I practiced my spirituality alone in Hong Kong.

Su Chichuan's feelings toward Li Chang'an were complex.

He genuinely admired the young man; he was exceptionally intelligent and had a calm demeanor.

Whether it's about being a person or pursuing a career.

A person like Li Chang'an might not be able to be a flamboyant leader, but he can definitely make it to the end steadily.

Therefore, Su Chichuan was at ease whether he entrusted his only daughter to Li Chang'an or let him take over his family business.

If it weren't for that year's opportunistic attack.

That's how it should have been for both of them.

A year ago, the Li family's construction contracting business fell into operational difficulties.

As a friend of the Li family, instead of helping them overcome their difficulties, he became blinded by greed and took advantage of the situation to erode a large portion of the Li family's market share and partners.

A businessman's primary motivation is profit; he was true to his nature, but he failed the Li family.

Therefore, when Li Chang'an's parents died in a car accident, the three children lost both parents overnight and were burdened with debt.

This made Su Chichuan feel even more ashamed. He wanted to make amends, but Li Chang'an didn't need it and wouldn't forgive him.

However, hearing his wife say this to him now, it seemed that in his daughter's eyes, he, as a father, was not even half as important as that kid Li Chang'an.

A fire also rose in Su Chichuan's heart.

Is it as serious as you say?

She can have countless boyfriends. Xing Ning will find out when she gets into Hong Kong University. There are plenty of outstanding talents from Japan and Europe there, and they are all more promising than Li Chang'an, who didn't even get into university.

But Xingning only has me as her father! Can't she tell which is more important?

Liu Wanyi glanced at her husband, who was now on edge, and said calmly:

"Hard to say."

"..."

Su Chichuan adjusted his glasses, suppressing his anger.

"Hmph, I'm too lazy to argue with a woman like you about such a self-evident thing. Even if it's a huge deal, does Xing Ning really think she can disown me as her father...?"

I received news that Mr. Fu from the Fu family in Macau has arrived in Hong Kong.

The Fu family's plan to transfer a large amount of their family capital to Hong Kong is an absolute windfall.

"If we could establish a connection with Mr. Fu and secure even just one large project contract from the Fu family, the profit margin would likely exceed what we'd made in the previous ten years."

"I'll be busy organizing banquets for the next few days, so I won't be coming back."

"Come back or not, it's up to you. Don't go back to your bedroom tonight either." Liu Wanyi yawned, too lazy to pay him any attention.

"Hey, you—"

Before Su Chichuan could finish speaking, Liu Wanyi went up to the bedroom on the second floor and slammed the door shut.

He looked at the tightly closed door on the second floor and shouted:

"Honey, you really want me to sleep on the sofa? Hey! Did you hear me...?"

……

……

Sai Wan, Shek Tong Tsui.

After Li Chang'an escorted the squad leader home, he had just stepped into the house when a petite, dark figure angrily pounced on him.

He instinctively used a serpentine gait, twisting his waist to dodge.

But realizing that the other person was about to crash into the ground behind him, Li Chang'an raised his hand and caught the girl who had missed her target, lifting her gently into the air like a kitten.

Ruan Xiaotang was lifted into the air by Li Chang'an's hand. She puffed out her cheeks and looked at him with a somewhat aggrieved expression.

"You clearly said you were going to participate in a competition and would be back soon to go to the Hungry Ghost Festival with me! Why are you so late!"

Li Chang'an put Ruan Xiaotang down, knowing he was in the wrong, so he unusually refrained from teasing her and instead sincerely apologized.

"Some things happened along the way, which caused a delay. I apologize."

As he spoke, Li Chang'an took out a bag of roasted chestnuts he had bought from the night market, as well as a little duck drawn with maltose.

The word "duck" is a homophone for "suppress," and it has the meaning of suppressing evil spirits.

Many Hong Kong people are accustomed to eating a duck during the Ghost Festival, but Ruan Xiaotang doesn't like to eat duck, so Li Chang'an bought her a sugar duck instead.

Ruan Xiaotang rolled her eyes playfully, feeling a little happy, but she didn't want to forgive him so easily.

"Brother Chang'an, do you think I'm a child? Giving me some food is like trying to appease me."

Even so, her little hands still honestly accepted the roasted chestnuts, stuffing them one by one into her pink lips, forgetting that she should continue to be angry.

"Alright, I, Xiao Tang, am magnanimous and will forgive you."

Ruan Xiaotang ate roasted chestnuts, her little face puffed out like a hamster as she whimpered.

"Where's Changning? Why isn't he home?"

"Just ten minutes before you came back, two girls called home and Xiao Ning hurriedly ran out."

