Chapter 8: Long Guang

At that moment, Gu Shizhang led Ye Tianhui to the stables. As they entered, Ye Tianhui observed carefully and found that the management of this stable was even more meticulous.  

The stables, made entirely of natural wood, featured spacious and bright glass windows. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, casting dappled light inside. High-quality hay was neatly stacked on wooden racks, and a strong horse was quietly lowering its head to eat.  

The air lacked the typical smell of horse manure often found in stables and instead carried the dry and rich aroma of hay—the same scent that had lingered on Gu Shizhang’s hands earlier.  

Everything here was serene and unpretentious, reminiscent of the still-life sketches in Western oil paintings.  

Gu Shizhang picked up a handful of hay nearby, feeding it to the horse, and smiled at Ye Tianhui. “Which stable are you assigned to?”  

Ye Tianhui replied, “I’ve only been here a few days. I’m temporarily assigned to Stable No. 7, responsible for feeding four horses.”  

Having passed by several stables earlier, she had memorized some details and was confident that Gu Shizhang wouldn’t catch her out.  

She looked around curiously at this stable. “Why is this stable so different from Stable No. 7? The facilities here are clearly better, the environment is superior, and the horses are more meticulously cared for.”  

Gu Shizhang replied, “You sound like someone new. Didn’t your supervisor explain the operations of the stables and the racing club?”  

He looked at her with his ink-black eyes, smiling as he said, “On your first day, you should have received an onboarding manual. It should contain this information, right?”  

Ye Tianhui suppressed any emotional fluctuation. “A manual? I don’t know. When I started, they did give me a bag, but I didn’t see any manual!”  

She explained further, “My English isn’t very good. Just looking at it gives me a headache, so I didn’t go through it carefully.”  

Her statement left room for interpretation—who knew if such a manual even existed, or if this man was deliberately testing her.  

Seeing this, Gu Shizhang chuckled. “It seems you’re quite scatterbrained, missing the manual entirely.”  

Then he explained, “The Happy Valley Racecourse has over 700 active racehorses. These horses aren’t entirely owned by the racecourse; they belong to different owners who entrust them to the Hong Kong Jockey Club for unified management. The club offers various tiers of stables, and if owners are particularly attentive to their horses, they can apply for private stables and hire dedicated personnel for maintenance.”  

Ye Tianhui remarked, “So, the owners of these horses must be rich to provide their horses with private suites.”  

Private suites…  

Gu Shizhang’s eyes glimmered with amusement as he agreed, “That’s an apt description—private suites. In fact, in recent years, Hong Kong has seen the rise of several private stables, such as the Gallop Stable. Currently, there’s fierce competition for clients among racecourses in Hong Kong, so each one is innovating and upgrading.”  

Ye Tianhui glanced at the stable. “This must be newly built. It must have cost a fortune.”  

Gu Shizhang’s gaze swept over the stable, and he seemed quite satisfied. “This stable is said to have been designed by a world-renowned architect. Look at the skylights—double-glazed windows provide the horses with more uniform natural light. The facilities here are comprehensive, even including shower rooms and tack rooms.”  

Ye Tianhui curiously looked around and found it true—modern equipment was everywhere, giving the place a sleek, contemporary feel.  

As they talked, he led her further along a wooden corridor. They stopped in front of a stable housing a chestnut horse with a well-proportioned body and a beautiful head shape. Upon closer inspection, its broad chest, short back, and short leg bones indicated that this horse would have light, swift steps and exceptional explosive power.  

It was clearly an extraordinary horse.  

Gu Shizhang affectionately reached out to stroke the horse’s mane and smiled as he asked, “This is Long Guang. What do you think?”  

Ye Tianhui froze for a moment.  

Though Gu Shizhang was dressed simply in a shirt and jeans, standing next to the magnificent horse and speaking with a smile, he exuded an aura of innate nobility. 

In her mind, an image surfaced: in the Royal Stables, an emperor in casual attire stood beside his newly acquired fine steed.  

She held her breath, her gaze fixed on his thick, jet-black short hair. “Long Guang?”  

Gu Shizhang nodded. “Yes, that’s the Chinese name for this horse. I named it.”  

He turned to glance at her, smiling. “But it also has an English name: Lucis’ Wing. In Latin, Lucis means light, so its name symbolizes the Wings of Light.”  

Ye Tianhui remained calm. “And then?”  

Gu Shizhang continued, “It was originally a racehorse, later trained for show jumping, with outstanding results. It once won the Royal Show Jumping Championship in England. However, when it was six years old, it suffered a leg injury and was diagnosed with an irreparable ligament rupture.”  

Hearing this, Ye Tianhui glanced at the horse’s legs. The horse stood there quietly, perfectly poised, showing no signs of injury.  

Gu Shizhang explained, “Its leg was injured at Liverpool Racecourse in England, and it was about to be euthanized by its owner. Then someone bought it at a low price, brought it to the beach for training, and its condition gradually improved in the seawater. After that, it was brought to Hong Kong, and it’s currently undergoing rehabilitation training. If possible, it might participate in this season’s races.”  

Though his tone was flat, Ye Tianhui furrowed her brows as she listened.  

She looked at Long Guang in front of her. Sunlight spilled across its back, and the horse appeared peaceful and serene, basking in the golden glow. This was a horse that lived in a top-class stable, enjoying sunlight and hay, seemingly the picture of tranquility.  

Who would have thought it once galloped across battlefields? Who would have imagined it was nearly betrayed and abandoned?  

She crouched slightly, meeting the horse’s gaze.  

She thought, this is a horse that survived against all odds.  

Looking at the horse, she asked, “Long Guang is expensive, isn’t it?”  

Gu Shizhang looked down at her.  

Bright light filled the stable. She crouched by the trough, her back slender and straight, her jet-black hair cascading smoothly down her back, her expression focused and tinged with compassion.  

She tentatively reached out to touch the horse, her fingertips glowing warmly under the sunlight.  

After a moment of silence, Gu Shizhang replied, “Very expensive.”  

Ye Tianhui asked, “Oh? How expensive?”  

But Gu Shizhang didn’t answer immediately.  

Just as Ye Tianhui was about to turn around in confusion, Gu Shizhang finally explained, “The Jockey Club’s horses are professional racehorses, usually purebred from around the world, with prices starting in the millions of Hong Kong dollars. Besides the purchase cost, owners must also pay the Jockey Club for dedicated care, training, venue fees, and additional expenses to improve the horse’s living conditions. If the owner wants better training for their horse, they can hire higher-level trainers, which would cost even more.”  

Ye Tianhui understood. “Ordinary citizens can bet on horse races for entertainment and luck. Wealthy individuals buy and train horses to compete and profit. If they have good judgment and luck, they can make a fortune from horse racing.”  

Gu Shizhang nodded in agreement. “You’ve hit the nail on the head.”  

He added, “However, for the wealthy, raising horses isn’t just about returns; it’s also about social connections.”  

Ye Tianhui nodded. “I get it.”  

Joining a social class means participating in that class’s trends. For the ultra-wealthy, horse racing isn’t just about horses; it’s also a tool for networking.  

It seemed she still had a long way to go before she could buy back her Chi Yan.  

Gu Shizhang looked at Long Guang with a smile. “Miss Ye, you’ve been at the racecourse for two days now. Have you found any horse particularly outstanding?”  

Ye Tianhui stood up and replied, “No, nothing particularly outstanding. Aside from Long Guang, the others are all pretty much the same.”  

Gu Shizhang tilted his head, giving her a long look. “Oh.”