O sun, when will you perish? Let us perish together with you! (continued)
Lu Rongfang's face remained calm, but her words unconsciously carried a hint of excitement. "But what if he wins the gamble? If China really doesn't use force to retake Hong Kong, Song Tianyao could have a mountain of sand and gravel to participate in the reclamation project that the Britain had previously monopolized. He could dump a mountain into the sea and get at least half of the new reclaimed land. And if Ngau Tau Shan is leveled, how much land can be leveled? It's not just one or two streets; if Ngau Tau Shan is leveled, it would be four or five city blocks in size. At that time, the land he holds would not only earn him the title of 'King of Chinese Land,' but probably most Britain real estate companies in Hong Kong would have to admit defeat, except for those few large Britain companies. The Lin Family wanted to develop Ngau Tau Shan before Lin Xizhen's death, but the cost of leveling Ngau Tau Shan was too high, so it was abandoned. But reclamation is different. If Song Tianyao gets the project, he can use trucks to transport rocks and soil to Bird's Beak day and night, leveling the hill and reclaiming land at the same time, and saving a lot of expenses."
Pan Guoyang's eyes lit up, his previous indifferent expression vanishing as Lu Rongfang's words piqued his interest. "Of course we should continue to follow suit and maintain a good relationship with Song Tianyao. If that guy really intends to move mountains and fill seas, we don't need to acquire land; we can just set up a transportation company to transport the rocks for him and make a fortune. I have friends in the Police Force Operations Department who can..."
"That's why I said we can't continue this mess with him. If we do, people will die. I won't make any more money." Lu Rongfang slumped back in her chair, her agitated tone gone, replaced by a lazy demeanor. "Those seemingly insignificant news stories in the newspapers have already claimed countless lives. It's reached a point where both sides are bloodthirsty. If we continue to get involved, how do you know Song Tianyao won't send us two small fry to be cannon fodder? Not only will we stay out of it and withdraw, but I'll also inform Chunmei not to try and play both sides, to look for opportunities between Song Tianyao and the Lin Family. No matter how smart she is, she might not be able to guess what Song Tianyao is thinking."
"You guessed it all, but no one else could?" Pan Guoyang said with a grin. "Last time Chunmei and Song Tianyao chatted, we were like idiots. I don't think Chunmei needs your reminder."
"We've already reached the point where the two armies are at war, and considering the anonymous letter that reminded me, my relationship with Song Tianyao hasn't been too distant lately, and you and I are outsiders, all these factors combined have only now made me truly guess. If you were in the game, like the Lin Family, would you have had the mind to guess that Song Tianyao's ultimate goal was to become the Hong Kong land king? You would have been devoured by Song Tianyao long ago. Come on, you help drive." Lu Rongkang tidied up the newspapers and notebooks on the table, preparing to call the waiter in to settle the bill.
Pan Guoyang said with a grin, "I'm your friend, not your servant. You can't just order me around all day. How about this: you introduce Chunmei to me, and after I become your brother-in-law, I'll drive for you every day without complaint."
"Wow, you said it yourself, you're like an idiot in front of Chunmei, trying to be a toad and eat swan meat. Here, I have a dollar, consider it my treat." Lu Rongfang took out money to pay the bill, and when she heard Pan Guoyang's words, she casually threw a dollar in front of Pan Guoyang.
Pan Guoyang asked, puzzled, "Why are you giving me a dollar? What are you treating me to?"
"Go find a 'Three-Flavor Chicken' restaurant on the street with big breasts, spend a dollar to satisfy your cravings and get a bargain, so you don't let your hormones get the better of you."
"Madam, I asked Master Sun from the driver's quarters to secretly go to the hospital, and I also asked a fellow villager to help me find out more information." Sister Jing, the maid who had been with Zheng Ruilian for seven years, pushed open the door, first turning to look outside to make sure no one was approaching, then carefully closed the door and walked to Zheng Ruilian, who was resting on the bed, and said in a low voice.
Zheng Ruilian looked at Sister Jing with eager eyes, her lips trembling as she asked, "Aze, how is A Qia? Is Sister Ling telling the truth?"
Sister Jing nodded gently. "The eldest young master was in a car accident a few days ago, breaking several ribs, but he's alright now, though he still needs to rest in the hospital. When Master Sun secretly went to the hospital, he heard the eldest young master's voice was loud and clear, so he should be fine now. As for the news I got from my fellow villager, the second young master... the second young master seems to have been arrested at the Marine Police Headquarters with a United States. I heard it's all over the place, saying that the United States and the second young master teamed up to smuggle contraband to the mainland and make a fortune."
Zheng Ruilian's eyes immediately lost their luster. Clutching her chest, she lay flat on the bed and waved her hand at Sister Jing: "Go see Aze yourself and tell him to rest and recover properly. Don't move around too much, and don't worry about me. What is the First Madam doing now?"
"The First Madam has hired a Cantonese opera troupe to perform in the back garden." After Sister Jing quietly left.
At this moment, Zheng Ruilian's mind was filled with what Sister Xiang had told her: the First Madam and the Third Young Master were plotting against Lin Xiaoze and Lin Xiao qia.
Although the Lin Family now publicly claims that their son, Lin Xiaoze, is the head of the family, Zheng Ruilian knows that it is merely a title.
It is true that Lin Xiaoze was raised by the First Madam. If the First Madam had never had any children, Lin Xiaoze might have really become the head of the family. However, the First Madam later gave birth to Lin Xiaohe and Lin Xiaosen, two boys. However, not wanting to tarnish the First Madam's own reputation, she did not send Lin Xiaoze to Zheng Ruilian, his birth mother, but raised him under the care of the First Madam's family, just like Lin Xiaohe and Lin Xiaosen.
Zheng Ruilian was a traditional woman who had never seen the outside world. She married Lin Xizhen as a concubine at a young age and kept him as a mistress. She was careful and submissive in every way in the Lin Family. She didn't know how big the Lin Family's business was outside, but she knew that under the peaceful exterior of the Lin Family, the intrigue was probably more fierce than in the business world.
Lin Xizhen one wife and three concubines. One concubine's fate and whereabouts were unknown, while another was now living a solitary life in a side room, practicing Buddhism. The concubine herself was good because she was obedient and sensible, always meek and submissive. In addition, she had voluntarily given her son to the first wife to raise, and had always followed the first wife's lead. So she still had some dignity. However, it now seemed that the first wife was no longer willing to maintain any dignity. No matter how good a son born out of wedlock was, he was never as good as a son born of her own.