Super Zoo

A group disembarked from the airplane and took a shuttle bus to the exit where the local travel agency's guide was already waiting. From afar, the guide came up to them, waving a small flag and leading the group toward the waiting tour bus parked outside the airport.

Before even leaving the airport, Suming spotted a woman holding a large sign, wearing exaggerated sunglasses just like Nangong's. The sign read: "Deputy Director Suming from Yangchuan Zoo."

"It's Julia!" Nangong recognized the person coming to pick them up at once; it was Jacky's female assistant. Julia, spotting Nangong, put down the sign and jogged over.

Suming couldn't help but be amazed; if he remembered correctly, these two women had only met once before when he helped Jacky with the concert planning, and they had gone shopping together.

Half a year had passed since then, and despite being so far apart and both wearing super large sunglasses, they could still recognize each other.

"Mr. Zhang, you guys go ahead on the bus and wait for me, I'm going over there to meet a friend," Suming said to the tour guide, then walked over to Julia with Nangong.

After the two women met, they hugged each other warmly and chatted enthusiastically, complimenting each other on looking younger and how well the outfits suited them. Then Julia took a pale gold card out of her bag and handed it to Suming.

"Mr. Su, the charity gala will be held at 7 p.m. three days from now at the Peninsula Hotel. This is the invitation card, and you may bring a lady with you."

"Thank you," Suming placed the pale gold card in his bag and said to Julia, "Give my regards to Jacky."

"Jacky asked me to apologize to you on his behalf. He's tied up promoting his new movie and couldn't possibly come to pick you up. If he makes it on time, he might also attend the charity gala. Nangong, if you want to go shopping in the next few days, just CALL me, and I'll accompany you. These men only know how to make money; you just need to make sure you spend some of it for them, and that'll be OK."

Nangong smiled with pursed lips, while Suming mentally rolled his eyes. What kind of logic was that?

Before coming to Xiangjiang, Suming learned from a casual conversation with Zhao Yun that Sotheby's was going to co-host a small charity gala in May, which, in simple terms, was a charity auction.

However, attending such a charity gala wasn't as simple as buying a $50 ticket. The attendees were either rich or noble, all social elites, directly invited by the organizers.

Of course, invitations could still be bought with money. For example, the gold card in Suming's pocket would cost 400,000 Hong Kong dollars if sold. That meant even if you participated in the gala and bought nothing, nor sold anything, you'd still have to fork out 400,000 just for a meal.

All proceeds from the auction would eventually be donated to charity, so prices generally wouldn't soar too high.

While the items were not expensive, there were often some interesting and memorable trinkets, such as a beloved pocket watch of a certain Sir Akihito Ren, or antiques collected by some rich tycoon. Suming was quite interested and managed to get an invitation card through Jacky. He planned to bring Nangong with him to the gala, adding a unique 'sight' to the trip.

After a brief chat with Julia and leaving a contact number in Xiangjiang, Suming and Nangong caught up with the zoo's double-decker tour bus and left Lantau Island along with the large group. Once the bus entered the relatively bustling Hong Kong Island area, at the entrance of the famous Hennessy Road, Suming asked the driver to stop and got off the bus with Nangong.

"We'll go off on our own fun. You guys enjoy yourselves. Meet up at the hotel the night before we leave!"

The zoo staff on the bus nodded cheerfully, except for Su Meng, who squeezed his head out of the window, pointing at his nose and calling out frantically.

Suming winked at Nurse Hu, who was sitting in the same row, and then waved to Su Meng, saying, "Su Meng, don't follow us. Hang out with everyone else, and don't be afraid to spend some money on whatever you want to buy."

After that, turning around, he took Nangong's hand and the two of them ran into Hennessy Road, disappearing into the stream of people in the blink of an eye.

...

Hennessy Road is located at the heart of Causeway Bay, connecting Wan Chai and Causeway Bay. Less than two kilometers long, it is one of the busiest and most bustling areas in the whole of Hong Kong. Jacky once shot a movie, "Full Moon over Hennessy," with scenes set in this location.

Suming and Nangong Yan strolled hand in hand among the incessant flow of people, with jewelry and gold shops everywhere along the road, as well as lots of cheap snacks and tea restaurants full of Hong Kong's traditional character. Looking up, they could see one of Hong Kong's most famous shopping malls, the Sogo Department Store, not far away.

The mix of high-end shopping venues and inexpensive, characteristic eateries formed the unique charm of Hennessy Road.

Suming had previously thought the road was named after the brandy Hennessy, and Nangong had mercilessly teased him for this. Only then did he learn that the road was named in honor of a former governor of Hong Kong, the British Sir Hennessy.

