Chapter 40.1: Win again!

Jiang Lingfeng’s so-called “delicious food” was Western cuisine—but not proper Western cuisine. It was actually a kind of Western-style fast food popular in Hong Kong. The decor of the restaurant was unique, with a figure dressed in yellow and sporting fluffy red hair, resembling a clown. Next to it, a signboard displayed traditional Chinese characters and English; the traditional characters roughly read “Free McDonald’s Vouchers.”

Ye Tianhui: “Vouchers?”

She didn’t understand and had never eaten this before.

But Jiang Lingfeng clearly did. He found them a place to sit, then went off to order.

Ye Tianhui, curious, followed him. “How do you order here?”

Jiang Lingfeng glanced at her curious face. “Then just follow me and watch how I order.”

Ye Tianhui nodded enthusiastically. The two of them went over and found a queue—lots of people were waiting to order. Then came the set meals. Jiang Lingfeng ordered a burger, fries, and some chicken nuggets.

After getting the receipt, he brought Ye Tianhui over to the pickup counter to wait.

Ye Tianhui whispered, “It’s ready this fast?”

Jiang Lingfeng: “That’s why it’s called fast food. Of course it’s fast.”

Ye Tianhui: “Oh, I see.”

Western capitalism really was different!

Ye Tianhui bit into the burger and fried chicken—she liked them. Tasty, flavorful, and delicious.

Even more surprising was that they had cola here too—it tasted just like the kind she drank at home.

After a while, the burger and chicken became a bit greasy. That’s when the cold, refreshing cola really hit the spot—perfect for quenching thirst!

Ye Tianhui was very satisfied. “No wonder so many people come here—this is really good!”

Jiang Lingfeng: “Yeah, it’s pretty famous. This chain just opened in Hong Kong recently.”

Ye Tianhui: “That explains it!”

Jiang Lingfeng: “So what about you? What’s been going on with you lately? I went to the racecourse looking for you, but they said you were no longer there.”

He looked at her clothes curiously. He didn’t really understand fashion, but even he could tell her outfit was different from before. It looked casual, but expensive.

Ye Tianhui took a happy sip of her cola and began telling Jiang Lingfeng what had happened to her, explaining everything from beginning to end.

Finally, she said contentedly, “So that’s how things are. I already have a place in Causeway Bay. If you’ve got time, come by and check it out. I’ll treat you guys to a meal!”

Jiang Lingfeng listened, finding the whole story almost unbelievable.

He probed, “So… you’re like a rich heiress now?”

Ye Tianhui nodded. “Theoretically, you could say that. Anyway, they’ve acknowledged me and given me some assets. But being a rich heiress isn’t all fun and games. They gave me assets, some documents, shares, and a bunch of different cards I can swipe freely—but I’ve got a lot more to worry about now. The scheming and backstabbing in wealthy families… I have to get involved. I need to learn it all, or I’ll end up getting swallowed whole.”

Jiang Lingfeng: “Didn’t your dad treat you pretty well?”

Ye Tianhui: “Hard to say. From what I see, this dad of mine doesn’t really care about the family’s internal struggles. If I don’t look out for myself, I can’t rely on him.”

Jiang Lingfeng: “Then you’ll just have to hang in there. Anyway, with your new status, you’re eating well and living well—at the very least, it’s better than before.”

Ye Tianhui: “Mm, that’s all I can think right now.”

Still, she was definitely going to fight for more resources and more power within the Ye family.

No matter the time or place, one must always climb upward. Only by climbing upward can one gain more freedom—otherwise, you’re just a pawn to be moved around.

In her original era, princesses sent away for political marriages weren’t uncommon either.

Jiang Lingfeng: “So what’s this about a marriage alliance you mentioned earlier?” 

Ye Tianhui gave a rough explanation, and finally analyzed, “Of course I could never marry someone from the Gu family or whatever. If there’s going to be a marriage alliance, let Ye Wenyin do it. I absolutely won’t. I’m only in it for the money—there’s no way I’m going to sacrifice my marriage in their family.”

