Chapter 104 Extra Chapter 02: The Pride of the Chinese

June 2016.

Ye Qingtang moved its headquarters to a new office building three years ago, which is the tallest building in Hong Kong.

Yip Po-ling's office offers the best views of Victoria Harbour.

Gao Lizhen and another general manager, Dai Yuhua, who has grown up with the company, are now her right-hand women, respectively in charge of Ye Qingtang and Su Man Jewelry.

Meanwhile, Chen Yulan succeeded Huang Ying, who retired, and together with Liu Haonan, took charge of Huayuan Investment.

Yip Po-ling is one of the few top tycoons in Hong Kong who did not make her fortune through real estate. However, the Yun Cheong Group, in which she holds the largest stake, is a real estate magnate.

Nowadays, Ye Baoling comes to the company every day or every other day, handles some official business, and then, when it's time to enjoy life, she absolutely does not work.

She arrived at the office as usual that day.

Chen Yulan was the first to come and talk to her about work.

"You should communicate with Yun Chang Group and ask them to reduce their real estate investments, especially in the mainland, and stop their unrestrained expansion and spending large sums of money to acquire and hoard land."

Chen Yulan was slightly puzzled: "The mainland real estate market is currently booming and fiercely competitive, so why should we reduce investment at this time?"

Because Ye Baoling not only knows the future trend, she has also been studying the population data of the mainland. "After the population peak in the past few years, there will be a big turning point in the domestic birth population. When the birth population decreases, it will trigger the collapse of some highly indebted real estate companies. Under the chain reaction, no one can be immune."

The best strategy now is to control debt, weather the upcoming period of turmoil, and ensure that the real estate market can continue to develop in the long term after competitors have fallen.

After discussing real estate, let's talk about other investments.

Ye Baoling started investing in chip research and development a long time ago. She has spent a lot of money and is constantly making breakthroughs in technology, but the investment far exceeds the returns. She is still a money-devouring beast.

There were significant disagreements within the company, but Ye Baoling overruled the objections and insisted on increasing the investment amount annually as planned.

In the coming year, Huayuan's chip company will need to increase its investment by 2 billion yuan. Chen Yulan asked, "Should we reduce the investment amount slightly?"

Ye Baoling wasn't short of money: "Just follow the plan, don't cut back."

They are also angel investors in several leading new energy and energy storage companies in China. Huayuan itself does not conduct research or participate in management; it is purely an investment firm.

She took a completely different path from other old-money tycoons in the port city. While others invested in stable businesses like water and electricity bills, oil, and ports, which guaranteed stable income regardless of drought or flood, she invested in whatever technology was cutting-edge.

Ye Baoling has invested in a wide range of fields, including AI technology, robotics research and development, reusable and affordable space launch vehicles, and even controlled nuclear fusion, which has no apparent monetization potential.

While others invest in the stability of the present, she invests in a future with unlimited possibilities.

Of course, at this point in time, many people don't understand her actions.

She doesn't need anyone else to understand her.

It's enough that someone else carries out her plans for her.

She had just finished talking with Chen Yulan when Bai Zhu arrived.

Bai Zhu currently manages several newspapers and magazines for Ye Baoling, making him arguably the most influential figure in the Hong Kong media.

It doesn't make much money, but it's self-sufficient and controls the mouthpiece of the port city.

Bai Zhu came today to discuss the listing of Xuebao.

Of all Ye Baoling's investments, the most profitable one so far is Xuebao mineral water. She has truly made more money selling water than selling oil.

Xuebao mineral water will be listed in Hong Kong next month, and some analysts have already predicted that Xuebao will become the largest stock by market capitalization in Hong Kong after its listing.

Bai Zhu asked her, "The launch of Xuebao has generated a lot of buzz. Should we continue to hype it up?"

Ye Baoling was quite confident about this: "There's no need to deliberately hype it up; just leave normal comments."

After discussing work, Bai Zhu asked her, "Next week is your birthday, how are you planning to celebrate? Are the kids coming back?"

Ye Baoling is 52 years old this year, and as she gets older, she is less and less fond of celebrating her birthday.

She waved her hand: "The children have to prepare for their graduation defense and can't come back. Huaizhang also has to go to the mainland for work on his birthday."

