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

On December 21st, in a detached villa in Kowloon Tong, the curtains were drawn, and the living room was dimly lit, with only the floor lamp on the coffee table casting a warm, yellowish glow.

Li Tiangui sat on the sofa, his shirt wrinkled and collar open, his beard unshaven for days, and his eyes deeply sunken. The ashtray in front of him was piled high with cigarette butts, like a small grave mound.

Just a week ago, he was a prominent figure in Hong Kong's sand and gravel industry. Who would have thought that just a week later, his Fugui Building Materials would be on the verge of bankruptcy?

Chen Guohao sat opposite him, holding a stack of reports in his hands, his voice dry: "President Li... the sand quarry is completely paralyzed. The people from Xinhe Liansheng are sitting at the door every day, but they can't even pull out a single grain of sand."

"What about the penalty for breach of contract?"

"Henderson Land Development, Sunfa Properties, and three other large real estate companies have all sent lawyer's letters demanding compensation according to the contract," Chen Guohao flipped through a page of the accounts. "The accountant estimated that these few breach of contract penalties alone add up to more than 20 million Hong Kong dollars..."

"Hoo..." Li Tiangui let out a heavy sigh. "Are there any banks still willing to lend us money?"

"That's all. And East Asia Bank and Hang Lung Bank are sending out letters frantically demanding repayment," Chen Guohao paused, his voice even lower. "They said... they won't extend the 30 million loan due next month. Mr. Li, at this rate, we can only hold on for another half month at most before our company's cash flow completely dries up."

Li Tiangui pursed his lips and remained silent. He trembled as he brought the cigarette butt to his lips and took a deep drag. The smoke suddenly lit up with a crimson glow before gradually extinguishing.

In fact, Fugui Building Materials shouldn't have been so fragile. After all, they had been in the sand and gravel business for more than ten years and had a solid financial foundation. Even if they were investigated and blocked, they shouldn't have collapsed in just one month.

But his downfall was his own greed. He was always thinking of expanding his business from just sand and gravel to the downstream concrete industry. So last month, he spent a huge sum of money to buy a large cement plant.

His idea was brilliant: if he could acquire the factory, Fugui Building Materials could transform from a sand and gravel supplier into a building materials giant.

To this end, he not only drained all available cash flow from the company's accounts, but also took out a huge loan from the bank.

Who could have predicted that before the cement plant could even fill the hole left by the outstanding payments, the sand and gravel industry, on which it depended for survival, would collapse first?

It can truly be said that misfortunes never come singly, and a delayed boat is met with a headwind.

Li Tiangui stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, then took out another and lit it. The smoke rose slowly in the dimly lit living room, cut in half by the light from the floor lamp.

"About the bank," he said in a hoarse voice, "we need to ask someone to pull some strings and see if they can make an exception—"

Before the words were finished, the security lock on the villa's front door suddenly made a sharp, cracking sound, followed by a flurry of hurried footsteps rushing in from the entrance hall.

Li Tiangui and Chen Guohao looked up at the same time and saw Li Jiameng staggering in. He looked terrible, his coat was still on, his tie was askew, and he seemed to have lost his soul.

"Amon?" Li Tiangui frowned. "Why are you back?"

Since his son got into university, he rarely comes home, sometimes only once a month. He lives in the Aihua Court that was bought for him, and enjoys the nightlife in Lan Kwai Fong. Except when he's short of money, he never sets foot in this house.

"I..." Li Jiameng stood in the center of the living room, panting heavily. He glanced around the room, saw Chen Guohao there, opened his mouth, and then closed it again.

Seeing this, Li Tiangui waved to Chen Guohao: "Guohao, go back to the company first and try to ask the bank if we can get an extension. As long as we can create a time difference, everything will be fine."

"Understood, Mr. Li." Chen Guohao didn't dare to delay, picked up the account book and quickly left the living room, thoughtfully locking the door tightly behind him.

