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Chapter 17 – Soft Lips Pressed Down
Lin Keying’s soft, warm lips gently brushed the left side of the man’s cheek, leaving a faint trace like a mark of ownership. It was tender, like a feather’s caress, enough to make one’s entire body go numb, like being jolted with electricity.
The tingling sensation spread from his cheek down to his arms and waist, traveling further until it reached every nerve ending. It all converged at his slender fingers, which twitched slightly—wanting to grasp something, yet unable to hold onto anything.
And yet, the woman who had just given him a kiss took a smiling step back. Her red lips were now even more vibrant, and her fair face glowed with alluring charm. She lightly tugged at his sleeve and said sweetly, “Young Master, let’s eat~”
“Mm.” It took a moment for Cheng Wanting to find his voice again as he followed Lin Keying to sit down for the meal.
A-Mei and A-Xiang brought back the reheated dishes. Lin Keying was actually already full, but she naturally had to sit and eat again with her fiancé.
After all, he gave her a three-million-dollar villa—was it too much to have dinner with him?
Absolutely not!
Throughout the meal, Lin Keying only picked at a few bites. Cheng Wanting, on the other hand, didn’t have much of an appetite either. He ate slowly and elegantly, with little interest in food. The dishes were barely touched. Lin Keying tasted a few pieces of baked lobster meat before putting down her chopsticks.
Cheng Wanting noticed her movements and glanced over with a questioning look but said nothing.
“I just did my nails—it’s inconvenient to peel the lobster. I’ll pass on it,” she said casually. This baked lobster was a dish she had ordered last time. She could only eat a few bites since most of the meat was still stuck inside the hard shell, and she had no intention of doing it herself. She was hoping the man would help.
However, this proud young master didn’t seem to take the hint. With no sign of gentlemanly initiative, she had to retreat to advance.
“I’ll peel it for you next time—after I remove the nail polish.” She flashed her glistening nails at him. Her hands were fair and delicate, the fingertips shimmering with a soft purple star-patterned polish that made her hands look even prettier.
Cheng Wanting tugged at the corners of his lips, then rolled up his sleeves and began peeling the lobster for her.
When Madam Hua came in with the final dish—a silky tofu and egg soup—she happened to catch this scene. She quickly set down the pot and dashed out, whispering to Uncle Zhong in disbelief, “Young Master always hated shrimp and crab—says they’re too much trouble to eat. But he actually peeled lobster meat for Miss Lin just now!”
Uncle Zhong was equally shocked. “Miss Lin must be something special!”
To think she could get the Young Master to do that!
Without realizing it, Lin Keying had eaten the entire lobster that Cheng Wanting had peeled for her—completely unaware that he hadn’t had a single bite himself.
The top-tier ingredients and expert cooking made the lobster both tender and slightly sweet. The food in this villa was just absurdly good!
Every day Lin Keying enjoyed gourmet meals, but her only real headache was having to study every night, forced by the man who seemed more invested than she was.
Cheng Wanting had a powerful presence. When serious, he was impossible to resist, so Lin Keying could only obediently go along and study.
She could only sneak in a little leisure during the day—such as scouting for dessert shops.
The last location recommended by little Doctor Huo had a good spot, but the price was too high, and the shop owner seemed a little too shrewd. Lin Keying decided to keep looking for better options.
After exploring a few more areas and gathering intel from Tingting and A-Qiang after school each day, Lin Keying discovered an even better location in a commercial street district.
Near the central section of Queen’s Road in Central, there were two malls, three office buildings, plus a residential development that had opened last year and another launching this spring.
It was a prime mix of commercial, office, and residential zones—perfect target demographic, with solid spending power.
Shops in the area were generally between 400 and 500 square feet—spacious and about 100 square feet larger than the ones recommended before. The building structure was solid, the exterior newly renovated, and overall, very suitable.
Lin Keying arranged with Aunt He to check out a particular shop on Thursday afternoon. After lunch, she left the villa and took a taxi straight to Queen’s Road.
The summer heat was intense. She stopped by a nearby ice drink shop and bought two bottles of iced Vitasoy, took a few sips herself to cool down, and saved one for Aunt He, who would be meeting her shortly.
Standing at the shop’s entrance sipping her drink, she casually scanned the street, noting the summer rush for cold beverages.
—Bang!
A sudden thud of flesh hitting pavement broke her focus. Not far away, a few unruly-looking young men were kicking and beating an old man in tattered clothes, yelling at him.
“No money? Quit pretending!”
“I saw you take a big flatbread out of your pocket to buy curry fish balls—there were more in there too!”
From a distance, Lin Keying could hear the argument. The elderly man, wearing a torn white tank top and worn-out slippers, kept mumbling that he had no money. He hugged his head, not resisting, with a broken fishing rod beside him.
