Chapter 5, Begin the Struggle for Wealth and Honor

Eight yuan for one! The little girl looked up, blinking her bright eyes

Of course not, you are blind and do not recognize value

With 6,000 Hong Kong dollars going to the racetrack, even if one wins, the maximum profit would be over 10,000. It is simply impossible to earn 100,000 or 200,000 all at once

Shi Zhijian entered the "Zhang Huohai Ocean Outfitters" with Sha Qiang

The old official looked at Shi Zhijian in surprise and said, "Are you really determined to take the position of 5,000? Aren't you afraid I might set you up?"

Yes, Young Master Shi!

... ...

Ahem, then let's donate it, we are not short of this little money

Shi Zhijian got into the car and saw Sha Qiang still mumbling to himself, so he said: "What are you still dawdling for? If you don't want to be killed by a loud and fierce person, hurry up and get in the car!"

Sha Qiang has always been working as a laborer at the dock, mostly drinking and chatting with others. The money he earns is barely enough for his own food and drink, so he certainly doesn't have any money to gamble on horse racing here. This is his first time coming here, and he is naturally very excited.

Clever

No tickets! Shi Zhijian was very straightforward

The old auctioneer laughed and shouted again: "A nearly new high-end Rolex watch! Dead stock, no ticket! Totaling 6,000!"

Shi Zhijian glared at him

Sha Qiang, however, twitched at the corners of his mouth, because this suit cost Shi Zhijian one thousand five hundred yuan

Shi Zhijian appeared completely composed

"Besides fried rice, what else would you like to eat?" Shi Zhijian coerced and tempted.

A Jian, there are guards stationed there

"How can I not wear it? I can still wear it!" said Shaqiang, busy talking.

Typically, in the ordinary audience seats, people who have lost money can only resort to borrowing from loan sharks, while those predatory lenders in Hong Kong are like flies, eagerly eyeing these easy targets

Leaving the dress shop, Shi Zhijian adjusted his posture, with his left thumb tucked into the pocket of his suit vest, his chin slightly raised, and he instructed Sha Qiang: "From now on, you will no longer call me A Jian when you are with Tu Shu, call me Young Master Shi instead!"

In this era, Hong Kong has neither local cigarettes nor local matches; whether it is cigarettes or matches, they either come from the United Kingdom or from Portugal

Here is a ten yuan note, "There is plenty of tip!"

Are you A Jian? When did you become Young Master Shi?

Mong Kok Commercial District

Shi Zhijian did not answer him, but instead said to the rickshaw driver: "Excuse me, please take me to the best Western-style clothing store in Mong Kok"

Hongyun Pawnshop

Sha Qiang felt that Shi Zhijian was different today compared to before, whether in terms of his conduct or his approach to work, leaving him perplexed.

The store showcases a variety of men's and women's garments. According to the store's regulations, customers may freely select styles based on those displayed on the models, choose the fabric after selecting a style, and finally confirm the size before placing an order.

Another area is located on the second floor of the racetrack, elevated and offering a clearer view of the races. However, it is the domain of the wealthy, not only clean and tidy but also serving alcoholic beverages and refreshments, and even accompanied by charming ladies with attractive figures and faces

The wealthy rarely carry cash when betting on horse races. Even if they do bring some, if they lose it all and still wish to continue betting, they simply borrow money from the bank. This borrowing is at least in the tens of thousands, unlike those poor individuals who only borrow a few dozen or a few hundred.

... ...

A Jian, we must have been deceived. That old man clearly took advantage of our lack of knowledge, offering us only six thousand for a Rolex worth over ten thousand!

Before Shaqiang could finish speaking, Shi Zhijian pushed the gold watch towards the window, saying, "Done!"

2:30 PM

How much is a cigar? Shi Zhijian glanced at the displayed cigarettes, which included "Hao Cai", "San Wu", and "Marlboro". Among them, the most expensive was the "cigar", but it was not the best "Cuban cigar"; rather, it was the so-called "common man's cigar", produced in private workshops, roughly made, with cheap tobacco leaves. Even so, the average person still could not afford to smoke it

Shi Zhijian has 6,000 Hong Kong dollars on him. After deducting previous expenses, he has about 4,000 left. For Shi Zhijian, this capital is too little. If he wants to make a big play, he can only go to the second floor to raise funds

The boss directly replied no, and emphasized again: "Our store only offers tailored clothing, all handmade. You may not know, but I have also made clothes for the Hollywood star 'Gally Grat.'"

Sha Qiang diligently sniffed with his nose, as the store was filled with the fragrance of women's perfumes, which was very pleasant

Certainly, none of these are important; what matters is that the second floor offers a service not available in the regular audience seating, which is "bank lending"

In this era, "Zhang Huohai" represents the suit brand, and many wealthy individuals prefer to have their garments tailored here

The elderly official, wearing reading glasses, carefully examined the diamond-studded Rolex gold watch in his hand through a magnifying glass from behind a small window

Sha Qiang, however, wore an excited expression; he never expected that Ah Jian, who had always kept a low profile, possessed such remarkable sleight of hand. In front of everyone, he effortlessly 'swiped' Da Sheng Xiong's Rolex. Two words: impressive

Such children are quite common in Hong Kong, primarily consisting of girls aged around 12 or 13. They often wear wooden clogs and short skirts, carrying cigarettes to sell everywhere, and are referred to by everyone as "cigarette girls"

The old official smiled and said, "That makes sense. How about this: I can sell this watch for 8,000 at Temple Street. If you don't redeem it, I will give you an additional 1,000, totaling 6,000!"

