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

The night was deep in Happy Valley.

This is one of Hong Kong Island's most prestigious residential areas. The massive racecourse lies dormant under the night sky, like a lurking beast. Meanwhile, the high-end apartment buildings built into the surrounding hillside remain brightly lit, as if countless eyes are watching this city that never sleeps.

Inside a penthouse duplex apartment nestled halfway up the mountain, the air is filled with the lingering warmth of a beautiful night, mixed with a faint musky scent and a uniquely feminine fragrance.

In front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, Lu Chen leaned against the headboard, his toned muscles faintly visible under the dim wall lamp.

The girl lay sprawled on his chest like a lazy Persian cat. Her long hair, which had been tied up, was now loosely draped over her shoulders, cascading down like a black waterfall. Her usually sharp and fearsome face, which struck fear into the hearts of countless criminals, was now flushed with a hazy blush, and her eyes held a lingering moisture. Where was the semblance of an elite police officer?

"call……"

Lu Chen reached out to touch the cigarette pack on the bedside table.

A slender, fair hand was a step ahead of him. With a "click," a golden DuPont lighter, igniting a burst of blue flame, was tenderly brought to his lips.

Lu Chen lowered his head, lit a cigarette, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. Pale blue smoke rose and swirled between the two, making the ambiguous night even more hazy.

"Ah Chen."

Yako stretched out her slender fingers and gently traced circles on the longest scar on his chest. Her voice was hoarse and languid, carrying a hint of post-mortem languor: "You just said someone was trying to get you, even going so far as to use undercover police officers... Do you have any suspects in mind?"

Although she was physically and mentally exhausted, her eyes instantly regained some clarity when it came to serious matters.

Coming from a family of police officers and being an elite member of Interpol herself, she knew the police force's operational procedures all too well. For a police academy elite like Hu Huizhong, a Flying Tigers reserve officer, to go undercover in a commercial operation was definitely not a typical case; there must be a Chief Superintendent or even a higher-ranking foreigner pushing things along behind the scenes.

Lu Chen stared at the intricate crystal chandelier on the ceiling, his gaze becoming deep and cold amidst the smoke.

"Who else could it be but those sore losers?"

Lu Chen sneered, flicked his cigarette ash, and said with undisguised contempt, "The battle at Wharf Holdings a while ago was too fierce. I not only helped the shipping magnate Bao seize control of Wharf Holdings and made him the richest man in the world, but I also took the opportunity to short Hongkong Land's stock and took a big bite out of those British guys."

"Jardine Matheson has ruled Hong Kong for so many years, when has it ever suffered such a loss? Newman and his gang can't beat the Chinese conglomerates on the surface, so they'll definitely resort to dirty tricks behind the scenes..." Lu Chen exhaled a smoke ring, as if it were the soul of an enemy. "They want to investigate me simply to find some leverage. Smuggling, money laundering, involvement in organized crime, tax evasion... As long as they can pin a charge on me, they can use the judicial system to freeze my assets, ruin my reputation, and if they're really ruthless, send me straight to Stanley Prison."

Upon hearing this, the boy's previously dazed eyes instantly sharpened, replaced by a deep sense of disgust and anger.

"These foreigners are getting more and more despicable."

Although she served in the police force, her oath was to uphold the law, not to work for those foreigners. Besides, she had Chinese blood flowing through her veins. Moreover, she came from a prominent family and had been exposed to the dirty political deals at the top since childhood, so she was all too aware of them.

"Those guys in the Political Department (SB) are practically a bunch of legal thugs, capable of anything dirty in order to protect the interests of British capital."

The girl sat up in bed, the silken quilt slipping off, revealing a large expanse of her fair and delicate skin. But she seemed oblivious to the accidental exposure; her eyes flashed with a fierce, protective light, and she gripped Lu Chen's arm tightly with one hand.

"Don't worry, Ah Chen, leave this to me. Although Hu Huizhong's file is encrypted in the police system, my second uncle has connections in the security department, and I also have several former colleagues who are high-ranking officials in the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau. I'll find out who issued the undercover order. Whoever it is, anyone who dares to touch my man will regret it!"

Seeing her fierce and eager-to-avenge-him-revenge-like appearance, Lu Chen felt a warmth in his heart.

"No rush," Lu Chen reached out and put his arm around her smooth, rounded shoulder, pulling her back into his embrace. He gently soothed her back with his large hand. "Since they want to play, I'll play along. I haven't played this cat-and-mouse game in a long time."

A playful smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Perfect timing. I've been looking for someone to serve me tea and water. I've seen that tough girl; she's good-looking and skilled. I can have her as my secretary—making tea, running errands, fending off drinks, and even acting as a bodyguard in crucial moments. She's free, high-quality labor; might as well use her."

"You..."