As Ruan Xiaotang spoke, she looked up with some confusion.

"And what's strange is that Xiao Ning's younger brother made an appointment with one of the girls to go out and play now, but made an appointment with the other girl to go out and play an hour later."

Why don't they just arrange to go out together?

Li Chang'an: "..."

He never expected that Li Changning would actually know how to manage time.

He's so young and already learning bad habits. I wonder who he learned them from. When that kid comes back, I'll see if I, as his older brother, will give him a good beating!

Li Chang'an coughed lightly and said to the naive Ruan Xiaotang:

"Forget it, let's ignore him. If he's not here, let's just go see the Hungry Ghost Festival together tonight."

"Uh-huh!"

Ruan Xiaotang nodded happily, because she didn't want Xiao Ning to disturb her shopping with Chang'an.

Before the two left, Ruan Xiaotang turned around and took out two pomelo peel lanterns.

The word "pomelo" is homophonous with "blessing," symbolizing peace and protection. Making pomelo peel lanterns is a custom among Hong Kong people during festivals such as the Ghost Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Chinese New Year.

"I just made this myself! Doesn't it look nice?"

Ruan Xiaotang handed the large pomelo peel lantern, carved with lotus flowers, to Li Chang'an, while she held the small pomelo peel lantern, carved with lotus flowers, in her own hand.

Looking at the skillful needlework and lifelike carvings on the lantern, Li Chang'an exposed Xiao Tang's deception without hesitation.

"This lantern was made by Aunt Shen, right? You only helped by peeling the pomelo."

Ruan Xiaotang blushed slightly, gave a soft snort, and stubbornly said:

"I made that myself... It takes a lot of care to eat it clean."

"..."

Li Chang'an finally acknowledged that Xiao Tang had made a huge contribution to the making of the pomelo peel lanterns, and the little girl happily followed him out the door.

The two arrived at the market outside Shek Tong Tsui. At this time, the streets were filled with plain-colored or white and yellow lanterns and long banners, and there was a faint smell of incense and paper ash.

In the distance, the sound of Cantonese opera gongs and drums could be heard.

Seeing that the pedestrians on the street were all gathering towards the sound of gongs and drums, Ruan Xiaotang excitedly tried to squeeze forward as well.

The next moment, she felt her small hands being enveloped in warmth.

"There are too many people, let's not get separated."

"I'm not a three-year-old child, how could I lose it so easily?"

Ruan Xiaotang muttered something under her breath, but looking at her little hand being held by Li Chang'an, she didn't pull away. She felt happy inside, even sweeter than the sugar-painted duck she had just eaten.

The two walked side by side through the crowd, and heard bursts of firecrackers coming from ahead.

Amidst the rising smoke, a solemn and grand procession of the Hungry Ghost Festival arrived.

At the very front of the procession were two black banners with white borders bearing the words "Hungry Ghost Festival" and "Salvation of Wandering Souls."

Following closely behind were a pair of pure white lions leading the way.

This is different from the bright and colorful lion dances that appear during festive occasions.

The lions used in the Ghost Festival or funerals are usually plain in color and their eyes are not painted.

The main attraction of the parade was a giant paper effigy, one or two stories tall, with a blue face, fangs, and a Guanyin statue on its head.

He is called the Great King, also known as the God of Universal Salvation. He is the main deity of the Hungry Ghost Festival in Hong Kong and is regarded by the people of Hong Kong as the incarnation of Guanyin Bodhisattva sent to save wandering souls.

On the Ghost Festival, the gates of hell open. To prevent ghosts from causing trouble and to ensure the safety of the neighborhood, a procession carrying a giant statue of the Great King will parade throughout Hong Kong.

Behind the Great King, a group of passersby followed, carrying pomelo lanterns and lotus lanterns.

This is the traditional scene of the Hong Kong Ghost Festival: "The procession of the Great Sage King leads the way, and the white lion dances drive away evil spirits."

Ruan Xiaotang looked up at the solemn face of the Great King and thought He looked very powerful.

But the Great King wouldn't move; she still preferred to see a lively lion dance.

Unfortunately, the lion dance was blocked by the human wall, so Ruan Xiaotang could only try her best to jump high if she wanted to see it.

She felt indignant, wondering why her mother was so tall and slender while she was so small and delicate.

Just then, a strong arm wrapped around Ruan Xiaotang's leg and lifted her up.

The girl looked down at Li Chang'an with surprise, then looked up at the surging crowd around her, a sense of pride rising within her.

"After Chang'an and I merged, only the Great Master King is slightly higher than us!"