Most passersby were average citizens. At the sight of tattooed gangsters with dyed yellow or red hair, they quickly averted their gaze and avoided the scene.
Thinking fast, Lin Keying shouted loudly, “Officer! Officer! Someone just stole my money—please help me find them!”
Hearing that the police were nearby, the gangsters exchanged glances, quickly snatched the old man’s three five-dollar coins and half-eaten curry fish balls, and ran off.
“Grandpa, are you okay?” Lin Keying stepped forward to help the old man up.
“Keying, what happened?” Aunt He had just arrived nearby and saw her talking to an old man.
After hearing the story, Aunt He cursed under her breath, “Those thugs should rot!”
The ragged old man thanked Lin Keying and waved her off. “I’m fine, young lady. You’re very kind.”
Seeing he was slightly injured, Lin Keying offered to take him to the hospital, but he firmly refused.
“I’m not that fragile. You two seem to have urgent business?”
Aunt He nodded. “Yes, we’re going to look at a shop on Fuhua Street.”
The old man seemed in good spirits. “That’s a good spot. Go on then, and thank you again.”
Lin Keying bought him another curry fish ball and gave him the extra Vitasoy, then headed off. On the way past the ice shop, she bought a fresh bottle for Aunt He.
Because of the delay, the two women picked up their pace when they reached the target area and went straight to the leasing center to inquire about the 450-sq-ft shop.
It had previously sold snacks but was now available because the owner had moved to Kowloon.
“Sir, what’s the rent? How many months upfront? Is it ready for use?” Lin Keying pointed at the posted listing and asked the shop manager responsible for this area, known as Manager Wang.
“Rent is 2,300 a month, one-month deposit, six months in advance. Utilities not included,” said Manager Wang, dressed sharply in a suit and holding a briefcase. But after glancing at them, his tone turned impatient. “But… can you even afford it?”
Lin Keying looked youthful—like a college student—and Aunt He, being thrifty, was plainly dressed. With just one glance, the manager assumed the worst.
Aunt He frowned. She despised these snobbish “professionals.”
In Hong Kong, there were two types of shop leasing: direct by the landlord, or managed by intermediaries like Manager Wang, who often oversaw entire streets or buildings and acted as gatekeepers. Their high salaries and influence often bred arrogance and corruption—expecting bribes for prime locations.
This shop was the second type, under Manager Wang’s control. No wonder he was so condescending—like he owned the place.
“We wouldn’t be asking if we couldn’t afford it,” Lin Keying replied calmly, strolling inside to inspect the shop herself. “If we don’t rent it, it’s because it doesn’t meet our standards.”
After checking the layout and details, Lin Keying negotiated the rent down to 2,100 a month.
Given the size and location, the shop wouldn’t even be on the market if it hadn’t been suddenly vacated.
“2,100 it is. Draft the contract, and we’ll sign.”
Manager Wang was surprised they were so decisive and promptly went to prepare the contract.
Just then, a chubby middle-aged man arrived with a bulging belly and a pack of cigarettes.
“Manager Wang, here, have a smoke. Just bought them—top brand.” He handed him one and slipped the rest of the pack into Wang’s pocket, then they headed into the back room, whispering.
Lin Keying and Aunt He waited quietly.
But minutes later, Manager Wang returned empty-handed. “The shop’s no longer available. You can go now.”
“What do you mean?” Aunt He protested. “We agreed on the terms and were ready to sign!”
“No contract’s been signed yet. The landlord changed their mind,” Wang said arrogantly. “What, you think you can force it?”
The fat man behind him sneered, “You two women should go home and wash dishes. Leave the business world to the men.”
Lin Keying looked them over and said coolly, “Sounds more like this gentleman pulled strings to cut the line.”
“You talking nonsense!” the fat man growled, pointing and glaring at her.
Lin Keying was more furious than anything—not just for losing a good shop after all the work, but because of how they were being played.
“Fine then. Let’s call the landlord to confirm. I’ll pay the phone bill.”
Wang sneered. “You think anyone can just call Mr. Kwok? He’s got properties all over. People like you couldn’t even get his number.”
In truth, Wang had agreed to cancel the verbal deal for an extra 500-dollar bribe from the fat man.
Without hesitation, he scrapped the agreement.
At first, he was still willing to pretend, but now, he couldn’t even be bothered. He directly said to the middle-aged man, “Mr. Liu, I’ll rent the shop to you. Come, let’s sign the contract.”
Perhaps seeing the anger on the two women’s faces, Butler Wang smugly said, “So what if I changed my mind? Go to the police station, go to court, go tell Mr. Guo on me.”
