Take Me Away, My Love - Chapter 17 - The Ever-Changing World

He wasn’t sure how long he had been asleep, but he felt a small, chubby hand gently exploring his face, tickling him softly.

Finally, as he slowly opened his eyes, Jian Yiqing saw his son, Jian Qingtian, in front of him.

He was still as adorable as ever.

Yiqing couldn’t help but smile softly, reaching out to gently pat his son’s head, asking, “Son, where’s your mom?”

Unfortunately, Jian Qingtian was too young to express himself with words.

Fortunately, not long after, the door opened.

However, the person who appeared before him was Zhang Mi.

“What are you doing here?” Jian Yiqing exclaimed in surprise.

Zhang Mi hadn’t changed a bit in the two years since they last met. And as she stood before him, Jian Yiqing felt a brief moment of disorientation.

“Jian Yiqing, you’re finally awake.”

Seeing him open his eyes, Zhang Mi rushed over joyfully and hugged him tightly. Feeling his strong heartbeat, Zhang Mi felt as though the world had finally settled down.

However, Jian Yiqing, who was in her embrace, was still puzzled, “Why am I seeing you? Where’s Li Minchun? Where is she?”

Even though Li Minchun was the first thought that crossed Jian Yiqing’s mind upon waking, Zhang Mi didn’t mind. She said, “I don’t know where she went either.”

“What do you mean?”

A vague, uneasy feeling seemed to creep into Jian Yiqing’s heart.

What had happened while he was ill? Could someone just tell him?

It turned out that some time ago, Li Minchun had suddenly appeared and entrusted both Jian Qingtian and Jian Yiqing to Zhang Mi before disappearing without a trace.

In fact, Zhang Mi had been taking care of Jian Yiqing for several days. Luckily, Ru Long was there to help; otherwise, Jian Yiqing might not have woken up so quickly.

“Jian Yiqing, you’re finally awake.”

Upon hearing the news, Ru Long and Gu Xing rushed into the room. Seeing these long-lost friends and the familiar room, Jian Yiqing finally realized he had returned to his villa, the place where he had once lived with Li Minchun.

But if everyone was here, where was Li Minchun?

“You’ve really got some extraordinary luck, surviving such a catastrophe,” Gu Xing, who usually wasn’t one to joke, quipped.

But where was Li Minchun?

Jian Yiqing wasn’t concerned about anyone else; he just wanted to know where his Li Minchun was and how they left Zhenmu Island.

Knowing what Jian Yiqing truly cared about, Ru Long spoke up, “We haven’t seen Li Minchun either, but one thing is certain-she didn’t want you to get hurt. Did you know? The soul-terror toxin in you has been neutralized, and she chose to disappear at this moment. I believe she must have her reasons.”

“Daddy, Daddy…”

Amidst everyone’s worried expressions, Jian Qingtian quietly tugged at Jian Yiqing’s sleeve, calling out in his tender voice.

If not for Jian Qingtian’s presence, Jian Yiqing might have doubted whether the past two years were merely a dream.

“Our company is facing significant threats right now. After you left, even though Zhang Mi and her father have been supporting it, Cheng Duo’s forces are formidable too. But thankfully, you’re back, and everything needs you to save it.”

Gu Xing spoke up.

Slowly, Jian Yiqing regained his previous clarity. Looking around, he asked, “Where’s Chen Zhen?”

This question instantly heightened the tension in the room. Ru Long, in particular, turned as pale as a sheet.

Hesitant and anxious, he finally gathered the courage to tell the truth.

Chen Zhen is now with Cheng Duo.

“What happened?” Even though Jian Yiqing had foreseen this outcome long ago, he still found it hard to believe.

Ru Long chuckled wryly and said, “You wouldn’t believe it, but it was Chen Zhen who leaked your location in the Aegean Sea. Later, she moved to the Shangguan Family to have a child. But now that the child is born, her life has turned miserable. We’ve been discussing lately whether we should go and rescue her.”

“What’s there to discuss? It’s just your wishful thinking. If you ask me, let her reap what she sowed and be tormented to death by Cheng Duo and Cheng Mo.”

The thought that Chen Zhen was the reason why Li Minchun and Jian Yiqing suffered so much and nearly lost their lives filled Gu Xing with resentment.

After all the genuine care they had given her, they ended up being betrayed.

Ru Long’s complexion wasn’t looking good already, and hearing Gu Xing’s words made him even paler.

He wanted to defend Chen Zhen but didn’t know how to begin.

Some time ago, he had secretly gone to find Chen Zhen, intending to rescue her. Unfortunately, she refused to leave with him, even harshly saying, “Even if I die, I want to die with my man and child.”

With her saying that, what else could Ru Long do? Persisting further would only make him seem narrow-minded.

“Apart from this, have Cheng Duo and Cheng Mo made any moves?” Jian Yiqing asked with a furrowed brow.

