Chapter 299: Ding Sisi
Although Xu Youyou completed the transaction, she didn’t sit in the car and therefore didn’t know what the truly valuable item was.
Now, hearing someone mention the previous owner of Fang Rui’s car, she couldn’t help but perk up her ears.
Fang Rui nodded. “Third Uncle, your memory’s good. This was indeed Ding Sisi’s car. She went to England and sold off everything she had in Hong Kong.”
Third Uncle Fang showed an ambiguous smile and said with a hint of mockery, “She knew her sugar daddy had left, so she didn’t have any support left in Hong Kong and couldn’t stay.”
Xu Youyou was still listening intently, but the group had already moved on to another topic.
She couldn’t help asking Fang Qianqian, “Who is Ding Sisi?”
Fang Qianqian didn’t hide anything and replied, “She’s a girl who came from the mainland to… hustle—well, to make a living in Hong Kong.”
Xu Youyou noticed Fang Qianqian abruptly change her wording, raised her eyebrows slightly, but didn’t press.
“She was dating someone famous, right?” Xu Youyou asked.
Fang Qianqian nodded. “Yes, quite famous. But her boyfriend passed away. She lost her backer… and her true love, and didn’t want to stay in Hong Kong, a place full of sad memories.”
Xu Youyou asked, “What did her famous boyfriend do?”
“He was a Hong Kong native, active mostly between Hong Kong and Macau. Many people called him the ‘Gambling King of Macau,’” Fang Qianqian said politely, though her expression showed a trace of disdain, as if she looked down on such self-made rich people.
Xu Youyou had heard the title “Gambling King” a few times in recent years. There were quite a few who carried that title, but only one had recently died.
Zhang Qingquan.
He wasn’t very old — not even forty when he died — but his death caused quite a stir. Xu Youyou had even seen related news on Weibo, calling him the “young Gambling King.” But those who knew the inside story knew he was just a high-end junket operator.
“I heard that Zhang’s death was suspicious — something about him taking something he shouldn’t have,” Fang Qianqian said in a low voice.
Xu Youyou immediately had a hunch — the bargain she scored this time might be connected to Zhang Qingquan’s death.
She asked, “What would have happened if Ding Sisi didn’t leave Hong Kong?”
Fang Qianqian smiled and said, “Maybe she’d end up like her boyfriend, or maybe nothing would happen. Who’s to say?”
Xu Youyou didn’t say anything more. She didn’t continue chatting with Fang Qianqian either. Thanks to Lu Jingyao, her “fashion accessory,” she quickly blended into the Hong Kong high society circle and collected a stack of business cards.
She also quickly learned a bit about Fang Qianqian.
Most Hong Kong ladies were independent and confident, but Fang Qianqian’s sweet and somewhat cloying demeanor was very different from the usual wealthy heiresses, and it was understandable.
The Fang family wasn’t originally from Hong Kong but were capitalists from Taiwan. Although Grandpa Fang seemed to dote on his granddaughter, he was actually extremely patriarchal.
He kept Fang Qianqian by his side mainly in hopes she’d find a wealthy husband who could benefit the Fang family.
After the banquet, Xu Youyou’s people drove the limited-edition Lamborghini back to the Lu family villa.
Meanwhile, Grandpa Fang heard about the transaction and called his grandson and granddaughter into the study to question them about it.
Upon hearing that Xu Youyou had bought the car at three times the price, Grandpa Fang frowned and asked his grandson sternly, “Are you that short on money? Couldn’t you have given her a discount to make a friend, or just gifted it to her?”
Fang Rui quickly explained, “Grandpa! I did offer a discount! I said 10% off! She refused. She insisted on the higher price! Qianqian even said Xu Youyou isn’t short on money, so I agreed…”
Grandpa Fang still glared at him. “You just wanted her money.”
Fang Rui felt deeply wronged. Who didn’t love money? If Grandpa Fang didn’t care about money, why would he spend his whole life in business? This was probably the easiest money Fang Rui would ever make — effortless, yet even though the Fang family was rich, they wouldn’t casually hand him twenty million Hong Kong dollars to blow.
Seeing his grandson’s useless expression, Grandpa Fang waved his hand. “Get out.”
Fang Rui quickly left the study.
Grandpa Fang then turned to Fang Qianqian and asked, “What do you think of their relationship?”
Fang Qianqian paused, realizing he meant Xu Youyou and Lu Jingyao.
“Grandpa, Xu Youyou doesn’t seem the least bit worried about Lu Jingyao. She’s not a naive person, so it looks like she feels completely secure in the relationship.”
Fang Qianqian noticed a flash of disappointment in Grandpa Fang’s eyes after she finished speaking.
Not wanting to shoulder the blame alone, she added, “Plenty of young elites tried to approach her during the banquet — including Fifth Cousin, who’s our Fang family’s most handsome heir — and Xu Youyou didn’t show the slightest interest.”
Grandpa Fang sighed. “What a pity.”
Right now, in the Hong Kong elite circle, no one wanted Xu Youyou to marry Lu Jingyao.
The Lu family was already incredibly powerful, and Lu Jingyao wasn’t marrying some Cinderella but a billionaire businesswoman.
Although Xu Youyou was an orphan with mysterious wealth origins, her current position was even better than most top-tier heiresses.
After all, heiresses relied on their families, but Xu Youyou relied on herself. No matter how she became rich, the fact that she could control so much wealth proved her strength.
This powerful union was bound to propel the Lu family even higher.
Such a perfectly matched couple made the other wealthy families jealous. They wanted to break them apart and get one of them for themselves.
Unfortunately, the bond between Xu Youyou and Lu Jingyao was as strong as gold. Grandpa Fang’s two secret attempts at testing them had failed.
“Forget it. The Antique Exchange is coming up in a few days. Plenty of young elites from the mainland will be there. Get to know a few,” Grandpa Fang said.
Fang Qianqian looked reluctant. She was willing to get close to Lu Jingyao because he was wealthy, powerful, and half a Hong Kong native.
But now, being told to mingle with mainland elites made her instinctively unwilling. “Grandpa, you never liked mainlanders before. Why are you suddenly so eager to curry favor? If it’s about marriage alliances, can’t we just work with a Japanese consortium?”
Grandpa Fang glared at her. “What do you know? This isn’t thirty years ago! The economy has changed! Our family fell behind the Chen family precisely because we didn’t expand into the mainland early enough. That’s why we’re stuck now, neither here nor there!”
Fang Qianqian didn’t dare say anything more.
Grandpa Fang continued, “The Gu family in Shanghai — their eldest son is said to be outstanding. Although the Gu family isn’t as strong as ours, they want to work with us. Don’t act so unwilling. Marrying the Gu family heir is way better than marrying a minor son from a Hong Kong family.”
