Meanwhile, on the other side, in Hong Kong Island—
A grand banquet was being held aboard a cruise ship in the harbor.
Every prominent figure on Hong Kong Island had come.
Yet He Yichen remained standing alone in a secluded corner, staring silently at the opposite shore of Victoria Harbour with a deep frown.
“Mr. He, why are you drinking here by yourself? Come sit with us!”
“Exactly. Isn’t being alone boring? Want to play cards later? Your card skills are too good—it’d be a pity not to play a round with you!”
Several suave young heirs from wealthy Hong Kong Island families approached with wine glasses in hand, speaking fluent Cantonese.
“Don’t feel like it. Go play yourselves.”
He Yichen looked dispirited as he downed the rest of his alcohol in one gulp.
“Alright then. Oh right, Young Master He, since you stayed in Beijing for so many years, have you ever interacted with that President Pei from Beijing’s elite circle?”
“Pei Shangyue?”
“Yeah!” One of the wealthy young masters in a burgundy suit leaned closer gossipingly. “At the banquet earlier, I heard a lot of people saying that President Pei from Beijing’s elite circle finally has something going on!”
Another young master looked up curiously.
“What kind of something? President Pei’s getting married? Is it a business marriage?”
“What nonsense are you talking about? A figure like President Pei doesn’t need a business marriage.”
“Exactly! I heard President Pei has an extremely beloved and beautiful girlfriend. He likes her so much that at tonight’s jewelry auction, he spent over a hundred million just to make the beauty happy!”
“Oh? Seriously? Who is President Pei’s mysterious girlfriend? Where’s she from? Are there photos?”
“No photos, but a friend of mine who was there said she was the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen! The way she described her was ridiculously exaggerated!”
“I don’t believe it! No matter how beautiful she is, could she really compare to Young Master He’s younger sister?”
“Exactly! Back when Young Master He’s younger sister, Third Miss Song, first appeared publicly, the Hong Kong media practically exploded. Reporters stalked her every day trying to偷拍 photos, and it scared Third Miss Song into avoiding Hong Kong Island social events for years…”
“Speaking of which, Young Master He, where’s your younger sister Song Fuxue? Why haven’t we heard any news about her in so long?”
The matter of Song Fuxue’s disappearance was known only within the Song Family and among the upper circles of Hong Kong Island’s major wealthy families. It had never been publicly disclosed across the entire Hong Kong Island social circle.
So during the banquet, many people casually asked about Song Fuxue.
Every single question stabbed directly into He Yichen’s wounds.
Now that the topic came up again, He Yichen—already irritated to begin with—looked even darker.
“Why are you asking so many questions? Go stay wherever it’s cool.”
“Whoa, what’s wrong with Young Master He today? Did you swallow gunpowder or something?”
“Let’s go, let’s go. Can’t you tell Young Master He’s in a bad mood?”
“I was only asking because I’ve secretly had a crush on Young Master He’s younger sister for years. You know that already…”
…
The wealthy young masters found no fun in staying any longer and gradually left.
He Yichen stared toward the dark, bottomless waters across the shore, his face sinking completely.
Not long afterward, Song Ni came looking for him.
“A-Ni.”
“Cousin, how is it? Did you find any news about Fuxue?”
He Yichen shook his head heavily.
“No.”
“This past month, I’ve stayed on Hong Kong Island contacting the upper circles of several major families and borrowing manpower from them. I even hired Hong Kong Island’s most famous private detectives…”
“I’ve practically turned the entire Hong Kong Island upside down, yet there’s still not even the slightest trace of Fuxue…”
He Yichen’s mentality was on the verge of collapse. He did not even dare think about the worst possible outcome. Just imagining it was enough to make his heart ache so badly it felt like his hair might turn white overnight.
Song Ni also looked sadly toward the distant neon lights.
The two stood in silence for a while.
“I still believe A-Fu is alive. She’s an excellent swimmer and very familiar with Hong Kong Island. If she jumped into the sea, she definitely would’ve found a way to survive.”
Song Ni gazed at the ocean surface and thought calmly for a moment.
“Hong Kong Island itself isn’t very large. We’ve already arranged so many people to search thoroughly for such a long time, yet there’s still no news at all. Could it be…”
“Could it be that A-Fu isn’t on Hong Kong Island at all?”
He Yichen froze abruptly.
“What did you say?”
