Chapter 898
Past Life and Present Life
After saying goodbye to Zhang Zhongmou, Lin Haoran went straight downstairs.
He won't be coming to Kwun Tong as often anymore. The next time might be 11 days from now, on March 21st.
Upon seeing his boss approach the car, Li Weiguo quickly opened the car door for him.
Sitting in the back seat, Lin Haoran looked at the gradually darkening sky outside, pondered for a moment, and said to Li Weidong in the driver's seat, "Let's go, to Mong Kok."
"Yes, boss." The convoy slowly left the industrial park and Kwun Tong.
He didn't bring Liu Xiaoli, nor Guo Xiaohan or Guan Jiahui; he wanted to go for a walk by himself.
Since becoming a public figure, he has rarely gone out shopping alone.
But tonight, he wants to go to Mong Kok.
It wasn't to buy anything; I wanted to see the ordinary citizens of Hong Kong, observe their lives, listen to their voices, and try to find my former self.
In his previous life, he was just a working-class man in a first-tier city in mainland China. Like other ordinary citizens, he wandered through the city's streets and alleys, struggling to make a living, worrying about daily necessities, and anxious about finding a better job.
At that time, he never imagined that he had not only traveled through time, but also become the protagonist of the international metropolis of Hong Kong.
I never imagined that one day I would be famous all over the world.
Lin Haoran snapped out of his thoughts; the car had already stopped on the streets of Mong Kok.
Outside the window, neon lights gradually lit up, and the shops on both sides of the street began to bustle with activity.
A small queue formed in front of the fish ball stall, the owner of the beef offal stall deftly chopped the offal, the sounds of bargaining could be heard from the clothing store, and the latest TVs and tape recorders were displayed in front of the appliance store, with pop songs playing from the loudspeaker.
This is what ordinary people's daily lives are like.
But Lin Haoran knew that this kind of lifestyle was getting further and further away from him.
The car was parked in the underground parking lot of a building owned by Hongkong Land Group.
Lin Haoran put on sunglasses and a baseball cap, pulling the brim down low.
He wasn't wearing a suit today, but a dark jacket, which made him inconspicuous in the crowd.
Mong Kok was still as lively and bustling as he remembered.
Li Weidong and Li Weiguo followed him out of the parking lot, one on each side, and blended into the crowd.
Several bodyguards also followed at a distance, ready to handle any emergencies.
The night breeze in Mong Kok carries a variety of smells: the oily aroma of fried stuffed three treasures, the sweetness of egg waffles, the braised smell of beef offal, and the spiciness of curry fish balls wafting from roadside stalls.
These smells were all too familiar to him in his past life.
Although he wasn't in Hong Kong at the time, the lives of ordinary citizens are always similar no matter where they are.
Struggling to make a living, worrying about tomorrow, yet finding satisfaction in a bowl of steaming hot fish balls.
Lin Haoran walked among the crowd, feeling this long-lost atmosphere.
He walked up to a fish ball stall and stopped.
"Boss, three servings of fish balls, extra spicy," he said.
The stall owner was a man in his fifties who deftly packed fish balls into his hands while calling out, "Alright, young man, 1.5 yuan."
Lin Haoran took a serving of fish balls, and Li Weidong and Li Weiguo each took one as well, and they ate them standing on the street.
The fish balls were springy and the sauce was flavorful.
Prices in Hong Kong during that era were remarkably cheap.
Lin Haoran ate while watching the crowds coming and going on the street.
Workers in overalls hurried by, carrying beer they had just bought from a 711-Eleven convenience store;
Students in school uniforms gathered in twos and threes at the entrance of the arcade, discussing the latest arcade games;
Vendors pushing carts called out their wares loudly, chatting casually with regular customers.
All of this felt so real, so vivid.
It was no different from the city he lived in in his previous life.
Come to think of it, the last time he came to Mong Kok was several years ago, and he brought Kwan Ka-wai with him back then.
After that, as his influence in Hong Kong's business community grew, he never set foot on this vibrant and lively land again.
It's not that I don't want to, it's that I can't.
His status as a public figure deprived him of the freedom to move around as he pleased.
Bodyguards, assistants, drivers...
He is always surrounded by a group of people, his whereabouts are always watched by the media, and his every move may become tomorrow's headline.
The everyday life that ordinary people take for granted has become a luxury for him.
Lin Haoran ate fish balls as he walked forward.
