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

After dinner, Lin Qian followed Lin Ying to the balcony for some fresh air: "Sis, you said you wanted to take the driving test, so I have some advice for you."

"explain."

"I suggest you find a personal trainer. It's a bit expensive, but you can get certified quickly."

Lin Ying turned to look at him: "How much faster?"

"It takes eight months to get a license at a regular driving school, but three months with a private instructor. When I got my license last month, the guy in the next parking space was a private instructor, and he was driving on the road in three months. I endured eight whole months."

"How much?" Lin Ying asked directly.

"Private tutors charge around HK$8,000 to HK$9,000 including all lessons; regular driving schools charge around HK$4,000."

Without a second thought, Lin Ying said, "Give me the personal trainer's phone number tomorrow."

Lin Qian chuckled: "Big sister, you're really willing to spend money these days."

"Time is more valuable than money," Lin Ying said before going inside.

The next morning, Lin Ying called the personal trainer, surnamed Huang, who had been in the industry for over ten years. Upon hearing that Lin Ying wanted to get certified quickly, he immediately arranged an intensive course starting the following week.

After hanging up the phone, Lin Ying called the real estate agent who had helped her buy the house.

"Hello? Mr. Yao? I'm Lin Ying."

"Ms. Lin! It's been so long!" Mr. Yao's voice was particularly warm. "How can I help you?"

"I want to buy a villa," Lin Ying said bluntly. "My budget is under HK$40 million. It needs to be in a good location, quiet, and have a garden. Help me find one as soon as possible, and I'll go see it right away once I find a suitable one."

"Okay, okay, please wait a moment, I'll check right away!"

Less than an hour after hanging up, Mr. Yao called back.

"Ms. Lin, there's a villa in Fenglin Court on Austin Road in Victoria Peak!" Mr. Yao immediately began promoting it. "The interior living area is 300 square meters, the garden is 400 square meters, it has six bedrooms and five ensuite rooms, plus a separate maid's room! The owner renovated it in 1991, lived there for two years, then immigrated to Singapore and is now in a hurry to sell!"

"How much?"

"Thirty-five million Hong Kong dollars, negotiable."

"I'll go see it tomorrow morning," Lin Ying said and then hung up.

------

The next morning at 10 a.m., Lin Ying took Lin Lanying and He Dazhu to Taiping Mountain.

The car drove up the mountain road and made several turns before finally arriving at the entrance of Fenglin Pavilion.

Mr. Yao was already waiting there, holding the keys and a pile of documents.

"Good morning, Mrs. Lin, Mr. Lin, Miss Lin!" Mr. Yao smiled brightly. "Please follow me."

Pushing open the villa's front door, the first thing Lin Ying saw was the high-ceilinged living room.

The floor is paved with imported marble, crystal chandeliers hang on the walls, and the floor-to-ceiling windows offer a panoramic view of Victoria Harbour at night.

"The owner spent a lot of money renovating this house," Mr. Yao said enthusiastically. "All the furniture and appliances are imported, so you can move in right away without any problems."

Lin Lanying walked into the kitchen and looked around. The cabinets were made of solid wood, the countertop was made of quartz stone, and it was fully equipped with a double-door refrigerator, dishwasher, and oven.

"This kitchen is really nice," Lin Lanying nodded.

He Dazhu walked around the living room, then went to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked around: "This is a good spot, with a wide view."

Lin Ying went upstairs to check out the rooms herself. All six rooms had their own bathrooms, and the master bedroom also had a large walk-in closet.

The garden is also quite large, with several trees and a lawn.

Mr. Yao followed behind and said, "Ms. Lin, this house is truly a rare find. The owner is in a hurry to immigrate, so we can discuss the price further."

After looking around, Lin Ying turned to Lin Lanying and asked, "Mommy, what do you think?"

Lin Lanying hesitated, "The house is very nice, but..."

"What's wrong?"

"It's too far from the city center; if I want to go to the market to buy groceries, it will take half an hour just to go up and down the mountain, which is too troublesome." Lin Lanying didn't like living in such a remote place.

He Dazhu also said, "It is indeed a bit inconvenient, as the vegetable market and supermarket are far away."