Song Ni slowly spoke while holding the matching peace knot identical to the one her younger sister carried.
“If A-Fu is still alive, maybe she followed the plan you two agreed on back then and went to meet you at Beijing Airport.”
“Could A-Fu have been afraid you’d keep waiting for her, so she went to Beijing first?”
“It’s just that… perhaps something trapped her, or some accident happened, preventing her from contacting us.”
He Yichen slowly turned the jade ring on his finger as he considered her words carefully.
“A-Ni’s guess does make sense.”
“Next, I’ll send people to investigate in Beijing, while the search on Hong Kong Island continues as well.”
“If Hong Kong Island still turns up nothing, I’ll personally return to Beijing and devote all efforts toward finding Fuxue.”
Song Ni nodded.
“Alright.”
“Things within the Song Family are progressing smoothly for now. In no more than two months, Father, Mother, and I should completely gain control of the Song Family and firmly secure our position as the heads of the Song Corporation.”
“By then, all that will be left is waiting for A-Fu to return personally and repay every grievance she has suffered.”
“So no matter what, we absolutely cannot give up…”
…
As the banquet neared its end, the violin ensemble aboard the ship switched to a softer melody.
After finishing her social obligations, Song Ni prepared to leave with her secretary when someone suddenly called out to her.
“Song Ni, where’s your spoiled and clingy younger sister?”
The speaker was a wealthy young lady who had never gotten along well with Song Fuxue.
Her surname was Zhou, and Song Ni vaguely remembered her.
“What do you want?”
Miss Zhou smiled.
“It’s just that I haven’t seen her in so long. Some time ago, I visited a temple and accidentally overheard members of your Song Family talking…”
“So it turns out Song Fuxue is actually a fake heiress, while you’re the real daughter!”
“It seems Chairman Song and Madam Song deliberately hid the truth and let you two act like real sisters for all these years. Song Ni, don’t you think that’s unfair?”
“You were clearly the true heiress, yet because of Song Fuxue’s existence, part of the love, attention, and inheritance that should’ve belonged solely to you got divided away…”
At those words, Song Ni’s expression turned cold.
She stepped closer toward Miss Zhou.
“What else did you overhear?”
“I also overheard that after Old Master Song schemed to drive Song Fuxue out, she disappeared…”
“It’s already been so long without any news. Could she be dead?”
Miss Zhou could not hide her excitement while making the guess.
“It’s perfect if that fake heiress died. Song Ni, you should be happy instead. From now on, the entire Song Family will belong to you—”
“Ah—!”
Before Miss Zhou could finish speaking, Song Ni suddenly raised her hand and slapped her viciously across the face.
“Who gave you permission to talk about my younger sister like that? What kind of filthy thing are you? You think you’re worthy?”
“Song Ni, are you crazy? I’m speaking up for you! Song Fuxue isn’t even your parents’ biological daughter! She’s a fake heiress who freeloaded in your family for years! If she died, then—”
Slap!
“Shut up!”
Song Ni coldly struck her across the face again.
Miss Zhou was completely stunned. Her eyes reddened as she tightly shut her mouth.
“What business do matters between us sisters have with you?”
“Miss Zhou, you’d better control your mouth. If you dare spread those words outside, I truly will throw you into the ocean to feed the sharks.”
“If you don’t believe me, try it.”
Song Ni warned her coldly from above before turning and leaving.
Miss Zhou trembled all over, her heart pounding with lingering fear.
Within Hong Kong’s elite social circles, nearly everyone had heard of the two sisters from the Song Family.
The older sister was cold and intelligent—a rare genius who had already seized control over part of the Song Family’s power at only twenty years old.
The younger sister was soft, spoiled, and adorable, with beauty capable of toppling nations. Ever since childhood, she had countless admirers and secret crushes pursuing her.
Yet Hong Kong media had frequently published rumors claiming the sisters did not get along.
Miss Zhou had believed the media.
After secretly overhearing the truth that the younger sister was actually a fake heiress, she immediately sought out Song Ni, hoping a few flattering words would help her build a closer relationship with her.
She never expected Song Ni to slap and threaten her instead.
The Hong Kong media truly was full of nonsense.
Song Ni clearly cherished and protected that spoiled younger sister deeply.
Song Fuxue truly had a blessed fate. Even as a fake heiress, everyone still treated her like a precious treasure.