10 Across the Four Seas

At noon, the Gadolri Mountain Road was tranquil. The scorching heat had driven away the paparazzi who usually lurked there, leaving only the intense sunlight baking the earth and the dense jungle alive with the chirping of insects.

A three-story Western-style villa hid behind a fence. Half of the gray stone wall was cloaked in vibrant green ivy, with a few palm trees peeking over, their needle-like leaves shading the windows.

When Sheng Jiayi got out of the car and passed by the circular swimming pool in the garden, she noticed a pink swim ring floating on the water.

“The madam had a party with guests last night,” the Filipino maid whispered beside her.

“So why is she up so early today to play mahjong?” Sheng Jiayi asked.

The maid did not dare answer directly. They were forbidden from discussing their employer in front of guests, especially regarding personal matters.

Unfazed, Sheng Jiayi didn’t wait for an answer but reached out to push open the door set with half a glass panel.

A rush of cool air greeted her.

Inside, it was silent. Sheng Jiayi moved confidently through the corridor floored with beechwood, ascended the spiral staircase, and at the end of the second floor hallway, she faintly heard the sound of mahjong tiles.

“I’ll play this tile.”

“What tile? Looking at your style, you must have something up your sleeve.”

“Check the score first, make sure it’s right. Don’t mess up!”

When Sheng Jiayi entered, four people were fully focused on the game.

At the East Wind seat sat a stunning beauty, her long wavy hair cascading over her chest, skin delicate and fair, her almond-shaped eyes bright and sharp.

Opposite her, at the South Wind seat, was another equally attractive woman, elegant and refined, wearing a string of deep green jade beads on her wrist. The color was rich and subtle like silk, shimmering faintly.

At the West Wind, a man in a black shirt furrowed his brow thoughtfully. His chiseled face looked as if sculpted from stone. If one overlooked the mahjong tile clenched tightly in his other hand, the scene could have been mistaken for a business drama’s young heir scheming to leverage billions in acquisitions.

The woman at the North Wind seat had short hair and had her back to Sheng Jiayi. She stepped behind her, draped a hand over her shoulder, and leaned down to look at the tiles.

“Robbing the kong win,” Sheng Jiayi said as she picked a tile from the table for her.

“Oh!” The woman at the South Wind seat clapped her thigh and quickly drew a tile to check her points.

“Sheng Jiayi,” the woman glanced at her sharply. “What are you doing here?”

Innocently, Sheng Jiayi shrugged. “I just happened to see it.”

The Filipino maid brought over a stool, and Sheng Jiayi sat down accordingly.

“Why haven’t I seen Mr. Wang?” she asked.

Li Lixia replied curtly, “He’s dead.”

“Mr. Wang went to Mexico for business,” Ji Jiamin added, explaining for Li Lixia, “She and him had a fight over the apartment in Canada.”

“The property you mentioned before in Forest Hill, Toronto? He won’t give it to you?” Sheng Jiayi was curious.

“He said it doesn’t matter whose name the house is under. I said how could it be the same? I married him but only got less than fifty million in assets. I wasn’t after his money before I quit acting. What I wanted was to prevent him from giving money to other women.”

“Didn’t Sister Xia’s film fees used to be higher than Jiayi’s now?” Gao Wanni, sitting beside Sheng Jiayi, asked.

“Plus the money from selling records,” Ji Jiamin leisurely discarded a tile. “Men, you see, are different before and after marriage.”

The only man present, pop king Zheng Bochen, felt a chill run down his spine at their words and loudly protested, “Watch your words, don’t drag all men through the mud.”

“Men are no good to begin with. They sweet-talk you when they’re with you, calling you their darling, willing to give you the world’s treasures. But once bored, they flip like a book. There’s no shortage of young, beautiful women out there, right?” Ji Jiamin said.

Li Lixia nodded in agreement.

Outnumbered, Zheng Bochen looked to Sheng Jiayi for help.

Feigning innocence, Sheng Jiayi winked at him but didn’t intend to intervene.

Li Lixia, known as the Queen of Hong Kong’s entertainment scene, was a tri-talented star in film, television, and music. Though she had faded from the spotlight after marrying a tycoon, she still released albums and held concerts, maintaining her former popularity.

Gao Wanni was a rising music queen with a beautiful voice and face, occasionally taking small film roles and even winning best supporting actress.

