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Chapter 27: Jealous of Everyone Equally

At Villa No. 5 on the Mid-Levels, the house staff were busy preparing dinner.

Amei had just finished cleaning the living room and stepped outside when she saw the young master and Miss Lin returning.

But… something about Miss Lin seemed different from how she looked at noon.

She looked left and right—and finally spotted it!

The pale yellow silk scarf Miss Lin had been wearing was gone. In its place, the collar of her light brown trench coat was turned up high, covering her neck completely.

It was only just early autumn. Amei looked up at the still-pleasant weather. Was it really that cold for her?

The next day, Amei saw Miss Lin once again wearing a scarf around her neck—but it wasn’t the yellow one. This time, it was a pale green scarf, and it still looked beautiful on her.

Rumor had it… this scarf was personally picked out by the young master.

In fact, that very morning, the young master had tied it around Miss Lin’s neck himself.

Yet Miss Lin didn’t seem very happy. She kept softly complaining to the young master. Amei, who was polishing the furniture nearby, was so nervous she didn’t even dare breathe too loudly.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve to buy me another scarf… this is all your fault…”

“The way you tied it looks bad. I’ll do it myself…”

Who dares complain about the young master like that? Amei lowered her head so far she was practically bowing to the floor.

And yet, in her peripheral vision, she saw the young master curl his lips into a faint smile as he gently coaxed her: “I’ll learn how to tie it better.”

Amei: (⊙o⊙)

—

Lin Keying wore that scarf for an entire week before taking it off.

That week ended with Hongsheng Entertainment’s star scout, Tang Qiankun, properly showing up at her door to submit his “homework.”

“Miss Lin, thank you for helping me that day,” Tang Qiankun said, presenting his handwritten lyrics—he had copied the song Below the Lion Rock a thousand times. “I nearly broke my wrist writing this… but hey, better a sore wrist than a broken arm. I really was scum for pointing a gun at you that day.”

As he spoke—smack!—he gave himself a loud slap across the face.

Lin Keying quickly glanced at the thick stack of lyrics pages, then at the bright red handprint on his face…

“Mr. Tang, pointing a gun at someone is indeed extremely inappropriate. I hope you’ve learned your lesson.”

She gave him a slight smile, as beautiful as a jade sculpture. Tang Qiankun, ever the talent scout, was momentarily dazzled by her beauty and still wouldn’t give up: “Miss Lin, are you sure you don’t want to enter the entertainment industry? With your looks, you’d definitely be a star!”

It was second nature for him—he couldn’t walk past a good-looking person without fantasizing about making them famous.

“Mr. Tang, I have no interest in showbiz or acting.” Lin Keying dropped her usual friendly demeanor and suddenly looked quite guarded. “Does your company often force stars to take on roles they don’t want?”

“Of course not!” Tang Qiankun replied confidently. “All our signed actors want fame and fortune. Why would we need to force anyone? Please don’t misunderstand. I only pushed for you two to sign that day because I saw great potential in both of you. The stars I currently manage haven’t made it yet—I got anxious.”

Lin Keying didn’t know the exact plotlines involving Tingting in the original novel, nor whether Hongsheng was really forcing their stars into roles using its underworld ties.

“I hope that’s true.” Lin Keying gave him a sideways glance. “Remember, you owe me an arm. If I ever hear about something like that happening again, I’ll come collect.”

It was her first time issuing a threat—about violence, no less—but she pulled it off well. After all, with a fiancé as aggressively powerful as hers, she had every reason to sound confident.

Tang Qiankun immediately waved his hands. “Don’t worry, Miss Lin. I’ll protect this arm of mine like my life depends on it!”

—

After disciplining the star scout, Lin Keying took a walk down Fuhua Street to check on her five commercial properties.

This entire street belonged to her godfather’s estate—worth billions.

Her godfather and godmother had been extremely generous. As a gift for officially becoming their goddaughter, they gave her five shops outright. Now she didn’t even have to pay rent for the dessert shop, and she earned an additional 10,000 dollars a month in rent.

Adding the income from two 500-square-foot apartments she rented out and the dessert shop’s revenue, Lin Keying now earned 25,000 dollars a month doing nothing.

Her wealth kept growing, and her assets increased month by month. Even as a “couch potato,” she was making money. She never imagined that her dream of financial freedom would come true after time-traveling.

Since officially becoming a goddaughter, Lin Keying visited the Guo household much more often. That was when she learned that her godparents owned multiple properties and often rotated between them at random. Recently, they’d moved to a quiet villa in Deep Water Bay—not even registered under their name—to enjoy some peace.

The Deep Water Bay villas were the most serene in all of Hong Kong. Surrounded by mountains and facing the sea, they offered breathtaking views.

Having accepted five commercial shops from her godparents, Lin Keying naturally had to reciprocate and show her filial piety.

