Liu Hui and Zhou Tengyun felt uneasy, but Yue Wang and Mei Peng were completely unburdened, loudly sizing up the beautiful women around them.
A young beauty walked past them, and Yue Wang suddenly grabbed her hand, chuckling, "Hey, girl, you look listless with a flush on your brow. You must be feeling unwell somewhere. Why don't you let your brother give you a quick check-up?"
The beauty frowned and shook off Yue Wang’s hand, about to flare up, when a man approached and drew the woman into his arms, sneering at Yue Wang, "Yue Wang, back to your old tricks again? Daring to touch one of my Young Master Huo's women?"
Yue Wang clearly recognized the man's face and grew somewhat embarrassed, saying, "It’s Young Master Huo, my mistake. I didn't realize she was yours. My apologies, it won't happen again."
"Yue Wang, I honestly don't know what your problem is. Can't you just find a girlfriend and settle down? Always chasing after every skirt—I swear you’ll die because of a woman one day." Seeing Yue Wang apologize, and knowing his usual character, Young Master Huo let it go and offered a word of caution instead.
"Yes, yes, I will certainly be more careful," Yue Wang nodded, seemingly a little afraid of Young Master Huo.
Young Master Huo, with the beauty tucked under his arm, was about to leave when his eyes suddenly lit up upon spotting Liu Hui standing nearby. He grinned, "Isn't this Mr. Liu Hui, the boss of Starry Sky Group? I am Huo Zhanpeng of the Huo family. A pleasure to meet you." He extended his hand.
"Haha, so you are the Fourth Young Master Huo. I’ve long admired your reputation," Liu Hui replied, shaking the young master's hand and offering a compliment.
"Haha, I'm nowhere near as famous as Mr. Liu. You are practically the number one figure in Hong Kong right now. Your achievements are unprecedented, shaking both past and present; even my own father wishes to meet you," Young Master Huo laughed.
"Not at all, it's just a small business, hardly worth mentioning. It is Young Master Huo whose prestigious lineage and commanding presence I truly admire," Liu Hui said modestly.
"High praise, high praise. Mr. Liu, we feel like old friends upon meeting. We must exchange more insights in the future," Young Master Huo smiled.
"Naturally. In the future, this younger brother will certainly seek guidance from Young Master Huo," Liu Hui returned the smile.
"Mr. Liu, do you know Yue Wang?" Young Master Huo suddenly noticed Yue Wang and Liu Hui standing together.
"Haha, of course we know each other. He is my sworn fourth brother; we took an oath long ago," Liu Hui stated.
"Yue Wang, I never realized you knew Mr. Liu, let alone that you were sworn brothers. I must have misjudged things," Young Master Huo said, surprised.
"That was a long time ago, which is why I never mentioned it to you all," Yue Wang answered. He had secretly gone to university on Mount Ba, and upon returning, he was sent straight to study in America, leaving no time to socialize with these acquaintances. As for Liu Hui calling him the fourth brother, he certainly dared not argue the point now.
"Mr. Liu, come, let me introduce you to some good friends of mine. They have been eager to meet you for quite some time," Young Master Huo enthusiastically took Liu Hui’s arm.
"That would be great. I am keen to meet the talents of Hong Kong," Liu Hui readily followed Young Master Huo, with Mei Peng, Zhou Tengyun, and Yue Wang trailing behind.
Young Master Huo led the four of them to a corner where several young men and women were chatting. They greeted Young Master Huo when they saw him approach.
"Brothers and sisters, look who has arrived," Young Master Huo stepped aside, presenting Liu Hui to the group.
"Hey, isn't that Mr. Liu of Starry Sky Group? We were just talking about you!" one man exclaimed in surprise.
"Come, let me introduce you. There’s little need to elaborate on Mr. Liu; I’m sure you’ve all heard his famous name enough times. He’s all over the news daily—his reputation is thunderous. And this gentleman here is the Little Superman of the Li family," Young Master Huo said, gesturing towards a slender, middle-aged man.
"Second Young Master Li, I have certainly admired your name for a long time," Liu Hui immediately shook the hand extended by the man. He truly knew the name Little Superman well. He had heard of the Li family’s second son even while he was still studying. His own mentor had detailed and analyzed the Little Superman's classic maneuvers in business for them, which had been an eye-opener for Liu Hui.
"Haha, just an empty title. It is Mr. Liu whose business is flourishing globally that makes us truly envious," the Little Superman said modestly.
"A minor achievement, not worth mentioning. I deeply admire the performance achieved by your esteemed father and yourself," Liu Hui smiled.
"Haha, you two can trade compliments later; you have plenty of time for that. And this beauty is Miss He the Sixth from Macau," Young Master Huo introduced, pointing to a pure-looking young woman.
