Chapter 692: Taking My Wife to the Office!

The next morning!

Li Yi was fast asleep when he suddenly felt an itch in his nose and couldn’t help but sneeze.

The moment he opened his eyes, he locked gazes with a pair of beautiful, wide eyes.

Glancing at the strand of hair in Jiang Xue’s hand, he knew immediately that this little minx was playing a trick on him.

Li Yi rolled over abruptly, pinning Jiang Xue beneath him as she gasped, then pressed his lips against her red ones.

After a passionate French kiss, Jiang Xue’s face flushed crimson, her eyes growing dreamy, and Li Yi, too, began to respond…

However, just as the two were about to take things further, the sound of someone pounding on the door came from outside.

This was immediately followed by a stream of “oohs” and “ahs”—“alien language”…

No need to guess—it was those two little rascals from home. Li Yi reluctantly climbed off Jiang Xue and opened the door.

Outside the door, Yun Rui and Yun Jin were miming the act of pounding on the door, while his mother-in-law and Juanzi stood behind them, smiling as they watched the two.

Upon seeing Li Yi, little Yun Jin’s delicate eyebrows arched slightly, and her bright, sparkling eyes fixed intently on him.

Immediately, the little girl stretched out her tiny arms, wobbled forward on her short little legs, and walked toward Li Yi, calling out “Crawl, crawl…” in her unique little voice…

Seeing this, Li Yi’s heart melted completely at the sight of his little girl, and the lingering frustration in his heart vanished instantly.

He immediately quickened his pace, reached out with both hands, and scooped the little girl right up.

However, seeing her father pick up her little sister, Xiao Yunrui, standing nearby, wasn’t having any of it. She pouted, and dark clouds began to gather on her face.

Seeing this, Li Yi hurried over and scooped him up as well.

The little guy felt his body suddenly rise into the air, and his view suddenly opened up. He instantly forgot his earlier grievance and looked at Li Yi with an adorable expression…

Just then, Ye Lingyun, standing behind the children, called out, “Xiao Yi, has Xiao Xue woken up yet? If she’s up, hurry downstairs for breakfast!”

Before Li Yi could answer, Jiang Xue’s voice came from inside the house: “Mom, I’m up and just getting ready!”

“Then hurry up. Xiao Min’s mother just called the house and said she’s coming over to see you in a little while. Don’t keep her waiting!” said Ye Lingyun.

“Got it, Mom…”

Hearing this, Li Yi immediately asked, “Mom, did she say where she was taking Xiao Xue?”

“She said she’s taking Xiao Xue to the big department store in town to look around and buy some clothes and such!” Ye Lingyun replied.

“There’s no rush to buy clothes!”

Then Li Yi added, “Wait a minute—I’ll take you both to the company first so Xiao Xue can meet the management. We’ll go shopping after that!”

“What’s the point of going to the company? We can’t help out anyway!” Ye Lingyun asked, puzzled.

“It’s fine. I just want Xiao Xue to take a look. She’s been pestering me to let her help manage the money, so I’ll let her get a feel for our family business first!” Li Yi said with a smile.

The reason for taking Jiang Xue to the company was partly to familiarize her with the business, but more importantly, Li Yi wanted her to gain a clear understanding of the scale of the family’s business empire.

Only then would she not feel intimidated when interacting with the wives and daughters of other families in the future.

Of course, Li Yi also intended to lay everything out for his own wife…

Ye Lingyun was incredibly sharp; the moment she heard this, she knew exactly what her son-in-law was up to. She nodded immediately and said nothing more!

…….

At eight o’clock, Li Yi and his family had just finished breakfast when they heard the sound of a car horn outside the front gate.

Shortly after, the security guard on duty walked to the gate to check.

A few minutes later, the gate slowly swung open, and two luxury sedans drove into the villa’s courtyard.

The cars quickly pulled into their designated spots at Cloudtop No. 1, and Li Yi and the others watched as Huang Lixing and Chen Chuhong stepped out.

Huang Lixing was holding his daughter Huang Min in his arms, and behind him followed “One-Armed Hero” Tie Ying and others, exuding a commanding presence.

Seeing this, Li Yi immediately went out to greet them!

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Chen Chuhong said, “Brother Li Yi, if you have work to do, please go ahead. I’ll take my sister-in-law into town to browse around and buy some clothes!”

Li Yi smiled and said, “Sis-in-law, I was planning to take Xiao Xue and the others to check out the company. Why don’t you come along too?”

“I…”

Chen Chuhong didn’t agree right away; instead, she turned to look at Huang Lixing beside her.

Her husband had warned her before that she’d be better off staying out of the family business, and she’d always kept that in mind.

So over the years, not only had Chen Chuhong stayed out of the Green Dragon Society’s business, but neither had her younger brother Chen Chuying nor any other relatives in the family.

Huang Lixing understood his wife’s hesitation. He paused to think for a moment, then said, “Go ahead if you want to. I didn’t let you get involved in the family business before mainly because those ventures were either illegal or shady—they weren’t suitable for you.”

“But things are different now. Star City is a legitimate investment firm—it can’t hurt for you to learn a bit more about it!”

Hearing this, Chen Chuhong couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement. She quickly nodded and said, “Then I’ll go with my brother and sister-in-law to get acquainted with the place!”

It was no wonder Chen Chuhong was so excited; Huang Lixing was officially allowing her to get involved in the family business, and that carried significant weight.

After that, the group quickly got ready and headed to Star City Company together.

After driving through the city for nearly half an hour, they finally arrived at the base of Yuanhua Tower just before nine o’clock.

As they approached the company, they could see from a distance that all 200-plus employees of Star Investment, including every executive, were lined up outside the building.

As Li Yi and Huang Lixing stepped out of the car with their wives and children, a wave of enthusiastic applause erupted from the crowd, lasting for what seemed like an eternity…

Subsequently, flanked by Lan Xinyi, Li Yunbao, Lan Xinming, Cai Bingyan, and others, the group made their way to Star Company’s offices on the upper floors.

Once they reached the upper floor, everyone—including Jiang Xue, Ye Lingyun, and Chen Chuhong—felt a bit disappointed.

They had expected the headquarters of the renowned Starry Sky Company to be ultra-luxurious, but upon arrival, they discovered that the entire company, inside and out, covered less than 450 square meters.

With over two hundred people crammed into such a small space, the situation could hardly be described as merely crowded.

What Jiang Xue and the others didn’t know, however, was that this was the result of two expansions; had they come two months earlier, the office space would have been just over 300 square meters.

Back then, the company couldn’t even hold all-staff meetings because there wasn’t a conference room large enough. Whenever something came up, it had to be relayed to management first, who would then pass it down the chain of command.

Accompanied by Li Yi, Huang Lixing, and others, Jiang Xue, Chen Chuhong, Ye Lingyun, and the rest took a tour of the company.

After getting a brief overview of the company, Li Yi asked Zhang Feng and Juanzi to take the children to play inside the building for a while, while he led Jiang Xue, Chen Chuhong, and all the company executives to the conference room.

In the still cramped conference room, once everyone was seated, Li Yi cleared his throat and said, “Most of you already know the identities of the ladies beside me from yesterday’s dinner, but I’d still like to introduce them again!”

“The lady sitting to my right is my wife, Jiang Xue—that is, your boss’s wife…”

Before he could finish, a burst of enthusiastic applause erupted in the conference room!

Although Jiang Xue was a bit nervous, upon hearing Li Yi’s introduction, she stood up and said, “Hello, everyone… I’m Li Yi’s wife. It’s a pleasure to meet you all!”

Since Jiang Xue didn’t speak Cantonese, Yang Qian—who had recently been promoted to deputy manager and was seated below her—volunteered to serve as an interpreter.

Upon hearing Jiang Xue’s words, the applause, which had begun to die down, grew even more enthusiastic…

Li Yi motioned for everyone to quiet down, then continued, “This is Ms. Chen Chuhong, Vice President Huang’s wife and your boss’s wife. Please give her a warm round of applause!”

“Clap, clap, clap…”

“And this is my mother-in-law, Ms. Ye Lingyun…”

After briefly introducing the identities of Jiang Xue, Chen Chuhong, and the others, Li Yi continued, “There’s no other reason for me to have Vice President Huang’s wife and I attend this meeting today other than to let them interact with everyone and familiarize themselves with the company’s operations. Now, let’s officially begin the meeting. First, the Finance Department will report on the results of the dividend calculation!”

Upon hearing Li Yi’s call, Finance Manager Zhao Xinlan didn’t dare delay and immediately stood up…

……..

PS: My grandfather’s funeral is over today, so updates are officially resuming!

Hong Kong. Cloudtop No. 1!

It was late at night, and the battle in the master bedroom had ended. After more than an hour of intense physical exertion, the exhausted Jiang Xue had fallen asleep.

Although Li Yi, as the one who had been on the offensive, was also exhausted, he had something on his mind. So, after cleaning up the traces on his wife’s body, he left the room in his pajamas.

Li Yi had originally planned to spend some time in the study on the third floor and, while he was at it, figure out how to deal with that Dolsone!

Although, when he’d spoken with Huang Lixing and Li Futiao that afternoon, he’d been full of contempt for that Dorrison and the entire British-owned conglomerate—as if they were nothing but a bunch of good-for-nothings.

But Li Yi knew full well that dealing with these hypocrites and outright scoundrels wouldn’t be an easy task.

After all, this was Hong Kong Island—their turf.

Whether in the underworld or the legitimate business and financial sectors, the British-owned conglomerate held an absolute advantage. Even with the assistance of Huang Lixing and Li Futao, it wouldn’t be easy to bring them down.

Besides, as the old Master once said: “Strategically, look down on the enemy; tactically, take the enemy seriously!”

Whether it was Dalson or the unsavory characters behind him, Li Yi had never feared them, but he had never underestimated them either.

Now that this bunch of scoundrels had set their sights on the ten billion dollars in foreign exchange, Li Yi had to devise a plan to not only thwart their scheme but also teach them a harsh lesson.

Li Yi already had a plan in mind, but it still needed some refinement; it had to be foolproof.

However, just as Li Yi reached the third floor, he saw someone moving about in the living room. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was his older sister.

Seeing this, Li Yi immediately headed back downstairs.

It was late at night and quiet; even the slightest sound seemed particularly loud.

Upon seeing her younger brother, Li Mei immediately set down the water glass she was holding and asked, “Xiao Yi, why are you downstairs?”

“I was just heading to the study to take care of some things, but I didn’t expect to see you downstairs, so I came over to check on you!” Li Yi said with a smile.

“It’s nothing, little brother. I just finished putting the kids to bed and felt a bit thirsty, so I went to the kitchen to get a glass of water!” Li Mei said.

“Sis, is something on your mind?”

Li Mei didn’t say anything, but she couldn’t help but grip the water cup a little tighter; it was clear she was feeling a bit nervous.

“Sis, you’d better let go of that glass. If you keep squeezing it that hard, you’re going to crush it!” Li Yi said with a laugh.

“You’re just making things up!”

Then the eldest sister sighed and said, “When your brother-in-law left this afternoon, he gave me a large sum of money, saying it was his salary. I counted it—it was over twenty thousand Hong Kong dollars!”

“That’s great news! It shows your brother-in-law cares about you. But you don’t seem too happy about it—could it be you’re worried he’ll get into trouble while he’s here?”

Li Yi continued, “Sis, you can rest easy about that—I’m here…”

“Don’t be silly. Your brother-in-law isn’t that kind of person. I trust him!”

“Then what’s got you so down?” Li Yi asked, puzzled.

“Xiao Yi, it’s certainly a good thing that your brother-in-law is making more money, but I’ve also noticed some new injuries on his body, and he doesn’t look too well either!”