Ye Zhiyan and Ye Zhimo attended university in Beijing. After graduating with their bachelor's degrees, they are now pursuing master's degrees in the United States. After graduating this year, both children will be able to return to Hong Kong.

Bai Zhu suggested, "How about we throw a party to liven things up?"

"No way. I have an appointment with Man'er this morning to talk about something."

Bai Zhu: "Shall we grab a drink after you've finished talking?"

Ye Baoling didn't refuse: "Okay. Let's have a drink then. Come to my house this afternoon."

Actually, on Ye Baoling's birthday, she invited Gu Man'er and Fang Haiming to her home, not just for a simple chat, but to organize the various rare artifacts in the Ugly King's tomb.

Her grandfather, Ye Qizu, passed away before the handover, and afterwards, she was the only one who knew the secret of the blue brick tunnel.

In those years, heavy rains would flood the tomb every summer, and she worried that the treasures in the Ugly King's tomb would eventually be eroded by the rain. With the development of technology, she believed that excavating the cultural relics would allow them to be better preserved.

She found a professional team through Fang Haiming to excavate everything from the Ugly King's tomb.

The ancestor Ye Shier spent more than ten years robbing tombs and obtained not only items from the Chu King's tomb, but also artifacts from royal tombs of other periods. The sheer number of treasures he acquired is unimaginable.

It took almost five years to complete the sorting, and the total number of items was tens of thousands.

After Ye Qizong passed away, his branch of the family all moved away. Ye Baoling renovated Lantingju and turned it into a private museum with the highest level of security and defense.

*

At midnight on Ye Baoling's birthday, Ye Huaizhang made a video call.

I know you're still awake, and I wanted to be the first to wish you a happy birthday.

Ye Baoling was staying up late watching a drama. She smiled and asked, "How's it going on your end? Is it going smoothly?"

With the Beijing night view behind Ye Huaizhang, he said, "It's more complicated than I imagined, so I'll probably have to stay a few more days. By the time I get back, my two daughters should be back too, and then we'll celebrate your birthday together."

Ye Baoling complained: "Where can I celebrate my birthday now? I'll be 53 next year, I'll celebrate properly next year."

"It's not impossible. I've prepared a birthday present for you, and Dong Jian will deliver it to you tomorrow."

Ye Baoling asked curiously, "What?"

Over the years, he has given her every gift he could. Now she doesn't care about the value of the gift; she cares more about the sentiment behind it.

He didn't keep you in suspense: "The stir-fried duck with ginger and scallions and the roasted pigeon that you like to eat were specially made in Hong Kong by a master chef from the mainland."

Ye Baoling smiled and said, "That's good! I want to eat it. Have it delivered for dinner tomorrow. I've invited Bai Zhu and Wang Simin."

"I'm relieved that someone is here to celebrate your birthday with you."

Before they could finish talking, her daughter's video call came in. Ye Baoling quickly said, "The kids are video calling. I have to talk to you now. Let's chat when you get back."

Then, without hesitation, I switched off the video chat window with my daughter.

The two daughters were video calling from their home in the United States.

"Mommy! Happy Birthday!"

"Mommy, may you stay young forever and be happy every day."

"Thank you, my darlings. I hope you're happy every day too." Ye Baoling smiled.

Ye Zhiming then said, "Mommy, was Daddy on the phone with you just now? We deliberately gave him three minutes. We were pretty clever, weren't we?"

"Eye-catching!"

Ye Zhiyan: "We've prepared your birthday present; we'll bring it to you when we get back."

Ye Baoling asked them, "Don't you have to go to school today?"

"I went there this morning and just got back. Mommy, what are you busy with?"

"I'm watching a soap opera."

Who would have thought that China's richest woman's hobby is watching soap operas?

Watching soap operas requires no brainpower; it's enjoyable and relaxing.

Ye Zhiming laughed at her mother: "Read something more educational."

Ye Zhiyan was as direct as ever: "Mom can watch whatever she likes."

Ye Zhiming put his arm around his sister's shoulder and said, "Ye Zhiyan, you have absolutely no sense of humor."

The mother and her two daughters chatted for about half an hour before hanging up.