Lin Ying thought about it and realized it was indeed a problem; her mother was used to going to the market to buy fresh vegetables every day, and although this hillside mansion was quiet, it was inconvenient for her.

"Mr. Yao," Lin Ying turned to the real estate agent, "I don't want this one."

Mr. Yao's smile froze for a moment: "Ms. Lin, the price is negotiable..."

"It's not about the price. What I need is a villa that's quiet in a busy area, not one that's right on a hilltop."

Mr. Yao was taken aback for a moment: "A villa that's quiet in the middle of the city? This..."

"I know it's not easy to find someone suitable; how about this, if you can help me find a suitable one, I'll give you an extra HK$50,000 service fee," Lin Ying offered.

Mr. Yao immediately perked up: "Ms. Lin, don't worry! I will definitely find it for you!"

"As soon as possible."

After coming down from Victoria Peak, Lin Ying went home and started making phone calls.

The first call I made was to Boss Peng: "Uncle Peng, it's me, Lin Ying."

"Ah Ying! It's been so long since we last talked!" Boss Peng sounded very happy. "How have you been lately?"

"I just returned from Beijing and am now looking to buy a villa. I'd like to ask if you have any suitable properties to recommend."

"A villa..." Boss Peng thought for a moment, "That really depends on luck. Many good villas in Hong Kong are not put up for sale; but I'll keep an eye out for you and let you know as soon as I have any news."

"Thank you, Uncle Peng."

After hanging up the phone, Lin Ying called Su Zhiming and Su Zhihao again.

Su Zhiming gave the same reply: "Aying, the luxury housing market is very closed. Many houses are traded privately. I'll ask around for you."

Su Zhihao was even more direct: "You want to buy a villa? What's your budget? If it's under 40 million, I know a few real estate bosses, I'll ask them for you."

Lin Ying sent Claire another fax; the fax was very simple: she needed to buy a villa in Hong Kong, with a budget of HK$40 million, and required a quiet location in a bustling area, so she asked for help in keeping an eye out for such properties.

Claire returned the call the following afternoon.

"Lynn, you're buying a villa? I thought you were going to continue your doctoral studies." Claire was somewhat surprised that Lin Ying hadn't continued her doctoral studies.

"I'm taking a break from studying for now; is there any progress on the housing issue?"

"I asked Benjamin, and he knows quite a few people in Hong Kong; however, the kind of quiet villa you're looking for is indeed hard to find."

Take your time, there's no rush.

Two days after hanging up, Benjamin called back.

"Lynn, I'm Benjamin." Benjamin spoke fluent Chinese. "I heard you're buying a villa?"

"Yes, do you have any suitable ones?"

"There is one, in Kadoorie Hill, Kowloon Tong; however, this house is a bit special."

"What's so special about it?"

"This villa belongs to the Kadoorie family and is usually only rented out, not sold! Claire and I have some business dealings with the Kadoorie family, and I asked around for you. They are willing to sell one to you."

Lin Ying knew the location of the house: "What are the conditions?"

"Only the one on the main road is for sale. The interior living area is 330 square meters, the garden is over 400 square meters, and there is a swimming pool. The price is HK$38 million, no bargaining."

Lin Ying did the math in her head. The price wasn't cheap, but the location in Kadoorie Hill, Kowloon Tong was indeed excellent; and normally you couldn't buy it even if you had the money.

When can I view the apartment?

"I'll go with you tomorrow at three o'clock in the afternoon."

The next afternoon, Lin Ying took Lin Lanying and He Dazhu to Kowloon Tong; Benjamin was already waiting there, with a middle-aged man in a suit standing next to him.

"Lynn, this is the Kadoorie family's butler, surnamed Leung," Benjamin introduced.

"Mr. Liang." Lin Ying reached out her hand.

Butler Liang smiled and shook hands with Lin Ying, then led them into the villa without saying anything more.

This villa is bigger than the one in Victoria Peak, but the decoration is a bit old-fashioned, it's from the 1960s or 70s.

He Dazhu walked around the garden, looking at the swimming pool: "Is this pool usable?"

"Of course," said Butler Liang. "All facilities are in normal working order."

After looking at the entire villa, Lin Ying turned to Benjamin and said, "This one is the one."

Benjamin laughed: "I knew you'd like it."