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

After finishing the welcome dinner and returning home, it was almost ten o'clock. Lin Ying had just finished showering and dried her hair when she heard two soft knocks on the door.

"Ah-mei, are you asleep?" It was He Dazhu.

Lin Ying opened the door and saw Lao Dou standing there, holding a glass of water. "Not yet, come in and sit down."

He Dazhu walked in and saw several books spread out on her desk: "You just got back, and you're reading again?"

"I'm used to it." Lin Ying offered him her chair. "If you don't read in Cambridge, you feel like you're about to be chased down by your professors."

He Dazhu sat down: "Studying over there sounds even more tiring than when I used to move goods."

"You get paid for moving goods, but all you get for studying are exam papers." Lin Ying sat down on the edge of the bed. "Old Dou, did you need something?"

He Dazhu told his daughter directly, "When we went back to our hometown this time, some people there asked about you; not your grandparents' side, but people in the town who heard that you were studying outside, so they asked you what your plans were for the future. Some people even asked me to pass on a message, saying that if you're willing, you can go back to the mainland to develop your career later."

Lin Ying was somewhat surprised: "They're quick with their news."

"Your grandfather said, 'Don't underestimate small towns. Even if a hen lays one less egg, the whole neighbor knows.'" He Dazhu took a sip of water. "They asked very politely, and I didn't want to shut them down. So I wanted to ask you, what are your plans for the future?"

Lin Ying thought for a moment and said, "You can tell them that I plan to go to a university of science and technology for my postgraduate studies."

He Dazhu was taken aback: "University of Science and Technology?"

"Well, I haven't completely decided on my direction yet, but it will most likely lean towards communications and electronics; I will continue studying mathematics, but I don't plan to stay in school forever."

He Dazhu understood half of what he was saying, but not wanting to pretend he did, he simply asked, "Is it about making machines?"

"Pretty much," Lin Ying said. "Making machines that make money."

"That's good. Ah Ying, you're naturally smart, and you have your own plans."

He Dazhu's face brightened with joy. "Then I'll call them back tomorrow. They should be very happy that you're willing to come back for graduate school."

Lin Ying reminded him, "Don't make any promises. This is just a plan, not a guarantee."

The next morning, He Dazhu actually made the call; Lin Ying was sitting in the living room eating breakfast when she heard him repeatedly explaining "University of Science and Technology," "graduate student," and "communication" into the microphone. By the end, he himself was a little confused.

Lin Ying.........

The house was noisy and chaotic, and the holiday just passed by like that.

At the end of July, Professor Smith arrived in Hong Kong.

When Lin Ying received the call, she almost thought she had misheard. The professor on the other end of the line said that he was in the area for an academic exchange and would like to see her.

The meeting place was arranged to be a coffee shop in Central; Professor Smith was wearing a light-colored suit, his hair was still messy, and there was an old briefcase next to him, making him look like he had fled from war.

Lin Ying walked over and said, "Professor, welcome to Hong Kong."

When Smith saw her, he looked her up and down and said, "You look healthier than you did in Cambridge."

"Because there is normal food here."

Smith sat down, and the waiter brought the menu. He flipped through a couple of pages cautiously: "This is my first time here. Is there anything here that I won't regret ordering? You can order."

Lin Ying ordered milk tea and egg tarts for him.

Smith took a sip of milk tea, paused for a few seconds, and said, "The Cambridge canteen should send someone to learn from them."

"Professor, you've finally spoken a fair word."

Smith put down his cup and got to the point: "You handled the matter of leaving school very well. You left quickly, without giving those people a chance."

Lin Ying asked, "Did it escalate into a serious situation later?"

"Several individuals led the vandalism of the girls' dormitory and were caught; the evidence was clear, and the college, unable to withstand the pressure, expelled them."

"That's good."

"The school makes it sound very nice on the surface, but actually they're afraid of things escalating; however, the outcome is still acceptable. Starting next semester, there will be increased patrols on campus, and the mathematics department will also be keeping an eye on things."

"So, I'll go back as usual in October?"

"Okay." Smith took a piece of paper out of his briefcase. "And your grades."

Lin Ying took it and saw that it said "Grade 11" on it.

