Chapter 145: So Expensive!

"So this is the legendary Hong Kong..."

Opening the window of the Rolls-Royce, Zhuang Chen was greeted by a forest of skyscrapers. Although it was only early summer, the oppressive heat was already palpable. Having finally explored the mainland to his heart's content and secured a Hong Kong license plate, he was ready to embark on his tour of Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan.

The first stop was naturally the paradise of consumption:

Hong Kong!

Following the golden rule, buying real estate came first. He headed straight for Repulse Bay, backed by Victoria Peak and right next to Victoria Harbour. Embraced by both mountains and water, it proudly held the reputation of being the finest bay under heaven. Hailed as the most iconic landmark and the most prestigious upscale residential district, its property prices towered above all rivals.

Prices started at a minimum of 150,000 per square meter, meaning a casual hundred-square-meter apartment easily surpassed one hundred million. With every inch of land in Hong Kong worth its weight in gold, an internet joke went: Once a taxi driver hears your destination, they instantly know whether you are wealthy or not.

In truth, Hong Kong had fourteen districts, and wealthy individuals lived scattered across all of them. However, the Mid-Levels, Kowloon Tong, and Happy Valley were traditional affluent neighborhoods, while Repulse Bay was undoubtedly the supreme gathering place for top-tier tycoons.

Upon arriving at the destination, Zhuang Chen finally understood why. Every single villa was a private seaside property, boasting not only breathtaking scenery and an auspicious geomantic embrace of surrounding mountains and the open sea, but also pristine air. Standing on the balcony, one could witness both the morning sunrise and the evening sunset.

With time to spare, one could take a yacht out to sea for fishing, utilizing the private yacht berths that cost four million Hong Kong dollars each.

In Repulse Bay, with its gentle slopes and expansive shores, one could experience the tranquility of calm waves, crystal-clear water, and fine sand. The beach here was wide, pristine, and shallow, offering warm winters and cool summers, with water temperatures pleasant all year round.

The reason this place caught his eye was a viral internet report about a certain luxury mansion sold for a staggering 1.5 billion, setting the world's second-highest record at over 1.36 million per square meter. Media outlets had suggested the buyer might be Alibaba.

Speaking of which, it was quite a coincidence; they were already neighbors back at Jiuchingtang in the Magic City, and now here in Hong Kong, he could join in the excitement and bask in the financial aura of the richest man.

"Mr. Zhuang, this is No. 22 Barker Road, a three-story detached house with a total area of 9,891 square feet, which in mainland terms amounts to 3,199 square meters."

The real estate agent spoke fluent Mandarin, serving Zhuang Chen with an exceptionally ingratiating smile. Over the past few years, mainland tycoons had been throwing money around without blinking, and a single commission from them could keep an agent fed for a very long time.

"As you can see, this offers a full panoramic sea view of Victoria Harbour. In addition, there is a private garden of over 20,000 square feet, complete with a small grove and a vast lawn..."

"Originally, there was no flat, open ground on this mountainside, but through excavation, it has gradually leveled out. As the ancient texts say: If there is no surplus space in front of the residence, descendants will be sparse."

Producing a topographical map, the real estate agent lowered his voice mysteriously, "The so-called surplus space refers to the open ground in front of the house, which is the lip-shaped foundation of the dwelling. It conceals the steep slope of the cliff from the people inside, keeping the view stable and expansive. It is one of the methods used to deflect malevolent forces and generate authority."

Zhuang Chen smiled without a word. He had long heard that people here were superstitious, and the wealthier they were, the more they believed in it. True to form, it was completely accurate.

After taking a full tour, he was basically satisfied. In fact, there were no other options—across the entire peak, this was the one and only estate available!

Pointing into the distance, the agent lowered his voice. "This place is absolute symbolism for status and power. No. 3 Barker Road is the official residence of the US Consul General in Hong Kong; No. 11 is the residence of the Commander of the PLA Garrison in Hong Kong; No. 15 is the residence of the Chief Secretary for Administration..."

"House No. 31A belongs to Big Lau, who bought it for 300 million in 2005. Later, finding it insufficiently grand, he spent another 600 million in 2015 to buy House D."

"No. 35 belongs to the family of Lee Shau-kee, who moved over from the Mid-Levels in 2010, buying two villas consecutively for 1.82 billion and connecting them into one seamless estate."

"No. 28 is the largest, with a usable area of 12,369 square feet. It was just quietly purchased by your mainland Alibaba Chairman, Mr. Jack Ma, and is currently undergoing renovations."

