302: Returning to China

Jiang Chen glanced up and caught sight of Cold Front and Li Zha about to lead their team members out of the private room to stand guard. He set down the teacup he had been toying with and said calmly, "Li Zha, Cold Front, bring the brothers over and sit down to eat. With them here, there won't be any accidents."

As he spoke, he gestured toward the tall, fully armed soldiers outside the courtyard, whose gazes were scanning the surroundings vigilantly, keeping the restaurant firmly within a safe perimeter.

Cold Front paused, just about to refuse, but Li Zha was quick-witted and grabbed his arm, giving a slight nod to Jiang Chen and replying in a deep voice, "Yes, Chairman Jiang."

Before the words had even faded, Li Zha pulled Cold Front toward the empty seats at the table without further ado. Seeing this, the members of the Panshi Squad exchanged glances for a moment before following suit, finding seats and letting their tense shoulders relax slightly.

Cold Front was pressed down onto the cushion, his brows furrowing imperceptibly, though he said nothing more. As soon as he was seated, a maid in a kimono walked over with a tray and handed him a cup of warm matcha.

He reached out to take it, his gaze falling upon the dry landscape garden outside the window, where the white sand was like frost and the strange rocks were jagged. The faint rustle of wind passing through pine branches drifted in, causing the gloom in his eyes to deepen.

The maids moved with light steps, serving dish after dish of kaiseki cuisine onto the table. The celadon plates and bowls were arranged artfully; the sashimi was thin as a cicada's wing, the wagyu beef was grilled to a slight char on the outside while the inside still gleamed with a pink, tender luster, and the steam from the miso soup wafted with the savory aroma of kombu.

Li Zha was the first to pick up his chopsticks, popping a piece of grilled salmon belly into his mouth with a satisfied sigh. He turned and scolded the team member beside him with a smile, "What are you staring at? It's not often we get to mooch a meal off Chairman Jiang, don't stand on ceremony."

The team members relaxed, picking up their cutlery. Their movements still retained a soldier's crisp efficiency, but with less tension. Someone picked up a piece of tempura, the crispy batter giving way to the tender, bouncy shrimp inside; another scooped up a spoonful of chawanmushi, the smooth, delicate egg custard melting in the mouth, mingled with the freshness of shiitake mushrooms and crab meat.

Jiang Chen leisurely stirred the rice in his bowl with his chopsticks, occasionally picking up some greens, his gaze sweeping calmly over everyone at the table.

He didn't say much, only curling his lips imperceptibly when a team member mentioned how hard it was to swallow the compressed biscuits.

Before long, Jiang Chen set down his chopsticks, picked up a wet wipe to clean his fingertips, and glanced at his wristwatch, saying calmly, "Are you all finished? Let's leave once you've eaten."

As soon as he spoke, everyone at the table stood up in unison, without the slightest hesitation.

Li Zha was the first to pick up his tactical backpack leaning against the chair, giving the team members a look. Everyone immediately formed up in tacit understanding; the Panshi Squad members stiffened their backs again, the relaxed atmosphere vanishing instantly, replaced by a lethal, crisp efficiency.

Cold Front placed his empty matcha cup back on the table, his fingertips giving it a light spin at the base. His gaze swept over the motionless soldiers in the courtyard, and as he turned, the hem of his black trench coat traced a cold, sharp arc.

The motorcade outside the restaurant was already waiting, engines rumbling in a low hum. The Group filed into the vehicles, and the doors slammed shut, sealing off the warm light of the restaurant and the tranquility of the dry landscape garden behind them.

The motorcade sped off, tires rolling over the bluestone road, kicking up scattered fallen leaves as they drove rapidly toward the airport.

When they arrived at the airport, the night had already blanketed the skyline. The Gulfstream G700, emblazoned with the Xinghe Group logo, sat silently on the runway, its fuselage gleaming with a cold luster under the lights.

There was no unnecessary small talk, nor was there any tedious boarding process. Jiang Chen stepped onto the gangway first, followed closely by Cold Front and Li Zha on either side, with the team members following in an orderly fashion. The sound of the boarding stairs retracting was crisp and decisive.

A moment later, the private jet roared as it soared into the night sky, piercing through the clouds and flying rapidly toward the homeland.

Outside the porthole, the city lights gradually shrank into tiny, fragmented specks, finally swallowed by the boundless darkness.

Inside the cabin, Jiang Chen leaned back in his seat, eyes closed to rest. Cold Front and Li Zha sat not far away, while the rest of the Panshi Squad members sat down and started playing poker.

As for He Xiaomi and Lily, Jiang Chen had them go to the bedroom at the back of the plane to rest.

That kid Jiang Yan took out the tablet that had been on the plane and started binge-watching a show.

