Hong Kong variety show: The mastermind behind the scenes is emerging.

At six o'clock in the evening, the last rays of the setting sun shone on the streets of Youyicun, turning every paving stone a warm orange-red.

With a deep, steady engine sound, the luxury convoy that had just driven down from Victoria Peak slowly entered this quiet, upscale residential area.

Although Yau Yat Tsuen was already a wealthy area in Hong Kong at this time, the sight of five black Rolls-Royces Silver Spurs lined up one after another, swimming down the street like a school of black sharks, still drew the attention of the Filipino domestic helpers and security guards on the roadside.

The convoy came to a smooth stop in front of the Lu family villa.

"Oh my! This...this is Ah Chen back?"

Just as Lu Chen helped Ruan Mei out of the car, the iron gate of the villa next door opened.

A brand-new red Toyota Crown had just come to a stop when a slightly overweight middle-aged man, wearing black-rimmed glasses and a loose-fitting suit, stepped out, carrying a briefcase and looking quite surprised.

It was Lu Chen's old neighbor, and also the beloved Uncle Piao.

"Uncle Piao, are you off work?"

Lu Chen smiled and waved, signaling the bodyguards to step back, and then stepped forward to greet them.

"Yes, yes, we just finished the planning meeting for the evening news."

Uncle Piao adjusted his glasses, his gaze sweeping over the imposing row of Rolls-Royces behind Lu Chen, then at the several radiant beauties stepping out of the cars. He couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement: "Chen, isn't this a bit of an exaggeration? I've never seen you make such a big fuss before. Where are you going? Anyone who didn't know better would think the Governor of Hong Kong was on an inspection tour!"

Lu Chen smiled and casually offered Uncle Piao a cigar: "It's nothing. The estate I bought on Victoria Peak is finished. I have some free time today, so I'm taking Ah Mei and the others over to check it out and see if we need to buy anything else."

"Victoria Peak... Victoria Peak?!"

Uncle Piao's hand trembled, and the cigar he had just received almost fell to the ground.

His eyes widened, his mouth formed an "O," and his signature exaggerated expression instantly came to life: "You mean... the mountaintop mansion over there on the mountain road?!"

"Yes, No. 7, Peak Road." Lu Chen nodded calmly.

"My God..."

Uncle Piao took a deep breath, took off his glasses and wiped them, as if he wanted to re-examine his young neighbor.

As the news manager, Uncle Piao knew exactly what the words "Victoria Peak" meant.

In Hong Kong, the wealthy live in the Mid-Levels, and the even wealthier live in Repulse Bay. But only the truly elite can reside above the fog line at Victoria Peak! It's not just a symbol of wealth, but also a barrier of class! In the past, it was the domain of foreign firm magnates and British aristocrats; only a handful of Chinese could afford to live there!

Although he always knew that Lu Chen was very rich, the boss of Golden Harvest, and a business tycoon, Uncle Piao, as a neighbor who had known Lu Chen for several years, always felt that the difference between the two was simply the difference between a "super-rich" and a "small-time rich."

Until this moment.

Looking at this extraordinary young man in front of me, and then thinking of that manor that stands tall in the clouds.

Uncle Piu suddenly realized that this neighbor who used to invite him for tea had now truly stood at the top of Hong Kong and become a top tycoon who could look down on all living beings!

"Amazing! Absolutely amazing!" Uncle Piao gave a heartfelt thumbs-up, his eyes filled with emotion and pride. "Chen, you're the pride of us Chinese! Living on the mountaintop, you've got those foreigners in the back! It's so satisfying!"

"Uncle Piao, you flatter me. It's just a place to stay," Lu Chen said modestly.

"Oh! That's no compliment!" Uncle Piao slapped his thigh and said enthusiastically, "Today is a big day! It's been a long time since we've gotten together. Don't let the servants cook tonight, everyone come to my house! I have a few bottles of aged wine that someone gave me, which I've been reluctant to drink. Tonight, let's have a good drink together!"

Lu Chen glanced at Ruan Mei beside him.

Ruan Mei smiled gently: "Honey, go ahead. I haven't seen Aunt Piao and Lai Di in a long time."

"Okay!" Lu Chen readily agreed, "Then I'll have to trouble you."

……

At 7 p.m., Uncle Piao's restaurant, though not as luxurious as the Lu family manor, was filled with a warm and inviting atmosphere.

The table was laden with Aunt Piao's signature dishes, all cooked by herself: braised pork knuckle with black moss, steamed grouper, poached chicken... steaming hot and fragrant.

"Come on, Ah Chen, let's have a drink!" Uncle Piao, beaming, raised his glass. "Congratulations on taking over Victoria Peak! You're now the pride of Hong Kong!"

