Zheng Hua, on the other end of the phone, was a little annoyed. After all, he had chatted with Zhuang Rui for a few minutes that day, yet the other party didn't recognize his voice. He didn't even consider that the phone was bound to lose its sound. Who could recognize someone's voice from just one sentence if they weren't very familiar with each other?
"Oh, it's Mr. Zheng. May I ask what brings you here?"
Zhuang Rui had no interest in those so-called cocktail parties or anything like that, and thought that if the other party made such an invitation, he would have to think of an excuse to refuse.
"Well, there's something going on tomorrow at sea. I was wondering if you'd have time to join us?"
"High seas? What program?"
Zhuang Rui was somewhat confused by Zheng Hua's words. Why would he go to international waters for no reason? Nowadays, many fishermen are just bored and try to imitate 18th and 19th-century pirates. If he were to run into one, he would be so wronged.
"The Neptune, a gambling ship from Hong Kong, will be sailing for a day tomorrow. Would you like to join us? Of course, if you don't like gambling, you could also enjoy the scenery and fish in international waters."
Zheng Hua thought about it all day yesterday before coming up with this opportunity to get closer to Zhuang Rui. Speaking of which, Ouyang Jun has come to Hong Kong several times and always asked him to accompany him to Macau to gamble. I suppose Zhuang Rui should be a little interested too, right?
"Gambling ship?"
Zhuang Rui was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. He immediately recalled some Hong Kong movies he had watched in the 80s and 90s. He remembered that the movie "God of Gamblers," starring Chow Yun-fat, which sparked the Hong Kong gambling film craze, was apparently filmed on a gambling ship in international waters.
"Mr. Zheng, let me think about it first. I'll call you back later. I have something to do right now."
Zhuang Rui thought for a moment. Although he really wanted to see it for himself, he knew too little about Hong Kong. He decided to wait and hear Qin Xuanbing's opinion before making a decision. Besides, it seemed that killing someone in international waters was not illegal, and Zhuang Rui didn't want to unwittingly stumble into a den of thieves.
"Okay, Mr. Zhuang, if you'd like to go out and have some fun, just give me a call. I'll make the arrangements for you..."
When Zheng Hua heard that Zhuang Rui hadn't refused, he politely said something and hung up the phone. He guessed that Zhuang Rui's concerns were probably because he was going to ask someone about the gambling ship.
"Hi, Grandpa Qin, I'm sorry, a friend called just now, I kept you waiting..."
Zhuang Rui was lost in thought while holding his phone when he remembered that Grandpa Qin was still waiting for his reply, so he quickly went over to him.
"It's alright, young people have energy. It's not a bad thing for them to travel and have fun. Xiao Zhuang, what do you think of the plan I mentioned? Is it feasible?"
Old Master Qin smiled and waved his hand. These few purple jadeite pieces belonged to Zhuang Rui. If Zhuang Rui didn't agree, there was nothing he could do. The old man wouldn't use Qin Xuanbing's relationship as leverage. Family ties were one thing, business was another, and Old Master Qin was very clear about this distinction.
"Grandpa Qin, let's do it your way. But I wonder when the jewelry expo you mentioned will be held?"
Although these purple jadeite pieces are rare, Zhuang Rui has no intention of collecting them. He spent three million yesterday and is now short of money. The dividends from the Xinjiang jade mine won't be available until the end of the year. If he doesn't make some money soon, his brother-in-law's 4S car dealership might not be able to stay afloat.
"Hmm, let me think..."
The old man lowered his head and pondered for a while before saying, "It will take more than a week to finalize the design of the jewelry, and about half a month for the crafting and processing. It should be able to meet the deadline for the international jewelry fair to be held in the UK next month."
"Alright, Grandpa Qin, then I'll leave this matter to you."
Zhuang Rui nodded. If he could get a sum of money back next month, it shouldn't delay the renovation of Zhao Guodong's 4S store. He still had three or four million yuan on hand, which could last until then.
"Xiao Zhuang, if someone wants to buy this jewelry at the expo, should we sell it to them?"
Seeing Zhuang Rui nod in agreement, Old Master Qin breathed a sigh of relief. However, although the profit-sharing agreement had been reached, it still needed to be clarified that the decision-making power lay with Zhuang Rui. If he felt the price was unsuitable and was unwilling to participate, then Old Master Qin would have no choice but to comply.
"We'll sell if the price is right. Grandpa Qin, you can handle it as you see fit."
Zhuang Rui gave the answer without hesitation. What a joke! The reason he was willing to hand over these few purple eyes to Qin's Jewelry was to turn them into cash as soon as possible. Why keep them if he wasn't going to sell them?
