Super Zoo

Of course, he was still richer than the average person, having relied on dividends from the family business and his own hard work as a designer and model for two years to save enough money to buy this car.

Seeing his 'tight-budgeted' precious baby smashed beyond recognition, Eugene was close to spitting blood.

Only at the end of the video did he see Suming and his party watching the wrecked car being towed away, and then parking a Toyota in the original spot.

Suming's face was quite clear.

"Damn Japanese cars, stealing my parking space! The Americans should have dropped more atomic bombs back then and wiped out these bastards!" Eugene fumed, pointing at Suming on the screen, "And that guy too, bomb him as well."

Well, he had just lumped Suming in with the Japanese. Annie had long been used to Eugene's unfiltered nature, and Princess Haya had heard about it, managing a pained smile at his side. Was that something a princess should say? If word got out, it would lead to an international incident.

"Their actions and the way they speak look like they're from the mainland," Princess Haya said.

Eugene had more to say, but Princess Annie already stood up and said to the bodyguard, "Mr. Phil, please inform the hotel not to pursue this matter any further. We will pay for the car repairs ourselves and act as if nothing happened. It must be dealt with discreetly, without letting the media catch wind of it."

"Understood." The bodyguard nodded imperceptibly and turned to leave the room.

"Why?! I'm the victim here!" Eugene's eyes widened in hurt and confusion.

"Eugene, stop throwing a childish fit. We are members of the royal family; matters concerning us cannot be simply measured in terms of right and wrong," Princess Annie said, "This video involves parties from the mainland, local gangs in Xiangjiang. Once the media gets hold of it, it would spark all sorts of speculation, and things would never be clear."

Princess Haya also advised, "Exactly, Eugene. There's a saying in Huaxia, 'Let the matter rest, to quell the disturbances.' You don't want to spend your holiday surrounded by reporters, do you? And when we go back, you'll have quite a lot to explain to Her Majesty the Queen."

"Her Majesty the Queen and the Prime Minister have been quite unhappy over the Brexit issues lately," Princess Annie reminded him quietly.

As soon as he thought of his otherwise affable grandmother who was uncompromising when it came to major issues, Eugene, afraid of neither heaven nor earth, suddenly deflated by seventy percent, heaving a long sigh, he blurted out a curse in frustration: "F...k! I have only one hundred and sixty thousand British Pounds left in my royal fund for the year; it's not enough for the car repairs. Looks like I'll have to work to earn money again!"

Annie asked with a smile, "One hundred and twenty thousand isn't enough? Didn't you buy that car for only two hundred thousand?"

Eugene counted on his fingers, "Makeup and clothes costs money, partying at nightclubs costs money, school costs money, traveling costs money. Father also wants me to pay a portion of the manor's maintenance costs. Oh, and there's that damn vineyard that always needs more investment..."

The more he counted, the deeper the frown on Eugene's face became, until he was almost crying with frustration, "Annie, Sister Haya, I'm really very poor."

The two couldn't help but laugh without words. Annie said, "Alright don't worry, I'll lend you some."

"No need!" Eugene waved his hand fiercely, pointing to a horse racing magazine on the table, "I'll earn it myself! Humph, I'm an expert in horsemanship after all."

"You're getting into horse betting?" Princess Annie asked.

"What's faster than gambling to make money? Of course, Annie, considering England is the cradle of horsemanship, although I'm not a world champion like you, I'm not completely ignorant about horse racing. At least my judgment should be better than those people who rely solely on racing newspapers and don't even understand horses, right?"

"Eugene, I must remind you that horse betting is different from horse racing; there's a great element of luck involved. Even experts like Princess Haya and I wouldn't dare say for sure which horse will win," Princess Annie said with a shrug and a smile, "Otherwise, we'd already be rich."

"I know, I know, stop nagging, Annie. I didn't say for sure I'd win, just that my odds are better than the average person," Eugene replied nonchalantly.

"It's up to you, but horse betting is indeed a legal income, just be careful not to lose too miserably," Annie laughed.

