Chapter 150: Driving and Driving

Chapter 150: Driving and "Driving"

The half-eaten fried wontons lay forgotten on the nightstand.

Jian Ruochen sank deep into the plush gray sofa, a velvet cushion having been dislodged and rolled onto the floor. Opposite the sofa, large enough for two people to recline comfortably, was a panoramic window offering a sweeping view of Victoria Harbour.

Guan Yingjun seized Jian Ruochen’s injured hand, draped it over his own shoulder, then, with one arm encircling Jian Ruochen’s waist, lifted him with a wild, forceful motion.

This sensation was utterly unlike the first time.

The difference was as stark as driving a car versus "driving" a car, or eating a meal versus "eating" someone out.

In his dazed state, Jian Ruochen watched the undulating view of Victoria Harbour, feeling both sated and famished—mostly famished.

"How are you *still* going… It’s been almost two hours. I’m kind of hungry."

Guan Yingjun paused for a moment, his deep-set eyes fixed intently on the man before him. "What?"

Jian Ruochen: …

"That’s not what I meant."

Not *that* kind of hungry.

"I want to go back and eat—"

The word "wonton" was crushed, emerging as fragmented sounds.

Guan Yingjun stroked Jian Ruochen’s sweat-slicked back. His strength was immense; he could carry Jian Ruochen to the bedroom with one arm, then pick up the now-cold wontons and return them to the kitchen.

Jian Ruochen mumbled groggily, "Put me down first, then you can clean up."

"It’s fine, I’m going that way anyway," Guan Yingjun replied.

Detective Guan, usually meticulous about cleanliness, maintained his tidiness even now. No matter how many times, he always remembered to tie things up before tossing them into the trash.

It wasn’t until there was nothing left to use that they finally ceased.

As he lay in bed, scenes from the study, the sofa, the kitchen, and the bathroom—all rising and falling—replayed in Jian Ruochen's mind.

He had been completely misled by that first, quick encounter, never imagining a man could be like this when truly aroused.

Those two bites of wonton felt like a lead weight in his stomach, overwhelmingly filling, akin to a competitive eating challenge.

His last thought before drifting off to sleep was—he didn’t want to eat wontons again anytime soon.

***

The next day, Jian Ruochen was roused by his alarm clock.

The bedroom’s blackout curtains were drawn, leaving the room dim and the outlines of objects blurred, lending an air of unreality to everything.

An arm rested across his waist, his injured hand carefully placed outside the blanket. Judging by the state of the bandage, it seemed to have been recently changed.

A glass of water, at the perfect temperature, sat on the nightstand.

As Jian Ruochen slowly sipped the water, Guan Yingjun, already awake, got up and turned on the bedroom TV.

They hadn’t done much in the bedroom the previous day, so the blankets were still dry. Guan Yingjun reached over to massage the waist and legs of the person beside him.

He hadn’t intended to lift Jian Ruochen’s leg so high the day before; it was mainly because Jian Ruochen, overwhelmed in the study, had kicked out too forcefully, inadvertently hiking his own leg up.

Guan Yingjun had simply seized the opportunity.

On TV, the campaign for the chairman of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce was being broadcast.

The venue was a charity banquet funded by Gu Youming.

Jian Ruochen looked closely—the slogans primarily focused on rebuilding ports, children’s welfare funds, and other projects that had been agreed upon during meetings with mainland officials.

The brown and gold carpet and decorations were tastefully arranged, with staggered high-top tables around the display, each surrounded by men and women holding champagne flutes.

Gu Youming and Luo Binwen stood together, chatting and laughing, clinking glasses as they drank.

This undoubtedly signaled one thing:

Gu Youming and Connaught had aligned their stances!

The long shot on TV captured many influential figures.

There was the Xue family, renowned in Hong Kong for art and antiques.

The Xue family had recently gained widespread attention for successfully bidding on a lost animal head artifact and donating it back to the country.

The Xu family, dedicated to youth education.

The Xu family had invested in building 24 middle schools on the mainland, their reputation steadily rising.

And then… the Lu family, focused on real estate and manufacturing.

The Lu family had shed most of their illicit businesses, cleaning up their act to go legitimate.