Ji Jiamin, nicknamed the “Flower Vase,” was known for leading roles in crime films, comedies, and adult films, famed for her beauty and endless rumors with wealthy men. It was said she earned hundreds of millions just from jewelry gifts from her “boyfriends,” not to mention a tycoon who bought eight shops for her in Causeway Bay, generating over a million in annual rent.

Sheng Jiayi was the newest among them, entering this circle solely through her masterful mahjong skills and the recommendation of Cheng Shujian, the male lead of her first film.

The entertainment world was fragmented: film circles with film, television with television, artists within the same company played together, as did those from different companies but of similar ranking. The group playing mahjong together here were from different companies but had all worked under the same few directors.

The major directors in Hong Kong each had their preferred teams. For example, after Sheng Jiayi starred in the film “Neon” by the up-and-coming director Zheng Anyong, she rose to stardom overnight, both entering the top tier. Zheng Anyong’s films would always cast Sheng Jiayi first; scripts she declined then went to other actresses.

Similarly, Ji Jiamin was the favorite lead actress of the renowned director Ma Lei, always cast in big productions despite her limitations.

Li Lixia and Gao Wanni were primarily singers, with Gao as Li’s junior sister in the industry. Both had co-starred with Sheng Jiayi and Ji Jiamin in films as supporting actresses, forming close bonds.

Li Lixia was the top star at Asia Films, and though Sheng Jiayi was technically a competitor, their fourteen-year age difference and distinct roles prevented friction.

Only stars like them could sit together playing mahjong without rancor. Otherwise, in a place as large as Hong Kong with only a few top directors, the competition for resources would be fierce and bloody.

Zheng Bochen, aware of this, looked around and joked, “Have we all acted together before?”

“You’ve acted with all of us, but Jia Yi and I haven’t,” Li Lixia said, rattling her tiles. “We invited Jia Yi because we couldn’t stand your arrogance. You’ve won a few rounds and think you’re great, but don’t know there’s always someone better. Let’s see if you can beat Jia Yi.”

“Winning against me is nothing. Try to win that string of imperial green jade from Ji Jiamin,” Zheng Bochen teased, nodding toward Ji’s wrist.

“This jade is precious, top-grade Burmese material, carved by a master from raw stone. It’s the kind of thing auction houses would take.”

“Who gave it to you? The furniture magnate again?”

“No, a candy businessman from Taiwan. He’s got some money.”

“After this round, change players.”

“The Miss Hong Kong pageant winner and runner-up have already signed with TVB. I hear they’re aiming for movies. Not sure if they really like acting or if it’s for other reasons. Nowadays, every young girl dreams of soaring to stardom, making people think female stars only date tycoons.”

Sheng Jiayi reclined in her walnut chair, listening to their chatter. The afternoon lulliness crept in, and she felt drowsy.

“Jia Yi, you haven’t been out much lately, right?” Li Lixia suddenly said.

Sheng Jiayi jolted awake.

“Just about two months,” she replied.

Since she had dined once with Song Yuan, he had ruthlessly exposed her and He Jihan’s fabricated relationship, stirring public uproar. Then, using that as an excuse, he terminated all her film contracts with Starshine, costing over a hundred million in compensation. Sheng Jiayi had been nonchalant about the debt, but in public eyes, this was tantamount to openly severing ties and blacklisting her as a rising star. Rumors swirled everywhere.

He Xiyue was no saint either, quickly complaining to close industry contacts about Song Yuan’s arrogance and spite when he couldn’t win Sheng Jiayi’s favor. Such words leaked outside in less than two days, sparking heated disputes. Through it all, Sheng Jiayi had not taken on any films or commercial performances.

“You don’t like Mr. Song?” Li Lixia asked.

The table fell silent, all eyes on Sheng Jiayi.

“What are the rumors saying?”

“Some media say you rejected a billionaire diamond tycoon, which bruised his ego, so he’s trying to bury you. He forbids investors from hiring you for films. Others say he tried to coerce you but met resistance, and they pity you,” Li Lixia shook her head. “Funny how they think stars at our level can be so easily blacklisted. Even when a major film company loses a star, no one can just erase them.”

“Not completely, but exposure can be gradually reduced,” Sheng Jiayi said calmly. “They use some disgusting tricks.”

“I’ve only heard of tycoons throwing money at female stars, not being miserly and threatening,” Ji Jiamin scoffed. “I hate those types who think they’re so powerful and treat others like dirt.”

“Don’t oppose them, Jia Yi,” Zheng Bochen warned. “Underworld forces have infiltrated the film industry. That’s the rule. Many superstars enter film crews with a gun to their heads. The Song family supports these triads behind the scenes. He’s not an ordinary tycoon.”