Zhang Mi replied with concern, “Recently, Cheng Mo and Cheng Duo have gathered many Mafia leaders from Italy into the country. Although such a big operation was done secretly, there were still some clues left behind. We just don’t know what they’re planning.”

“Are they preparing to target us?” Jian Yiqing was a bit worried.

After all, the Shangguan Family’s hatred for him was as immense as mountains and as vast as seas.

Not to mention, he had taken a large sum of money from the Shangguan Group, and they would never let the matter of Cheng Ran’s death rest. The fact that they had previously attempted to harm him proved as much.

“It doesn’t seem likely. After all, even if you’re not here, my father is still holding things down, and they probably don’t have the guts,” Zhang Mi analyzed calmly.

“If it’s not us, then it’s the mercenary organization. They want to target Madam Li!”

Jian Yiqing hit the nail on the head!

Indeed, what Cheng Mo has been eyeing all this time is none other than Madam Li’s throne. After years of effort, it’s likely that she has garnered quite a following, and two years is more than enough time for her to secure additional financial support. Therefore, making a move now could be possible, especially since she has no idea that Jian Yiqing and Li Minchun are still alive in this world.

“No matter what they’re planning, it has nothing to do with us. In their eyes, I’m already considered a dead man, so there’s no need for me to show myself again. I think I need to assume a new identity…”

As Jian Yiqing said this, a spark of determination shone in his eyes. However, his words puzzled everyone present. What could Jian Yiqing mean by taking on a new identity?

“Gu Xing, the task of finding Li Minchun falls on you. I trust you won’t disappoint me, right?”

As he spoke, Jian Yiqing patted Gu Xing on the shoulder.

The two men exchanged a glance, a silent understanding passing between them.

…

The limited edition Bentley sped along the road like a whirlwind, following a graceful path before finally stopping in front of the Shangguan Family estate.

The driver’s side door opened, and a man in a designer suit stepped out of the car.

With a gentlemanly charm on his face, he opened the passenger door for the young woman inside, carefully shielding the car’s frame with his hand to prevent her from bumping her head.

“Madam, please.”

The woman appreciated the respectful gesture, her face adorned with a proud smile.

Her makeup was strikingly bold, particularly her fiery red lips, which seemed to flirt with the boundaries of desire. She wore a tight, fiery red mini dress that clung to her alluring figure, exuding a sensual magnetism. The deep cleavage at her chest was especially enticing, sparking an irresistible urge to dive in and explore.

Two years had passed, yet Cheng Mo remained as stunningly beautiful as ever.

Hand in hand with Cheng Duo, the two of them walked shoulder to shoulder into the house.

The numerous maids on either side, upon seeing them enter, hurriedly put down their tasks and made their respectful bows.

However, Cheng Mo appeared oblivious to it all, as if she didn’t see it at all.

Cheng Mo’s sharp gaze swiftly landed on the woman standing by the stairs, dressed in a maid’s uniform with a cloth in her hand.

Even though she wore a plain, inexpensive maid’s outfit and had no makeup on, her innocent face, paired with her alluring figure, still easily drew the attention and desire of men.

In just a few quick steps, Cheng Mo’s slender hand, adorned with scarlet nail polish, suddenly slapped the maid’s face with a loud “smack.”

Instantly, five red fingerprints appeared on the maid’s pretty face, and even a trace of red seeped from the corner of her mouth.

Seeing this, Cheng Duo wanted to step in and mediate, but a glance at Cheng Mo’s eyes, which seemed to be burning with fury, scared him into silence.

The maid, clutching her cheek, seemed numb to such scenes. She merely stared blankly at the enraged Cheng Mo before her, neither resisting nor speaking.

“Chen Zhen, it’s been two years. Haven’t you learned the rules of our house yet?”

As she spoke, Cheng Mo swung her other hand towards the other side of Chen Zhen’s face. Both hands taking turns, it wasn’t long before Chen Zhen’s once pure and charming face was disfigured.

Yet, she still didn’t utter a word or fight back.

Cheng Mo knew her intentions. With a vicious motion, she pressed a dagger against Chen Zhen’s already swollen face and, with her uniquely sensual voice, said, “Chen Zhen, don’t think I don’t know what you’re thinking. Today is the young master’s homecoming. You’re hoping to see him and rekindle your mother-son bond, aren’t you?”

Cheng Mo wasn’t wrong.

Ever since Chen Zhen gave birth to her child, she had sent her young son to a specialized training institution. Not only was he subjected to grueling training from a very young age, but even home visits were not allowed.

While other children his age were still tenderly cared for by their parents, he had already faced numerous life-threatening challenges.

As a mother, how could Chen Zhen not worry about her son? Despite protesting many times, she still couldn’t change the current situation. She could only hope to catch a glimpse whenever he returned home.

However, after enduring such brutal and bloody training, her son had developed a natural aversion to the color red. He refused to see anything ugly and stained with red.

What Cheng Mo intended by doing this was simply to deprive Chen Zhen of even this small hope.