Chapter 1807: A City Without a Future

By the time Fang Yihua received the news, the stock market had already opened.

It turned out that her earlier speculation was correct.

As soon as the market opened, TVB's stock price plummeted like a waterfall.

"Sixth Aunt, what should we do?"

"Yes, Miss Fang, we..."

A group of people panicked, all looking at Fang Yihua.

"What's there to panic about!"

Fang Yihua said in a deep voice, "It's just a bunch of hot money. Look at how flustered you all are! Disgraceful!"

In her view, this was merely a minor scene. Since Zhao Fusheng had announced an end to it, the troublemakers from now on would at most be some people within Hong Kong.

Under such circumstances, it was actually less likely to cause chaos.

After all, when enemies were out in the open, it was easy to identify them and find ways to deal with them.

What was truly frightening were enemies like Zhao Fusheng, who liked to hide in the shadows.

Such people were truly hard to guard against.

But fortunately, since he had replied that the matter was over, it meant Zhao Fusheng had no intention of retaliating further. For TVB, this was undoubtedly the best news.

"Take this opportunity to acquire more shares!"

Fang Yihua gritted her teeth and made up her mind inwardly.

...

...

Zhao Fusheng naturally had no idea what Fang Yihua was thinking.

Nor was he interested in knowing.

Hong Kong was a world where the strong preyed on the weak. The problems left over from the British colonial era were temporarily covered up by the central government's policies. In Zhao Fusheng's words to Tan Kaixuan, Hong Kong would eventually run into trouble.

The reason was simple: mainland China had been too lenient with them.

Humans are truly peculiar creatures, especially the people of Hong Kong.

Back when the British implemented colonial policies—from the high-pressure tactics of the 1950s and 1960s to the conciliatory approach of the 1970s and 1980s—these Hong Kong people willingly played the role of obedient subjects.

Now, mainland China treats them like their own, yet the people of Hong Kong feel unhappy.

Sometimes Zhao Fusheng couldn't understand: did mainland China need to treat those Hong Kong delinquents the way the British did in the 1950s and 1960s for them to be happy?

What was Hong Kong like in the 1950s and 1960s?

First, it must be acknowledged that Hong Kong at that time was indeed developing rapidly, ranking among the world's wealthiest, most economically developed, and highest-living-standard regions.

Back then, Hong Kong gradually transformed from a trading port into an industrialized city. With the rise of the real estate industry, industry was also driven to develop. Hong Kong's symbol changed from a sailboat to skyscrapers, representing real estate replacing shipping as the city's new emblem.

At that time, there was no such identity as 'Hong Konger.' Apart from the indigenous residents of the New Territories, people called themselves Chaozhouese, Shunde people, and so on. Each locality had its own chamber of commerce and its own syndicate. The bonds among fellow townsmen were absolute, a matter of life and death. When Li Ka-shing rose to prominence, he had the support of the Chaoshan Chamber of Commerce behind him.

But these were only the rules of the Chinese.

Above them were the rules of the British.

That meant: no matter how vast the world, foreigners were the greatest.

No matter how high a Chinese person climbed, they were nothing in front of foreigners.

Even within the police force, foreign superintendents could beat Chinese officers at will.

Fatty Wang later made a film called 'Chasing the Dragon.' Andy Lau played the young 'Five Billion Detective' Lui Lok. In one scene, a British superintendent and a Chinese detective gamble; the British man reneges on his debt and then hits people.

This was not an exaggeration in the film; it was fact.

In fact, the reality was even more horrifying.

In Hong Kong back then, most of the successful Chinese had intricate connections with the British colonial government.

Take the so-called Four Great Families—every one of them bore the title of Justice of the Peace and frequently called themselves knights.

Why was tycoon Huo known as a 'red capitalist'? Because since the time of the Korean War, he had been tirelessly helping the mainland, even suffering years of suppression from the British Hong Kong authorities as a result.

