Chapter 24: Taking Jiang Yu to Jinzhou to Bask in the Sun

He Lian stopped and checked the girl in his arms. Seeing that although her breathing was weak, her life didn’t seem to be in immediate danger, he turned his head back, his gaze filled with violent rage: “Your reason?”

Song Qian cast aside all pretense: “He Lian! I know you call the shots in Jinzhou! But this is Yangcheng! This is the Song family of Yangcheng! Jiang Yu is my niece! Where do you think you’re taking her?!”

Li Meng stepped forward to shield He Lian, holding a black semi-automatic shotgun in his hands: “You dogs committed attempted murder, and you still have the fucking nerve to ask?”

Song Xun craned his neck, making a brazenly shameless claim: “Which of your eyes saw us trying to kill her?!”

Even if something happened to this lunatic, what did it have to do with He Lian?!

Besides, didn’t Jiang Yu survive?!

The sword of Jinzhou couldn’t slay the officials of Yangcity!

He Lian let out a terrifying laugh, the man’s emotions suppressed to the absolute limit.

It was bad enough that Song Xun kept his mouth shut, but now…

He was going to settle this score properly with these filthy creatures!

Just as he was about to blow a fuse:

“President!”

Zhuang Yumian suddenly handed over a satellite phone, her brow furrowed: “It’s a call from Vice Mayor He.”

He Lian lowered his eyes. Even from a distance, he could hear his old man’s roaring curses over the phone.

He shot a glance at Zhuang Yumian, who lowered her voice and frowned: “President, the operations of the Association are constantly monitored from above. With the Ministry of National Security issuing consecutive transfer orders, the executive department must already know about tonight’s incident. I’m afraid… it might affect the Vice Mayor’s side.”

He Lian didn’t answer the call, roughly guessing what his old man wanted to say.

Without approval, he had brought men into the Song family’s old residence, fired gunshots, and snatched a person. His father was currently running for Mayor of Jinggang.

If word got out, it would certainly bring him trouble, not to mention the Ministry of National Security’s end…

Forget it. Taking the little fool away first was the main priority.

Wanting to make one last attempt, Song Xueyan unexpectedly took a step forward, but Zhuang Yumian glared at her so fiercely she didn’t dare move another inch.

She said: “Mr. He, please give my sister back to me. She has a mental impairment; she can’t be away from her family.”

Seeing this display of a loving sister made He Lian burst out laughing. However, since he was going to take her away, he had to go through the motions on the surface.

Even a powerful dragon couldn’t crush a local snake on its own turf.

He would deal with the immediate situation first.

“Heh, sisterly affection so deep it truly moves me,” he said. “How about this? I indeed behaved rudely at the old residence today. As compensation, for Miss Song’s art exhibition two months from now, Dingsheng Group will personally help you organize it, ensuring you retire from the brush in grand fashion.”

Song Xueyan was instantly dumbfounded.

With Jiang Yu gone, where was she supposed to get any paintings?!

He Lian looked down at the unconscious Jiang Yu. Unable to wait a moment longer, he turned and walked away.

Song Qian hadn’t expected that even with He Shaoming calling, this grim reaper would still stubbornly persist. He couldn’t resist rushing forward two steps, only to suddenly hear a burst of gunfire. The mud in front of his feet splattered violently, frightening him so badly he stumbled backward repeatedly.

Li Meng pushed the shotgun to his side, his eyes filled with warning.

Gazing at the bullet crater, Song Qian swallowed hard, yet he still shouted unwillingly: “He Lian! You arrogant, defiant bastard! Where are you taking Jiang Yu?!”

He Lian didn’t look back.

The man’s towering back beneath the night sky looked like an impenetrable city wall.

“If your family wants to play that feudal game from the late Qing Dynasty in this mountain gully, feel free to do as you please.”

“Yangcheng is far too damp and dreary. I’m taking the little fool to Jinzhou to bask in the sun.”

“If the Song family won’t raise her, I will.”

His words slammed into the ground like an ultimatum.

Overcome with shock, Song Qian couldn’t catch his breath, his eyes rolling back as he fainted on the spot.

Song Xueyan’s face drained of color: “Dad!”

On the road leading out of the mountains, Jiang Yu woke up in He Lian’s arms.

Wrapped around her was an olive-green military blanket whose slightly coarse surface rubbed against her wounds. She instinctively raised her head, her subtle movement prompting the man to open his eyes.

He Lian: “You’re awake?”

Jiang Yu didn’t speak. She looked around the surroundings in confusion, then turned her head to look out the window and suddenly lunged forward.

Her slender fingers pressed against the glass, her fingertips turning white from the pressure!

An unbelievable sensation surged into her heart as Jiang Yu anxiously searched for something on the door handle.

Understanding her intent, He Lian helped her roll down the window glass.

Jiang Yu leaned almost half her body directly out!

He Lian grabbed the fabric at her lower back with his left hand while supporting the window frame above her head with his right. The mountain road was bumpy; he couldn’t let this little fool bump her head and become even dumber.

The losses would outweigh the gains.

It was still raining outside, but it had lightened significantly.

Jiang Yu raised her face, taking in the low-sloping mountain contours and the gradually thinning white mist. Her almond eyes widened in profound awe, and she turned around abruptly, her gaze colliding straight with the man’s.

He Lian’s pitch-black hair was still wet, and his dark eyes were filled with fond, pitying laughter.

Fearing that Jiang Yu would be cold, the air conditioning inside the car was set extraordinarily high. It was hard to tell whether it was sweat or rain on his forehead as a drop trickled down the tip of his hair and suddenly splattered onto the high bridge of his nose.

