Minimal Cultural Notes and Glossary

– **Ayanokoji / Iwasaki / Morisawa / Sakurai / Nakajima**: Japanese family names are rendered in surname-first order to preserve the school-life naming texture of the original.

– **Honorifics such as -kun**: A Japanese suffix often used for boys, male classmates, or juniors; retained sparingly where it carries campus flavor.

– **Meikō / Meichū**: Informal abbreviations for Meishu Academy’s high-school and middle-school divisions.

– **The Tale of Genji**: An eleventh-century Japanese classic associated with courtly romance and literary refinement.

– **Kojiki / Queen Suiko / Yamatai**: Early Japanese historical and mythological references used humorously to heighten Mirai’s exaggerated sense of fate.

– **Shōjo manga**: Japanese comics aimed primarily at girls and young women; this story repeatedly plays with its school-romance conventions.

– **Boys Over Flowers**: A famous shōjo manga by Kamio Yōko, referenced as part of Meikō’s heightened manga-romance atmosphere.

– **Cultural festival**: A common Japanese school event where classes and clubs stage performances, exhibits, cafés, and other projects.

– **Noh theatre**: A classical Japanese stage form known for stylized movement, masks, music, and an austere, haunting atmosphere.

– **University of Tokyo / Tōdai**: Japan’s most prestigious university; admission is often treated as a symbol of elite academic success.

– **Love-letter confession motif**: Handwritten confessions are a familiar school-romance device in East Asian campus fiction and shōjo manga.

– **Student council president archetype**: A recurring figure in manga-inspired school stories: competent, distant, admired, and treated almost like campus royalty.

At the time, Ayanokoji Mari analyzed the matter like this: “Because your current boss is practically a god. Have you ever seen a human being write a love letter to God?”

The statement was undeniably exaggerated, but the meaning behind it came through with admirable precision: anyone who confessed to Iwasaki Kazuto was guaranteed to be rejected.

And so Ayanokoji Mirai, in her role as his private secretary, stood there holding that pink love letter, which seemed to carry the warmth of spring itself. She felt utterly bewildered—and, faintly but distinctly, rather displeased.

She looked hesitantly at Ayanokoji Mari, who was sitting backward on a chair in front of her. “To be honest, I don’t want to give this thing to Senior Iwasaki at all.”

“Why not?”

Ayanokoji Mirai gazed down at the envelope in her hand with remarkable calm. “Possessiveness, probably. Maybe I’ve fallen for that Iwasaki fellow.”

Under the blazing sun, two butterflies chased each other over the bright green grass. The white dusting on their wings scattered seven colors in the light.

Not every love story has to be grand and stormy.

At the crowded gate of the University of Tokyo, Ayanokoji Mirai stood with that pink love letter clenched in her right hand, her expression solemn enough for a battlefield. Iwasaki Kazuto had just finished his entrance exam. His eyes showed a trace of fatigue, but there was also an unusual brightness in them.

Mirai twisted the hem of her clothes between the fingers of her right hand, as though preparing to die heroically. “There are two things I need to report. First, um, a girl gave you a love letter. Here. This is it. And second… uh, well, that is… I like you.”

The smile began at the corners of his eyes.

Mirai felt her heart start beating in a way that was not at all normal.

The day was very cold.

Iwasaki Kazuto merely lowered his head and, with rare gentleness, straightened the deep-blue scarf around her neck. “If you don’t get into the University of Tokyo in two years,” he said, “I’ll kill you.”

And so the poor little rabbit, step by careful step and without ever looking back, finally walked into the hunter’s trap.

Many years later, when Iwasaki Kazuto had quite naturally become the top figure in Japanese diplomacy and Ayanokoji Mirai had, as a matter of course, become that top figure’s wife, Mirai shared her youthful romantic experience with their daughter like this: “So, you see, girls who are too clever, too outstanding, too independent, and too strong-willed can never become shōjo manga heroines. Because, my dear, foolish men are everywhere in this world, while good men with taste like your father are far too rare.” At the breakfast table, Iwasaki Kazuto, who had been reading the newspaper, merely set it down and raised one brow with elegant precision. “Although I’m very pleased by your praise, I am rather curious where your confidence in being clever comes from.”

Iwasaki Kazuto’s lifelong insistence that Mirai was a fool did, in fact, have some history behind it.

In his view, if Mirai had not been a fool, she would never have stepped, baffled and obedient, into the trap he had arranged for her. Nor would she have allowed him, one step at a time, to transform her from an ordinary junior schoolmate into his private secretary, and then from private secretary into wife.

Mirai had always subjectively believed that the main reason Iwasaki chose her out of thousands upon thousands of candidates was that one afternoon she had pinned him to the floor and cried all over him.

Therefore, she was profoundly wrong. Iwasaki’s answer was this: “A girl’s tears are indeed beautiful, and later I certainly did come to think your tears were especially beautiful. But please. That afternoon I didn’t see your tears at all. When I pushed you off me, all I saw was drool on my clothes.”

Mirai would probably never know when Iwasaki Kazuto had begun to like her, and most likely she would never know why. Although she had a sensitivity to color beyond ordinary people, in matters requiring large amounts of emotional intelligence, Mirai was always so slow that one wanted to seize her by the neck and shake her.

The fated second that bewitched Iwasaki for life did not occur at their stupid-beyond-stupid first meeting in the municipal pool. Nor did it occur later on the stage of the Meikō auditorium, in that grand incident that nearly caused casualties.

It happened earlier than the auditorium incident.

The girl Iwasaki Kazuto fell in love with had the most earnest and beautiful profile in the world when she painted seriously. That profile was enough to make the stubborn blood he had inherited from his fathers boil completely.

It was an evening when hydrangeas had bloomed to the edge of exhaustion. Vast banks of sunset cloud surged and rolled across the sky like golden wheat waves. Mirai, wearing a white shirt and plaid shorts, stood with her left hand in her pocket and charcoal in her right. She half narrowed her eyes, skillfully measuring the proportions of the strangely shaped old tree across the lake behind the gymnasium. The humid evening wind wandered wetly over the lake, stirring rings of glittering ripples; light and shadow chased each other, changing from one instant to the next. Tokyo in midsummer, Iwasaki thought, was not merely a beautiful scene. And yet behind the layers of hydrangeas stained violet by the sun, the little piece of charcoal in Mirai’s hand, less than an inch long, was something more beautiful than beauty.

And so Iwasaki Kazuto-kun, who in eighteen years had never looked straight at that lovely creature called a girl, fell for her, alive and entire.

Perhaps that evening, too, was a trap. The trap’s name was destiny.

The old-auditorium incident merely heightened that destiny.

In reality, however, even after such an unbelievably intimate contact with Iwasaki, our thick-nerved Miss Mirai still did not know that the boy fortunate enough to have been crushed by her twice was the legendary eldest son of the Iwasaki family.

Not until she, who had been perfectly fine in the publicity department, was suddenly transferred to the student council president’s office to serve as the president’s secretary.

Sakurai Taichirō, the elder brother of Vice President Sakurai Sayuri, tried to comfort Mirai in this way: “Although painting is your specialty, and work in the publicity department suits you better, don’t you find it painful to stay every day in the clubroom with Minister Morisawa, who dumped you, and his current girlfriend? Besides, President Iwasaki only appears at school two or three times a month at most, and spends even less time in the president’s office—maybe once every two or three months. Compared with that, whether for your fragile body or your wounded heart, the job of president’s secretary should be easier, shouldn’t it?”

Under the emotionally rich persuasion of Taichirō-kun, a perennial first-prize winner in essay contests, Mirai only grew angrier. With great firmness, she refused on the spot: “My body is not fragile, and my heart is not wounded. In the clubroom, as long as I treat Kaoru and his girlfriend as straw and filter them out, my mood is very cheerful. So I do not wish to accept your kindness.”

Taichirō stared at her for a long time. Finally, hating iron for not turning into steel, he said, “Then go explain it to the president yourself. He personally appointed you, after all.”

As for how Mirai went dejectedly to the president’s office afterward, how she was shocked to discover that this Iwasaki Kazuto was that Iwasaki Kazuto, and how she then fought with unyielding spirit for her unclear future with tremendous hardship and determination—all of that no longer needs discussion. None of it matters. Only the result matters. The result was that Mirai finally bowed in compromise to invisible destiny and became Iwasaki Kazuto’s secretary.

The news spread across all of Meikō almost overnight and even showed signs of reaching Meichū. For those two days, the post with the highest clicks and replies on the Meikō campus BBS was titled “Dissecting Ayanokoji Mirai.” Despite the bloody title, it had nothing whatsoever to do with scalpels, anesthetic, or operating lights. The original poster’s Japanese literature was simply not very good; what he had meant to express was “analyzing,” more or less.

The mysterious student council president finally having a housekeeper at his side shocked Meikō’s many students much as if a messenger-believer had finally appeared beside God to connect Him with the ordinary people of Earth. Strangely, this major event, which clearly had potential to develop into romantic gossip, remained from beginning to end chastely within the range of academic gossip, showing no tendency at all to approach the pink zone. Mirai’s clever cousin Ayanokoji Mari analyzed it this way: “Because no one can imagine God dating His messenger. That’s the crux.”

The only sensitive one was Morisawa Kaoru.

No matter what kind of boy he is, somewhere in the subconscious there is always a stubborn and intense possessiveness—so long as the thing in question is something he once possessed, or currently possesses.

The incident occurred on the third day after Mirai was transferred to serve as the president’s secretary. Iwasaki Kazuto personally went to the publicity department to collect her club-transfer form. In truth, the so-called club-transfer form had no meaning whatsoever; it was pure formalism invented by the student club federation. Unfortunately, the principal thought the thing was quite good and highly worth promoting. This invisibly created a face-to-face opportunity between Iwasaki Kazuto and Morisawa Kaoru, two people whose lives could otherwise have had no intersection at all. Of course, the awkwardness exists only from our point of view. The two parties themselves had no such awareness.

Rarely enough, there was a thunderstorm that day. Because every corner of Tokyo had been dry for far too long that summer, the rain, which looked as if someone had simply taken a basin and poured it down from the sky, seemed especially precious. To commemorate its preciousness, Mirai even composed a poem: “From afar it is rain; up close it is rain. Look left, and it is rain; look right, and still it is rain. Ah, what a thunderstorm!”

Of course, that comes later.

At the time, the atmosphere in the publicity department clubroom was, truly, subtle—subtle, subtle beyond measure. The primroses by the window had been watered by the rain until their leaves shone green. Morisawa Kaoru-kun, whose face usually carried an open, easy smile, now looked cold as anything. “I don’t really understand why you want to transfer Mirai over to be your secretary. To be honest, her personality is slow and sloppy. I don’t think she’s suited at all for the delicate work of a secretary. So I suggest you transfer her back.”

