Rebirth of the Hong Kong Millennium Conglomerate

The night was as dark as ink, staining the streets and alleys of Hong Kong.

The dim streetlights cast flickering shadows on Ma Shimin's face through the car window.

He gripped the steering wheel slightly, still feeling the warmth of alcohol on his body. After his meeting with Zhang Zeyang that afternoon, he had gone to a bar for a few drinks.

The car slowly drove into the parking lot of the old residential building. Ma Shimin turned off the engine and sat quietly in the car for a moment.

The evening breeze drifted in through the half-lowered car window, carrying a slightly damp coolness that dissipated the smell of alcohol on him.

He raised his hand to straighten his slightly disheveled tie, and a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips. This smile contained a long-suppressed joy, as well as a hint of anticipation for the future.

I opened the car door, and my footsteps echoed in the empty parking lot.

He walked steadily toward the elevator, the metal doors slowly closing, carrying him toward home.

The floor numbers kept changing, and when they stopped on the eighteenth floor, Ma Shimin took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, walked to the all-too-familiar door, and pressed the doorbell.

"Ding-dong—"

The crisp sound of the doorbell rang in the quiet hallway, and about half a minute later, a series of light footsteps came from inside the door.

Immediately afterwards, the wooden door was gently pulled open, and a graceful figure appeared behind it.

It's Jennifer.

She was wearing a white dress that had faded slightly from washing, the lace trim on the hem long since lost its luster, revealing signs of wear and tear.

Her long hair was loosely tied back, revealing her smooth forehead. Her eyes and brows carried a gentle, domestic air, but there was a hint of weariness hidden in the corners of her eyes and brows.

"Honey, you're back." Jennifer's voice was soft, with just the right amount of laughter. Her gaze fell on Ma Shimin's face, showing a hint of surprise. "Why are you back so early today?"

Looking at his wife, Ma Shimin felt a slight warmth in his heart, followed by a touch of bitterness.

He knew that Jennifer knew perfectly well that she was now just an idle person at Jardine Matheson, doing nothing in the office every day, and that her so-called "late get off work hours" were just a self-deceiving facade.

But she never pointed it out, she just silently protected the family and gave him enough dignity.

Normally, he would stay in the office until very late before coming home, so as not to catch his wife's unspoken worry in her eyes.

But today, he couldn't contain his joy and just wanted to tell her the good news as soon as possible.

"Nothing much, so I came back early." Ma Shimin smiled, stepped into the house, and his gaze fell on Jennifer's white dress. He couldn't help but ask, "Madam, how long has it been since you changed into a new dress?"

Jennifer paused for a moment, then subconsciously looked down at her dress, smoothed out a wrinkle on the hem, and said softly, "I wash it every day, it's very clean."

Upon hearing this, Ma Shimin shook his head helplessly.

He knew, of course, that his wife loved cleanliness, but those words were not what he truly meant.

This dress was bought by the two of them in London years ago, so it's been quite a few years. Jennifer even wore it before they got married.

He knew all too well about his wife's past. Before marriage, Jennifer was a true heiress; her father was the chairman of a large company, she never had to worry about pocket money, her wardrobe was overflowing with dresses, and the latest styles of each season would appear on her dressing table on time.

Back then, she never lifted a finger, and every gesture she made exuded the elegance and composure of a lady from a prestigious family.

But after getting married, everything changed.

Married to Hong Kong, leaving behind her familiar homeland and family, Ma Shimin's salary became the family's only source of income.

This income, which is considered quite good by ordinary Hong Kong citizens, is almost completely depleted after deducting the high rent and the tuition, living expenses, and miscellaneous fees for three children, leaving them in a situation where they cannot make ends meet every month.

Jennifer had considered asking her parents for help, but each time she tried, she swallowed the words back.

She was proud and didn't want her family to see her current predicament, nor did she want others to think that she had married the wrong person.

Over time, the once extravagant young lady gradually learned to be frugal.

She goes shopping less and less often, and the clothes in her wardrobe are getting older and older. Like this white dress, she washes it again and again, but she can't bear to throw it away, let alone buy new clothes.

"I wasn't asking whether she washed it or not." Ma Shimin stepped forward, gently taking his wife's hand in his, the warmth of his palm conveying his tenderness. "I was asking, how long has it been since you bought any new clothes?"