Only when the father and son were left in the living room did Li Jiameng walk to the coffee table, plop down on the sofa, grab the pot of cold tea on the coffee table, and take a big gulp.

"Dad!" Li Jiameng's voice trembled. "Dad! Something's happened!"

Li Tiangui's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately had a bad feeling.

"What's wrong?" He stubbed out his cigarette and sat up straight.

"I—I've been scammed!" Li Jiameng's lips trembled. "That person demanded a million from me, saying that if I didn't pay, they would report me for rape!"

"What?!" Li Tiangui's face turned pale instantly.

He stood up abruptly, his mind racing—one million, rape, call the police… He had been in business for decades and had seen all sorts of dirty tricks. He had heard of honey traps countless times, but he never imagined it would happen to his own son.

And it just so happens to be at this time.

The company is now on the verge of collapse, and the family's savings are about to be completely poured into the cement plant's huge hole. Their only son must not be allowed to suffer any more mishaps.

"Sit down properly! Catch your breath and speak slowly!" Li Tiangui said, suppressing his anger, pointing to the seat opposite him.

"I..." Li Jiameng's Adam's apple bobbed, and he took another sip of cold tea. The tea dripped down the corner of his mouth, but he didn't bother to wipe it away. He recounted his experiences from the night before last in a halting manner.

……

The night before last, Li Jiameng invited some friends to a bar in Tsim Sha Tsui for drinks.

He'd been in a great mood these past few days, as the financing negotiations for the "Hong Kong Island Online" portal were progressing smoothly. A representative from Citibank even offered a valuation that would make him laugh in his dreams—a whopping twelve million Hong Kong dollars! All things considered, that's practically a 1000% return!

The bar was bathed in a hazy, dreamlike light, and the bass music was deafening. Li Jiameng was bragging to his friend about making a big deal when he glanced over and saw a woman sitting at the bar.

Long hair, red dress, high heels, a pair of long, straight legs crossed, and a large section of fair and delicate skin exposed under the hem of the dress.

She sat there alone, a deep blue cocktail in front of her, her slender, delicate fingers slowly tracing circles along the rim of the glass.

Li Jiameng's eyes widened immediately.

This lecherous man was just like his father; he couldn't resist a pretty woman. So he straightened his hair and clothes, picked up a glass of wine, and sat down next to the woman: "Beautiful lady, all alone?"

Hearing someone strike up a conversation, the woman turned her head. Under the light, she had a delicate face, slightly upturned eyes, and a shallow dimple at the corner of her mouth when she smiled.

"Yes," she pursed her lips, her voice soft, "I'm waiting for someone."

"Who are you waiting for? Your boyfriend?"

"I don't have a boyfriend yet," the woman said, lowering her head, then raising her eyes again, her eyelashes casting a small shadow in the light. "What? Are you interested in this position?"

"Of course, after all, as the ancients said, 'A virtuous and graceful woman is the object of a gentleman's affections!'"

Li Jiameng was overjoyed and immediately signaled to the familiar bartender to bring two strong drinks.

Afterwards, the two chatted for a while, getting more and more animated. The woman said her surname was Su, and she worked as a buyer in a fashion store in Causeway Bay. She usually liked to come here to drink alone.

Li Jiameng boasted that he was the owner of a high-tech company, that his family monopolized the building materials business in Hong Kong, and that he was worth over 100 million. The woman in red listened with shining eyes, drinking one glass after another with him.

Finally, under the combined influence of alcohol and hormones, the atmosphere reached its peak, and Li Jiameng couldn't resist probing, "There's a five-star hotel just across the street, with an elegant environment. Would you like to go over and have a cup of tea?"

The woman hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly.

The two went to the hotel across the street, checked into a room, and then Li Jiameng hurriedly closed the door...

Li Jiameng was too ashamed to talk about the details of that night, but Li Tiangui, looking at his son's shifty eyes, had already guessed most of it.