"Alright, with you saying that, this old man will definitely sell it for a sky-high price. Haoran, Haobin, come inside with me. Xiaozhuang, you and Bing'er can spend the next few days in Hong Kong."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Old Master Qin was overjoyed. He didn't even bother to greet Zhuang Rui anymore. Instead, he called his two sons and returned to the villa to gather the company's jewelry designers to prepare to craft these purple-eyed jadeite pieces.
The old man swallowed his pride and begged for these few purple eyes, not for money, but for the reputation of Qin's Jewelry. You see, if a rare and unique piece of jewelry were to be unveiled and win an award at a jewelry expo, Qin's Jewelry's reputation in the international jewelry world would definitely rise to a new level. That kind of sensation is something that can't be bought for tens of millions.
Therefore, the conditions Old Master Qin offered Zhuang Rui were very generous. Unless the jewelry could sell for over 50 million, their 20% share would mean they wouldn't make much profit at all. The hidden effects of exhibiting the jewelry under the name of Qin's Jewelry were what Old Master Qin valued.
After chatting with Fang Yi and other elders at the Qin family home for a while, Zhuang Rui and Qin Xuanbing said goodbye and left. Hong Kong is actually not very big. Qin Xuanbing drove Zhuang Rui to Temple Street and other places, and then went to the Wong Tai Sin Tree, which is said to be very efficacious, to pray. It wasn't until evening that the two returned to the hotel.
"Xuanbing, Zheng Hua invited me to a gambling ship in international waters tomorrow. Shall we go?"
Zhuang Rui kept this matter to himself until he returned to the hotel, at which point he finally asked Qin Xuanbing about it.
"Sure, I was even thinking of taking you to Macau for fun tomorrow or the day after. If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have preferred to go tomorrow or the day after."
Qin Xuanbing's answer left Zhuang Rui dumbfounded. He had always thought that this woman definitely didn't like men gambling, but he didn't expect Qin Xuanbing to not care at all, and even take him to Macau, which is one of the world's top ten gambling cities.
"Do all Hong Kong people like to gamble?"
Zhuang Rui thought Qin Xuanbing was being sarcastic, so he tentatively asked her a question.
"No, that's not true. Let me tell you, everyone in Hong Kong..."
Qin Xuanbing rolled her eyes at Zhuang Rui and began to explain. After listening to Qin Xuanbing's words, Zhuang Rui suddenly realized that it was entirely a difference in their philosophies.
In Hong Kong, gambling has always been a part of everyone's lives. The most famous newspapers in Hong Kong are not Ming Pao or Ta Kung Pao, but Mark Six and horse racing betting. These two industries, which are called lotteries but are actually gambling, often accompany many Hong Kong people throughout their lives.
In Hong Kong, you can see people everywhere engrossed in reading newspapers. If you think they're following current affairs, you're mistaken; nine times out of ten, they're researching which horse races to bet on and which numbers to choose for the Mark Six lottery. It's fair to say that the Mark Six lottery and horse racing have become deeply ingrained in their lives.
Many Hong Kong people take a ferry to Macau every Saturday to gamble a little. Regardless of winning or losing, they return to Hong Kong on the same day or the next day. For them, this is a way to release the pressure of life and a way to pass the weekend.
Ferry tickets from Hong Kong to Macau are very cheap, and almost every Hong Kong resident, from wealthy young men to small vendors, can afford to go. As a result, it has been estimated that almost 90.9% of adult men in Hong Kong have been to Macau casinos.
Ironically, although Hong Kong is famous for its Mark Six lottery and horse racing betting, gambling itself is illegal. This means that all the underground gambling dens in Hong Kong are operating illegally.
The earliest gambling ship in Hong Kong was the "Oriental Princess," which was established by gambling tycoon Yip Hon and was originally intended to compete with Macau gambling tycoon Stanley Ho. However, in the late 1980s, Yip Hon ended his decades-long history of operating gambling ships.
However, Yip Hon's act of setting up gambling ships was an eye-opener for many Hong Kong people. Gambling is illegal in Hong Kong, but gambling ships can be sailed to international waters to gamble, which would not violate Hong Kong's laws. In a short time, gambling ships of all sizes sprang up, which also had a great impact on the business of Macau casinos.
These luxury gambling ships, converted from large oil tankers, carry tourists to the high seas every morning and return in the evening. They have now become a must-see attraction for tourists from other parts of Hong Kong. So when Qin Xuanbing heard Zhuang Rui say that they were going to the high seas, she didn't feel anything was wrong.
Seeing that Qin Xuanbing didn't object, Zhuang Rui became excited. Although he wasn't a big gambler, he was eager to see what it was like. He quickly took out his phone and called Zheng Hua to arrange a meeting place for tomorrow.
"Zhuang Rui, let's make this clear first: it's fine to go out and have fun, but you can't get addicted..."
Seeing Zhuang Rui's excited appearance, Qin Xuanbing couldn't help but feel a little worried. This word "gambling" had ruined countless Hong Kong people, and she didn't want Zhuang Rui to become a gambler.