Then my eldest sister continued, “You know your brother-in-law left the military because he was injured. Given his physical condition, he really isn’t suited for that kind of violent work anymore. So I’m not worried about him getting into trouble here—I’m worried about his health!”

“Big Sister, do you know where exactly my brother-in-law was injured when he was in the military?”

“I do. He injured his lung. I think there’s still a piece of shrapnel inside him that hasn’t been removed, so he can’t do any heavy labor. If he gets too tired, he starts wheezing!” my older sister said.

“Got it, sis. I’ll have someone take your husband to the hospital for a full checkup later. We’ll see how well his old injury has healed, assess the impact of the shrapnel still in his body, and see if it can be removed!”

Li Yi continued, “If my brother-in-law’s injury can be completely cured, I’ll spend whatever it takes to get him well. If it really can’t be fully cured, then I’ll have him work in logistics or in an office—I won’t let him get too tired!”

“That’s truly wonderful. I don’t ask for him to become rich or powerful—even if he just goes back to the village to farm, that’s fine. As long as he’s safe and sound!” said the eldest sister happily.

When his sister-in-law mentioned the village, a thought struck Li Yi, and he remembered something.

He immediately asked, “Sis, how are things in the village now? Have the fields been divided up?”

“They’ve been distributed—but not really!”

She went on to explain, “Officially, all the village fields have been distributed to the members, and every household has received a little booklet confirming their allotment. But in reality, our village just went through the motions—the land hasn’t actually been handed over to the members, and the production team hasn’t been dissolved. Everyone’s decided to keep things running just like before!”

Li Yi nodded and said, “That’s good. I was really worried they’d just go ahead and distribute the land!”

Li Yi knew how much land the village had—a lot!

Even without counting the forested areas to the west and north, there were over 2,000 mu—an average of more than 30 mu per member.

That’s right—over thirty mu!

This would make his friends in the south, who could only get one or two mu each, almost cry with envy.

But don’t get too envious just yet. While thirty mu may sound like a lot, the actual yield is shockingly low.

Anyone who hasn’t been to the northern or northwestern regions would find it hard to imagine just how barren the soil is here. Even if our friends from the south were to casually scatter some seeds in the ground, their harvest could be several times—or even dozens of times—greater than ours here. I’m not exaggerating in the slightest.

Nianzi Mountain Village is located in the central part of Northern Province. The farmland here consists mainly of arid, barren slopes. Not only can only one crop be grown per year, but whether the harvest is good or bad depends entirely on the whims of the weather.

Take wheat, the main crop here, as an example. In a good year, an acre can yield 250 to 300 pounds.

But if there’s a drought or a hailstorm, a yield of 180 to 200 jin per mu is considered normal—and it’s not uncommon to end up with nothing at all.

Not to mention the present—even decades from now, if the villagers of Nianzishan rely on farming, they’ll barely scrape by, and that’s all.

So, when he heard that the village was going to divide up the fields this year, Li Yi’s first thought was that these fields must not be divided.

If the land remained collectively managed, there might still be a chance; but once it was divided, they would simply be repeating the same path as in his previous life.

The outcome would be that, forty years after the implementation of the Household Contract Responsibility System, Nianzi Mountain Village—like countless other ordinary rural villages—would vanish completely.

The houses were still there, the land was still there—but there was no one left to farm it!

Just as Li Yi was deep in thought, his eldest sister’s voice rang out again: “People aren’t stupid. With that fish farm you built for everyone, no one wants to split up and go their separate ways!”

“So, that farm is doing pretty well, then?” Li Yi asked with a smile.

“It’s more than just doing well. The village suffered a drought this year. Everyone worked hard all year long, but when the grain was distributed after the harvest, the per-capita ration was only 330 jin, and the labor-point ration wasn’t much either. Even for a strong laborer, the total came to less than 650 jin—not enough to eat one’s fill, but not enough to starve to death either!”

Then the older sister continued, “On the other hand, that farm you invested in is doing exceptionally well. When the village distributed dividends at the end of the calendar year, each person received 388 yuan, and able-bodied workers got an extra 400 or so yuan.”

“Any household in the village could get two or three thousand yuan. The Chen family, with the largest household, even received over 14,000 yuan outright. Only a fool would choose to live separately.”

“That much money?” Li Yi asked, somewhat surprised.

“I heard it’s because the cows they raised last year have grown up!”

Then the older sister added, “You have no idea how big the village farm has gotten. That patch of black rocky ground next to our new house is now all sheep pens and cattle sheds—it takes at least half an hour to walk around the whole thing!”

“That’s good. It proves we were right not to divide the fields in Nianzishan Village!” Li Yi said.

“I wouldn’t dare say for sure, but judging by how things look now, the results are pretty good!”

“That’s good. Now I can rest easy…”

……..

By the time Li Yi had seen off Huang Lixing and his wife, as well as the Li family father and son, it was already 10:30.

Back in his fourth-floor bedroom, Li Yi saw his wife standing by the spacious, bright floor-to-ceiling window, lost in thought—so much so that she hadn’t even noticed him come in.

“Ahem!”

Hearing the sound behind her, Jiang Xue snapped back to reality.

“Finished with your work?”

“Yeah, I’m done. Why aren’t you asleep yet?”

No sooner had he spoken than Li Yi was surprised to find that there was no sign of the children in the room. He immediately asked, “Where are the kids? Why aren’t they in here?”

“My older sister took them downstairs. She said I haven’t had a moment’s rest all day and wanted me to get a good night’s sleep!” Jiang Xue said, blushing.

She knew the real reason her older sister had taken the two children away, but she couldn’t say it outright to her husband.

“You’ve been driving all day and taking care of me—you must be exhausted. Go get some rest!” Li Yi said.

“I can’t sleep!”

Seeing the worried look on Jiang Xue’s face, Li Yi immediately asked, “What’s wrong? Is something bothering you?”

“Not really…”

Having been together for so long, Li Yi knew her well. He smiled and said, “Did something scare you?”

Jiang Xue paused for a moment, then nodded and said, “A little.”

Then, she looked around the spacious master bedroom—complete with its own luxurious bathroom, toilet, and walk-in closet—and asked Li Yi, “Is this the villa you were talking about, the one worth hundreds of millions?”

“That’s right. What do you think? Is it comfortable to live in?” Li Yi asked with a smile.

“It certainly looks comfortable, but I still prefer our little courtyard in Beijing. This place is just too big—it makes me feel uneasy. I’m a little scared!” Jiang Xue said honestly.

“It’s just because you’re not used to it yet. Once you get used to it, you’ll find this place pretty nice too.”

Li Yi continued, “Think about it—when we first arrived in Beijing, you felt that nowhere was as comfortable as our brick-and-tile house in Nianzi Mountain Village. But now you’ve gotten used to it, haven’t you?”

“Maybe so, but right now, living here makes me feel a bit uneasy. It’s as if I’m standing on a cloud—it feels unreal and a bit unsettling!” Jiang Xue said.

“What exactly makes you feel unsettled?”

Jiang Xue fell silent again. She didn’t know how to describe the restlessness and anxiety in her heart, nor did she know how to explain it to Li Yi.

At that moment, Li Yi stepped forward, gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and said, “They say a husband and wife are one. We’ve weathered storms together—is there really anything we can’t talk about?”

Jiang Xue nodded and said, “I feel like ever since you came to Beijing, the gap between us has been growing wider and wider!”

“A gap?”

“Yes. Back in the village, even though you earned a decent income, I never felt that kind of worry or that sense of inferiority.”

Jiang Xue continued, “But ever since you came to Beijing, I feel the gap between us has grown wider and wider. Especially now—you’re talking about deals worth hundreds of millions with others, living in luxury villas worth hundreds of millions. Compared to you, I feel like I’m good for nothing…”

Before Jiang Xue could finish, Li Yi cut her off and said, “Do you know why I’m working so hard?”

“Well…”

“I’m working this hard to become a better person—someone worthy of an exceptional woman like you!”

“I…”

Before Jiang Xue could speak, Li Yi continued, “Before we got married, you were a pretty educated youth from the city who’d gone to school, while I was just a good-for-nothing, street-smart guy born and raised in the village. If it weren’t for that scum named Tang who were determined to drag you into a pit of fire, you’d never have set your sights on someone like me!”

“To be worthy of someone as wonderful as you, and to stop people from gossiping, I had no choice but to better myself. So I set up a street stall, sold mushrooms, dried produce, built a house, and bought a set of furniture and an audio system—finally putting an end to the villagers’ idle chatter!”

“But just when I started to feel I was worthy of you, you found your biological parents. Man, do you have any idea how much pressure I was under then?”

“You’re the only girl in the Jiang family for generations, and your maternal grandfather comes from a prominent clan like the Ye family. Look at me—for dozens of generations, my ancestors have been farmers tilling the fields. It’s like a toad trying to eat a swan! I was terrified the Jiang family wouldn’t approve of us being together and would force a ‘divorce where the father leaves, but the child stays’…”

Jiang Xue immediately replied, “How could that happen? Mom, Dad, and Grandpa value you so much. If it weren’t for you, they wouldn’t even know if they could have found me.”

“Not to mention, you saved Third Brother and my mother, and you helped Dad and Second Brother. They’re so grateful to you—they’d never dream of breaking us up!”

Li Yi shook his head and said, “Don’t underestimate the resolve of parents who love their daughter dearly. If I were in their shoes, I might not agree to let my precious daughter marry a mountain boy—especially one who’s a little troublemaker!”

“You’re not a small-time hoodlum—you were just young and reckless, not knowing any better!” Jiang Xue said.

“Whether I was or not doesn’t matter anymore—that’s all in the past!”

Then Li Yi added, “I’m telling you all this to make one thing clear: I work so hard to earn money not to prove how great I am, but simply so that when people see us together, they’ll say, ‘They make such a perfect couple!’”

Hearing this, images of all the hard work Li Yi had put in over the years involuntarily flashed through Jiang Xue’s mind.

Her eyes reddening slightly, she said, “Thank you. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. You know, I’m the one who wronged you back then—I was the one who took advantage of you…”

Li Yi ruffled her hair and smiled. “But you gave me your pure self, and you bore me two smart, adorable children. So we’re destined to be entangled for the rest of our lives.”

“I won’t be fickle just because I have money now, and don’t even think about slipping out of my grasp. In this life… no, in the next life, you’ll always be mine, Li Yi’s!”

“Mm-hmm, I won’t run away. I’m yours!” Jiang Xue nodded, her voice filled with emotion.

At that moment, Li Yi carried Jiang Xue over to the window. Looking down at the luxury cars and magnificent mansions below, he said with a look of pride, “My beloved, do you see? This is the empire I’ve built for you and our royal children!”

Jiang Xue was instantly amused by Li Yi’s words; she leaned into his embrace, laughing so hard she could barely catch her breath.

“This kingdom of yours is a bit small—it’s not enough for Yunrui and Yunjin to inherit!” Jiang Xue said with a laugh.

“Hehe, a small villa is indeed a bit small. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to see our real kingdom!” Li Yi said with a smile.

“Alright…”

As she spoke, Jiang Xue suddenly turned around, wrapped her arms around Li Yi’s neck, and said, “I heard from Sister-in-law Chu Hong that the rich folks over in Hong Kong all have multiple wives and concubines, or they keep female celebrities as mistresses. You keep calling yourself ‘Your Majesty’—are you planning to bring a few ‘little sisters’ home to compete for my favor too?”

Hearing this, Li Yi finally understood why this girl had suddenly started worrying about all sorts of nonsense out of the blue—so that was the crux of the matter.