She spent the whole afternoon in the Mid-Levels villa kitchen making chestnut cake and crab roe soup dumplings for the elderly couple, who had poor appetites due to age.

After freezing the chestnut cake, she cut it into small squares. Once chilled, the translucent blocks shimmered with embedded raisins and rose petals.

The crab roe dumplings were plump and smooth. The thin, elastic dough revealed the vibrant colors of pork and golden crab roe inside. The dumpling pleats resembled delicate flower petals, with a small opening at the top, showing off the brilliant filling.

Housekeeper Sister Hua was amazed at Lin Keying’s skill, especially since the dishes felt so familiar: “I remember the madam used to make these too. I learned a few tricks from her back then, but I’m not from the mainland, so I never got the flavor quite right.”

Lin Keying was curious. “You mean the young master’s mother?”

“That’s right.” Sister Hua’s expression turned melancholic. “The young master’s favorite was her crab roe dumplings. But after she passed, he never ate them again. Miss Lin, you’re so thoughtful to still be thinking about him.”

Just as Lin Keying was about to explain it was just a coincidence, Sister Hua, looking moved, stopped Uncle Zhong as he passed the kitchen: “Uncle Zhong, Miss Lin made crab dumplings and chestnut cake for the young master—his favorite dishes! She’s really thoughtful.”

Uncle Zhong was also touched: “Miss Lin is truly devoted to the young master. So considerate.”

Lin Keying: “…”

You guys are speedrunning your own romance storylines, huh?

She honestly hadn’t known that the young master liked these hometown snacks. He never talked about his family, and he never seemed like someone who cared about food.

In the end, unable to bring herself to ruin this touching moment, Lin Keying took a third of each dish from the boxes she’d prepared for her godparents and left it behind for the young master.

—

Her first trip to Deep Water Bay left Lin Keying awestruck by the scenery. No choice—I’ll compete with you rich folks!

Amid lush green mountains stood scattered European-style villas, each set far apart from the others. Backed by forest and facing the sea, they offered maximum privacy.

“Godfather, Godmother, I brought you some food—it’s a specialty from my hometown. Please have a taste,” said Lin Keying.

When she first graduated from college, Lin Keying’s salary was low. To save money, she cooked all her own meals, and over time she developed impressive culinary skills.

Zhao Fengzhen had eaten mainland Chinese food at restaurants before, but none as authentic as Lin Keying’s.

The chestnut cakes were crystal-clear with a perfect shape. They were cool and smooth on the tongue, refreshing in texture, soft and delicately sweet—truly an appetite booster.

Zhao Fengzhen ate several pieces in a row, prompting Guo Changda to smile broadly. “Keying is quite the cook—she’s got your godmother eating more than usual!”

Guo Changda always worried about his wife’s poor appetite and the toll it might take on her health. His daily hobby was finding delicacies to tempt her, but rarely with this much success.

With the chestnut cakes whetting her appetite, Zhao Fengzhen eagerly bit into a dainty crab roe soup dumpling. Rich broth burst in her mouth, carrying the fragrance of crab roe and pork—flavorful but not greasy, satisfying but not heavy.

The couple had no children and had long lived alone. But ever since accepting a goddaughter, they had begun to enjoy a touch of family bliss.

Standing on the second-floor balcony of the Deep Water Bay villa, gazing at the calm sea, Lin Keying looked around curiously—until her godmother brought up her love life.

“Keying, are you and the young master of the Cheng family secretly dating now? Has he made no move to introduce you to his family?” Zhao Fengzhen asked with concern. She had recently discovered that almost no one knew about Cheng Wanting’s fiancée. “Could it be that he’s just toying with your feelings?”

Lin Keying had already suspected as much. Her fiancé never mentioned his family and had never suggested taking her to visit his family home. Clearly, the Cheng family still disapproved of her, the girl they adopted more than a decade ago.

She understood it clearly, but didn’t dwell on it. Deep down, she knew she and Cheng Wanting likely wouldn’t end up together. For now, she just saw it as a romantic relationship to enjoy while it lasted.

At least he was handsome, wealthy, and had a great body. Not a bad deal!

Besides, if we’re being honest—it wasn’t Cheng Wanting who was playing with feelings. It was her—the fake “child bride” who’d fooled him! She was the one leading him on!

Shameful, really~

“Godmother, Wanting-ge isn’t playing with my feelings. We’re just dating freely—no one rushes into marriage so young these days,” Lin Keying said cheerfully. “If he did want to bring me home to meet his family, I’d be the one unwilling!”

Zhao Fengzhen hadn’t expected this attitude from her goddaughter and was simply worried she might get hurt.

Lin Keying reassured her: “Wanting-ge is handsome, capable, generous, and treats me well. There’s no way I’m getting the short end of the stick.”