After hanging up the phone, Ye Baoling saw the message Ye Huaizhang sent in the group: "Next time you send a group video, add me too."

It was followed by a pitiful emoji.

The daughters teased their dad in the group chat, "Didn't you used to say that the three of us women made too much noise at the market?"

If you can't beat them, join them; that's the best approach. Ye Huaizhang had long understood this.

The next day, Fang Haiming and Gu Man'er arrived early.

Together they selected suitable cultural relics at Lantingju, planning to donate them to the National Museum on July 1, the anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China.

Fang Haiming asked her, "How much do you want to donate?"

Ye Baoling said, "We'll select 100 items and donate them first. We can donate more on major anniversaries later. Or 99 items would also be fine."

"99 pieces would be enough; that would be more meaningful."

As for what to donate, the first donation should definitely be cultural relics with historical research value.

Bamboo slips and wooden tablets, sacrificial items, silk paintings, lacquerware, bronzeware, goldware, large stone carvings and jade carvings, etc.

Gu Man'er exclaimed, "If all these things were put together and put on the auction market, they would be worth at least several hundred million."

Fang Haiming: "How could you possibly buy 99 cultural relics for a few hundred million? They are worth at least a billion. Moreover, apart from the copper coins, most of the cultural relics here are unique pieces that you can't buy even if you have money."

Ye Baoling was quite frank: "They only have value if people can see them; if no one can see them, then they have no value."

Fang Haiming nodded: "Yes, we must donate them so that people know that there are cultural relics from the tombs of King Jie of Chu and King Si of Chu circulating in the world. That way, the items in my cousin's private museum will be more valuable and worth more."

Fang Haiming's words made sense, but that wasn't what Ye Baoling cared about. She already had so much wealth that she didn't care about these small benefits.

She is pursuing a higher sense of identity.

After spending the whole morning selecting items and making a basic list, Ye Baoling was so engrossed in her work that she forgot to eat lunch.

Gu Man'er's stomach was growling with hunger: "Cousin, I have low blood sugar. Let's have lunch first and continue in the afternoon."

"Okay, okay, let's go eat first."

The three of them came out of the storage room, took the elevator to the first floor, and found that almost every door required facial recognition to open.

After leaving Lantingju and returning to Xihetang, I was startled by a loud "bang" of fireworks as soon as I entered the room.

Bai Zhu, Chen Yulan, Wang Simin, Gu Zhen'er, and others were all there, and they all shouted together, "Happy birthday!"

Looking at the room filled with various birthday decorations, Ye Baoling smiled happily and said, "I knew you guys were going to give me a surprise."

Wang Simin: "We know you don't like surprises, so we were very cautious."

Gu Zhen'er: "Cousin, we've teamed up to give you a gift. It's a big, precious item we specially brought from the mountains! Open it and take a look."

"What gift?"

"It came from the mountains. What a surprise."

A large gift box was placed in the center of the hall.

Ye Baoling stepped forward and gently pulled open the gift ribbon.

"Surprise!"

The Ye sisters, Zhiyan and Zhimo, sat inside a gift box, making a big heart shape with their hands.

Before opening it, Ye Baoling had guessed that her daughter might be inside, but considering that they were still at home in the United States at around 12 o'clock last night, and that it would take them to fly back, they wouldn't arrive until evening at the earliest.

Therefore, she ruled out this possibility.

Who would have thought it really was them?

The two daughters each kissed their mother.

Overjoyed, Ye Baoling asked with a delighted smile, "How did you get back?"

Ye Zhiyan laughed and said, "We arrived yesterday at noon and decorated the hotel to look like our home in America to mislead you."

The crowd gathered around, chatting animatedly.

Is it a treasure from the mountains?

"From the American mountains."

Everyone burst into laughter.

Ye Baoling suddenly remembered something: "Is your father back too?"

Ye Zhiming spread his hands: "Isn't our return a pleasant surprise enough? Oh, no, Ms. Ye Baoling, you can't treat us like this."

Ye Zhiyan replied seriously, "Dad is still in Beijing. He'll be back tonight."

Ye Baoling smelled the scent of candles and quickly walked towards the restaurant. At first, the people wanted to stop her, but later they simply stopped and sang "Happy Birthday" together.

