After some laughter, Chen Jin and his friends left the building amidst the envious glances of others, feeling triumphant. Their original plan was to leave immediately if things didn't go well, but if successful, they would stay in the area for seven days. Unexpectedly, things went so smoothly that there was no need to stay.
Zhang Weixiong, being considerate, glanced at Chen Jin's jeans and white shirt, then looked at the sky and cheerfully suggested, "Let's go, guys. We saved quite a bit of money for dad, so we should splurge a bit in Causeway Bay."
When Chen Jin arrived in this timeline, he was as bare as a newborn, initially wearing Zhang Weihao's clothes, then casually buying two fitting sets from the street. Due to his identity and later events involving Brother Zhong, he avoided going to Banyan Bay to prevent trouble for himself and the Zhang family.
Causeway Bay is a shopping paradise, not as luxurious as Central and Admiralty, nor as cheap as Mong Kok and Sham Shui Po. It has upscale department stores and trendy, affordable boutiques, attracting the most shoppers and naturally, many beauties.
Perhaps influenced by the demonic seed, Chen Jin wasn't particularly interested in clothing but felt an unusual urge when he saw beautiful women, even sensing a bizarre, male charm emanating from himself, irresistibly attracting attention regardless of his intent.
Chen Jin found his body's reaction somewhat amusing. In the past, he wouldn't mind a casual fling with a beauty. Along the way, he attracted many women and believed he could easily have his way with them. However, his prominent image made him easily recognizable, and with the upcoming singing competition, he didn't want to cause any scandals. Besides, it would leave a bad impression, and he had to consider potential room inspections.
In short, he had to restrain himself. This was a critical moment, and there would be time for indulgence once he achieved fame and success. A man shouldn't be completely controlled by his desires.
Apart from encountering many beauties, they also saw several police officers. But Chen Jin felt more at ease now; being cautious only raises suspicion. His impressive demeanor seemed to deter the officers from randomly questioning a well-dressed man.
Central's Pier No. 4 is specifically for ferries to Lamma Island, one to Banyan Bay and the other to Sok Kwu Wan, each journey taking about half an hour, with services running until midnight.
Chen Jin's last visit wasn't here but directly to Aberdeen, across from Ap Lei Chau, which also has ferries to Banyan Bay, closer to Maryknoll Bay School.
This time, after shopping in Causeway Bay, they headed to the nearest Central Pier No. 4. Hong Kong University was not far ahead on Pok Fu Lam Road. Zhang Weixiong, who frequently traveled from home to school, was quite familiar with the area.
The ferries to Banyan Bay and Sok Kwu Wan from Central Pier No. 4 ran every half hour. This being Chen Jin's first visit to Causeway Bay and Zhang Weihao's infrequent visits, they indulged in food and fun without restraint. By the time they finished shopping and reached the pier, it was past nine o'clock. The next ferry to Banyan Bay was in over ten minutes, while the one to Sok Kwu Wan was about to depart.
For Hong Kong's nightlife enthusiasts, the evening was just beginning, but few people were heading to Lamma Island at this hour. As Chen Jin and his friends were idly looking around, the excitement of the afternoon had faded, leaving only Zhang Weixiong still enthusiastically discussing celebrity gossip, clearly sourced from newspapers and magazines.
Just as the ferry to Sok Kwu Wan was about to depart, suddenly seven or eight people rushed from the entrance. Chen Jin, with sharp eyes, spotted the man in the middle being shielded by others – it was Chow Yun-fat.
Chow Yun-fat's distinctive appearance was well-known to Chen Jin, who had even seen him in person on the original film set. He elbowed Zhang Weixiong in the chest, "That's Brother Fa in the middle!"
Zhang Weixiong, who also noticed, was startled but was jolted awake by the nudge. Excitedly, he pulled Chen Jin and Zhang Weihao, "Quick, let's get on the boat too." Without waiting for their reaction, he leaped forward and followed.
In his two lives, Chen Jin, previously involved in the entertainment industry and with a changed mindset, had no idol worship mentality, only aspiring for others to admire him. Seeing Zhang Weixiong dash off, he shook his head with a smile, then followed with his guitar and bags.
The trio almost ran onto the ferry following Chow Yun-fat's group. As soon as they boarded, the ferry departed. Chow Yun-fat's bodyguards initially appeared cautious when they saw them following.
