Kong Wing-yan seemed rather oblivious to the situation. Having already heard Song Tianyao jokingly group the Secretaries' Union with the Shipwrights' Union and the Textile Workers' Union, she still tried to speak up, "Mr. Song looks very young, the Special Secretaries' Union..."
"If I looked your age and was just a secretary who did odd jobs and accomplished nothing, that would be terrible, Miss Jiang. Didn't you notice the slight coldness between your boss and my boss? We should maintain the same attitude towards each other as they do, and not get too close. If you were to invite me to dinner or a movie privately, I might have time, but now is really not the right time for you to flirt with a handsome guy like me." Song Tianyao turned his head to Kong Wing-yan, his previous smile completely gone, and looked Kong Wing-yan in the eye as he spoke.
The eight-minute cable car ride ended as Angie Perry racked her brains to chat with Chu Xiaoxin about movies and songs, while the other three listened in silence with varying expressions.
When the cable car arrived at the mountaintop station and the doors opened, Chu Xiaozhong got up with a dark face and strode out. Kong Wing-yan, who had been teased by Song Tianyao with a stern face about flirting with a handsome guy, turned back to look at him before getting off the car. She seemed a little puzzled as to how such a boss and secretary with questionable intelligence and reckless words could make Chu Xiaozhong feel that his Mainland his family was threatened.
Besides restaurants, English pubs, and scenic plazas, Tai Ping Shan was home to over eighty detached villas before the fall of Hong Kong. The most prominent was naturally the Governor's Villa, but after Hong Kong Japanese occupation, much of the area was damaged by war. Even the most scenic villa is now reduced to a few scattered ruins, and the new Governor has not yet arranged for its restoration. Since the opening of the Tai Ping Shan Tram, Britain officials have made it a habit to move their residences to Tai Ping Shan. So, although the Governor's Villa remains unrestored and abandoned after the war, there are now over ninety other Britain villas in the Peak and Mid-Levels, exceeding the number of villas before the war.
The reasons are simply that Tai Ping Shan offers outstanding views; standing on the observation deck, one can overlook Hong Kong Island and Victoria Harbour, experiencing the thrill of having the city at one's feet. Another reason is that the Hong Kong Colonial Government enacted an ordinance in 1902 that explicitly prohibited Chinese from residing on Tai Ping Shan the Mid-Levels -Mid-Levels, which were designated as settlements for Britain residents in Hong Kong. This explicit discrimination against colonial races turned the scenic Tai Ping Shan into a secret garden for the Britain in Hong Kong.
In 1947, after the war, although the Government House had lifted the ordinance prohibiting Chinese people from settling on Victoria Tai Ping Shan in order to ease the anti-colonial sentiment among Hong Kong, since many of Britain's Asian colonies had already gained independence from colonial rule, there were no suitable sites left on Tai Ping Shan to build new villas. They were all occupied by the Britain, and those Britain would not sell their villas to the China person. Even if they returned to London, they would only resell their villas to the Britain who succeeded them in office. Therefore, even now, there are still few Chinese people on Tai Ping Shan.
The only advantage is that now Chinese people can take the cable car to the top of the mountain to enjoy the scenery and try the Western food at the Peak Restaurant. Before the war, apart from the cable car workers led by Britain engineers, other Chinese people who appeared on the mountain would be treated as thieves by the India police.
Angie Perlis and Mrs. Shek Chi-yik had arranged to meet last, so Chu Xiaoxin, Song Tianyao, and the other two didn't rush into the Peak Restaurant. Instead, they went to the distant observation deck to admire Hong Kong Hong Kong Island and Victoria Harbour bathed in the golden light of the sunset. Several China workers were climbing ladders outside the Peak Restaurant in the distance to help inspect the gas lamp posts.
"A-Yao, didn't you say you had plans? I need some to order later." Chu Xiaoxin asked Song Tianyao, gazing at the distant scenery.
Song Tianyao took out a cigarette from his pocket, offered one to the other person, and then lit a match with his hand. The two of them lit their cigarettes together. "Later, you can prepare to rescue the person. Take the cable car down the mountain with the person you rescue, and then we'll all meet at Lichi tonight."
"What the hell are you up to? Saving people? And what's with this? You suddenly brought up those 300,000 yuan worth of medicine, and then said you wanted to use them to negotiate a cooperation with Shek Chi-yik. Are you planning to smuggle these toxic drugs to the Mainland? Hey, we're all China person, and the Mainland is fighting the Korean War. You can't do something so wicked. Be careful you don't get called Collaborator. If those drugs are poisonous, don't harm your own China person. Selling them to Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, or the Philippines is fine, but it would be best if they were sold to Japan. If I see those Japan vomiting and having diarrhea, that would be great. I'd be happy if I made less money." Chu Xiaoxin exhaled a puff of smoke, watching it dissipate in the evening breeze, and spoke to Song Tianyao.
Song Tianyao looked at Chu Xiaoxin and suddenly realized that his boss was no ordinary person. Although he was indifferent to business, indulged in pleasure and debauchery, and was considered a dissolute playboy by his father and brothers, he showed considerable responsibility when it came to matters of principle. "Young Master Shun, if I were a woman, I would definitely be ready to throw myself into your arms right now. You are truly charming. These words are impeccable. I might even want to pay for a room with you myself."
"I haven't seen that Foreign Girl next to you throwing herself at me, have I? You can't even flatter properly, I don't know why I chose a guy like you who doesn't know how to flatter and is so extravagant as my secretary." Chu Xiaoxin was amused by Song Tianyao's words and laughed.
"That Foreign Girl is from Britain, of course she doesn't understand the patriotism of a dignified China man. Next time you want to pick up girls, bring a pretty one to the top of the mountain, and I'll cooperate with you. Say what I just said again, and I guarantee you'll be able to carry her back to your hotel bed tonight." Song Tianyao said, smoking a cigarette and looking down at Hong Kong Island.
At this moment, he began to understand why the Britain, Hong Kong officials, and businessmen, after becoming wealthy, all preferred to buy mansions on the Peak to live in, standing there overlooking the view, chatting and laughing. What man wouldn't feel the urge to grasp this glittering, decadent free port in the palm of his hand?
"I'm serious. You're not allowed to sell those drugs in the Mainland to poison China person," Chu Xiaoxin added.
Song Tianyao nodded, his smile fading. He gazed at the distant scenery with Chu Xiaoxin and slowly said, "Don't worry, Young Master Shun, I'm China person too. Song Tianyao can do anything, but I'll never be Collaborator."