...

Those who make a life in this world are cunning, and the ability to handle all sorts of emergencies, in addition to serving genuine and authentic hot pot that's well-known throughout the port, is indispensable.

For example, the on-duty manager at Youyuguoer cleverly provided the video of the vandalism to a group of foreigners who clearly looked influential. However, he played a smart trick; since the foreigners didn't inquire where the vandals were at the moment, the manager just went with the flow and didn't tell them the group that smashed the car was eating hot pot in the private room downstairs.

Separated by just one floor, one party above, the other below, the table of the three princesses had to hurry away due to the incident. Princess Anne was worried about the negative impact on the royal reputation. Anticipating more trouble with the night still young, they promptly left. Suming, on the other hand, seemed to have forgotten all about it; a feast of various dishes continued to flow to their table as they dined merrily.

Cui Bijia caught a fleeting glimpse and was astounded by the influence of Suming, the investor from the mainland, in Xiangjiang. She felt as if she had stumbled upon treasure. Initially invited by Lin Mu with the intent of just making an 'useful friend,' now it seemed that young Mr. Su was not just 'useful,' but rather, an alarmingly big leg up.

Thinking back on Lin Mu, just a few months ago he was a PE teacher in a second-tier city in the mainland. In a short time, he completely transformed and made a reasonably well-known name for himself within the Xiangjiang Film and Television Circle. Even Wang Jin, whom Cui Bijia regarded as an A-list director, treated him as a close friend and drank with him — a level of treatment actors could not achieve through skill and diligence alone.

Now it seemed that Lin Mu was backed by this Su Sheng.

Finding such strong support was a rare opportunity, and if she could cling to it, her acting career was set to sail smoothly.

With ample assets, a pretty face, an education, and acting skills, why should she settle for being 'the second Yezi Mei'? Yezi Mei was nothing but a second-tier sex symbol. With the right support, she could surely rise to stardom, becoming an A-list celebrity.

Being an astute woman who knew how to work a room, she was quite beautiful and great at creating atmosphere. With a bit of effort, the private room's mood quickly turned lively.

Suming didn't usually drink much but had a toast with Cui Bijia to thank her for her help today. Although she hadn't really been of much help, she had, after all, taken his side. He didn't drink more, switching to soft drinks and indulging in the hot pot instead.

The hot pot base and side dishes at Youyuguoer were indeed authentic.

Suming was well aware of Cui Bijia's intentions, which weren't hard to guess; most actresses would have the same thoughts in her place.

He wasn't surprised nor did he feel any aversion. Everyone wants to climb up. Put nicely, it's ambition; blatantly, it's self-interest. And wasn't he the same?

During the meal, he even specifically discussed acting with Cui Bijia. Seeing Suming broach the subject, she was overjoyed and went into great detail about her 'resume.'

Taoyuan Film and Television Company was in a growth phase and desperately needed both actors and connections within the industry. It was beneficial for both parties to get to know an actress. As Cui Bijia explained, Suming nodded slightly, making a mental note.

After studying in England and returning to Xiangjiang, she had participated in several movies and played a significant role in 'Spicy Police Flower,' debuting with a sexy image and claiming the status of Xiangjiang's new house-goddess...

Her role type was rather fixed, belonging to the 'vase' category, attracting a certain audience with her Sea Mimi charm. This meant she was destined for custom-tailored roles in many films but rarely as the lead actress.

Actresses like her could rise or fall, depending on luck and meeting benefactors; a bit more personal effort could propel them to the front line. But if luck was lacking and good roles and films were not forthcoming, over time they might become playthings, starring in minor trashy films for fame and eventually resorting to high-class call work for financial gains based on their celebrity status.

Lin Mu and Hou Longtao had been drinking consistently, while Song Lulu, after recovering from her initial shock, remained mostly silent, full of thoughts.

Some people are 'honest' because they haven't seen the world or faced enough temptation.

Once the glitz and glamour unfolded before Song Lulu, she seemed utterly bewildered by it all.