Beijing-Hong Kong Rosemary

Chapter 1: Tools for Family Marriage

As evening fell and the sun dipped below the horizon, the last rays of light disappeared behind the clouds.

As dusk settles at the harbor, a luxury yacht slowly cruises on the sea. It is lavishly built, fully equipped, and luxuriously decorated, making it equivalent to a mobile five-star hotel.

On the third-floor deck, Shen Guining leaned against the railing, her long red dress swaying in the wind, her chestnut-brown curly hair cascading down her fair and smooth shoulders.

The cabin downstairs was bustling with activity, but she was the only one who had come here to daydream, letting the wind tousle her long hair.

Suddenly, a series of approaching footsteps sounded behind her, accompanied by a flippant male voice, "Miss Shen, so you're here. I've been looking for you."

Shen Guining turned around upon hearing the sound, tightening her grip on the railing.

Zhou Shilin stared into her eyes, as amazed as when they first met.

He had seen countless women and dated so many girlfriends that he couldn't count them on his fingers. He had seen all kinds of women, from innocent and glamorous to gentle and graceful. But the one in front of him was simply too beautiful, which is why he couldn't forget her.

Shen Guining has a pair of extremely charming peach blossom eyes, with slightly upturned corners and a slight reddish tinge around them. When she is not smiling, her eyes resemble blooming peach blossoms, giving her an innocent and pitiful look that would make anyone's heart flutter.

Out of politeness, the girl still asked, "What business does Young Master Zhou have with me?"

Her naturally light voice, gentle as water, slowly enters the ear.

This made Zhou Shilin think that with such a beautiful voice, he wondered how alluring the sounds it would make in bed would be.

He put aside his thoughts, walked closer to Shen Guining, and asked with a smile, "Why are you here alone? Aren't you going down to play together?"

The man's strong smell of alcohol and tobacco, mixed with an unknown perfume, filled my nostrils; I wondered which group of women he had just come from.

Shen Guining frowned, turned her head away and looked at the sea. "I just want to feel the wind by myself."

The rejection was obvious.

But Zhou Shilin pretended not to understand, saying, "It's so boring to be alone. I heard you like listening to the cello. There's a band playing downstairs. Why don't we go relax together?"

As he spoke, he reached out and put his hand on Shen Guining's shoulder.

An uncomfortable sensation of something foreign against his exposed skin caused Shen Guining to instinctively move aside, a flash of disgust in his eyes. His tone hardened as he said, "Young Master Zhou, please have some self-respect."

Zhou Shilin's hand missed its target, hovering in mid-air for two seconds before a smile returned to his lips. "We're getting engaged soon, isn't it only right that we cultivate our relationship beforehand?"

Shen Guining took a step back, turned to face him directly, and said, "I did not agree to this marriage."

“But President Shen has already agreed.” Zhou Shilin chuckled and kindly reminded her, “Miss Shen, you should know that now your Shen family is asking our Zhou family for help. I advise you to think it through.”

Shen Guining pursed her bloodless lips, her fingertips clenching tightly.

Zhou Shilin stopped there, not wanting to hurt the beauty's feelings, and comforted her again: "I have long admired Miss Shen. If you marry me, I will make you a glamorous Mrs. Zhou, with everything you could ever want."

The girl lowered her eyes and remained silent.

"Miss Shen, please think it over carefully. I'll be leaving now."

Zhou Shilin left after saying those words.

The footsteps faded into the distance. Shen Guining closed her eyes helplessly, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, and the harsh conversations echoed in her ears again.

Shen Honglin said earnestly, "Guining, you are also a member of the family. It is the Shen family that has allowed you to live a life of luxury for so many years. If the Shen family declines, what good will it do you?"

Madam Shen chimed in, "Young Master Zhou has been in love with you this week. He's handsome, and his circumstances are impeccable. Spend more time with him, and you'll fall for him."

She had tried to resist, "but I don't want to marry a playboy and see his news in Hong Kong media every day, becoming the subject of gossip." Tang Hui took her hand and patted it gently, softly comforting her: "Which man of this age doesn't like to have fun? It's perfectly normal to have a few ex-girlfriends. He will naturally settle down after marriage."

