Chapter 84

Everyone boarded the plane around 5:40. This time, they switched to a Trident aircraft that departed from the capital. It was said that Lin Biao died in a crash of such an aircraft, and the group members had a lively discussion about it.

On the plane, dinner was served with simple bread, sausages, and yogurt. The Trident aircraft was naturally much better than the propeller plane, with a smoking area separated by a curtain.

The suggestion letter for the civil aviation authority had already been submitted by Director Gong. After reading it, he was shocked and hesitated for a moment before signing his name on the letter.

When Gong Ya came over to tell Lin Qiangsheng the good news, Lin Qiangsheng smiled, feeling that he had contributed to the civil aviation industry and had also made a good impression on Director Gong. This was a positive energy, he thought.

The jet aircraft flew very fast, and Lin Qiangsheng felt quite comfortable. The plane landed at Hong Kong's Kai Tak Airport after five hours.

It was nearly 11 PM. Team Leader Gong Benyan said to everyone, "We will stay in Hong Kong for 12 hours. Everyone, please do not leave the airport and follow the instructions!"

The team members responded loudly, drawing the attention of some other passengers. Seeing the travelers in uniform, they guessed it must be a domestic inspection team and smiled knowingly.

Gong Benyan looked at the team members, nodded, and then left the aircraft with everyone.

When Lin Qiangsheng got off the plane, another aircraft was circling low in the night sky, preparing to land. He took a deep breath, feeling a special sensation as he set foot on Hong Kong soil, reminiscent of his previous life when he visited a large city and had a similar feeling.

Lin Qiangsheng pushed his suitcase and entered the terminal with everyone else.

This inspection team was only transiting in Hong Kong, so they did not have a Hong Kong-Macau travel permit. They could stay in Hong Kong for seven days with their tickets and passports, but Lin Qiangsheng only had 12 hours, so he needed to make the most of his time.

Lin Qiangsheng slowly fell behind the group. His father, Lin Xiangrong, and mother, Xu Hongmei, looked back, and Lin Qiangsheng waved, telling them to go ahead. He carefully observed the layout of the airport and memorized it.

Kai Tak Airport was one of the busiest international airports in the world, ranking third in international passenger traffic and first in cargo traffic. However, it was located in the city center with only one runway, surrounded by high-density buildings, making the space very narrow.

The group entered the terminal, and Team Leader Gong Benyan repeatedly emphasized the rules. They were arranged to wait in the rest area.

"Son, don't run around. Once you're here, it's like being abroad. If you get lost, it will be very troublesome! Besides, the inspection team has strict rules, and you're not allowed to wander around!" Xu Hongmei warned Lin Qiangsheng, knowing what he was up to from his behavior.

Lin Qiangsheng nodded and said, "Okay, I know. Sigh!" He sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair.

Everyone was very tired, and the terminal was quiet at night. Soon, everyone was dozing off.

Lin Qiangsheng stood up, and his father, who was sitting next to him, woke up and asked quietly, "Where are you going?"

"Just taking a walk!" Lin Qiangsheng said.

"Don't run around!" Lin Xiangrong warned again.

Lin Qiangsheng nodded, shushed his father, and told him not to wake his mother. He smiled and started walking around the terminal.

Xu Hongmei opened her eyes and said, "Watch your son, don't let him run around and cause trouble for the team."

Lin Xiangrong patted his wife's hand and said, "Okay, I got it!"

Lin Qiangsheng walked around, looked back at the group, and then quietly moved to the customs window.

He saw a young man with thick hair, who was studying the horse racing report. Lin Qiangsheng took out his ticket, passport, and visa and said in English, "Sir, I need to go through the entry procedures."

"Ticket, passport, visa, plus 26 yuan for the entry fee," the young customs officer said without looking up.

Lin Qiangsheng handed over ten dollars and asked, "Sir, can you tell me where I can exchange foreign currency at this time?"

The young man finally looked up, adjusted his large black-framed glasses, and looked at Lin Qiangsheng with surprise. He immediately put on a contemptuous expression and switched to Cantonese, mocking, "Mainlander? You want to exchange RMB for Hong Kong dollars?"

Lin Qiangsheng shook his head and said, "No, it's US dollars!"

The young man looked at Lin Qiangsheng, not reacting for a moment. When he understood what Lin Qiangsheng said, he grunted and said, "Go left outside!"

The young man took the passport and checked the third-country ticket, then reluctantly stamped the entry stamp.

Lin Qiangsheng took his passport, ticket, and change and left. The young customs officer smiled sinisterly in his seat.

