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

What Lin Ying didn't know was that the value of being first in the grade was far more than just the 1,000 yuan tuition reduction.

Just two days ago, the moment the monthly exam results were tallied, a phone call was made from the principal's office at São Paulo.

Principal Liang Zhaowen, fifty years old, was always a rigid man. That day, he took the fourth-grade grade summary sheet sent by the Academic Affairs Office, looked at it over and over twice, and then picked up the black rotary phone on the table and dialed a number.

After the phone rang five or six times, a frail yet robust voice came from the other end: "Feed? Who's there?"

"Uncle Lin, this is me, Liang Zhaowen from St. Paul's Primary School."

A hearty laugh came from the other end of the phone: "Principal Liang? What a rare guest! What's wrong? Did that girl I shamelessly begged you for a transfer exam spot during the summer break get into trouble?"

"It's not that something happened, Uncle Lin, I came here specifically to congratulate you; it's that your Lin family in the New Territories is about to produce a great talent."

On the other end of the phone, Uncle Lin, sitting at the tea table, looked completely bewildered. "Who are you talking about? What kind of great talent is he?"

"Lin Ying," Principal Liang continued, "is nine years old. She had never attended school before, and she got in during the summer vacation by studying on her own. In the first monthly exam of the new semester, which covered four subjects out of a possible 400, she scored 398, unsurprisingly first in the entire grade! Do you know how much the second-place student scored? 380. She single-handedly created a gap of 18 points between herself and the second-place student." (The second-place student here refers to students from five different classes.)

Uncle Lin placed the teacup back on the table: "Tell me again, how many points?"

"Three hundred and ninety-eight." Principal Liang was in high spirits. "She got full marks in math, English, and general knowledge, only losing two points in Chinese. Uncle Lin, this is definitely not an ordinary child. I personally reviewed her papers; her thinking was clear, and her handwriting was steady. You can't find many nine-year-old girls in all of Hong Kong with this kind of composure."

Uncle Lin sat in the armchair and remained silent for a long time.

He is the patriarch of the entire Lam clan in the New Territories. After years of hard work in Hong Kong, his sons and nephews run seafood shops, building material stores, and manage several profitable minibus routes. They are considered a prominent and influential force in the local area.

He had seen countless clever children who had been nurtured by wealthy families with huge sums of money, as well as many mediocre people who were clever in their youth but whose potential was later hindered by their limited perspective.

He was willing to ask for a transfer opportunity to a prestigious school for Lin Ying on behalf of Lin Fu, simply because they were from the same clan and because it was the first time that the stubborn old man Lin Fu had ever asked for help.

But he never expected that this opportunity he had casually asked for would actually cause such a huge stir in the wealthy city of São Paulo!

Principal Liang continued on the other end of the phone, "Uncle Lin, let me speak frankly from the bottom of my heart. Your Lin family should support this child well, and don't let your limited vision or money block his path."

Uncle Lin's gaze was deep as he asked in a deep voice, "Just tell me directly, what other places behind the school require a lot of money?"

"Our school's extracurricular classes are about to start. The computer literacy class is the most expensive, but because she's the top student in the grade, it's only charged at 1,000 yuan according to the rules. However, for the math Olympiad class, the math teachers are already scrambling to get her, so it's free. As for the other classes like dance and swimming, they're just small change."

"One thousand..." Uncle Lin mentally went through the number. For a poor family, this was an enormous sum that would crush them; but for him, it was just a drop in the ocean.

"I understand." Uncle Lin straightened up. "Thank you, Principal Liang, for making this special call."

Principal Liang smiled and said, "I just value talent. Uncle, I was giving you face when you asked for this exam opportunity; now it seems that the face I gave you was well worth it."

"It's worth it," Uncle Lin replied. "It's worth it too!"

After hanging up the phone, Uncle Lin stood alone at the tea table for a long time.

While the Lin family branch in the New Territories may not be among the top-tier wealthy elites with billions in assets, they are certainly not short of money. There are plenty of children in the clan who lack nothing in terms of food and clothing, but not a single one possesses genuine academic talent! Let alone someone like Lin Ying, who started from scratch and managed to carve out a bloody path in a place like St. Paul's, where social class and resources are paramount, leaving those rich young masters and ladies utterly trampled underfoot!

It's like God has handed a golden ladder that allows them to transcend social classes right to the Lin family's doorstep!