In short, after it was all over, Li Jiameng lay on his back on the bed, panting heavily, his mind still savoring the sensations of what had just happened. The woman curled up beside him, resting her head on his shoulder, her fingers tracing circles on his chest.

"Will you... still contact me in the future?" she asked.

"Of course," Li Jiameng hugged her, "From now on, you'll be my girlfriend—"

"Bang!"

Suddenly, a loud crash interrupted their tender moment as the heavy wooden door of the suite was violently kicked open!

Li Jiameng was so frightened that she jumped out of bed. A man stood in the doorway—in his thirties, over six feet tall, with a buzz cut, wearing a black T-shirt, and a blue tattoo on his arm.

His face was ashen, and he was holding a camera in his hand.

"You bastard!" the man roared, furious. "You dare mess with my wife!"

Li Jiameng was stunned. He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

The man ignored his reaction, quickly raising his camera and snapping photos of the two people on the bed. Li Jiameng instinctively reached out to cover his face, but it was too late.

Then, the man quickly walked to the bedside, grabbed a used condom from the bedside table, and plucked a few strands of hair from Li Jia's head, putting them all into a plastic bag.

The movements were fluid and seamless, as if they had been rehearsed countless times.

"Who the hell are you?!" Li Jiameng finally realized what was happening, jumped off the bed, and tried to grab the camera. "Is she your wife? She just said she doesn't have a boyfriend—"

"My wife and I had a fight, and she ran out drinking. And you, fucking, were trying to take advantage of her?" The man stuffed the plastic bag into his coat pocket, waved the camera around, and said, "Photos, hair, condoms—everything's there. If you don't want these things ending up in the police station, we'll have a serious talk."

Li Jiameng's heart sank. He looked at the man, then at the woman curled up on the bed—the woman was huddled under the covers, covering her face, her shoulders trembling, crying as if it were real.

"How much...how much do you want?"

"One million!" The man held up two fingers, then withdrew one. "Cash or bank transfer is fine. If you get the money, I'll return all the photos and belongings to you, and we'll pretend this never happened. If you don't get them—these pieces of evidence will be enough to get you convicted of rape and sentenced to three to five years in prison."

"One million?!" Li Jiameng's voice shrilly. "Are you robbing me?!"

"Then you choose," the man shrugged, turned, and walked towards the door, "Call the police, or pay up?"

Li Jiameng stood naked in the room, his face flushing red and then turning pale, his mind a complete mess.

Although he was a playboy, he was by no means stupid. He could tell that there must be something fishy going on. What a coincidence! She had just finished making love to her husband, and he burst in right on cue.

But the man had overwhelming evidence in his hands: photos, a plastic bag containing a cap, and a strand of hair—like three knives hanging over his head.

He swallowed hard. "I...I don't have that much cash on hand..."

"Then let's sign this agreement first!" The man pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and threw it on the bed. "An IOU, to be paid off within a month. Once you sign, I'll give you half of the photo, and the other half after the balance is paid."

Li Jiameng picked up the note with trembling hands. He didn't even have time to read the details of the terms. His fingers were shaking, and he scribbled several times on the paper before finally signing his name.

The man put away the note with satisfaction and tossed one of the camera rolls of film to Li Jiameng: "Take this half of the film roll for now. Remember, you only have one month."

After saying that, he grabbed the woman in red who was still pretending to cry and strode out of the hotel suite.

The door closed behind him. Li Jiameng stood in the empty room, clutching the roll of film in his hand, his back covered in cold sweat.

Afterwards, the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt, and the more chills ran down his spine.

The man's actions were too practiced; taking photos, collecting evidence, threatening, signing an IOU—all done in one smooth motion, leaving no room for negotiation. This wasn't a husband who had caught his wife cheating; he was clearly a seasoned pro at this.

