National Tide 1980.

In 1991, Hong Kong was more than 20 years ahead of the mainland, except for some aspects that were constrained by the level of technological development at the time.

At that time, Hong Kong was still known as one of the Four Asian Tigers, and the golden age of this Pearl of the Orient was not yet over.

So unlike Kong Deqi, who was forced to embark on his journey to the East, Ning Weimin, to be honest, has always been very clear about one thing: Hong Kong is a place he must enter to build his business empire.

Just as high-tech manufacturing cannot do without rare earth elements, many of the resources and support it urgently needs are also in the port city.

In early August 1991, he finally settled his affairs in mainland China and began his trip to Hong Kong.

He could never have imagined just how grand the welcoming party at the airport would be.

…………

At 2 p.m., when the temperature in Hong Kong is at its highest, the summer heat, along with the salty sea breeze of Victoria Harbour, seeps into the terminal building of Kai Tak Airport.

However, one thing is certain: Ning Weimin's right-hand woman, Yao Peifang, will definitely be there to pick him up at the airport.

At this moment, she stood in the arrival hall near the exit, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the leather texture of her handbag, but her eyes were drawn to the bustling scene that greeted her.

Unlike the monotonous gray walls and creaking metal seats of Beijing Capital International Airport, the terminal of Kai Tak International Airport at this time was already quite modern.

The space is as spacious as a football field, and the floor-to-ceiling windows are so clean that they reflect people's images, clearly framing the red and white passenger planes on the tarmac and the ground staff wearing orange reflective vests.

The electronic display screen scrolls flight information in both Chinese and English, with the green "delay" sign standing out prominently. The accompanying voice announcement, delivered in a gentle Hong Kong accent, is clear and pleasant to the ear.

The pedestrians were dressed smartly; the ladies wore high-heeled sandals, their skirts swaying, while most of the men wore crisp short-sleeved shirts and carried elegant briefcases.

The air was filled with the rich aroma of coffee and sweet egg tarts, occasionally punctuated by fluent English and hurried Cantonese.

In stark contrast to the plain and dull atmosphere of mainland airports, every detail exuded efficiency and sophistication, making her truly feel that Hong Kong is an international metropolis that can rival Tokyo.

"Ms. Yao, I just asked at the service desk. Mr. Ning's flight is delayed due to high-altitude turbulence. It is estimated that he will have to wait for another hour."

Her assistant, Xiao Zhou, quickly walked to her side, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead. His tone was respectful but also a little nervous. "I... I want to go to the restroom during this break. Please wait here for a moment, I'll be right back."

Yao Peifang looked away and caught a glimpse of Xiao Zhou nervously clutching the hem of his clothes.

This child had just graduated from university and came with her from the mainland. He looked at everything with a timid curiosity, just like she had when she first went to Tokyo.

She smiled gently and nodded in agreement, "Go ahead, and remember to bring me a glass of orange juice when you come back."

Watching Xiao Zhou turn and walk towards the restroom, Yao Peifang looked back at the people coming and going in the lobby, and her emotions surged even more intensely.

She had spent two years in Tokyo, Japan, and witnessed the prosperity of this international metropolis, so the development of Hong Kong did not surprise her as much as other mainlanders.

The problem is that Ning Weimin's influence in this city has repeatedly surprised her.

Looking back on the past two months, it was like a series of intense shocks that completely reshaped her perception of this boss. She seemed to have no idea just how much power Ning Weimin wielded.

Her thoughts drifted back to early June, the day she first set foot in the port city.

Before his departure, Ning Weimin casually mentioned on the phone, "Peifang, I've already made arrangements in Gangcheng. It's the best suite at the Regent Hotel. Just go there and enjoy yourself. Don't worry about the cost."

At the time, she was holding the receiver and thought it was just her boss being polite.

That's the Regent Hotel! It's one of the top high-end hotels in Hong Kong. She had heard of its reputation when she was in Japan, and she had also seen how popular it was among Hong Kong people in many Hong Kong movies and TV dramas.

Being able to stay in a standard room was already a luxury; the "best suite" was simply a pipe dream for her.

