bookbashuk Chapter 346 The Cautious Chen Qinghua
Chapter 346 The Cautious Chen Qinghua
Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.
A black sedan slowly pulled up in front of a slightly dilapidated apartment building. Lan Huaying and her sister Lan Qiongying got out of the car one after the other, followed by entourage carrying several beautifully wrapped gift boxes. The group silently entered the apartment building, and the elevator stopped on the fifth floor. They knocked on the door of room 512.
The person who opened the door was a middle-aged man in his forties, wearing an ordinary t-shirt, but with unusually sharp eyes. Upon seeing them, he looked surprised: "It's Huaying and Qiongying! Happy New Year, please come in and have a seat."
The interior was simply furnished, no different from an ordinary home. The two siblings sat down on the sofa, and the attendant placed the gifts next to the coffee table before stepping outside to wait.
"Uncle Chen, how have you been lately?" Lan Qiongying greeted him with a smile.
"The usual." Chen Qinghua, addressed as Uncle Chen, poured them tea. "What brings you two siblings here today?"
After exchanging a few words, Lan Huaying's smile gradually faded. After a moment of silence, she asked, "Uncle Chen, that Lin Group... have you ever dealt with them?"
Chen Qinghua paused slightly, his brow furrowing involuntarily. "Why are you asking them what they want?"
Lan Huaying then embellished the story of what had happened in Macau, especially emphasizing Lin Yan's disdain for the 14K and the Lan family, portraying the Lin family as arrogant, domineering, and disdainful of everyone.
As Chen Qinghua listened, a flash of anger crossed his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. He put down his teacup, his fingers unconsciously tapping on his knee.
"Hua Ying," he said in a low voice, "the Lin family is not simple."
He looked out the window, his tone grave: "We briefly clashed with them in Kowloon. A few years ago, the Lin family quietly bought up a large number of warehouses, docks, and land in Kowloon—that has always been our main area of operation."
"Since our business in the Golden Triangle was completely wiped out, the gang has lost a huge source of income. Controlling the docks has become an important source of wealth." Chen Qinghua's brows furrowed even more. "But the Lin family is like an iron plate."
"They have their own stevedores, and the dock management won't listen to either soft or hard tactics." He seemed to recall something, his eyes turning somber. "Most importantly, the Lin Group has nearly ten thousand well-trained security personnel. Those people... are not like ordinary security guards."
Chen Qinghua turned his head and looked directly at Lan Huaying: "We've tried several times, but we haven't been able to get started. Huaying, I advise you to be patient for now."
Lan Huaying opened his mouth reluctantly, leaned forward, and lowered his voice, saying, "Uncle Chen, I have a plan. Could you please give me your feedback?" A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. "After returning from Macau, I specifically arranged for a few unfamiliar faces to keep an eye on them. We figured out their tactics—this time when they went back to Macau, the Lin family didn't bring a single bodyguard."
He grew increasingly excited as he spoke, his knuckles unconsciously tapping his knees: "As long as our people keep a close watch, the moment their ship docks in Hong Kong..." Lan Huaying forced a cold laugh, "that'll be like catching a turtle in a jar! Whether they're round or flat then is entirely up to us!"
"If you ask me, even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake." He leaned closer to Chen Qinghua, "Let's take advantage of his surprise and catch him off guard. What will he have to be arrogant about then!"
As Chen Qinghua listened to Lan Huaying's plan, his face grew increasingly gloomy.
"Huaying," he said, his voice laced with warning, "do you know what the Lin family's nearly ten thousand security personnel represent?"
He stood up and paced around the somewhat cramped living room: "Their security personnel at Kowloon Pier drill every morning at six o'clock sharp. I sent someone to check it out—" He turned to look directly at Lan Huaying, "That's not ordinary security guards at all, it's the style of a regular army."
Lan Qiongying nervously twisted her fingers: "Uncle Chen means..."
"You mean you're courting death!" Chen Qinghua suddenly raised his voice, then forcefully suppressed it again. "Do you think the Lin family dares to be so blatant without having a backup plan? Their business in Hong Kong and even Southeast Asia is so large that even the Governor of Hong Kong has to give them some face. Is it just luck?"