Li Weidong and Li Weiguo followed silently behind him, maintaining a just-right distance.
Their mission is to protect the boss's safety.
As for what the boss does or thinks, they never interfere.
Lin Haoran stopped as he passed a newsstand.
At the newsstand, several newspapers had his photo on the front page, or news about him.
Sing Tao Evening Post front page: "ParknShop and Wellcome supermarkets achieved record sales yesterday."
Lin Haoran picked up a copy of the Sing Tao Evening Post and began to read it.
He flipped through the newspaper, a faint smile appearing on his face.
The financial section of Sing Tao Evening Post devoted an entire page to analyzing the "Thanksgiving Month" activities of Hongkong Land Group and Hutchison Whampoa's retail sector.
The reporter wrote: "Since ParknShop and Wellcome launched large-scale consumer discounts at the same time, an unprecedented price storm has swept through the supermarket industry in Hong Kong."
According to our statistics, during the first week of the event, the number of customers at the two supermarkets increased by 150% year-on-year, and some popular stores even saw queues to enter.
One housewife, in an interview, said that she had saved nearly 30% on groceries this month, citing Mr. and Mrs. Lam as the reason.
Another report focused on the ripple effects of the event: "Stimulated by the price cuts of the two major supermarkets, vegetable vendors in the market followed suit and lowered their prices, resulting in the largest weekly drop in the food price index in Hong Kong this year."
Some economists have pointed out that this is a classic example of the "catfish effect," with the Lin family's concessions objectively benefiting all Hong Kong citizens.
Lin Haoran put down the newspaper and picked up the Oriental Evening News next to him.
The newspaper's headline was even more down-to-earth—"Residents Across the City Praise Mr. Lin: He Saved So Much This Month!"
The report included a photo of a long queue outside a ParknShop supermarket in North Point, with housewives pushing shopping carts and beaming with smiles.
The reporter wrote: "Yesterday afternoon, our reporter randomly interviewed twenty citizens at the ParknShop supermarket in North Point. All of them said that the 'Gratitude Month' had really saved them money."
Mrs. Chen, carrying two large bags of household goods, said excitedly, "Mr. Lin is such a thoughtful person. He didn't forget about us neighbors even when he got married. The money I saved this month is enough for my whole family to go out for several big meals!"
Turning to the next page, there is another report about appliance stores: "Stimulated by the 'trade-in' subsidy program launched by Lin Haoran's appliance company, sales of durable consumer goods such as televisions and refrigerators have increased significantly recently."
The owner of an electronics store in Mong Kok that specializes in appliances under Lam Ho-yin's brand told reporters that business has improved by 30% since the promotion started. "Many locals took advantage of the discounts to buy new appliances and are especially grateful to Mr. Lam."
As Lin Haoran read these reports, a complex feeling welled up inside him.
In these reports, he was portrayed as a generous and kind-hearted philanthropist who cared deeply for his neighbors.
But Lin Haoran knew very well that what he had done was far from being "good".
He simply did what he could, things that were within the bounds of business logic and also allowed ordinary people to feel his kindness.
These things are nothing to him, but for ordinary families who have to carefully budget their monthly expenses for food and groceries, they are real help.
This is perhaps another manifestation of the saying "With great power comes great responsibility."
This public welfare activity, which started on the 20th of last month, has been running for nearly 20 days.
Lin Haoran stood in front of the newsstand, holding the copy of the Oriental Evening News in his hand, his gaze fixed on the photo of housewives queuing to shop.
The faces in the photo were blurry, but he could imagine the smiles on their faces.
He was all too familiar with that smile. In his past life, his mother had brought him out of the supermarket, carrying discounted rice, flour, and oil, and she had that same smile on her face.
It's not the smug satisfaction of getting a good deal, but the peace of mind of being able to save a little more money this month.
There was also the joy he felt in his past life, in his rented apartment, when those apps were competing and waging price wars, and when he took advantage of their deals.
However, that was in a past life.
In this life, he is no longer an ordinary person and no longer needs to live such a frugal life.
But looking at those smiles in the photos, he still felt a sense of warmth and familiarity.
"Young man, are you going to buy it or not? If not, don't block my business." The newsstand owner's voice interrupted his thoughts.
Lin Haoran came to his senses and, instead of being angry, smiled and said, "One copy of the Oriental Evening News and one copy of the Sing Tao Evening News."