"Thank you, Uncle Piao." Lu Chen smiled, clinked glasses, and drank it all in one gulp.

The dinner table was extremely lively.

The eldest daughter and her younger brother were chatting with Ba Wanghua about the latest fashion trends; the younger daughter, Qiu Di, was pestering Ya Zi with questions; only the second daughter, Lai Di, seemed unusually quiet today.

Now eighteen years old, Lai Di is in the prime of her youth, and she has blossomed into a graceful young woman. She wears a pale yellow dress, has a head of fluffy hair, fair skin, and clear eyes, exuding a unique shyness and beauty characteristic of youth.

She sat in the corner, holding chopsticks in her hand, but her eyes never left Lu Chen.

That look contained so many complex emotions: admiration, love, loss, and a deep sense of anxiety.

"Brother Lu Chen..."

Finally, as everyone was chatting enthusiastically, Lai Di mustered up her courage and whispered, "So... after you move to Victoria Peak, will you... not come back here?"

Upon hearing this, the previously lively dining table instantly quieted down.

Aunt Piao paused in her chopsticks, looking at Ruan Mei with a hint of reluctance: "Yes, Mei. We've been neighbors for so long, and I'm really going to miss you all. It'll be hard to find someone to play cards with in the future."

Upon hearing this, Lai Di's fingers twisted tightly around the hem of her skirt, her heart leaping into her throat. She stared intently at Lu Chen's lips, afraid that he would utter the word "yes."

Lu Chen put down his wine glass, glanced at the somewhat nervous Lai Di, and then at Uncle Piao and Aunt Piao, who looked reluctant to part.

He smiled gently: "How could that be? This villa holds many wonderful memories for us."

Lu Chen looked around at everyone, his gaze softening: "Besides, Amei's grandmother is old and sentimental, used to the living environment and old neighbors here. Going to a place like the top of the mountain, although the scenery is beautiful, is sometimes damp, and the elderly may not be used to it."

"So, we decided to keep this house. Grandma usually lives here, and Amei and the others often come back to stay with her for a few days. Me too, whenever I'm not busy, I come back to mooch some drinks from Uncle Piao."

"Really?!" Lai Di's eyes lit up instantly, like dim stars suddenly ignited. She excitedly looked up, her voice rising an octave: "Brother Lu Chen, is it true? You'll come back?"

"Of course," Lu Chen looked into the girl's hopeful eyes and nodded earnestly, "This will always be our home."

"call……"

Lai Di let out a long sigh of relief, and a long-lost smile finally appeared on her face. In that smile, there was a sense of relief at something lost and found, and a hint of... a secret determination.

"That's good! That's good!" Uncle Piao laughed heartily, refilling Lu Chen's glass with wine. "I knew you were a sentimental person, Chen! Come on, let's drink to the fact that we'll always be neighbors!"

……

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

Uncle Piao was so happy today, and with the strong aftereffects of the old wine, he soon started slurring his words, insisting on telling Lu Chen about the glorious days of the past, and finally fell asleep on the table.

"Oh dear, this old man, he forgets his place after a few drinks."

Aunt Piao laughed and scolded as she told her eldest daughter and the maid to help Uncle Piao back to his room.

"Ah Chen, I'm so sorry, you must have found this amusing," Aunt Piao said apologetically, wiping her hands.

"It's alright, Uncle Piao is just a man of character," Lu Chen said with a smile as he stood up. "It's getting late, so we'll head back now. Aunt Piao, you should get some rest too."

"Okay, then I'll see you off..." Aunt Piao was about to untie her apron.

"Mom! You take care of Dad!" Lai Di, who had been waiting on the side, suddenly stepped forward, her face flushed, whether from drinking some fruit wine or from nervousness, it was hard to tell.

"I... I'll take Brother Lu Chen and his wives home! They're right next door anyway!"

Aunt Piao paused for a moment, looking at her daughter's anxious expression. As someone with experience, she seemed to understand something. She gave Lai Di a deep look, then glanced at Lu Chen, sighed, and then smiled, "Alright, Lai Di, go ahead then. Be careful on the road."

……

The summer night breeze carried a touch of coolness, rustling the leaves of the roadside trees.

The distance from Uncle Piao's house to Lu Chen's house is only a few dozen meters. But for Lai Di, who was following behind Lu Chen, this short distance felt like an eternity.

The women walked ahead, chatting and laughing.

Lu Chen deliberately slowed his pace, walking at the very back. Lai Di, on the other hand, kept her head down, stepping on Lu Chen's shadow as she moved forward step by step.

Finally, we arrived at the gate of the Lu family villa.