Just like Hong Kong's Royal Police Headquarters building, Mailey Building, named in honor of Sir Charles Mailey, the first Commissioner of Police, and the famous Lai Tak Tsuen, named after the former Secretary for Public Works, Michael Wright, this glittering modern city of Xiangjiang is filled with too many traces of British colonialism.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's been over a decade since we were liberated, and the mighty and valiant troops stationed in the port are just a few kilometers away. You're clearly a wicked capitalist, so stop acting like a proletarian fighter troubled by the concerns of the country and the people, will you!"

Nangong's eyes sparkled with excitement all the way, like a greedy mouse that had fallen into a chef's banquet kitchen. Faced with countless tempting dishes, she had no idea where to start nibbling. Listening to Su Ming's sentimental rant, she gave him a look as though she was looking at an idiot.

"Why can't I be concerned about the country and the people? I am a Party member!" Su Ming stated his stance firmly.

"Alright, alright, Comrade Party member! My convictions aren't as firm as yours. Now I'm off to be corrupted by capitalism! Hahaha!" Nangong Yan tossed a coquettish glance and dragged Su Ming into a Chow Sang Sang store by the roadside.

Before the temptation of beauty, Comrade Su Ming, the Party member, collapsed in defeat. Smitten by Nangong Yan's flirtatious eyes, his party loyalty flowed away with the Pearl River into the sea, as he followed Nangong into the jewelry store.

The store was teeming with people. Nangong squeezed up to the counter and pointed at a row of glittering jewelry below, asking the attendant to let her try them on, while she admired herself in the mirror without any real purpose.

Su Ming curiously looked around. The Chow Sang Sang in Xiangjiang and in Yangchuan City weren't all that different.

The only difference was the crowds.

In the Chow Sang Sang store in Yangchuan City, there were more staff than customers. The scenario at this Chow Sang Sang on Hennessy Road was the exact opposite—customers almost bursting the store at the seams, most of them uniformed mainland tourists speaking Mandarin, seemingly a tour group that had booked the entire place.

There was no incident like in my imagination where a tour guide and shopkeepers would suddenly lock the doors and force shopping. The atmosphere in the store was relatively harmonious, with the beautiful female attendants speaking Mandarin with a Cantonese accent and the tourists conversing in their local dialects.

Finally, Nangong chose a pair of very extravagant gold earrings, looking like the type that divas in the eighties wearing batwing shirts might have donned.

"You're so out of touch. This is called retro. Fashion trends come in twelve-year cycles. Haven't you seen how many girls are wearing skinny jeans again? These big earrings can look super chic with the right clothes!"

The attendant maintained a very professional but never irritating smile as she confidently said, "Not only does this lady look beautiful, but she also has top-notch taste..."

Sometimes when women shop, it's not so much about the quality of the goods, but more about buying a good mood. Even knowing that the female attendant was flattering her, Nangong still gave a pleased smile and was ready to pay with her card.

Unexpectedly, the attendant hadn't finished her praise. Seeing Nangong take out her card, she continued with a smile, "This style of earrings has a grand presence. If a younger girl wore them, it would just seem overly extravagant, but they are perfect for a truly mature and alluring woman, like you."

Nangong had her card outstretched already but at that comment, withdrew her hand and glared at the attendant, "What did you say? Do I look that old to you?"

Su Ming almost burst out laughing. Of course, Nangong wasn't old—she wasn't even twenty-five yet. It was her style that made her appear mature and worldly—a large sunhat, oversized sunglasses that covered half her face, and a lace scarf. If it was a night out, she'd definitely be dazzling, but in a busy store, she completely looked like a mature, elegant woman, not at all like a girl in her early twenties.

"Let's go, let's go, I'm not buying it!" Nangong, stomping her feet in anger, pulled Su Ming and was ready to leave.

"Buy it, buy it, buy it!" Su Ming said, holding back his laughter.

Seeing Su Ming trying to suppress his laughter just made Nangong even more upset, "I refuse to wear stuff meant for old people!"

"If you won't wear it, give it to your mom, or I can take it back for mine," Su Ming couldn't hold back any longer. He took out his card and handed it to the dumbstruck attendant, winking at her, "Wrap up those earrings."

Seeing the deal that had flown away come back, the attendant, after a moment of shock, gave Su Ming a grateful look and took the card, rapidly processing the transaction.

In the end, the purchase was made. Four thousand two hundred Hong Kong dollars, Su Ming didn't ask for a tax refund, and left the Chow Sang Sang store with the little bag and Nangong Yan.

No sooner had they stepped a dozen meters out of the jewelry store than Su Ming saw across the street, several people wearing face masks, each with a large backpack. There was a chill in their eyes visible behind the masks, a murderous vibe as they made their way towards the direction of the jewelry store.

"Eh?! What's going on? It's not a jewelry store heist, is it!?"

Su Ming instantly became thrilled. This was too exciting, a classic scene from a Hong Kong cops and robbers movie—the big jewelry heist—and he had stumbled upon it!