Thus, Shi Zhijian waved to summon a rickshaw

Thank you, sir, thank you! The little girl hurriedly nodded in gratitude

Zhang Huohai himself supported his entire family with this skill, including the elderly and young members of the household, among whom is the future Hong Kong superstar "Zhang Guorong"!

After studying for half a day, the old auctioneer finally shouted, "A nearly new ordinary Rolex, valued at five thousand yuan!"

Sugarcane! Shǎqiáng licked his lips and glanced at the fruit stand by the roadside

... ...

I think it is better to return the money and retrieve the gold watch, as this is safer

Wow, it is so lively here! Shaqiang is excitedly gnawing on a half piece of sugarcane

Sha Qiang still had a confused expression on his face

"Sir, do you still want the clothes you changed out of? I can help you pack them up," the boss asked

"Alright, esteemed guest, please hold on tight!" The coachman chuckled as he draped a white handkerchief around his neck. The wheels of the carriage turned in place, the spokes emitted a series of light sounds, and they set off towards Mong Kok with the two passengers.

Young Master Shi

"Is there something wrong? What do you mean by a regular Rolex? This is a diamond-studded one!" Sha Qiang, feeling agitated, shouted at the old shopkeeper, "I bought it for over ten thousand, and you offer me five thousand? Are you robbing me!"

Shi Zhijian directly took out 100 and said, "This is considered as an expedited fee. Do you have any ready-made clothes?"

The more Shaqiang thought about it, the more afraid he became; in his lifetime, he had never seen so much money and felt that Shi Zhijian was being too ruthless.

The matchbox is predominantly in English, featuring an illustration of a person thrusting a javelin at a tiger, and the brand is called "Piercing the Tiger." Shi Zhijian opened it and took out a match, biting down on a cigar to light it, then extinguished the match before he began to survey his surroundings

Shi Zhijian led Sha Qiang directly to the VIP area on the second floor

No need, please help me donate to the nearby Christian charity at m.hetushucom.com! Shi Zhijian tidied up the tie, which is sky blue, and I don't really like it

Upon hearing this, Sha Qiang was taken aback and hurriedly jumped into the car, asking, "Where to?"

Zhang Huohai, without saying a word, took out a white suit from the inner room. "Sir, you are truly fortunate. This suit is valued at 1,400. It was paid for by a customer as a deposit but has not yet been picked up. If you do not mind, you may try it on!"

Those large banks disdain to compete for profits with these vampires; their target clientele is the wealthy individuals on the second floor

The entire grandstand of the racetrack is divided into two areas, with the largest being for the general horse racing enthusiasts. Everyone is crowded together, with a strong smell of sweat in the air, and the ground is littered with fruit peels and paper scraps, creating an extremely poor environment

Shi Zhijian directly asked the boss if there were ready-to-wear garments for sale

A Jian, are we not going to the second floor

Act on your thoughts!

Shi Zhijian is not as inexperienced as he appears; dressed in a white suit, he stands out from the crowd.

A couplet is posted at the entrance: "On that day and in that place, do not act against your conscience; seek gold and silver, but do not seek ill-gotten gains!" The horizontal inscription reads, "There is a way to act!"

What should I be called now

Perfect! The boss clapped in praise, suspecting that Shi Zhijian might be a young master disguised from some family in Hong Kong, exuding an extraordinary charisma.

Today is the official race day, and the entire Sha Tin Racecourse is already bustling with crowds

Shi Zhijian then selected a brown wallet made of crocodile leather, which was soft and easy to handle, filled it with money, and tucked it into his pocket

In the 1960s, Hong Kong saw the arrival of world-class luxury brands. Those with a bit of wealth who wished to wear Western-style clothing had to go to the foreign tailors' shops for custom orders. Later, some local tailors in Hong Kong also opened Western-style clothing stores, among which the most prominent brand was "Cheung Wooi Hoi"

The rickshaw came to a stop, the driver took off the white towel draped around his neck and shook it over the seat, then allowed Shi Zhijian to get in.

The old official smiled faintly, returned the gold watch, and said coldly: "Whether it is good or bad, I naturally know; whether it is appropriate or not, you shall decide"

A Jian, what shall we do

Shi Zhijian, accompanied by Sha Qiang, squeezed through the crowd to enter the racetrack. Looking around, all he could see was a sea of heads, densely packed together.

This time it is disastrous, you didn't even ask for the ticket, what will we do if that loud and fierce one comes after us? He will kill us!

Shi Zhijian has a tall and upright stature, a natural frame for clothing. Wearing a white suit, he immediately appears even more handsome and extraordinary

Such a great opportunity for horse betting, he does not want to miss it, nor does he want to earn a little, unless he plays big, he must find a way to raise funds first, then place the bet

At this thought, Shi Zhijian conceived a bold plan in his mind

Sha Tin Racecourse has always been a paradise for adventurers in Hong Kong and a sacred place for countless gamblers

With so many cigarettes, she can only earn one or two cents for each box sold, but Shi Zhijian tips two dollars for a cigar.

"Sir, would you like to buy a pack of cigarettes?" A disheveled little girl had a rope around her neck, which was tied to a square tray, on which various cigarettes were displayed

Dressed as a young nobleman, Shi Zhijian, accompanied by his simple-minded follower, Sha Qiang, took a rickshaw directly to the Sha Tin Racecourse

Shi Zhijian ignored his incessant mutterings, pondering that the money in his hand was simply insufficient.

To Shaqiang, Shi Zhijian is not a wealthy young master, but rather a complete wastrel

Call me Young Master Shi!" Shi Zhijian corrected.

"Sir, here is a box of matches for you!" The little girl is quite adept at business

Shi Zhijian smiled and said, "If you open the door to do business, even if you deceive me, it will only be once. However, if you deceive me once, your reputation will be ruined, and in the end, you will only be deceiving yourself"