Li Yi smiled, then said with a serious expression, “You’re overthinking it. I’m a jealous sort—I can only make room for one person. Now that I have you, there’s no room for any other woman!”

“Really?”

“Mm-hmm. Besides, I don’t have much ambition. All I want is ‘one life, one love, two people; half-drunk, half-awake, half a fleeting life’—that’s all I need!” Li Yi said.

“One life, one love, just the two of us!”

That young girl wasn’t exactly shy about her feelings. Hearing Li Yi’s heartfelt words, Jiang Xue was moved once again. She tiptoed toward him and planted a sweet kiss on his lips.

Naturally, Li Yi wasn’t about to turn down such a tempting offer.

He immediately scooped her up and carried her straight to the large bed beside them.

In an instant, a melodious symphony filled the room—at times soaring, at times gentle, and at times as if weeping and pleading…

……..

Upstairs in the study, the conversation continued!

After hearing what Old Li had to say, Li Yi immediately furrowed his brow.

After a brief silence, he said in a grave tone, “So, is that guy named Dolsen the one calling the shots at the British Capital Group now?”

“That’s right. That guy has basically replaced the Earl and become the new head of the British-owned Group!” Li Fu remarked.

“It’s not common to have a leader parachuted in like that. What’s his background? Do you know this guy, Old Li?” Li Yi asked again.

“Not really. According to our intel, this Dolsen, just like that scheming old fox the Duke, comes from the Sassoon family. But he’s been operating in Europe all this time and rarely comes to Hong Kong, so we’d basically never heard of him before!”

Li Futao continued, “However, I’ve already sent people to Europe to investigate him. We should have news soon!”

Li Yi shook his head and said, “People who get parachuted in here are usually elite members carefully groomed by major families. Their personal information isn’t that easy to track down. I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed this time!”

“Well, there’s no choice. No matter how difficult it is, we have to send people over to try. After all, as the old saying goes, ‘Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles!’” Li Futao said.

“Hmm, but as far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t matter whether we investigate that Dolsen or not. All I need to know is that this guy is an enemy!” Li Yi said indifferently.

“He’s undoubtedly an enemy. This afternoon, Powell from Jardine Matheson called me. He said that not only is that Dorrison planning to take you on, but he’s also brimming with hostility toward Jardine Matheson—it seems he intends to incite the board to oust Powell as general manager!” Li Futiao said.

“Haha, this guy’s reach is pretty long. Does he think he can meddle in Jardine’s affairs too?” Li Yi said with a laugh.

“You’re absolutely right. Powell is young, yet he managed to outmaneuver a host of seasoned professional managers to take the helm of the Jardine Group. Is that something just anyone can easily pull off? I don’t think Dolsone stands a chance of getting him removed!”

Then, Li Futiao added, “However, what that guy said at the internal meeting of the British-owned group is worth pondering—especially his analysis of your weaknesses. I think there’s actually some truth to it!”

“He’s just a fool—what’s there to analyze?” Li Yi said with a cold laugh.

“An idiot?”

“Exactly. His analysis might be correct, but the moment he voiced it in front of so many people, he sealed his own fate—he’ll never amount to anything!”

Li Yi continued, “Setting aside whether he considered whether his words might reach my ears or invite my retaliation, the very fact that he flaunted that petty cleverness in front of others has already left them with the impression of a scheming, underhanded person.”

“People will always be on their guard when dealing with someone like that. And someone who isn’t trustworthy—no matter how clever they may be—possesses only petty cleverness, not true wisdom!”

Li Futiao’s eyes lit up, and he burst out laughing. “Well said! That reminds me of the old saying, ‘To be wronged is a blessing.’ A person who only knows how to take advantage of others will ultimately come up short!”

Li Yi smiled and said, “People who are willing to take a loss generally possess good interpersonal skills, know how to be accommodating, and don’t easily get into arguments with others. Whether in daily life or the workplace, such people come across as trustworthy, and others are willing to cooperate with them.”

“Such people often gain rewards beyond their capabilities. That is the wisdom of human relations—true wisdom. How could a bunch of pirate scum like you possibly have such insight!”

Just then, Huang Lixing, who had been silent up until that point, suddenly spoke up: “Brother Li Yi, didn’t that guy say he wanted you to hand over all the money you’d made? Do you think he might have his eye on this cash?”

“No doubt about it. That bastard has definitely set his sights on this ten billion dollars and wants to snatch it for himself!” Li Yi said.

“I handled this very discreetly. How did they find out?” Li Futiao asked, frowning.

“Old Li, that’s ten billion dollars, after all, and you wanted it in cash. With them controlling the financial sector, no matter how discreet you were, there’s no way you could’ve kept it from those guys.”

Li Yi continued, “And since you don’t need that much cash yourself, combined with our close working relationship, anyone with half a brain would figure out that money was meant for me—and that its final destination is across the strait!”

Li Futao nodded and said, “There’s no way around it. If we want that much cash in US dollars, we can’t avoid Citibank!”

Huang Lixing frowned and said, “If those bastards want to steal that money, they’ll definitely keep a close eye on our fleet—and that’s going to be a real problem!”

“Moreover, given Hong Kong’s regulations on foreign currencies like U.S. dollars, if they intercept us at sea, there’s a good chance they’ll confiscate the money!”

However, Li Yi replied nonchalantly, “Confiscated? Don’t they know whose money this is? Anyone who dares to set their sights on this money must be out of their minds—they’re asking for trouble!”

“The British Hong Kong government has John Cowboy backing them up—they might not be afraid of the mainland at all!” Li Fu interjected.

“Hah. Fear isn’t something you just talk about. If they weren’t afraid, they wouldn’t have withdrawn all their garrisons from here; if they were truly unafraid, patriotic families—including the Huo clan—would’ve been wiped out long ago; and if they were truly unafraid, they wouldn’t keep fighting us with such underhanded tactics—they should’ve struck us openly long ago!”

Even though John Bull has been trying every which way to maintain its image as a great and powerful nation these past years, unfortunately, their era has already passed.

Even if they were to emerge victorious in the Falklands War this year, it would not halt the decline of the Empire on which the sun never sets.

Take the rogue “Eagle” as an example: regardless of whether it complies with international rules, if the “Eagle” feels dissatisfied, it will act—even if it means mobilizing the full might of a nation to suppress a single company, or even framing and detaining its executives. After all, “I did it, so what are you going to do about it?”

Now look at the “Empire on Which the Sun Never Sets”—it doesn’t have that kind of guts. At most, it might pull off some under-the-table shenanigans.

With the backing of a nation, Li Yi truly has nothing to fear from them!

“What if they come at us head-on?” Huang Lixing asked.

“If they come at us head-on, aren’t they afraid of breaking their front teeth?”

Li Yi’s lips curled slightly as he turned to Li Futiao and said, “Old Li, tomorrow you send someone to deliver that money to Wan Chai Pier and hand it over to Old Huang!”

“Got it! I’ll be as careful as possible to avoid alerting those bastards!” Li Futiao replied.

“No need. Just do it the usual way—we need them to know about this!” Li Yi said, his words startling.

“Brother Li Yi… you…”

“Old Li, don’t worry about this. I’ve got it covered!” Li Yi said coldly.

“Alright!”

Li Yi then turned to Huang Lixing and said, “Old Huang, as soon as you receive this payment tomorrow, recall all Golden Shield Security personnel to the port to beef up security.”

“At the same time, recall all the ships under your command to the port and await my further instructions!”

“Yes, sir!”

“That Dolsen has his eye on this money, hasn’t he? I’ll give him a chance—we’ll see if he’s up to the task!” Li Yi said with a half-smile.

Seeing that eerie expression, Li Futao and Huang Lixing both couldn’t help but shudder.

They had seen that same expression on Li Yi’s face several times before. Whenever he wore it, it meant someone was about to be in for a world of trouble…

………

PS: I’m heading back to my hometown today for my grandfather’s funeral. I’ll be busy with the funeral arrangements for the next few days, so updates will be as frequent as possible!

Hong Kong. Genting No. 1!

When Li Yi woke up, it was already past eight in the evening.

The welcome banquet that afternoon was attended not only by Old Huang and Li Yunbao, but also by all the company’s senior executives—even Li Futiao, He Dongying, and Li Jiuying were there.

Everyone had heard that Li Yi’s wife and child had arrived, so they all turned out to show their support.

At the same time, everyone was curious: what kind of woman could possibly be worthy of Li Yi, this god-like man, and keep him thinking of her constantly?

With so many people gathered, the atmosphere became lively, and alcohol was naturally in abundance.

On top of that, Li Yi’s tolerance for alcohol was quite limited. Although he had been very restrained—refusing to touch baijiu and sipping red wine slowly in small sips—he still ended up getting drunk before he knew it.

Fortunately, with Jiang Xue, Zhang Ziqiang, Zhou Wen, and others by his side, Li Yi wasn’t worried about what might happen if he got too drunk.

Rubbing his throbbing head, Li Yi slowly sat up on the bed, waiting for his foggy mind to clear.

The lights in the room were dim, but he could vaguely make out that he was in the master bedroom of Cloud Peak No. 1.

He felt a chill running through his body. Reaching down, he discovered his clothes had been removed, leaving him clad in nothing but a pair of boxers.

Stripped this clean—it must have been Jiang Xue’s handiwork; no one else would dare.

He sat on the bed for a moment to catch his breath, then turned on the light!

After his eyes adjusted to the glaring light, Li Yi found a loose, casual outfit in the nearby wardrobe and changed into it.

After quickly splashing some water on his face, he walked out of the room.

At the door, Xiao Wu stood at attention like a javelin.

Seeing Li Yi emerge, he immediately said, “Hello, Brother Yi!”

Li Yi wasn’t surprised to see Xiao Wu at the door. Given how drunk he was, someone had to keep an eye on him even while he was resting—that was basic professional etiquette for a special operations agent.

“What about the others? What are they doing?”

“Everyone was just having lunch on the first floor. I’m not really sure what they’re doing now!” Xiao Wu replied.

“Hmm, let’s go check it out!”

“Got it!”

Then, the two of them headed downstairs, one in front and one behind.

As soon as they reached the stairwell, Li Yi heard the sound of women chatting below, along with the cheerful laughter and playful banter of children.

When they went downstairs, they saw Jiang Xue, Big Sister, Chen Chuhong, Li Yunling, and others sitting on the living room sofa chatting. Judging by how they were laughing and joking, they were clearly in high spirits.

On the rug nearby, Juanzi was playing with a few little ones. Besides her own two children, there was also Big Sister’s little Ruirui and Huang Lixing’s precious daughter, Huang Min.

The children were all close in age. Apart from little Huang Min, who could already walk steadily, the others hadn’t learned to walk yet and simply wandered around Juanzi as they played.

Watching the little ones rolling around, Li Yi suddenly felt that this somewhat spacious villa had instantly become much livelier, and it had taken on a bit more of a homey atmosphere.

Apart from the women and children, there wasn’t a single man in the house.

Upon closer inspection, Li Yi saw that the men were all in the courtyard. Through the glass, he could see Huang Lixing, Li Futiao, his older sister’s husband Yang Wenguang, Zhang Ziqiang, and Zhou Wen, among others, sitting around a round table drinking tea.

He had no idea what they were talking about, but suddenly a burst of hearty laughter rang out…

At that moment, Jiang Xue and the others inside also spotted Li Yi. They stopped talking, and everyone’s gaze turned to him.

Li Yi immediately walked over to the sofa area, sat down next to Jiang Xue, and asked, “What are you guys talking about? You all look so happy!”

Jiang Xue hurriedly replied, “Nothing much!”

But Li Yi noticed that her face had actually turned red as she spoke.

