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

The next morning, Matthew picked up Lin Ying, who had just adjusted to the time difference, and drove her to a quiet street in town.

The law firm was located on the second floor of a red brick building; they were received by a white female lawyer named Vanessa. She was probably in her thirties, with golden-brown hair pulled back.

"Lynn Lin?" Vanessa reached out her hand.

"Hello, Attorney Hart." Lin Ying grasped her hand; it felt cool yet firm.

Vanessa opened the folder on the table: "Matthew already explained your situation on the phone yesterday. You are a specially admitted student at Cambridge University, under the age of eighteen, a holder of a large overseas bank account, living alone, and in need of long-term legal protection services."

She looked up at Lin Ying and took out a standard contract: "According to my normal fee schedule, this all-inclusive annual contract costs nine hundred pounds a year; but for Professor Smith's sake, and because you are still a student, I'll give you a discounted price of eight hundred and fifty pounds."

Matthew remarked from the side, "Lynn, this woman hasn't had a discount in years. It's not easy to get fifty pounds out of her."

Vanessa retorted directly: "Fifty pounds is still money, Matthew; you wouldn't understand that kind of money-burning physics experiment."

Lin Ying wasn't bothered by the two interruptions. Instead, she pulled the contract in front of her and said, "Thank you, Attorney Hart. I accept the price; but I'd like to confirm the scope of services."

Over the next twenty minutes, Lin Ying reviewed the contract line by line; she asked three extremely crucial questions: regarding the emergency call in the middle of the night, the confidentiality boundaries during the UK Home Office's review, and the full authorization restrictions under the status of a minor.

After answering the last question, Vanessa remarked, "You're much more cautious than many adult clients I've met."

Lin Ying pulled out her pen and signed her name on the last page: "My family's only request of me is that I finish my studies while still alive."

Vanessa then put the signed contract into the safe: "Then we can cooperate very well, Ms. Lin; our goals are completely aligned."

After handing over all the materials—passport copy, address information, bank contact information, and emergency contacts (Professor Smith and Matthew)—Lin Ying felt that the weight on her heart regarding the impending doom had been slightly eased as she walked out the door.

"Are you feeling any more at ease now?" Matthew asked, opening the car door.

"Much better." Lin Ying got into the car.

Matthew nodded: "Keep that mindset."

------

On the morning of the third day, Lin Ying had just finished putting everything away in the apartment when the doorbell rang.

Matthew was still outside the door: "Come on, Father asked me to take you home."

"Now? To class?"

"No, let's go eat." Matthew glanced at his watch. "He called the whole family back today; believe me, it's a big event. Getting our whole family together is harder than solving a difficult problem."

Lin Ying changed into a decent knit sweater and trousers and followed Matthew on foot to Professor Smith's house; it was an old-fashioned English house with a back garden, not far from the mathematics department's teaching building.

As soon as the door was opened, a smooth and gentle piano melody could be heard coming from inside.

Professor Smith happened to walk in from the living room, saw Lin Ying, and immediately gave her an exaggerated British hug with a big laugh.

"Lynn! You're finally here!" He warmly pulled Lin Ying into the living room. "Today you must meet my family!"

Several people were sitting on the sofa in the living room.

The first person to stand up was a capable-looking middle-aged woman.

"This is my eldest daughter, Claire," Smith introduced. "She holds a leadership position at one of the top financial institutions in the UK. Her title sounds long, but essentially, she deals with massive numbers and a bunch of greedy people every day."

Claire extended her hand: "Claire Smith."

Lin Ying grasped his hand: "Lynn Lin."

Claire smiled and told Lin Ying, "I've seen your resume in the newspaper. You should be seventeen years old now, a math major from Hong Kong."

"I also feel very lucky," Lin Ying replied with a smile.

At this moment, another man wearing a striped shirt walked up with a smile, and Lin Ying recognized him at a glance.

"Mr. Benjamin," Lin Ying greeted him.

Benjamin laughed heartily: "Lynn, you know I spend most of my time working in Hong Kong, and your uncle, Su Zhiming, is one of my most capable colleagues;"

Smith snorted and pointed at his second son: "If it weren't for this Benjamin who doesn't do anything right in Hong Kong, I wouldn't have gone to Hong Kong to spend the winter, and I wouldn't have met you."

Benjamin spread his hands: "So you should thank me, Father."

"I'm grateful for the dim sum at that teahouse!" Smith stubbornly retorted.

At this moment, an elderly woman with slightly gray hair and a gentle demeanor walked out from the side hall; she gave off a very kind feeling.

"This is my wife, Elaine," Smith's tone softened. "She is an exceptionally good private piano teacher."

Elaine stepped forward and gently hugged Lynn: "Welcome, Lynn. Edward (Smith) has mentioned you so many times in his letters, I'm sick of hearing it."

"Hello, Mrs. Smith." Lin Ying asked curiously, "Why didn't you go to Hong Kong with the professor before?"

Elaine glanced at her husband helplessly: "I really want to eat the kind of dessert he mentioned."

Smith explained for his wife: "She has just too many classes! The entire London elite students who want to take her classes are booked until next year, and she simply doesn't have time; moreover, her students are much more difficult to deal with than my math students! Unlike my students who are smart and quick-witted."

Elaine chuckled: "But your students will call you in the middle of the night asking for the derivation process."

Matthew, leaning against the door, said, "Father, your favoritism is too obvious."

The atmosphere at dinner was exceptionally good. Elaine prepared a sumptuous roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, and rich mushroom soup, and even specially asked Benjamin to bring a box of Hong Kong dried plums to place on the table.

Halfway through the meal, the conversation naturally turned to Lin Ying's newly settled life. Smith was very pleased to learn that Lin Ying had readily paid the hefty apartment security fee and hired Vanessa as her private lawyer.

"It's good to learn how to protect yourself before learning math," Smith said, raising his glass of red wine.

However, Claire, sitting opposite Lin Ying, put down her silver knife and fork, picked up a napkin, gently wiped her mouth, and looked at Lin Ying.

"Lynn, I heard Benjamin mention that you're not only a student, but also someone who's made a fortune from screenplays. And if I'm not mistaken, you must have a very large sum of money in your overseas account during this trip to the UK, right?"