Chapter 105 The Timid Him (Seventeen) I'm Proud to Have My Motherland by My Side…

"Xiao Ce, you've finally arrived! These past few days, Mom hasn't been eating or sleeping well, and I've been longing to see you." Inside the MR coffee shop, Chen Mei, who had been sitting, suddenly stood up and excitedly greeted Song Ce as he entered.

"Mom." Song Ce nodded slightly, pulled out a chair, and sat down opposite Chen Mei.

Despite Liu Junzhou's warnings about the potential risks of going out, Song Ce still submitted a report requesting permission to leave. After much communication, his superiors finally approved his application. After all, the technology he had developed was sufficient to ensure his own safety.

“Xiao Ce, ever since you came to Beijing to study at university, Mom has been thinking about you constantly. A few days ago, I heard that your dad also came to Beijing, so Mom quickly bought a train ticket and came over. You... won't blame Mom, will you?” Chen Mei’s eyes glistened with tears as she spoke, reaching out to try and take Song Ce’s hand.

Song Ce sensed Chen Mei's intention and subtly turned slightly to avoid her touch. His expression remained calm as he said indifferently, "Mom, just say what you have to say."

Upon hearing this, Chen Mei's eager smile froze instantly. Her left hand unconsciously tightened around the hem of her clothes, and she asked, feigning ignorance, "Xiao Ce, what are you saying? Mom just missed you, so she came all this way to see you. There's no other meaning behind it."

Song Ce frowned slightly and asked softly, "Is that so?"

“Of course!” Chen Mei answered without hesitation.

Upon hearing this, Song Ce suddenly smiled, took out a black card from his pocket, and handed it to Chen Mei. "Mom, this is the salary I earned from my part-time job this year. It's a small token of my appreciation for you."

Chen Mei bit her lower lip and hesitated for a while before saying in a low voice, "Xiao Ce, prices are so high in Beijing, you should keep this money for yourself."

Despite saying that, her eyes remained fixed on the black card, unable to look away for a moment. It wasn't until she heard Song Ce cough softly that Chen Mei's eyes instantly reddened, and her voice choked with emotion: "As long as Xiao Ce is doing well and is safe and sound, I'll be content."

“Since that’s the case…” Song Ce paused, making a gesture as if to take back the card.

Seeing this, Chen Mei became anxious and quickly reached for the black card, stammering, "Since you've said so, then Mom will keep it for you for now. When you get married in the future, Mom will add some money and give it to you together."

"Okay." Song Ce sighed softly upon hearing this, and when he looked up again, his eyes were calm and expressionless.

Chen Mei carefully placed the black card into her handbag. She watched as Song Ce took a sip of his coffee, his eyes flashing, and stammered, "Xiao Ce, is the PIN for this card... your birthday?"

"No, the password is your birthday," Song Ce said calmly.

"Is...is that so?" Chen Mei was taken aback, her hands on her knees unconsciously clenching and unclenching.

After a while, Chen Mei asked casually, "Xiao Ce, what kind of part-time job have you been doing lately? Have you made any new friends at school?"

Song Ce: "No."

"You're still in school. Are university students allowed to work part-time?" Chen Mei couldn't help but ask.

Song Ce nodded, "Permission granted."

"That's quite humane," Chen Mei reluctantly chimed in, her gaze unconsciously drifting to the small red dot flashing in the distance.

"Ask him what specific research projects he's working for in China's secret service?" The urgent voice of the woman in red came from the pair of large pearl earrings on Chen Mei's earlobes.

“Xiao Ce, Mom watched the science and technology innovation competition you participated in. You beat so many contestants! I knew it, my Xiao Ce is the best! I wonder if you’ve been researching anything fun or new lately?” Chen Mei’s eyes darkened, and her smile seemed a little exaggerated, as if she was deliberately hiding something.

"Mom, how did you find out about this competition?" Song Ce asked with a faint smile.

"Mom... I heard it from the neighbors. They all praised me for raising such a successful son!" Chen Mei forced a smile and said guiltily.

"Oh, I see! I didn't expect Aunt Sun and Uncle Wu to be so knowledgeable at their age!" As he said this, Song Ce looked down at the warm coffee in front of him and took another sip.

Chen Mei watched as Song Ce drank the coffee she had ordered without any suspicion, and couldn't help but force a stiff smile, saying guiltily, "Xiao Ce, do you think you would forgive your mother if she did something wrong?"

Song Ce felt a chill in his heart, but his expression remained calm. He looked directly into Chen Mei's eyes and said coldly, "No."

Chen Mei bit her lip, her eyes reddening as she pleaded, "Xiao Ce, you're my only child. Please help me this time..." Before she could finish speaking, Song Ce across from her shook his head, then slumped onto the table, falling unconscious.

At that moment, the woman in red's voice, praising Chen Mei, came from her pearl earring: "Well done."

Chen Mei helped Song Ce out of the coffee shop. Just as they stepped out, a black sedan slowly approached. She paused, instinctively glancing at Song Ce, who was already unconscious from the drugs, a flicker of struggle in her eyes.

After the black car came to a stop, the driver's side window rolled down, revealing a man wearing sunglasses, and the woman in red was in the passenger seat.

The woman in red lingered on Song Ce's face for a moment, then nodded slightly. Two burly men got out of the car and shoved Song Ce into the back seat.

The black car drove for about an hour before gradually slowing down. Then, Chen Mei heard the sound of the handbrake being pulled, indicating that they had arrived at their destination.

The woman in red wore a cold smile. She stepped forward and removed the black blindfold from Chen Mei's eyes, saying with a smile, "Ms. Chen Mei, you've done a great job. As long as you continue to cooperate in the future, we will not shortchange you on any of the benefits we promised you before."

