The heavy study door in the Fok family mansion was closed by the housekeeper, blocking out the dazzling night view of Hong Kong Island outside, and also seemed to lock Fok Chun-ting's anger in this small space.
He looked at the deep red wine stains and broken crystals on the carpet, and the anger in his chest, which was gnawing at the feeling of betrayal, did not diminish in the slightest as he vented it.
Why? Liu Rumeng! That woman, as aloof as a mountain snow lotus, knowing full well that Xiaolin Tianwang harbored evil intentions and lived a life of debauchery, yet she took the initiative to bring four glamorous "sisters" along to the banquet?
This behavior was absolutely absurd, and it made his heart bleed! What was she after? What magical power did Xiaolin Tianwang possess? A Japanese lackey who was clinging to British capital and forgetting his roots!
"Master..." The butler's voice sounded cautiously outside the door, "Master asks you to go to the study."
Huo Zhenting took a deep breath, forcing down his seething rage. He quickly fixed his slightly disheveled hair and collar in the mirror, wiping the lingering anger from his face. Then he turned, opened the door, and strode towards the main study where his father, Huo Yingdong, was.
Each step felt heavy, as if stepping on the impending torture.
Pushing open the heavy mahogany door, Huo Yingdong was standing quietly in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window with his back to the door, overlooking the entire Deep Water Bay wrapped in neon lights.
The lights outside the window shone brilliantly, like jewels inlaid on a vast black velvet cloth. The room was dimly lit, save for a single desk lamp emitting a soft glow that stretched the old man's upright back, radiating a quiet and majestic power.
"Daddy, are you looking for me?" Huo Zhenting's voice was a little hoarse and had not yet completely calmed down.
Huo Yingdong did not turn around immediately. His steady voice was particularly clear in the silence: "Zhen Ting, come. Accompany me to see the Victoria Harbour tonight. Beneath the calm sea, there are undercurrents."
He paused briefly before slowly turning around. His gaze was sharp and scrutinizing, going straight to the heart of the matter. "Regarding the land, regarding Xiaolin Tianwang, regarding the opportunity we missed... What are your thoughts now? We've been planning for so long, mobilizing so many resources, and gaining the upper hand, but in the end, they came after us and snatched away the most lucrative piece of the pie. What do you think is the crux of the matter?"
Huo Zhenting met his father's gaze, the suppressed resentment and frustration instantly rising to his throat again. He almost blurted out with indignation: "The crux? Dad, it's not that we lost to Xiaolin Tianwang! It's not that our Huo family is inferior in skills or that our strategy failed! We lost to Jardine Matheson! We lost to HSBC!"
He took a step forward, his voice rapid and forceful, as if he wanted to pour out all the pent-up anger in his chest. "Just received the latest intelligence! It's crystal clear! To maximize their own profits and prevent Hong Kong Hutchison from falling completely into Chinese hands, HSBC didn't even think of giving us a chance! They were the ones who took the initiative to broker the deal between Jardine Matheson and Kobayashi Tenmo! It was that old fox Shen Bi who went to Newbijian! Even more outrageous is..."
Peter Ho's eyes were filled with anger and disbelief at being fooled. "To facilitate this deal, Jardine Matheson actually paid for it! Not only did they agree to sell 20% of their shares, worth a fortune, to Kobayashi Tianwang, they even lent that bastard an additional HK$300 million! And what about HSBC? They also generously provided a full HK$1 billion in financial support! Daddy, do the math! Kobayashi Tianwang didn't spend a penny on this 20% stake in Hong Kong Hutchison Whampoa. On the contrary... he actually made a net profit of HK$200 million in cash out of thin air!"
He slapped the armrest of the sofa next to him heavily, making a dull sound. His face was full of frustration and a sense of powerlessness that came from being teased by the system. His voice became low, with a dejection that was hard to conceal: "Did you see? We really can't win the fight against the British in Hong Kong Island! That invisible ceiling is always hanging over our heads! What is that Xiaolin Tianwang? He has shallow roots and is just a speculator! He was still unknown in Hong Kong Island a few months ago! Compared with our Huo family, who is he?
But look at him now? Just because he sided with the British and became their loyal lackey, he immediately became famous and rose to prominence! He even got a controlling stake in the land! This is the difference between having a master's support and not having one! "The last sentence was almost uttered through gritted teeth.
Huo Yingdong listened quietly to his son's accusations, without any expression on his face.
Only when Huo Zhenting finished speaking and looked at him with heavy breathing did he tilt his head slightly, a subtle hint of amusement in his eyes, and calmly asked a seemingly irrelevant question: "Then... according to you, since the British are so powerful that even a figure like Xiaolin Tianwang can benefit greatly from joining them, shouldn't our Huo family also consider... 'joining' them? Wouldn't that also make things smoother for us? Wouldn't we completely dominate Hong Kong Island?"
Huo Zhenting suddenly raised his head, his face instantly lost all color due to shock, his eyes widened, and he could hardly believe that these words came from his father's mouth!
His voice was high and sharp due to excitement and surprise: "Daddy! How could you think like that?! Haven't you always taught me since I was a child to be patriotic, to remember that I am Chinese! To have the backbone of a Chinese! To be loyal to my Yanhuang bloodline..."
He paused for a moment, a storm rising in his heart, and then he said decisively, almost roaring:
"Our Huo family! Even if we go bankrupt! Even if our whole family ends up on the streets begging for food! We will never, ever surrender to the British! And we will never become traitors! This is our bottom line! It is the root of our Huo family!!" His chest heaved violently, and every word he said sounded as if he had used up all his strength, full of almost tragic stubbornness.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