Li Weidong, who was standing next to him, promptly handed him a five-dollar coin.
The shopkeeper deftly pulled out a newspaper, handed it to him, and gave him change.
Lin Haoran rolled up the newspaper and tucked it under his arm, then continued walking forward.
The nights in Mong Kok are getting more and more lively.
A street performer was playing the erhu, surrounded by a crowd;
A long queue formed in front of the sweet soup stall, and the aroma of ginger milk curd wafted through the air; several young people in floral shirts sped past on motorcycles, their engines deafening.
Lin Haoran suddenly remembered an old Hong Kong movie he had seen in his previous life, in which the night view of Mong Kok was just like this: noisy, chaotic, and full of life.
He walked up to a stall selling beef offal, ordered a serving of clean beef offal with extra radish.
The stall owner was a woman in her fifties, who deftly chopped offal while chatting with a regular customer next to her.
"How much money did you save with Mr. Lin's 'Gratitude Month'? My family's living expenses have decreased significantly this month. Mr. Lin is such a kind person. I really hope this event can continue indefinitely," said a regular customer.
“Lin Sheng is such a thoughtful person, he even remembered us neighbors when he got married,” the stall owner said, his hands still busy. “My daughter said that there are always long queues at the Wellcome supermarket downstairs from her company, and the cashiers are so busy that they don’t even have time to eat.”
A regular customer laughed and said, "I went to Wellcome yesterday and a bag of rice was more than ten dollars cheaper, and a can of oil was almost twenty dollars cheaper. If you save money here and there, you can save several hundred dollars a month."
“You can’t say that. In the end, Lin Sheng is doing business with us at a loss. He can’t keep offering such a discount forever. We should be grateful to Lin Sheng for offering a discount for a month. How much money has he lost in this month? What businessman would do business at a loss?” another customer chimed in.
Upon hearing this, Lin Haoran couldn't help but glance at the man again.
He was a middle-aged man in his forties, dressed in ordinary work clothes, carrying a bag of groceries he had just bought from a nearby supermarket. His expression was simple and honest as he spoke, clearly sincere.
“Yes, yes, Mr. Lin is losing money to save us money. We must remember this kindness.” The beef offal stall owner nodded repeatedly. “My daughter said that ParknShop and Wellcome will lose at least tens of millions of yuan this month. Mr. Lin is giving back to the neighborhood with real money.”
Lin Haoran felt a mix of emotions as he listened to these words.
They thought they were losing money and offering discounts.
In reality, ParknShop and Wellcome's promotions this month are far from resulting in losses. As the owner of the Langwei Group, he controls the global supply chain, and his procurement costs for rice, flour, cooking oil, and daily necessities are lower than anyone else's.
Even with discounts of 30% or 20%, there is still a small profit to be made.
It's just that this small profit is much smaller than usual.
But the neighbors didn't understand any of this. All they knew was that Mr. Lin had saved them money and that he was a good person.
This simple emotion touched Lin Haoran, but also made him feel somewhat ashamed.
He did far less than they imagined.
"Boss, one serving of clean beef offal, extra radish," he said.
The stall owner deftly picked up the beef offal, muttering, "Young man, you're lucky. This is the last serving today. We'll be closing up shop once it's sold out."
Lin Haoran smiled, took the beef offal, and started eating it by the roadside.
The beef offal was stewed until very tender, and the radish had absorbed all the broth. One bite filled my mouth with a rich and delicious flavor.
He ate while listening to the conversation of the people next to him.
Since being transported to this world, he has rarely come into contact with these street food stalls.
It's not that we can't afford it, it's that we don't have the opportunity.
He frequents Michelin-starred restaurants and five-star hotels, is always surrounded by people, and eats meticulously prepared dishes.
The dishes were exquisite, refined, and beautifully presented, but something was always missing.
What's missing is probably this lively, down-to-earth atmosphere.
This is the feeling of standing on the street, holding a disposable paper bowl, squeezed together with strangers, listening to the noisy voices around you, and smelling the mixed aromas of various foods.
This is life.
After finishing the last piece of beef offal, Lin Haoran threw the paper bowl into the trash can and prepared to leave.
Just then, the middle-aged man who had spoken earlier suddenly raised his head, his gaze inadvertently sweeping across Lin Haoran's face.
He froze for a moment.
Then, his eyes widened even more.
"Lin, Lin Sheng?" His voice trembled with disbelief.