They appeared well-intentioned and correct in their approach but had yet to make any substantial contributions, seeming more like they were riding the prevailing winds for self-preservation.

They stood out awkwardly among the patriotic Hong Kong businesspeople.

The Xu family, with assets of merely 2 billion yuan, dared to invest heavily in mainland schools.

Yet Lu Rong, with 4 billion yuan at his disposal, had still taken no action.

The crowd around Lu Rong was noticeably smaller than around the other families.

The atmosphere was thick with tension.

Jian Ruochen frowned. "Is Lu Rong actually planning to run for chairman of the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce?"

His voice was still slightly hoarse, trembling lightly as he spoke.

"Mhm." The sound made Guan Yingjun's heart stir, and he simply got out of bed, turning away to get dressed.

His shirt fell, covering his lean, muscular back.

Jian Ruochen watched for a moment, suddenly understanding why this man seemed to possess boundless energy every day.

His own stamina had improved considerably. A year ago, he would have passed out before the first round ended.

Now, even after being repeatedly folded and unfolded, he merely had a hoarse voice and slightly sore waist and legs.

This experience was, indeed, quite enjoyable.

But I should set an alarm clock in the future.

I can’t be so unrestrained.

After he finished dressing, Guan Yingjun leaned down and kissed Jian Ruochen’s forehead. "With Uncle Luo there to support Gu Youming, the other Hong Kong businessmen will weigh Connaught’s influence. Lu Rong holds a grudge against you—he won’t be elected."

His tone was calm and detached, carrying a hint of ruthlessness that contrasted with his tender gesture.

The robbery and murder case at the old gold shop on Yau Tsim Mong Walking Street had already concluded. The forces behind it were from British Hong Kong.

Now, the matter had escalated to the level of international diplomacy.

But that didn’t mean Lu Rong hadn’t played a role in instigating it behind the scenes.

Lu Rong’s methods of killing were too subtle; he excelled at provocation and enticement.

Otherwise, why would British Hong Kong risk offending a massive capital entity with extensive local physical operations?

Moreover…

Guan Yingjun frowned. "Back when the former Secretary for Security was ousted, you told him that the British side would be better off cooperating with Connaught, setting aside prejudices to achieve mutual benefits."

"You were very clear. Why would British Hong Kong still hold a grudge against you?"

Jian Ruochen pondered for a moment before saying, "Because British Hong Kong is British Hong Kong, and England proper is England."

"Although the British Hong Kong faction shares roots with England, once Hong Kong returns, they may not receive VIP treatment when they return to Britain."

When it comes to power dynamics, once more people are added to share the pie, even the best relationships can crumble.

"England won’t acknowledge their political achievements in Hong Kong, nor will they recognize the educational qualifications their successors obtained there. The status of the British Hong Kong government will be continuously diminished. If handled poorly, they might even be discarded after use—outlived their usefulness."

As he spoke, Jian Ruochen raised his emptied glass of water.

Guan Yingjun understood, took it, and went to pour another glass of warm water.

Jian Ruochen drank it and summarized hoarsely, "British Hong Kong is easily persuaded."

Add to that the fact that MI6’s D Division is inherently an intelligence and espionage agency stationed in Hong Kong to turn it into an intelligence hub and muddy the waters of China.

The tighter his connections with mainland China and the greater his influence, the more these people would fear him, wishing he would drop dead.

"There are bodyguards watching downstairs, and so many veteran officers upstairs. The Bauhinia Apartments are the safest place in Kowloon. Nothing will happen." Guan Yingjun ruffled Jian Ruochen’s hair. "I’ve already helped you clean up. What do you want to eat? I’ll go buy it."

Jian Ruochen: "Hotpot."

While Guan Yingjun went out grocery shopping, Jian Ruochen washed up, changed clothes, and watched the entire chairman election process.

Lu Rong delivered plenty of grand speeches, but unfortunately, when he spoke, the entrepreneurs below were mostly just going through the motions, not paying serious attention.

They looked at Lu Rong with indescribable contempt in their eyes.