Iwasaki Kazuto, in a black shirt and beige trousers, appeared far more composed. “The reason I went to such lengths to bring her to my side is, of course”—he adjusted his glasses unhurriedly—“that I like her.”

That was the sentence Iwasaki Kazuto would almost never say to Mirai’s face in his entire life.

Yet at that moment he said it plainly, steadily, and without changing expression. His trap had only just been laid, and the creature he meant to catch was still hesitating at the edge of the disguised pit, poking her head in and peering about.

Rain struck the window glass with hard knocks, then dripped from the cement sill with exact efficiency, cutting open the soil and releasing great swathes of heat and anxiety that had long lain hidden.

Morisawa braced his right hand against his forehead, as if completely unable to understand Iwasaki’s calm declaration. “You mean…”

“The person who will become my wife in the future must be serious and meticulous about work, no matter how slow and sloppy she may be in ordinary life. Since Mirai does not yet possess that quality, I will cultivate it for her. Is there a problem?”

“W-wife?”

Iwasaki Kazuto, finding this somewhat amusing, removed his glasses and placed one hand on the solid wooden desk in front of Morisawa. The white, gentle light of the fluorescent lamp fell quietly across his profile. “Yes. Wife. I must say, although that fellow Mirai is a fool, you, having given her up, do not appear to be especially clever either. But as a rival in love, I am sincerely pleased by your choice.”

At the time, Morisawa merely thought Iwasaki was joking. After all, no matter how rational and composed he was, Iwasaki Kazuto was only eighteen then. For most people, eighteen is not an age at which promises can be made lightly. Yet four years later, Ayanokoji Mirai truly became Iwasaki Kazuto’s wife.

The news media later evaluated their wedding like this: it was nothing short of a miracle.

It was indeed a miracle.

A miracle created single-handedly by Iwasaki Kazuto.

If you want to make decisions beyond your age, you must possess abilities beyond your age.

Mirai, however, was far too difficult to reform. Perhaps all boys and girls with an artistic temperament simply lack the cells for precision and discipline. The direct consequence was that the frequency with which Iwasaki bestowed upon Mirai his withering side-eye increased day by day.

“If you find me that unpleasant, then change secretaries,” Mirai would complain indignantly at first. Later, however, she slowly grew used to it and gradually numb.

Perhaps Mirai herself did not realize that getting used to Iwasaki’s side-eye meant, in full, that she had also become quite used to having a fellow surnamed Iwasaki and named Kazuto wandering before her eyes every day after school.

Affection begins with habit.

Love begins with affection.

The days should have continued in just such a plain, ordinary way—or muddled along in that fashion. In fact, Mirai had already been Iwasaki Kazuto’s secretary in that plain, ordinary manner for more than half a year.

The source of the story’s next turn was Iwasaki Kazuto’s University of Tokyo entrance examination.

If this were an inspirational youth novel, perhaps Iwasaki would have been in a car accident on his way to the exam, become paralyzed from the waist down, and then, though broken in body, remained firm in spirit; after a year of recuperation, he would triumphantly take first place the following year. If this were a detective novel, perhaps Iwasaki, on his way to the exam, would have accidentally discovered a corpse, then fully employed his intelligence to help the police investigate from every angle and solve the case in one stroke. But unfortunately, this is neither an inspirational novel nor a detective novel. It is a school romance for girls. Therefore the prop appearing in this event could not possibly be a wheelchair, nor could it be a corpse.

It had to be something pinker, something more beautiful—yes, a love letter.

A love letter written to Iwasaki Kazuto.

Long ago, when Mirai had first taken over the job of student council president’s secretary, she had once raised this question: “Tell me, why is it that my boss and my former boss are both famous figures at Meikō, yet absolutely no one writes love letters to him?”

At that time, the school Mirai attended was formally called Private Meishu Academy. Like most private secondary schools, it was divided into a high-school division and a middle-school division. Since saying “Private Meishu Academy High School Division” or “Private Meishu Academy Middle School Division” in kana produced a very long string of syllables, everyone abbreviated them on their own as Meikō and Meichū.

In the words of Ayanokoji Mari, who had graduated from Meikō more than two years earlier, Meikō was exactly the kind of school shōjo manga artists would never want to leave once they arrived. It was said that when Kamio Yōko created *Boys Over Flowers*, she used Meikō as the background. This old aristocratic school beside Tokyo Bay—whether in the gravel path near the library, the rows of cherry trees beneath the classroom building, or even the old warehouse behind the swimming pool—radiated at every moment a strange romantic air that combined vigorous youth with ambiguous melancholy. Therefore, one could easily imagine that in such a beautiful and wondrous environment, the yearly production of two or three even more beautiful and wondrous campus celebrities was only natural.

During that overheated summer when Mirai was seventeen, the two most famous figures at Meikō were Iwasaki Kazuto of Class 3-A, then student council president, and Morisawa Kaoru of Class 2-A, then head of the publicity department. At that time, the four characters of Iwasaki Kazuto’s name meant nothing more to Mirai than a kanji symbol. The symbol represented the eldest legitimate son of the Iwasaki family, a diplomatic dynasty in Japan. It represented the glorious privilege of attending school only two or three times a semester and still advancing smoothly to the next grade. That was all. Apart from knowing that the symbol’s gender was male, she basically had no idea whether he was round or flat in appearance. On this point, we may pretend to be merciful and place all blame upon the innocent Iwasaki Kazuto—his probability of appearing normally on the Meikō campus was simply too low. However, the fact that “Morisawa Kaoru-kun had stolen nearly all of Mirai’s attention except the part reserved for painting” was also, to a very great extent, a reason that should not be filtered out.

Fortunately, one week before the municipal-pool banana-peel incident, Morisawa Kaoru-kun—the shōjo manga hero with brains, looks, elegance, and athletic talent—and Ayanokoji Mirai-kun—the shōjo manga villainess with brains, looks, elegance, and athletic talent—had already broken up in a perfectly genuine and amicable fashion, becoming each other’s regrettable past. Later, when Mirai summarized that green first love which had died halfway, she even sighed with great melancholy: “Clearly, girls of the Mashimaro-bunny type have no market in this conservative society that enrages gods and humans alike.”

In short, it was not something one could treasure as a beautiful memory.

Therefore, at present, Mirai had no idea why she was obediently sitting on a ladder, a bucket of paint in her left hand and a large brush in her right, selflessly painting the backdrop for the cultural festival play—especially when she fully understood that the male lead in the play was Morisawa Kaoru-kun and the female lead was his current girlfriend, Nakajima Yōko. As the injured party, should she not be holding two little straw dolls in her left hand and a tennis shoe in her right, smashing and smashing with all her might? She had once considered this question quite seriously.

What she had to render on the white canvas, in the deepest dark green, was an ancient pine tree full of weathered dignity.

Mirai felt that staging *Romeo and Juliet*, that most standard Western medieval romance, while placing in the background an old Japanese pine tree in a meditative trance was an offense against her conscience as a future artist. Yet according to Sakurai Sayuri, the year-round neurotic female president of the Meikō drama club, the purpose was to borrow the quiet, ethereal atmosphere of traditional Noh theatre to heighten the sorrow of Romeo and Juliet’s deathless devotion and eventual, indeed mutual, death.

Mirai thought: she is talking nonsense.

Because the auditorium windows were set with the kind of stained glass usually found only in churches, the light refracted through them in varying degrees of anti-primary color. At first glance, the effect was rather romantic. Mirai raised the hand holding the brush to shade her brow and looked out at the gradually sinking sun, judging that it was about time to finish for the day. She turned carefully, preparing to climb down from the ladder. She had absolutely not expected to see Iwasaki Kazuto again at such a time, in such a place, and from such a strange, high, neither-up-nor-down angle. In fact, at first glance she did not even realize that the creature in casual clothes standing beneath her feet and looking up slightly had the same face as the fellow who had thrown her directly into the water at the municipal pool.

Still, her reflexive response was fright.

It is worth mentioning that Mirai was not, by nature, especially brave. Moreover, this was an old, dim auditorium of the kind that could easily rank among the top ten favorite settings for horror novels. Moreover again, Iwasaki Kazuto, standing against the light, was wearing a pure white tracksuit without a trace of any other color—the very clothing most beloved by ghosts.

The grave consequence of all these objective factors was this: our poor Miss Ayanokoji Mirai trembled directly off that not particularly sturdy wooden ladder. The unfortunate Iwasaki Kazuto, once again an innocent fish caught in disaster, served as the cushion beneath her body.

Fortunately, in the process of catching Mirai, Iwasaki-kun—who had clearly studied physics rather well and possessed sufficiently developed athletic reflexes—forced himself several steps backward to reduce the impact, barely avoiding giving himself a concussion.

Under the pull of gravity, the dark green paint fell straight down and landed on the rosewood floor with a splat, spreading across the center of the stage into several highly poetic little polygons. Mirai stared in horror and personally witnessed her own lips, utterly disobedient, approach Iwasaki’s step by step. Clack. Their teeth struck together painfully, followed by a faint taste of—well—blood.

Iwasaki Kazuto’s brows were tightly furrowed. Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his gaze was profound beyond measure.

Although Mirai was a girl of the Mashimaro-bunny type, before she could be a hooligan, she was at least still a girl. Therefore, to say she felt no embarrassment, shame, or awkwardness over having, for no reason, taken liberties with someone—or been taken liberties with—would be an absolute lie.

Subjectively, our adorable Mirai-kun wanted to climb up at once and kowtow in apology. Objectively, however—her upper body rose, but her right leg below the waist would not obey her at all. Thus, the current Mirai presented the complete posture of someone straddling Iwasaki Kazuto, cheeks flushed, body awkward and stiff. The pose was, without question, extremely, extremely suggestive.

Outside the old auditorium, more than half the sky had been dyed by sunset clouds into colors as fierce and vivid as winter roses, turning even the air an orange-yellow like tangerine peel. Vast sheets of sunlight plated in brilliant gold sauntered openly through the high, glassless windows on both sides of the stage, scattering over the glass chandelier hanging in midair, the half-painted old-pine backdrop, and the soft white fabric of Iwasaki Kazuto’s tracksuit.

Time seemed to vanish all at once. The whole world was light, and only light.

Mirai suddenly remembered an old film, the black-and-white kind: beneath pale cherry trees, their colors dimmed by time, a beautiful geisha with her hair piled high wore an elaborate kimono patterned with double cherry blossoms and played a battered shamisen with a sorrowful expression. She found it funny, and so she really laughed.