Jiang Chen's gaze rested on the vast night outside the porthole, and after a glance, he closed his eyes to rest.

The flight distance from Tokyo to Shenzhen was neither far nor short. A few hours later, the cabin announcement chimed, and the pilot's voice came through: "Dear guests, we are about to arrive at the domestic airport, please prepare for landing."

As the announcement ended, everyone in the cabin instantly became excited.

Jiang Yan jumped straight up from the sofa: "We're finally here! We're finally going home!"

He Xiaomi and Lily also walked out from the bedroom, both with excited smiles on their faces, though their eyes brimmed slightly with tears at the thought of the near-disaster they had faced in South Africa.

The members of the Panshi Squad also set aside their poker cards, their faces full of longing.

Cold Front looked out the window at the land becoming clearer and clearer, a ripple appearing in the depths of his eyes.

Finally, they were home.

The plane landed slowly, coming to a smooth stop on the runway.

The cabin door opened, and a familiar air rushed in, carrying the scent of home.

Everyone walked off the plane one after another. Familiar airport architecture, familiar Chinese signs, and ground staff in uniforms speaking fluent Chinese came into view.

"Woohoo, home at last!" Jiang Yan couldn't help but shout, his voice filled with excitement. This trip abroad had given him an understanding of the chaos outside.

Seeing the familiar scene, He Xiaomi and Lily couldn't help but be slightly stunned.

Jiang Chen looked at the scene before him, a gentle smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

He was back.

The motorcade drove steadily along the familiar city roads, neon lights flickering outside the windows, and the evening breeze rushed in, carrying the city's unique, bustling atmosphere.

Jiang Chen sat in that cadillac escalade. His gaze swept over the slightly exhausted He Xiaomi and Lily in the back row, and he suddenly spoke: "I'll drop you two off first. After all this trouble, it's time to get some proper rest."

He Xiaomi was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then nodded softly, "Okay, thank you for the trouble."

Lily also nodded, her body, which had been tense the entire way, finally relaxing completely. Her tone was gentle, "Thank you, Chairman Jiang, for the trouble."

Jiang Chen nodded calmly and instructed Li Zha in the front row: "Go to He Xiaomi's residential complex first."

"Yes." Li Zha knew where He Xiaomi lived. After acknowledging, he directed the lead car to start driving toward He Xiaomi's place.

As it was late at night, there wasn't much traffic, and they soon arrived at the complex.

The night was ink-black, and the complex was quiet, with only the streetlights casting circles of warm yellow light. The motorcade stopped steadily at the entrance of the building. Li Zha was the first to push the door open and get out, walking around to the back seat to respectfully open the door.

Jiang Chen followed, getting out of the car. The evening breeze stirred his coat hem, bringing a crisp, clean scent.

He Xiaomi clutched the corner of her shirt, her steps pausing at the car door as she looked up at Jiang Chen standing under the streetlamp.

Her mind was churning with countless words—his stepping forward when they were in danger in South Africa, the brief moment of peace in the Tokyo restaurant, and every little detail along the journey back home. A thousand thoughts clogged her throat, but in the end, it only turned into a casual, "You can drop us off here; we can go up ourselves."

Lily also chimed in, her voice tinged with fatigue, "That's right, Chairman Jiang, you should go back and rest early as well."

Jiang Chen looked at the unspoken words hidden in the depths of He Xiaomi's eyes. His gaze flickered slightly, and he sighed softly.

He took a step forward, his voice low and gentle, yet carrying an unmistakable earnestness: "Xiaomi, have you ever thought about finding a new job?"

He Xiaomi shuddered, as if scalded by the words. She jerked her head up, her eyes full of shock, and even her hand clutching her shirt tightened involuntarily.

Jiang Chen didn't wait for her to speak, continuing slowly: "Don't rush to answer just yet." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the motorcade behind him before falling back onto her face, "Xinghe welcomes you back anytime."

After saying this, he raised his hand to check his watch, his tone softening a bit: "It's getting late, go back and rest early. When you've thought it through, let me know anytime."

He Xiaomi stared blankly at Jiang Chen, her throat feeling as if it were blocked by something. After a long while, she finally found her voice and replied softly, "Okay."

Lily tugged her arm gently from the side, giving her a reassuring look.

Jiang Chen nodded slightly and didn't say anything more, just watching the two of them turn and walk into the building. The voice-activated lights in the hallway lit up in response, casting the silhouettes of the two slender figures in warm yellow light as they walked further and further away, until they disappeared completely around the corner.

He stood there for a moment longer before turning and returning to the car.

Li Zha had been waiting by the car door. Seeing him get in, he asked in a low voice, "Chairman Jiang, shall we head back to the Mid-Levels Villa now?"

