Hong Kong variety show: The mastermind behind the scenes is emerging.

1981, April 12.

On the last day of the year, the weather on Hong Kong Island was unusually clear.

Although the sea breeze still carried a chill, the streets and alleys were already filled with a festive atmosphere. Shopping malls were decorated with colorful lights, and cruise ships shuttled back and forth in Victoria Harbour. Everyone was looking forward to the upcoming new year.

10:00 AM, Kai Tak Airport.

A private jet bearing the Lubbers family crest landed slowly.

At the VIP entrance, Lu Chen, wearing sunglasses, leaned against the black Rolls-Royce, with Tian Yangsheng still standing behind him like a guardian deity.

Soon, a beautiful figure came into view.

Sofia wore a beige haute couture cashmere coat, a wide-brimmed hat, and knee-high boots, her long brown hair casually draped over her shoulders. After six months of experience in the European fashion scene, this once down-on-her-luck girl has completely transformed into a powerful fashion queen.

"Darling!"

Upon seeing Lu Chen, Sophia took off her sunglasses and, ignoring the stares of those around her, flew into his arms like a joyful little bird, giving him a passionate French kiss.

"I missed you so much." Sophia hugged Lu Chen's neck, her azure eyes filled with love.

"I missed you too," Lu Chen said with a smile, patting her on the back. "Let's go home. Amei has been waiting for you at home for a long time."

……

Kowloon Tong, Yau Yat Tsuen Villas.

"Sister Sofia!"

Pushing open the door, a warm and welcoming atmosphere greets you.

"Woof! Woof woof!"

The familiar "welcoming ceremony" was performed once again. Cola and Sprite rushed out, wagging their tails wildly around the two of them. Cola, in particular, was so excited to see the newcomer Sofia that it wanted to pounce on her.

"Hey, Cola, you silly dog!"

Ruan Mei ran out of the kitchen wearing an apron. She was about to scold her, but when she saw Sophia, her face instantly lit up with a surprised smile.

"Sister Sofia!"

"Amei!"

Although the two women haven't known each other for very long, they have a very good personal relationship because of Lu Chen and their complementary personalities. They talk on the phone every day and have become best friends.

Sofia gave Ruan Mei a big hug, then took out a gift she had prepared beforehand from her bag, "This is a special edition perfume I brought back for you from Europe, and this set of skincare products..."

"Sister Sophia, you've lost weight. Is it because the family has too much work?" Ruan Mei touched Sophia's face with concern.

"No, it's just that I want to maintain my figure." Sophia smiled and pinched Ruan Mei's slightly round cheek. "But you, you're getting more and more radiant."

"Oh dear, what are you saying..." Ruan Mei blushed.

Watching the two women and two dogs frolicking in the living room, Lu Chen stood aside, his eyes full of smiles.

After chatting with the two women at home for a while and petting the dog, enjoying a moment of peace, Lu Chen glanced at his watch.

"Ame, Sophia, you two chat first," Lu Chen stood up, straightened his collar, "I have something to do at noon, I need to go... to see a friend."

Ruan Mei and Sophia exchanged a glance. Both were extremely intelligent women, so how could they not know who Lu Chen was going to see?

"Go ahead, go ahead."

Ruan Mei waved generously and even straightened Lu Chen's clothes. "Remember to come back early. We're going to make dumplings together tonight to celebrate the New Year."

"Don't worry, I'll definitely stay with you tonight."

……

Noon. Happy Valley, luxury apartment.

Compared to the bustling villa, Ya Zi's apartment was much quieter. However, this tranquility was quickly shattered with Lu Chen's arrival.

"Why are you so late?"

The girl wore a simple apron over a tight-fitting knit top that accentuated her stunning curves. Holding a spatula, she glared at Lu Chen, feigning anger.

I bought this for you because I passed by a flower shop.

As if by magic, Lu Chen pulled out a large bunch of bright red roses from behind his back.

"Tacky."

The girl said it was vulgar, but she couldn't hide the smile in her eyes. She took the flower, took a deep breath, then stood on tiptoe and pecked Lu Chen on the lips.

"At least you have a conscience."

"Why don't we go to the villa to celebrate the New Year together?" Lu Chen asked, holding Ya Zi's hand after sitting down. "Ruan Mei and Sophia are both easy to get along with, they won't mind."

"I'm not going."

Yako shook his head, took a sip of red wine, and a stubborn look appeared on his face. "I haven't figured out how to deal with this kind of... situation yet. Just let me be an ostrich, at least outside of the police force."

As an elite woman with higher education and a senior inspector, although she deeply loves Lu Chen and accepts the fact that he has other women, she still finds it difficult to get over the psychological hurdle of actually being "sisters" with two other women and sharing a room with them.

Ya Zi looked at Lu Chen, her eyes softening: "Give me a few more years. Maybe when I don't want to be a policeman anymore, or... when I have your child, I'll come to my senses."

"Okay, I'll do as you say."

Lu Chen didn't force her; he respected his woman's choice.

"Since I can't spend New Year's Eve with you..."

