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

Lin Qian spent his days off at Kadoorie Hill, lounging on the living room sofa and flipping through the toy factory's annual report that Lin Ying had casually placed on her desk.

After finishing reviewing the report, he slammed it on the coffee table: "Sis, you invested five million, and you're only getting 30% of the profits?"

Lin Ying was peeling an apple: "Yes."

"Are you crazy? You provided the five million, you handled the technical aspects, and you even drew the product design blueprints! You should at least take 60%! 30%? Are you doing this for charity?"

Lin Ying handed him the apple: "Eat it."

"I'm not eating! I'm settling accounts with you!"

"You can't outsmart me; this is just a startup experiment, and what I really want isn't that share of the profits."

Lin Qian looked puzzled.

"All patents for these products are in my personal name."

Lin Ying took a bite of her apple and continued, "Let me tell you, there are no professional barriers in this industry. Anyone can buy an injection molding machine, and a twist car mold can be made for tens of thousands of yuan. I dare say that within three years at most, the market will be full of imitations, and the price will be driven up."

"Then why are you still doing it?"

"Make quick money! While no one is doing it now, let's expand our distribution channels, build our brand, and grab all the profits; by the time counterfeit versions flood the market and prices plummet, I'll have already cashed out all my shares."

Lin Qian asked, even more puzzled, "Then what are you after?"

"What we're after is what we've built up along this line: the distribution channels in Europe, the agency network in the United States, the connections and trust in our family in Guangzhou, the experience in factory management, and the entire process of import and export trade; these things are much more valuable than dividends."

Lin Ying picked up a tissue from the table and wiped her hands. "You need to learn to see things from an investor's perspective; I don't lack money, what I lack is manpower, trust, and experience; your sister can't just be a toy."

After a moment of silence, Lin Qian nodded: "I understand. You're using the toy factory as practice, and also to build trust in the international market."

--------

Before we knew it, it was the Spring Festival of 1995.

On the morning of the 29th of the lunar year, the family packed their luggage at Kadoorie Hill and, as usual, rushed to the old house in the New Territories after Lin Qianyi took a holiday; He Dazhu specially bought two cases of good wine this year, saying that he wanted to show his respect to his grandfather; Lin Lanying was tidying up the New Year's goods in the back seat.

When they arrived in the village, Spring Festival couplets had already been pasted on the door of the old house; Li Yuzhen was busy in the kitchen, while Lin Fu was tidying up in the main room. When he saw them arrive, he greeted them, "Come in quickly, it's cold outside."

My uncle's family didn't arrive until the afternoon;

Lin Ying stood by the second-floor window; it was her brother-in-law Lin Yaoying's car. The car door opened, and Deng Hui got out first, followed by Lin Yue.

A man got out from the passenger seat. He was wearing a dark blue jacket and had a decent appearance.

He Dazhu saw it too, and turned to ask Lin Lanying, "Who is that man?"

Lin Lanying leaned closer to the window and glanced out: "I don't recognize her."

Lin Yue's voice came from downstairs: "Grandpa! Grandma! I'm home!"

Then came the second voice, speaking Mandarin with a slight northern accent: "Hello, Uncle. Hello, Grandma."

Lin Fu's voice came from the main room: "Yueyue, who is this?"

"Grandpa, this is my boyfriend, Zhang Yiming, my college classmate."

When Lin Ying came downstairs, the living room was already full of people. Zhang Yiming was standing next to the coffee table, carrying the two bags in his hands, unsure of where to put them.

When Lin Yue saw Lin Ying come down, she quickly pulled Zhang Yiming over: "Big sister, this is Yiming."

Zhang Yiming immediately extended his hand: "Hello, elder sister, it's an honor to meet you."

Lin Ying shook his hand and said, "Sit down, don't stand."

Lin Yue then introduced Zhang Yiming: He was in the same year as her, and after graduating from university, he taught mathematics at a middle school. His hometown is in the north, and his parents both work in Hong Kong. He has three siblings, and he is the second oldest.

"Would you like to come to our Lin family?" Lin Fu asked directly.

Zhang Yiming stood up again: "Yes, Uncle; my family has no objections. My parents said that as long as the two of us are happy, that's fine."

Lin Fu hummed in agreement and didn't ask any further questions.