Jiang Chen gave an "En" and leaned back against the seat, closing his eyes. The cabin fell silent instantly, with only the neon light and shadows passing outside the window casting flickering spots of light onto his face.

The motorcade started up again, merging steadily into the traffic in the night, and drove toward the Mid-Levels Villa.

The motorcade traveled steadily through the night. The neon lights along the way gradually thinned out, replaced by the dense tree shadows along the hillside road. About an hour later, the familiar detached villa appeared in view, with the lawn lights in the courtyard glowing softly, outlining the sharp silhouette of the building.

Jiang Yan clung to the car window, looking out, his eyes lighting up. He couldn't suppress the excitement in his heart. This trip abroad was truly thrilling, but it had certainly broadened his horizons. Yet, no matter how exciting it was, it couldn't compare to the comfort and ease of home.

As soon as the car stopped, he pushed the door open and jumped out, rushing a few steps to the entrance door and hurriedly twisting the lock.

"Keep it down." Jiang Chen got out of the car behind him, his voice very low, "Mom and Dad are asleep."

This was actually an over-worry; Zhao Fen and Jiang Chao's bedroom was on the second floor, so even if there was some noise downstairs, it wouldn't reach their ears at all.

Jiang Yan paused at these words, turned back to give him a "received" hand gesture, and replied in a lowered voice, "Got it, got it."

The two pushed the door open and entered the house; the sensor light in the entryway lit up in response. Jiang Yan changed into slippers with practiced ease and headed straight for the sofa in the living room, while Jiang Chen changed his shoes leisurely, glanced at the tightly closed door upstairs, and said calmly, "Rest early."

After saying this, he turned and walked toward his own bedroom, gently closing the door to shut out the noise from outside.

After washing up and changing into soft pajamas, Jiang Chen lay down on the familiar big bed.

The mattress's firmness was just right, and the quilt carried the faint scent of sunlight. The tension and fatigue of the past few days receded like a tide, and his whole body felt an indescribable sense of comfort and ease. Before long, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, the chirping of birds outside the window was crisp and melodious. The daylight was bright, spilling into the bedroom through the sheer curtains and casting mottled light and shadows on the floor.

Jiang Chen was woken up by his internal clock. When he opened his eyes, the sun outside had already risen a bit. He rubbed his brow, sat up, and walked out of the bedroom.

As he went down the stairs, he could vaguely hear the sound of pots and pans clashing in the kitchen downstairs, along with Jiang Yan's boisterous voice.

Jiang Chen walked into the living room and immediately saw Jiang Yan pacing at the kitchen door with a plate, shouting, "It'll be ready soon, Dad, wait a moment longer." Jiang Chao was sitting by the dining table, his fingertips sliding lightly across his phone screen, occasionally frowning and tapping it a couple of times.

Zhao Fen and the nanny came out of the kitchen, holding a plate of freshly cut fruit. Looking up and seeing Jiang Chen, she immediately smiled and said, "Son, you're up? Go wash up, breakfast will be on the table soon."

Jiang Chen nodded, giving them a faint smile, and said warmly, "Dad, Mom, good morning."

His gaze swept around the living room, and not seeing the familiar figure, he turned to look at Zhao Fen, his tone carrying a hint of imperceptible inquiry: "Mom, where is Yuran?"

Zhao Fen slapped her forehead, as if suddenly realizing, and smiled, patting the fruit plate in her hand: "Oh, son, I forgot to tell you! Didn't I mention to your Aunt and Uncle last time that they should move to Shenzhen to live? They finally made up their minds a while ago, and now they've settled down here, so Yuran is living with her parents."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen's brows furrowed imperceptibly, his tone filled with confusion: "Mom, why not let Uncle and Aunt just move in with us? They've just arrived in Shenzhen, they're unfamiliar with everything, where are they staying?"

Jiang Chao, who was to the side, heard this and put down his phone, looking up at Jiang Chen. He spoke in a calm tone: "Son, there's something I want to tell you too. A while ago, Dad gave your Aunt a sum of money so they could buy a house in Shenzhen and get settled first."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen nodded slightly, the furrow between his brows fading a little, and said in a low voice, "That's also good; having their own place is more comfortable."

Changing the subject, he still couldn't help but ask further, his tone tinged with helplessness: "Dad, you should have told me about this earlier. The Group has so many vacant properties, why spend money to buy one? Besides, I have a large flat in the city center that's just sitting empty; I could have just let Aunt and the others move in there."

Zhao Fen and Jiang Chao exchanged a glance, a hint of a smile flashing in their eyes. Zhao Fen walked up and pulled Jiang Chen's arm, her tone gentle: "Silly child, we just didn't want to trouble you. You're so busy every day, how could we let this little matter distract you further?"