The tightly shut auditorium doors suddenly gave an eerie creak, the kind that made one’s teeth ache. Mirai and Iwasaki turned their heads at the same time. The boy standing in the doorway with his schoolbag slung over one shoulder was clearly shocked. Natural light passing through the gap in the door stretched his body into a long, narrow shadow between the rows of seats, like *Daddy-Long-Legs* from childhood reading. Mirai managed to straighten up and greeted him with great cheer. “Oh, Kaoru. Long time no see. Come look at the backdrop I’m painting for you—doesn’t it look magnificent?”

The other party, however, very obviously did not appreciate this kindness. He merely remained silent. Because the lighting in the old auditorium at that hour was far too complex and magical, Mirai had no way of seeing the rich variety of expressions on Morisawa Kaoru’s face as he stood by the door. From the center of the stage, all she could see was a bright blur.

“Iwasaki… you two…” The few syllables seemed forced completely through his teeth, and were at once swallowed by a suffocating silence.

Mirai watched Morisawa disappear behind the door into that dazzling orange-red evening glow. Then suddenly she lowered her head, buried it completely in Iwasaki’s chest, and after a long while sighed listlessly. “Honestly, even after breaking up, he still has to be so messy and unclear about things. What a jerk.”

But of course, those were not the words she truly wanted to say. She only hated, without reason, the version of herself that deliberately pretended to be so carefree and magnanimous. So she let herself take it out on someone else in speech, just for the small satisfaction of it. Endurance is exhausting too. There is always some trigger that draws out all the restlessness accumulated inside and makes it burst forth in an instant.

“I didn’t want to come help them paint this damned backdrop at all. But Sayuri kept saying, Mirai, you must help, you must help. I dislike Nakajima Yōko so much—why couldn’t she be considerate of me for once? I hate this. I really, really hate it.”

Iwasaki Kazuto felt something wet seep through the thin cloth of his tracksuit and soak all the way to his chest. Still lying on the floor, he lifted his right hand as though to stroke Mirai’s freshly cut short hair. In the end, however, he did not touch her.

The two of them remained in that tightly pressed position.

One minute.

Five minutes.

Ten minutes.

Iwasaki shifted his aching body slightly beneath her and squeezed out a few words, almost through bitten lips. “Could I trouble you to move your plump little self off me?”

The girl on top of him, however, remained quietly motionless.

Because—

she had fallen asleep.

…

The summer Ayanokoji Mirai turned seventeen, Tokyo was said to have reached its hottest temperatures in nearly a century.

In the *Kojiki*, when it described the island nation of Japan in the age of Queen Suiko and the legendary realm of Yamatai, there had once been a similar kind of notation, phrased in four very elegant Chinese characters: “strange signs in heaven.” Since Mirai’s command of kanji was not especially good, she had never quite understood what ambiguous omen lay behind those simple four characters. Thus, during that summer—apart from noticing that the household bills for water, electricity, and gas had suddenly risen—our slow-witted Miss Ayanokoji Mirai had no idea that her fate, along with the violently climbing utility meter at home, was being roasted by the perverse heat until it twisted out of shape and veered completely off its appointed track.

Many years later, after Mirai had miraculously become the wife of the most powerful man in Japanese diplomacy, she would sometimes wonder, with a seriousness that made no sense even to her, what her life might have become if, in that summer when she was seventeen, she had not gone to the municipal swimming pool and had not met that fellow Iwasaki Kazuto. Yet for a long time, such thoughts never yielded any concrete answer. Iwasaki Kazuto’s view was this: to imagine that something which had already happened had, in fact, never happened required considerable imagination. Unfortunately, Ayanokoji Mirai, that fool, possessed every kind of ability except imagination.

By then, of course, Ayanokoji Mirai was no longer called Ayanokoji Mirai. She was called Iwasaki Mirai.

And so, let us return to the summer when she was seventeen.

In that miraculous season, hot enough to make a person want to drag the sun down from the sky and strangle it, Tokyo resembled a dried eggplant wrung of every last drop of moisture. Dust rolled desperately in the heat waves thrown up by car exhaust. Although huge shadows from countless anonymous buildings lay everywhere, one could still feel the fierce heat rising from the ground as if summer had taken on the visible body of steam. Mirai therefore spent exactly fifteen hundred yen at a familiar hair salon and had her waist-length hair cut cleanly to her ears. She also went to a department store and bought herself a very proper-looking cute navy-blue swimsuit with a bow, asked her mother to get her a monthly pass for the municipal pool, and every afternoon after school, she happily hugged her swim ring and went swimming.

Her so-called swimming, to be precise, consisted of clutching the swim ring and soaking in the cool water.

Just as fairy tales nurtured by European culture, however tragic their beginnings, often cannot escape a vulgar happy ending, romances born from Asian culture, however sorrowfully inventive their conclusions, often cannot escape a melodramatic beginning. Mirai and Iwasaki Kazuto’s first meeting could not be called extremely melodramatic, but it came quite close.

For this, all credit belonged to a fresh yellow banana peel lying spread-eagled at the edge of the deep end, its inner flesh not yet fully oxidized.

Under ordinary circumstances, banana peels and similarly large pieces of trash should never appear inside a swimming pool, outside a swimming pool, near a swimming pool, or in any other pool-adjacent location during opening hours. Even if, driven by some irresistible force, such an object defied common sense and appeared there anyway, it would still be quite difficult for any ordinary person to step on it. Therefore, when our properly behaved Miss Ayanokoji Mirai, wandering along the deep end, stepped directly on that quietly waiting banana peel and—before her nervous system had time to report the information to her brain—fell heavily onto Iwasaki Kazuto, who was resting against the wall of the pool, one had to admit that the gods had arranged it.

Amid wave after wave of piercing shrieks from the girls in the shallow end, after a flurry of panic, Mirai finally lived up to expectations and successfully clung, by pure survival instinct, to something cold that seemed relatively stable. She vaguely felt that this was probably a person, but her taut nerves at the limit of fear had deprived her skin of even the most basic sensation. So when she calmed down, freed herself from the water streaming over her face, and opened her eyes again, it was perfectly natural that she would be startled half to death by the face of an unfamiliar boy appearing directly in front of her nose.

Although that face really was, truly, extremely handsome.

Handsome. Still wrapped around Iwasaki Kazuto like an octopus, Mirai assessed his looks with great academic seriousness and awarded him ninety-five points. If only he would smile, it would be perfect.

It is worth mentioning that Mirai had studied oil painting since the age of three, had been taught from childhood by the celebrated painter Yūki Hiro, and was considered a talented future artist. She almost never used the word “handsome” to judge boys.

“You can say a boy is good-looking, or cool, or even pretty. That’s fine, because adjectives like those only describe one aspect of his appearance. Boys who are outstanding, even perfect, in one particular aspect are entirely possible; there are quite a lot of them, in fact. But you have to be cautious with the word handsome. Handsomeness is both concrete and abstract. It is the equal union of appearance and temperament. It is a physiological visual response, and even more than that, a psychological response of feeling.” This was the aesthetic theory of male beauty that Mirai had once proclaimed to her cousin, Ayanokoji Mari.

Iwasaki Kazuto raised his right hand and rubbed his thoroughly soaked, still-dripping medium-length hair. Silently, he watched for a while as Mirai clung to him, looking profound while stroking her chin back and forth with her thumb and forefinger. “What is that expression supposed to mean?”

Mirai lifted her head slightly, just enough to bring her gaze level with his. “Tell me, are you short of money lately? If you are, you might consider being my nude model.”

Iwasaki was stunned for perhaps three seconds. Then his face settled into a textbook sneer. “Sorry. I’m not interested in elementary-school girls like you.”

“Eh?”

Thus began the first meeting between Ayanokoji Mirai and Iwasaki Kazuto, so disastrous it could hardly have been worse. As the first intersection of their lives, it was certainly a stroke laid down with thick ink.

Yet Mirai’s nerves were still remarkably broad then, and she did not nurse hatred toward Iwasaki because of it. Even after he unceremoniously threw her back into the pool, she merely floundered out of the water and, with immense generosity and composure, raised a symbolic middle finger in his direction. The gesture appeared crude and furious, but in reality, less than half an hour later, she had completely forgotten this major incident—one entirely worthy of a diary entry.

Seventeen is, after all, an age easily moved to impulse and just as easily moved to forgetting.

Cardiology Department. Examination Room!

After hearing Dr. Liu’s diagnosis, Xue Jianming and Xiao Ya were both struck as if by lightning.

Although they had braced themselves for the news, hearing that their daughter had indeed been diagnosed with congenital heart disease was still difficult for them to accept.

Xiao Ya, in particular, felt as if the sky had fallen; tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.

Although Xue Jianming appeared relatively composed at the moment, he stood there in a daze, speechless, his mind a blank.

Li Yi sighed and then asked the doctor, “Director Liu, how far has Xiao Jingshu’s condition progressed? Is it very serious?”

Dr. Liu glanced at President Qiao standing beside Li Yi and replied immediately, “As things stand, the child’s condition hasn’t fully manifested yet, so treatment isn’t particularly difficult.”

“However, as the child grows older, the strain on her heart will gradually increase. At that point, the condition will fully manifest, and treatment will become more difficult. Therefore, I recommend scheduling surgery as soon as possible.”

Li Yi nodded, then asked again, “Can your hospital perform this surgery? What is the success rate?”

Dr. Liu replied immediately, “Our hospital is indeed capable of performing this surgery, but…”

“But what? Whatever the situation, please be completely honest with me!” Li Yi said.

Dr. Liu sighed and said, “To be honest, if this were an adult, I’d be quite confident. But I’ve never performed this kind of surgery on a child of this age before, so I’m not entirely sure.”

“Furthermore, this child’s physical condition is somewhat poor. Even if the surgery were to succeed, the risk of postoperative infection is very high. If circumstances permit, I would still recommend that you have the surgery performed in Beijing; the success rate would be higher there.”

Hearing this, Li Yi couldn’t help but recall his past life. Back then, Xiao Jingshu had indeed suffered a severe lung infection after her surgery—so severe that even the doctors had thought she might not make it.

If it hadn’t been for Third Sister’s round-the-clock, tireless care, the little girl might truly not have survived!

With that in mind, Li Yi immediately asked, “Director Li, which hospital in Beijing is better suited for this kind of surgery?”

“Peking Union Medical College Hospital. I recommend my mentor, Dr. Li Zemin. He’s a specialist in cardiac surgery and has performed this procedure many times. As long as you can get him to be the lead surgeon, there’s an eighty percent chance this child’s life will be saved!” Dr. Liu said.

No sooner had he finished speaking than Xue Jianming hurriedly asked, “Dr. Liu, is it easy to get an appointment with your mentor?”

Dr. Liu shook his head with a wry smile and said, “It’s really hard to get an appointment with him. My mentor isn’t just the head of cardiac surgery at Peking Union Medical College Hospital—he’s also a professor at Beijing Medical University. He’s extremely busy. He performs at most seven or eight surgeries a month, so it’s nearly impossible for the average person to get an appointment with him.”