"Don't worry, honey, right now, the only one I can be obsessed with is you..."
Zhuang Rui laughed heartily, bent down and picked up Qin Xuanbing, carrying her towards the bathroom. Needless to say, it was another night of passion and passionate lovemaking.
Chapter 381 Shock
"Honey, stop dressing up, or I won't be able to resist..."
Seeing Qin Xuanbing putting on makeup at the dressing table, Zhuang Rui couldn't help but hug her from behind.
Whether it was the nourishment of love or the effect of Zhuang Rui's daily spiritual energy manipulation, Qin Xuanbing had completely shed her shyness and become radiantly beautiful. Her skin was as white as jade and smooth to the touch, and the myriad charms she unintentionally revealed in her every move captivated Zhuang Rui.
If we were to compare Qin Xuanbing with Ouyang Jun's big star now, Qin Xuanbing would probably be slightly better. The cold and aloof temperament she exudes in public would definitely make any normal man feel the urge to get close to her. Such a woman would bring a sense of conquering pleasure to men. Of course, Zhuang Rui experienced the feeling even more vividly in private.
"Stop fooling around, it'll be done soon, or the gambling ship will be leaving soon..."
Qin Xuanbing's words made Zhuang Rui withdraw his hairy hands, but the word "immediately" from Miss Qin made Zhuang Rui sit there for almost half an hour before he was finally able to leave the hotel.
"Mr. Zheng, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting..."
After Qin Xuanbing parked the car at the Tsim Sha Tsui pier parking lot, Zhuang Rui saw Zheng Hua and several other people standing at the pier entrance, looking around. He immediately felt a little embarrassed, as they had agreed to arrive at 7:30, and it was already almost 8 o'clock.
"It's alright, I just arrived too. We've already met these people the day before yesterday, so I don't need to introduce them, right? Come on, let's get on the ship."
When Zheng Hua saw the radiant Qin Xuanbing behind Zhuang Rui, he was slightly taken aback, but he quickly came to his senses, greeted Zhuang Rui, and led the way toward the dock.
The people standing behind Zheng Hua were all people Zhuang Rui had met at the charity gala the day before yesterday. They were all descendants of well-known families in Hong Kong, and some of them even brought female companions. However, compared to Qin Xuanbing next to Zhuang Rui, they immediately became inferior.
After exchanging a few polite words, the group followed Zheng Hua into the dock.
"hiss……"
Earlier, the buildings had blocked his view, but now that he was inside the dock, Zhuang Rui took a deep breath at the sight before him. Hundreds of cruise ships of all sizes were moored there.
The cruise ships were arranged from smallest to largest, with the smaller ones docked at the pier, while the furthest ones were super cruise ships, two or three hundred meters long. Even though they were still a long way from the shore, they still gave Zhuang Rui quite a shock. Compared to these giant cruise ships, what he had seen on the Huangpu River in Shanghai was nothing.
"Why are there so many people?"
Upon reaching the pier, Zhuang Rui noticed many people carrying tour group flags walking past him. Judging from their accents, they seemed to be from inland China. They boarded the small boats moored on the shore, and once each boat was full, the engine roared as it headed out to sea.
"Hehe, these people are tourists from all over the world. When they come to Hong Kong, they usually go on the gambling ships for some fun..."
Zheng Hua slowed his pace and patiently explained to Zhuang Rui.
It turns out that, apart from private luxury cruise ships, half of the ships docked at this pier are gambling ships from Hong Kong. They solicit customers here every day before sailing into international waters.
These gambling ships are divided into several classes. The medium-sized ones can generally carry more than 1,000 people, while the largest cruise ships are comparable to the Titanic and can carry thousands of people.
To attract business, these cruise ship tickets are not very expensive. A medium-sized one can usually be booked for HK$150 for one night, including dinner, supper and breakfast. Two people are given a standard room with two beds, a private bathroom and TV, and it is very clean.
In Hong Kong, this price is actually a loss-making proposition, because if it included three meals, the price on land would be over HK$1,000. However, the gambling ship is practically losing money to attract people to gamble.
However, some large, ultra-luxury cruise ships come at a much higher price. These gambling ships are truly paradise on earth, offering everything from Chinese and Western restaurants, entertainment venues, karaoke bars, saunas, massage parlors, beauty salons, duty-free shops, and more—as long as you have the money. You can live a life of extravagance and debauchery on board.
However, the flags flying on these ships were all different colors, representing various countries. The only ones missing were the Hong Kong regional flag and the Chinese national flag. Zhuang Rui asked Qin Xuanbing and learned that ships sailing on the high seas must and are only allowed to fly the flag of one country or region.