She thought of Grandpa Ye and sighed, “He never went through socialist reform, his mind’s still full of feudal ideas—arranged marriages, big clans. But look, how many of those grandsons and granddaughters of his actually listen to him? Aren’t they all out there keeping mistresses or cheating? When he kicks the bucket one day, who knows how much of a mess that family will be in!”

Jiang Lingfeng pressed his lips together, watching her silently for a moment before finally asking, “If that’s the case, do you really want to get involved with their family? Sounds like a huge headache.”

Ye Tianhui: “Of course. I’ll get involved for the money.”

Jiang Lingfeng: “How much money do you want?”

Ye Tianhui: “Don’t know. Probably the more the better.”

Jiang Lingfeng: “If you don’t even like them, then forget it. You can earn money on your own.”

But Ye Tianhui said, “No way—I want the money! That’s my biological grandpa and father, but they never raised me. Because of their neglect, I went hungry for so many years. If I had been born into a decent family, I wouldn’t have had to suffer like that.”

She let out a sigh. “Maybe it’s my own fault. I’ve always been bad at choosing where to be born—never had a peaceful life.”

Jiang Lingfeng: “…You make it sound like you’ve been reincarnated a bunch of times.”

Ye Tianhui fell silent, then smiled.

For someone like her, who had reincarnated twice, that was probably rare in this world.

After eating McDonald’s, Jiang Lingfeng took her to Victoria Harbour by bus. The economy of Hong Kong was booming now, and this area was also thriving and bustling. Along the coast, they could see busy ferries, cruise ships, and sightseeing boats, with some slightly dilapidated, older boats mixed in.

Jiang Lingfeng brought Ye Tianhui onto one of the ferries. It was actually a small boat that could hold about twenty people. A ticket only cost a few Hong Kong dollars. Jiang Lingfeng paid for two tickets and brought Ye Tianhui aboard.

Because it was cheap, everything was very basic. To get from the dock to the deck, they had only set up some water-soaked wooden planks, looking like they’d rot any second—completely unstable.

Jiang Lingfeng jumped over first, then held Ye Tianhui’s hand to help her across.

Inside the cabin were dark red wooden seats, and traditional Chinese character ads were pasted overhead. Though the cabin wasn’t very big, there weren’t many passengers at this time. Aside from the two of them, there was only a white couple and two or three young students, so it felt quite open and relaxed.

The two of them sat by the window, able to take in the view of the harbor. The sea breeze carried a damp, salty scent.

Ye Tianhui smiled as she looked into the distance. Far off, she could faintly see the buildings on the opposite shore, likely stilt houses, shrouded in a hazy mist.

She smiled and said, “Looking at it now, it’s actually not that far, but I swam for a long time.”

Jiang Lingfeng slightly turned his head, looking at Ye Tianhui.

The autumn sea breeze lifted the loose strands at her temples, and a few wisps gently brushed against her pale cheek, bringing a soft blush to her face.

She reminded him of the peaches he’d seen as a child.

He’d walked a long way, parched and hungry, and spotted a peach orchard by the road. The peaches were ripe, tinged with pink—just one bite and juice would’ve burst out.

But he couldn’t eat them.

He looked down at the mud between his toes and finally took a step away.

That peach had stayed in his dreams ever since, its fragrance lingering for many years.

He looked away and said, “Why did you come here? You’re on your own, but you probably could’ve survived no matter where you were.”

Ye Tianhui: “To get enough to eat.”

She chuckled lightly. “In my previous life, I went hungry for a long time before dying. I just wanted to eat well in this life. Who knew I’d mess up reincarnating and still end up starving from birth, never tasting anything decent. I don’t care about justice or right and wrong—I just want to make money, eat good food, drink good wine, and enjoy every bit of wealth and luxury this world has to offer!”

She was telling the truth, but Jiang Lingfeng clearly didn’t take her seriously and just thought she was joking.