At that moment, Li Yi, standing nearby, said in a deep voice, “Dr. Liu, would you mind if I used the phone in your office?”

“Not at all, go ahead!”

Although Dr. Liu didn’t know Li Yi’s identity, seeing that President Qiao was personally accompanying him, he assumed this man must be someone of considerable standing.

Therefore, he naturally had no objection to Li Yi’s request to use the phone!

Li Yi immediately picked up the phone on Dr. Liu’s desk and dialed a number.

“Ring, ring, ring…”

The call connected quickly, and a familiar, gentle voice came through the receiver: “Hello, who is this?”

“Mom, it’s me, Xiao Yi!”

“Xiao Yi, why are you calling at this hour? Is something wrong?” Ye Lingyun asked, sounding a bit surprised.

“Mom, I need Professor Li Zemin from Peking Union Medical College Hospital to personally perform a heart surgery. Could you help arrange it?” Li Yi got straight to the point.

“Who needs the surgery? It isn’t…”

“Mom, don’t worry—it’s just a young patient I met here in Lin’an,” Li Yi hurriedly explained.

“Oh, I see. Hold on a moment—I’ll make a call to check!”

“Alright, after you’ve asked about it, call this number:…”

After saying that, Li Yi hung up the phone.

Seeing that Li Yi had ended the call, Dr. Liu, who was standing nearby, spoke up: “Comrade, I suggest you have a backup plan. If you can’t get an appointment with Professor Zemin, you might want to consider Professor Zhang Xianming from the Cardiovascular Surgery Department at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. He’s also an authority in this field, and if he performs the surgery, the success rate is very high!”

Li Yi nodded and said, “Thank you, Dr. Liu. We’ll try our best to book Professor Li first, and if that doesn’t work out, we’ll consider others.”

Dr. Liu shook his head and said, “My mentor is incredibly hard to get an appointment with. Last year, a high-ranking official from our city made a special trip to Beijing to have him perform surgery, but ended up waiting a full two and a half months. I estimate the child’s condition can only hold out for another two or three months at most, so you really should…”

However, before Dr. Liu could finish his sentence, the phone on the desk began ringing urgently.

Without a second thought, Dr. Liu picked up the phone.

After exchanging just a few words, he handed the phone to Li Yi, saying, “Comrade, it’s for you!”

Li Yi immediately took the phone and said, “Mom!”

“Xiao Yi, I’ve already contacted the hospital. Professor Li can schedule the surgery at any time. When are you coming over?”

Hearing this, Li Yi was instantly overjoyed and replied, “We’ll discuss it and arrange for them to come to Beijing as soon as possible!”

“Alright, give me a call before you arrive!”

“Okay, Mom!”

After that, Li Yi exchanged a few more words with Ye Lingyun before hanging up.

After hanging up, Li Yi made another call.

The call was to Jiang Longcheng. Li Yi briefly explained Xiao Jingyu’s situation to him and told him that he would arrange for Xue Jianming and his wife to take the child to the capital for medical treatment within the next day or two, asking Jiang Longcheng to help look after them.

Naturally, Jiang Longcheng didn’t refuse Li Yi’s request and immediately promised to do his utmost to take care of the family.

After hanging up again, Li Yi turned to Xue Jianming and Xiao Ya and said, “Old Xue, Sister-in-law, we’ve made arrangements with Peking Union Medical College Hospital, and Professor Li Zemin is ready to see you. You two need to pack up right away and take Xiao Jingyu to Beijing!”

Hearing this, Xue Jianming, Xiao Ya, Director Qiao, Dr. Liu, and the others were all taken aback, then looked at Li Yi with a mix of expressions.

Xue Jianming and his wife were naturally a mix of surprise, joy, and gratitude, while Dr. Li looked utterly stunned. Only President Qiao, who knew Li Yi’s true identity, wore an expression that suggested he had expected this all along.

“Mr. Li… have you… really made all the arrangements?” Xue Jianming asked, his voice trembling with emotion.

“Yes. Just take the child to Beijing. Someone will meet you there, and you’ll simply need to follow their instructions for the rest!” Li Yi replied.

“All… all right… but I still need to make some arrangements regarding the factory…”

Before he could finish, Li Yi cut in, “Don’t worry about the factory. Have the deputy director take over for a while. The child’s health comes first!”

“Alright, I’ll talk to Old Huang right away. Once everything’s settled, I’ll head to Beijing!” Xue Jianming said.

Just as Li Yi was about to speak, Xiao Ya, who had remained silent the whole time, suddenly stepped forward and knelt before him with a thud.

At the same time, she said gratefully, “Mr. Li, thank you. If it weren’t for your warning, we wouldn’t have known Jing Shu was so seriously ill. And if you hadn’t helped us contact the doctor and the hospital, our Jing Shu might have… sniffle, sniffle…”

“Sister-in-law, please get up. You and Old Xue are both my employees, and little Jingyu has a special connection with my sister. Helping you through this is only natural!” Li Yi hurriedly said.

“Mr. Li, no words can express my gratitude. From now on, my life belongs to you…”

“Don’t say that. The child’s health comes first. I’ll arrange a private jet for you—leave as soon as possible!” Li Yi said.

“Alright…”

………..

by 詹博士

Lin’an First People’s Hospital!

In the hallway outside the Internal Medicine Outpatient Department, Li Yi, his older sister Li Mei, and his mother Zhang Yuehong were all waiting anxiously.

That morning, after meeting up with Xue Jianming and his wife Xiao Ya, the family headed straight to Lin’an’s most renowned First People’s Hospital.

Upon arriving at the hospital, Li Yi first took his mother for a routine physical, then had Yang Miao take his older sister for a prenatal checkup, while Xue Jianming and his wife took Xiao Jingzhu to the Internal Medicine Outpatient Department for an examination.

However, while their mother and older sister had already finished their exams, Xiao Jingzhu still hadn’t come out.

Although no one knew what was going on, this had everyone feeling a bit worried.

“Creak!”

The tightly closed door to the examination room finally swung open, and Xue Jianming emerged, his face pale, followed by Xiao Ya, who was holding Xiao Jingyu.

Seeing this, Li Yi and the others immediately gathered around.

“Director Xue, is the child all right?” Li Yi’s mother, Zhang Yuehong, was the first to ask.

Xue Jianming glanced at the papers in his hand before saying, “The doctor said Xiao Jingzhu’s heart isn’t in good shape. Although we can’t confirm yet if it’s a congenital heart defect, the situation isn’t looking good. He told us to brace ourselves!”

Congenital… congenital heart disease?

Hearing this, Zhang Yuehong, Li Mei, Zhang Ziqiang, Yang Miao, and the others were all stunned.

They had all been present when Li Yi said those things yesterday. In fact, just like Xue Jianming and his wife, they had all thought Li Yi’s words were merely personal speculation—after all, who believes in that sort of thing these days?

But they never imagined that Li Yi’s words would actually come true!

Meanwhile, Li Yi, standing nearby, didn’t seem surprised at all. At the moment, Xiao Jingyu hadn’t shown any symptoms yet, and her clinical signs were still relatively mild.

In another two or three months, he wouldn’t even need to say a word—anyone with eyes could tell the child was sick.

“Old Xue, what does that doctor mean? Whether she’s sick or not, he needs to give a clear answer. He can’t be so vague, can he?” Li Yi said in a deep voice.

Xue Jianming hurriedly replied, “Dr. Liu ordered several tests for the child and told us to take her in for them right away. He needs the results to confirm Jing Shu’s condition!”

“There’s no time to waste—let’s get them done right away!” Li Yi said.

“Mr. Li, you should take Auntie and the others back first. Xiaoya and I will take the child for the tests right away. We’ll let you know the results as soon as we have them,” Xue Jianming said.

Li Yi immediately replied, “You take Xiao Jingyu to get the tests done right away. Don’t worry about anything else!”

“Alright…”

With that, Xue Jianming hurried off with his wife and daughter to the nearby laboratory!

After watching them leave, Li Yi turned to his mother and older sister and said, “Mom, Big Sister, you two go back to the hotel with Yang Miao. Qiangzi and I will stay here to see if we can be of any help!”

His mother said with concern, “Xiao Yi, that little girl will be all right, won’t she?”

“Mom, don’t worry. I’m here. I won’t let anything happen to Jingyu!” Li Yi said.

His eldest sister chimed in, “Xiao Yi, just like Nana, I find Jing Shu to be such a sweet and endearing child. I don’t want anything to happen to her either. Do whatever you can to help them.”

“Yeah, I’ve said before that Jing Shu and Third Sister share a mother-daughter bond. She’s part of the Li family too—I won’t let anything happen to that little girl!” Li Yi declared firmly.

“Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease. Well then, Mom and I will head back now!” Li Mei said.

“Alright!”

Li Yi then turned to Yang Miao standing nearby and said, “Young Yang, please drive carefully on the way back. My eldest sister is in her third trimester, so she’s sensitive to bumps!”

“Got it!”

Yang Miao then walked out of the hospital with his mother, supporting his eldest sister, whose belly was visibly swollen…

After their mother and older sister had left, Li Yi and Zhang Ziqiang also hurried toward the lab.

By the time they arrived, Xiao Jingyu had already finished her blood draw.

Seeing the little girl with tears welling up in the corners of her eyes and a look of deep distress on her face—she must have cried during the blood draw—Li Yi couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache.

This reminded him of a scene from his past life, when the little girl had donated part of her liver to save her mother. Back then, Xiao Jingzhu had just undergone surgery; the physical pain and worry for her mother had left her both frightened and anxious—just like the expression on her face now.

Immediately, Li Yi stepped forward and said, “Jing Shu, you’re a brave girl. Don’t be afraid!”

The little girl was still young, and since this was only their second meeting, she nervously huddled closer to her mother’s embrace.

Seeing this, Xue Jianming hurriedly said, “Mr. Li, please don’t take it personally—she’s still just a child!”

“It’s fine. Besides the lab tests, what other examinations are needed?” Li Yi asked.

Xue Jianming replied immediately, “We’ll need to take some X-rays—a chest X-ray and something called a CT scan—but…”

“But what?” Li Yi asked.

“Dr. Liu said their hospital only has one of those machines, and it’s usually very hard to get an appointment. I just went to the radiology department to ask, and they said the leaders from the Party Committee are here for physicals these days. The CT scan is already booked until next Wednesday, so the earliest we can get one for Xiao Jingyu is next Thursday…”

Before he could finish, Li Yi cut in, “Take Jing Shu to get the chest X-ray first. Leave the CT appointment to me!”

“I’m sorry to trouble you, Mr. Li, but I…”

“Stop dithering—the child’s health comes first!”

With that, Li Yi walked over to a nurse nearby and asked for directions to the director’s office.