Uncle Lin grabbed his cane, strode to the shop counter, and sternly ordered the clerk, "Prepare the car! We're going back to the New Territories village now, to Lin Fu's house!"

------

In the courtyard of an old house in the New Territories, the sunlight was a bit too bright.

Lin Fu, shirtless, sat on a small stool in the middle of the courtyard, holding a file and repairing a creaking old bamboo chair. Li Yuzhen sat in the shade under the eaves, picking vegetables.

Suddenly, the sound of a car engine came from outside, followed by the car door slamming shut. Li Yuzhen looked up, quickly put down the vegetable basket she was carrying, stood up, wiped her hands on her apron, and said, "Old man, Brother Lin is here!"

Lin Fu immediately put down the file and went out to greet him.

Uncle Lin was dressed in a light gray Tang suit, leaning on a mahogany cane, with a middle-aged man carrying a black briefcase following behind him.

"Third Brother, what brings you here today?" Lin Fu greeted him at the door.

"Let's go inside and talk," Uncle Lin said solemnly. "It's important business."

In the main room, Li Yuzhen served freshly brewed tea, but Uncle Lin didn't even touch it and went straight to the point.

"Just now, Principal Liang from St. Paul's called my shop personally. Your daughter, Ying, scored 398 out of 400 on her first monthly exam of the new semester. She's the top student in the entire fourth grade."

Li Yuzhen exclaimed excitedly, "Third Brother, really? Ah Ying got first place?"

"The principal made the call himself, how could it be fake?" Uncle Lin slammed his cane heavily on the blue brick floor. "The second place only got 380. In a place like St. Paul's, where everyone is rich, that's not something an ordinary kid could achieve! Your granddaughter has really brought honor to the Lin family!"

"Okay." Lin Fu hesitated for a long time before finally managing to utter only one word.

Uncle Lin knew him too well; he knew how much emotion was contained in that single word, "good."

"I'm not here today just to bring you good news," Uncle Lin said, raising his hand. The middle-aged man behind him immediately unzipped his briefcase, took out a thick, large red envelope, and pushed it directly to the center of the octagonal table.

Lin Fu frowned: "Third Brother, what are you doing?"

"This is 800 yuan in cash that the clan allocated to Aying."

Li Yuzhen was startled: "Eight hundred? That many?"

Lin Fu pushed the red envelope back an inch: "Third Brother, Dazhu and my family can afford Aying's tuition fees. We can't take money from the clan."

"If you can provide for her, that's your business! As the clan chief, it's the clan's business to support her! Lin Fu, you stubborn old man, don't argue with me!"

Uncle Lin pointed to the red envelope: "Principal Liang said it himself, this child is no ordinary person! The school's extracurricular classes are about to start, computer classes, math olympiad classes, swimming, dance... whatever those rich and powerful young masters and ladies learn, our Ah Ying can learn!"

"She wants to see the world that other people's daughters get to see! She wants to touch the foreign machines that other people's young masters get to touch! We can't let her feel inferior in front of those people just because we're a few hundred or a thousand dollars short!"

Li Yuzhen, listening nearby, had tears welling up in her eyes, murmuring, "Aying has to be strong herself..."

Lin Fu remained silent for a long time. Then, he slowly reached out his calloused hands and pressed the red envelope containing eight hundred yuan into his palm. He didn't refuse again, but stood up and bowed solemnly to Uncle Lin.

"Third Brother, I, Lin Fu, will remember this kindness on behalf of Ah Ying."

"Whether she remembers our kindness or not, we'll see after she finishes her studies." Uncle Lin's expression softened. "What the clan is giving us isn't charity, it's an investment. What you need to do is keep a close eye on the family; no one is allowed to hold this child back. Let her learn whatever she wants! If she needs more money, she can come to me anytime!"

Before leaving, Uncle Lin said, "This time, the Lin family is going to produce an extraordinary person."

------

It was the weekend. Lin Lanying took Lin Ying back to their old house in the New Territories.

After dinner, Lin Fu took out the red envelope containing eight hundred yuan and placed it in front of Lin Ying, then relayed his uncle's words verbatim.

Lin Lanying and He Dazhu's eyes reddened as they listened.

"Ah Ying," Lin Fu looked at her, "Take this money. The clan is only giving it to you because you earned it through your own hard work. Study hard in computer class and math olympiad. Have everything others have, and strive even harder for what others don't!"

"I understand, Grandpa." Lin Ying nodded solemnly.