Liu Hui immediately shook hands with the young Miss He: "A great honor, a great honor."
Miss He smiled slightly, teasing, "I only just graduated, and I haven't been out much in this circle before. How could you possibly have admired my name for so long?"
"Well..." Liu Hui felt a bit awkward.
"Haha, just kidding, Mr. Liu, don't take it seriously. I have long admired you, though. I didn't expect you to be this handsome in person, possessing such mature male charm. They say seeing is better than hearing, but meeting you is even better than hearing about you," Miss He said charmingly.
"Yuyan, you don't have a boyfriend; Mr. Liu doesn't have a girlfriend either. Since you find Mr. Liu so charming, why not pursue him? You two look like a perfect match—talented man and beautiful woman," a young man beside her joked.
Seeing Liu Hui look toward this man, Young Master Huo quickly introduced, "Mr. Liu, this is Bao Baituang, Young Master Bao of the Bao family. You two should get to know each other better."
Liu Hui shook Bao Baituang's hand, repeating that he had long admired him. However, Bao Baituang merely kept glancing between Liu Hui and Miss He the Sixth, his expression ambiguous, which left Liu Hui somewhat speechless.
"Mr. Liu, finally, this is Dong Liangdong, Young Master Dong of the Dong family," Young Master Huo introduced the last young man.
Liu Hui shook Young Master Dong’s hand, exchanging another round of polite admiration.
Liu Hui had long heard of these young people. They were the leading figures of the next generation in the great families of Hong Kong and Macau, likely successors to their fathers' glorious legacies, with unfathomable power behind them. He couldn't afford to offend any of them. For his Starry Sky Group to develop further in Hong Kong, building good relations with these second-generation heirs was crucial, so he tried his best to befriend them.
"I am delighted to meet all of you today. You are all the cream of Hong Kong and Macau’s younger generation. Normally, I should have paid personal visits, but I’ve been so inundated with matters recently that I haven't had a free moment, leading to this late introduction. I offer my sincere apologies," Liu Hui said, executing a deep bow and taking the blame first.
"Mr. Liu is too polite. You are busy with important affairs; being busy is understandable. However, none of our elders came to this reception. Why don't you come visit us another time? My father thinks highly of you. And since you seem like a straightforward person, how about we start calling you Young Master Hui instead of Mr. Liu? It feels less distant," Second Young Master Li said with a smile.
"Then this younger brother will rely on your goodwill, sirs. I will certainly pay all your families a visit soon," Liu Hui laughed heartily.
"Young Master Hui is too kind. If Young Master Hui is willing to come, we will roll out the red carpet to welcome you," the others laughed together.
"Oh, right, I haven't introduced my brothers to you yet. This is my second, Mei Peng, and this is my third, Zhou Tengyun. This is my fourth, Yue Wang, whom I believe you all already know." Liu Hui began his introductions.
"We've long heard that Young Master Hui has several capable brothers. Meeting them today, they are indeed all distinguished and extraordinary," Miss He the Sixth said kindly.
"I’ve known Director Mei Peng for a long time. He managed the Han Tang Hospital brilliantly; his management experience is vast. I also knew that Starry Sky Group had an immensely fierce fighter in Zhou Tengyun, truly a modern Wu Song. But I never knew that Yue Wang of the Yue family in Hong Kong was also Young Master Hui’s brother. Today is truly enlightening," Bao Baituang remarked.
The Bao family naturally had their own sources of intelligence. Even though Liu Hui tried his best to conceal the formidable power Zhou Tengyun once displayed, the Bao family had managed to find out.
"Haha, since they are Young Master Hui’s brothers, they are our brothers from now on. We must support each other. But Yue Wang, you really must change that bad habit of yours, or you will suffer greatly one day," Second Young Master Li said, specifically warning Yue Wang.
Yue Wang's family should also be considered upper-class in Hong Kong, and he often mingled with the young masters of these prominent families. However, it seemed these peers didn't care for him much, likely due to his problematic habits.
"I know, I will definitely change," Yue Wang said resignedly. But immediately, his eyes began to gleam, showing a restless eagerness.
Everyone turned to look, spotting several exceptionally beautiful women surrounding a young man who was walking towards them. Everyone present began to shake their heads, the same thought flashing through their minds: A leopard cannot change its spots.
"Isn't that Wei Chao, that lecher?" Mei Peng exclaimed in surprise. The person walking toward them, surrounded by beauties, was none other than the super-lecher Wei Chao, who hadn't shown up in ages.
"Haha, all the bosses are here! Am I late? Did I miss anything interesting?" Wei Chao seemed very familiar with this group, greeting them casually.
Everyone nodded at Wei Chao; it appeared he held some clout within this circle.