Jennifer's hand trembled slightly, her eyelids drooped, and her long eyelashes cast a small shadow under her eyes.

She was silent for a moment, then said in a voice as soft as a breeze, "Darling, we don't have that kind of spare money."

She remembers clearly that the last time she bought new clothes was last Christmas.

That day, she gritted her teeth and bought herself a discounted dress, and also bought new clothes for each of her three children. From then on, she never bought any clothes for herself again.

Days passed by, and the mundane details of daily life had worn away her former spoiled nature, leaving only her concern and commitment to her family.

Looking at his wife's downcast eyes, Ma Shimin felt a pang of sadness, as if something had tugged at his heart.

Jennifer was a pampered heiress who should have been cherished. Countless eligible young men pursued her, but she chose to marry someone who had nothing.

Over the years, she followed him through thick and thin, from London to Hong Kong, without ever uttering a single complaint.

He released his grip and gently pulled his wife into his arms, his voice slightly hoarse: "Darling, have you ever regretted marrying me?"

"Never." Jennifer leaned against his chest, listening to his steady, powerful heartbeat, and shook her head without hesitation.

She raised her head, looked into her husband's eyes, her gaze firm, and said, "Marrying you is the luckiest thing that has ever happened to me."

However, she felt that Ma Shimin was somewhat different today.

In the past, when he returned, there was always a lingering melancholy between his brows, but today, his eyes shone with an unprecedented brightness.

Did you suffer some injustice at work? Or did you encounter some unpleasant thing outside?

Jennifer frowned, raised her hand to stroke her husband's cheek, and said with a hint of worry in her voice, "Honey, did something happen to you outside? If things aren't going well at work, don't keep it to yourself, tell me."

Looking at the genuine concern in his wife's eyes, Ma Shimin couldn't help but smile. He took her hand and led her to sit down on the narrow sofa in the living room.

The living room wasn't big, and the furniture was all old stuff that had been used for many years, but Jennifer kept it clean and tidy.

"It's not a bad thing, it's a fantastic thing." Ma Shimin kept his wife in suspense, deliberately lowering his voice as he looked at her puzzled expression. "Guess who I met today?"

Jennifer blinked and shook her head. Over the years, Ma Shimin had been frustrated in the company and rarely had any noteworthy meetings, let alone any "great news".

"I met a very interesting person today." Ma Shimin's tone was full of admiration, and his eyes shone brightly. "He took the initiative to find me. He said that I am the big bird that is temporarily locked in a cage."

"Big bird?" Jennifer was taken aback, not understanding what Ma Shiming meant by "big bird".

After Ma Shiming explained it to his wife, Jennifer immediately understood, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

She knew her husband all too well. Ma Shimin was no ordinary man; he possessed extraordinary courage and talent, but he was simply unappreciated and had not encountered a platform where he could spread his wings and soar.

Over the years, watching her husband repeatedly encounter setbacks in the business world, how could she not be anxious?

Now that someone has seen through her husband's talent and is extending an olive branch to him, how could she not be overjoyed?

"Does anyone really say that?" Jennifer's voice was filled with disbelief, and she unconsciously tightened her grip on her husband's hand.

Ma Shimin nodded emphatically, his smile growing even brighter, his tone filled with excitement: "Absolutely true! I've made my decision; I'm joining the Qian Gu Group!"

"Qian Gu Group?" Jennifer murmured the name repeatedly, then suddenly realized what it meant, looked up at Ma Shimin, her eyes filled with excitement.

At that moment, her eyes reddened slightly, tears welling up inside, but she held them back.

It's hard to say whether it's joy, relief, or simply that emotions that have been suppressed for too long have finally found an outlet.

Looking into the light in her husband's eyes, she knew that his chance had finally arrived.

Seeing his wife like this, Ma Shimin felt both heartache and joy. He reached out to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes and asked softly, "Madam, do you disagree with my changing jobs?"

"How could that be!" Jennifer shook her head quickly, her voice trembling slightly yet incredibly firm. "Darling, this is an opportunity for you to prove your talent, and I support you one hundred percent!"

As she spoke, she couldn't help but throw herself into Ma Shimin's arms and hug him tightly.

All the grievances and hardships of the past years vanished in that moment. She knew that her husband was finally about to soar to great heights.

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