Seeing his calm and composed demeanor, as if he had everything under control, Ya Zi felt relieved.

"You rascal!" Ya Zi playfully punched him, then looked at him with seductive eyes, her hand slowly sliding down his firm abs, her fingertips sending shivers down his spine. "You already have a new love, and you're still so nonchalant? If that tyrant is really prettier than me, would you stop coming to me?"

"How could that be?" Lu Chen grabbed her mischievous little hand, kissed it, and said, "She's meant to be used, you're meant to be cherished."

"Hmph, glib tongue..." The boy's voice trailed off, carrying a seductive allure. "Mr. Lu, that was the first half. Is halftime over now? How about... extra time?"

Lu Chen felt his vital points being grasped, and the blood in his body boiled again.

He rolled over and pinned the beauty beneath him, looking into her eyes filled with provocation and desire, and smiled wickedly: "When it comes to dealing with you, I never need to rest."

"what……"

Outside the window, the night was deep, and the moon shyly hid behind the clouds. Inside, another storm raged, and spring's beauty was boundless.

……

The next day, early in the morning.

Central, the headquarters of Golden Harvest.

Winter sunlight pierced through the thick clouds, bathing the skyscraper that symbolized power. Currently, the top ten floors of this office building have been entirely leased by the Golden Harvest Group.

With its business expanding at breakneck speed, Jiahe has become a money-devouring behemoth, with its number of employees skyrocketing, making the place rather crowded.

However, Lu Chen doesn't plan to buy land and build a building right now. He intends to wait six months, waiting for the Iron Lady to take her fall. At that time, Hong Kong Island property prices will plummet due to panic, and he will make his move then to build a brand new "Golden Harbour International Centre". At that time, it will become a new landmark of Hong Kong Island, a true commercial fortress belonging to Lu Chen, overlooking the entire Victoria Harbour.

At nine o'clock in the morning, Lu Chen stepped into the office on time.

As you push open the door, a delicate, perfectly balanced aroma of tea wafts out.

"Good morning, Mr. Lu. This is your favorite Da Hong Pao tea, and the water temperature is just right at eighty degrees Celsius."

Hu Huizhong had already changed into a more tailored black business suit that accentuated her figure. Holding an exquisite bone china teacup, she stood beside her desk. Her face wore an impeccable professional smile, and her makeup was exquisite. If one didn't know her background, anyone would think she was a highly experienced and top-notch secretary.

"morning."

Lu Chen took the teacup and sipped it. The taste was indeed quite good, with a sweet aftertaste. It seemed that this "tough girl" had really put in a lot of effort to go undercover, even receiving intensive training in tea ceremony.

He walked to the executive chair and sat down, not rushing to praise him, but casually pointing to the mountain of documents piled up beside him:

"File these old documents that don't require signatures, categorizing them by date and importance. Also, notify the cleaning department that I need to change the carpet color in my office; the current gray is too depressing, so I want to change it to dark blue. Go and oversee the selection of samples. And, for lunch, I want roast goose rice from Yung Kee, the left leg, with an extra spoonful of braising sauce. Go and queue up to buy it."

Hu Huizhong's smile froze for a moment.

Filing hundreds of documents? Replacing the carpet? And having to wait in a long line to buy a boxed lunch?

I'm top of the police academy! I'm an elite member of the police force! Not your nanny or maid!

Even though she had a million thoughts swirling in her mind, and wished she could smash the tray in her hand onto Lu Chen's handsome face.

But reason told her that the mission had only just begun and she absolutely could not be exposed.

So she took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger in her heart, but on the surface she had to maintain a respectful smile, and even pretend to be very happy: "Okay, Chairman Lu, I'll take care of it right away."

Watching her trembling back as she turned to leave, her heavy footsteps echoing in her high heels, a hint of mockery flashed in Lu Chen's eyes.

This is just the beginning! The real show is yet to come.

……

As evening fell, another village appeared.

The black Rolls-Royce slowly drove into the villa mansion surrounded by green trees.

"Woof! Woof woof!"

Before the car had even come to a complete stop, Coke and Sprite darted out from the garden. The two puppies were now well-fed and shiny, a size larger than when they first arrived, and stood majestically guarding the car door, their tails wagging like propellers.

Lu Chen got out of the car, smiled, squatted down, and rubbed the heads of the two dogs, which made them rub against him affectionately.

Stepping into the living room, warm lighting filled the room.

"Ah Chen is back!"

Wearing an apron and holding a spatula, Ruan Mei ran out with a look of surprise on her face.

"Why are you here so early today?" Ruan Mei took Lu Chen's suit jacket and naggarded like a little housekeeper, "I made some soup and was just about to call you to ask if you were coming home for dinner."

"They came back as soon as they smelled the fragrance."

