Soul Returns to Hong Kong: From Tailor Shop to Richest Woman

The tea was freshly brewed in the hotel suite.

Lin Lanying had already entered combat mode; she looked Wen Xu up and down.

Lin Ying sat to the side, her head starting to ache as she watched her mother prepare to interrogate her. He Dazhu placed the box of snacks he had brought on the side of the coffee table, trying to smooth things over, but before he could even speak, Lin Qian had already started.

He took off his suit jacket and sat down opposite Wen Xu: "Mr. Wen, let me start with a basic question."

Wenxu looked at him and said, "Ask away."

Lin Qian cleared his throat: "Do you know how much money my sister has?"

Lin Ying said somewhat displeasedly, "Lin Qian."

Lin Qian immediately raised his hand: "Professional habit, professional habit! As a lawyer, I have a strong sense of risk."

He then looked at Wen Xu, "I'm not looking down on you, I'm just worried about putting too much pressure on you; with my sister's assets, most men would have trouble sleeping after hearing about them."

Wen Xu: "I don't know the exact number, and I haven't asked."

Lin Qian pressed further, "Aren't you curious?"

"I shouldn't ask even if I'm curious; my job is special and I don't make money on a salary, so my income isn't high and my savings aren't much."

Lin Lanying nudged Lin Qian: "Don't steer the conversation off-topic! Mr. Wen, you're only twenty-three this year?"

"Yes."

"You're two years younger than Aying, do you think that's appropriate?"

Wen Xu glanced at Lin Ying: "I think it's suitable."

Lin Lanying: "You think it's suitable now, but what about later? A man at twenty-three hasn't settled many things yet. You say you don't care now, but will you still think the same way when you're thirty or forty? Are you busy with work usually?"

Wen Xu: "Busy, but I'll make time."

He Dazhu whispered a reminder: "Talk is talk, but don't make it sound like you're interrogating a criminal."

Lin Lanying didn't stop there, continuing to press: "Mr. Wen, Aying isn't an ordinary girl. She's been sickly since childhood, but she recovered. She's carried the burden of education, earning money, and working in the factory on her own every step of the way. We love her, but we can't help her much most of the time. Of course, we're happy that she's willing to date now. But there are some things I must make clear: she won't get married."

Wen Xu nodded: "I know."

Lin Lanying continued, "It's not that I won't marry now, it's that I'll never marry; her money, her company, her children—all will bear the Lin surname. Do your parents know you're dating?"

Wen Xu: I don't know yet, I'll tell you when I get back.

"What if they object? After all, Ying isn't getting married; can your family accept the child taking Ying's surname, Lin?"

Wen Xu looked at Lin Lanying: "They may have opinions, but they are not living my life for me; their opposition is useless; I am responsible for my own affairs; I am content to accept my own children."

Wen Xu picked up his teacup, took a sip, and continued, "Aunt Lin, I've already discussed these things with Lin Ying; I can't speak for every day of the future, but I'm making decisions now, not just saying them casually."

He Dazhu, holding his teacup, relaxed a bit upon hearing this; he didn't see people as complicated, and what mattered was whether they could stand firm when faced with problems, no matter how eloquently they spoke.

Lin Lanying was still worried: "What about the child's education? Aying is busy with the company, and you're doing research and can't leave easily. We can't leave everything to the nanny. How will you two get along?"

Wen Xu: "We'll meet if we can, and if we can't, we'll contact each other by phone; she has her things to do, and I have mine. As for the child, we can make arrangements in advance. The child won't be born today, and many things can be decided gradually."

After listening, Lin Qian said, "Mr. Wen, your answer is quite good. I still have to ask, are you after my sister's money?"

Lin Ying slammed the teacup down, the bottom of the cup hitting the coffee table with a "thud," sending a chill down Lin Qian's spine.

Wen Xu looked at Lin Qian, his expression unchanged: "Her money is hers. I don't need her money, and I'm not capable of spending it all for her."

Lin Ying's face darkened: "Have you asked enough?"

Lin Lanying's expression changed: "Aying, I'm just worried you'll get taken advantage of."

"I know you're worried I'll get taken advantage of," Lin Ying said, standing up. "That's why I've been sitting here listening to your questions."

She looked at Lin Qian and said, "It's one thing for you to keep asking a bunch of nonsensical questions, but to ask him if he's after my money is going too far."

Lin Lanying hurriedly explained, "Aying, Qian didn't mean any harm, he just speaks too quickly."

"Mommy, I know he doesn't mean any harm; but not meaning harm doesn't mean he won't offend people! You're forcing him to express his opinion about his future self."

He Dazhu quickly stood up: "Little sister, don't be angry, your mommy is just worried."

Lin Ying softened her tone a bit, looking at He Dazhu and Lin Lanying: "Old Dou, concern and interrogation are two different things."