Suddenly, Yako stood up, walked around the table, and straddled Lu Chen's lap. Her silk robe slipped down, revealing black lace lingerie underneath. "Then you'll have to make up for my dinner at noon too."

She breathed sweetly into Lu Chen's ear, tracing circles on his chest with her finger. "Mr. Lu, it's lunch break now. I need to check your... food reserves."

Lu Chen smiled.

No man could tolerate such provocation.

"It would be my pleasure, Madam."

He picked up the baby and strode towards the bedroom.

Outside the window, the sun shines brightly; inside, spring is in full bloom.

……

at the same time.

Police Headquarters Building.

In contrast to the festive atmosphere outside, a secret meeting room here was filled with the heavy smell of tobacco and an air of conspiracy.

At the head of the conference table sat a blond, blue-eyed Western assistant chief. To his left sat a Chinese-American police officer, probably in his thirties, with sharp, deep-set eyes.

Cai Yuanqi.

The future Commissioner of Police, the mastermind behind the storm in "Cold War 2." Right now, he's just a young, promising, and ambitious Superintendent of the Police Service, and a key figure in the "pro-British faction" within the police force.

"Cai, has the person arrived?" the foreign assistant director asked in a perfect Oxford accent.

"We're here, right outside," Cai Yuanqi pushed up his glasses, a playful smile curving his lips. "She's the best graduate of this year's police academy. She's skilled, a sharpshooter, and most importantly... bursting with a sense of justice, and very obedient."

"Very good," the foreigner nodded, a sinister glint in his eyes, "Let her in."

"Yes, Sir!"

The door was pushed open.

A young policewoman with neat short hair and a smart and capable demeanor walked in. She had delicate features, a heroic air about her, and her large eyes sparkled with a light that had not yet been tainted by the world.

Hu Huizhong, the agile female inspector in the Lucky Stars series.

At that time, she had just graduated from police academy and was full of enthusiasm, eager to fight crime and uphold justice.

"Good morning, sir! Hu Huizhong (PC10777) reporting for duty!"

Hu Huizhong gave a standard salute to the assembled dignitaries, her voice clear and resonant.

"At ease."

Cai Yuanqi stood up, walked up to Hu Huizhong, looked him up and down, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Hu Huizhong, police academy combat champion, straight A's in shooting, perfect score in tactical assessment, you're a talent."

"Thank you for the compliment, sir!" Hu Huizhong straightened her back.

"I called you here today because I have a special top-secret mission to assign you," the foreign director said in broken Cantonese.

"Please give your instructions, sir!" Hu Huizhong saluted, his voice booming.

"Have you ever heard of Jiahe Group, and their boss, Lu Chen?" Cai Yuanqi asked, his voice deep and seductive.

"I've heard of him," Hu Huizhong nodded. "He's the most prominent businessman in Hong Kong recently, mainly engaged in investment and luxury goods, and he just bought RTV."

"merchant?"

Cai Yuanqi sneered and threw a thick file on the table. "That's just his disguise. According to the intelligence we have, Lu Chen's source of funds is extremely suspicious. We suspect that he is involved in large-scale money laundering, smuggling, and even stock market manipulation."

"Especially the Wharf Holdings takeover case a while ago..." Cai Yuanqi paused, then began his spiel, "He used insider information and illegal means to manipulate the stock market, acquire stocks, and even maliciously shorted Jardine Matheson, causing a large number of shareholders to go bankrupt. This kind of person is a leech sucking blood from the people of Hong Kong Island!"

This is a classic case of "if you want to find fault, you can always find a reason."

Lu Chen's actions were all normal business dealings. The only difference was that by selling his shares in Wharf Holdings to the shipping magnate, Jardine Matheson, representing British interests, completely lost control of Wharf Holdings, causing those arrogant British gentlemen to lose face. Simultaneously, Lu Chen also shorted Jardine Matheson, resulting in huge losses for the foreign investors.

They loathed Lu Chen, this "troublemaker," and didn't want such a formidable figure to appear in a Chinese-owned enterprise. Therefore, they wanted to target Lu Chen, find dirt on him, and make him suffer the consequences.

Of course, these words couldn't be said to Hu Huizhong, this passionate policewoman.

"If we don't stop him, the Golden Harvest Group will become like a malignant tumor, draining the hard-earned money of Hong Kong Island citizens and even threatening the economic security of the entire island."

Cai Yuanqi stared into Hu Huizhong's eyes and said righteously, "We need someone, someone unfamiliar, skilled, and clever enough to infiltrate Jiahe. Your mission is to infiltrate Lu Chen's inner circle and gather evidence of his crimes. Whatever it is, as long as it proves that his funds are illicit, it will be a great achievement."

Young Hu Huizhong had no idea about these intricacies.

In her eyes, her superior's words were always correct, and fighting crime was her sacred duty. She suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of mission, as if she were about to become a heroine who would save Hong Kong.

"I guarantee I will complete the mission!" Hu Huizhong saluted again, his eyes burning with the flame of justice.

"very good."

