Zhaodi, sleeping on the lower bunk with the blanket wrapped around her and snoring, in the early morning each day, just before heading out…

But now, Zhou Zhaodi was heavily made up, not only sporting a permed afro but also wearing earrings as large as bracelets dangling below her ears. Her outfit was quite revealing—she wore a sparkling, backless halter-top A-line mini dress that clung tightly to her body, exposing her smooth back and two slender legs.

At first glance, Bai Yuanzhi truly hadn’t recognized her.

It was only because she had been sisters with Zhou Zhaodi for over a decade and was overly familiar with her that she could recognize her by intuition and instinct.

Bai Yuanzhi raised an eyebrow, “Are you already off work? Or haven’t you started yet?”

Zhou Zhaodi stared fixedly at Bai Yuanzhi and suddenly laughed, “Wow, so you’re rich enough now… to open a stock account?” Her tone was filled with sarcasm and mockery.

Bai Yuanzhi thought for a moment, bid farewell to Aunt Huang, Liu Zhengsong, and the others, then picked up the box of fresh shrimp and crab roe wonton noodles and turned to go upstairs.

Zhou Zhaodi followed closely behind Bai Yuanzhi, the click-clack of her high heels echoing loudly, pounding painfully in one’s head.

After returning to the rented room,

Bai Yuanzhi turned to look at Zhou Zhaodi,

Zhou Zhaodi also looked at Bai Yuanzhi…

After a moment, the two spoke almost simultaneously:

Bai Yuanzhi asked, “Have you finished your procedures to stay in Hong Kong?”

Zhou Zhaodi bit her lower lip, “Third Sister, since you’re rich enough to open a stock account… you must have quite a bit of money on hand. Lend me three thousand dollars!”

Bai Yuanzhi frowned, “What do you need so much money for?”