National Tide 1980.

"Sister Xia, how are things? Are you here to see Brother Teddy?"

"Sister Xia, what brings you here today?"

As soon as Ah Xia's black Porsche sports car drove up from the street corner, it was spotted by two blond-haired thugs from the 14K.

This is To Kwa Wan, the place where she and Hung Hon-yee were born and raised.

Her license plate was naturally common knowledge among Hung Hon-yee's brothers.

So as soon as she parked the car, two henchmen rushed over to open the door for her, greeting her solicitously.

"Is Teddy here?" Xia asked.

"Yes, it's in the company on the second floor."

"Okay, park the car properly and don't scratch it."

Having made a fortune in Japan with Ning Weimin, A-Xia later returned to the port city with ample funds to repeat the same trick.

Not only did he establish a parking lot company in Gangcheng to continue acquiring parking spaces in Gangcheng for rent on his and Ning Weimin's behalf, but he also acted as an agent for Ning Weimin's imported wine business from LVMH.

Therefore, she already possesses considerable financial strength.

Although she didn't reap as much as Ning Weimin, after clearing out all the parking lots owned by the Japanese company, A-Xia still had nearly 200 billion yen in profits under her name with a 40% shareholding.

That's a huge fortune of about eight or nine hundred million US dollars.

Compared to before, this not only increased her personal assets by nearly a hundred times, but also made her able to stand on equal footing with the real Hong Kong tycoons.

After all, Li Ka-shing, the richest man in Hong Kong at that time, had a fortune of only HK$10 billion.

Ah Xia's current wealth is actually comparable to that of the Xu Shixun family, which ranks ninth on the Hong Kong Rich List.

Even the real estate prodigy Lo Siu-fai, who rose to fame in Hong Kong, is nothing compared to her.

So, given the joyous occasion, she was in an exceptionally good mood and was quite generous with her tips.

As soon as he got off the car, he pulled out two large "Golden Bull" bills from his purse, and handed one to one of his underlings. He was even more extravagant than those wealthy socialites.

Generally speaking, the normal fee for valet parking in Hong Kong is four times the normal parking fee, which is about HK$20 per hour.

The meter usually starts at two hours per vehicle, and even if it's less than two hours, you'll still be charged 40. Tips and gratuities are charged separately.

Therefore, it is most common for customers to give HK$50 or HK$100, while customers who give more than HK$200 are considered very generous.

For these underlings, receiving 500 Hong Kong dollars at once is already a rare stroke of luck.

What would be the effect if Ah Xia gave each of them a thousand Hong Kong dollars?
That could practically knock those two underlings unconscious, wouldn't it?

In particular, Ah Xia was once a member of 14K, so she was the big sister to the two underlings and didn't have to pay them.

So the two underlings were overjoyed, but also flustered and nervous, too afraid to accept the offer.

"Sister Xia, this isn't right, it's too much..."

"Yes, Sister Xia, Big Brother knows we'll get scolded..."

"How could such a thing happen? Don't you guys need to eat? If someone insulted you, let them tell me. It's too much trouble."

The two underlings were relieved, and then, full of joy, they babbled incoherently and thanked them repeatedly.

"Thank you, Sister Xia. Sister Xia is awesome!"

"Thank you for the tip, Sister Xia. I wish you great fortune..."

Even after Ah Xia walked past the noisy mahjong parlor downstairs, entered the staircase, and headed up to Xinghong Co., Ltd., those two guys were still shouting auspicious words downstairs.

In Hong Kong, the legitimate means of making a living for shady gangs are actually limited to a few methods; they don't have many options.

It's nothing more than massage parlors, dance halls, bars, arcades, mahjong parlors, finance companies, and valet parking.

These businesses require relatively little capital, generate quick profits, and are tacitly approved by the government, so almost every community organization is involved in them.

After being released from prison, Hung Hon-yee was unwilling to sit back and enjoy the fruits of Ah-ha's labor, nor did he want to engage in the criminal activities that the Hong Kong government and police were cracking down on. In order to support himself and his underlings, he naturally picked up his old ways again.

The mahjong parlor downstairs and the finance company upstairs are both businesses he now personally manages.

In addition, he also owns several entertainment venues in the Yau Tsim Mong area, as well as valet parking services in some neighborhoods.

This is the most "pure" way of life for a gang leader in a port city.

When Xia walked into the door of Xinghong Co., Ltd. on the second floor, her first feeling was that the place was much quieter, as if she had entered another world.

Unlike the perpetually noisy mahjong parlor downstairs, the environment here is actually quite peaceful.

Whether it's visiting clients or employees working here, their behavior is no different from that of ordinary trading companies.

Unless you uncover the company's history of usury and money laundering, no one can definitively say what connection it has with the phrase "walking on the edge of the law."

Hong Hanyi even had a personal secretary guarding the door to his office, behaving like a typical company boss.

After Ah-Xia asked the secretary and learned that Hong Han-Yi was handling official business alone in his office, she simply knocked on the office ID door and pushed it open without waiting for an invitation.