The older woman and Chen Chuhong beside her were both smiling, while the young girl Li Yunling was equally flushed, lowering her head and avoiding his gaze.

Something’s going on!

Just then, Jiang Xue spoke again, “When did you wake up? Are you feeling okay? I left some millet porridge for you in the kitchen. Would you like to have a little something to eat?”

“Sure, my wife’s the best—always thinking of me!” Li Yi said with a smile.

Jiang Xue blushed even more. As she stood up, she said, “Wait here. I’ll go get it for you!”

Li Yi didn’t stop her!

After Jiang Xue turned and went into the kitchen, he immediately looked at his older sister and asked, “Sis, what were you two talking about just now? Xiao Xue seemed a little off to me.”

His older sister smiled slightly and said, “Nothing much—we were just talking about having a second child!”

Li Yi was taken aback for a moment, then frowned. “A second child?”

“What’s with that look on your face? Don’t you want a second child?” his older sister asked, looking at him.

“How old are Yunrui and Yunjin? Having a second child now just won’t work!” Li Yi said.

“Why not? It’s better for the kids to be close in age. If they’re too far apart, they’ll grow up at different times, and we’ll end up going through the whole ordeal twice!” his older sister said.

Chen Chuhong chimed in, “Raising kids is definitely exhausting. It’s actually nice to raise them together. The longer the gap between them, the less I want to have another one!”

Li Yi shook his head and said, “That may be true, but with such a short gap, the physical strain on Xiaoxue would be too much. I don’t agree!”

When it came to children, Li Yi felt that having one was enough; there was no need to insist on having three or five.

Besides, he already had a son and a daughter—he was blessed with both—so there was no need to force Jiang Xue to have a second child.

“What good does it do for you to disagree? You need to ask Xiaoxue what she thinks about this…”

Just as they were speaking, Jiang Xue walked over carrying an elegant tray, and the older sister immediately stopped talking.

Soon, Jiang Xue walked over and placed the tray on the table in front of Li Yi. On the tray was not only a bowl of golden millet porridge but also a few small pastries.

“Go ahead and have a bite. I saw you didn’t eat much at lunch!” Jiang Xue said thoughtfully.

“My wife is the best!”

Saying this, Li Yi took the porridge and pastries and began eating heartily.

Perhaps he really was hungry; Li Yi ate quickly, and in no time, he had polished off the entire bowl of porridge, leaving not a single pastry behind.

Seeing this, Jiang Xue knew he wasn’t full, so she immediately went to the kitchen to serve him another bowl.

After downing two large bowls of porridge, Li Yi felt incredibly comfortable all over.

As he sat on the sofa to rest, he realized his mother-in-law wasn’t there. He immediately asked Jiang Xue, “Where’s Mom? Why don’t I see her?”

“Mom isn’t feeling well; she went upstairs to rest!”

“Is she okay? Should I…”

“She’s fine. She just got a little seasick this morning, but she should feel better after resting for a bit!” Jiang Xue said.

“That’s good…”

Just as they were speaking, the sound of footsteps echoed from the doorway, and Li Futiao, Huang Lixing, and the others walked in together.

As soon as they entered, Li Futiao said with a laugh, “Brother Li Yi, you’re finally awake. If you’d woken up just a little later, I would’ve gone home!”

“Old Li, you and Old Huang—you haven’t been waiting here all afternoon for me, have you?” Li Yi asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.

“No, I got here at half past six. Old Huang arrived a little before me!”

“Sorry for keeping you waiting. It’s really just my drinking tolerance…”

“I understand, I understand!”

Then Li Futao added, “Brother Li Yi, if you’re free, why don’t we go upstairs and chat for a bit?”

Li Yi knew that Li Futao must have something important to discuss with him, so he immediately said goodbye to Jiang Xue, telling her to put the baby down for a nap if she was tired.

Then, he led Li Futiao and Huang Lixing up to the study!

Once in the study, the three of them sat down around a small round table.

Then, Li Futao got straight to the point: “Brother Li Yi, I’ve already allocated the funds that came back from New York. Aside from the portions for me and Old Huang, I’ve withdrawn ten billion US dollars in cash as you requested, and the rest has been transferred to Starry Sky Company’s account!”

“Where is that cash? Is it safe?”

“It’s in the underground vault of the Far East Stock Exchange. It’s extremely secure!” Li Futiao replied.

Li Yi nodded and said, “Old Li, to be honest with you, this cash is intended for the mainland. There can be absolutely no mistakes!”

“Got it!”

Li Futao then asked again, “Brother Li Yi, how do you plan to transport such a massive sum to the mainland?”

“At the moment, it seems there’s no other way besides by water!” Li Yi said.

Hearing this, Li Futiao immediately said, “Brother Li Yi, if you’re going by water, you’d better be careful!”

“Oh, Old Li, you’re hinting at something. Have you heard any rumors?” Li Yi said in a low voice.

Li Futiao looked at Li Yi, then nodded and said, “That’s right. I came over this late tonight just to talk to you about this!”

Immediately, Li Futiao began telling Li Yi about the information he had gathered…

……..

Hong Kong Island. Castle Manor!

News of Li Yi’s high-profile return to Hong Kong quickly spread throughout the island. Upon hearing the news, the top executives of the British-owned conglomerate immediately gathered.

It was still the same Castle Manor, still the same conference room, but the people inside had changed significantly.

Not only were many familiar faces missing, but more importantly, the person in the seat of honor had changed.

The爵士, who should have occupied the center seat, now sat in a secondary seat to one side, while a young man in his thirties occupied the head seat.

“Smith, is everyone here yet?”

“Sir, everyone is here except Powell from the Jardine group, who couldn’t make it due to prior commitments,” Smith replied respectfully.

He certainly didn’t dare to underestimate the man before him just because of his youth. As far as he knew, as the strongest contender for the position of current head of the Sassoon family, Dolsen was formidable in both his own capabilities and the power behind him.

Never mind a small fry like himself—even a爵士 would have to toe the line in the presence of this nephew.

“Powell, Jardine Matheson! Hmm, it seems they’re determined to cut ties with us!” Dolsen said with a half-smile.

At that moment, a middle-aged man seated in the lower right corner of the conference room suddenly stood up and said, “I’m truly sorry. Powell said he has an important engagement this evening. He asked me to explain the situation to you. Please forgive him, Mr. Dolsen!”

Dorson snorted coldly. “What important engagement could possibly be so urgent that he doesn’t even have time to attend an Alliance meeting? I think Powell just wants to break away from the Alliance and make peace with that young man!”

“He’s just forgotten that he’s merely a professional manager at Jardine Matheson—not its true owner. Whether Jardine Matheson leaves the Alliance isn’t up to him.”

The Baron chimed in, “Ever since the New Territories Warehouse incident, the entire Jardine group’s attitude toward the Alliance has become rather peculiar. And in the end, they actually disregarded our objections and insisted on selling over twenty million shares of New Territories Warehouse stock on credit to that mainland Chinese.”

“Therefore, we have reason to suspect that Powell has already struck some secret deal with that mainland guy. We must be cautious!”

Hearing the uncle and nephew’s words, the room fell silent. They simply couldn’t believe that Powell—or the entire Jardine Matheson Group—would betray the Alliance.

Whether it was the previous gold war or the New Territories Warehouse battle, everyone had witnessed the performance of the Jardine Group and Powell firsthand.

To counter the enemy’s frenzied assault, the Jardine Group had staked everything they had, engaging in a bloody battle with Li Yi and his men. Although they were ultimately defeated, they had severely depleted the enemy’s funds—a loss that could truly be called honorable.

In fact, after Jardine made the difficult decision to sell the final 20% of New Territories Warehouse to Star Company, the attacks on the entire British-owned group ceased. For this reason alone, both Jardine and Powell deserved credit.

Moreover, Jardine Matheson had already notified the Alliance of the planned equity sale beforehand. How could their actions be deemed a betrayal of the Alliance after just a few days?

Dawson paid no heed to what the others were thinking. He scanned the room and said coldly, “I will deal with the Jardine matter later. For now, let’s discuss the situation with that young man!”

At this point, Dolsen paused, shifting his gaze to Smith.

Smith immediately caught on and stood up. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “we’ve just received word that the Mainlander has returned to Hong Kong from the mainland in a very high-profile manner. Huang Lixing of the Green Dragon Society and Li Futiao’s precious son were personally at the port to greet him!”

“Unlike before, that mainland guy was accompanied by quite a few women and children this time—presumably his wife and children. He likely went back to bring them over!”

“Whoosh!”

The moment Smith finished speaking, the entire conference room erupted in commotion.

Everyone began voicing their opinions on the matter:

“That young man actually brought his wife and kids over? Does he plan to settle down here on Hong Kong Island?”

“No way. If he settles here permanently, we’re in for a rough time!”

“This isn’t good news. Every time he comes over, he causes all sorts of trouble. If he settles here in Hong Kong, what’s left for us?”

“We have to stop him from settling here…”

Just as everyone was chattering away, Dolsen spoke up: “Enough already. He’s just a nobody, a mere gopher—I could make him vanish with a wave of my hand. Is there really any need for you all to be so afraid?”

“Sir, that young man is no nobody. Only those who’ve faced him know just how terrifying he is!”

“That’s right. We’ve faced him four times in a row, but we’ve been soundly defeated every single time. That young man is truly terrifying!”

Even the Duke sighed and said, “Dawson, you mustn’t underestimate him. That mainland guy is downright eerie. We’ve been defeated several times without even knowing why—it’s truly frustrating.”

Dawson gave a dismissive look and said, “Every powerful opponent has vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Some crave money, some crave women, and others are loyal to their own hearts and principles.”

“In short, there’s no such thing as a perfectly flawless person in this world. No matter how powerful an opponent is, if you strike at their weakness, you can defeat them!”

He continued, “The reason that young man strikes fear into you is that you haven’t found his weaknesses. That’s why he appears invincible in your eyes!”

“But I’m different. After studying him for some time, I’ve identified several of his weaknesses. Next, I’ll launch a full-scale attack on them. I’m curious to see just how long he can hold out!”

At these words, everyone in the conference room widened their eyes, and all eyes turned to him.

“Dawson, have you really found that mainland guy’s weaknesses? Are you truly confident you can bring him down?” the Duke asked, his voice tinged with excitement.

“Yes. Through my investigation and analysis, I’ve discovered he’s a very emotional person. His first move against the league was because you went after his friends…”

Before Dolsen could finish, the Jazz executive interrupted urgently, “Right… right, that’s exactly it!”

“Heh, for an ordinary person, being sentimental is a good thing. But for someone like him, being overly sentimental is a burden—it’s a weakness!”

Dawson continued, “Besides that, his greatest weakness is his identity!”

“Identity?”

“Right. Although his official background serves as a protective charm—preventing anyone in official circles, including the British Hong Kong government, from daring to touch him—that very charm can also turn into a death warrant!” Dolsen said coldly.

“A death warrant?”

“Exactly. We’re not the only ones at odds with them right now. There’s also the Southern Monkey, fresh off a defeat, and the restless Polar Bear. They’re seething with hatred for that red regime across the strait. Once they find out about this young man’s existence, what do you think they’ll do?”

At those words, the eyes of everyone present lit up instantly.

What a brilliant move—using others’ hands to do the killing!

They couldn’t act directly, but someone else could do the dirty work for them. As long as that young man was dead, the threat would be eliminated—and they didn’t care which faction carried out the deed.

“Dawson, are you planning to leak this information to the Southern Monkey Kingdom and the Bear Alliance?” the Duke asked, his voice tinged with excitement.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you. I don’t intend to do that—at least not for now!” Dolsen replied coolly.

“Why?”