But as soon as she got off the plane and stepped out of the arrival gate, she saw a man holding a sign that read "Ms. Yao Peifang" walking towards her. He was wearing a sharp black suit and had a polite smile.

"Hello Ms. Yao, I am a driver from the Regent Hotel. The hotel instructed me to pick you up."

Then, as she looked in the direction the driver was pointing, a black Rolls-Royce Phantom was parked quietly by the roadside, its body gleaming and shimmering with a cold light in the sunlight.

As she sat in the car, the soft leather seats enveloped her body, and the air conditioning effectively dispelled the summer heat. The driver smoothly navigated the streets of the port city, and skyscrapers and colorful neon signs flashed past the window. Her heart pounded uncontrollably; she felt both nervous and bewildered.

Yes, although she was already the general manager of an entertainment company, this was the first time she had been treated as a VIP.

That wasn't all. It wasn't until she stepped into the ocean-view suite that the Regent Hotel had arranged for her that she truly understood the weight of the word "best."

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows is the azure Victoria Harbour, with waves crashing against the shore rocks, and the Star Ferry in the distance gliding across the water like a toy.

The room was covered with a thick wool carpet, which made no sound when you stepped on it.

The walk-in closet is large enough to hold dozens of clothes, and the desk in the study is adorned with exquisite fountain pens and stationery.

There are also rattan lounge chairs on the terrace.

When the hotel lobby manager who accompanied her upstairs smiled and told her, "Ms. Yao, the board of directors has instructed that all your expenses at the hotel will be recorded on his account, whether it's dining, spa, or items from the merchandise department. You just need to sign to confirm."

This treatment left her completely bewildered.

She didn't know how Ning Weimin could get the Regent Hotel's board of directors to issue such an order, but it was clear that it couldn't be done with just money or ordinary connections.

Later, while the waiter was cleaning, she secretly inquired and found out how outrageous the price of such a suite was during the current peak tourist season.

It's a whopping four thousand Hong Kong dollars.

In mainland China at that time, this was equivalent to a full year's wages for an ordinary worker!

The thought that she could live here for free, without having to spend money on food or shopping, filled her with both gratitude and apprehension.

She felt in the most genuine way that Ning Weimin truly meant what he said and did what he promised.

Working under such a generous and capable boss, no one would feel uneasy or fortunate.

That wasn't all. What shocked her even more than the accommodation was Ning Weimin's powerful connections in the port city.

On the evening of the day she arrived in the port city, her customer service phone rang, and it was Xia who contacted her.

She and Xia had met a few times in Japan. At the time, she only knew that Xia was a woman from Hong Kong who ran a parking lot business and had some investment dealings with Ning Weimin.

Although she was pretty, she wasn't considered outstanding in an environment where Ning Weimin was surrounded by beautiful women.

But when they met this time, Xia's new look surprised her greatly.

She wore a perfectly tailored Chanel suit, carried a limited-edition Hermès bag, and had exquisite makeup, exuding a powerful aura.

Xia has completely lost the obedient and compliant demeanor she had in Japan, and has instead revealed an assertive personality, transforming herself into a powerful businesswoman.

"Hello, Ms. Yao, it's a pleasure to meet you! Do you remember me?"

"I remember. But Sister Xia, you've changed so much. I almost didn't recognize you."

"You're the same. You're becoming more and more elegant."

Ah Xia warmly grasped her hand, her tone affectionate, "I heard from Ning Sheng that you are now the head of his entertainment business in mainland China. He also asked me to treat you well, so I came here especially to pick you up for seafood."

Subsequent contact and understanding made her even more respectful of Xia.

She only learned along the way that the preferential treatment she received at the Regent Hotel was at Ah Xia's behest.

Today, Xia is not only one of the shareholders of Regent Hotel, but also the well-known "Queen of Parking Lots" in the port city.