After getting the information, Li Yi led Zhang Ziqiang out of the radiology department!

Soon, the two arrived at the door of the director’s office.

“Knock, knock, knock…”

“Come in!”

Hearing the voice from inside, Li Yi and Zhang Ziqiang immediately pushed the door open and walked in.

The director of Lin’an First People’s Hospital was an elderly man in his sixties. When Li Yi and Zhang Ziqiang entered, he was reviewing documents.

Upon seeing Li Yi and Zhang Ziqiang, the elderly director immediately took off his reading glasses and asked with a puzzled look, “Who are you two…”

Before he could finish, Li Yi stepped forward and said, “You must be Director Qiao. My name is Li Yi. Here is my ID card!”

With that, Li Yi handed him the ID card issued by the Development Committee.

With a hint of puzzlement, Director Qiao took the ID card Li Yi handed him and opened it.

Upon seeing the information on the ID card, Dean Qiao’s eyes widened in shock, as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

After checking it several times, Dean Qiao finally snapped out of it and said, “Director Li… hello. I’m truly sorry—I had no idea you were here…”

Before he could finish, Li Yi raised his hand and said, “Dean Qiao, I’m not here on official business. I didn’t notify your provincial or municipal authorities in advance, and my visit to your hospital was a complete surprise. Please don’t worry about it.”

“Then, Director Li, is there something you need from me?” Director Qiao asked cautiously.

“Well, I’d like to ask you for a favor, Director Qiao!”

“What is it? Please tell me.”

“I need you to help arrange for a young patient to undergo a CT scan as soon as possible!”

Li Yi then briefly explained Xiao Jingyu’s condition to Director Qiao, asking him to help jump the queue.

For Director Qiao, this was nothing more than a matter of a word; he agreed immediately and personally led Li Yi and the others to the radiology department.

With Dean Qiao’s assistance, the subsequent examinations went very smoothly; whether it was lab tests or various imaging scans, the hospital produced the results as quickly as possible.

Examinations that would normally take a week to complete were all finished by noon.

However, when Xue Jianming and his wife returned to the consultation room with Xiao Jingzhu in their arms and the test results in hand for Dr. Liu to review, what they heard sent them into a deep abyss…

……….

Li Yi and Jiang Xue returned to Louwailou with the children. As soon as they reached the private room they had reserved on the second floor, they heard the sound of adults chatting and laughing, along with the cheerful laughter of children coming from inside.

Pushing open the private room door, Li Yi was greeted by a heartwarming scene.

There stood Third Sister, cradling her one-month-old son in one arm and a delicate, porcelain-skinned little girl in the other. Her face was radiant with a gentle smile; there was not a trace of her former assertiveness or sharpness—she seemed like a completely different person.

The little girl, nestled in her arms, was holding the baby’s hand, kissing and stroking him, full of curiosity and joy.

Li Yi’s gaze fell on the little girl’s face. Though still childish, he could already make out the features of Xiao Jingshu as she would look when she grew up.

He thought back to his previous life, when this girl had broken up with her boyfriend for her mother’s sake and even donated part of her liver to save her. Before Li Yi had found them, she had worked two jobs just to scrape together a little more medical money for his third older sister.

At that time, Li Yi had thought to himself: if his third sister had a child of her own, along with an adopted daughter like Xiao Jingyu, her life would be perfect.

Having been given a second chance at life, through his own efforts, that wish had finally come true.

Watching the two children play happily in Third Sister’s arms, Li Yi couldn’t help but feel a lump in his throat, and tears glistened in the corners of his eyes.

Fortunately, since he was holding the two children, neither Jiang Xue nor the others following behind—Zhang Ziqiang, Zhang Feng, and the rest—noticed anything unusual about him.

At that moment, the people inside the room spotted Li Yi and his group. Eldest Sister Li Mei immediately called out, “Xiao Yi, Xiao Xue, come on in quickly—Director Xue and the others are already here!”

Li Yi quickly composed himself, forcing back the tears that were about to spill over, then carried Yunrui and Yunjin into the private room.

Upon seeing Li Yi enter, Xue Jianming and his wife immediately stood up.

This was Li Yi’s first time meeting Xue Jianming’s wife—Xiao Jingyu’s biological mother.

She was of average height, with a slender figure, an attractive face, and a gentle demeanor—she exuded the charm of a delicate young woman from the water towns of Jiangnan.

True to her status as Xiao Jingyu’s biological mother, she was indeed quite striking in her own right.

“I just took Xiao Xue and the kids for a quick stroll around the small market next door. Sorry to keep you waiting!” Li Yi said with a touch of apology.

Xue Jianming quickly replied, “It’s no problem, Mr. Li. We just arrived ourselves!”

Xue Jianming’s wife, Xiao Ya, smiled and added, “Actually, visiting the market at this time of day isn’t the best experience. If you want to explore the West Lake Market, morning is best. That’s when the fishing boats have just returned from the sea, so whether it’s seafood, fruits, or vegetables, everything is incredibly fresh—and the prices are cheaper too. If Mr. Li and his wife don’t mind, I’d love to take you both to the West Lake Morning Market one day!”

Li Yi smiled and said, “That sounds great. Since you’re locals from Lin’an, having you as our guides will definitely save us a lot of trouble. It’s just a bit of a bother for you!”

“It’s no trouble at all. If it weren’t for your investment, Mr. Li, our Pioneer Furniture Factory might not have survived. It’s also thanks to your support that Jianming became the factory director. It would be my honor to do something for you and your wife!” said Xiao Ya.

Xue Jianming chimed in, “Mr. Li, you’ve been my mentor. I’ve always been deeply grateful for your support and guidance!”

“Old Xue, don’t be so formal. I made you factory director partly because I value your abilities, and partly because you handled the fire so well last time!” Li Yi said.

“President Li, the factory is currently…”

Before Xue Jianming could finish, Li Yi raised his hand to stop him, then smiled and said, “Old Xue, this is a family dinner today. Let’s not talk about work. You can report on the factory’s situation to me privately when we have time later!”

“Alright…”

Just then, Jiang Xue’s voice rang out from the room: “Sister Na, is that Director Xue and Sister Xiao Ya’s daughter you’re holding? She’s so pretty and adorable!”

Li Na immediately replied with a smile, “Yes, Xiao Jingyu is indeed adorable. And for some reason, the moment I laid eyes on her, I felt an instant connection.”

“That’s because you wanted a daughter yourself, but ended up having a son, so now you’re just crazy about every little girl you see!” Jiang Xue said.

“Maybe so, but I just really like Xiao Jingyu!”

Hearing this, Li Yi’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly said, “Since Third Sister likes Xiao Jingyu so much, how about becoming her godmother?”

“Become godparents?”

At this, Li Na, as well as Xue Jianming and Xiao Ya, were all taken aback, staring at Li Yi with looks of disbelief.

Li Yi glanced at Xiao Jingyu, then explained, “Old Xue, Sister-in-law, to be honest, I know a little about the art of physiognomy. From the very first moment I saw Xiao Jingyu, I noticed two things about her!”

Xue Jianming hurriedly asked, “I wonder what exactly Mr. Li has seen in Jing Shu?”

“First, Jing Shu and my third older sister share a special bond—specifically, a mother-daughter connection. You can ask Jing Shu if she also feels an unusual sense of familiarity with my third older sister, as if they’ve met before!” Li Yi said.

Hearing this, Xue Jianming immediately looked at Little Jing Shu and asked, “Jing Shu, is what Uncle Li saying true? Do you really like Aunt Nana?”

Little Jing Shu wasn’t even three years old yet, but girls tend to mature earlier than boys, and she could already understand what adults were saying.

Hearing her father’s question, the little girl replied without hesitation, “Daddy, I really like Aunt Nana. She smells just like Mommy!”

Hearing this, everyone in the room was stunned.

Especially Xue Jianming and Xiao Ya. This was Li Yi’s first time meeting Xiao Jingyu, so it was clearly impossible that Li Yi or anyone from the Li family had coached her on what to say beforehand.

Moreover, when they had brought the child over earlier, they had happened to encounter Comrade Li Na’s child crying incessantly. Out of curiosity, their own daughter had gone over to take a look, and to their surprise, the little baby had stopped crying and kept crawling toward Li Na.

Li Na didn’t seem to mind Xiao Jingyu either; after exchanging just a few words, she scooped both Xiao Jingyu and the other child into her arms. The three of them—one adult and two children—seemed to hit it off immediately.

Looking back now, it’s possible that Xiao Jingzhu and Comrade Li Na were truly destined to have a special connection!

At that moment, Xiao Ya spoke up: “The matter of becoming godparents is of great importance; let’s discuss it later. Mr. Li, what else did you see in Jing Shu?”

“Misfortune!” Li Yi said, his words coming as a shock.

No sooner had he spoken than, before Xue Jianming or Xiao Ya could say a word, Li Na frowned and said, “Xiao Yi, don’t talk nonsense. I think Xiao Jingzhu is just fine—she doesn’t look sick at all!”

Her mother, Zhang Guiying, added, “Xiao Yi, you can’t just say things like that. It’s not good for the child!”

Li Yi replied solemnly, “Jing Shu’s Yintang is turning blue—that’s the facial sign of someone about to fall seriously ill. Setting facial features aside, the Yintang is located between the eyebrows. The classical text of Traditional Chinese Medicine, *The Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon: Ling Shu*, records: ‘The central point corresponds to the lungs; the lowermost point to the heart; the point directly below to the liver; the point to the left of the liver to the gallbladder; the lower point to the spleen; and the upper square point to the stomach.’”

“This means the space between the eyebrows corresponds to the lungs, and extends downward to connect with organs such as the heart, liver, spleen, and stomach. Therefore, observing the condition of this area can reflect the state of the five vital organs.”

“Xiao Jingyu’s Yintang has a faint bluish tint, which indicates mild oxygen deprivation in the heart and brain. Combined with the little girl’s pale complexion and weak voice, it’s highly likely there’s an issue with her heart.”

Originally, Xue Jianming and Xiao Ya had their doubts about what Li Yi was saying. But when they recalled that their daughter occasionally experienced nausea and retching, often grew extremely tired after just a short while of play, and suffered from nightmares and palpitations at night—

They had previously dismissed these symptoms as nothing serious—perhaps just a chill or something similar—but now, after hearing Li Yi’s explanation, the couple began to feel increasingly anxious and uncertain.

“Mr. Li, my daughter really…”

Before Xue Jianming could finish, Li Yi interjected, “You and your wife don’t need to worry. We’re here in Lin’an just for a vacation and some rest. I plan to take my mother to the hospital tomorrow for a checkup. If you’re free, bring Xiao Jingshu along too. A checkup will tell us for sure if there’s a problem!”

“O-o-okay, we’ll definitely come tomorrow!” Xue Jianming said hurriedly.