“That guy has caused such devastating losses to the Alliance—how could we let him die so easily? Before we finish him off, we have to make him spit out every last bit of the profits he’s swallowed!” Dolsen said with a cold laugh.

“That… that’s easier said than done…”

Before Jazz could finish, Dolsen said with confidence, “I’ve already worked this out with the Governor’s Office. You’ll just have to wait for the good news!”

With that, a look of three parts confidence and seven parts smugness spread across Dolsen’s face, instilling a vague sense of hope in everyone present…

……..

PS: At 5 p.m. today, Lao Cang’s grandfather passed away. Five years ago, the old man had already brushed with death—at the time, no hospital would even admit him. After a 17-day hospital stay, he was sent home to prepare for his funeral, but later, after being administered some banned anti-inflammatory drugs, he miraculously recovered.

Later, when the pandemic hit, we thought he wouldn’t make it, but to our surprise, he remained completely healthy for over three years.

But just when we thought everything was fine, he suddenly fell ill. And the tragic news came just a few days after he was admitted to the hospital. Life is truly unpredictable!

The next morning!

In his sleep, Li Yi suddenly felt something wriggling beside him, as if something were running its hands up and down his body.

Startled, he sat bolt upright in bed!

When he saw the little bundle in front of him babbling and grinning傻笑 at him, Li Yi’s heart melted.

At the same time, he realized that he had actually been woken up by his own son.

What a commotion!

And all that commotion had woken up Jiang Xue as well.

When she opened her eyes and saw the father and son staring at each other wide-eyed, she found it utterly amusing.

She yawned first, then asked with a smile, “What are you two up to?”

Li Yi picked up his son while saying somewhat sheepishly, “I’ve gotten used to sleeping alone lately, and just now that little rascal startled me awake!”

Jiang Xue chuckled. “You’ve got some nerve saying that. Yunrui and Yunjin are both two years old (by the Chinese calendar), and you’ve only spent a few days with them. I feel like the kids and you have grown a bit distant!”

“It’s my fault. I’ll try to spend more time with them from now on. I have to be a good father—and of course, a good husband too!” Li Yi said.

“Mm-hmm, I believe you…”

Just then, their eldest sister’s voice came from outside the door: “Xiao Yi, Xiao Xue, if you’re awake, hurry out and eat breakfast—it’ll get cold otherwise!”

“Okay!”

The couple quickly got out of bed and washed up, then each carried a child downstairs.

The living room downstairs was bustling with activity; there were over a dozen people gathered there.

Apart from his older sister, his mother-in-law, and Juanzi, the rest were all special security agents dispatched from above to protect them—a total of eight people.

And today, all of these people would be accompanying him on the trip to Hong Kong.

After breakfast, Li Yi first called Zhou Rui to discuss some work matters, then made arrangements for the group to head to Hong Kong Island.

At 10:00 a.m., Li Yi and his group successfully met up with Chen Chuhong and her daughter at the Huang Mansion. The group then headed to Lotus Pier to board a ferry bound for Hong Kong Island.

Thanks to the advance arrangements made by Zhang Ziqiang, Zhou Wen, and others, coupled with their special status, Li Yi didn’t have to worry about buying tickets or having their IDs checked.

Just before 10:30, the group boarded the ferry bound for Hong Kong Island!

For Jiang Xue, the eldest sister, and the others, it was their first time riding a ferry; they were both amazed and a little uneasy.

People from the mainland long for the sea, yet at the same time suffer from a fear of the deep ocean, so they were all particularly nervous once aboard.

Fortunately, since the start of January, the typhoons had subsided, and the ferry’s journey across the water was relatively smooth.

Consequently, apart from Juanzi and his mother-in-law—who was in relatively poor health—who felt slightly seasick, everyone else was fine.

Around 11:00 a.m., the ferry finally entered the harbor on the Hong Kong Island side and docked at the pier!

Li Yi then motioned for Jiang Xue, his mother-in-law, and the others to disembark!

When everyone disembarked, they were surprised to see a luxurious motorcade already waiting for them outside the pier.

The motorcade consisted of over a dozen Mercedes-Benz vehicles, with a driver in a suit and sunglasses standing beside each one. Setting aside everything else, the sheer grandeur of the display was enough to turn heads.

Of course, the most eye-catching figures were Huang Lixing, Li Yunbao, and the others at the front of the convoy…

Jiang Xue, Ye Lingyun, and the others had never seen such a spectacle before; they were all left speechless by the scene.

As soon as Huang Lixing and the others saw them disembark from the ship, they immediately came forward to greet them warmly.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Li Yi and the others got into the car and headed straight for the Yunding Villa District…

……….

In the car, Jiang Xue held her son in her arms, but her eyes were fixed on the skyscrapers outside the window.

Everything before her left her in awe!

She had always thought Beijing was already bustling enough; she remembered being awestruck by the city’s grandeur the first time she visited.

But compared to the ancient and weathered capital, this city—a forest of steel towers reaching into the clouds—felt more vibrant, more modern, and more closely associated with words like civilization and prosperity.

“What are you looking at?”

“Is… is this what a society ruled by capitalists looks like? Why is it so different from what I imagined?” Jiang Xue frowned.

“What did you imagine Hong Kong would be like?”

“Um… In my imagination, this place should be bustling, but not as much as the capital—after all, that’s our capital city. There should be lots of factories, and ordinary workers should be working very hard. There would be plenty of cars, but none that ordinary people could afford…”

As she spoke, Jiang Xue’s voice gradually grew quieter until she fell silent.

Clearly, she realized that the city before her was completely different from the Hong Kong she had imagined—no… it was utterly unrelated!

Li Yi smiled and said, “As far as bustle goes, Beijing certainly can’t compare to Hong Kong these days, but everything else is pretty much just as you described!”

“Really?”

“Yeah, there are indeed quite a few factories here, and plenty of workers, and their lives are indeed very hard!”

Then Li Yi pointed to the steady stream of traffic outside the car window and said, “There are plenty of cars here, and many skyscrapers, but none of that has anything to do with ordinary people.”

“Most of the cars belong to the wealthy. Ordinary people have to take public buses to and from work. Most of the skyscrapers also belong to the wealthy, while most ordinary people can only live in tiny, cage-like apartments. Having a small place of ten or so square meters is already considered a blessing!”

“But I’ve heard that workers here earn a lot—a month’s pay is equivalent to several years’ income back home!” Jiang Xue said.

“They earn a lot, but they spend a lot too. Income is relative to expenses—just because you earn a lot doesn’t mean you’re necessarily living a happy life!” Li Yi said.

Although the monthly salary of an ordinary worker in Hong Kong these days is twenty or thirty times that of the mainland, when it comes to happiness, there’s simply no comparison.

In a society ruled by capitalists, ordinary people work hard for a month just to barely make ends meet—let alone think about anything else.

In contrast, although workers on the mainland don’t earn much, thirty or forty yuan a month is easily enough to support an entire family.

In terms of purchasing power, thirty yuan on the mainland is hardly any less than the 1,300 or 1,400 Hong Kong dollars here.

“Hmm, but the hustle and bustle here still amazes me!”

“Heh, you’ll get used to it after a few more visits!”

“Okay…”

After driving along the Harbor Ring Road for a while, the motorcade entered the city. After driving through the city for over half an hour, they finally arrived at the Genting Villa District.

When Jiang Xue, Ye Lingyun, and Li Mei, the eldest sister, stepped out of the car and entered the luxurious, palace-like Cloudtop No. 1, everyone was once again awestruck.

Since Old Huang had already arranged the welcome banquet, Li Yi briefly introduced Cloudtop No. 1 to Jiang Xue, his mother-in-law, and the others, then proceeded to assign rooms to everyone.

Once everyone was settled, they gathered again in the first-floor lobby and followed Huang Lixing and the others straight to Hong Kong Island’s most famous hotel, the Emperor Hotel.

However, just as Huang Lixing was hosting a welcome banquet for Li Yi and his family, news of Li Yi’s high-profile return to Hong Kong spread like wildfire.

Instantly, the news sent ripples of tension through Hong Kong Island, and the situation became increasingly unpredictable!

………

It was late at night, and it was already past ten o’clock when Li Yi emerged from his study.

After dinner that evening, once he had settled his family, the phone in his study suddenly rang.

He went to the study and answered it—it turned out to be his father-in-law calling.

So the father-in-law and son-in-law chatted for a while, and Li Yi had only just hung up.

Stepping out of the study, the entire villa was silent. Knowing everyone was already asleep, Li Yi headed toward Jiang Xue and the children’s room.

When he cautiously pushed open the door, he saw Jiang Xue sitting on the bed, holding Yun Jin in her arms and softly humming a lullaby.

On the other side of the bed, Yunrui was fast asleep, covered with a small blanket with only his little head peeking out—he looked especially adorable.

The two children were about to turn one. Not only were they beginning to babble, but they were also learning to walk, and their mischievous streak was already showing.

It was clear that Jiang Xue was finding it difficult to care for both children on her own.

“Xiao Xue…”

Li Yi was about to speak when he saw Jiang Xue make a shushing gesture toward him.

She’d finally managed to lull the excited little girl to sleep, and Jiang Xue didn’t want all her hard work to go to waste.

Whether it was because she’d seen Li Yi or due to the warm climate here in Guangzhou, the two children…

No, actually, all three of them were unusually active and excited today.

Normally, they went to bed promptly at nine o’clock every night, but today they showed no signs of sleepiness. Jiang Xue had to put in a lot of effort to get her son to sleep, while the little girl had been keeping her at it until now.

If it weren’t for waiting for Li Yi, Jiang Xue felt like the little girl would have worn her out completely!

Seeing this, Li Yi gestured to Jiang Xue, asking if he should help.

But Jiang Xue shook her head. Her little brat was particularly sensitive; even the slightest movement might wake her up.

Plus, if she woke up, she’d probably start crying, and there was a good chance she’d wake up her older brother, Yunrui, too. Jiang Xue certainly didn’t want to start all over again.

Li Yi said nothing more, but instead sat down on the edge of the bed, quietly watching his three little treasures.

After a short while, the little girl in Jiang Xue’s arms finally fell into a deep sleep, her breathing becoming steady and even.

Then, Jiang Xue gently laid her down next to her older brother Yun Rui and tucked a small blanket around her as well.

The little girl’s lips twitched slightly, and her brow furrowed ever so slightly, but she didn’t wake up!

Jiang Xue let out a huge sigh of relief, then turned to Li Yi and asked, “Who called you just now? Was it Dad?”

“Yeah, Dad went out of town today. He won’t be back for two or three days!” Li Yi replied.

“What should we do then? Should we wait here for him?”

“No need. I’ve already made arrangements with Dad. I’ll take you across the river first, and we’ll come find him when he gets back!” Li Yi said.

“That’s fine, but Mom might be a little disappointed. She’s been missing Dad back home for ages!” Jiang Xue said.

“There’s nothing we can do about that. Dad has important work to do, after all. Even if he comes back from out of town, he probably won’t have time to spend with Mom!”

His father-in-law had just told him over the phone that the situation in Hai County was extremely tricky. Located at the junction of three regions, it had always been a poor, lawless backwater—what the locals called a “no-man’s-land.”

They’d only been there an afternoon and had already uncovered numerous problems. From top-level officials down to ordinary citizens, no one was focused on their work—a classic case of “the general doesn’t set up camp, the soldiers don’t go to work.” In fact, there were hardly any people to be found in the entire county government compound.

More importantly, the smuggling problem there was extremely severe; contraband items like watches and tape recorders could be seen everywhere on the streets.

Jiang Shiying and his colleagues learned from some veteran comrades that this situation had existed for a long time. In the past two years, it had become a place where “workers didn’t work, farmers didn’t farm, and students didn’t attend classes”; every household was busy with smuggling, and rumors abounded locally of people striking it rich through smuggling.