Shen Honglin had already made his decision and his attitude became even more firm. "You should be more sensible by now, Gui Ning. A marriage can solve the current problem. Besides, the Zhou family is one of the most prestigious families in Hong Kong. You won't be wronged if you marry into the family. This matter is settled."

A distant ship's horn snapped her out of her thoughts.

Shen Guining knew that the marriage between the Shen family and the Zhou family was a step up for the Shen family. The Shen family had been gradually declining in recent years and was no longer the same Shen family it was twenty years ago.

Once a leader in the automotive industry, the company has gradually lost its market competitiveness in recent years due to internal management problems, resulting in a market value shrinkage of up to 30%.

The Zhou family has a wide range of businesses, including real estate, new energy, and artificial intelligence, so the Shen family naturally wants to rely on the Zhou family as a powerful ally.

In the face of family interests, what does sacrificing a marriage matter? And who cares about her feelings?

Shen Guining lost her parents at a young age and grew up with her maternal grandparents. The two elders were old and in poor health, and passed away one after the other when she was eight or nine years old. Since then, the Shen family has been managed by her maternal uncle, Shen Honglin. Although her uncle and aunt have not been particularly caring towards her over the years, they have not mistreated her either. She can be considered a pampered young lady who grew up without any worries about food or clothing.

But she didn't want to become a tool for a family marriage. She was only twenty-one years old. Did she really have to sacrifice her lifelong happiness?
Zhou Er Gongzi is notorious for his womanizing ways; he changes women like clothes, and everyone in Hong Kong knows about it. His romantic history is so rich that it could fill a book.

If I marry someone like that, how will I live the rest of my life?
The thought of all this made Shen Guining feel suffocated.

She stood there quietly for half an hour, until the wind made her head throb with pain, before she came to her senses, moved her stiff legs, and prepared to leave.

Just then, a loud roar came from above, forcing her to stop and look up.

A helicopter hovered over the yacht, landing smoothly on the helipad on the first deck.

Upon receiving the news, Zhou Shilin quickly led his men out to greet them, and the group stood neatly around the perimeter waiting.

The cabin door opened, and long legs encased in black suit trousers stepped out of the cabin. The figure was tall and upright, and the aura around him was calm and composed.

The assistant followed closely behind.

Because of the distance and the dim lighting, Shen Guining couldn't see the man's face clearly, but she could tell that he had an extraordinary presence and was definitely not an ordinary person.

A group of people, led by Zhou Shilin, stepped forward, bowed their heads, and greeted him with smiles.

Shen Guining was very curious about who this person was that made the Zhou family lower their stance and greet them so politely.
She was so engrossed in watching that the man, whether he noticed or not, looked up and glanced in her direction.

Their eyes met across the distance, and Shen Guining was startled. She then subconsciously lowered her eyes to look away, feeling inexplicably like she had been caught spying. After a while, she realized that it was impossible to see anything clearly from this distance.

Looking over again, I saw that tall figure gradually disappear from sight.

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P.S.: New book launch! It's great to see you all again. I hope you'll all support it. As usual, there are some words at the beginning, so please read them patiently.

1. The time and place in the book are all fictional, and there are many personal settings. Please do not take it too seriously. There are many novels where the female lead approaches the male lead with ulterior motives. Please do not be insensitive to one or two plots or fragments. Thank you.

2. The main characters are not perfect and each has their own flaws. You can criticize them, but please do not resort to insults.

3. As this is a Hong Kong-style story, there will inevitably be some Cantonese. The author is not a professional, so please kindly point out any errors, and everyone is welcome to help me find the bugs.

4. Reading is just for fun and entertainment. If you don't like it, don't force yourself to, but please don't give malicious ratings or criticize others. Mutual respect and understanding are appreciated.

5. I frequently polish and revise the text, so please refer to the official version for the best reading experience. As usual, I will post short skits in the group later.

(End of this chapter)