"I'm not hurt." Ye Xingchen forced a smile and took a deep breath: "It feels so good to be protected."
"From the first moment I saw you, I felt a sense of closeness to you, and it was only right that I protected you." Xia Jingyi finally breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Ye Xingchen was alright.
She then became somewhat angry: "You don't need to worry about the An family's affairs. From now on, I will protect you and your company. No one can mess with you."
"Thank you, Aunt Xia. Why are you so kind to me?" Ye Xingchen had many words stuck in her throat.
Even though the person in front of him was his closest relative, he couldn't just recognize him.
Although he didn't know exactly what happened back then, he knew that it involved far too many things.
Why would his own grandfather, the head of the Ye family, prevent his father and mother from being together?
Why did he send him away after he was born? Was it just to stop his parents from getting married? He couldn't believe there were such heartless people in the world.
Since he did this, there must be a reason.
My father was on a campaign in the southwest when he was betrayed and assassinated in Jinluo City. His fate was sealed on the southwestern border, and his body was even hung on the city gate as a form of protest.
Who plotted against him? Who betrayed him? All grudges must be avenged, but he is not yet powerful enough to control everything.
So even if he saw his biological mother in front of him, he could only pretend not to know.
"I don't know, I just feel a closeness to you, and you... have his shadow in you." A look of pain crossed Xia Jingyi's face as she murmured...
"Ye Jinyu, twenty-five years ago you told me that loyalty and filial piety cannot coexist, so you can't take me away to a distant place, and you can't give me the life I want."
"So you chose to conquer Jinluo City, the most difficult city in the southwest, and you died in that battle. The three thousand Red Feather Army soldiers lost their souls. If you could do it all over again, would you still make the same choice? Would you still abandon me and that child you never met?"
Two lines of clear tears slowly slid down Xia Jingyi's face. At this moment, she shed all her pretense.
As a woman, she navigated the political arena with ease, rising rapidly through the ranks, reaching the pinnacle of power in twenty years through her abilities and various political achievements.
But she was ultimately just a woman, and when she encountered difficulties, she could only bear them on her own, because the man she loved most was no longer alive.
The world only knows that she is exceptionally capable, has a strong hand, and is eloquent in dealing with outsiders, attracting talent and injecting fresh blood into many fields in China.
But who knows how lonely and helpless she was when she was all alone?
Suddenly, a strong and firm hand grasped hers, and her body trembled slightly. The hand was warm.
“Aunt Xia, your illness is caused by worry and distress, so please don’t get too emotional. I’m here for you.” Ye Xingchen held her mother’s hand tightly.
He didn't know how to express his feelings, but he felt that his mother had been living alone for so many years, and she must have had a very hard life.
Xia Jingyi suddenly raised her head and stared blankly at Ye Xingchen. Ye Jinyu had said the same thing to her before.
And now Ye Xingchen is holding her hand and telling her that he is here for her. Everything feels so familiar, just like that afternoon twenty-five years ago.
"Ms. Xia, we have an important meeting this afternoon," Su Ruochu whispered, reminding her, "The other party is a foreign guest."
"Oh, I almost forgot." Xia Jingyi then realized that, given her position, she couldn't show her personal feelings.
Because of her high position and great power, her every move, even her emotions, represented the image of the country.
"I'm sorry, I lost my composure just now." Xia Jingyi quickly wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. "I didn't come here for anything else, I just wanted to see you."
"Don't worry, with me here, no one can bully you."
"Thank you, Aunt Xia." Ye Xingchen nodded. "I can protect myself."
"I believe in you, but as an elder, I also want to do my part for you. I don't mean anything by it; it's just out of concern for you." Xia Jingyi looked at Ye Xingchen with some affection: "If my child were with me, he would be about the same age as you, right?"
Ye Xingchen almost burst into tears. He turned his head to the side so she wouldn't see his expression: "Aunt Xia, one day, your child will come back to you."
Xia Jingyi nodded heavily. She had never given up searching for her child, and she believed that day would surely come.
"By the way, Aunt Xia, I've heard of Ye Jinyu. He's a war god, becoming a general at a young age. Although that guy from Jinluo City has a fearsome reputation, he's definitely no match for him. What exactly happened back then?" Ye Xingchen asked.
“He was betrayed and fell into the enemy’s trap. The person who betrayed him was most likely someone he trusted deeply in the Red Feather Army.” Xia Jingyi said, “I have been secretly investigating this matter for years.”
"Moreover, since his incident, the Akabane Army has been leaderless, because his Akabane Army only recognizes him and no one else."
"The truth will eventually come to light." Ye Xingchen nodded slightly.
"Ms. Xia, the other party has changed their schedule and wants us to meet at the Yingbin Hotel in an hour to discuss patent licensing," Su Ruochu said after receiving a phone call.
"Why are they in such a hurry to change their itinerary? What are they trying to do?" Xia Jingyi frowned slightly.
A technology company from country M, which owns dozens of patents, came to Tianjin Tianhai to discuss this matter.
These patents are crucial for the development of certain sectors in China, so we must acquire them.
“I don’t know. This time, Zhanke Group sent Richard Ralph, the president of its Asia region. He’s notoriously cunning and treacherous, and he might ask for an exorbitant amount this time,” Su Ruochu said.
"Let's go see him first." Xia Jingyi sighed. She had originally wanted to chat with Ye Xingchen a little longer, but now it seemed there wasn't enough time.
"Aunt Xia, let me take you there," Ye Xingchen said.
“Okay, come with me. He’s the head of the Asian region for the Zhanke Group. Although it’s not related to your business, I believe your company will go international sooner or later. It’s good to make some connections early on,” Xia Jingyi said after thinking for a moment.
"Okay, thank you, Aunt Xia." Ye Xingchen nodded. "I'll take you there now."
Welcome Hotel.
This place was a hotel used by Tianhai to attract investment in the early years, and it was also frequently used to entertain foreign guests. It was a very high-standard hotel.
Richard was a burly foreigner with a bald head and shrewd, cunning eyes.
“Mr. Richard, we have already drafted a preliminary contract, and we can accept minor changes, but the demands you have made this time have almost overturned everything we have discussed before.”
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