Lan Huaying clenched her fists tightly: "Uncle Chen, this anger is simmering inside me, it's about to explode! Are you really just going to let this piece of meat dangle right in front of you?"
Chen Qinghua slowly added water to the purple clay teapot, raising his eyelids amidst the rising steam: "Huaying, this isn't how you navigate the world of martial arts." He lifted the teapot and poured water gently. "A direct, head-on confrontation won't give us the upper hand. But cutting off someone's livelihood..." The tea swirled in the cup, "...there are plenty of bloodless methods."
Lan Huaying slammed her hand on the coffee table, making the teaware clang loudly. "Name your price! I'd be willing to go bankrupt if it meant ruining the Lin family!"
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Lin Yan and his group had just returned to Hong Kong from Macau. Yu Shui had eaten her way through the streets and alleys of Macau with Wang Yuling. Her originally pale cheeks were now flushed with health. She was tightly clutching a handbag full of winning chips in her arms. These past few days, she had been following Wang Yuling to the casino and had unexpectedly earned enough for the next few years of tuition.
Silly Zhu grinned foolishly the whole time, clutching a piece of paper with a Portuguese address written on it. Lin Gang had been accompanying this rough-around-the-edges young man, who was just beginning to experience romantic feelings, to the Dome Restaurant for the past two days. He watched as the young man used his newly learned Cantonese words mixed with gestures to talk to Ah Lian, and in the end, he actually managed to get the silly boy's contact information.
Back at the Deep Water Bay villa, Yu Shui gently tugged at Wang Yuling's sleeve, her voice tinged with girlish shyness: "Sister Yuling, I want to open a savings account... to save the money I earned in Macau." She lowered her head, stroking the leather texture of her handbag, "It'll be perfect for paying tuition when school starts in September."
Wang Yuling paused slightly as she arranged flowers, a warm feeling suddenly washing over her. She thought of the gamblers in the casino who risked everything to win back their losses, while this girl before her, who had endured hardship, could still maintain her integrity in the face of unexpected wealth. She trimmed an overly long hydrangea stem and nodded gently: "Once you get your ID card, I'll take you to open an account at HSBC."
The setting sun shone through the window, casting long shadows of the two women. From the other end of the living room came the stuttering voice of Sha Zhu practicing Cantonese, intermittently uttering words like "dinner" and "pretty girl."
On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, the morning light was just right at the Deep Water Bay villa. When Lou Zhenhua led his family into the living room, Lin Yan was sitting on the sofa playing with Xiao Qi. This scene was unexpected—normally, it should be the younger generation paying New Year's visits to the elders, but now it was the other way around.
"Mr. Lin, Happy New Year." Lou Zhenhua bowed very low, and Lou Xiao'e behind him gently touched Xu Damao's arm.
Lin Yan put down Xiao Qi and stood up to return the greeting: "Uncle Lou, you're too kind. Please have a seat." His gaze swept over everyone, lingering a moment longer on Xu Damao's face.
After several rounds of tea, Lou Zhenhua finally revealed his purpose: "At the Lin family's annual meeting before the New Year, thanks to Mr. Lin Yi's introduction, I had gifts prepared for Mr. Li Zhaoji and Sir Bao to send as New Year's presents. However, we ended up closing two cooperation deals..." His voice was a little tight. "The Lou family will always remember this kindness."
At this moment, Xu Damao took the opportunity to take out a document from his briefcase and handed it to Lin Yan with both hands: "Xiao Yan, this is the hotel's research report. The location, staff, and menu have all been planned..."
Lin Yan took the document and flipped through it, his fingertip suddenly stopping on the page about the site selection: "Causeway Bay is not suitable." He looked up at the sea view outside the window, "Let's change it to Tsim Sha Tsui, that area is about to be reclaimed from the sea."
Seeing Xu Damao in a daze, he closed the file and handed it back: "From now on, handle these matters directly with Lin Er. Once the location is decided, get the renovations done quickly. I want to see the restaurant's sign up in three months."
Xu Damao nodded hurriedly, and Lou Xiao'e, standing to the side, quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Wang Yuling brought over a fruit platter at the right moment, and the relaxed atmosphere of the New Year returned to the living room. Only Lou Zhenhua noticed the confident look on Lin Yan's face when he talked about "reclaiming land from the sea," as if he were discussing a fait accompli.