Butler Wang entered the house with Mr. Liu, ready to discuss the lease. Just as he was basking in his triumph, a crisp voice sounded from behind.
“Mr. Guo Changda, age sixty-one, lives in the Deep Water Bay Villas, usually seen in Causeway Bay, Wan Chai, Kowloon, and Central… His biggest hobbies are fishing and scavenging, as he made his fortune early on by collecting scraps…” When Butler Wang turned around with a surprised expression, Lin Keying smiled and added, “Perfect, then I’ll go have a word with Mr. Guo.”
Lin Keying, calm and composed, left with Sister He. After walking a few steps, she turned around, her seaweed-like curls swirling in the air: “Oh right, we’re not renting this shop anymore. But it’s not because of the shop itself. It’s just that we find it difficult to work with a dishonest, greedy steward like you. I’m afraid even the feng shui here would be tainted by your energy. Business wouldn’t flourish.”
“You—!” Butler Wang frowned deeply as he watched the two leave. A hint of worry crept in. “Could that woman really know Mr. Guo…”
Mr. Liu tried to reassure him. “Butler Wang, what are you so afraid of? How could they possibly know Mr. Guo! Come, let’s discuss. Worst case, I’ll give you a big red envelope.”
Butler Wang’s face grew increasingly ugly. Suddenly, he realized that the young woman’s dress looked quite expensive—right, it was the latest and most expensive design in the mall! His wife wanted one, but the price made him wince. He couldn’t bear to spend that much!
…
“So many of these butlers are just arrogant snobs…”
“There’s been a lot of gang fights lately too. The police really should crack down more…”
After leaving the neighborhood, Sister He sighed and encouraged Lin Keying, “Keying, I heard from some neighbors that there’s another street with shops for rent. Let’s keep looking.”
“Sure.” Lin Keying didn’t feel disheartened—she treated it like a sightseeing tour in Hong Kong. And she even got to practice Cantonese along the way, so why not?
It’s often said that the fastest way to learn a new language is by cursing. Lin Keying had just scolded someone in Cantonese for the first time.
So satisfying!
Sister He chuckled at her attitude and asked about the “Mr. Guo” she mentioned so confidently earlier. “Keying, do you really know this Mr. Guo?”
“Of course not,” Lin Keying replied with a sly smile. Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “I made it up.”
When inspecting the shops on Fuhua Street earlier, she had asked Secretary Yang about the area. He mentioned that all the shops on the street were owned by a rich man named Guo.
This Mr. Guo was eccentric, disliked mingling with other Hong Kong tycoons, and rarely socialized. But he was clearly capable and shrewd, having risen from poverty by scavenging.
“I was just trying to scare him.” Lin Keying felt quite pleased. “That kind of person would be terrible as a steward for our shop anyway.”
——
After a long day, Lin Keying treated herself to a chilled mung bean soup. The refreshing dessert banished the summer heat as the greenery of the mountain roads whirled past.
That evening, Cheng Wanting didn’t come home for dinner. Around dusk, Aunt Hua informed her, “Miss Lin, Minghui called this afternoon. The young master said you don’t need to wait for him for dinner.”
Lin Keying didn’t mind. “Alright, got it, Aunt Hua.”
After serving the food, Aunt Hua went outside to gossip with Uncle Zhong. “The young master even remembered to let her know he won’t be back for dinner. That’s something.”
Uncle Zhong looked pleased.
Even dining alone, Lin Keying ate happily. By 8 or 9 p.m., her fiancé still hadn’t returned. She figured tonight’s study session was off and got ready for bed, curling up with a gossip magazine.
Just as she got absorbed in the latest scoop, the driveway lights at Villa No. 5 lit up. Secretary Yang Minghui confirmed the next day’s schedule with Cheng Wanting, then added, “Young master, this afternoon Miss Lin came across some gangsters beating someone…”
“Is she alright?” Cheng Wanting stepped out of the car, his tall figure stretching under the moonlight. “Send those thugs to the police.”
“She’s fine. Miss Lin was quick-witted—scared them off by yelling that police were nearby and even saved an elderly man.” Secretary Yang continued, “But later she had trouble with a shop steward who backed out of a lease deal.”
“Which street’s steward?” Cheng Wanting asked coldly as he walked into the villa.
“Miss Lin bluffed, saying she knew the landlord, and the steward got scared. She then turned down the lease herself. She didn’t seem too upset.” Secretary Yang didn’t expect Miss Lin, who looked so delicate, to be so fierce.
Cheng Wanting’s lips curved slightly. “She only dares to show her claws outside.”
Around him, she acted like a lazy, gentle cat.
Knowing how much Miss Lin meant to the young master, Secretary Yang boldly joked, “I bet she’ll come home and pour out all her grievances to you. My wife does the same—she always vents to the man she trusts the most.”
