61 Encounter

◎Many things in a person's life are predetermined from the first glance.◎

Sixteen years ago, due to its remoteness from the mainland and frequent changes in administrative affiliation, Changli Island suffered from stagnant development and chaotic public security for a long period of time.

The island has mineral resources, but most residents don't know how to use them to make money, so they remain poor.

This has attracted many domestic and foreign businessmen to Changli Island, who immediately recognized its value—abundant natural resources, cheap labor, and a lack of established regulatory systems.

As a result, for one to two years, a large number of Chinese and foreign companies came to this land. They brought money, and with the money came uncontrollable desires.

During that period, many underground industries emerged on the island – gambling, prostitution, smuggling, and even human and organ trafficking.

The island's chambers of commerce are a facade for the business leaders of these industries. They walk the streets and alleys of the island in suits and ties, and even do charity work. But in secret, they are engaged in shady deals.

Saxon is the president of the island's chamber of commerce and also the most mysterious figure in the chamber.

Everyone who has met him, regardless of gender, is captivated by him.

He possessed immense wealth, yet he was never arrogant or domineering; his words and laughter were always warm and welcoming. Whenever members of the merchant guild encountered difficulties, they only needed to approach Saxon, and he would readily offer his assistance. While everyone else reveled in the decadent pleasures of Long Island, Saxon remained polite and aloof, as if even the muddiest mudflats couldn't taint his shoes and socks.

They all say that Mr. Saxon has the deep, captivating eyes of a Westerner, as well as the refined elegance ingrained in the bones of an Easterner; he is the best rich man in the world.

Feng Zhe was in his early twenties at the time, wandering on the edge of the "yin and yang" worlds of Changli Island.

In their early twenties, an age of great ambition, and lacking formal education, they are prone to overestimating their abilities, becoming arrogant, and believing that wealth is within their grasp if they so choose.

Feng Zhe has done many jobs, but none of them lasted long. He either complained that the income was too meager or that the work in the sun and wind was "undignified".

However, he was good-looking and still had opportunities to do some lucrative side jobs. He went to an underground casino called "Da Yun Hong Sheng" and became a junket operator, thus ingratiating himself with many wealthy patrons. The more Feng Zhe dealt with these people, the more he understood what they wanted. Since wealth and sex have always been intertwined, Feng Zhe began to act as a pimp for these people.

Feng Zhe may have done bad things, but he never forced anyone. Those young and beautiful men and women had a clear goal: money. They were willing to give up many things for money.

When people are poor to a certain extent, they have to exchange numbness for survival—numbness towards emotions, humanity, and dignity.

Once you become so numb that you can even deceive yourself, the process of "making money" becomes less arduous.

Feng Zhe calls the rich "diners" and these wayward youths "pets."

The diners enjoyed their meal, the pets got their meat, and neither side caused any trouble. This earned Feng Zhe a good reputation in that shady circle, and he also made one or two "friends" who thought highly of him and wanted to take him on as a follower.

One of the jewelry processing business owners, named Andrew, was a very close friend of his.

Feng Zhe first met the Saxons through Andrew.

Within the island's chamber of commerce, someone runs a Western restaurant on Changli Island.

On this day at Dayun Hongsheng, Feng Zhe brought along a pretty young woman he had met while getting his hair washed. Andrew had a good time in Dayun Hongsheng's storage room, and afterwards took Feng Zhe to a Western restaurant to treat him to dinner.

That was Feng Zhe's first time eating Western food. Andrew ordered steak for him. The waiter asked Feng Zhe how well-done he wanted it, and Feng Zhe said well-done. Everyone in the restaurant burst into laughter. Feng Zhe didn't understand why, but he laughed along with them.

While the two were eating, Meng Yuxing came over.

Feng Zhe, concerned about his image, said, "Didn't I tell you to wait at home? Why did you come along? I'm having dinner with the boss, so don't come and cause trouble."

"Qingqing starts school tomorrow and needs to pay tuition." Meng Yuxing said, "Give me some money."

A flicker of struggle crossed Feng Zhe's eyes, but it quickly turned into a mocking look: "What school does she need to go to? I've already told you, she should start working after junior high. You insist on making her go to high school. Catfish in a ditch can't leap over the dragon gate, but you just don't believe in that. I've raised her for almost ten years, that's more than enough. There's no tuition fee. If she wants to study, she'll have to find a way herself."

Meng Yuxing looked at Feng Zhe without saying a word, her eyes filled with pain. She smiled slightly, tears falling down her face. She loved Feng Zhe, so she had seen through his thoughts long ago. Song Qinggui was as beautiful as a porcelain doll when she was a child, but a child is still a child. At that time, Feng Zhe disliked Song Qinggui and felt that she was a burden.

As Song Qinggui grew up and transformed from a child into a young woman, Feng Zhe's gaze towards her deepened considerably. However, perhaps because Feng Zhe considered their relationship, or perhaps because he still retained a basic moral compass, he didn't make any excessive moves towards Song Qinggui. Only the occasional moments of absentmindedness when looking at her revealed his true feelings.

Meng Yuxing smiled wryly: "Feng Zhe, you don't think Qingqing's studies are useless, you're just afraid that if she studies too well, she'll fly to a place you can never reach again, right..."

Upon hearing this, Feng Zhe grabbed an ashtray and smashed it at Meng Yuxing: "Stop talking nonsense! I just don't want to support her!"

The ashtray hit Meng Yuxing squarely on the forehead, causing her to stumble and fall. Feng Zhe instinctively reached out his hand, his face showing remorse, but the next second, his masculine "pride" made his face turn cold again.

