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

Granny Wu leaned back in her rattan chair, looking exhausted. "Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Lin Ying, the path in your life is too bright. The brighter the path, the easier it is for things to be drawn to it."

"Master, please don't make it sound so scary." Lin Lanying's heart jumped into her throat.

"I'm not trying to scare you, I'm just telling you what I saw."

"Sorcerer, since there's no way to avoid it, what can I do?"

Looking at her, Granny Wu said, "Lin Ying, your life has been exceptionally smooth. After your soul returned to its place at the age of nine, your studies went smoothly, your money went smoothly, and you met helpful people. Even getting into Cambridge, a place that others struggle to cross, you managed to do."

Lin Lanying couldn't help but chime in, "Wasn't it a good thing that she was mentally challenged for nine years before things went smoothly?"

"There are plenty of mentally challenged people out there, but who gets a chance to come back to life? When things go too smoothly, there will inevitably be obstacles."

Granny Wu continued, "You don't need to scare yourself to death; just because she managed to avoid danger the first time and I couldn't see her the second time doesn't mean she can't get through it."

Lin Ying asked, "Then how can I best handle this?"

"You can trust your intuition; it's very sharp. If something feels off, don't go there. If you suspect someone is suspicious, stay away."

Lin Ying nodded: "I've got it."

Granny Wu waved her hand: "Go back."

Lin Lanying asked anxiously, "Master, is this all? Do you have any amulets? Is there anything I can carry with me?"

Granny Wu shook her head: "The amulet can't protect her from this kind of calamity. Giving it to you will only make you think that something is protecting you, and you will become careless."

Lin Lanying wanted to ask more questions, but Granny Wu closed her eyes and said, "Go back. I've answered all your questions. You don't need to come back again."

Lin Ying bowed respectfully to Granny Wu, saying, "Thank you, Granny Wu."

Granny Wu hummed in agreement.

The mother and daughter walked out of the old tenement building, and not far away, Lin Lanying stopped.

"Ah Ying."

"Um?"

"How about we don't go?" Lin Lanying looked at her daughter. "We won't go to England. You can study in Hong Kong just the same. Both the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong are eager to have you. If you want to make money, you can earn enough in Hong Kong."

"Mommy, I really want to go to Cambridge."

Tears streamed down Lin Lanying's face: "We might lose our lives, what's the point of going to Cambridge?"

"Because good things aren't so easy to take." Lin Ying reached out and wiped away the tears from her mother's eyes. "The sorceress also said that I managed to avoid it the first time. Just because I can't see it the second time doesn't mean there's no way out; if I stop here just because I can't see it, I'll regret it for the rest of my life."

The next morning, the Lin family returned to the New Territories.

The area under the big banyan tree at the village entrance was packed with people. Forty tables were to be set up for the graduation banquet, and the threshing ground had been under construction since morning, with the cooks busy at the makeshift stoves. Six roast pigs were covered with red paper, and rows of tables and chairs were arranged, drawing crowds of elderly villagers and children to watch the spectacle.

"Cambridge University."

"Our ancestral graves in Linjia Village are emitting auspicious smoke."

"Ah Ying is an amazing girl. I thought she wouldn't grow up to be big when she was little, but she's soaring high as soon as she wakes up."

Amidst the commotion, Lin Ying called out to people as she walked over. Lin Fu stood at the front door of the new house, wearing a new short-sleeved shirt, smiling with his hands behind his back.

"I'm back."

"Grandpa," Lin Ying called out.

After looking at the group, Lin Fu quickly noticed that his daughter's expression was off and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Dad, I have something to tell you later."

Lin Fu glanced at the people around him and didn't ask any further questions: "Let's go inside."

Upon entering the new house, Lin Lanying called Lin Fu, Lin Yaoying, and Uncle Lin into the study on the third floor. Lin Yaoying, who had been helping to set up the banquet downstairs, heard her elder sister calling her, hastily wiped her greasy hands, and ran upstairs.

"Third Uncle," Lin Lanying said, locking the door behind her, "Yesterday I took Ah Ying to Yau Ma Tei to see Granny Wu."

The room fell silent. People in the New Territories of Hong Kong have always believed in such things.

Uncle Lin sat up straight: "What did Granny Wu say?"

Lin Lanying recounted what the fortune teller had said the day before. Upon hearing the words "two life-threatening situations, unavoidable," Lin Yaoying became furious.

"Then why bother going to England?" Lin Yaoying exclaimed. "We'll have money and fame, and Hong Kong isn't without universities."