When it came to his daughter’s health, Xue Jianming naturally wouldn’t take any chances, so he agreed immediately.

Seeing that he had achieved his goal, Li Yi smiled and said, “All right, enough about that. I’ve long heard that Louwailou is the pinnacle of Hangzhou cuisine. Let’s go sample the chefs’ skills here!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Jiang Xue chimed in with a laugh, “I want West Lake Vinegar Fish!”

Hearing this, Xue Jianming and Xiao Ya, who were standing nearby, both froze.

Xiao Ya, in particular, opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, she said nothing.

Seeing the couple’s uncomfortable expressions, Li Yi naturally knew what it meant.

After all, West Lake Vinegar Fish really doesn’t live up to its reputation. As locals, they clearly didn’t want Jiang Xue to be disappointed, but they were too embarrassed to say so.

Li Yi also knew that the taste of West Lake Vinegar Fish was hard for most people to stomach, but he went along with his wife’s wishes and ordered this famous Hangzhou dish.

After all, some pitfalls are only fun once you’ve experienced them firsthand. Thinking of the look on Jiang Xue’s face when she finally tasted the West Lake Vinegar Fish she’d been longing for, Li Yi’s heart was filled with anticipation…

……….

Lin’an. Louwailou!

They had just settled into their accommodations at noon, and that afternoon, Li Yi called Xue Jianming to invite his family to dinner that evening at Louwailou, located on the shores of West Lake.

The main reason was that Xiao Jingshu’s condition was nearing a critical stage, and treatment had to be arranged as soon as possible; otherwise, Li Yi wouldn’t have been in such a hurry.

Fortunately, Xue Jianming remained quite respectful toward Li Yi, the big boss, and without giving it much thought, he immediately agreed.

Since the Lin’an Hotel was right on the shores of West Lake, quite close to Louwailou, and Jiang Xue had been looking forward to seeing West Lake for a long time, Li Yi took the whole family to the restaurant early.

While waiting for Xue Jianming’s family, Li Yi, Jiang Xue, and Juanzi took the little ones to play by the West Lake outside Louwailou.

Third Sister, who had just come out of her postpartum confinement, and Eldest Sister, who was pregnant, shouldn’t overexert themselves, so they stayed at Louwailou. Their mother also remained at the restaurant to look after them and Third Sister’s baby, who was just a few weeks old.

It’s worth mentioning that the little one from Third Sister’s family was quite a handful; whenever he was awake, he needed to be held, and if he wasn’t, he’d wail at the top of his lungs, wearing out the entire Long family.

Of course, the ones who were most exhausted were Third Sister and Mother, who was tending to her postpartum care.

Consequently, neither my third sister nor my mother had any interest in going out to tour West Lake; whenever they had a moment to spare, they just wanted to rest as early as possible.

Back to Li Yi and the others: after leaving Louwailou, the group set off for a stroll along West Lake.

Li Yi held Yun Jin’s hand, Jiang Xue held Yun Rui’s, Zhang Feng looked after Ruirui, and Juanzi held her eldest nephew Zhang Ning’s hand, while Yang Miao, Zhang Ziqiang, and Zhou Wen stayed close by to ensure their safety.

Although West Lake hadn’t yet been developed for commercial purposes and looked a bit run-down, it wasn’t desolate.

With a thousand years of cultural heritage and countless literati who had depicted its boundless beauty, West Lake was never short of visitors.

However, unlike decades later when the area would be filled with well-dressed tourists, most of the people along the shores of West Lake at that time were ordinary citizens.

There were fishermen selling fish, vendors selling lotus roots, and stall owners selling snacks.

These local residents gathered around West Lake, creating a unique farmers’ market that was bustling with activity.

Having grown up in the north, the children had never seen large rivers or lakes, let alone such a variety of fish, so they were all very excited.

Soon, Yunrui arrived at a small fish stall, watching the small fish and shrimp in the vendor’s wooden tub, eager to try them.

Seeing this, Jiang Xue crouched down beside her son.

“Fish… I want one!”

Jiang Xue glanced at the massive wooden tub and then asked the vendor, “Sir, are these fish easy to keep?”

The old man could tell at a glance that Li Yi and the others were from out of town. He immediately smiled and said, “Young lady, these are silver and bighead carp—they’re meant for eating. They’re too big to keep at home!”

“If you want to keep some at home, you can wait until my son comes back from fishing. I’ll give you a few small yellowtail—those are easy to raise!”

The old man spoke in the local dialect, and Jiang Xue didn’t quite understand, but Li Yi did. He immediately stepped forward to thank him.

After that, Li Yi acted as a translator for Jiang Xue and his son, leading them as they wandered among the various stalls.

It took the group over an hour to finally make their way through the entire farmers’ market. Although they didn’t buy much, they had a great time.

Tired from walking, they sat down on some rocks by the lake to rest their feet!

Taking advantage of the break, Jiang Xue suddenly looked at Li Yi and said, “I… did the kids and I embarrass you?”

Li Yi was taken aback at first, then asked with some confusion, “What do you mean? How did you and the kids embarrass me?”

Jiang Xue lowered her head and said, “I haven’t seen much of the world, and neither have Yunrui and Yunjin. They were so excited just coming to this little market…”

Before she could finish, Li Yi smiled and said, “Don’t worry about it. Kids are at the age where their curiosity is at its peak—they find everything fascinating. It has nothing to do with whether they’ve seen the world or not!”

“Besides, your understanding of ‘seeing the world’ isn’t quite right either. Just don’t overthink it!”

“Doesn’t ‘seeing the world’ just mean having limited experience? Why is my understanding wrong?” Jiang Xue frowned.

Li Yi gazed at the shimmering lake in the distance, then said, “Xiao Xue, to understand the ways of heaven and earth, to observe the forms of all living beings—‘worldly experience’ encompasses every facet of the world. And the world isn’t just one-sided; it has many sides. There’s the side we focus on, and there’s the side we can’t see.”

“An artist performing at Vienna’s Golden Hall is one facet of the world; a farmer toiling in the fields, working hard to make a living, is another. The artist doesn’t understand the hardships of labor, and the farmer doesn’t understand the elegance of art. In each other’s eyes, who isn’t the one who hasn’t seen the world?”

Hearing this, Jiang Xue said thoughtfully, “In that case, does that mean we aren’t people who’ve seen the world either?”

Li Yi smiled and continued, “Being worldly doesn’t mean having visited certain upscale venues or worn designer clothes, nor does it mean having traveled to a particular place or met some important figure. It means that when human nature unfolds before you, when those unfathomable behaviors are laid bare, you remain calm and composed—because you have long since experienced the myriad facets of life.”

“Having witnessed the best, yet not rejoicing over material things; having witnessed the worst, yet not grieving over personal misfortune. Amidst the chaos of life, one’s lofty aspirations remain unshaken. Rich in poetry and literature, yet not given to boastful talk.”

“To have witnessed the world’s light and shadow, to have experienced the complexity, goodness, and capriciousness of human nature, yet to remain unhurried and unflustered—as serene as a gentle breeze and as unassuming as drifting clouds—and to walk in harmony with the world: that is what it truly means to have seen the world.”

After hearing Li Yi’s explanation, Jiang Xue sighed and said again, “In that case, I’m still someone who hasn’t seen the world.”

Before Li Yi could offer any words of comfort, she spoke again: “So, I’ve decided…”

“Decided what?”

“I’ve decided that from now on, you’ll be the one to take care of Yunrui and Yunjin. I can’t let people say our little darlings are naive, clueless kids!” Jiang Xue declared, raising her little fist.

Li Yi couldn’t help but smile wryly. “I think you’re just making excuses so you don’t have to take care of the kids yourself!”

“I don’t care. Anyway, from now on, you have to spend more time with the kids—and with me too!” Jiang Xue declared “stubbornly.”

“Okay, okay… I’ll spend more time with the kids, and more time with you!” Li Yi said with a smile.

He noticed that since having the baby and starting college, Jiang Xue’s personality had changed a lot.

She used to be a timid, insecure little thing, looking melancholic and lacking vitality.

But now she was lively and cheerful, and she was also very ambitious.

Although she still felt a bit insecure from time to time, that was simply due to the drastic changes in his status and position; in reality, she had already transformed into an exceptional person.

“Is there a flower on my face? Why are you staring at me like that?”

Li Yi smiled and said, “No, but you’re still beautiful!”

“You’re such a smooth talker!”

Then Jiang Xue stood up and said, “It’s getting dark. Let’s head back to the hotel. We don’t want to keep Director Xue and his family waiting too long!”

“Sure thing!”

With that, Li Yi took one child in each arm, shouldering two sweet burdens, and walked toward the nearby Louwailou.

Although it had taken them over an hour to get there, that was because they’d been strolling and sightseeing, stopping every now and then.

On the way back, they walked straight ahead without looking to the side, reaching Louwailou in just over ten minutes.

But as soon as he arrived at Louwailou, Li Yi witnessed a heartwarming scene…

………..

It was late at night, and all was quiet!

On the large heated bed in the main hall of the Li family residence, Li Yi and Jiang Xue, having just shared a passionate moment, lay side by side under the covers, cherishing each other’s warmth!

After a long while, their rapid breathing finally began to slow.

Then, Jiang Xue leaned against her husband’s shoulder and asked, “Was it really that dangerous this time? Did we absolutely have to leave?”

“After all, this is a society governed by the rule of law, and with State Security agents providing close protection, it wasn’t as dangerous as we’d imagined—but we had to leave!” Li Yi replied.

“Why?” Jiang Xue asked, puzzled.

“I can’t gamble with your safety or the children’s—not even if there’s just a one-in-ten-thousand chance!” Li Yi said firmly.

Hearing this, Jiang Xue was deeply moved; she could tell how much this man valued her and the children.

For a woman, marrying a man who keeps her in his thoughts at all times and treats her like a precious treasure is true happiness.

If that man not only cares for and cherishes her but also has the ability to provide a comfortable life for his wife and children, then it would be even more perfect.

Clearly, judging by these standards, her husband was absolutely the most perfect husband!

“You’re so kind!”

Li Yi ruffled his wife’s hair and said with a smile, “You’re my wife—if I don’t treat you well, who else would I treat well?”

Just then, Jiang Xue suddenly sighed, then said with a look of melancholy, “Sigh, final exams are in about ten days. If I don’t take the exam, I’ll have to retake it next year, and I won’t get the scholarship either!”

“So what if you have to retake them? As for the scholarship, our family isn’t exactly short on money…”

Before he could finish, Jiang Xue cut him off: “This isn’t about money—it’s about my personal honor.”

