Chapter 15: Roaming Across the Four Seas

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Sheng Jiayi followed Xu Mingyan across the helicopter pad marked with an "H," all the way to the edge of the estate. There stood a low wall behind lush rose bushes, beneath which was a sheer cliff descending into the abyss. Xu Mingyan did not flatter her; indeed, the view from the mountaintop surpassed that of He Ruolin’s mansion by far.

Here, she could truly behold the entirety of Victoria Harbor on both sides, the noisy clamor almost silenced. They seemed to stand amidst the clouds, quietly overlooking this resplendent city. The sky appeared as if coins were falling upon the clouds, producing crisp, clear sounds with each collision.

Sheng Jiayi steadied herself by holding Xu Mingyan’s hand and sat atop the low wall. This time, indeed, the scenery was worth a billion.

“I apologize to Miss Sheng for my earlier concealment,” Xu Mingyan said, standing beside her. “It’s true that because you are an actress, but not in the way you might think. I returned to Hong Kong for personal matters and wished not to attract attention, so I lied to you. If you feel unhappy, I hope there is some way I can make it up to you.”

Sheng Jiayi was noncommittal toward his explanation.

If Xu Mingyan cared so much about secrecy, he should never have coaxed her away from He Ruolin’s party.

Yet, she followed his words further, “What can you offer to compensate me?”

“What does Miss Sheng desire?” Xu Mingyan cleverly threw the question back. “Jewelry, luxury goods, flowers? As long as you like it, I will do my utmost to fulfill your wish.”

Sheng Jiayi looked at him incredulously as he playfully teased her with such earnestness. “Mr. Xu, may I understand this as you trying to please me?”

“Why would Miss Sheng be surprised?” Xu Mingyan asked softly, simply smiling at her. “I want you to be happy. A girl like you, every socialite in Hong Kong wishes to befriend.”

Sheng Jiayi’s heart skipped a beat.

This man was actually flirting with her.

He was neither the suave, manly boss from Hong Kong dramas nor the wealthy, domineering CEO from Taiwanese soap operas. He was not such a theatrical figure, yet he seemed an even more perfect image stepped out of the screen.

If Sheng Jiayi remembered correctly, Xu Mingyan joined DeMei Investments three years ago, not yet twenty-five. At this age, a man stands just beyond the threshold of full maturity, yet retains some youthful qualities.

Had Sheng Jiayi not seen his name on that equity report, or had she been a more naive, foolish, or materialistic girl, she would have been completely charmed from the start.

They had only met once; there was no such thing as love at first sight.

Sheng Jiayi turned her face away. “Since Mr. Xu wishes to make me happy, then put on a fireworks display here for me.”

Xu Mingyan was momentarily taken aback.

Jewelry, luxury goods, flowers—all of these were purchasable. Spending money on such things was trivial to him. Fireworks cost less than diamonds—they were cheap. Even the most expensive fireworks in the world only rivaled the price of a limited-edition Hermès handbag. However, private fireworks displays were forbidden in Hong Kong.

If Miss Sheng wanted fireworks, he would have to first secure a permit over the phone.

Even if he could arrange it, he would not.

It involved a complicated network of relations far more troublesome than money. To go through such trouble merely to please a girl with fireworks would be unprofitable.

No one would be so foolish—not even He Jianting, who was merely wealthy and simple, not foolish and rich.

Sheng Jiayi was certain he wouldn’t do it.

“Miss Sheng, has anyone ever told you that you are very clever?” Xu Mingyan asked.

Sheng Jiayi didn’t even look up. “Those who know me say so.”

“It’s quite a challenge to win your favor.”

“Do you want to solve this problem?” Sheng Jiayi inquired, leaning closer. The subtle scent of rose perfume lingered in the air.

At that moment, Xu Mingyan’s heartbeat skipped. He coughed discreetly twice and lowered his head. “When are you usually free, Miss Sheng?”

Sheng Jiayi giggled. “I am free every day, Mr. Xu.” She flipped her long, seaweed-like black hair, half-turned, resting her chin on her shoulder, awaiting his reply.

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“Well...”

“But whether we go on a date depends on my mood. You probably won’t stay in Hong Kong all the time, right?”

“Flight time from Singapore to Hong Kong is four hours,” Xu Mingyan said.

“Four hours—that’s enough time for me to wait from noon until dinner.”

“I will remember to schedule you four and a half hours ahead,” he said.

Sheng Jiayi widened her eyes. “What’s the extra half hour for?”

“To get to the airport.”

“What if there are no flights?” Sheng Jiayi asked.

He replied calmly, “I have a private jet, Miss Sheng. Even if I didn’t, I’m sure the family office would gladly book one for me.”

Sheng Jiayi narrowed her eyes. “Mr. Xu, do you usually flatter women like this?”

“Normally, I don’t flatter women,” he smiled slightly. “There’s no need.”

Wow, Sheng Jiayi’s understanding of him was evolving rapidly.

People like them, courteous as they were, carried a pride ingrained in their bones that was hard to erase. Their confidence was not arrogance, for they had a clear understanding of themselves.

“The Xu family hardly needs to flatter women. It’s the women who flatter them.”

“Not all Xu family members have it easy. We are a large clan with many cousins I’ve never met. My great-grandfather’s trust fund set aside money for his sixteen children and their descendants. In fact, there’s very little left now.”

“The Xu Shiyan who holds shares in Wireless... he’s your...?”

“My paternal uncle,” Xu Mingyan said. “Second son of my grandfather’s sixth brother.”

“And the deputy director of the political affairs bureau?”

