But her heart was far from calm. She knew better than anyone that since the door to the presidential suite had been opened for her last night, there was no turning back.
Xiao Linsheng's generosity was breathtaking. This generosity, coupled with the power and wealth he embodied, shook the foundation of her self-preserved, tranquil demeanor to the ground, a more real and powerful force. A mixture of chagrin at the impact of her pride and a subtle assessment of the future's possibilities quietly grew within her.
The car was filled with whispered, heated discussions—envy, bitterness, tentative inquiries for details—interwoven into an invisible web. Liu Rumeng remained quietly seated in the front seat, her gaze fixed on the sea outside the window. The car jolted slightly, and sunlight filtered through the glass, casting a crisscross of light and shadow on her.
The clamor inside the car, the eager whispers of the beauties, the scent of desire floating in the air, none of them could truly penetrate her state of mind. She was like an observer in a separate space in the bustling city.
Love? Body? Sex? Fame? Wealth? Survival? Vanity?
Here, everything becomes so direct and utilitarian. A man's wealth and power can instantly endow a woman with supreme value, attracting a swarm of bees and butterflies.
A night of companionship is equivalent to millions of dollars and a coveted home. In the eyes of many, this exchange is natural and even something to be proud of.
It was different from the humiliating and forced "flesh trade" she had read about in books and heard about in some hidden corners of the country. The "exchange" here seemed to be wrapped in the "fairness" cloak unique to capital, shining with an attractive and sought-after light in the flashy world of fame and fortune.
Everything in Hong Kong is the same as in mainland China – it’s all about survival or a better life. Yet, everything is also so different.
The struggles and scarcity in the mainland are mostly material poverty; while the anxiety and calculation beneath the glamour here are the endless climb and clear price tag for higher-level enjoyment and a more luxurious life after the soul has been tamed by the rules of capital.
After material abundance, the instinct for survival is alienated into an insatiable pursuit of desire, infinitely magnifying the comparison, greed, and materialism in human nature.
Women, especially beautiful women, are endowed with another resource attribute here—the value of being dependent on the strong. This may seem like a shortcut, but it is also a huge vortex.
The bus passed through a lush greenery, fading away from the bustling city. The lush coastline of Lamma Island loomed in the distance. A salty, damp sea breeze blew through the cracks in the window.
Lu Ruirong, Yu Qixia, Shi Jiayi, Zhu Lingling... The expressions on their faces, some proud, some longing, some complicated, quickly passed by Liu Rumeng's calm eyes.
She recalled the familiar look in his eyes last night, in the rooftop restaurant of the Mandarin Oriental, as he sighed, "I only want to be with you." In this land soaked in capital, that pure love seemed so out of place, yet so precious.
The luxury of Repulse Bay and the poverty of Sham Shui Po, Australian lobsters and hands soaked in icy water at the fish stalls, a two million yuan banquet and her parents' daily wages of less than a hundred yuan... the stark difference is everywhere. She is in it all, both a participant and a sober observer.
In Liu Rumeng's eyes, the bus carrying twenty young women to the beachfront photoshoot was nothing more than a miniature reflection of this glitz and glamour. Some were proud to have clung to the seemingly magnificent ship, some anxious about the timing of their arrival, and some ready to risk everything to grab the lowered rope. They all believed the boat would sail to the shore of their dreams.
The car slowly stopped at the destination, the door opened, and the sunlight and warm sea breeze poured in instantly.
Liu Rumeng gathered her chaotic thoughts, and a faint curve appeared at the corner of her lips, with a barely perceptible sense of alienation and compassion, blending into the bright sunshine and the noisy sound of the waves in front of her.
At this moment, she had already understood in her heart that there was no need to worry about many things, as long as she knew clearly Awang's true feelings.
…
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