This was a privilege she had always enjoyed alone.

As expected, although Hung Han-yi, who was working at his desk, was somewhat surprised by her sudden visit, he was not angry at all, just like every time, and greeted her with a smile.

He told his secretary outside to bring Ah Xia coffee while he made a joke.

"Boss, how's it going? Our 'Parking Lot Queen' has suddenly graced us with her presence. Is she here to withdraw her investment? Or is she going to audit my accounts? Please help me, this is putting me in a very difficult position. Could you give me a few more days? I'll personally deliver the dividends to your door, is that alright?"

Xia didn't know whether to be angry or laugh.

"Teddy, come on, what's going on? You're the big brother, you should act like one. What will people think if they hear you making jokes like this? Where's your authority then..."

"What's wrong with that? Do you think I can just owe money and not pay it back? Besides, I want to clean up my act and get out of trouble. To do honest work, you have to learn to humble yourself first. Isn't that how it is? You're my creditor and my big client, so I have to respect you and flatter you to keep my job. Am I wrong?"

"Come on, I'm really impressed. Oh, by the way, I actually have something important to discuss with you today. Since we're talking about laundering, how much money do you have on hand lately? Do you have twenty million Hong Kong dollars? Give me a heads-up. There's a good opportunity that might make you a true member of high society..."

"Huh? What high society? You're talking nonsense. Don't scare me. My little company is just starting to get going, and you're asking for twenty million right off the bat. You'd better spare me. I can just give you an extra two percent interest..."

"You don't believe me? This is truly an incredible opportunity, something you can't even imagine. Let me tell you all about it..."

To an outsider, their conversation at this moment might seem illogical, suggesting a discrepancy between their seemingly superior and inferior status. But that is the truth.

It's important to know that after his release from prison, Hung Hon-yee was able to regain his status in the underworld and start his career anew largely thanks to Ah-ha's help.

He not only received a grant of 200 million yen from Aya, but more importantly, Aya also provided him with tremendous support in his business.

Whether it's Ah Xia's investment in purchasing thousands of parking spaces in prime locations in Hong Kong, or her role as an agent for LVMH's beverages, Hung Hon-yee's valet parking business and entertainment complex operations are all profitable.

Those parking spaces were not only helping him support his underlings, but also helping him expand his territory and increase his influence in the Yau Tsim Mong area.

As for the sale of imported liquor, because of his high status and influence in the underworld, many entertainment venues under various gangs in Hong Kong would purchase their liquor from him, giving him a unique source of wealth that would make others drool.

So now Ah Xia is not only Hong Hanyi's creditor, but also his most important partner and the client who assigns him work.

From this perspective, it doesn't seem wrong for Hong Hanyi to call Ah Xia "boss".

Of course, most men would probably feel ashamed because of this.

Many people would probably think that a leader cannot be surpassed by his subordinates, especially by a woman.

But Hung Hon-yee was not so narrow-minded.

He truly regarded Xia as his own sister, and he vividly remembered everything Xia had done for him when he was imprisoned.

Conversely, he was not envious of Xia's career prospects at all; in fact, he was pleased to see them succeed and quite gratified.

The friendship and trust between the two of them were unbreakable, which was a miracle in the world of martial arts.

Therefore, when Ah Xia excitedly and impatiently told Hong Hanyi the good news that Ning Weimin had just passed on, he showed an unusual calmness and composure.

Instead of being overjoyed as Ah Xia had expected, he fell into an incomprehensible silence.

Xia was getting impatient and couldn't help but urge him repeatedly.

"What? Teddy, aren't you interested? That's the Regent Hotel, on par with the Peninsula Hotel. You can buy a shareholder for 20 million, what a bargain!"

After a long while, Hong Hanyi finally spoke, but with a furrowed brow, he asked a question unrelated to money.

"Xia, tell me, did Mr. Ning ask you about this, or did you bring it up yourself?"

"Is that even a question? Of course, Mr. Ning told me on his own initiative. Otherwise, how would I know that he bought Regent from the Japanese?"

“That’s not what I meant. I meant, did Mr. Ning take the initiative to tell you that he wanted to take care of me and have me invest in and help him manage the hotel? Or is it that he only values ​​you and wants you to manage the hotel for him, but you’re just wishfully wanting me to join him?”

"What's the difference? Mr. Ning should know that we are originally one family..."

"No, absolutely not. Now you are you, and I am me. You've already cleaned up your act, but I haven't. I'm still in the triad, and I have a criminal record. If I join, it will definitely affect the hotel's reputation and its performance. I don't think any high-end hotel would want someone like me as a shareholder. If I join, it would be like cheating them, wouldn't that be repaying kindness with enmity?"

"No, don't worry. Mr. Ning also owns a travel agency in Japan, and he himself said that all future tour groups to Hong Kong will be referred to the hotel. We don't need to worry about customer base or operations at all. And rest assured, I know his temperament; he definitely won't refuse us..."