If not for the Huo family's control of Hong Kong's sand and gravel business and the support of many patriotic businessmen like the shipping magnate Pao, they would have long since collapsed.

But that's digressing.

Back to the main topic.

Deep down, Zhao Fusheng really had no fondness for Hong Kong. So when Tan Kaixuan proposed stirring up trouble in its stock market, he didn't mind. He only reminded him not to provoke the companies of major tycoons and said no more.

In Zhao Fusheng's view, given Tan Kaixuan's shrewdness and skill, as long as he wasn't foolish enough to provoke top-tier tycoons like Li Ka-shing, he could indeed have his way in Hong Kong's stock market.

"How many days do you plan to stay here?"

Zhao Fusheng asked Tan Kaixuan.

"Let's see. A week is fine." Tan Kaixuan smiled. "What about you?"

"Depends on my wife's mood."

Zhao Fusheng chuckled. "Probably need to shop around with your wife for a few days."

Tan Kaixuan shrugged. "That's best; otherwise, I'd have to accompany her shopping..."

As he spoke, he shuddered, as if recalling some unpleasant memories.

Not just him—Zhao Fusheng also dreaded accompanying his wife shopping. He shrugged and quickly changed the subject.

"Do you think Hong Kong still has room for development now?"

Standing side by side on the top floor of the Victoria Hotel, Zhao Fusheng and Tan Kaixuan looked down.

"Who knows."

Hearing Tan Kaixuan's question, Zhao Fusheng smiled but didn't answer.

"You know, I always feel that Hong Kong's upward mobility has been blocked. Its development has stalled. Real estate tycoons occupy most of the top billionaire spots, and everyone seems to be stuck in place," Tan Kaixuan said slowly, hands behind his back.

"That's a fact."

Zhao Fusheng nodded. "From an economic perspective, this place has lost its value for further development. To put it bluntly, if Hong Kong was the Pearl of the Orient ten years ago, now it's beginning to decline, turning into an ordinary Chinese city. Ten years from now, it might have to rely on the mainland for blood transfusions..."

"Really?"

Tan Kaixuan was startled, looking at Zhao Fusheng with some surprise.

He had only had some vague feelings, never expecting Zhao Fusheng to be so pessimistic.

Yes, in his view, Zhao Fusheng was overly pessimistic.

"Pessimistic or not, let time prove it."

Zhao Fusheng smiled faintly, noncommittal to Tan Kaixuan's words.

History would prove whether he was right or wrong.

Although he knew he wasn't exaggerating but stating facts, who could really predict the future?

For instance, Zhao Fusheng once loved a film called 'Big Fish,' but hated all reviews of it, whether positive or negative.

Life is a slow, singing river, yet beneath its seemingly calm surface lie countless turbulent undercurrents. We occasionally break away from it, only to return in the end. Like fish, we leap out of the water, like fish we are buried at the bottom, like fish we swim within it, and like fish we forget the past.

In Zhao Fusheng's eyes, insignificant humans never know whether the future or accident will come first. They merely follow animal instincts, the river's direction, and the habits formed by daily repetition, maintaining a fragile sense of security to survive in this world. They may laugh, they may grieve, they may say good morning and good night to thousands, but everything they see, encounter, think, say, and hear in their lifetime remains sealed and revolving within their bones, which will soon rot and burn to ashes.

They have never arrived, they can never arrive—that is the valley that neither emperor nor beggar can conquer, the paradise where heroes and cowards alike fall.

For Zhao Fusheng, he didn't care about the fate of Hong Kong's people. He only cared about how much profit he could extract from it.

"You're spacing out again."

Tan Kaixuan's voice rang in Zhao Fusheng's ears. Snapping back to reality, he saw the guy patting his shoulder with a smug look.

"No matter how Hong Kong develops in the future, it's the same for us. As long as we make money here, that's enough!"

Tan Kaixuan's words made Zhao Fusheng's eyes light up.