Cheng Wanting replied nonchalantly, “You’re thinking too far ahead.”
Secretary Yang added, “…Also, Master Songxian called from Africa. He says life’s too hard there and wants to return to Hong Kong.”
At the mention of Songxian, a sharp pain rose in Cheng Wanting’s chest, and a tender voice seemed to echo in his ears—“Brother Songxian…”
Cheng Wanting’s expression turned grim. “He’s complaining already? Tell him to stay put. If he returns without permission, I’ll punish him on behalf of his father.”
Seeing the chilling aura around him, Secretary Yang straightened. “Yes, I’ll inform Master Songxian.”
Back in the villa, Cheng Wanting dismissed the servants and freshened up before knocking on the guest room door.
Lin Keying, deep in her gossip reading, quickly hid the magazine.
“You’re home, young master? Tough day at work? Go rest!”
Cheng Wanting didn’t glance into her room. His gaze rested on the woman before him, draped in a silver silk nightgown as sleek as her flowing hair.
“Don’t you have something to tell me?”
Lin Keying blinked, trying to recall what she might have done wrong—nothing came to mind.
She shook her head. “Nope, nothing at all.”
Cheng Wanting studied her for a long moment, then turned and left.
She didn’t dwell on his weirdness. After two days, she received surprising good news.
While shop-hunting with Sister He, a sharply dressed man stopped them. He introduced himself as the new manager of Fuhua Street and asked if she still wanted to rent a shop.
A pleasant surprise—and Fuhua Street had a new steward?
The new manager, Mr. Leung, treated them with courtesy, a far cry from the arrogant Butler Wang.
“Mr. Leung, the previous manager was Wang, and he was here just two days ago. What happened?”
“Miss Lin, Wang Qingxiang was dismissed due to numerous misconducts—taking bribes, extorting tenants, falsifying records.”
Lin Keying and Sister He exchanged a glance. Justice was served so quickly?
The other shop owners cheered at the news—finally rid of a pest!
Lin Keying secured the lease. Mr. Leung even offered a discount to make up for the previous inconvenience—only 1,500 per month.
After signing, Sister He was still in disbelief. “Can this really be happening? He’s gone, and we’re getting a discount too?”
“It’s amazing,” Lin Keying said, placing the contract in her bag. They then planned the next steps: she’d oversee renovations, and Sister He would handle sourcing and dessert-making.
As they went their separate ways, they ran into the elderly man she had saved earlier. He was still dressed plainly, eating curry fishballs before heading to fish.
“Did you get the shop, young lady?”
Lin Keying smiled. “Yes, at No. 68 Fuhua Street. When the dessert shop opens, I’ll treat you.”
The old man lit up. “I’ll definitely come! I’ve got money—I won’t freeload.”
——
With the lease secured, only simple renovations and equipment setup remained.
Humming “Under the Lion Rock,” Lin Keying returned to the villa, cheerful during her evening study session—so much so that Cheng Wanting glanced at her several times.
“You still don’t have anything to say to me?”
Lin Keying’s language skills had improved significantly. She looked at her “teacher” and fiancé and shook her head. “Nope.”
Cheng Wanting stiffened slightly as he turned a page. “You weren’t upset when that steward spoke rudely and broke the contract?”
“How do you know about that?” she asked, assuming it came from Aunt Hua or Amei.
“I already threw some barbs at him. Didn’t feel too wronged. Besides…”
She smiled brightly, her eyes gleaming like polished glass. “That guy got arrested! Turns out he was corrupt for years. Lost his job and got hauled to the station.”
Cheng Wanting didn’t seem surprised. He idly turned a page. “Next time something happens, tell me.”
“Okay~” she agreed without thinking much.
“And the shop renovation—you weren’t going to tell me?”
“You want to help?” Lin Keying immediately took advantage. “You’re the best!”
“Minghui will handle it for you. Don’t worry about it.”
“You’re amazing!” she gushed. Aside from being icy most of the time, her fiancé was pretty flawless.
Well—except maybe for his… male health issues. But that wasn’t her problem.
Cheng Wanting put down his book and looked at her. Her radiant smile spread to him.
With a rare teasing tone, he asked, “How are you going to thank me?”
From childhood, Cheng Wanting had been groomed to be the heir, leading a joyless life. But now, this woman had stirred something playful in him.
Lin Keying instantly understood. Here we go again—just say you want a kiss!
Finding him more handsome than ever, she leaned over and kissed his cheek.
But this time, as she moved in, he tilted slightly—and she accidentally kissed his lips.
Startled, she tried to pull away, but his hand wrapped around her waist and the other pressed gently at her nape—deepening the kiss…
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