With less than thirty people on board, the small steamer felt sparse. Chow Yun-fat's group, being the last to board, naturally drew attention, and his fame made him instantly recognizable.
Chen Jin was curious why he would take the ferry, as he should have a car and would more likely take the car ferry from Aberdeen. The Central Pier No. 4 only had passenger ferries, not car ferries.
Chow Yun-fat and his wife, Ms. Chen, were out of breath after running onto the ferry. Still, he waved and greeted those who recognized him with his signature charming smile.
With mostly middle-aged and elderly people on board, everyone was discreet. Two young men waited until Chow Yun-fat caught his breath before approaching for autographs, holding pens and paper.
The bodyguards attempted to intervene, but Chow Yun-fat amiably let them through. Chen Jin, recalling Chow Yun-fat's reputation for being surrounded by ten tough bodyguards in his previous timeline, smiled. Zhang Weixiong seized the opportunity and eagerly approached, "Brother Fa, you're the pride of Lamma Island and Hong Kong. I admire you so much. Could you please give me an autograph?"
Chow Yun-fat had already noticed the three youngsters following him, even admiring Chen Jin's looks. Seeing Chen Jin still carrying his guitar, he guessed the young man was a music enthusiast. Without overthinking, he realized these three were already waiting at the pier, and he had come here unexpectedly for an important matter, unlikely to be a setup.
Still smiling, he nodded, "Are you also from Lamma Island? Which village are you from?"
"Brother Fa, I'm from the southern Banyan Village. I was so lucky to bump into you and immediately followed..." Before moving to Kowloon, Brother Fa's home was in the northern Big Bay Village of Lamma Island, so naturally, he would take the ferry to Sok Kwu Wan, while Chen Jin and his group's first choice was naturally Banyan Bay.
While speaking, Zhang Weixiong handed a pen to Brother Fa, asking him to sign his newly bought beige shirt, then pointed to Chen Jin beside him, introducing, "This is my good brother, Chen Jin. He just participated in the newcomer singing competition and has already directly obtained the lifeguard card for advancing to the top 32."
Seeing Zhang Weixiong skillfully take out the golden card from Chen Jin's pocket, Brother Fa genuinely took a serious look at Chen Jin. Being an insider and coming from TVB, he was well aware of the status of the newcomer singing competition and knew how difficult it was to get that so-called lifeguard card, which clearly wasn't just for Chen Jin's handsome face.
Brother Fa's wife took the golden card from Zhang Weixiong, examining it closely, then scrutinizing Chen Jin thoroughly. She looked at him admiringly and turned to Brother Fa with a smile, "I didn't expect Lamma Island to have so many handsome men!"
Brother Fa shrugged, "Of course, our place has always been a land of outstanding people!" Then turning back to Chen Jin, he pondered for a moment, "Jin, could you sing a song for me here?"
Although it was a bold request, it indicated that Brother Fa was taking Chen Jin seriously. Otherwise, he wouldn't bother looking up at the stars at a 135-degree angle. Although Chen Jin didn't idolize Brother Fa, building a relationship with him would undoubtedly be beneficial in the future.
Chen Jin nodded happily, "I'll do my best, please give me your guidance!" Handing his bags to the Zhang brothers, he didn't care about the audience around him, a scene he was well accustomed to. After making some adjustments, he strummed the guitar strings.
Singing a cappella is a true test of a singer's strength and also indicates the potential height of their future achievements. No matter how good a studio album sounds, if the live performance is poor, it's hard to make money from concerts, and slowly, the fan base dwindles, as no one is a fool. On the other hand, concerts can be hugely profitable, especially if packed with high popularity.
Still choosing Leslie Cheung's "The Wind Continues to Blow," he performed exceptionally well, even better than his afternoon performance. After hearing Chen Jin's singing, Brother Fa and his wife exchanged glances, applauding together with the people on the ferry.
Finally, Brother Fa affectionately patted Chen Jin's shoulder, "Keep it up, Jin. You have great potential. If you work hard, you'll surely succeed in the future. If there's anything I can help you with, I'll definitely do my best."
Although these were just polite words, a good relationship had been formed, which could be useful at a specific moment in the future.