Although the Lu family was still one of the three major families in Hong Kong, having suffered a major blow and no longer controlling the criminal influence they once held, they were far from the fearsome behemoth they used to be.

Now, Lu Rong was in a tough spot.

"Wanting too much ends up with nothing," Jian Ruochen murmured.

Lu Rong had been playing both sides from the very beginning.

He wanted reputation and status.

He wanted to use the West Kowloon police to eliminate Lu Qian and seize control of the Lu family’s actual authority. At the same time, he wanted to control him, kill him, force Connaught to change ownership, withdraw from the Hong Kong market, and monopolize the vacant market.

In his mind, he wanted to be an untouchable local kingpin, but on the surface, he wanted to connect with mainland China, align himself correctly, and gain fame and profit.

Lu Rong’s schemes were clever, but there were too many of them, and they ended up interfering with each other, leaving him with nothing in the end.

In contrast, Gu Youming was sharp and firmer in his political stance. Rumor had it he recently hinted that his younger brother wanted to join the Communist Party of China.

The Gu family—what a clever bunch.

Gu Youming’s election as chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce was truly well-deserved.

On TV.

The newly elected chairman, Gu Youming, raised the microphone and said earnestly to the reporters’ cameras, "To be honest, I feel I don't deserve this chairmanship."

Jian Ruochen: ?

He looked up at the TV, meeting a pair of shrewd yet gentle eyes directly.

Gu Youming said resolutely, "In terms of contributions to Hong Kong’s business community, I truly fall short of Mr. Jian."

"In the year since Mr. Jian inherited the family business, he single-handedly propelled the development of integrated circuit technology, bringing electronic computers into the public eye. Soon, they will enter countless households and become an essential tool for businesses today."

"After that, Mr. Jian successively identified key opportunities, invested heavily, promoted the development of transportation links between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, and even contributed to the connection between Kowloon and mainland China."

"Many of us followed his investment footsteps to discover the business opportunities in the mainland’s treasure land and finally understood what it truly means to be one family."

"His and his mother’s contributions to Hong Kong’s livelihood are immeasurable. Here, I sincerely thank Mr. Jian for stepping aside for me."

Jian Ruochen stood in the bedroom, one hand against the wall, the other supporting his waist, dumbfounded.

What else had he invested in?

Where were these key opportunities?

Where did all this investment spree come from?

On TV.

As soon as Gu Youming finished speaking, the cameraman immediately swung the camera lens toward the audience.

The dark, hollow lens focused directly on Lu Rong, who was sitting among a group of Hong Kong businessmen—the same Lu Rong who hadn’t managed to invest in a single trend.

Lu Rong’s cane leaned against his seat, his back ramrod straight, his eyes emotionless, the corners of his lips curled into a faint, almost mocking smile as he clapped half-heartedly.

Anyone could see he was forcing a smile, barely maintaining surface composure.

Jian Ruochen looked at him and finally remembered what else he had invested in.

The day he learned about Olivier Connaught, Preludin, and the Lu family’s connections, he had been so angry that he seized all the projects Lu Rong had his eyes on!

The reason Lu Rong was now in such bad shape, having missed every trend… was actually because of him.

***

The reporter stepped forward, "Does Mr. Lu have any comment?"

Lu Rong's jaw tightened.

Anything to say?

He had a full 4 billion in assets at hand, and hadn't spent a dime of it!

He wished he could kill Jian Ruochen immediately, tearing him limb from limb!

Lu Rong said with a smile, "Congratulations to Mr. Gu Youming for getting what he wanted. I hope the Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce thrives under Mr. Gu's leadership."

Gu Youming raised the crystal pillar symbolizing his identity as chairman and thanked him graciously, "I appreciate your kind words."

Jian Ruochen watched, his gaze wandering.

Actually... he had no clue what else Uncle Luo had invested in afterward, but since Hong Kong businessmen like Gu Youming had followed suit, it meant that the projects Lu Rong had his eye on were indeed very promising.

With the injection of large sums of capital, project managers could be more selective and naturally would control the risks of the injected funds.

Given a choice, who would take money from a family with two convicts?

Lu Rong's credibility was extremely low.

Everyone was giving him a wide berth.