Ah Xia seems to have used her substantial capital to revive her old business from Japan in Hong Kong. She acquired parking lots in several high-end apartments in Hong Kong, earning over three million Hong Kong dollars a month just from rent alone. Yet, this powerful businesswoman personally drove her around Tsim Sha Tsui, took her to Sai Kung for seafood, accompanied her to shopping malls in Causeway Bay, and even took her to bars in Lan Kwai Fong to experience the nightlife.

Later, through Ah Xia, she also met Mr. Hong—the 14K triad boss who controlled a quarter of the valet parking business in the port city, a burly man with sharp eyes.

However, when Ning Weimin was mentioned, the other party still looked at him with great respect.

"Ning Sheng is the most capable and loyal person I have ever met. Miss Yao is very fortunate to have met a boss like Mr. Ning."

Both of these influential figures in the port city held Ning Weimin in the highest esteem.

Yao Peifang was naturally filled with amazement—it turned out that her boss already had such a deep foundation in the port city.

When dealing with collaborations in the entertainment industry, this amazement turned into deep admiration.

For no other reason than that Hong Kong's entertainment industry was in its golden age in 1991, attracting a flood of global capital.

Major film companies are vying for dominance, and mainland Chinese companies are simply not even in the running.

Despite the fact that "Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky" ultimately grossed HK$27 million after its release in Hong Kong, it was still considered a big hit.

However, when the film was released, the opening credits showed the Japanese film studio, Mist Studio, which seemed to have no connection with mainland China. Yao Peifang couldn't benefit from it at all.

So before dealing with people in the Hong Kong entertainment industry, Yao Peifang was very nervous, worried that as a representative of a mainland entertainment company, no one would be willing to talk to her.

But the reality was quite the opposite. Not only did Lin Bingkun, the head of the Silver Metropolitan Organization, personally pick her up from the hotel, but he also told Yao Peifang that Cha Liangyong, whom she wanted to meet, had already arranged a meeting time for her.

Even Tsui Hark and his wife from Cinema City treated her with great hospitality, specially hosting a banquet at a well-known restaurant in Hong Kong and bringing along director John Woo, who had just finished filming "Once a Thief".

During the meeting, Tsui Hark took out his studio's film production catalog, pointed to the projects on it, and said, "Ms. Yao, these projects are all worth collaborating on with Ning Sheng. We are very sincere. You can take them back and take a good look. You can invest in whichever one you want, and however much you want."

Over the next few days, with the introduction of Tsui Hark and Nansun Shi, she also visited the filming locations of Hong Kong movies.

But the scene before her eyes chilled her to the bone, and even the images of many Hong Kong stars she once admired collapsed overnight.

Because she witnessed a Hong Kong actress, whom she idolized in her youth, verbally abusing mainland actress Xu Li on set, simply because Xu Li had accidentally dirtied her costume.

"Mainland girls are just unruly; those from the countryside just don't know their place!"

The actress stood with her hands on her hips, her voice shrill, and the staff around her not only did not try to stop her, but instead joined in the laughter.

Xu Li clenched her fists so tightly that her nails almost dug into her flesh, but in the end she lowered her head and apologized softly, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

What shocked her even more was what Li Zhi had gone through.

At the time, Nina Li was filming a scene where she fell into the water. The heat in Hong Kong in August was unbearable, so filming this scene shouldn't be considered a hardship.

The problem was that the director kept making her jump into the cold pool under the pretext that the effect was not good.

If this goes on for too long, who can stand it?

Once, after Nina Li Chi came ashore, she was shivering from the cold and asked to rest for a while. However, the male lead, who was known for his "refined" manner, teased her from the side.

"You can't even handle this little bit of hardship, yet you expect to make money in Hong Kong?"

The director, sitting in front of the monitor, laughed heartily and directed the crew. "One more take!"

As a girl also from the mainland, Yao Peifang hid in a corner, watching Li Zhi jump into the water again with her lips turning purple, and felt as if her heart was being pricked by needles.

She also saw that in order to win a small role with only three lines, the producer asked Le Hui to drink with him. After glass after glass of whiskey, Le Hui's face turned red, but she still had to force a smile. In the end, she was so drunk that she could not stand up and had to be helped away by her assistant.