“Over the past few semesters, I’ve received the university’s top scholarship every year. Even though that amount is less than one-millionth of what you’ve given me, it’s proof of my hard work. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to get it next semester…”

Jiang Xue wasn’t really concerned about the money itself; after all, she already had over 200 million yuan in her savings account,

and with her substantial investments in the Zaiying Stock Market, her total assets easily amounted to three or four hundred million yuan. The scholarship money from the school wasn’t even enough to cover her daily bank interest.

But as she said, the scholarship was proof of her hard work.

If she hadn’t received it because she lacked the ability, that would have been one thing, but the problem now was that she hadn’t had the chance to take the school’s final exams, which left her feeling somewhat regretful.

“If you want, I can have Mom talk to the school and see if they’ll give you a chance…”

“No need. Scholarships are all about fairness and impartiality; whether I get one or not depends entirely on my own merit.”

Jiang Xue continued, “If I can’t take the final exam as scheduled, I can’t receive the scholarship. If I were to force my way into getting it through improper means, what would the other students think? I’d be ashamed of myself!”

“It’s no big deal to miss out once in a while. Haven’t you heard the saying: ‘A college experience isn’t complete without failing a class’? If you want your college years to be complete, you’ve got to fail a class and take a makeup exam at least once!” Li Yi said.

Hearing her husband’s unconventional consolation, Jiang Xue couldn’t help but punch his chest a few times with her little fists, giggling as she said, “That’s all nonsense! By your logic, failing a class is actually justified?”

“I don’t know if it makes sense, but as long as my wife is smiling, that’s all that matters!”

“You’re such a smooth talker. How come I never noticed this side of you before?”

Li Yi gently kissed Jiang Xue on the lips, then asked, “So, do you like it?”

“I… I do!”

“I’m glad you do. Let’s treat this trip down south as a vacation. Haven’t you always wanted to see West Lake? This is the perfect chance to take you there!” Li Yi said.

“Hmm, but Juanzi has her high school entrance exams next semester. Won’t it be a problem for her to miss half a month of classes all of a sudden?” Jiang Xue asked again.

“It shouldn’t be a big problem. Juanzi’s grades are excellent, and she’s very capable of studying on her own. It shouldn’t have much of an impact.”

Li Yi continued, “If it really doesn’t work out, once we get to Lin’an, I’ll help her find a few tutors!”

“That won’t be necessary. I’m a college student, after all—I can’t possibly teach a middle schooler!” Jiang Xue said with a laugh.

“Then I’ll leave Juanzi’s studies to you, my dear!” Li Yi said with a smile.

“If you want me to teach Juanzi, that’s fine—but how do you plan to thank me?” Jiang Xue asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

“How about I offer myself to you?”

“No way—you’re already mine!” Jiang Xue said bossily.

“Then what do you want?”

“I’d still like to visit Lingyin Temple and have some West Lake vinegar fish!” Jiang Xue said.

“Sure. There are the Ten Scenic Spots of West Lake—I’ll take you to see them all this time. If we have time, I’ll even take you to Thousand Island Lake for a visit!” Li Yi said softly.

“Sounds good… but…”

“But what?”

“But I’ll need you to pledge yourself to me too!”

Hearing this, Li Yi couldn’t help but understand what his wife meant. He immediately swung himself onto his horse, his lance shooting out like a dragon…

……….

Lin’an Airport!

As the plane touched down gently, Zhang Yuehong’s heart finally settled, and her grip on Li Yi’s hand loosened slightly.

This was her first time flying in her life, and the sensation of weightlessness during takeoff and landing made her feel a bit queasy.

Li Yi could only hold his mother’s hand tightly to reassure her.

Once the plane came to a complete stop, Li Yi helped his mother walk toward the cabin door. After she had safely disembarked, he went back to assist Jiang Xue and the children.

Fortunately, aside from Li Yi’s family, there were only a few other passengers on the flight, so no one said anything.

After quite a bit of hustle and bustle, the whole family finally touched down safely.

After carefully checking that no one was left behind, Li Yi led everyone toward the airport terminal!

As soon as they stepped out of the airport, Li Yi spotted Xue Jianming looking around nervously at the exit and immediately waved to him.

Before leaving home that morning, Li Yi had called the Pioneer Furniture Factory and specifically requested that Xue Jianming, the factory director, come to the airport to pick him up personally.

As Li Yi waved at him, Xue Jianming spotted him too and immediately hurried over.

As soon as they met, Xue Jianming hurriedly said, “Hello, boss. The car is ready and waiting in the parking lot outside!”

“Old Xue, thanks for your help this time. Once we’re settled in, I’ll treat your whole family to a meal!” Li Yi said with a smile.

Xue Jianming replied, somewhat flattered, “Mr. Li, you’re too kind. This is all part of my job—I wouldn’t dare let you spend a dime on this!”

“Don’t be so modest. Our family will be staying in Lin’an for a while, so we’re bound to be a bother to you. I absolutely must treat you to a meal!” Li Yi said with a smile.

The dinner invitation was just an excuse; Li Yi’s real purpose was to use this opportunity to meet Xiao Jingshu.

He figured the little girl must be about three years old by now—old enough to talk and recognize people.

Seeing how firm Li Yi was, Xue Jianming didn’t feel comfortable saying anything more and immediately nodded in agreement.

Afterward, the group followed Xue Jianming to the parking lot outside and headed into the city…

Once they reached the city center, Li Yi instructed the driver to head straight to the City Hotel where they had stayed before.

The accommodations there were excellent, and it was close to West Lake. Most importantly, the Lin’an City Hotel offered private villas with their own courtyards—perfect for a large family like theirs to stay in temporarily.

Therefore, Li Yi had already decided before arriving that they would stay there during their time in Lin’an.

The motorcade soon arrived at the Lin’an City Hotel. After Li Yi presented his ID card as Deputy Director-General of the Reform Commission, they were smoothly accommodated in the cadres’ courtyard.

Since his family was large, Li Yi requested two courtyards: one for his eldest and third sisters and their families, and the other for his own family, along with Zhang Ziqiang, Zhang Feng, and the others.

Once they were settled in, Li Yi began making plans to host a banquet for Xue Jianming’s family…

………..

Three days had passed since his last meeting with Old Chen!

During those three days, the authorities hadn’t made a single move.

And in accordance with Old Chen’s and his father-in-law’s requests, Li Yi had refrained from further exposing the criminal activities of the “Kitchen Knife Gang” and other gangs in the media; everything appeared calm.

But Li Yi knew that the current calm was merely the darkness before dawn, the stillness before the storm.

In fact, behind the scenes, the situation had already become turbulent, with undercurrents swirling.

Li Yi could see this from his father-in-law’s schedule over the past few days.

Ever since that day, his father-in-law had been either in meetings or on his way to them; even the family dinner they had planned fell through because of his busy schedule.

Li Yi had learned from a reliable source that his father-in-law and his colleagues had been discussing whether to launch a “crackdown” campaign.

Judging by the frequency of these meetings, it was clear that those in power also had reservations about the matter and were somewhat hesitant.

However, Li Yi also knew that public opinion was growing increasingly intense; the public outcry had already taken hold, and even if those in power wanted to suppress it, it wouldn’t be easy.

No matter how many reservations they had, the final outcome would inevitably be exactly as he had anticipated—they would go ahead with it!

Sure enough, on the afternoon of January 5th, just as Li Yi was about to head out with Zhang Ziqiang to look at houses, his father-in-law arrived.

As soon as he walked in, Jiang Shiying pulled Li Yi into the study and closed the door.

Seeing that Li Yi was about to pour him a glass of water, Jiang Shiying immediately said, “That’s enough, don’t bother. I have something to discuss with you!”

“Dad, what is it? Go ahead,” Li Yi said.

Jiang Shiying replied immediately, “I have some good news for you. After careful consideration by the higher-ups, they’ve finally decided to launch a nationwide special operation targeting criminal offenses. There will be simultaneous political actions as well. The plan you set in motion—it’s worked.”

“That really is great news. When do the higher-ups plan to launch the operation?” Li Yi asked excitedly.

“Before the end of the month. Before then, the higher-ups need to do some public outreach to prepare the public mentally!” Jiang Shiying replied.

“Hmm, then let those scum from the Liu family run wild for a few more days!” Li Yi said coldly.

“They won’t be wriggling around for much longer anyway. I came over specifically to tell you that you don’t need to worry about the Liu family anymore. Old Chen has already tasked me with leading a special task force dedicated to investigating them. You can rest easy now!” Jiang Shiying said.

Li Yi was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, “If you lead the investigation into the Liu family, won’t people think the Jiang family is settling a personal score?”

“What others think is none of our business. We just need to do our job!”

“You’re right. In that case, I won’t get involved. But there’s something I need to mention to you!”

“What is it?”

“This time, you shouldn’t just be investigating the Liu family—you need to go after their lackeys as well, especially those rotten apples within the public security system. They must be severely punished. If it weren’t for them acting as accomplices, Liu Dongping wouldn’t dare to be so brazen and arrogant!” Li Yi said.

“Hmm, then let’s start by investigating these moles first!” Jiang Shiying said.

“Then I’ll leave this matter in your hands!”

“You really deserve a good smack—now you’re being all polite with me!”

Jiang Shiying then changed the subject and added, “By the way, Old Chen asked me to tell you that things in Beijing might get pretty chaotic soon. To prevent certain people from lashing out in desperation, and to avoid having others link the crackdown and the investigation into the Liu family to you, Old Chen suggests you leave town for a while to lie low!”

“Of course, this is just a suggestion. If you don’t want to leave the capital, that’s fine too. With State Security protecting you, I’m sure you’ll be just fine.”

Li Yi thought for a moment and said, “Dad, I actually have some business that requires a trip to Lin’an. I was planning to leave next week, but moving it up a few days works just fine!”

The trip south to Lin’an was something Li Yi had planned long ago, primarily because of Xiao Jingyu’s illness.

In his previous life, Xiao Jingzhu’s illness had struck at the start of the following spring—heart disease coupled with a severe lung infection. Had it not been for Third Sister’s devoted care over the course of half a year, the little girl might not have survived.

While her condition hadn’t yet worsened, Li Yi intended to find an excuse to help her resolve this potential health risk.

Li Yi felt deep gratitude and compassion for this niece, who had spent most of her life by his third sister’s side in his previous life.

In this life, he intended to grant the Xu family a lifetime of wealth and prosperity—and naturally, this young girl would have her share as well!

“Hmm, it would be best to take Xiao Xue and the children along too!” Jiang Shiying urged.

“Not just Xiao Xue and the children—everyone in the family should come along. We won’t return to Beijing until the Liu family is wiped out!” Li Yi declared.

Although Li Yi wasn’t worried about his own safety—after all, he’d witnessed the capabilities of Zhang Ziqiang, Zhou Wen, and the others firsthand; if they could keep him safe in a place as dangerous as Hong Kong, the capital would be no problem—

But in matters like this, it’s not the ten thousand possibilities one fears, but the one in a million. Once certain people get desperate, they’re capable of anything at any moment.

