She knew the price of gold would continue to rise, and she had some spare gold in her pantry.

The bank staff had to make several trips back and forth before they could finish counting the cash.

Five million nine hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred Hong Kong dollars, piled up on the coffee table like a small mountain.

Lin Li instructed Manager Chen to transfer one million of the funds to Sun Hung Kai Properties' account.

That was the payment for the apartment in Taikoo Shing; she wanted to take the rest of the money with her to book other apartments.

"Mrs. Lin is such a straightforward person."

Manager Chen handed over the transfer voucher and watched her put the cash into her handbag and suitcase.

"Do you need someone to escort them? There's so much cash..."

"No need, Ah Biao is waiting outside."

Lin Li carefully folded the voucher and put it into her handbag, then picked up her heavy suitcase and stood up. "Thank you for your trouble, Manager Chen."

When I stepped out of the bank, the sun was already scorching hot.

Chen Biao had been waiting for her in the lobby.

As soon as he saw her come out, he immediately came over and helped her carry her suitcase.

Lin Li followed him to the car, got in, and headed to Chen's Real Estate.

When Lin Li entered Chenji Real Estate, Wang Sheng was making a phone call at the counter.

As soon as he saw Lin Li, he hung up the phone and went to greet her: "Mrs. Lin, you've finally arrived! I've completed all the formalities for Taikoo City, and I'm just waiting for your signature."

He led Lin Li toward the office, and as they passed the shop window, he pointed to the new model of the plate inside.

"The apartments I mentioned to you on the phone yesterday have been inquired about again this morning. If you decide to book them, I'll lock them up right now."

Lin Li sat opposite him and placed the suitcase containing 900,000 yuan in cash on the table: "Let's deal with Taikoo City first."

She took the contract, looked at it carefully, and finally picked up a pen to sign her name at the end of the document.

After signing the papers, Mr. Wang smiled so much that his eyes narrowed: "Mrs. Lin has such good taste. The Taikoo City area will appreciate by at least 30% once the convention center is completed next year."

He took out several other brochures and said, “Take a look at these. There’s a 300-square-foot apartment in ‘Harbour View’ in Tsim Sha Tsui with a view of Victoria Harbour; and there’s ‘The Times Square’ in Causeway Bay, right next to the subway station. The rent must be high.”

Lin Li flipped through the brochure and pointed to the floor plan of "Seaview Residence": "I'll take this one."

Then I flipped to the "Times Square" page and said, "I'll order this one too."

She looked up at Wang Sheng, "Do you have any bigger ones? Preferably the whole floor."

Wang Sheng was stunned, then pulled out a gold-embossed brochure from the drawer: "The 'Imperial View' in Kowloon Tong has an entire floor of office space, 2,000 square feet, and that's the price..."

"How much?"

"Two million eight hundred thousand."

Wang Sheng looked at her face and said, "However, we can do it in installments. A 30% down payment is fine."

Lin Li pushed the suitcase towards him: "Full payment. Can the paperwork be completed today?"

Wang Sheng looked at the cash in the box and swallowed hard: "Yes! I'll call a lawyer right now!"

As he ran out to make the call, his leather shoes clattered rapidly on the floor, seemingly expressing his excitement.

Lin Li leaned back in her chair, watching the traffic flowing by outside the window.

The lawyer arrived quickly, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and carefully reviewing the thick contract.

As Lin Li signed the document, the corners of her mouth turned up in a smile.

Wang Sheng counted the cash on the side, the sound of his fingers rustling as they passed through the banknotes.

By the time all the formalities were completed, it was already 3 p.m.

When Lin Li walked out of Chenji Real Estate, she had four property ownership certificates in her hand, and the sunlight stretched their shadows long.

Ah Zhong took the empty suitcase from her and said in a low voice, "Mr. Lao San just called and said that Mr. Yu wants to have dinner together tonight."

"Let's go back," Lin Li said as she got into the car, rubbing her aching wrists. "Tell them I'm tired."

She looked out the window at the Hang Seng Index electronic screen, the green numbers still jumping, but she felt unusually calm.

She felt it was a worthwhile deal to exchange fifty gold bars for four properties.

As the car drove along Queen's Road, Lin Li saw Lin Laosan's car coming towards her.

She asked Ah Biao to stop the car, rolled down the window, and waved.

Lin Laosan got out of the car and walked to her window: "Mom, where did you go? I called you several times."

"I took care of something."

Lin Li handed him a property certificate, saying, "It's an office building in Kowloon Tong. The hotel's administration department can be located here in the future."

Looking at the name on the property certificate and then at the weariness in his mother's eyes, Lin Laosan suddenly understood something.

He didn't ask any more questions, just nodded: "I asked Ah Zhen to make some soup, go back and drink it."

As the setting sun painted the sea golden, the car drove back to the villa.

Lin Li looked at Uncle Fu waiting at the villa entrance. Although she felt very tired, she also felt incredibly at ease.

During dinner, Lin Hu excitedly said that Teacher Zhou had taught him a new Cantonese song, and he pulled Lin Yao to sing it together. Their off-key singing made everyone laugh.

Lin Li looked at them, then at Lin Laosan beside her, and picked up a soup spoon to scoop up a mouthful of soup.

The rich, savory flavor of the slow-cooked soup spreads across the tongue, much like the steady, fulfilling days that, when simmered slowly, always become more and more fragrant.

After dinner, Lin Li sat in the study and put the three property certificates into the drawer of the mahogany cabinet, along with the map of Hong Kong.

Although there weren't many markings on the map, she knew that more red dots would be marked in the future.

It was late at night, and Lin Li lay in bed, listening to the sound of the waves outside the window.

She fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, after Lin Li got up, she looked at herself in the mirror and the fatigue in her eyes had disappeared.

When she went downstairs for breakfast, Lin Laosan was already waiting.

"Mom, Mr. Yu just called and said he'd like to visit an office building in Kowloon Tong."

Lin Laosan said, "He also said that he has even more confidence in our strength."

Lin Li smiled and said, "Take him to see it."

After sitting down at the table, he took a sip of coffee and continued speaking.

"Please feel free to invite Teacher Yu to our home tonight. We've been talking about having dinner together for days."

"good!"

Lin Laosan put the last bite of bread into his mouth, gently pulled out his chair, and stood up.

"I've finished eating, I'm going to Mr. Yu's place now."

Go!

Lin Li ate her breakfast while flipping through the newspaper.

She waved at him nonchalantly.

For the next day.

Lin Lidu and Uncle Fu prepared the dinner together.

She even cooked several dishes herself.

It was evening.

The setting sun painted the horizon a rosy hue, and the phoenix trees in the courtyard were covered with purple blossoms.

Lin Li stood in front of the rosewood dining table in the living room, watching Uncle Fu direct the servants to set out the silver cutlery.

Lin Li occasionally lent a hand as well.

"Is Mr. Yu's favorite aged Pu'er tea ready?"

She reached out and stroked the lotus pattern embroidered on the tablecloth, then gently straightened the corner of the cloth.

“It’s awake in the Yixing purple clay pot,” Uncle Fu bent down to adjust the angle of the ivory chopsticks. “Mrs. Yu’s favorite almond cookies just came out of the oven. Ah Zhen kept an eye on the heat and didn’t dare to bake them too burnt.”

Lin Li nodded in satisfaction.