"Haha, so it’s Mr. Wei. How is your health holding up? Can you still manage? Do you need to see a doctor? I happen to have some insights into treating kidney deficiency—want me to take a look?" Mei Peng mocked. For some reason, ever since they first met at Han Tang Hospital, the two hadn't gotten along and were always trading barbs.
"Oh, Brother Liu is here too. That's wonderful! It’s been a while since we brothers met. We must have a good long chat this time," Wei Chao ignored Mei Peng’s sarcasm, spotting Liu Hui nearby. He was overjoyed and strode over to shake Liu Hui's hand.
"Little Wei, it has been a long time since I last saw you. Come visit my company when you have time," Liu Hui said with a smile.
"Brother's company—I absolutely must stop by," Wei Chao laughed heartily.
"May I ask the name of this beautiful lady? You have an elegant figure, yet you look exhausted. It must be due to severe internal fatigue. Why don't you come back to my place with me? I'll arrange a room for you and give you a massage; I guarantee you'll be so comfortable you'll forget your own name," Yue Wang wickedly leered at one of the women Wei Chao had brought, clearly harboring ill intent.
Wei Chao was fond of beautiful women, and the women accompanying him often changed. Of the women he brought this time, excluding his constant bodyguard and a young loli, all were new faces whom Liu Hui didn't recognize. Still, Liu Hui had to admire Wei Chao's taste in women; every woman he brought was top-tier beauty. No wonder Yue Wang couldn't control himself and had to approach her for flirtation.
"Brother, I used that trick to pick up girls often in the past, but that move is seriously outdated, and you won't get a beauty that way," Wei Chao commented.
"I like it, why should it be your business?" Yue Wang was polite to the ladies but showed no such courtesy to men.
"Hey, I said, these are the women I brought. It's not your turn to try and woo them. Get away and don't make me angry," Wei Chao also got annoyed. Having the women he brought hit on was something even his broad-mindedness couldn't tolerate.
"Enough, Fourth Brother. Please mind the occasion," Liu Hui stepped in to stop the farce. Yue Wang shot Wei Chao a fierce glare, moved away from the beauty, and returned to Liu Hui’s side.
"Oh? This... this gentleman is actually Brother Liu's brother?" Wei Chao was startled.
"Haha, yes, just try not to take offense on my account," Liu Hui replied with a smile.
"Since Brother Liu has spoken, I won't press him further," Wei Chao conceded, then started chatting easily with the young masters and princesses present.
These elite family members were very aware of Wei Chao's actual wealth and the hidden power backing him. They weren't as shallow and arrogant as some of the nouveau riche, and since they were already familiar with Wei Chao, they quickly fell into a lively conversation. Through their discussions, Liu Hui gradually learned some of the hidden aspects of Hong Kong, which was a huge revelation for him.
As they talked, the conversation gradually shifted back to Liu Hui's Starry Sky Group.
"Young Master Hui, you’re incredibly hot right now, your business spanning the globe. Any lucrative avenues you could pull a brother into?" Bao Baituang joked.
"Haha, I've just been lucky, by sheer fortune, inventing two medicines that happen to cure illnesses. I have no special money-making secrets. In fact, I hope you gentlemen, with your wide connections, can help me find a path to wealth," Liu Hui replied with a mix of truth and evasion to Bao Baituang.
"Young Master Hui, one of your products sells for hundreds of billions of dollars a year. Our businesses are small-time compared to yours; they are not worth mentioning in your presence," Young Master Huo also laughed.
"Not at all, not at all. Your esteemed fathers are figures who command great power in Hong Kong and Macau; they are like gods in the eyes of the local populace. I am still very young and must learn much from all of you," Liu Hui countered.
"Brother Liu, your company’s recent revenue must be over ten billion dollars, right? How about we join forces and do a big deal together? I'll stake my reputation on it, ensuring you make a massive profit in a short time," Wei Chao said, full of confidence in his own capabilities.
"Haha, Young Master Wei, you have a new scheme already? Be sure to include us this time! Last time you had us short the Japanese stock market, but unfortunately, my father didn't trust your judgment. Then the massive earthquake hit Japan right after, and the financial market plunged. If we had followed you in shorting the Nikkei, we’d probably be counting money in bed right now. I truly regret it," Dong Liangdong laughed.
"Young Master Wei, count me in this time too!" Second Young Master Li chimed in, requesting participation.
Miss He the Sixth, Young Master Huo, and Bao Baituang all followed suit, asking to join. The evidence had repeatedly shown that Wei Chao’s financial acumen was unfathomably deep, operating beyond the level of mortals—it had reached a divine altitude. Every time he initiated an operation, it resulted in massive gains. These young elites couldn't bear to miss out on making money again.
Thank you to the reader: Ye Manlin for 4 update tickets totaling 3000 points.