Chapter 3445

Ye Chen rested in Jin Ling for a few days, then set out again for Guangcheng in the south.

It was nearly the end of the lunar year, the weather growing colder by the day, but Guangcheng's temperature was not so low, making it relatively favorable for performances.

According to the plan, the final stop was Rongcheng; after the last performance there, Ye Chen would immediately return to Jin Ling, and the next day he would fly to the Maldives with his family.

After days of traveling with Tawana, Ye Chen's spirit grew somewhat weary, and he eagerly longed for a good rest during the New Year—not because his body was exhausted, but mainly because his spirit needed to relax and unwind.

When Ye Chen was following Tawana's performance in Guangcheng, a cargo ship docked at the Pudong Port of Shanghai.

This was a Chinese-flagged cargo ship, just returning to anchorage, all crew members had just disembarked to rest, and after loading the next batch of cargo, the ship would weigh anchor and sail for Europe.

Among the crew was a middle-aged cook whom everyone affectionately called Chef Ma, but his true identity was actually the Ye family's longtime head steward, Tang Sihai.

All members aboard this ship were subordinates of Ye Chen's mother, An Chengxi, who managed a Chinese shipping company; though not as large as Yisu Shipping, it still had dozens of container freighters, providing her with ample cash profits while also helping her coordinate global logistics of materials and personnel.

Tang Sihai left the ship and was escorted all the way to Jin Ling via secret channels by a dedicated person.

Shanghai to Jin Ling is not far—just three or four hours.

An Chengxi arranged for Tang Sihai to stay at Qixia Temple, because throughout Jin Ling, Ye Chen's people and properties were everywhere, and she dared not let Tang Sihai show even a trace of appearing in public.

Tang Sihai rode in a rear compartment of a completely opaque business car from Shanghai all the way to Qixia Temple, arriving at midnight.

Qixia Temple closes its gates at night, not receiving pilgrims or lay followers, but at this time it opened the side gate into the mountains, only closing it again after Tang Sihai's business car had entered.

The business car drove directly up to the mountainside, to that secluded compound where An Chengxi had once stayed; several monks silently prepared the courtyard and guest rooms, and as soon as the car entered the compound, they immediately bowed their heads and withdrew.

The driver and front passenger stepped out, two black-clad men inspected the area, locked the door, then opened the rear sliding door and respectfully said to Tang Sihai inside: "Steward Tang, we have arrived; you may alight."

Tang Sihai nodded lightly, stepped down from the car, and saw an elderly woman emerge from the main house of the small courtyard—none other than Sister Sun, who usually attended to An Chengxi.

Seeing Tang Sihai, Sister Sun smiled and said: "Sihai, you have endured much travel on this journey; truly, you have worked hard."

Tang Sihai laughed: "During this time I have been enjoying the tropical island scenery in the Maldives—no hardship at all. On the contrary, it is Sister Sun who has been constantly attending to the Lady, and that is the true hardship."

Having said that, he stood in place, lifted his gaze to the hazy moonlight in the sky, drew a deep breath of the damp, cold air of the winter twelfth month, and sighed: "Sister Sun, if I may speak from the heart, I still find the southern winter somewhat hard to endure, which makes me unavoidably think of the young master—when he spent his first winter at the Fuli Academy, he often could not bear the damp cold, curling up in bed at midnight, shivering. But that Fuli Academy was too old, utterly lacking heating or air conditioning, even the windows were single-pane glass. I so wanted to do something for the young master then, yet feared doing too much might arouse his suspicion or draw attention, so I could only watch him develop chilblains. Now, recalling that winter, I shed many tears for the young master in Beijing."

Sister Sun nodded and sighed: "The headmaster of the Fuli Academy once released some photos—the young master's hands, feet, and ears were all frostbitten at the time. The Lady saw those photos and often wept, but now, reflecting on it, those hardships were in fact indispensable trials in the young master's life. Without those trials, how could he have grown into today's Ye Dashi, who stands tall and firm?"

Tang Sihai gave a slight nod and said: "Sister Sun speaks truly—the young master has struggled and crawled through the mire for so many years, and at last he has become a great talent. This mire of Jin Ling has ultimately failed to stop the young master from soaring to the heavens."

Sister Sun smiled: "But the mire remains a mire, and the Lady feels it is time for the young master to completely free himself from this mire."

Tang Sihai asked her: "Sister Sun, is the 'mire' you speak of the Xiao family?"

"Yes." Sister Sun nodded firmly, speaking seriously: "You have served as head steward in the Ye family for so many years; everyone in the Ye family should have heard of your great name, and there is much information about you online. It is you who should meet Xiao Churan and truthfully tell her of the young master's origins and background—she will surely have no doubts."

Tang Sihai asked: "If Xiao Churan learns these things, does the Lady hope she will divorce the young master?"

"Exactly." Sister Sun said: "The Lady judges that, given Xiao Churan's nature, if she learns that the young master has concealed all this from her for so many years, and that these events of the past few years have also been hidden from her, she will certainly leave the young master."

Saying this, she hesitated slightly before continuing: "However, the Lady is uncertain whether the young master will willingly let Xiao Churan go when the time comes, so you must find an opportunity to speak with Xiao Churan properly, to make her understand that staying by the young master's side will not only burden him further, but also bring unnecessary danger to her and her family; best of all would be to make her willingly leave the young master."

Tang Sihai said worriedly: "The young master cares deeply for her; if I could persuade her to leave him, given the young master's abilities, finding her again would not be difficult—after all, the young master now has a full set of AI models and has laid a ground network across the world's airports and docks."

Sister Sun laughed: "If she is willing to leave the young master, the Lady will arrange for her and her family to quietly depart China, and then the young master will certainly not be able to find her. When the Lady is able to meet the young master face to face, she will naturally explain all this to him, and at that time, if the young master still wishes to seek Xiao Churan, the Lady will not stop him."

Saying this, she added: "By then, you too may return to China—if the young master needs you, you will return to his side to attend to him; if he no longer needs you, you may retire and enjoy your blessings."

Tang Sihai nodded lightly and sighed: "The Lady parts him and Miss Xiao—I do not know whether the young master will in the future bear resentment."

Sister Sun sighed helplessly: "Even if the young master resents the Lady, she can only do this, for otherwise he could never sever his rear anxieties; that Xiao girl of the Xiao family and all these people in Jin Ling would become his shackles."

Saying this, Sister Sun asked him: "What do you think—if the young master knew that the Lady has been plotting behind the scenes all these years, would he resent her?"

"This… probably not." Tang Sihai said: "After all, the Lady has also endured great hardship these many years."

"That is it." Sister Sun smiled: "The Lady and the young master are alike—both strive for a single goal; only when that goal is soon achieved can mother and son reunite!"