Andrew, however, got up to mediate. He leered at Meng Yuxing and helped her up, saying, "Oh, it's nothing, don't fight. Qingqing is your sister, right..."

Everyone at Dayun Hongsheng had met Meng Yuxing. They knew she was Feng Zhe's woman and that she had a younger sister, but they had never met Song Qinggui. Feng Zhe and Meng Yuxing were surprisingly in sync on this matter—they wouldn't allow Song Qinggui to come to Dayun Hongsheng.

At this moment, Andrew didn't care about women; he still coveted the pimp's women, and this was a good opportunity.

So, while helping Meng Yuxing up, Andrew casually pinched her butt: "It's just money, how much do you need? I'll give it to you."

Feeling humiliated, Meng Yuxing raised her hand and slapped Andrew across the face.

Andrew wasn't angry at all; instead, he chuckled and touched his face, saying, "Well done! I love women like you."

As soon as he finished speaking, he started hitting her again. Feng Zhe didn't want to offend Andrew, so he stood aside, looking somewhat troubled. Just as Meng Yuxing was crying and struggling and was almost out of strength, an elegant voice came over—

“Andrew, haven’t you made enough of a scene?”

Andrew jumped up in a panic. The usually imposing, pot-bellied man had instantly lost his temper and was bowing and scraping: "Mr. Saxon, I..."

"If you've had enough of Long Island, go back to your Iceland."

“I was wrong, I was wrong, Mr. Saxon.” Andrew, sweating profusely, bowed repeatedly. “I was just joking with this young lady.”

Saxon glanced at Meng Yuxing, whose hair was disheveled on the ground, and gave a signal to his subordinates, who then helped her up.

This was Feng Zhe's first time meeting Saxon. He wanted to go up and greet this big shot, but Saxon acted as if he didn't see him and walked straight past him into the private room.

Not wanting to miss the opportunity to strike up a conversation with the big shot, Feng Zhe continued eating steak with Andrew while waiting for Saxon to come out.

Meng Yuxing bit her lower lip, forcing herself not to cry in public. Feng Zhe and Andrew ignored her, so she had no choice but to leave.

However, Feng Zhe did not expect that this Western meal would indeed change the course of his life.

Half an hour later, the door to the Western restaurant was pushed open again, and this time it was Song Qinggui who came.

Anger flashed in Feng Zhe's eyes: "What are you doing here?"

The girl's face was calm, even somewhat cold: "I need tuition fees."

Feng Zhe gripped his fork tightly in his right hand, no longer looking at Song Qinggui: "Is studying really that good?"

"Yes," Song Qinggui answered firmly.

Feng Zhe laughed, but with a hint of bitterness in his voice. His eyes fell on Song Qinggui's face: "You really believe that you can change your fate through studying? Song Qinggui, don't be naive. Your family doesn't want you. You've been picking up trash and begging since you were little. When you were starving, you even fought with the cats downstairs for sausages. A person's core nature can't be changed. Even if you get into university in the future, you'll still be that unwanted orphan at heart."

Song Qinggui sneered, a coldness far beyond her years: "Who knows what the future holds? Whether taking the college entrance exam can change one's destiny, we'll only know after we take it."

Feng Zhe remained silent.

"Consider the tuition fee a loan from me," Song Qinggui added. "I will definitely pay you back in the future."

Feng Zhe remained silent.

Andrew had been staring at Song Qinggui for a long time, but with Saxon in the private room, he didn't dare to act rashly. The island's chamber of commerce had a rule: if problems arose in their clandestine dealings, Saxon would help them sort them out, but if they did something shady in public, no one could help them.

So Andrew simply reached out to mediate: "Hey, what can't we discuss among family members? Come on, little beauty, have a seat."

But Song Qinggui was completely in a state of shock. Before Andrew's hand even touched her, she grabbed the steak knife that Feng Zhe was using to his left and pointed it at Andrew: "I am not Meng Yuxing, much less Feng Zhe. Watch your hands."

"Oh my." Andrew was overjoyed, finding the girl innocent and adorable, with a touch of alluring sassiness: "Little beauty, you've got quite a temper. Come on, put the knife down. If you really hurt your uncle, you'll be arrested by the police."

Andrew only meant to scare the little girl, but the next second, a blade covered in black pepper sauce was pressed against his neck.

Feeling a slight sting from the blade, Andrew's smile faded.

Song Qinggui looked at Andrew: "Do you know about the Law on the Protection of Minors? Even if I kill you, I'll only serve a few years in prison."

Andrew looked into Song Qinggui's calm eyes. He felt that those eyes were familiar, and for some reason, he was really threatened by this little girl. He stood there stunned.

At that moment, the door to the private room opened, and Saxon walked out, only to see this scene.

Song Qinggui also looked at him reflexively.

Andrew suddenly remembered who Song Qinggui's eyes resembled.

Several years ago, when he was working for Saxon in Mexico, someone leaked information to the police, causing their business deal to fail. Saxon then ordered his men to sink him at sea.

That day, when Saxon was on deck watching the sack sink to the bottom of the sea, that's what it looked like—cold, fearless, indifferent eyes.

Saxon also had the same understanding of Song Qinggui's eyes.

The soundproofing in the private room wasn't good; he had just overheard the conversation outside.

He was so interested that he ended his meeting with the restaurant owner early, wanting to see what kind of audacious young girl she was.

This was Saxon's first glimpse of Song Qinggui.

Many things in a person's life are predetermined from the very first glance.