As Lin Qiangsheng walked out of the airport, the young man's face turned dark, and he cursed under his breath.

Lin Qiangsheng, however, was regretting that if he had paid attention to horse racing records in his previous life, he might have been able to buy some lottery tickets and win a big prize.

Kai Tak Airport, although an international airport, was surrounded by buildings in a residential area, making it very narrow. Even the nearby streets were very cramped.

Lin Qiangsheng walked to a street corner and saw many currency exchange shops with lights still on.

He chose one that seemed reliable and went in. A middle-aged woman was watching TV and fanning herself at the counter.

"Welcome!" The middle-aged woman saw someone come in and immediately greeted him in Cantonese.

Lin Qiangsheng nodded, understanding the phrase. He said in English, "I want to exchange US dollars. How do you do it here?"

The middle-aged woman saw Lin Qiangsheng in his old-fashioned suit and immediately recognized him as a mainland visitor. She smiled and said, "Sir, you can speak Mandarin. I can understand and speak a little."

Lin Qiangsheng smiled and said, "Okay, I want to exchange US dollars. How do you do it here?"

The middle-aged woman took out a book, looked at it, and said, "Sir, now is a good time to exchange! The RMB exchange rate is better this year. Today's rate is 1 USD to 1.8 RMB, and we charge a 4% fee."

Lin Qiangsheng thought for a moment. Although the fee was high, it was still acceptable. He nodded and said, "I want to exchange 250,000 US dollars. Can you handle it?"

The woman was surprised and asked, "How much did you say?!" Her small shop usually exchanged a few thousand dollars, and a few thousand US dollars were rare. This was the first time she had seen someone exchange tens of thousands of dollars at once.

"250,000 US dollars, maybe a few thousand Hong Kong dollars. Can you exchange it?" Lin Qiangsheng asked again.

The woman looked at Lin Qiangsheng, sized him up, and asked, "Sir, are you going to exchange it now?"

Lin Qiangsheng shook his head and said, "I don't have the money with me. Can you exchange it? 250,000 US dollars!"

The woman quickly said, "Sir, that's a lot of money. I need some time!"

Lin Qiangsheng nodded and said, "Come to the airport entrance tomorrow morning, between 6 and 7 AM."

The woman nodded and smiled, "Sir, I hope you're not joking. Don't make me run a trip for nothing!"

Lin Qiangsheng shook his head and said, "Do I look like I'm joking? I'm dressed like this for a reason. Meet me at the airport entrance tomorrow morning! And don't try to scam me! I was in the PLA! I can call a reinforced platoon of comrades in a minute!" He then turned and left.

The woman watched Lin Qiangsheng leave, feeling uneasy. She finally smiled and said loudly, "Sure, sir! We'll meet tomorrow morning!" As she watched him leave, her eyes flickered, and she shook her head.

She quickly closed the shop and made a phone call, "Ah Kwan? We have a big deal! Come back quickly!"

After the call, the woman was anxious and suddenly slapped her hand on the counter, searching for a notebook and making another call.

Lin Qiangsheng returned to the airport and saw his parents waiting for him.

They were anxiously pacing at the entrance, not daring to leave the airport. When they saw Lin Qiangsheng, Xu Hongmei quickly grabbed his arm and scolded, "Where did you go? I couldn't find you anywhere. I guessed you left the airport!"

Lin Xiangrong also said, "You treat the inspection team's rules like they're nothing!"

Lin Qiangsheng didn't argue, lowered his head, and walked into the terminal.

Xu Hongmei and Lin Xiangrong looked at each other. Xu Hongmei wanted to say more, but Lin Xiangrong pulled her away and quietly returned to their seats.

Lin Qiangsheng picked up his large suitcase, moved it to a secluded spot, opened the lock, and lifted the lid. Inside were the leather jacket and jeans he had bought. He moved the clothes aside, revealing a layer of fabric.

Lin Qiangsheng carefully tore the fabric, revealing a cardboard layer. When he lifted the cardboard, he saw what was hidden underneath!

It was money! 500,000 RMB!

This was the income from selling fabric for half a year and watches for a month. Lin Qiangsheng had bundled the money tightly and hidden it in the suitcase, smuggling it out.

After checking, Lin Qiangsheng carefully closed the suitcase and put it back in place, finally breathing a sigh of relief.

This 500,000 RMB was almost all his wealth. After exchanging it for US dollars tomorrow, he could spend it freely!

Lin Xiangrong and Xu Hongmei watched their son, who was handling the suitcase like a mole, and were both amused and exasperated by his actions.

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