The foreign director nodded in satisfaction. "For security reasons, your file will be encrypted. From today onwards, your code name is—"

"The Queen of Flowers"

Watching Hu Huizhong's departing figure, Cai Yuanqi's lips curled into a sinister smile.

Lu Chen, since you don't want to be a compliant subject of the British Empire, then don't blame us for framing you.

……

Night falls.

After "paying his dues" to the boy, Lu Chen returned to his Kowloon Tong villa feeling refreshed.

Although he had used up a lot of energy at noon, it was nothing to him after being strengthened by the system.

The villa was brightly lit.

The TV was broadcasting the New Year's Eve gala, but Ruan Mei and Sofia were clearly not watching it.

The two were sitting on the carpet with a small table between them, on which were flour, dumpling filling, and a rolling pin. Two dogs lay beside them, their eyes fixed on the meat filling, drooling.

"Darling's back!"

Sophia was the first to spot Lu Chen, holding a dumpling wrapper in her hand and her face covered in flour, she pounced on him like a cat covered in flour.

"How are they? Don't they look good?"

Lu Chen glanced at the oddly shaped "dumpling" in her hand, its filling spilling out, and insincerely praised, "Very artistic, no wonder you come from an artistic city like Milan."

"Pfft—" Ruan Mei next to her couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Achen, don't try to coax her. The dumplings that Sister Sophia made will definitely turn into noodle soup when they go into the pot."

Lu Chen took off his coat, washed his hands, and joined in making dumplings.

"Come on, let me help you too."

Under the warm lighting, the three people sat together.

While making dumplings, they chatted about the interesting things that had happened throughout the year. They talked about the business battles in Hong Kong Island and the snowy scenery in Tokyo; from Ruan Mei learning to do bookkeeping to Sofia buying a winery in Europe.

The two dogs darted around my feet, occasionally fighting over a piece of fallen flesh.

This down-to-earth atmosphere made Lu Chen feel incredibly at ease.

After we finished eating the dumplings, it was almost ten o'clock.

After a few bottles of red wine, the atmosphere gradually became ambiguous. The firelight from the fireplace illuminated the two women's slightly tipsy faces, making them look particularly alluring.

Sofia's deep blue eyes seemed to hold a pool of spring water; and Ruan Mei's shy and timid appearance was even more tempting.

"It's still early..."

Lu Chen's voice was a little hoarse, and his hands roamed restlessly over their waists. "How about we do some exercise that's good for our physical and mental health to welcome the New Year?"

"rogue……"

Ruan Mei blushed and spat, but her body leaned softly into Lu Chen's arms.

Sophia was more direct. She licked her red lips seductively and whispered in Lu Chen's ear, "I want to see if an Eastern man can really take on two opponents at once."

Who can bear this?

"Ah! Put me down!"

"Hehe, Amei, you're so cute!"

"Bang!"

The door closed, shutting out all the noise and once again blocking out the curious gazes of the two dogs.

This night was destined to be absurd and insane.

From the passionate exuberance of Italy to the gentle tenderness of China, Lu Chen proved with his actions what it means to be impartial and what it means to be a true gentleman.

……

It was 11:53 p.m.

The rain had just stopped, and the three of them, still in their pajamas, went up to the second-floor terrace.

The cold wind blew by, but it couldn't dispel the warmth emanating from the three of them.

Lu Chen stood in the middle, his left arm around Ruan Mei and his right arm around Sophia. The two dogs also ran up and obediently lay down at their feet.

"Thump—!"

The first chimes of the new year rang out from the distant clock tower.

Followed by.

"Whoosh—Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Countless dazzling fireworks soared into the sky above Victoria Harbour, exploding in the dark night and illuminating the entire Hong Kong Island in vibrant colors.

Red, green, gold... every burst of fireworks was accompanied by cheers from afar.

Wow! So beautiful!

Wrapped in a blanket, Ruan Mei nestled to Lu Chen's left, watching the fireworks with awe.

Sofia leaned against Lu Chen's right, holding a glass of champagne, her eyes glazed over.

"Happy New Year."

Lu Chen lowered his head and kissed Ruan Mei and Sophia on the forehead. "1982 will be a better year."

"Happy New Year, Chen." Ruan Mei hugged his waist tightly, her eyes reflecting the light of fireworks.

"Happy New Year, My King." Sofia leaned on his shoulder, her face full of happiness.

Looking at the fireworks filling the sky, Lu Chen's eyes were deep and bright.

Eight years have passed.

In that year, he founded Golden Harvest, established a "distillery," made inroads into Japan, acquired a television station, and gained a lover and brothers.

And the year 1982 is just around the corner...

That will be an even more magnificent era.

The Iron Lady visits mainland China, negotiations between the two countries begin, the Hong Kong dollar crisis erupts, and the real estate market collapses...

Numerous crises also mean numerous opportunities.

"Happy New Year."

Lu Chen looked at the night sky and murmured to himself.

On this magnificent night, the giant ship of the Jiahe Empire officially sailed into the deep blue sea of ​​1982.