Hong Kong variety show: Hung Hing, are you contributing to society?

The Hong Kong Island District Council elections will not officially begin until next month, but the wave of preliminary speeches has already swept through Causeway Bay.

At six o'clock in the morning, Lin Yaodong stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in the top-floor office of the Causeway Bay Yaodong Property Branch, looking at the leaden gray sky outside.

Dark clouds hung over Hong Kong Island like a heavy quilt, and white waves rolled on the distant sea, making the signs of an approaching typhoon increasingly clear.

"Brother Dong, the weather station has issued a typhoon warning for Typhoon Signal No. 8." Gao Jin pushed open the door and came in, holding the latest weather forecast in his hand.

Lin Yaodong turned around, his eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses calm and serene.

Today he wore a dark blue handmade suit, and the collar of his white shirt was impeccably clean. He didn't look like the legendary Hung Hing Mong Kok gang leader, but rather like one of the financial elites in Central.

High-end and sophisticated are secondary; the main thing is that it aligns with the neighborhood's fantasies about a future councilor.

"Have all the neighbors arrived at the venue?" Lin Yaodong asked.

"We've arrived, and..." Gao Jin paused, "There are 30% more people than we expected. Jiang Xin is maintaining order over there, but the residents are in a very high mood and don't want to leave."

The office door was pushed open again, and Jiang Xin hurriedly walked in.

This former street robbery kingpin has now adapted to being Lin Yaodong's special assistant.

He has shed his former flamboyance, and his brows now show more composure. Only the occasional sharp glint in his eyes still reveals traces of his former self.

"Brother Dong, the situation is a bit tricky." Jiang Xin wiped the sweat from his brow. "The neighbors heard that you had to cancel your speech because of the typhoon, and they refuse to leave. Uncle Fu led the way, saying that they had been waiting for half a month to hear what you had to say. There are at least five hundred people gathered in the small square on Russell Street now."

Lin Yaodong walked to his desk and tapped his fingers lightly on the surface.

The preliminary speech was decided two weeks in advance, and the location was the small square on Russell Street where he lived—a place where the neighbors usually played chess, cards, and chatted.

He had originally planned a long, rambling speech... but now, with so many people gathered during the typhoon, the safety risks are too great.

"What's the situation with the competitors?" Lin Yaodong asked.

"Chen Guozhong has also cancelled his speech," Gao Jin replied. "He issued a notice this morning saying that the preliminary election would be postponed for the safety of the citizens. However..." Gao Jin hesitated.

"But what?"

"Some rumors have been circulating that 'certain people are disregarding the safety of citizens in order to win votes.' Although no names have been named, it is obvious to everyone who is being referred to."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xin's face darkened: "This old guy looks honest, but he canceled the event himself, and now he's trying to shift the blame onto us?"

Lin Yaodong waved his hand, his face remaining calm: "Ignore it. What we need to do now is ensure the safety of our neighbors."

.....

Russell Street in Causeway Bay is an old street lined with tenement buildings and tenement houses built in the 1960s and 70s, with densely packed signs swaying in the wind.

The small square is located in the middle of the street. It is usually a gathering place for the old neighbors. A few stone tables and benches and a few old banyan trees make up a scene of daily life in the city.

Today, a makeshift stage was erected in the center of the small square, and a red banner fluttered in the wind—"A good councilor for the country and the people, Lin Yaodong!"

There were also various banners of different sizes hanging nearby, showing the support of the neighbors:

"Lin Yaodong will win!"

"Ah Dong will win!"

"The Light of Causeway Bay"...

Although the sky was overcast and the rain came and went, a large crowd had already gathered in the square.

There were elderly people with canes, women holding children's hands, neighbors carrying shopping baskets who had just returned from the market, and students on holiday squeezed into the crowd.

They held up umbrellas of various colors, wore raincoats, and their faces were filled with anticipation.

"Uncle Fu, what brings you here? With this weather, and your mobility issues, you should be resting at home," a middle-aged woman said to an elderly man in a wheelchair.

Uncle Fu is 83 years old and a long-time resident of Russell Street. He used to work at the docks when he was young and now lives on Comprehensive Social Security Assistance.

The old man patted the armrest of his wheelchair and said in a loud voice, "Ah Dong helped me fix the roof, replaced the water pipes, and even arranged for someone to come and clean for me every week. He's giving a speech today, how could I not come to support him?"

An auntie selling fish nearby chimed in, "Yes, last time my stall was harassed by the city management officers, it was Ah Dong who helped me resolve it. Those officials, none of them care about us neighbors like Ah Dong does!"

"I heard Chen Guozhong canceled his speech," said a young man wearing glasses. "Dong Ge is really responsible; he still came to see us in this weather."

As the crowd discussed the matter, a commotion broke out at the street corner.

A black Bentley slowly drove up and stopped at the intersection.

Gao Jin and Jiang Xin got out of the car first, opened their black umbrellas, and shielded the people in the back seats from the sparse rain.

Lin Yaodong stepped out of the car, and instantly, the crowd erupted in enthusiastic applause and cheers.

"Ah Dong is here!"

"Brother Dong!"

"Brother Dong!"

Lin Yaodong smiled and waved to the crowd before slowly walking toward the square.

Instead of going directly onto the stage, he went around to Uncle Fu's wheelchair, bent down, and took the old man's hand: "Uncle Fu, why are you out in this weather? What if you catch a cold?"

"It's alright, it's alright, I'm dressed warmly." Uncle Fu smiled, his face full of wrinkles. "Ah Dong, we're all waiting to hear you speak."

Lin Yaodong then looked at the aunt next to him: "Sister Sheng, was your business affected today? Thank you for coming to support me even during the typhoon."

"Ah Dong, you're too kind. You've helped us so much, it's only right that we support you," said Sister Sheng, a little embarrassed.

As Lin Yaodong walked along, he could call out the name of almost every resident and inquire about their well-being.

The little boy named Ah Xin squeezed to the front, and Lin Yaodong squatted down and patted his head: "Ah Xin, don't you have to go to school today?"

"The teacher said there's a typhoon, so we'll have two days off!" Ah Xin said happily, then took a drawing out of her schoolbag. "Brother Dong, this is a drawing I made, it's for you!"

The drawing depicts a man in a suit and glasses drawn with crayons, with the caption "Brother Dong, the tough guy!" written next to him.

Although the brushstrokes are immature, you can tell that the artist put a lot of effort into the drawing.

Um... Lin Yaodong solemnly accepted it, carefully folded it, and put it into his suit's inner pocket: "It's really well drawn, thank you, Ah Xin."

This approachable and thoughtful gesture deeply moved the neighbors present.

They've seen too many high-and-mighty candidates who greet you with smiles before the election, only to disappear after being elected.

But Lin Yaodong was different; he genuinely lived on Russell Street and truly understood the difficulties faced by each household.

Lin Yaodong walked onto the stage, and Gao Jin handed him a portable megaphone.

He tested the sound, then faced the crowd.

"Hello everyone, neighbors and fellow citizens of Causeway Bay." Lam Yiu-tung's voice, gentle yet powerful, resonated throughout the plaza through the loudspeaker.

"First of all, I want to thank everyone for coming to support me in this weather. I am very touched to see you all, but I am also very worried—the typhoon and rain are coming, and everyone's safety is the most important thing."

He paused, looking at the sea of ​​people: "Therefore, I will keep today's speech as brief as possible. I just want to promise you a few things—"