After walking around the screen, Ye Baoling saw Ye Huaizhang pick up a cake with newly lit candles.

The cake had two number candles, "52," on it.

The birthday song was just coming to an end with "Happy Birthday to You".

Ye Huaizhang smiled and said, "Make a wish."

Ye Baoling's face was full of happy smiles. She closed her eyes and made the most ordinary, common, and meaningful wish: "May my family be safe and healthy." Then she blew out the candles.

"Mommy, are you happy today?"

"happy."

She used to dislike surprises, but now she can have them occasionally.

They took a happy family photo of the four of them.

Yang Pinxian and Ye Yongqi were also there. The Ye family took a family photo first, and then all the guests took a group photo together.

Ye Baoling remarked that today's atmosphere was just like the beautiful moment at the end of a soap opera.

*

July 1st, two weeks later.

A ceremony was held in Beijing for Ms. Ye Baoling to donate Western Han Dynasty artifacts to the National Museum of China.

The National Museum of China even did a live broadcast.

A large number of onlookers from all over the country flooded into the live stream.

I heard there's a complete jade burial suit on display today; I'd like to see it.

[A single donation of 99 rare and priceless items—that's some impressive patriotic businessmen from the port city.]

Ms. Ye is truly beautiful; she certainly has the air of Hong Kong's richest woman.

[The previous one is outdated. Please remove the word "woman." Ms. Ye is not only the richest woman in Hong Kong, she is also the richest person in Hong Kong.]

[Those who were just mentioned are outdated. Her Xuebao beverage brand went public last week, and Ms. Ye is now the richest woman in China.]

[Not just Chinese, but the richest person of Chinese descent.]

That's just her publicly disclosed assets; there are also her unlisted companies and her husband's assets. Her family is incredibly wealthy.

It's said that she and her husband are cousins.

[What cousins? Please stop spreading rumors. They just share the same surname and clan.]

[They share the same great-grandfather, though different great-grandmothers, but are still very close, okay? I can accept cousins ​​marrying, but I can't accept this. People who worship ancestors in the same ancestral hall getting married is disgusting.]

[Stop barking, you upstairs dog! Go back to your Qing Dynasty.]

Please speak politely.

[You might not know this, but she and her husband are indeed from the same clan, but she belongs to the eldest branch of the family, and she is the head of the family. Her husband doesn't have as high a status in the Ye family as she does.]

She also has two twin daughters, both very accomplished. The family business will almost certainly continue down the maternal line.

I just saw the photos, and all four of them are so good-looking!

[Can you please stop focusing solely on her private life and take a look at Ms. Ye's investments? It's a future strategy that covers the entire industry. I guarantee that for the next twenty years, no one can compare to her.]

Yes. I know a little about Ms. Ye Baoling, and I was once amazed by her industrial investment strategy.

Ms. Ye is a role model for us women.

[He is also a role model for us men.]

Ms. Ye is a source of pride for the Chinese people.

...

In the live broadcast, Ye Baoling accepted commemorative plaques and donation certificates presented by leaders of relevant units, smiling at the camera.

Afterwards, Ye Huaizhang, Ye Zhiyan, Ye Zhimo, and others went on stage to take a group photo with the leaders and guests.

Fireworks were set off at the scene.

For Ms. Ye Baoling, who is over fifty years old, an even more exciting and splendid life is just beginning.

[End of article]

【Four Single Shops, December 8, 2025】

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The story is now complete.

I had a lot of fun writing this book, and it felt like I was growing alongside everyone. Although it doesn't have a huge number of favorites, it's a great read, and it's the best of my recent novels. Thank you all for your continued support. If you enjoyed this book, please give it a five-star rating, thank you! [heart emoji]

Many people questioned the discrepancy between the content of the first chapter and my synopsis, because it wasn't a straightforward, satisfying read right from the start, which was quite frustrating.

I'll try my best to write an even better historical fiction novel next time. [heart emoji]

My new novel, "The Death Chronicles of Lincheng," has started! Chapter 7 is posted today. It's not scary; it's more of a revenge story. The entire novel is in draft form. Interested readers are welcome to check it out! [Let me see!]