Lin Yaoying didn't say much throughout the whole process. He had also investigated this person himself. He was a teacher, stable, willing to marry into the family, and didn't seem to have any ulterior motives.

After dinner, when Lin Ying was helping Li Yuzhen clear the dishes, Lin Lanying came over and whispered, "Yueyue's boyfriend seems alright, honest."

"Whether someone is honest or not, only time will tell."

"You said exactly the same thing as your grandfather."

------

On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, the whole family sat in the main room chatting and eating melon seeds; after Lin Fu finished his tea, he suddenly called out to Lin Ying.

"Ah Ying, come and sit down."

Lin Ying walked over and sat down on the chair next to her grandfather.

"Yueyue's settled, what about you?"

Lin Ying knew she couldn't avoid this hurdle: "Grandpa, my mind hasn't changed."

"I know you don't want to get married, and I won't force you; but when it comes to having children, it's best to do it while you're young. You're already twenty-four this year, and the risks for women who have children after thirty are high."

"Grandpa, I know. I will seriously consider it when I meet the right person."

Lin Fu snorted: "You said exactly the same thing last year."

"Because I haven't actually encountered it yet."

"You're at home all day reading reports and making phone calls, how could you possibly encounter that?"

Lin Ying was speechless.

Seeing that she was completely unyielding, Lin Fu said, "Alright, I won't rush you; but you need to be aware of your own limitations and not drag this out for too long."

Lin Ying agreed and quickly made an excuse to slip away.

She had just reached the second floor when Lin Qian rushed to Lin Yue's room door.

"Lin Yue!"

"What are you doing?" Lin Yue was helping Zhang Yiming pack his luggage.

Lin Qian pushed the door open and stood in the doorway with a resentful look on his face: "You found a partner, fine, but why did you have to bring her back?"

Lin Yue was baffled: "Isn't it normal to bring your boyfriend home to meet your elders during Chinese New Year?"

"It's normal, but don't choose the Lunar New Year! Look at the way Grandpa looked at me just now, first Yueyue, then my older sister, then me. I was sitting next to him on pins and needles, you know that!"

Lin Yue laughed and said, "What's there to be nervous about?"

"I'm three months older than you! You already have a boyfriend, and I'm still single. How can Grandpa not keep an eye on me? My parents can't bear to see my older sister nagging me every day!"

Lin Yue glanced at him sideways: "Brother Qian, I already gave you that apartment in Taikoo Shing. You live alone in a 2,000-square-foot mansion, and you still can't find one?"

Lin Qian choked.

"With your qualifications, if you were a young lawyer with a car and a house, countless women in Hong Kong would be lining up for you." Lin Yue packed her things. "The problem is that you don't take the initiative."

Lin Qian leaned against the door frame: "I earn nine thousand a month, the house belongs to my sister, not me, and I don't own a car; if I told people I have a luxury house, they would think I'm bragging."

"Then give me a raise."

"Promotions at law firms don't happen that quickly!"

Zhang Yiming wanted to say something but didn't want to interrupt, so he could only lower his head and pretend to tidy up his socks.

Lin Yue hung up the last piece of clothing: "What's your rush? Your older sister is two years older than you, and she's not in a hurry at all."

"My older sister doesn't need to rush; she's rich, capable, and has everything she needs. I'm different; I'm a poor lawyer. If I don't hurry, I won't even be able to get into the matchmaking market later."

Lin Yue: "You make it sound like you're the one suffering; you live in a 2,000-square-foot house, supported by your parents and older sister, how do you compare yourself to truly poor people?"

Lin Qian thought about it and agreed.

"Never mind." He turned and walked out. "Anyway, I'll definitely get a raise next year, and then I'll buy my own car without relying on anyone."

Lin Yue shouted from behind, "Go for it, Qian-ge! I'm waiting to drink your wedding wine!"

Lin Qian waved and left without turning his head.

Zhang Yiming whispered to Lin Yue, "Your cousin... has a rather interesting personality."

"He's my cousin, we grew up together." Lin Yue smiled. "He's a very nice guy, just a bit of a chatterbox."

"Then his sister is..."

"That's the eldest sister you just met, Lin Ying." Lin Yue sat down next to him. "Yiming, let me tell you, you don't need to be afraid of her, she's very easy to talk to; but you absolutely mustn't offend her; she makes the decisions in our family eighty percent of the time."