What was truly chilling was that, despite the severity of the situation, neither the county Commission for Discipline Inspection nor the regional Party committee’s supervisory department had shown the slightest reaction—as if they were completely oblivious to it.

Similarly, the provincial disciplinary commission was oblivious to the situation, completely unaware of what was happening.

Therefore, although the investigation had only just begun, Jiang Shiying had already realized that the problems in Hai County were extremely serious, and that the individuals involved might extend far beyond the county’s borders.

He decided to stake out Hai County personally to investigate the matter and asked Li Yi to explain the situation to his wife and daughter!

Upon learning she wouldn’t be seeing her father this time, Jiang Xue was quite disappointed, but she didn’t say much.

Jiang Xue knew what her father did for a living; once he got busy, he might not have a moment to spare for two or three months, and she was used to it.

“So when are we leaving for Hong Kong?”

“Tomorrow. I have a few things to take care of back there anyway!” Li Yi said.

“Okay, I’ll leave it up to you!”

“By the way,” Jiang Xue asked again, “what’s the deal with Comrades Zhang Feng and Yang Miao? Why did they suddenly show up at my door, saying they were here to provide me with close protection? I… I’m a little nervous.”

“Haha, what’s there to be nervous about? They’re just like my own guards, Zhang and Zhou—they’re all military personnel handpicked by higher-ups to ensure our safety!” Li Yi said.

“We’re fine just as we are—why do we need protection?”

Jiang Xue continued, “You don’t understand—having people following me around all the time really makes me feel uneasy!”

“You’ll have to get used to it. After all, your status is different now!” Li Yi said with a smile.

“I’m still me—what’s so different?”

“Because now you’re not just the Jiang family’s only legitimate daughter—you’re also the wife of the country’s richest man and a co-owner of Hong Kong’s largest investment firm…”

Before Li Yi could finish, Jiang Xue said with a dazed, innocent expression, “What are you even talking about? I don’t understand a word of it.”

“Hehe, to put it simply, your husband has made something of himself. The higher-ups need him to serve the country. To prevent certain factions from lashing out in desperation, they’ve assigned some people to stay by our side and protect our safety at all times!” Li Yi explained.

“Oh my, does that mean you’re in danger?”

“Normally, no. But nothing is certain. Some factions might be so enraged that they take desperate measures and try to take me out!” Li Yi replied honestly.

Although this might worry Jiang Xue, he had already reached this position, and there were certain things she needed to know.

After all, his wife wasn’t a delicate flower in a greenhouse, nor did she want to hide under his wing forever; she wanted to fight alongside him and grow together.

Her determination was evident in her firm decision to major in accounting and her repeated insistence on managing his finances.

“But… does this really have to be you? Maybe we shouldn’t do it…”

Li Yi smiled and said, “It’s an honor when the higher-ups ask us to handle something. How could we just walk away from it?”

“As for safety, you can rest assured. Those who lack the ability can’t touch us, and those who do have the ability won’t dare to!”

Jiang Xue sighed and said, “Sigh, I know I can’t talk you out of it—you’re just a stubborn mule!”

“But you’d better remember—you’re not that reckless village ruffian with no one to keep you in line anymore. You’ve got a wife and a kid now. Think about the three of us—your wife and kids—when you’re out there doing your job!”

“Got it!”

Then Li Yi changed the subject and asked again, “By the way, why did Juanzi come along too? I don’t remember telling her to come.”

“It was my mother’s idea!”

“Your mother?”

Hearing this, Zhou Yang felt a bit puzzled. What was his mother-in-law up to?

“My mom said to bring Juanzi along—she can help us look after the kids every now and then!” Jiang Xue explained.

“With you, Mom, and me here, how could we possibly need Juanzi?”

Jiang Xue’s face flushed, and she said, “Mom said… she said that once we get to Hong Kong, we might not have time to look after the kids…”

Seeing Jiang Xue’s blushing face, Li Yi instantly understood.

It turned out his mother-in-law was worried that their brief separation would make them feel like newlyweds again, leaving them no time to care for the kids, and since she couldn’t look after both of them on her own, she’d decided to bring Juanzi along too.

You have to admit, his mother-in-law had really thought of everything!

With that in mind, Li Yi pulled Jiang Xue into his arms and whispered in her ear, “Mom really did think of everything. We can’t let her down!”

As he spoke, Li Yi’s hands began to roam all over his wife’s body…

……..

Beijing. A Certain Discipline Inspection Department (Fictional)!

Although it was already dark and government offices should have closed long ago, the lights in every office of the Discipline Inspection Department were still on, and not a single staff member had left.

No one dared breathe a word; ears were pricked, and eyes kept darting toward the conference room.

At that moment, the sound of a stern reprimand echoed from the conference room, reverberating through the entire hallway and sending a shiver down everyone’s spine.

Everyone knew that the top leader was a kind-hearted man; though he commanded respect, he rarely lost his temper.

It was especially rare—if not unheard of—for him to publicly reprimand a subordinate in such a manner.

On top of that, the department heads had specifically instructed everyone today not to leave after work, but to wait for orders.

Everyone knew something must have happened—and it was definitely a major incident!

In the conference room nearby, the atmosphere was just as tense.

The big shot in the chair stood before his seat, one hand on his hip and the other holding a handwritten letter, furiously berating the disciplinary inspection department of a certain province for its inaction:

“A mere local official actually dares to so brazenly extort bribes and demand favors, and to arbitrarily appropriate confiscated contraband—from furniture and appliances worth thousands to everyday goods—taking whatever he pleases, as if he’s turned the anti-smuggling squad’s warehouse into his own personal storage!”

“And what about the disciplinary inspection department in Guangdong Province? What on earth are they doing? No one has investigated an official causing such a terrible scandal. Letter after letter of complaints has gone unanswered, forcing our veteran comrades to write directly to the Central Committee to report the situation. Is this even acceptable…”

Faced with the big shot’s furious rebuke and interrogation, everyone else in the office kept their heads down, not daring to say a word.

Everyone knew the boss was in a rage; speaking up now would be asking for trouble.

Any comments should wait until the boss has vented his frustration!

Don’t ask why—just call it experience…

After quite a while, the boss finally finished venting his anger. His expression softened considerably, and he sat back down in his chair.

He then placed the letter in his hand on the desk and addressed the group: “You’re all aware of the situation. Let’s hear your thoughts—how should we resolve this?”

“Sir, since the matter has been brought to our attention, we can’t just ignore it. Why don’t we call Guangdong Province and ask them to send someone to investigate, to see if the claims in the letter are true…”

Before he could finish, the boss cut him off: “We can’t call Guangdong Province. They haven’t reacted at all to such a serious matter. Either there’s a mole on their side, or they’re incompetent. Whatever the reason, we can’t let them get involved in this!”

“So you mean we should send a task force down to investigate this ourselves?”

“Exactly. Send some of your best people from Department Two over there. I refuse to believe that a local official could possibly run amok…”

No sooner had the big shot finished speaking than an elderly man with snow-white hair and beard suddenly spoke up from below: “Old Chen, I’m afraid it’s too late!”

“Old Liu, what do you mean by that? What’s too late?” the boss asked in a deep voice.

“Old Chen, calm down first. The Guangdong provincial government isn’t just sitting idly by—they…”

“What do you mean? If they were actually doing their job, how would things have gotten this bad?” the boss snapped angrily.

The boss was feeling particularly frustrated today. He’d gone to the Palace for a meeting where they’d discussed nothing but good news, and he’d been in a fine mood.

But just as he was about to leave, an old comrade-in-arms with whom he’d fought the revolution for decades called him back and handed him a briefing report along with a handwritten letter.

After reading the internal briefing and the letter, he was completely stunned. It turned out that someone had reported rampant smuggling in Guangdong Province, particularly in Hai County, which had practically become a smuggling kingdom—and all of this stemmed from problems within Hai County’s leadership.

More importantly, after some local veteran cadres and comrades noticed these irregularities, they had repeatedly written to the municipal and provincial authorities to report the situation, but their efforts had failed to make a single ripple. Left with no other choice, they had been forced to bypass their superiors and report directly to higher authorities, until the whistleblower letters eventually reached the Forbidden City.

The fact that a case involving a local official bypassed the disciplinary inspection departments at the county, city, and provincial levels to land directly in his hands—doesn’t this prove that the disciplinary inspection departments at those lower levels were completely ineffective and doing nothing but collecting a paycheck?

For the big shot, this was a blatant slap in the face!

However, the elderly man who had spoken earlier showed no sign of embarrassment at the big shot’s remark. Instead, he smiled and said, “Old Chen, let me finish. What I mean is that the authorities in Guangdong Province are already investigating this matter. Even if our people went there now, it would be too late!”

“They’ve already started an investigation?” the big shot asked, frowning in disbelief.

“Heh, what a coincidence. Just this morning, Comrade Jiang from Guangdong Province called me to report on a case he intends to oversee personally—and it just so happens to be the smuggling case in Hai County!”

“Old Liu, is this true? You’ve been in discipline inspection for a long time; you should know the gravity of this matter!” the big shot said.

“Although Comrade Jiang and I are on good personal terms, there’s no need for me to cover for him over this. When he called, Comrades Yang Shaojun and Xu Qin were also in my office. If you don’t believe me, you can ask them both!”

Deputy Director Liu continued, “Besides, Young Jiang mentioned that he originally intended to report the situation to you, Old Chen, but you happened to be in a meeting. Since he needed to handle the matter urgently, he had no choice but to call me!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Office Director Yang Shaojun immediately chimed in: “Old Chen, that’s exactly what happened. After Comrade Jiang Shiying hung up, we actually discussed the matter. We felt that for the head of the provincial disciplinary commission to personally investigate such a minor case was a bit like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. We never expected you’d receive that letter that very evening!”

Then, the other leader mentioned by Deputy Director Liu spoke up to confirm that Jiang Shiying had indeed reported the matter to them that morning.

Upon hearing this, the expression on the senior official’s face at the head of the table softened slightly.

Although this didn’t prove that the disciplinary inspection department there hadn’t been negligent, it at least indicated that the provincial-level disciplinary inspection department had taken notice of the matter.

With that in mind, the big shot paused to think for a moment, then said, “In that case, let’s hand this matter over to the Guangdong Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection! Tell them to root out these parasites who are harming the people as soon as possible and give the public a proper explanation!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Inform Comrade Jiang Shiying that this case has reached the highest levels. Tell them to resolve it swiftly and decisively—no dragging their feet. No matter who is involved, they must be dealt with severely!”

“Yes…”

“Dismissed!”

As the meeting concluded, one order after another was relayed.

Immediately afterward, phones began ringing one after another at the Guangdong Provincial Government and the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection…

At the Guangdong Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, upon receiving the call from Beijing, they wasted no time and immediately reported the situation to Jiang Shiying, who was currently investigating in Hai County.

When Jiang Shiying received the call from his subordinate in the provincial capital, he instantly broke out in a cold sweat!

Fortunately, thanks to his son-in-law’s warning, the timing was perfect.

Had it been any later, it wouldn’t just be him—the entire Guangdong Provincial Discipline Inspection Department would have left a bad impression on higher-ups.

Thinking back on the information he’d learned that afternoon, if they hadn’t taken charge of this case, and if any problems were uncovered later, the consequences would be severe—he might even be dragged down as the top official.

Thinking of that audacious scoundrel, Jiang Shiying’s eyes were filled with murderous intent…

………..

Guangzhou Airport!

After a series of violent jolts, the massive airliner touched down smoothly and began taxiing down the runway.