"I'm twenty-five! This isn't my first time going out into the world, nor is it my first time making a decision! From studying, investing, starting a factory, to now, if I had always waited for others to confirm things for me, I wouldn't be where I am today! You all know I can handle those things! Why do you all think I can't make judgments when it comes to relationships?"

Lin Lanying didn't say anything, and Lin Qian sat there looking down at his hands.

Lin Ying turned to Wen Xu and said earnestly, "Wen Xu, I apologize for my family's rudeness; their concern for me is genuine, and their offense to you is also genuine; I can say this is the last time! After this, absolutely no one will ever do this again!"

Wen Xu didn't speak. He reached out and took Lin Ying's hand. Her palm was warm, and he gripped it a little harder.

Lin Ying felt his strength not pulling away, and the anger in her chest slowly subsided.

When He Dazhu saw his daughter's expression, he immediately understood: his sister hadn't come to discuss things with them; she had already made her decision. She was just introducing herself to everyone.

He Dazhu quickly stood up, picked up the room key, and said, "Alright, alright, it's too late today and everyone is tired; we came all the way from Hong Kong and it's getting late. Lan Ying, Ah Qian, let's go back to our rooms and rest first. We can talk about everything tomorrow; Ah Ying has worked all day and should go to sleep too."

Lin Qian also stood up: "Yes, yes, I'm tired too; I spoke too quickly just now, I apologize."

Lin Lanying looked at Lin Ying, wanting to say something but not knowing how; she felt a pang of sadness and a little wronged: "Ying, Mommy didn't mean to embarrass you."

Lin Ying looked at her and didn't say anything harsh again: "I know, but you just embarrassed him; Mommy, I'll respect you this time, but there won't be a next time."

Lin Lanying realized that the daughter before her was no longer the little girl she used to drag to the tailor shop; Lin Ying was twenty-five years old, capable of earning so much money on her own, supporting a factory, and having the entire factory area revolve around her. She didn't need her family to check every door for her; this was the first time she was bringing the person she loved to her family.

Lin Lanying nodded: "Mommy understands."

Lin Ying: "You guys rest first, we'll have breakfast together tomorrow."

He Dazhu quickly replied, "Okay, let's have breakfast together."

Lin Lanying looked at Wen Xu and her tone softened considerably: "Wen Xu, Auntie was just a bit anxious, don't take it to heart."

Wen Xu stood up: "Auntie, I understand."

Lin Lanying pulled He Dazhu out the door;

Lin Qian walked to the door, then ran back: "I'm sorry, I was wrong just now and I overstepped my bounds; Sister, I was afraid you would be taken advantage of, so I said some hurtful things; this is someone you like, not my client, nor my case; I will be more careful in the future."

"Sister, I will always respect your choices."

Lin Ying knew that Lin Qian had always been a chatterbox, but when she was truly upset, he panicked more than anyone else; her discomfort subsided a little, and she nodded: "I know, remember what you said today."

Lin Qian breathed a sigh of relief: "I'll remember that, I definitely won't say anything carelessly again!"

He Dazhu quickly pulled him toward the door, adding, "Come on, come on! Sister, I've left some snacks here. Eat them if you get hungry tonight, don't just drink tea."

Lin Ying: "Okay, Lao Dou."

Once the door closed, the suite fell completely silent. Lin Ying sat back on the sofa and rubbed her temples. "My mom isn't usually like this. She was in too much of a rush today."

"I know." Wen Xu sat down next to her. "The way you protected me just now was very good."

Lin Ying was rendered speechless by his words: "Engineer Wen, sometimes you really make me feel reluctant to part with you."

Wen Xu smiled and said, "You can say that a few more times."

Lin Ying looked at the unfinished tea and snack box on the coffee table: "Today I realized that some boundaries that weren't established before must be established now! I used to think that since my family cares about me, it's okay for me to give in a little more..."

Lin Ying knew very well that if she didn't establish boundaries today, everyone would get used to interfering in her relationships in the future; she could listen to her family's opinions, but her life couldn't be decided by others.

Wen Xu: "You've already made yourself clear."

She suddenly remembered a long time ago, on the second floor of an old house in the New Territories, when her grandfather asked her what her plans were for the future. At that time, she said that she wanted children but not marriage.

Lin Lanying and Lin Qian's reactions tonight made her even more certain of one thing.

She must have her own child.

It wasn't to prove anything, nor to give anyone an explanation; it was because all this stuff she held in her hands, the empire she had painstakingly built up over her lifetime, needed a clear destination. People change, relationships change; she had suffered too much from a lack of control in both her lives, and now, finally, she had control in her own hands...

Wen Xu got up and poured her a glass of warm water: "I know you're in a high position and under a lot of pressure, but the future is full of uncertainties, isn't it? It's okay, we'll take it slow, we're still young, we still have time."

Lin Ying took the water glass and looked at him: "Yes, there's still time."