Lu Chen smiled and put his arm around Ruan Mei's shoulder, kissing her smooth forehead. "It smells so good, is it fish maw chicken soup?"

"Your nose is so sensitive!" Ruan Mei smiled sweetly.

The three entered the restaurant. A huge crystal chandelier cast a soft glow, and the long dining table was laden with exquisite dishes. These weren't the creations of a five-star chef, but rather home-style dishes cooked by Ruan Mei herself, yet they possessed a warm and comforting flavor that couldn't be found elsewhere.

The atmosphere at the dinner table was harmonious.

But as his bedmate, Sophia still keenly sensed that Lu Chen's mood was different today.

"Darling, is something wrong at the company?"

Sophia put down her chopsticks. As the new head of the Lubbers family, Sophia's first thought was about the company.

Upon hearing this, Ruan Mei also became nervous, her hand stopping the act of ladling soup: "Is there a problem with the company's investment?"

Lu Chen felt a warmth in his heart as he looked at the two women's concerned eyes.

"Don't worry, everything in the business is under control."

Lu Chen took a sip of soup and said in a flat tone, "It's just that the company hired a new secretary today, and she's quite interesting."

"A secretary?" Sophia raised an eyebrow; a woman's intuition told her something unusual. "Beautiful?"

"She's beautiful, but she's a rose with thorns."

Lu Chen put down his spoon and, without hiding anything, briefly recounted Hu Huizhong's situation. Of course, he omitted the existence of the system, only saying that he had found out about it through other channels.

"What?! That woman is an undercover police officer?!"

Ruan Mei gasped, her chopsticks clattering onto the table. Her face turned deathly pale instantly. Although she had seen many grand scenes with Lu Chen, the thought of such an undercover plot, usually only seen in movies, happening right next to her still sent a chill down her spine.

"Those British bastards are shameless!"

Ruan Mei clenched her small fists in anger. "It's a legitimate business, why are they sending undercover agents to investigate us? This is bullying! Ah Chen, can we sue them?"

"Sue? Sue whom?" Sofia sneered. She had seen countless similar cases in the past six months and knew this all too well. "In Hong Kong, the laws are made by foreigners, and the top brass of the police force are also foreigners. Talking to them about the law is as ridiculous as trying to reason with a robber."

She turned to look at Lu Chen, her tone turning icy: "Chen, since she's an undercover agent, why keep her alive? Why don't you let me deal with her..."

As she spoke, she made a "throat-cutting" gesture at her neck, clearly having adapted well to her status as a European aristocrat, though she seemed somewhat misled by the logic of the Italian Mafia.

"Don't be like A-Yong, always shouting for war," Lu Chen said with a smile, pressing down on Sophia's hand to soothe her. "If you kill Hu Huizhong, they'll just send Li Huizhong and Wang Huizhong. Those people in the Political Department are like rats in the gutter; if you step on one, it will only attract more."

"What should we do then? We can't just let her keep an eye on you at the company, can we? What if she fabricates evidence to frame you..." "Frame you?"

Lu Chen leaned back in his chair, a confident and arrogant smile curving his lips, his eyes becoming as deep as the sea: "In this Jiahe Building, I can make her see whatever I want. I can make her hear whatever I want."

"And..." Lu Chen's fingers tapped lightly on the table, making a rhythmic sound, "Perfect timing, I'm currently planning a big project. I'm just worried about lacking suitable roles and a stage."

"A big plan?" Sophia and Ruan Mei exchanged a glance.

"That's right."

Lu Chen didn't elaborate, but the glint in his eyes was so intense that no one dared to look him in the eye. "Does Niu Bijian think he can suppress me with the political department and the police force? Since they want to play dirty tricks, then I'll prepare a big gift for them. A gift that will make them spit out everything they've eaten, with interest."

At this point, Lu Chen's aura suddenly changed. It was an aura of domineering confidence, as if he were strategizing and winning battles from afar.

"Alright, let's eat."

Lu Chen picked up a piece of roast goose leg and put it in Ruan Mei's bowl. The coldness on his face instantly disappeared, and he returned to being the gentle husband he always was: "Don't worry, I'm a wealthy tycoon now. Those foreigners have to consider the social impact, so at least they wouldn't dare to openly frame me. If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up. Your job now is to eat and drink as you please. Especially you, Ruan Mei, how did your accounting certificate exam go? If you don't pass, I won't let you work in the finance department."

"Hey! Don't underestimate people!"

Distracted by this, Ruan Mei's nervousness dissipated considerably. She pouted and said, "I've been studying every day! I'm sure I'll pass this time!"

"That's good." Lu Chen smiled and looked at Sophia. "Don't be so tense all the time. Take Coke and Sprite out for a run when you have time. I think you've been bored to death lately."

"I know, Darling's a chatterbox." Sophia rolled her eyes at him, but she couldn't hide the smile in her eyes.