The moment the plane touched down, Jiang Xue and her older sister Li Mei both let out a sigh of relief, and their pale complexions began to regain some color.

It was the first time either of them had flown. Not only were they nervous, but the sensation of weightlessness during takeoff and the turbulence caused by air pockets made it difficult for them to adjust.

As a result, the entire flight had been quite uncomfortable for them; the older sister had even ended up vomiting.

The children, on the other hand, were doing just fine. Not only did they not feel sick at all, but they were even more energetic than usual.

If it weren’t for the people nearby helping to watch the children, they really wouldn’t have been able to handle these little rascals.

After taxiing down the runway for a few minutes, the plane came to a gradual stop.

Once the plane had come to a complete stop, the passengers began to rise from their seats, preparing to disembark.

But just then, the in-flight announcement suddenly sounded, instructing all passengers to remain seated and stay put.

Immediately, the female officers escorting Jiang Xue and the others south stood up and led them off the plane.

Still feeling dazed, Jiang Xue and the older woman had no time to think; they simply got off the plane in a daze.

Little did they know what special treatment they were receiving!

Right next to the plane, several jeeps had been waiting for quite some time, and a soldier armed with a rifle stood beside each one.

Once Jiang Xue and the others had disembarked, they were escorted onto the vehicles, which then drove off toward the airport exit.

Only after they had departed did the captain instruct the crew to organize the other passengers to disembark.

Seeing this, the passengers on board couldn’t help but speculate: just whose family members were these women and children? The display was truly intimidating.

Unlike Jiang Xue, who was clueless, Ye Lingyun, having been raised in a prominent family, was secretly shocked by the spectacle.

With bodyguards and military police there to meet them, it was clearly not because of her own husband.

Although her husband’s rank was already quite high, he certainly wouldn’t receive such treatment—it was most likely because of her son-in-law.

The thought that her son-in-law was held in such high regard by the higher-ups—receiving treatment even better than her own father—left her somewhat astonished.

It was no wonder Ye Lingyun was so shocked; Li Yi was simply too exceptional. While there weren’t exactly a huge number of ministerial-level officials nationwide—though there were certainly a few hundred—

However, Li Yi is the only one capable of bringing in tens of billions—even hundreds of billions—in foreign exchange for the country. In that regard, Li Yi’s standing in the eyes of the top brass is indeed higher than that of his father-in-law, Jiang Shiying…

No, it was actually much higher!

The car drove from the suburbs into Yangcheng’s downtown area, and after another half hour or so in the city, it finally arrived at the provincial government compound.

Before long, it pulled up in front of Jiang Shiying’s small villa!

Inside the villa, Li Yi was busy in the kitchen.

He had originally planned to personally pick up his wife and child at the airport today, but Zhou Rui had stopped him, saying that his people would personally bring them here and telling Li Yi not to go and cause trouble.

That’s right—Zhou Rui’s exact words were “cause trouble.”

Upon learning that Li Yi intended to spearhead the formation of a Chinese-funded conglomerate in Hong Kong and bring these people to invest on the mainland, the higher-ups were delighted and once again raised Li Yi’s security clearance level.

In Zhou Rui’s words, Li Yi was now a national treasure; whenever he stepped out, the national security authorities would be on edge for ages.

Although Li Yi didn’t take this to heart, he didn’t want to put them in a difficult position, so he abandoned the idea of having them pick him up at the airport.

Since he wouldn’t be picking them up, Li Yi decided to cook a lavish dinner for Jiang Xue and the children to welcome them home.

Besides, he hadn’t seen his in-laws in quite some time, and with his mother-in-law making the rare trip over, cooking a good meal would allow everyone to enjoy a family reunion dinner.

So that afternoon, Li Yi sent someone to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy various vegetables and meats, and he also had Zhou Wen make a trip to the docks to purchase a good amount of seafood.

He spent the entire afternoon busy in the kitchen, and by a little after six, the small kitchen was already filled to the brim with cold and hot dishes.

Just as Li Yi was busy in the kitchen, Zhang Ziqiang suddenly walked in and said, “Brother Yi, your wife and the others are here!”

Hearing this, a flicker of excitement crossed Li Yi’s face. He immediately turned off the stove and strode out.

As soon as he stepped out of the kitchen, Li Yi saw that Jiang Xue, his older sister Li Mei, and his mother-in-law Ye Lingyun had already entered the living room, each holding a child in their arms.

Behind them stood not only Juanzi but also four other women with upright postures and sharp gazes—they were clearly martial artists.

As for his own wife, she was looking around restlessly, as if searching for something.

Upon seeing Li Yi, she quickly broke into a smile, a flicker of excitement passing through her eyes.

Li Yi immediately noticed the obvious change in his wife’s expression, and his heart instantly filled with joy.

They say that true happiness comes from mutual love; one-sided devotion never leads to a good outcome. Seeing the hope and passion in Jiang Xue’s eyes, Li Yi knew he had made the right choice in life.

With that thought, Li Yi smiled back at Jiang Xue.

Then, he quickened his pace, took Little Yunrui from his mother-in-law’s arms, and said, “Mom, you’ve been through a lot. Please, sit down!”

Ye Lingyun smiled and replied, “It’s fine. Comrades Zhang Feng and Yang Miao held them the whole way, so it wasn’t tiring at all!”

Li Yi knew that the “Comrades Zhang Feng and Yang Miao” his mother-in-law mentioned were the personnel dispatched by higher-ups to protect Jiang Xue and the children. He immediately nodded to these women and said, “Thank you all. From now on, I’m counting on you to keep Xue and the children safe!”

Zhang Feng, who appeared to be the team leader, immediately saluted Li Yi and said, “It’s our duty!”

Li Yi nodded and said nothing more.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Li Yi asked everyone to sit in the living room for a while, while he returned to the kitchen to continue cooking for the group.

Before he knew it, it was already past seven o’clock in the evening!

By then, Li Yi had finished preparing the meal, but his father-in-law was nowhere to be found.

Usually, his father-in-law would definitely be back by six o’clock, and if he wasn’t coming home, he’d at least call to tell Li Yi and Zhang Ziqiang to go ahead and eat.

But today was strange—not only had he not returned, but there hadn’t been a single phone call.

Li Yi immediately dialed his father-in-law’s office number, but after three consecutive calls, no one answered.

With no other choice, Li Yi dialed the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection’s office.

Although someone answered this time, when Li Yi asked when his father-in-law would be off work, the person on the other end was evasive and didn’t give a clear answer.

Seeing this, Li Yi realized his father-in-law was likely not at the office, and due to disciplinary regulations, the staff there couldn’t disclose his whereabouts—even though they were aware of their relationship.

Realizing he wouldn’t get any results, Li Yi didn’t press the staff member on the other end and simply hung up.

Since he couldn’t get in touch, Li Yi decided not to wait any longer. He immediately motioned for everyone to sit down and start eating; after all, his father-in-law was a grown man and wouldn’t go hungry.

Besides, Li Yi already had a pretty good idea of where his father-in-law was.

If his guess was correct, there was an 80% chance he’d heeded his warning and gone over to Hai County.

Thinking that the mess over there would certainly take a while to sort out, it was best not to wait.

What neither Li Yi nor Jiang Shiying knew was that while they were each busy with their own affairs, the capital was in an uproar over a single letter…

……..

Yangcheng. Provincial Government Compound!

In a small villa, Zhou Rui and his nephew, who had just finished lunch, were chatting in the living room.

Since they were the only two people in the room, Zhou Rui and Zhou Wen spoke quite casually.

Upon learning that Li Yi had not only gone to the black market today but had also spent over four thousand yuan on three household appliances, Zhou Rui was somewhat surprised.

“Wen, why would Comrade Li Yi suddenly go to the black market to buy appliances? That doesn’t really fit his character!”

Zhou Rui had specifically investigated Li Yi and knew he was a man of principle. Buying contraband shouldn’t be something he’d do—after all, legitimate imported appliances were readily available now, albeit at slightly higher prices.

Given Li Yi’s current net worth, he had absolutely no need to go to the black market just to save a thousand or two yuan.

Not to mention, the black market is a den of scoundrels—you never know who you’re dealing with.

And Li Yi is a man of great worth—there’s really no need for him to take risks over such a small sum.

Furthermore, during the investigation, Zhou Rui discovered that Li Yi had an intense dislike for the “basin chicken” from the neighboring island across the sea—so why on earth would he go out of his way to buy their appliances?

“I found it a bit hard to believe too, and I asked him if he had some other motive, but he didn’t say anything. However…”

“But what?”

“But I felt like he was deep in thought when he left this morning, and after he went over to Zhuhai Road, his mood seemed to get even heavier!” Zhou Wen said.

“Could it be that he has some opinion about the black market?”

“I’m not entirely sure, but after he finished shopping, he went to the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection. I’m not sure if he specifically mentioned this matter, though!”

“Hmm, I’ll have someone look into it. Since it involves Comrade Li Yi, we can’t afford to be careless!” Zhou Rui said.

“It’s good to look into it. He’s always been the type to think three steps ahead—maybe he really does have some thoughts on the black market after all!”

“Right!”

Zhou Rui then added, “Since no one else is here, why don’t you tell Uncle about what’s been going on over in Hong Kong?”

“Sure!”

Zhou Wen then began telling his uncle about what had happened to Li Yi in Hong Kong.

After hearing what his nephew had to say, Zhou Rui was once again stunned.

He knew that Li Yi’s investments in Hong Kong and New York were bound to be extremely dangerous, but he never imagined there were so many people out to kill him.

No wonder their people had received some more bad news; it seemed those bastards weren’t willing to accept defeat just yet…

Just as Zhou Rui was deep in thought, a commotion came from the front door.

He immediately turned and looked out the front door.

Through the window, Zhou Rui saw Li Yi walking in, flanked by Zhang Ziqiang, Yang Zhiwen, and Wu Jianjun.

Zhou Rui immediately stood up and went out to greet him, accompanied by Zhou Wen.

Upon seeing Zhou Rui, Li Yi smiled and said, “Zhou Chu, when did you get here?”

“I got here at half past ten. Banbanhaobang’s been waiting for you for quite a while!” Zhou Rui said with a smile.

“I’m really sorry to have kept you waiting!”

“No problem—I know you’re a busy man!”

Then Zhou Rui continued, “I’ve come to share some good news with you. The higher-ups have approved Comrade Jiang Xue and the others’ application to travel to Hong Kong, and they’ve arranged the next available flight to bring them to Guangzhou to meet up with you!”

“That’s great… When will Xue and the others arrive in Guangzhou?” Li Yi asked happily.

“They’re expected to arrive around six o’clock this afternoon. However, to ensure their safety, National Security has decided to assign a few female agents to accompany your wife!”

Perhaps worried that Li Yi might read too much into it, Zhou Rui immediately explained, “The higher-ups have no ulterior motives. They’re sending people to accompany them because they’re genuinely concerned for their safety.”

Li Yi looked at Zhou Rui without comment. Although his tone was sincere, he absolutely wouldn’t believe that the higher-ups had sent people over without any intention of monitoring his wife and sister.

Seeing this, Zhou Rui immediately gave a wry smile and said, “With Old Jiang vouching for Comrade Jiang Xue and the others, we really have no need for such underhanded tactics. The reason we’ve assigned female agents to follow them is mainly because our special operations department received some rather troubling news!”

“What kind of news?” Li Yi asked.

“We’ve discovered that a man named Dalson Sasson arrived in Hong Kong recently and took over from that ‘Sir,’ becoming the leader of that group of foreigners. Ever since he took charge, the foreigners across the water have started stirring up trouble again—it seems they’re hatching another plot against you!”