“My cousin. Her grandfather was second in rank. Besides them, the other prominent relatives have left Hong Kong.”

Sheng Jiayi pondered. “When Hong Kong was first established, Chinese residents were confined to areas around Sheung Wan, Hollywood Road, and the foot of Victoria Peak. As numbers grew, Westerners relocated the Chinese collectively to Sheung Wan. Only foreign dignitaries lived atop Victoria Peak, while Chinese laborers crowded in shanties below. The overcrowding led to plague outbreaks; a rat plague caused thousands of deaths.”

“In 1881, your great-grandfather was already worth nearly six million. That year, Hong Kong’s tax revenue was only five million. He was among the first Chinese allowed to live on Victoria Peak. No matter how fallen, there was still the family trust, which was better than the descendants of laborers.”

“For ordinary people, yes. But for my elders, they grew up in white palaces on the Peak, mingling with governors and knights. After family divisions, they were forced into exile and learned self-reliance through wartime. How much would six million be worth today? Miss Sheng probably wouldn’t care, and with dozens sharing that inheritance, each could barely afford a mortgage.”

“Falling from the Peak is far worse than falling on flat ground. Even the most glorious families face decline. My great-grandfather was shot on the streets of Kowloon; four of my granduncles and six great-uncles died unnatural deaths. The wealthy on the Mid-Levels may seem to revel every night, but without a safe landing, they might not fare well.”

Sheng Jiayi was chilled by his words. She watched his face as he spoke—calm, expressionless.

The intense roar of helicopter blades sounded overhead, whipping her hair wildly. The bright lights illuminated half the sky; the lawn rippled like a lake’s surface, waves rolling in layers. Sheng Jiayi looked up just in time to see a blue Bell 407 helicopter skimming over the mountain ridge.

Xu Mingyan squinted, tilting his head back to watch. “Guo Mingrui is actually in Hong Kong.”

“The richest man in Thailand?”

“That’s him.” Xu Mingyan extended his hand. “It’s getting late. I will escort Miss Sheng home.”

Sheng Jiayi attempted to jump down from the low wall while holding his hand, but he caught her elbow and half-embraced her as he helped her down.

She rolled her eyes involuntarily, erasing all her initial impressions of him as a distant, aloof figure.

A playboy is a playboy; no matter how much they feign elegance, their charming nature remains unchanged.

They chatted all the way down the mountain.

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Sheng Jiayi found Xu Mingyan to be a truly capable heir.

This judgment was based on the fact that unlike He Jianting, who was complacent, or Song Yuan, who would stop at nothing to gain power, Xu Mingyan carried an effortless ease—a calm certainty that no one could surpass or outdo him.

He once studied at Harvard Business School, worked at Goldman Sachs for over a year, and then joined the Federal Reserve as an economic analyst.

“Are you a U.S. citizen?” Sheng Jiayi couldn’t help but ask.

Meeting Xu Mingyan’s teasing gaze, she immediately understood. “Multiple citizenships?”

“It’s not easy to have multiple citizenships in Singapore. Their citizens must choose one country to naturalize in at age twenty-one, unless granted special permission.”

“Maybe I’m not even a Singapore citizen,” Xu Mingyan casually said. “I said I’m from Hong Kong.”

“Perhaps you have so many passports you’ve nearly forgotten them all,” Sheng Jiayi smiled.

He laughed with her. “Yes, I’m a citizen of the world.” His Cantonese was far from perfect.

“You could speak Mandarin, English, or even French with me,” Sheng Jiayi said.

“Miss Sheng can actually speak Mandarin?”

“Why so surprised?”

“Few native Hong Kong families learn Mandarin unless they migrated from the mainland.”

“I learned it for acting,” Sheng Jiayi said. “Actors must adapt to the market. Mr. Xu, with the mainland’s rapid economic growth, I think one day it will surpass Hong Kong. Then Hong Kong actors may face unemployment. Knowing Mandarin gives me an edge.”

“Miss Sheng has strong crisis awareness.”

“In the Treasury, I have an important job studying models that assess future potential risks with returning overseas postdocs.”

“Morgan Stanley has a similar team, with members from Caltech, MIT, and Princeton specializing in computer science or engineering. They use complex computer programs to control investment banks’ credit risk and interest rate defaults,” Xu Mingyan said with admiration. “Miss Sheng, you really shouldn’t be in the entertainment industry.”

“Such a pity?”

“People inevitably harbor biases against actors.”

“Becoming a star, I’ll earn much more,” Sheng Jiayi said softly. “I’ll be rolling in money.”

“Are you happy, Miss Sheng?” he asked.

“Are you happy, Mr. Xu?” she countered.

Xu Mingyan was suddenly stunned by her question.

“One cannot always ask if they are happy. Happiness is important, but it must be based on doing what one wishes. Most of life is beyond our control. Living means bearing responsibility. If you cannot bear it, you cause pain to others. If you must choose, I’d rather be the one in pain.” Sheng Jiayi’s long, dark lashes lowered, shrouding the darkness beneath her eyes. “Good night, Mr. Xu.”

The McLaren stopped in the hotel garage.

Without waiting for Xu Mingyan to act, Sheng Jiayi opened the door and got out first.

“Good night, Miss Sheng,” Xu Mingyan said softly.

Only after her figure had completely disappeared did he come to himself, starting the sports car to leave. Yet, a dazzling flash caught his eye.

Xu Mingyan paused.

He reached down and picked up a shimmering object from the seat.

It was Sheng Jiayi’s rose diamond brooch.