Jiang Yu gripped He Lian’s collar. Overcome with intense emotion, she was actually rendered speechless for a moment!

He Lian had really taken her away!

She succeeded!

He Lian rolled the window back up and wrapped the loosened blanket neatly around her again.

Looking at the girl’s reddened eyes, he coaxed her gently and softly:

“A-Yu, rest assured. We’re never coming back here again.”

Three days later, in Luocheng of the Western Border:

He’s Orthopedic Branch Hospital.

A Jeep sped into the courtyard and screeched to a halt on the spot.

The guards stationed on duty hurried forward to open the rear door.

He Lian stepped out. Glancing at his injured left forearm, he covered it with his right hand, cursing in extreme irritation: “Those dogs were truly tough to catch.”

Li Meng and Zhuang Yumian also got out of the vehicle one after another.

The personnel from the Citadel had been monitoring these drug traffickers for a long time. They hadn’t expected that the suspects would still manage to slip away during the arrest.

Looking at the blood seeping through his fingers, Zhuang Yumian furrowed her brow tightly: “What a bunch of useless trash in the Western Border. What on earth are they good for?”

Li Meng: “The Western Border side has been too quiet for too long. President Huo’s men have been comfortable for far too long; thrusting them straight into actual combat, it’s unavoidable that their coordination falls short.”

Gritting her teeth, Zhuang Yumian could only say: “President, let’s go get your wound bandaged up first. President Huo will be here shortly.”

Only then did He Lian take long strides forward.

In the reception room, Vice President Xu personally helped bandage He Lian up.

“Fortunately, it didn’t hurt the bone, but you’ll have to bear with the pain.”

He Lian was expressionless; this tiny injury didn’t mean shit to him.

“Has Jiang Yu woken up yet?”

Vice President Xu shook his head: “That child suffers from long-term malnutrition, and her bodily injuries are severe. Being dragged all the way from Yangcheng to here by you, she almost fell apart completely. You’ll just have to wait patiently.”

He Lian clicked his tongue in annoyance.

It’s been three days already; how is she still not awake?

Having finished bandaging, Vice President Xu adjusted his lab coat and sat down on the sofa opposite him: “By the way, your grandfather called me this morning to ask if you took Jiang Yu away.”

“Isn’t that a stupid question? Who else would I take away, Song Qian’s wife?”

Vice President Xu: “…”

“He Lian, Old Master Song passed away not long ago. You abducted his granddaughter and even went into their old residence firing gunshots—what on earth are you trying to do?”

He Lian pulled down his sleeve and spoke very coldly: “Rebel.”

Vice President Xu froze, then burst into exasperated laughter at this scoundrel’s lawlessness.

He and Old Master He were old friends. Having treated the grandfather back then and now bandaging the grandson, he could be considered to have watched He Lian grow up.

This kid was the absolute worst piece of work.

“Aren’t there still elders in the Song family?” Vice President Xu added. “Does it fall on you to raise someone else’s child?”

The corner of He Lian’s lips curled into a cold sneer as he leaned back.

“Jiang Yu was nearly raised to death by the Song family. Can’t an old man like you see that?”

Vice President Xu threw a punch right at his leg: “Then what does that have to do with you?”

He Lian: “Rescuing innocent victims trafficked into deep mountains is also part of the Citadel’s branch duties. This is doing a good deed. That vice mayor dad of mine ought to present me with a commendation banner instead.”

Exasperated to the point of laughing, Vice President Xu said: “Fine, you’re full of slick excuses. I can’t win an argument against you.”

As they were talking, the door to the reception room was pushed open.

Propping himself up on a pair of crutches, Huo Lin—whose hair was flecked with gray—stood right at the doorway.

He Lian’s face instantly filled with utter disgust. Disregarding the man’s injuries, he stepped over and snatched the crutches away directly: “You still have the fucking face to show up here? You old useless waste!”

Huo Lin collapsed straight onto the ground.

Seizing the momentum, he shouted and cursed: “He Lian! You little bastard!”

Vice President Xu hurriedly helped Huo Lin up: “President Huo, are you alright?”

“What could possibly happen to him?” He Lian said. “You old waste, is your Association in the Western Border just fucking eating government hand-outs for free? You can’t even catch a few drug traffickers! If your men hadn’t dropped the ball today, I would’ve already closed the net!”

Supported by Vice President Xu as he sat down, Huo Lin gritted his teeth from being cursed at.

He was over fifty years old, after all.

Being cursed up and down by a young punk made it hard for his old face to hold up.

“It was your Association’s people who were too reckless,” Huo Lin said earnestly. “How can you rush something like closing the net? Trying to make a move right in the child’s square—what if a child got hurt?”

Hearing this, He Lian’s anger flared up instantly: “Didn’t I tell you long ago to notify the city bureau to evacuate the public in advance? A newly dead person can still hear people talking; are you deaf while you’re still alive?!”

Huo Lin was so enraged he clutched his chest: “You brat, the way you talk is…”

Before he could finish his sentence, two overlapping sets of footsteps came from the corridor, accompanied by a nurse’s shouts.

“Hey! Miss Jiang! Miss Jiang! You can’t run!”

He Lian turned his head immediately, seeing the door to the reception room pushed open slightly. First came a pair of small hands, followed by Jiang Yu’s pale little face peeking in quietly.

The anger sparked by Huo Lin vanished in an instant as He Lian spoke in a loud, boisterous tone: “You’re awake?”

Seeing him, Jiang Yu pushed the door open and ran over, leaping into his arms with almost a jumping pounce.

He Lian caught her in a hurry. Before he could even adjust his posture, he heard Huo Lin ask:

“He Lian, your daughter is already this big?”

“…”

He Lian: “She’s your maternal grandmother.”

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