Zhou Rui continued, “And now you’re planning to take your wife and children over there. That’s extremely dangerous. We have to be prepared for them to do something desperate!”

Hearing this, Li Yi’s expression finally relaxed slightly.

Li Yi didn’t care what schemes those foreigners had up their sleeves. With his brother-in-law and Yan Guangming’s Divine Shield Security Company on his side, he wasn’t afraid of their petty, underhanded tactics.

What Li Yi truly cared about was the attitude of those bigwigs at the top toward him. He was willing to contribute money and effort for the country, but if even that couldn’t earn their trust, it would be truly disheartening!

“I’ve got this covered. I’ll handle it!” Li Yi said.

“Don’t underestimate your opponent. Ever since we learned of this situation, our people have been investigating this Dolsen deep within Europe. It turns out he’s not only a renowned investment genius in Europe, but he’s also backed by quite a few conglomerates. Compared to him, you’re really outnumbered…”

Before Zhou Rui could finish, Li Yi cut him off and said, “Who says I’m outnumbered? I still have some friends on Hong Kong Island!”

“I know you have a good relationship with the Li family and that Mr. Huang from the Green Dragon Society, but compared to the entire Western conglomerate, your strength is still no match for them!”

“Haha, what if we add the Ho family, the Lo family, the Bao family, the Fok family, and other Chinese clans on Hong Kong Island to the mix?”

“That might give us a fighting chance against those Westerners, but will those major families actually help you?”

“They will, because they’re currently working with me to form the Hong Kong Chinese Capital Group!” Li Yi said calmly.

“A Chinese-funded conglomerate?”

“Right. The goal is to unite Hong Kong’s Chinese families and companies, consolidate capital and resources, and stand up to those Westerners!” Li Yi said.

“Did you agree?”

“Mm-hmm!”

Li Yi then explained the plan to establish the Chinese-funded group to Zhou Rui, emphasizing the conditions he had proposed.

After listening to Li Yi’s account, Zhou Rui said excitedly, “This is absolutely fantastic news for the country! With this Huazi Group in place, we’ll have far fewer concerns when negotiating with the British side!”

“Furthermore, if those Hong Kong businessmen come to invest in the mainland, it will be of great benefit to the domestic economy. I’ll report this matter to the higher-ups as soon as possible…”

“Director Zhou, whether or not you report this is up to you. I’m just telling you this to make it clear: those foreigners won’t be able to use underhanded tactics to pressure me—unless they deploy the regular troops under the British Hong Kong government!” Li Yi said.

“Haha, rest assured—they don’t have the guts to do that!”

Zhou Rui continued, “Besides, there aren’t any regular troops left on Hong Kong Island. Ever since we issued our warning, all that’s left over there are just ordinary police officers!”

“Then they’ll have even less chance of getting the better of me!” Li Yi said.

“Yeah, but we can’t let our guard down. Those Westerners usually look all sharp in their suits and act like total gentlemen, but if they get cornered, they’re capable of anything!” Zhou Rui said.

“Got it, I’ll be careful!” Li Yi said.

“By the way, what made you decide to buy appliances on the black market? That’s not like you at all!” Zhou Rui said.

Li Yi hadn’t intended to discuss this with him, but then he remembered that Zhou Rui worked for State Security—their intelligence-gathering and investigative capabilities were far beyond what his father-in-law’s Discipline Inspection Commission could match.

With that in mind, Li Yi suddenly said, “Chief Zhou, could you do me a favor?”

“What kind of favor?”

“Help me track down someone!”

“Who?”

Li Yi immediately whispered a name into his ear!

Zhou Rui’s expression changed, and he said with some surprise, “He’s just a nobody—why are you looking into him?”

“He may be a nobody, but he could be the key to cracking this case. You’d better look into him for me!” Li Yi said.

“Alright, give me three days!” Zhou Rui said.

“I can’t wait that long. It’d be best to have a result by tomorrow afternoon. I’m confident you can pull it off with your capabilities!” Li Yi said.

“We’ll do our best!”

“Alright…”

…………

After leaving the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, Li Yi felt somewhat heavy-hearted.

The reason he had gone to the black market today, bought home appliances, and even made a special trip here to speak with his father-in-law wasn’t because he was idle, but because he didn’t want his father-in-law to be caught in the crossfire when the higher-ups came down hard.

Admittedly, given Jiang Shiying’s current position, it would be difficult for ordinary matters to affect him.

But this matter was different, because the impending incident was being dubbed the “First Case of Anti-Corruption Since Reform and Opening-Up,” and its impact would be immense.

Since the higher-ups intended to use this to establish their authority and intimidate the petty criminals, the number of people affected was indeed considerable. While it wouldn’t be accurate to say heads were rolling, there were certainly quite a few who would lose their official positions.

Furthermore, there was indeed a mole within the Guangdong Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection involved in this case. One misstep could drag his father-in-law into the scandal—something Li Yi was determined to avoid.

However, Li Yi was quite confident that with his own warning, coupled with his father-in-law’s years of political experience and skill, they would surely be able to turn danger into safety.

So, after leaving the Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection, Li Yi composed himself and had Zhang Ziqiang drive straight to the Huang residence.

Upon learning that Li Yi had arrived, Chen Chuhong was overjoyed and immediately came out to greet him with her daughter, Xiao Min.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the group made their way to the living room of the Huang residence.

When Li Yi told her that the purpose of his visit was to take her and her daughter back to Hong Kong Island, Chen Chuhong felt particularly happy, even a little excited.

Although her husband hadn’t said so explicitly, Chen Chuhong knew that while her stay in Guangzhou was due to the unstable situation on Hong Kong Island, it also served the purpose of using her as a hostage.

As for whose hostage she was to be, Chen Chuhong knew full well.

Now that her husband was asking her to return to Hong Kong—and had specifically asked Li Yi to escort her back—

This not only indicated that the crisis on Hong Kong Island had been resolved, but also that her husband had gained the approval of certain factions on the mainland; otherwise, they would never have let her and her daughter leave so easily.

After calming her excitement for a moment, Chen Chuhong asked, “Brother Yi, when do we leave?”

“It’s not set yet. I have to wait for Xiao Xue and the kids to arrive in Guangzhou, and then we’ll head to Hong Kong together!” Li Yi replied.

Chen Chuhong immediately replied with delight, “Are Little Xue, Yunrui, and Yunjin coming to Hong Kong too?”

“Yeah, since Xiao Xue is on break, I want to take her around Hong Kong. When we get there, you’ll have to show her the sights too!” Li Yi said.

“Of course…”

Just then, the sound of a car engine roared outside the Huang Mansion’s front gate, and a young man hurriedly walked in.

Upon seeing Li Yi in the living room, the young man exclaimed excitedly, “Mr. Li, it really is you!”

This was the second time Li Yi had met Chen Chuying. Seeing the look of excitement on his face, Li Yi was actually a bit taken aback.

What was wrong with this kid? Why did he act like he was meeting a celebrity? That level of fervor reminded Li Yi of a particular group—die-hard fans!

Li Yi had no idea that Chen Chuying truly regarded him as an idol.

Seeing the awkwardness on Li Yi’s face, Chen Chuhong hurriedly said, “Aying, you’re in your twenties now—can’t you act a little more mature?”

“Big Sis, I’m just so happy. I finally get to see Mr. Li again. I…”

Before her brother could finish, Chen Chuhong cut him off: “You’ve finished your business up north. From now on, you’ll be staying in Hong Kong Island, so you’ll have plenty of chances to see Brother Yi.”

“We’re heading back to Hong Kong Island soon. Help your sister pack up—we can talk about this later!”

Just then, Li Yi suddenly spoke up: “Sis-in-law, no need to rush with the packing. I have a few things I’d like to ask Chu Ying—would that be okay?”

“Of course… of course!” Chen Chuying replied eagerly.

“I know Old Huang entrusted you with the school construction project. I’m wondering how things are going—have those schools been built yet?” Li Yi asked.

“Not yet!”

Chen Chuying then explained, “According to the original plan, we intended to invest 5 million yuan to build 100 schools, including 79 elementary schools and 21 junior high schools. If we had followed that plan, the project would have been completed long ago.”

“But now the situation has changed significantly, which has caused the project to be delayed time and again, to the point where more than thirty schools still remain unfinished…”

Before Chen Chuying could finish, Li Yi cut in and asked, “What happened? Why has the project been delayed for so long?”

Chen Chuying smiled and said, “It’s nothing much. My brother-in-law just got a wild idea last August and allocated an additional 10 million yuan. Not only did he want me to build another 100 schools, but he also insisted that all the previously completed ones be upgraded—equipping them with libraries, dormitories, cafeterias, and concrete playgrounds.”

“Because of that, a lot of the projects that were already finished had to be redone, which is why they still aren’t finished even now!”

After hearing his explanation, Li Yi felt both surprised and touched.

Thinking back, last August was exactly when he and Old Huang had pulled off their epic sweep of the Hong Kong stock market—a move that netted Old Huang a staggering 1.5 billion Hong Kong dollars.

It must have been after making that money that he increased his donation—and yet he hadn’t had a clue about it.

He immediately turned his gaze to Chen Chuhong beside him.

Chen Chuhong naturally understood what Li Yi meant and immediately explained, “He says building schools is a way for me and Xiaomin to accumulate merit. Since we have the means, we should accumulate as much as possible.”

Li Yi nodded, glanced at the little girl taking her first tentative steps in the stroller nearby, and said, “That’s wonderful. With your acts of kindness, the little girl’s future path is sure to be exceptionally smooth!”

Hearing this, Chen Chuhong’s eyes lit up.

She knew what Li Yi was capable of. Since he’d said that, it meant her precious daughter shouldn’t face any major setbacks in her life.

“Brother Yi, Xiao Min will grow up smoothly, right?” Chen Chuhong asked.

“She will!”

Li Yi’s words were like a soothing balm, bringing Chen Chuhong great peace of mind.

In the past, Chen Chuhong had been ambitious and cunning; she had fought her way up from a girl from a poor family to become Huang Lixing’s publicly acknowledged partner—the woman of the boss.

But ever since her daughter was born, her mind had cleared of all those schemes; her only hope was that her daughter would grow up safe and sound.

For ordinary people, this wish might seem commonplace and easy to fulfill.

But for Chen Chuhong, it was no easy feat, because the child’s father was Huang Lixing—a man who moved in criminal circles.

Chen Chuhong knew all too well just how dangerous the triads in Hong Kong were; it was no exaggeration to say they lived with their heads on the line.

Even a triad boss could end up as a corpse in a sewer any day—such incidents happen almost daily on Hong Kong Island.

Once a triad boss is gone, his family is the first to suffer. After all, the low-level thugs have the chance to switch allegiances to a new kingpin, but they do not.

So Chen Chuhong was truly worried that one day, if Huang Lixing were found dead on the street, she and her daughter would become targets of revenge.

But with Li Yi’s definitive prediction, Chen Chuhong’s doubts vanished.

What she didn’t realize was that the Huang family’s standing on Hong Kong Island had undergone a complete transformation. Even relying solely on Old Huang’s influence on the island, few would dare to touch him.

Li Yi knew what Chen Chuhong was worried about, but he didn’t say much. After all, he’d be leaving soon—he’d let Old Huang explain these matters to her himself!

Afterward, Li Yi chatted with the Chen siblings for a while longer. It wasn’t until they had finished lunch that Chen Chuhong let him go.

What Li Yi didn’t know, however, was that over at the provincial government compound, Zhou Rui, a top official from State Security, had been waiting for him all morning.

At the same time, he was unaware that, due to his sudden intervention, the political waters of Guangdong Province were still churning with undercurrents, and the situation had become increasingly unpredictable…

……….