He pressed his lips together, smiling faintly, and said softly, “Then your wish finally came true. You’ve entered the Ye family and become their daughter. You’ll never have to worry about riches again.”

Ye Tianhui looked at the seagulls flying over Victoria Harbour and smiled. “It looks like I don’t have to worry anymore, but I’m still not satisfied. Everything feels like a castle in the air. I don’t like living off of handouts. Like a pig in a pen, staring at the trough for its whole life, relying on the owner’s pity to survive. That still makes you anxious—what if they don’t feed you next time? Then you’ll have nothing.”

Jiang Lingfeng understood.

She’d entered the Ye family and become a wealthy heiress, but she wasn’t willing to be just another pawn of the rich, let alone be used by her elders as a marriage tool. She wanted to fight her way through the elite and seize her own power, control her own wealth.

Women like her were rare.

But thinking about it, it made sense. So many tough men had lost their lives in the stormy waters of this place—let alone a young woman.

She’d crossed the angry sea to reach Hong Kong, survived alone in the chaos of the refugee crowd, and even had enough strength to help her grandmother and sister along the way. A woman like that was never going to be ordinary.

He could still clearly remember that night. While everyone called out to one another, helping build temporary shelters, spreading bedding, and settling the old and young—

She had gotten up without a backward glance, clearly without hope or expectations, and simply turned and left.

Jiang Lingfeng had always thought himself aloof by nature, but she seemed even more solitary than he was.

There was a certain human warmth beneath the loneliness.

He remained silent for a long time before finally speaking in a low voice, “You can do it.”

……….

By the time Ye Tianhui bid farewell to Jiang Lingfeng, it was already late.

It was the peak rush hour when office workers were getting off work. The city lights were just coming on, and the bus stop was packed with people. Taxi horns flashed incessantly.

Ye Tianhui thought about returning to the Ye family and facing those people—an unavoidable unpleasantness.

Having fighting spirit was one thing, but once inside, everything turned into a mess of gossip and complicated relations. She didn’t enjoy it.

Compared to that, talking freely and openly with Jiang Lingfeng like this—she found herself reluctant to part. She even thought that if she hadn’t insisted on joining the Ye family, living on her own by betting on horse races to make ends meet might not have been such a bad choice.

While waiting with her for the bus, Jiang Lingfeng spoke softly, “I was born into poverty, and I don’t understand all those rich family affairs, but I’ve heard people talk. In those big households, though they live under the same roof, their hearts are not united. There’s scheming and backstabbing. You’ve just arrived—it can’t be easy.”

He paused slightly, looking at her. “If anything happens, just say the word. I don’t have any great skills, but I have strength. If it’s something I can do, I’ll definitely help you.”

Ye Tianhui listened and said, “Thank you.”

She reached out and gently held Jiang Lingfeng’s hand for a moment, looking at the bustling crowd. “You’re the first friend I made after coming to Hong Kong. If I run into trouble, I’ll definitely come to you.”

As they spoke, the bus Ye Tianhui was taking arrived. She let go of his hand. “I’m getting on. You should head home early too, or your grandmother will worry.”

Jiang Lingfeng nodded. “Alright.”

Though he said that, he didn’t move. He simply stood there in silence, watching her board the bus and watching it drive off into the distance.

Afterward, he raised his hand and looked down at the hand she had held.

He knew she was a straightforward woman and had a clear, honest heart—there wasn’t a trace of romantic feeling toward him.

Even so, the faint scent she left on his hand still lingered.

……….

When Gu Zhixin played tennis with the younger crowd, he kept losing points. He was distracted, thinking about where Ye Tianhui might have gone.

She had just become the eldest young lady of the Ye family. Didn’t she know she should act more proper and follow the rules? If her behavior displeased her grandfather, or annoyed her parents, how would she ever marry into the Gu family?

Gu Zhixin became deeply worried. He couldn’t help wanting to find Ye Tianhui right away and tell her exactly what she should be doing.

He thought she was hopeless—truly a girl from the countryside who didn’t understand the etiquette of a wealthy family.