Furthermore, if those people couldn’t find a way to harm him, they might shift their target to his family. Li Yi would never take the safety of his wife, children, and parents lightly.

“It’s not that dramatic!”

Seeing the determination in Li Yi’s eyes, Jiang Shiying replied with a touch of resignation, “Fine, do whatever you think is best. I’ll let you know if anything new comes up!”

“Got it!”

“Alright, I’ve got things to do, so I’ll be heading out. You and Xue must call me and your mom before you leave!”

With that, Jiang Shiying stood up and left the Li family courtyard…

After seeing his father-in-law off, Li Yi paused to think for a moment, then picked up the phone and dialed Wang Anguo.

Once the call connected, Li Yi told Wang Anguo straight away that the matter regarding the Liu family had been taken care of.

Barring any surprises, it wouldn’t be long before the Liu family was uprooted—they just needed to wait patiently.

At the same time, Li Yi instructed Wang Anguo to keep dragging out Liu Dongping’s case; under no circumstances should they close the case on that bastard before the Liu family had fallen.

Of course, Li Yi didn’t forget to remind them to stay safe!

After taking care of these matters, Li Yi personally paid a visit to his third sister’s home.

He explained the situation to his third sister’s husband, Long Zhanjun, and expressed his intention to take his third sister, her children, and his mother to Lin’an for a while.

Li Yi had originally worried that Long Zhanjun might refuse, but to his surprise, upon hearing that his third sister and the child might be in danger if they stayed in the capital, Long Zhanjun agreed without hesitation.

Additionally, there was an urgent matter at the catering company in Pengcheng that required him to return, but he’d been worried about leaving his wife and child behind. Now that Li Yi was taking his wife and child to Lin’an to look after them, he could go to Pengcheng with peace of mind.

Next, Li Yi went to his second sister’s house, intending to bring her family along as well.

In Li Yi’s view, aside from lying low, they might as well treat it as a family vacation—and naturally, Second Sister’s family couldn’t be left out.

However, his second sister, Li Lan, wasn’t home; she was currently away on a business trip. Only her husband and Juanzi, who was helping to look after little Zhang Ning, were at home.

Upon learning of the situation, her husband declined Li Yi’s offer because he had to mind the store, but he did allow Li Yi to take Juanzi and their son, Zhang Ning, to Lin’an.

Li Yi knew that even if those scum from the Liu family wanted revenge, their target could only be him.

Since staying in Beijing posed almost no danger to him, he immediately agreed to the request!

Li Yi then stopped by the office to brief Lan Xinyi on some work matters before returning home to pack his bags for the trip south.

By the time Jiang Xue returned from school, Li Yi had already made all the necessary preparations for the trip south; he had even had Zhou Rui book the plane tickets…

………..

After Old Chen left, only Old Master Jiang, Jiang Shiying, and Li Yi remained in the living room.

Li Yi immediately asked, “Dad, when did you get back?”

“I got back at noon. I had a meeting this afternoon and just walked in a little while ago!” Jiang Shiying replied.

“You didn’t even give me a heads-up that you were coming back. I could’ve gone to the airport to pick you up!” Li Yi said.

“Haha, I’m not some old man in my seventies or eighties—I don’t need anyone to pick me up!”

Then, changing the subject, Jiang Shiying said with a serious expression, “Xiao Yi, you handled this matter a bit recklessly!”

“Rash?”

Jiang Shiying nodded. “Yes. Public opinion is a double-edged sword. Handled well, it’s invincible, but if mishandled, it could very well backfire on you.”

“Most importantly, by making such a big deal out of exposing these thug gangs’ misdeeds across major state-run media outlets, your intentions were good, but you’ve also put the top leaders in a tough spot. They might not say anything now, but they’ll definitely be keeping tabs on you!”

“Dad, it can’t be that bad, can it?”

“Why not? If you can uncover these issues, do you really think the top leaders can’t? Do you actually believe that State Security and the Internal Security Forces are just for show?”

Jiang Shiying continued, “The reason they haven’t taken action yet is precisely because they recognize the far-reaching implications of this matter. As you said, once a special campaign to crack down on public security crimes is launched, the scope will be vast—it could even affect millions of people. No one in power would make such a decision lightly.”

“Now that you’ve lifted the lid on this, you’re forcing the leaders to make a decision. If you were in their shoes, how would you feel?”

Li Yi frowned but said nothing. In truth, he had already considered everything his father-in-law had mentioned.

He’d simply assumed that even if he stayed out of it, the crackdown would happen anyway—perhaps just a few months later. He figured giving it a slight nudge wouldn’t cause too much trouble.

But now that he thought about it, perhaps he had oversimplified the matter.

In his previous life, the reason the higher-ups had actually launched the “crackdown” was because a series of heinous criminal cases—such as the “Two Wang Case,” the “Hongqigou Farm Case,” and the “Nanyang Case”—had served as catalysts, ultimately leading them to make the decision to crack down.

But right now, none of those major cases have occurred. The only reason this issue is getting so much attention is entirely because he’s been fanning the flames behind the scenes.

Just as my father-in-law said, my behavior is indeed putting the bigwigs in power on the hot seat—in ancient times, that would have been tantamount to a coup!

Who knows, he might really end up facing the music later…

Just as Li Yi was deep in thought, Old Master Jiang beside him suddenly cleared his throat and said, “All right, stop scaring the kid!”

“Father, how am I scaring him…?”

Before he could finish, the old man said calmly, “Although what Little Yi did was indeed a bit reckless, I think he did the right thing!”

“Father, you think Little Yi did the right thing?” Jiang Shiying asked, looking utterly incredulous.

“Hmm. Setting aside everything else you’ve mentioned, if you and Xiao Yi were in each other’s shoes, what would you do?”

The old man continued, “Besides, this country was built by millions of revolutionary comrades who gave their lives and shed their blood. It’s not a breeding ground for certain people to commit crimes and enjoy privileges. Regardless of Xiao Yi’s original intentions, as long as it benefits the country, what he did was the right thing!”

Jiang Shiying paused briefly, then said, “I’m worried someone might settle scores with him later…”

“What reckoning? Xiao Yi owes no one anything. On what grounds would anyone settle scores with him later? Besides, I, Crazy Jiang, may be old, but I’m not dead. As long as I’m here, who dares lay a finger on my grandson-in-law?” Old Man Jiang declared with authority.

Li Yi felt a surge of emotion and replied, “Grandfather, Father, rest assured. Even if I weren’t pushing for this crackdown from behind the scenes, the higher-ups would be determined to carry it out anyway.”

“Based on what State Security currently knows, the public security situation across the country is extremely dire. Those criminal gangs are like festering sores and malignant tumors. If left unchecked, they will inevitably lead to unimaginable disasters. Right now, I’m simply lancing these sores early. Even if the bigwigs up top aren’t happy about it, they won’t pin the blame on me!”

“Let’s hope so!”

Jiang Shiying then changed the subject and added, “But you’re a lucky one. If this had happened before, the higher-ups might’ve actually stepped in to teach you a lesson for your reckless behavior. But now? It’s highly unlikely they’ll do that!”

“Why?” Li Yi asked curiously.

“Do you know who I came back with today?”

“How would I know? But anyone you’d mention so solemnly must be one of the top bigwigs in the province!” Li Yi replied.

“Well, I returned with Governor Huang. His main purpose in coming back to Beijing this time was to report to higher-ups on several major government projects in Guangdong Province, including the Yangpeng Expressway, the Yangcheng Starry Hotel, Starry Tower, and the Pengcheng Starry Mall!”

Jiang Shiying continued, “These projects were all finalized recently through negotiations between the provincial government, the Pengcheng municipal government, and Hong Kong Island Star Glory Investment Company. The total investment exceeds 10 billion U.S. dollars—nearly 30 billion RMB—setting a new record for foreign investment attraction!”

“Everyone knows the relationship between Starry Company, Starry Group, and you. Setting aside the over a billion US dollars in foreign exchange you just secured for the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, this massive 10-billion-dollar investment alone is enough to make the higher-ups turn a blind eye to this matter. However…”

“But what?”

“But some things can be forgiven once or twice, but not repeatedly. In the future, you must always think more carefully about the consequences of your actions!” Jiang Shiying said.

“Got it, Dad. I’ll be more careful next time!” Li Yi said.

Hearing this, Jiang Shiying gave a wry smile and said, “You little rascal—you’re actually hoping there’ll be a next time!”

Li Yi scratched his head awkwardly and said, “I’ll be more careful from now on and try not to cause you and Grandpa any more worry!”

Jiang Shiying looked at Li Yi and said, “Actually, if you want to take down the Liu family, there’s no need to go through all this trouble. Don’t forget what your father does for a living.”

“If you really want to wipe out the Liu family, I can help you investigate them. With all the dirt on those guys, they wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Before Li Yi could say a word, Old Master Jiang chimed in with a laugh, “This kid treats our old Jiang family like outsiders. Even when this old man offered to help him, he turned me down!”

Li Yi hurriedly replied, “Grandpa, that’s not what I meant. If the Liu family had provoked me personally from the start, I would have begged you and Dad to step in and help me get justice.”

“But the problem is, Liu Dongping was initially picking on my friend. I can’t drag the Jiang family into this just to help my friend get justice. As a man, if you want to step up and take the lead, you have to be mentally prepared to take responsibility—not treat the Jiang family like outsiders!”

“All right, no need to explain. I know you’re a proud young man who doesn’t want people talking behind your back.”

Then the old man changed the subject and added, “But remember, we’re family. If anything ever happens, don’t keep it to yourself.”

Jiang Shiying chimed in, “Xiao Yi, remember what your grandfather said. You’re a son-in-law of the Jiang family. Sometimes, even if you want to avoid any appearance of impropriety, others will still force you to be tied to the Jiang family.”

“In that case, there’s no shame in occasionally drawing on the influence of the Jiang and Ye families!”

“Father, I understand. If we can’t take down that scum from the Liu family this time, please step in, Father and Grandfather!” Li Yi said.

“Rest assured. Things have come to this point; a special operation is inevitable. The higher-ups certainly won’t let the Liu family, the ringleaders, off the hook. The Liu family is finished!” Jiang Shiying said with absolute certainty.

“Hearing you say that puts my mind at ease. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be heading back now!”

Li Yi was still thinking about his “fight” with his wife. Having been interrupted midway through, he was feeling a bit riled up and just wanted to get back home early to “have some fun.”

“Alright, I’m free tomorrow night. Bring Xue’er, Yunrui, and Yunjin over to the old family home for dinner!” Jiang Shiying said.

Knowing his father-in-law missed the two little ones at home, Li Yi agreed immediately before leaving the Jiang family’s old mansion…

………..