Cambridge uses a five-level system, with the highest being the first class. The second-highest is not bad, but it is not among the best.

Smith: "Lin Ying, did you do this on purpose?"

Lin Ying put the report card back on the table: "Yes, Professor."

Smith's face immediately darkened: "You admitted it so quickly?"

"I really don't want to eat that stuff in England for the rest of my life."

Smith glanced down at the egg tart, then at Lin Ying: "If you use the cafeteria as a basis for your life plan, I can't completely refute it; what do you really want to do in the future? Stop using the cafeteria as an excuse."

Lin Ying stopped smiling: "I'll be doing physical business, starting with communication-related products, like portable phones. I'm not very familiar with this industry yet."

Smith: "You want to switch from math to engineering?"

"It's not about switching, it's about using math to help me avoid some detours; finance can make money, but I can't live off buying and selling stocks. The numbers on my account look good, but factories, technology, and people are what I can actually hold onto."

Smith looked at her, his expression softening slightly: "OK, I understand your direction. I'll introduce you to a few tutors specializing in communication modules and electronic engineering. They may not be the most famous at Cambridge, but they're very practical."

"Thank you, Professor."

That afternoon, the two chatted for a long time; from courses to research directions, and even her investments in Hong Kong, Smith asked in great detail, but did not interfere with how she spent her money.

Before parting, the professor handed her her transcript: "Don't keep your grades too low next year; above average is fine, but don't let people think you're just coasting through."

"I see."

The holiday passed quickly; Lin Ying had dinner with her family, tutored Lin Qian, and occasionally went to Claire's office to check the accounts; the stocks in the US market fluctuated quite a bit, Sweetwater Company performed steadily, Trendy Shoes Company was like a grumpy child, Chip Technology was still being difficult, and Wojia Department Store did earn her some face back.

At the end of September, Lin Ying flew back to the UK.

Lin Ying dragged her suitcase back to her apartment, adjusted to the time difference for two days, and officially became a sophomore on October 1st.

Then she discovered that sophomore year wasn't about studying; it was about being chased by courses.

The course schedule was almost entirely electives, but every single one of them was formidable. As abstract algebra went deeper, analysis courses became even less lenient than in the first year; probability, topology, numerical methods—any one of these could silence Lucas on the spot.

During the first week of school, Lucas came to her with his class schedule, looking quite tragic: "Lynn, now I finally know what it means to freely choose your courses."

Lin Ying asked, "Where is freedom?"

"The freedom to choose how to die."

Joanne walked by carrying her book and nodded upon hearing this: "That's a very accurate summary."

Lin Ying wasn't much better off than them. She originally thought she could keep up the pace, but in the third week, she was completely overwhelmed by a functional analysis course, which made her question her life choices.

She had to go to Smith for extra lessons.

When Smith saw her, it was as if he had been waiting for this day: "It's finally here?"

"Professor, I admit that the pace of the second year is a bit too much."

Smith pushed a stack of documents towards her, "Here, take it, read it before you ask."

Lin Ying looked at the thickness of the book: "Professor, is this tutoring material or punishment?"

"The two are not in conflict."

Since then, Lin Ying's life has become busy again; she attends classes during the day, goes to the library in the afternoon, and has tutoring or homework in the evening. On weekends, she also studies materials related to communications. She has begun to slowly learn about circuits, signals, and basic hardware. Many things are not difficult to understand, but they are very trivial.

As a second-year math major, I have absolutely no time to play anymore; before, I could occasionally go to town for a meal, but now the first thing everyone asks when they meet is, "Have you done your homework?" and the second thing is, "Which question did you fail at?"

Lucas's love life has also entered a difficult phase. He asked Joanne out for coffee, and Joanne asked him if he had finished writing the proof. He said he hadn't, and Joanne told him to go back to the library first.

After hearing this, Lin Ying commented, "She loves you very much."

Lucas, in anguish, exclaimed: "You call this love?"

"Someone who doesn't love you will make you fail the exam."

Time flew by, and it was just before the Easter holiday in 1990.

Lin Ying's sophomore year was finally over; her grades had remained above average throughout the year, neither the best nor the worst. When Scott looked at her homework, he could still tell that she had held back, but this time he didn't scold her. He just wrote a sentence next to it: "Don't go too far."