Was all this lengthy explanation just to prove this was a site of supreme geomantic fortune?

The total came out to 860 million. It was indeed a lavish estate. Gritting his teeth—buy!

After a hectic half-day, the paperwork was finally settled. Driving down the mountain at dusk, he headed into the city center to enjoy a fine meal to calm his nerves at Fook Lam Moon.

As one of the most prestigious restaurants, it was hailed as the pinnacle of Cantonese cuisine. Over the years, thanks to the patronage of numerous wealthy tycoons, magnates, politicians, and celebrities, it had earned the nickname "The Tycoon Cafeteria."

The most expensive banquet ever hosted here cost 130,000 US dollars—roughly 830,000 RMB—to entertain one hundred guests. Typically, evening banquets hosted by tycoons cost around 60,000 US dollars, roughly 400,000 RMB.

Tracing its history back to 1948, it was a pioneering Cantonese restaurant, a Michelin three-star establishment, and recognized as one of Asia's 50 Best Restaurants.

Of course, Zhuang Chen no longer cared about the fickle standards of Michelin, but as a century-old brand, it was well worth a visit.

According to local definitions, the standards for a tycoon cafeteria were: the dishes had to be exorbitantly expensive, the guests had to be immensely wealthy, and tycoons had to frequent the place constantly.

Note that the tycoons referred to here were heavy-hitting business magnates and social elites who commanded public respect, not mere nouveau riche!

With only two branches in existence, the storefronts alone were valued at over 600 million, and the entire restaurant was valued at up to 1.4 billion.

Superperson Li basically patronized the place religiously every week, while Joseph Lau was even more hardcore, consuming several million here every year. In the past, paparazzi loved staking him out at Fook Lam Moon. At his most frantic, he would bring different starlets there at least three to four times a week.

Even he himself once remarked: "I am either at Fook Lam Moon, or on my way to Fook Lam Moon..."

The flagship restaurant was located on Johnston Road in Wan Chai. Looking up as he arrived at the entrance, Zhuang Chen felt a trace of bewilderment. In his imagination, a so-called tycoon restaurant should be resplendent and magnificent, with at least a signboard radiating opulence.

Glancing around, it was situated on an unassuming street, and even the signboard was faded and weathered. The location and storefront possessed the distinct aura and swagger of an old Shanghai nightclub...

The interior decoration adopted a classic style, adorned in brown, gold, and emerald green—a distinctly popular aesthetic from the 1960s and 1970s. Glass cabinets displayed Cantonese delicacies alongside bottles of top-tier champagne and brandy.

How to describe it?

Well, very unpretentious and down-to-earth!

There were very few patrons inside. The moment he took the menu, Zhuang Chen finally grasped the true essence of a tycoon restaurant...

A single portion of braised shark's fin with crab cream was priced at 199 US dollars.

A serving of charcoal-roasted pork was 99 US dollars—mere ordinary appetizers.

Steamed grouper was 899 US dollars.

The signature dish, Tycoon Abalone, was 1,999 US dollars—thirteen thousand for a single piece?

Zhuang Chen took a deep breath. Exquisite and utterly ruthless. Since he was already here, he might as well enjoy himself—bring out every single specialty dish on the menu!

The waiter quickly served a bowl of the daily double-boiled broth, which warmed the stomach, dispelled fatigue, and stimulated the appetite. Next came a few cold dishes, the highlight being the century eggs with pickled ginger. It was prepared quite well—semi-fluid, melting on the tongue, filling the mouth with fragrance. The pickled ginger struck an ideal balance of sweet and sour, cleansing the palate and cutting through greasiness.

The salt-and-pepper deep-fried frog legs featured a very light and thin batter. While seemingly ordinary, the texture was quite special—crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, somewhat reminiscent of tempura. The accompanying dipping sauce enhanced the layers of umami flavor, though eating a whole plate by itself felt slightly too salty...

As a classic Cantonese dish, Zhuang Chen simply could not appreciate the combination of onions mixed with crab meat in the baked stuffed crab shell.

Especially upon opening the shell, expecting a burst of refreshing sweetness packed with crab meat, he found it cluttered with far too many onions, completely masking the fresh flavor of the crab. Above all, the portion size was minuscule!

The conpoy lotus leaf rice came in a massive portion. Expecting a lotus leaf rice rich in seafood and robust in flavor, the overall texture turned out rather dry, and the taste was quite forced. In the end, he had to leave behind a massive plate...