The servants had already opened the gate, and the light shone from the courtyard, casting long shadows of everyone.

"Um... Brother Lu Chen."

Just as Lu Chen was about to enter, Lai Di suddenly stopped.

She clasped her hands behind her back, her fingers intertwined tightly, biting her lower lip, her voice barely audible:

"I...I have something I want to tell you."

Ruan Mei, who was walking ahead, stopped.

She turned around and glanced at Lai Di, who was standing in the lamplight, her face flushed and her body trembling slightly.

As a woman, and especially as Lu Chen's bedmate, Ruan Mei was all too familiar with that look. It was the undisguised affection of a young girl in the throes of first love.

She glanced at Lu Chen and rolled her eyes in exasperation. This guy is such a ladies' man, he doesn't even spare the little girl next door.

Ruan Mei walked up to Lu Chen and, taking advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention, reached out and pinched Lu Chen's soft waist hard. Then she leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Don't go too far, he's only eighteen."

After saying that, she turned around and waved to the girls, "Sisters, let's go inside first. Let me see if Grandma is asleep."

The women understood immediately, and with knowing smiles, they filed in one after another.

The servants also tactfully retreated to a distance, leaving the entrance space to the two people.

The moonlight, like water, shone on Lai Di's pure face, full of collagen.

"What's wrong, Laidi?"

Lu Chen turned around and looked at the grown-up girl in front of him, his voice as gentle as a spring pond.

Lai Di raised her head and looked into Lu Chen's deep, star-like eyes.

At that moment, countless images flashed through her mind.

She remembered how Lu Chen not only saved their deposits at Hengfeng Bank but also helped Uncle Piao out of trouble; she remembered how, on the Fugui Maru cruise ship, facing vicious robbers, Lu Chen stepped forward and saved everyone; and his daily care for her family and concern for her... This wealthy, handsome, strong, and gentle neighbor had already filled every corner of her eighteen-year-old youth.

She knew that the gap between him and her was as vast as the distance from one village to the top of Victoria Peak.

She also knew that he already had many outstanding women around him.

but.

If I don't say anything today, and if he just moves away, then this unrequited love might really just remain buried in my heart, becoming a lifelong regret.

"Brother Lu Chen..." Lai Di took a deep breath, her eyes slightly red, "I don't want to just be your neighbor's sister."

The girl's voice trembled, carrying a desperate courage: "I know... I know you have many older sisters around you, they are all beautiful and capable. I... I'm stupid, and I don't know much."

"But...but..." Lai Di took a step forward, stood in front of Lu Chen, looked up, tears welling in her eyes: "But I love you! Ever since...ever since the day you saved my family...I've loved you!"

"I don't want you to leave... I don't want to only see you on TV from now on..."

After saying these words, Lai Di seemed to have exhausted all her strength. She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks. She didn't dare to look at Lu Chen's reaction; she was afraid of being rejected, afraid of hearing the words, "But I only see you as a sister."

however.

next second.

She felt as if she had fallen into a warm and generous embrace.

Lu Chen reached out and gently embraced the trembling girl. His hand tenderly stroked her hair, and the faint scent of soap emanating from her body filled his nostrils.

"Silly girl."

Lu Chen's voice rang out above her head, tinged with a hint of helplessness, but mostly with doting: "Am I that scary? Why are you crying like this?"

Lai Di suddenly opened her eyes, her body stiffened for a moment, then softened in his embrace. She reached out and tightly wrapped her arms around Lu Chen's waist, burying her face in his chest, greedily breathing in his scent.

"I don't want to treat you like a younger sister."

Lu Chen lowered his head, looking at the tear-streaked girl in his arms, his eyes deep:

"But... this path is difficult. Following me might not be as happy as you imagine. It's not just because I have many women, but more importantly, I have my ambitions, my battlefield, and even... my dangers."

"I'm not afraid!" Lai Di suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with a moving determination. "As long as I can be with you... even if it's as a concubine... even if it's just watching you from afar... I'm not afraid!"

"I just want...to let you know how I feel."

Looking into the girl's eyes, which were burning with flames, Lu Chen's heart stirred slightly.

In this world full of calculation and self-interest, this pure and unadulterated emotion is so precious.

"it is good."

Lu Chen said no more.

He lowered his head in the bright moonlight, beside the quiet street.

Gently, he kissed the girl's trembling lips, which were salty and wet with tears.

"Well……"

Lai Di's eyes widened suddenly, then slowly closed. Her hands gripped Lu Chen's clothes tightly, clumsily but passionately responding to the kiss she had longed for.

The wind stopped.

The moonlight also became gentler.

At this moment, the eighteen-year-old girl finally completed her transformation from unrequited love to possession under the moonlight.