Soul Returns to Hong Kong: From Tailor Shop to Richest Woman

After that night, Aunt Deng Hui stayed in her hometown.

Li Yuzhen cleaned up the west wing room, which had been empty for years, laid out freshly washed bedding, and placed a bowl of calming soup that her grandmother had brewed herself on the windowsill.

"You can stay here and don't need to go anywhere." Li Yuzhen placed a pair of soft-soled cloth shoes at the foot of the bed. "Grandma will make you nourishing soup every day. You can go back home when your complexion has recovered."

My aunt sat on the edge of the bed, so thin that her shirt hung loosely, and nodded without saying a word.

The next morning, Lin Yaoying packed his things and prepared to take Lin Yue back to the city. He stood in the yard, carrying Lin Yue's small schoolbag in his hand. His face still bore the swollen marks from crying the night before, but his whole demeanor was completely different from yesterday.

Grandpa's words, in the end, supported his backbone.

"Yueyue, come and say goodbye to Mommy," Lin Yaoying called into the house.

Lin Yue ran out of the west wing, her little braids swinging back and forth. She hugged Deng Hui, who was sitting on a bamboo chair, and whispered, "Mommy, you rest well. I'll be good during the exam."

Deng Hui touched her daughter's face: "Okay. Come back and keep Mommy company after the exam."

Lin Yaoying waited at the door, and seeing this scene, her Adam's apple bobbed, and she turned her head away.

"Ah Ying," he called out towards the inner room.

Lin Ying was writing in the east wing when she heard the shout, so she put down her pen and came out.

Lin Yaoying looked at her niece, who seemed like a completely different person after regaining consciousness, then took out a folded red paper packet from her pocket and stuffed it into Lin Ying's hand.

"There's nothing your uncle can do to help you." His voice was a little hoarse. "Study hard on the exam, and if you pass, your uncle will treat you to a big meal."

Lin Ying held the thin red paper packet in her hand; the coins inside were clearly tactile. She didn't push it away, but nodded: "Thank you, Uncle."

Lin Yaoying led Lin Yue out of the courtyard gate. As their figures disappeared around the corner of the cement road, Lin Ying heard Lin Yue ask, "Old Dou, what kind of exam is Big Sister taking?"

"Get into a really good school." Lin Yaoying's voice drifted over from afar. "You have to work hard too, you know?"

------

The days that followed returned to calm.

Lin Ying continued her intensive study of traditional Chinese characters in the east wing, while her aunt Deng Hui recuperated in the west wing. The two occasionally met at the dinner table, and Deng Hui's complexion improved day by day, and she gradually became more talkative.

Every day, Li Yuzhen prepares a variety of soups and porridges, such as ginseng chicken, red date and longan soup, and pig's feet with ginger and vinegar. The dregs of medicinal herbs drying in the yard emit a strong medicinal smell when the wind blows.

Lin Ying didn't bother her aunt, and her aunt didn't bother her either. The two of them quietly recovered in the old house, one recuperating, the other sharpening her skills.

A week has passed.

That evening, Lin Fu returned from making a phone call at the village store, carrying two bottles of soy sauce. His face was expressionless as he stepped across the threshold, but Lin Ying glanced up from the doorway of the main room and knew that the old man was plotting something.

Grandpa.

"Hmm." Lin Fu placed the soy sauce on the stove, glanced back at her, and said, "Your mother said that your younger brother finished his final exams and ranked seventh in his class."

"Not bad," Lin Ying commented objectively.

"Your uncle's side, Yueyue has finished her exams too." Lin Fu pulled up a bamboo chair and sat down. "I just called and told them to come back this Sunday. Your parents will come back too."

Watching her grandfather's actions, Lin Ying asked, "Is there something you want to say?"

Lin Fu raised his eyelids and looked at her, saying, "Smart." Then he stood up and went to the kitchen to help Li Yuzhen start a fire.

------

Sunday morning at 10:30.

Two groups of people appeared one after the other on the cement road under the old banyan tree.

The first group consisted of Lin Lanying and He Dazhu, along with Lin Qian. Lin Qian immediately set off excitedly as soon as he got off the bus, running into the yard with his schoolbag to find Lin Ying. He Dazhu followed behind carrying two large bags, while Lin Lanying carried a bag of roast meat.

The second group consisted of Lin Yaoying and Lin Yue. Lin Yaoying wore a clean white polo shirt, and his hair was styled to a slick shine, regaining some of his former "Mong Kok's No. 1 Hairdresser" style. As soon as Lin Yue saw Lin Qian in the courtyard, she clung to him, and the two little ones chattered away as they ran towards the west wing to find Deng Hui.

Everyone has arrived.

Lin Fu stood in front of the eight-immortal table in the center of the main room and looked around.

Lin Lanying and He Dazhu sat on the bench on the left, while Lin Yaoying sat on the right. Deng Hui came out of the west wing, looking much better than last week, and sat quietly next to Lin Yaoying.

After finishing the last dish on the stove, Li Yuzhen wiped her hands and came in to sit down.

The three children, Lin Ying, Lin Qian, and Lin Yue, were seated on low stools against the wall.

Lin Qian was still whispering to Lin Yue when Lin Lanying glared at him, and he immediately shut up.

The main room fell silent.

Lin Fu didn't sit down, he just stood. "I called you all back today because there's something I need to talk to you about."

"Lan Ying, you know about what happened last week." Lin Fu looked at his daughter.

Lin Lanying nodded. When she called back last week, Li Yuzhen had already told her about her younger brother's wife's miscarriage, and she sighed several times on the phone.

