They cruised all the way to Central, gliding down the bustling streets. Up ahead stood a towering building, but what really grabbed your attention was the massive golden sign on the first floor: "Yung Kee." Yep, this was the legendary Yung Kee Restaurant, famous all over Hong Kong. Even from a distance, Shawn Young could see the long line snaking outside. The place was absolutely packed and buzzing, and Shawn couldn't help but be amazed at how booming Yung Kee's business was.
"Hehe—! It's pretty much like this every single day," Yara Zen laughed, explaining as she slowly pulled the car up to Yung Kee’s entrance. She turned to Shawn Young with a grin, "Master, we’ve arrived. This is the spot!"
They hopped out of the car, and right away a uniformed doorman came over. Yara Zen handed him the keys for valet parking, then slipped her arm through Shawn Young’s and led him inside Yung Kee Restaurant. Almost immediately, a hostess with a wireless phone greeted them politely, "Miss Zen, your table is ready. Please follow me to the third floor!"
"Thanks!" Yara Zen nodded graciously, still holding onto Shawn Young’s arm as they followed the hostess into the elevator and up to a private room on the third floor.
The private room was decked out with classic Chinese decor—pretty swanky, actually. There was a TV wall playing some Cantonese shows from Hong Kong, but the best part? The room had a window you could actually open. Shawn Young wasn’t a fan of air conditioning, so he naturally slid the window open and found it faced the street. Looking down, he saw the city lighting up for the night, neon signs flashing everywhere, and the streets jam-packed with people and cars. What really struck him about Hong Kong was how fast everyone moved—almost everyone was hustling, zipping by at lightning speed.
Only downstairs at Yung Kee Restaurant was there an open counter for takeout, and the line there was even crazier—people were buying roast goose to take home. Staring at the lively crowd, Shawn Young couldn’t help but sigh, "Man, this place is seriously hopping!"
Yara Zen cozied up next to him and explained in her sweet voice, "Hehe—Yung Kee is the number one spot for roast goose in Hong Kong. Tons of locals love roast goose, so it’s no wonder business is booming. You know, Master, Yung Kee’s been open for more than half a century. Back in the day, it started as a little food stall on Kwong Yuen West Street."
The founder, Frank Kan, was famous for his unbeatable roast goose. Back then, travelers arriving at the Hong Kong-Macau pier, plus sailors from docked ships, would flock here just to taste his legendary dish. Yung Kee’s roast goose became so famous that people from all over Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau—and even celebrities and tourists from abroad—came to try it. Folks would even buy specially packed roast goose to take home as gifts, so Yung Kee’s goose earned the nickname "Flying Roast Goose." Frank Kan himself became known as "Goose Master Frank." He started out as a young apprentice, and now he owns Yung Kee Tower and Yung Kee Restaurant, all built from scratch. Foreign magazines and newspapers call him a legend, and in 1968, Yung Kee was picked by America’s 'Fazine' as one of the world’s top fifteen restaurants—the only Chinese spot on the list. He’s the ultimate example of a Hong Konger making it big through hard work and hustle!
"Oh—so Mr. Kan built everything from the ground up, working his butt off to get rich! That’s what they call the legendary 'Hong Kong spirit!'" Shawn Young nodded, just like most people, he had tons of respect for self-made go-getters.
"Yeah, totally! There are tons of legendary self-made success stories in Hong Kong. It’s folks like that who make us proud and shape what everyone calls the 'Hong Kong spirit,'" Yara Zen explained.
"Oh—I love people like that too. When someone makes it through their own hard work, it’s super inspiring to everyone else!" Shawn Young nodded.
"Exactly! But you know, it’s also about the environment. Hong Kong’s a free port, open to all kinds of cultures, plus it’s the financial center of Asia. With 'one country, two systems,' it’s super fair and free here. That’s why so many people succeed through sheer effort, not just luck or connections! Sometimes, it’s your environment that lets you shine—like me, I’m a textbook case." Yara Zen’s face clouded over as she remembered her not-so-happy past, her voice tinged with sadness.
"Oh, Yara, sounds like you’ve been through a lot. Honestly—I don’t know much about you. Did you have a tough past or something?" Shawn Young asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
"Uh—yeah, I did. But all that’s ancient history now. I’m trying my best to let it go—it’s really fine now," Yara Zen said with a brave smile.
Seeing he’d touched a nerve, Shawn Young quickly waved his hands, "Yara, I’m sorry—I shouldn’t have asked about that."
Yara Zen just smiled, her pretty face breaking into a mischievous grin. "It’s really fine! Actually—I’ve been wanting to talk to someone for ages. And since you’re my master, I figured I’d tell you a bit about myself—after all, I am your housekeeper, you know. You can’t be totally clueless about your own housekeeper, right?"
"Uh—Yara, to be honest, you probably know I don’t really know much about you or your story. And about you being my housekeeper, let’s just call that a joke! I mean, I’ve got a little something going on, but honestly, I’m nowhere near cool enough to afford a knockout housekeeper like you!" Shawn Young said, a little flustered.