On screen, these Hong Kong stars were once elegant and graceful, or refined and affectionate, and were idols in the hearts of Yao Peifang and countless mainland viewers.

What they witnessed on set shattered their glamorous image, revealing their underlying meanness and indifference.

Yao Peifang suddenly realized that behind the glamour of Hong Kong's entertainment circle lay such a cruel law of the jungle, and actresses from the mainland, especially those girls who were contemptuously called "Northern Girls" or "Mainland Sisters," were the most vulnerable prey in this jungle.

Seeing their plight, Yao Peifang felt a pang of sorrow, but at the same time, she felt even more grateful for her own good fortune.

Although she was also from the mainland, she was able to receive the respect due to bigwigs in the Hong Kong entertainment industry thanks to Ning Weimin's connections, without having to swallow her pride or be subservient.

This stark contrast strengthened her resolve to work with Ning Weimin and build a career together.

Unexpectedly, what happened next proved that Ning Weimin was indeed a reliable person.

Soon after, news of the model competition came from the mainland. Yao Peifang heard that the owner of an American modeling agency, as a judge, was pointing fingers at the "Splendid Orient Model Competition" with an arrogant Western aesthetic, and even forced Pierre Carton to accept the competition results she had altered.

In the end, it was Ning Weimin who stepped forward, arranged for the Huaxia judges to argue their case, and even drove away the judge, in order to maintain the fairness of the competition.

As a former model, Yao Peifang is well aware of the dominant position of Western aesthetics in the fashion industry.

Therefore, Ning Weimin's ability to uphold the aesthetic standards of the Chinese people and safeguard the dignified beauty of the East under such pressure is a testament to her sense of responsibility and courage, which greatly inspires her.

At that moment, she truly felt that she must have accumulated good karma in her past life to be able to meet such a principled and responsible boss. Her decision to agree to become the manager of Dachuan Entertainment was probably the most correct choice she had ever made in her life.

"Miss Yao, your orange juice—"

The voice of her assistant, Xiao Zhou, suddenly rang out, pulling Yao Peifang's thoughts back to reality from her memories.

She snapped out of her daze, saw the orange juice Xiao Zhou handed her, and quickly took it.

After taking a few sips, she straightened her back, adjusted the hem of her shirt, and walked quickly to the stainless steel railing at the exit, intending to check on the flight delay.

Unexpectedly, she caught sight of two familiar figures at the arrival gate and was stunned.

Xia, dressed in a bright yellow dress, was smiling and waving at her.

Mr. Hong, standing beside him, was wearing a black shirt with his hands behind his back, looking serious but unable to hide his anticipation.

Yao Peifang hurried over, her voice full of surprise, "Sister Xia, Mr. Hong, what brings you here too?"

"We heard that Ning Sheng arrived in Hong Kong today, so of course we came to pick him up!"

Xia stepped forward and took her hand with a friendly smile. "I saw that you left the hotel too early this morning. I was going to ask you to come with me, but I didn't expect you to come first."

Yao Peifang felt a surge of warmth in her heart, and at the same time, she was even more impressed by Ning Weimin's influence.

Even people like Ah Xia and Mr. Hong were willing to come to the airport to pick them up in person.

Just as she was about to speak, she saw another group of people walking towards her from the stairwell outside the fence.

It was quite a coincidence that she knew them all.

It turns out that the people leading the group were director Mak Ling-chi and lead actor Lee Chung-kit of "Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky".

Following closely behind were Lam Ping-kwan of Sil-Metropole Organisation, and Tsui Hark and Nansun Shi.

Yao Peifang was completely stunned, standing rooted to the spot, unable to move. She had no idea how these people had obtained Ning Weimin's flight information, let alone that they would all come in person.

Seeing these influential figures in Hong Kong's entertainment and business circles gathered at the exit of Kai Tak Airport to welcome Ning Weimin, she felt an indescribable sense of pride.

Sunlight streamed through the terminal's glass windows, falling on everyone's faces.

Yao Peifang took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in her heart, and quietly waited for the boss who had made all of this possible to appear at the end of the passage. (End of Chapter)