“You’re pretty easygoing,” Zhao Fengzhen laughed heartily. “Well, since that’s how you feel, I won’t interfere. But if he ever bullies you, your godfather and I will stand up for you! And if you get tired of him someday and want to dump him, I’ll help you find another outstanding young bachelor in Hong Kong. You deserve to date around—it’d be their honor.”

Lin Keying had a great time chatting with the older couple. With a casual wave of their hand, they introduced her to many families of Hong Kong’s wealthy elite.

Guo Changda pointed to a villa to the left of theirs. “That’s the Cheng family’s residence—Cheng Wanting’s home.”

Then to another villa on the right: “That belongs to the Chen family. Chen Guosheng is one of Hong Kong’s top fashion moguls.”

Zhao Fengzhen added, “Cheng Wanting’s mother’s younger sister married the Chen family’s second son. So by family ties, the eldest grandson of the Chen family has to call Cheng Wanting cousin.”

Lin Keying hadn’t known any of this. She was surprised by how interconnected the families of Hong Kong’s elite were.

Guo Changda let out a chuckle. “That Chen boy is a playboy—always partying. He’s nothing compared to his cousin. What was his name again?”

Zhao Fengzhen furrowed her brow, trying to recall. She’d rarely interacted with the Chen family, so her memory was fuzzy. “Chen… Song… or maybe Chen… Song-something…”

After a moment’s pause, she gave up. “Forget it—I can’t remember.”

Lin Keying didn’t leave until after dinner at Deep Water Bay. As she was heading out, her godfather reminded her, “Keep your schedule open for next Wednesday. We’re going somewhere together.”

She agreed readily.

After arranging for a car to take her home, the couple ran into the eldest son of the Chen family, Chen Huagao.

Chen Huagao greeted them politely. Then, thinking of the upcoming big event in Hong Kong, he asked curiously, “Uncle Guo, I heard you declined the invitation to next Wednesday’s land auction?”

Guo Changda had originally declined—but now that he had a goddaughter, his plans had changed. “This old man might show up after all. What about your family—interested?”

This was Hong Kong’s largest land auction of the year. With so much undeveloped land up for grabs, the total value exceeded tens of billions. All the major tycoons would be there.

“We’re just going for the experience,” Chen Huagao said modestly. The Chen family wasn’t at the top of the rich list, and actually bidding would be a stretch.

“Will you be attending yourself, or is your father going?”

“My father’s not well—he’s resting at home. I’ll be going with Songxian. It’ll be a good learning opportunity for him.”

“Young people need that kind of experience,” Guo Changda agreed with a nod.

—

When Lin Keying returned from Deep Water Bay to the Mid-Levels villa, a Bentley happened to pull in. Cheng Wanting stepped out, his eyes landing gently on her face. “Went to Mr. Guo’s place and stayed this long?”

She walked over to him and matched his stride. “Godfather and Godmother insisted I stay for dinner. Nothing I could do~ Young Master, have you eaten yet?”

“A little,” Cheng Wanting replied. He was never that interested in food anyway.

At 8 p.m., Cheng Wanting tested Lin Keying’s Cantonese progress. She’d improved a lot since first arriving in Hong Kong.

Once the lesson ended, he seemed to remember her love of houses and casually brought up, “There’s an auction next Wednesday. Come with me.”

Next Wednesday?

Lin Keying quickly shook her head. “Can’t. I’ve already made plans with Godfather and Godmother—they mentioned it this afternoon. I won’t be free to go with you.”

Cheng Wanting knew Guo Changda had declined the auction previously, so he guessed they just wanted to take her out for fun. While relieved, he was also a little sour.

He said blandly, “Now that you have a godfather and godmother, your fiancé no longer matters.”

Standing before her 6’2″ fiancé, Lin Keying couldn’t help but internally mutter, Isn’t he a bit… petty?

Still, her mouth was sugar-sweet. Her almond-shaped eyes curved into little moons as she cooed, “How could that be! You were the first person I met when I came to Hong Kong. Of course you’re the most important—no one compares~”

As she comforted her pouty fiancé, Housekeeper Hua arrived with food, still visibly moved. “Young Master, Miss Lin spent the whole afternoon making these just for you—all your favorites. She’s so thoughtful.”

On two delicate blue-and-white porcelain plates sat three pieces of chestnut cake and crab roe dumplings—exactly how he remembered them from childhood.

He took a bite. Flavor exploded in his mouth, and he gradually tasted the true authenticity of mainland cuisine.

Just as he was about to eat a second piece, he paused, chopsticks in mid-air, and asked, “Was this just for me, or did your godparents get some too?”

The question stunned Lin Keying. After a moment, she averted her eyes, trying to act casual while tugging unnecessarily at her perfectly neat hair. “Of course it’s just for you…”

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