Chen Mei stared at her unconscious son, opening her mouth as if to say something, but her throat felt like it was tightly blocked by a wad of cotton, and she couldn't utter a single word.

Immediately afterwards, Song Ce was lifted out of the car by the two burly men and walked straight toward a villa not far away.

After the group entered the villa, Chen Mei found that the house was filled with an old and rotten smell, the furniture was broken, and the walls were peeling, as if it had been abandoned for a long time.

The woman in red gestured for the two to put Song Ce down. She slowly walked to Song Ce's side, lowered her eyes to carefully examine the unconscious Song Ce, and a greedy glint flashed in her eyes. "This is a treasure. As long as he is willing to cooperate, our Tianzhao Empire's plan can proceed smoothly."

"Plan? What plan?" Chen Mei mustered her courage and asked in a trembling voice.

The woman in red glanced at her disdainfully and warned, "Ms. Chen Mei, you just need to do what you're supposed to do. Don't ask questions you shouldn't ask." After saying this, she gestured to the man wearing sunglasses next to her and sneered, "Takahashi, wake him up."

"Yes, Miss Rika."

The man wearing sunglasses responded respectfully, then took out a handkerchief from his pocket and covered Song Ce's mouth and nose. Not long after, Song Ce's fingers twitched, and his consciousness gradually returned.

“Mr. Song Ce, I have long admired your name.” Li Jia knelt down and personally untied the ropes binding Song Ce.

Song Ce opened his eyes and slowly raised them. He looked at the group of strangers in front of him, then at Chen Mei, who had her back to him, and asked in a low voice, "Why?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Mei stiffened, her nails digging deep into her palms, and she dared not turn around to meet Song Ce's gaze.

Li Jia's lips curled into a mocking smile as she chuckled, "Mr. Song Ce, don't be in such a hurry to ask why. Once you understand our sincerity, you'll surely be happy to cooperate with us." With that, she winked at Gao Qiao.

Takahashi understood and took out a stack of documents from a box next to him, handing them to Song Ce.

"Mr. Song, this is our analysis report on the Yi Ying robot dog we researched. We must say, you are a true treasure. Your achievements in the field of science and technology are something our Tianzhao Empire greatly admires. As long as you are willing to share the Yi Ying robot dog and the results of your recent research with us, wealth, status, and beautiful women—whatever you desire, our Tianzhao Empire can satisfy you."

Song Ce glanced at the documents and smiled faintly, "Do you think I would betray my country for these things?"

Li Jia was not angry after hearing this. Instead, she said slowly, "Mr. Song Ce, your mother is also in our hands now. Can you bear to see her suffer because of your mistakes?"

Hearing this, Chen Mei trembled. She slowly turned around, tears streaming down her face, and looked at Song Ce. "Xiao Ce, Mom... Mom didn't mean it. They forced me. They... They threatened me..."

“Your mother is right. We threatened her. We used a whole box of Y coins before she agreed to work for us!” Li Jia covered her mouth and giggled, mercilessly exposing Chen Mei’s lie.

"I...I did all this for you! Xiao Ce!" Chen Mei said stubbornly, her eyes red.

"For me? You're doing this for yourself, aren't you?" Song Ce's voice was very calm, and he didn't even look at Chen Mei.

Chen Mei's expression changed when her son exposed her true feelings. She became furious and said, "Xiao Ce! How can you talk to your mother like that?"

Upon hearing this, Rika waved her hand impatiently, and Takahashi immediately instructed the two burly men to gag Chen Mei. Chen Mei struggled, making muffled noises.

“Mr. Song Ce, let’s cut to the chase. I’d like to know your answer,” Li Jia said earnestly, her eyes fixed on Song Ce.

Just then, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the villa.

Li Jia's expression changed. She hadn't expected the people who rescued Song Ce to arrive so quickly, but this also made her realize their value even more. She immediately drew her sidearm from her waist, intending to take Song Ce hostage, but unexpectedly, the young man in front of her smiled coldly, and a pair of silver-gray metal wings stretched out from his back, slowly lifting him into the air.

"What...what is this??" Takahashi stared wide-eyed at Rika, who was equally stunned, and asked in surprise.

"Takahashi! If he cannot be used by our Amaterasu Empire, then please kill him!" Rika took a step back and shouted at Takahashi in a shrill voice.

Takahashi and the two burly men shouted in agreement and immediately opened fire in Song Ce's direction. Unexpectedly, a semi-transparent blue-purple light shield suddenly appeared in front of Song Ce, blocking all their bullets!

As the bullets clattered and fell to the ground, Rika nearly went mad, hysterically roaring, "Damn it, what the hell is this?!"

“This…this looks like an energy shield from a science fiction movie about our Amaterasu Empire!” one of the burly men said incredulously.

He had barely finished speaking when several squads of fully armed Chinese soldiers, standing at attention, stormed into the villa. Li Jia and the others frantically raised their guns, attempting a desperate resistance. Unexpectedly, the instant they fired, a semi-transparent light shield, identical to Song Ce's, appeared in front of the Chinese soldiers!

The light shield steadily protected the Chinese soldiers, blocking the enemy's bullets one by one.

Chen Mei, standing to the side, was already stunned by the series of unexpected events unfolding before her. It wasn't until two stern-faced policemen strode up to her, deftly pulled out silver handcuffs, and cuffed her with a "click" that she finally understood.

"What...what are you doing?" Chen Mei asked, her face pale, as if waking from a dream.

"Ms. Chen Mei, you are suspected of accepting recruitment from an espionage organization and attempting to persecute our country's scientific researchers. Please come with us!"

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Author's note: I've gotten so tired of doing experiments [smiley face]

Thank you so much for the comment and the nutrient solution, little angel! (kneeling on my knees!!) [Let me see...]