Uncle Lin didn't follow his lead: "Lanying, don't rush."

"Third Uncle, how can you not be anxious? That's A-Ying's fate."

"I know," Uncle Lin said, looking at Lin Lanying. "That's why you can't act rashly. There are forty tables of food outside today, and the whole village is here. If you go out like this, and someone asks, are you going to tell everyone in the village about it?"

Lin Lanying stood there, stunned.

Uncle Lin tapped the table: "This matter must not be known to anyone else. The more people know, the more rumors will circulate. And once the rumors spread, they won't be the original story. Some will say that Ah Ying is destined for a fatal disaster, others will say that she had an accident in England, and the Hong Kong newspapers will follow suit with all sorts of nasty things."

Lin Fu chimed in from the side, "Third Brother is right. Let's eat first and finish today's graduation banquet before we talk about anything else."

Lin Yaoying scratched his head: "And what about after we finish eating?"

"After you finish eating, clean up. Don't make a fuss so late at night. Tomorrow morning, I'll have Jianying, Jingying, and Jieying all come over. Let's close the door and go over all the risks we can think of in the UK, one by one."

Lin Ying stood silently to the side. After listening to everyone's words, she spoke up, "That's for the best."

The graduation banquet lasted from afternoon to evening.

A dozen or so light bulbs were strung up in the threshing ground, and the narrow paths of the village meandered around the table. The old people were drinking tea in the front row, while the young people helped serve the dishes.

Uncle Lin stood up and said, "Lin Ying's admission to Cambridge is a testament to her own hard work, and it's also a joyous occasion for our Lin Family Village. From now on, all the children in the village, whether boys or girls, must study hard. I'll say it again, names like 'Zhao Di,' 'Lai Di,' and 'Nian Di' are not allowed to appear in our village."

The crowd cheered, and Lin Fu, seated at the head table, raised his glass. Lin Lanying served tea and other refreshments at the banquet.

The villagers offered tea to Lin Ying one by one to congratulate her, and Lin Ying drank it cup by cup.

After the meal, the tables and chairs were cleaned up, the makeshift stove was extinguished, and it was late at night. The Lin family's new house fell silent.

The next morning, Uncle Lin arrived with his men.

Lin Jianying, Lin Jingying, and Lin Jieying all went inside. Lin Yaoying and Deng Hui were also there, while Lin Fu, Li Yuzhen, Lin Lanying, and He Dazhu sat on the side.

Uncle Lin glanced around the room and said, "What we're going to talk about today will be discussed right here in this room. Once we leave this room, no one is allowed to divulge a single word of it."

Everyone in the room nodded in agreement.

Lin Jieying took the paper and pen: "Since the sorceress said there is no way to avoid danger, let's go through it. What should we be careful about when we go to England?"

Lin Jianying said, "First, money. The fewer people who know you have money in your overseas account, the better. Once you're in the UK, don't let your classmates know about your financial situation, and don't guarantee loans or make investments for others."

Lin Jingying continued, "Secondly, fellow countrymen. Don't assume that just because we're Chinese, we're on good terms. Some people prey on their own kind. If they see you're young, a girl, rich, and academically successful, they'll easily try to take advantage of you."

Lin Yaoying interjected, "Yes, fellow countrymen are unreliable. I saw it back in England; some people would call each other 'compatriots,' but then they'd turn around and put newcomers in illegal labor camps."

Lin Fu tapped his cane: "Write it down."

Lin Ying held the pen and wrote on the paper: Do not lower your guard because of language or blood ties.

Uncle Lin looked at Lin Ying: "Third, don't trust the locals. The British are polite on the surface, but they're very arrogant at heart. If someone invites you to dinner, a party, or a gathering, don't go if you don't know their background."

"Just say you're busy studying," Lin Jieying added from the side. "That's the best excuse; it suits your identity."

Lin Ying replied, "Mm."

Lin Jianying added, "Fourth, for legitimate matters, use the connections of the university and professors. Keep records of accommodations, banks, visas, and insurance. Once you arrive in the UK, first contact Professor Smith and ask him to introduce you to a local lawyer."

Lin Jingying instructed: "Fifth, don't wander into unfamiliar streets alone, and don't walk around alone at night."

Lin Lanying felt a pang of panic: "Then is it still possible to go to England?"

"I can go." Lin Ying looked at the group of people at the table. "I will do everything you say. This trip to England is very important, and I can't stop halfway."

Lin Fu looked at Lin Ying: "Ying, Grandpa won't stop you. Remember, study slowly, earn money slowly, safety first, don't rush."

"I've got it."