"That would be even worse. Xia, you have to understand, Mr. Ning has already helped us a lot. It's a favor he did for us, and it's his right not to. We can't always think of ourselves and not know how to put ourselves in others' shoes, forcing them to do things they don't understand. Think about it, if you were in his position, would you want someone as troublesome as me to bring you trouble? Impossible. Xia, listen to my advice, Mr. Ning is definitely your benefactor in this life. Only he can give you the best future, a different life. So from now on, just follow him wholeheartedly and don't think about so many things that have nothing to do with you, and don't go back to the old ways. To be honest, I really hope you completely cut off ties with the gang. Then, the brothers in the gang and I will be very happy to see you become a member of high society, silently standing behind you, cheering for you..."

Hong Hanyi was absolutely telling the truth, but that's precisely why Xia's reaction was even more intense.

“No, no, Teddy, I will always be a member of the 14K. I will always be Ah Xia, who grew up in To Kwa Wan. If you want me to forget the past, you are killing me. I don’t want to. We’ve fought side by side since we were kids. When we joined the gang, you said that everyone would be brothers and sisters like family, sharing not only hardship but also prosperity…”

At this moment, Hong Hanyi looked at Xia's anxious expression, feeling both moved and helpless.

He could understand Ah Xia's good intentions towards him, and he also recalled many long-forgotten memories, and those old brothers who had once entrusted their lives to him, but now only one in ten remained.

But the problem is that he is even more aware that the loyalty and brotherhood they once shared have now become obstacles for Ah Xia.

If A-Xia wants to move forward, she must give up some things, act rationally, and stop letting her emotions run wild and being limited by so-called morality. This is something she absolutely cannot do.

He couldn't help but sigh. He was about to have a proper talk with Xia when the phone rang, so he had to answer it.

Unexpectedly, the call came from Zhao Chunshu, a senior member of the Inagawa Association in Japan.

The person who had once sheltered Ah Xia and Hong Hanyi's daughter in Japan made this phone call, putting Hong Hanyi in an even more difficult emotional and moral predicament.

It turns out that, due to the scandal involving the collusion between Sumitomo and the Inagawa-kai, as well as the bursting of the economic bubble, the Inagawa-kai is now also facing difficulties.

During the bubble economy, Ishii Takamasa, the second-generation leader of the Inagawa-kai, achieved great success in his capital speculation activities in an attempt to reduce his gang's dependence on traditional sources of income such as drug trafficking, prostitution, and protection money collection.

This also made it a model of Japanese corporate yakuza, making it seem even more prestigious than the Yamaguchi-gumi.

However, the more enjoyable the profits were back then, the worse the situation is now; what goes around comes around.

Given the power of Japan's large conglomerates, those financial institutions are even more difficult to deal with than the infighting between gangs, causing great distress to Takamasa Ishii, who was heavily in debt and had many unsold properties.

Needless to say, the pressure caused by these debts will naturally be passed down through the ranks.

This could lead to gang wars to divert attention from the conflict, or to resolve debts through bloody robbery.

Alternatively, they might follow the law of the jungle, where the big fish eat the small fish, and have the Inagawa-kai's lower-ranking executives sacrifice their own flesh to help Ishii Takamasa share the debt.

But regardless of the cause, it was an undeserved disaster for Zhao Chunshu, and certainly not a good thing.

He was already deeply feared by Ishii Takamasa because of his advanced age and superior status. At this critical moment, he was very clear that his situation had become more dangerous than ever before.

He was terrified that Ishii Takamasa would use this as an excuse to assassinate him, seize his assets, and then use his life as a pretext to start a war.

With his only disciple, who is brave but reckless, he will be devoured, leaving not even bones or scraps.

Therefore, he has already begun to consider retiring and plans to submit his resignation to the Inagawa-kai soon, and may even withdraw from the Inagawa-kai with his group in order to protect himself.

However, once he loses his superior position in the Inagawa-kai, he will also have to return the most profitable industries he manages, which will lead to a direct decline in his strength and even affect the livelihoods of his subordinates.

After much deliberation, Zhao Chunshu thought of Ning Weimin, a brilliant business genius among the Chinese, with whom he had previously interacted.

Since Ning Weimin was not in Japan, Zhao Chunshu, thinking of his friendship with Hong Hanyi, made the call to Hong Hanyi. His intention was simple: he hoped that Hong Hanyi could help him contact Ning Weimin.

He wanted to talk to Ning Weimin to see what he could do to make money in the future and whether he could develop some business cooperation with him.

Of course, he was unaware of this. At this moment, even Hong Hanyi himself was full of concerns and trying to persuade A-Xia, not wanting to cause trouble for Ning Weimin.

It must be said that life is sometimes full of difficulties, and the debts of human relationships are the hardest to repay.

Hung Hon-yee, what about the dignified Teddy Brother?
It's also difficult to find true inner peace. (End of Chapter)