But soon, he forgave her. It was normal that she didn’t know these things. She had grown up inland, and he heard she often went hungry. After enduring such hardship, how could she be expected to know any of this?

Thinking of this, Gu Zhixin’s heart filled with compassion for Ye Tianhui. He thought, if that’s the case, when she marries him in the future, he would definitely treat her well and never let her suffer again.

Then he thought of Ye Wenyin—Ye Wenyin in sportswear, poised and graceful, very attractive.

Ye Wenyin in this moment was indeed captivating, and he used to think she wasn’t bad either. But something always seemed to be missing—at least, she couldn’t compare with Ye Tianhui.

That moment when Ye Tianhui leapt so effortlessly—that graceful silhouette had already landed in his heart, impossible to forget.

Gu Zhixin spent the better part of the day in this distracted state. When it was almost time to leave, he followed his grandfather to say farewell to Old Master Ye. To his surprise, Old Master Ye looked at him with an appreciative gaze and said that Zhixin had achieved a lot for his age and would surely do great things in the future.

Hearing this, Gu Zhixin’s heart stirred. What did that mean?

Then he heard his own grandfather say that his temperament was still a bit impulsive and needed more experience. He casually added that since Ye Tianhui was going to learn to drive, Zhixin should help her—he was a good driver.

The two elders chatted and laughed as though everything had already been arranged. When they asked for his thoughts, of course he nodded in agreement.

Amid this casual back-and-forth, Gu Zhixin realized—they were trying to match him and Ye Tianhui.

His face felt hot, like it was being roasted, but inside his heart, bubbles of joy were bubbling up.

It seemed the two elders also thought he and Ye Tianhui were a good match!

As long as she didn’t resist too much, wouldn’t this all fall into place naturally?

So, lost in this floaty, euphoric mood, Gu Zhixin got into the car and left with the group.

……….

Just as the Gu family entourage was leaving, Ye Tianhui was in a taxi heading up the mountain. Naturally, she saw the motorcade going downhill and guessed it must be the Gu family.

Very good, perfectly missed.

Leaning comfortably against the seat, she planned out her next steps. The second inter-class race she had selected was about to begin that evening. Now that she had gathered enough information about the horse racing scene, she was confident.

If she won this one smoothly, her prestige within the Ye family would definitely rise.

Next, she would also need to win the final inter-class race.

Winning all three inter-class races would grant her partial control over the Ye family’s racehorses, thus beginning her path to an indispensable position within the Ye family.

As for that Ye Wenyin, she was no longer a match for her.

If she wanted to pursue a marriage alliance, then so be it. Anyway, judging from the current situation, neither Gu Zhixin nor Gu Jiayue seemed promising—it was uncertain whether the Gu family would be someone worth relying on in the future.

If she could secure some authority within the Ye family, then she would definitely stir things up and make waves. Even if she ultimately lost everything, she would still go down in history.

With her ideal plan set, Ye Tianhui felt pleased. For a moment, she even felt as if she had returned to the days when she strategized on the battlefield and charged through the frontlines.

Thinking this, she naturally thought of Gu Shizhang.

She felt that thinking of Gu Shizhang at a moment like this was absolutely not because of some silly budding feelings, but because he resembled a sage far too much.

Gu Shizhang could not be trusted.

Gu Shizhang was not someone she could open her heart to.

She repeated this to herself a hundred times.

In fact, compared to Gu Shizhang, she trusted Jiang Lingfeng more.

Because she knew Jiang Lingfeng was straightforward—just like in her previous life, those comrades who could fight alongside her through blades and bullets were brothers forged through blood and fire.

There was nothing they couldn’t talk about.

But Gu Shizhang was different. She felt there was a barrier between them. She held back around him, and she knew that Gu Shizhang also held back around her.

He might not be just an ordinary jockey. His insight and cultivation far surpassed that of a regular jockey.

But Ye Tianhui didn’t want to speculate. There were some people she was never meant to guess about in the first place.

So, forget about him. She would never think about him again!