The actions of people on board a ship on the high seas are also subject to the laws of the country whose flag they fly. For example, gambling is prohibited in Hong Kong. If you go to the high seas to gamble while flying the Hong Kong flag, it is also illegal and Hong Kong law can still punish you. However, if you fly the flag of a country that allows gambling on the high seas, Hong Kong law will naturally not be able to control you, and your actions will be permitted by that country.
"Zhuang Sheng, the Starfish we're going to was supposed to leave port at seven o'clock, but Zheng Sheng made them stay a little longer. Zheng Sheng's ship will be following behind us later. If you don't want to stay on the Starfish tonight, we can still make it back to port..."
The group stopped in the middle of the dock. Zheng Hua greeted Zhuang Rui and then nimbly jumped onto a private cruise ship that was only two or three meters from the shore. A young man named Liu Xiong, who was following behind Zhuang Rui, explained the situation to him.
After Zheng Hua boarded his private yacht, he had the crew lower some decks, creating a passageway connecting the yacht to the dock. Zhuang Rui and the others then walked onto the yacht through the deck.
Zheng Hua's private yacht is quite large, measuring over twenty meters in length. The interior is spacious, furnished with a wine cabinet and sofas, and is very luxurious. There are also two bedrooms and a bathroom. If there aren't many people on the boat, overnight accommodation is also available.
After everyone had boarded, a crew member untied the ropes tied to the dock and steered the yacht away from the pier. Zhuang Rui, with Qin Xuanbing in his arms, stood on the deck at the bow of the ship, looking down at the azure sea. He felt very relaxed. If he wasn't afraid of being laughed at, he would have liked to stand on the bow of the ship and recreate the scene of Rose and Jack from Titanic.
From the shore, the luxury cruise ship didn't seem very far away, but it took Zheng Hua's yacht about twenty minutes to reach it. The closer Zhuang Rui got to the ship, the more shocked he became.
Looking from the yacht onto the luxury ship, Zhuang Rui could only see the hull above the waterline. The rest of the ship was completely obscured by the hull. Looking up, the height of the hull above the waterline alone must have been fifty or sixty meters. That's equivalent to a nearly thirty-story building. Imagine how you would feel standing under a thirty-story building.
Compared to this giant ship, Zheng Hua's yacht looked more like a small sampan, drifting on the sea. It was estimated that the waves caused by the giant ship's acceleration would give this small yacht a surfing experience. Zhuang Rui, who originally thought the yacht was pretty good, was now completely attracted by the giant ship.
Zhuang Rui was unaware that Zheng Hua's grandfather, the jewelry tycoon, was also a gambling magnate. In 1982, he spent HK$300 million to buy shares of the Macau Tourism and Entertainment Company from gambling king Yip Hon, and subsequently thrived in the gambling industry.
This luxurious gambling ship was jointly built by Zheng Hua's grandfather and several Hong Kong tycoons. It was only put into use last year. When it made its maiden voyage, a bigwig from the mainland personally came to cut the ribbon to congratulate it. The total cost of this giant ship was as high as six billion Hong Kong dollars. It is 345 meters long, 41 meters wide, and 62 meters high above the waterline, which is equivalent to a 26-story building. Its gross tonnage is 150,000 tons, and its speed is 30 knots.
The entire giant ship can accommodate nearly 3,000 passengers and more than 1,200 crew members. It has a casino that can accommodate 1,000 people at the same time, as well as more than 30 VIP rooms, a ballroom, a library and other facilities. It is also equipped with 5 swimming pools, a golf course, 14 bars and 6 luxury restaurants.
Furthermore, all of the more than one thousand luxurious double cabins on the cruise ship are equipped with private gyms and small balconies. Someone once ranked all the world's luxury cruise ships, and this Starfish would definitely be among the top three. Zheng Daheng is one of the major shareholders of this gambling ship, which is why Zheng Hua was able to allow the ship to stay for an extra hour.
After approaching the gambling ship, the crew of Zheng Hua's yacht carefully extended the suction bars to maintain a certain distance between the two disproportionately large vessels. They knew that if they got too close, even a slight sway of the giant ship could potentially smash the yacht to pieces.
Zheng Hua had made prior arrangements. After the yacht was stabilized, a lift was lowered from the hull of the giant ship. When the lift reached a height parallel to the yacht, an alloy deck more than one meter wide extended from it, which connected perfectly with the yacht.
The elevator could only carry five people at a time. Zheng Hua called Zhuang Rui and Qin Xuanbing to go up first. The elevator was not very fast. It took more than a minute to reach the deck of the gambling ship. Zhuang Rui looked back down. The yacht, which was more than 20 meters long, now looked almost like a small sampan.
"Brother Zheng, if you don't come soon, I'm about to set sail and leave..."
On the cruise ship's deck, several people were waiting. Upon seeing Zheng Hua and his group arrive, they approached. Zhuang Rui raised an eyebrow slightly when he saw the person who had spoken.