Lin Haoran's heart tightened.
He instinctively lowered the brim of his hat and turned to leave.
But it was too late.
"It really is Mr. Lin!" The middle-aged man suddenly stood up, his voice rising abruptly, "Everyone, look! It's Mr. Lin! Mr. Lin Haoran is actually here!"
That shout was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating ripples.
Everyone around turned their heads in unison.
The ladle in the hand of the beef offal vendor froze in mid-air, and several young people waiting for their food stood up and craned their necks to look in their direction.
Lin Haoran knew he couldn't leave.
He slowly turned around, took off his sunglasses and hat, revealing the face that had been making headlines in all global media outlets for the past month.
"Hello, everyone in the neighborhood," he greeted with a smile.
Wow~
The crowd erupted in cheers.
"It really is Mr. Lam! Mr. Lam has actually come to Mong Kok!"
"My God, Lin Sheng is even more handsome in person than in the newspapers!"
"Mr. Lin, Mr. Lin, may I shake your hand?"
"Mr. Lin, thank you so much for the promotional activities. I saved a lot of money!"
Many onlookers chimed in with their opinions.
"Mr. Lin, you're such a wealthy man, yet you eat street food just like us."
Someone in the crowd shouted this, which drew a burst of good-natured laughter.
Lin Haoran laughed too. He waved the empty paper bowl in his hand and said loudly, "Street food? When I was a kid, what I wanted to eat most was beef offal and fish balls. Now that I have the chance, of course I want to relive those memories."
These words made the atmosphere even more lively.
No one expected that a super-rich man like Lin Haoran would be so approachable.
More and more people gathered around, and the beef offal stall was instantly surrounded by a huge crowd.
Li Weidong and Li Weiguo immediately tensed up, flanking Lin Haoran on either side and watching the surrounding crowd warily.
The bodyguards in the distance also began to move in this direction, ready to deal with any emergencies.
But Lin Haoran waved his hand, indicating that they didn't need to be nervous.
Looking at the eager faces around him, a strange feeling welled up inside him.
These people are not crazy fans, nor are they journalists chasing fame and fortune; they are just ordinary citizens of Hong Kong.
The surprise and excitement on their faces were genuine and pure, without any ulterior motives.
"Mr. Lam, you're such a kind person!" An old woman squeezed to the front, grabbing his hand and refusing to let go. "I've saved over a hundred dollars this month, enough for me to eat for another week! Thank you so much, thank you so much!"
Lin Haoran grasped her rough hand and said with a smile, "Grandma, you're too kind. It's just a small token of my appreciation."
"Mr. Lin, is your wife really pregnant with twins?" an older woman asked gossipy.
Lin Haoran smiled but did not answer directly, only saying, "Thank you for your concern."
As the crowd grew larger, shop owners from the surrounding area came out to watch the spectacle, and pedestrians on the street stopped to watch. In less than ten minutes, the entire street was completely blocked.
Just then, Li Weidong leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Boss, there are more and more people, at least several thousand, and they're still increasing. For safety's sake, we should leave as soon as possible."
Lin Haoran glanced at the densely packed crowd around him and nodded.
He knew that if he didn't leave soon, the situation might get out of control.
Whether it's him or these citizens who have an accident, it's not good.
“Dear neighbors,” he raised his voice, “I’m very happy to see you all tonight, but I have to go back to my wife. I’ll chat with you all again next time.”
The crowd expressed their regret, but still made way for each other.
Under the protection of Li Weidong and Li Weiguo, Lin Haoran walked out along that passage.
Along the way, people kept reaching out to shake his hand, and he responded to each one.
People kept calling out "Take care, Mr. Lin" and "Goodbye, Mr. Lin," and he smiled and nodded each time.
We walked through the crowd, crossed the street corner, and finally arrived at the parking lot.
The moment he got into the car, Lin Haoran let out a long sigh of relief.
The car slowly drove out of the parking lot and into the night in Mong Kok.
Through the car window, he could still see the dense crowd in the distance, still standing there, looking in the direction he had left.
Lin Haoran leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.
Those sounds still seem to echo in my ears.
"Mr. Lin, thank you!"
"Lin Sheng, I support you!"
"Lin Sheng, I wish you happiness!"
He opened his eyes and looked out the window at the neon lights rushing past.
A strange feeling welled up inside me. (End of Chapter)