However, Li Jiameng was young and had no experience in dealing with such matters. He thought that his father was knowledgeable and had been involved in gangs when he was young. So, after struggling for a day, he drove back to Kowloon and chose to tell Li Tiangui everything.

……

"You signed it?" Li Tiangui's voice trembled as he heard this. "You fucking signed it?!"

"I have no choice, Dad!" Li Jiameng clutched her head, her voice trembling with tears. "That man has photos, hair, and a condom. What if he calls the police if I don't sign? It's rape, Dad! I'm still so young—"

Li Tiangui slammed his hand on the coffee table. The teacups bounced and spilled tea all over the table.

"You—!" He pointed at Li Jiameng's nose, his finger trembling violently. The words of cursing rolled around in his throat a few times, but he finally swallowed them down in despair.

He slumped back onto the sofa, closed his eyes, and his chest heaved violently.

After a long while, he opened his eyes and murmured, "It's not a coincidence."

"dad?"

"I'm telling you, this isn't a coincidence! My side was just targeted by both the underworld and the legitimate world, and now it's your turn," Li Tiangui's throat was dry. "This isn't a coincidence... someone is trying to kill my whole family, and none of us will escape."

Li Jiameng's face turned pale instantly: "Dad, you mean—someone's coming for our family?"

"Otherwise what?" Li Tiangui gave a bitter laugh. "You think that guy really just wants a million? All the evidence is there, he's more professional than the cops, he's obviously just waiting for an idiot like you!"

He paused, then suddenly remembered something, abruptly sat up straight, and stared intently at Li Jiameng: "Have you offended anyone you shouldn't have lately?"

"No, Dad!" Li Jiameng was so anxious that tears were almost in his eyes. "Don't you know me? Although I'm usually a bit high-profile, I've always been very careful, afraid of offending some low-key big shot..."

"And what about your business?" Li Tiangui interrupted him. "It's impossible to do business without making enemies. In your software company, are there any colleagues, partners, or competitors who have recently become your enemies?"

Li Jiameng frowned, thought for a long time, and then his eyes suddenly flashed: "Speaking of grudges... there really is one."

"Who?"

"It's the one I mentioned to you before," Li Jiameng swallowed, "I set a trap to rob that kid from his company. I invested a million to partner with him, and then used a method to dilute his shares and kick him out. That kid came to me, but I had the security guards throw him out."

"Have you checked his background?"

"I checked, I checked," Li Jiameng nodded quickly. "Dad, you can rest assured about what I do. I had someone investigate before I took action—that kid is the son of a hardware store owner in Kwun Tong. His family is ordinary, his parents are honest people, and there are no important figures among their relatives. He's just a poor scholar; it's impossible for him to know any big shots."

Li Tiangui didn't speak immediately. He stared at the tea-soaked spot on the coffee table for a long time.

"Not necessarily," he said slowly. "Some people's relationships are completely untraceable. On the surface, they may seem like an ordinary family, but behind the scenes, neither you nor I know who they know."

He looked up at Li Jiameng and said, "Send me that person's information. What's their surname, where they live, what's their family situation? Send me everything you can find out, and I'll investigate."

Li Jiameng opened his mouth: "Dad, you don't really suspect it's him, do you? That poor scholar—"

"Now is not the time to doubt anyone!" Li Tiangui interrupted him. "It's time to try anything, even if it seems hopeless."

Li Jiameng dared not speak again, and quickly ran to his car to take out his Longteng laptop, opened it and showed it to his father.

Li Tiangui looked down at the screen, and the first thing that caught his eye was a one-inch photo—a young man wearing glasses, with clean features, and looking somewhat reserved.

Ho Man, Department of Computer Science, Island University, is from Kwun Tong.

Li Tiangui stared at the photo for a long time. The living room fell silent, except for the midday news announcer on the television, who continued speaking tirelessly.

Outside the window, the December sky over Hong Kong Island was as dark as ink, with thick, dark clouds pressing down low, as if a cataclysmic storm was about to sweep across the city.