"Yaoying will only have Yueyue as his daughter from now on." Lin Fu said this while glancing at Lin Yue. The little girl sat on a low stool, her legs dangling in the air. She didn't quite understand what the adults were talking about, but sensing the heavy atmosphere, she swallowed her words.

"I, Lin Fu, have only had two children in my life. One is a girl, and the other is a boy. The girl married into the family, and the boy couldn't have a son. According to what people outside say, our Lin family is 'extinct'."

When the word "absolute" was mentioned, Lin Yaoying lowered his head.

"But I already told Yaoying last week," Lin Fu tapped the table. "Absolutely ridiculous!"

"From today onwards, I will make our family rules clear to everyone." Lin Fu's voice grew louder and louder.

"Raise a girl as a boy."

Lin Ying and Lin Yue both looked up at their grandfather.

Lin Fu's gaze first fell on Lin Yue. He took two steps over and squatted down in front of his granddaughter.

"Yueyue".

"Grandpa," Lin Yue replied obediently.

"Listen carefully." Lin Fu reached out and touched her pigtails, lowering his voice slightly, "From now on, your parents will only have you as their daughter. There will be no more younger brothers or sisters."

Lin Yue tilted her head and looked at her grandfather, seemingly understanding but not quite.

"But..." Lin Fu looked into her eyes, "Your surname is Lin, you are a member of the Lin family. Grandpa doesn't care if you're a boy or a girl, Grandpa only cares about whether you live up to expectations."

"Ignore those gossipy people outside who say things like 'Your family line is over' or 'It's so pitiful not to have a son.' But you have to stand tall and work even harder than those who have brothers backing them up."

"Did you understand?"

Lin Yue nodded vigorously. Although she might not have fully understood everything, she could feel the seriousness and expectation in her grandfather's eyes.

"Okay." Lin Fu stood up and turned to face Lin Lanying and Lin Yaoying. "What I'm about to say is for you two adults."

"The three kids are Lin Ying, Lin Qian, and Lin Yue." Lin Fu pointed to them one by one. "I don't favor any of them, but I'm a man who believes in telling the truth."

He pointed to Lin Ying, who was sitting quietly in the corner.

"Ah Ying is a natural at studying. I've watched her for the past month, and her mind is extraordinary."

Lin Fu's gaze swept over Lin Lanying and He Dazhu: "You both know that getting into that prestigious private school is just the first step. There are private middle schools, private high schools, and even studying abroad at university—those are all paths paved with money."

He Dazhu opened his mouth as if to say something, but Lin Lanying pressed his hand down.

"So I'm making this clear from the start," Lin Fu said, his voice leaving no room for negotiation. "In the next few years, the family's money will definitely be allocated to Aying's education. It's not about favoritism; this child deserves our investment. Investing in the right person is a blessing for the whole family."

He turned to Lin Yaoying: "I won't ask for any of the money you earn; you can save it to support Yueyue. But if Aying's tuition is insufficient in the future, I will cover it. If we don't have enough for her funeral expenses, we'll sell this house on the right to support her education."

"Father!" Lin Lanying stood up, "We can't sell the house..."

"Sit down." Lin Fu raised his hand, and Lin Lanying bit her lip and sat back down.

"I didn't say we should sell now, I was talking about the worst-case scenario," Lin Fu said in a deep voice. "You all focus on making money, and I'll hold onto this little bit of wealth and take it one step at a time. But today, I want to make it clear to everyone: Aying's education is the most important thing for the whole family."

After saying this, Lin Fu turned his gaze back to Lin Ying.

"Lin Ying".

"Yes." Lin Ying stood up.

"Your grandfather supported your education, so remember one thing," Lin Fu's voice deepened, "If you become successful in the future, never forget your roots."

Lin Ying looked into the old man's eyes.

"Your father married into the family and was looked down upon his whole life. Your mother worked in a tailor shop, using a sewing machine until her feet were calloused. Your uncle and his wife cut hair in Mong Kok until their hands cramped; your grandmother is over sixty and still feeds chickens and grows vegetables every day."

Lin Fu counted them one by one, each one a piece of evidence that everyone in the family was desperately trying to survive.

"They provide you with an education, not so that you can finish your studies, grow strong wings, fly away, and never look back."

"I understand," Lin Ying's voice was steady. "Grandpa, I'll remember."

Lin Fu stared at her for several seconds, and finally nodded heavily. "Okay."

He turned around and faced everyone one last time: "And Lan Ying and Yao Ying, listen up. You three are children, and I won't allow you to be spoiled. Studying is studying, and rules are rules. Don't think that just because A Ying is smart, you can let her do whatever she wants, and don't spoil Yue Yue into a useless person just because she doesn't have a younger brother."

"Lin Qian is the same." Lin Fu glanced at his eldest grandson, who was sitting upright and not daring to breathe loudly. "Boys who don't study should learn a trade, and learning a trade means enduring hardship. No one can raise a spendthrift under my nose, Lin Fu."

Lin Qian nodded frantically, not daring to move his eyes.

"Alright, that's all. Time to eat." With that, Grandpa went to the kitchen.

Li Yuzhen stood up with a sigh of relief and clapped her hands: "Dinner's ready! The chicken soup's getting cold! Go wash your hands!"

The family recovered from the heavy atmosphere and stood up to walk towards the kitchen. Lin Yue took Lin Qian's hand, and the two children ran off in a flash.

Lin Ying didn't move immediately; she stood still. He Dazhu walked over and gently patted Lin Ying's shoulder with his rough hand.

"Come on, let's eat," he whispered. "Old Dou remembers everything your grandfather said. Just focus on your exams."