“Isn’t Jia Yi close to the police?” Gao Wanni wondered. “With that, no one should dare to cause trouble.”

Sheng Jiayi sighed, “What connection do I have with the police? My stepfather died years ago.”

“Rumors say you’re especially close to the Chief Superintendent.”

“He was my stepfather’s superior and mentor but not close to me.”

“That’s still a special connection!” Gao Wanni exclaimed. “Why don’t you ask him for help?”

Sheng Jiayi paused before saying slowly, “He can’t help me.”

She didn’t want Huang Zhixian to know that Song Yuan was involved with Sheng Wan.

Everyone had been searching for Sheng Wan over the years — the Song family, Hong Kong police, perhaps others. People said Sheng Wan had violated some cosmic law, merely for sleeping with a few men, and everyone thought they could use her as a starting point to unravel a vast web.

Song Yuan was an intriguing man.

From him, Sheng Jiayi sensed many emotions: disgust, fear, curiosity, desire — a man so contradictory it bordered on pathological.

“The entertainment industry isn’t just controlled by them. I’ll introduce you to a better man,” Gao Wanni nudged Li Lixia. “Senior sister, why don’t you introduce our boss’s younger brother to Jia Yi? I want to see if the Song family dares to oppose someone favored by the He family.”

“You just want to stir up trouble,” Li Lixia spat. “Jia Yi is with Orange Leaf.”

There was no way to introduce the top star of a rival company to their boss’s brother.

“Jia Yi could switch companies, right?” Gao Wanni said unabashedly. “She doesn’t have to stay with Orange Leaf her whole life.”

Sheng Jiayi was stunned by such an outright attempt to poach.

“Gao Wanni, are you interested in Mr. He yourself?” Ji Jiamin laughed.

“It’s not me,” Gao Wanni said. “Once at dinner, Mr. Lai from Zhongying Entertainment’s board told me a few wealthy heirs liked Jia Yi. At entertainment circle gatherings, they’d ask if they could date her. Sadly, Boss He keeps tight control over Jia Yi, never loosening the reins... Mr. He is among them, so I said that.”

“Is that true?” Li Lixia was shocked. “How come I never heard?”

“Sister Ruolin was there too. She said if Jia Yi could come to Asia Films, she could matchmake for her brother,” Gao Wanni blurted. “Jia Yi, don’t stay with Orange Leaf. Orange Leaf can’t handle the Song family, but the He family can.”

“BB, if my agent hears this, she might hex you. She’s not a good person either,” Sheng Jiayi warned earnestly.

It was hard to imagine how furious He Xiyue would be upon hearing that.

“So you’re just hiding all this time?”

“I am out now, playing mahjong with you.”

“I mean acting in films.”

“Why are you more anxious than me? You’re a music queen, why worry about my films?”

“To be honest, I asked Director Zheng when his next movie is and if there’s a role for me. He said he wrote a part specifically for you, but there’s a role perfect for me as a supporting actress. If you don’t act, he might not shoot it. He’d rather scrap the project than find an unsuitable actor. You get it?”

Gao Wanni finally revealed the truth.

Sheng Jiayi had only learned this today and laughed bitterly.

“You’re thinking too far ahead. A film takes at least half a year or a year to finish. Right now, Actor Cheng and Sister Jiahui are shooting in some mountain.”

Gao Wanni was persistent, “Forget movies for now. You don’t like Mr. Song. But you don’t fancy Mr. He, a true scion of a noble family?”

“I do like him, but he might not like me,” Sheng Jiayi cut the topic short. “We agreed to switch players after this round, right?”

“Next month is our boss’s 40th birthday, a grand banquet at his Mid-Levels mansion. Want to come?”

“If I go, won’t the paparazzi go crazy, saying I’m about to leave Orange Leaf?”

“Half the entertainment circle will be there. If you don’t come, they’ll say you look down on the He family. Besides, Orange Leaf and Asia Films do cooperate on movies. You’ve done films we invested in; I’ve done films your company invested in. Our bosses get along well. Otherwise, how could we all hang out playing mahjong? No need to be so distant!”

“Maybe later.”

“Whether I can act in another Zheng director film depends on you, Jia Yi,” Gao Wanni said, resting her chin in her hands, pretending to look pitiful. “His films promote stars the most. If I can win an award, it’d be a huge boost.”

“Maybe later,” Sheng Jiayi replied, still brushing her off.