Volume 1, Chapter 45: Long Yiran's Determination

With a tall and straight figure, the young man wearing the impeccably ironed, crease-free white shirt prepared by Qin Wanqiu arrived at the designated meeting place.

Inside a four-star hotel in Qinghai City...

"Master, you have arrived," Yan Qiluo said, standing up to greet Yan Fengjia as soon as he appeared.

"Where is she?" Yan Fengjia extinguished his cigarette butt and looked toward the sofa.

Long Yiran was covered in bruises, her face battered and swollen, and her clothes were torn.

Long Xueer also bore marks of violence, but she stood guard beside her mother with murder in her eyes, looking like a wolf cub protecting its mother.

"Long Yiran was severely beaten shortly before this, and Long Xueer received a terrible shock; she hasn't recovered yet."

Yan Fengjia stepped forward...

"Stay back!" Long Xueer suddenly leaped to her feet, tightly clutching a fruit knife as she stared in terror at Yan Fengjia.

Yan Fengjia stood his ground and said calmly, "It's me, calm down."

Long Xueer brandished the fruit knife frantically, "Nobody come closer! I don't trust anyone right now."

"You are not allowed to come near my mom, get away!"

"Xueer, stop," the weak Long Yiran was awakened by the commotion and opened her eyes slightly.

Upon seeing the young man Yan Fengjia, the rock hanging in her heart finally dropped.

She realized that in this entire world, she and her daughter still had someone to rely on, someone they could trust.

Perhaps it was only this stranger they had met by chance.

To be honest, it was quite ironic.

The underground force she had painstakingly built was extinguished by the Tian family overnight.

Indeed, in the face of absolute and towering power, all efforts turned into nothingness.

A mere mother who only wanted to protect her daughter could never fight against such a massive power.

"Mr. Yan, thank you for not forgetting the two of us. I thought we were dead for sure."

Yan Fengjia stepped forward and gently placed his hand on Long Xueer's icy hand. "It's okay, don't be afraid. With me here, no one dares to hurt your mom. Take a deep breath, relax, and learn to control your emotions."

Long Xueer was no ordinary person; she possessed the one-in-a-million alluring physique. After her union with Yan Fengjia, she had inherited a portion of his power.

This had unknowingly pushed her into the realm of a martial artist with internal energy, yet she lacked the knowledge of how to control it.

Tears streaming down her face, Long Xueer threw herself into Long Yiran's arms, crying, "Mom, what is going on? Why... why do they want to bully us? Why does everyone have to bully us?"

"Is it just because I don't have a father?"

Seeing Long Xueer weeping so heart-rendingly, Long Yiran felt as though her heart was shattering.

She wanted to say, "Silly child, the very father you yearn for so deeply is the one who truly wants to kill you."

Yet, as a mother, she could not bear to destroy the tall, heroic image of a father in Long Xueer's heart.

She only wanted her daughter to grow up carefree, just like any other little girl.

"Xueer, go outside with Sister Yan for a moment. I have some important matters to discuss with Mr. Yan."

Long Xueer was led out of the room.

Long Yiran tried laboriously to sit up, but failed.

"Mr. Yan, although I do not know your true background, seeing how extraordinary Miss Yan's abilities are and how she rescued my daughter and me, I know you are no ordinary person."

"Therefore, I want to beg you for a favor, and I hope Mr. Yan will grant it for my sake."

"Go ahead," Yan Fengjia said, his expression completely unmoved.

"You must have already investigated my daughter's background, haven't you?"

"She is of the Tian family bloodline. An heir of the Tian family has fallen gravely ill and requires my daughter's life to save him."

"Yes, isn't it ridiculous? My daughter was carried in my womb for ten months and raised with the utmost hardship, yet in the eyes of the Tian family, she is nothing more than a worthless medicinal herb."

"Mr. Yan, if you had a daughter, would you hand her over simply out of fear of the other party's status and power?"

Yan Fengjia frowned, "You want me to protect your daughter?"

"As long as you can do that, I..."

Long Yiran gave a bitter smile. "It seems I have nothing left to offer you. I am left with nothing, save for this battered and broken body."

Yan Fengjia remained silent for a long time. "You don't need to pay any price. For a mother to protect her daughter by defying a great family—for this courage alone, I can protect your daughter."

"Really?" Long Yiran asked, stirred with excitement. "If that is so, my daughter should be safe."

"Then what do you intend to do?" Yan Fengjia asked, puzzled.

Long Yiran did not answer. Having seemingly settled the most important matter in her heart, she grew calm and resolute.

After a long silence, Long Yiran said, "Though I am merely a woman, I do not lack the courage to protect my daughter. I intend to make one final desperate struggle."

"Please don't tell my daughter about this, will you?"

Respecting another's destiny, respecting another's choice.

Yan Fengjia had never been one to intervene or stop such paths.

"Xueer, stay with Mr. Yan these next few days. Mom has to go take care of some business at the company."

"Mom, no! It's dangerous outside, I won't let you go."

Long Xueer grabbed hold of Long Yiran.

Long Yiran caressed her daughter's face with a reassuring, bittersweet smile. "Don't worry, Mom has already come back; nothing will happen this time."

"Be a good girl and listen to Mr. Yan. With him around, no one will dare to bully you."

With those words, Long Yiran turned and walked away.

Watching Long Yiran's resolute departure, Yan Fengjia felt a slight stirring in his heart.

If his own parents had not perished in the plane crash, would he too have been spared from bullying in his youth, forced to fight and claw for everything on his own?

After deep contemplation, Yan Fengjia ultimately could not harden his heart. "Yan Qiluo, protect her in secret."

"Understood." Although somewhat puzzled, Yan Qiluo agreed.

After all, she knew her master well.

He never interfered in other people's family affairs.

This somewhat violated Yan Fengjia's usual principles of action.

...

"Useless trash, a bunch of useless trash! Long Xueer is gone, what am I supposed to do about my son!"

Tian Nongyu raised his golden cane and struck the head of the bodyguard assigned to watch over the mother and daughter, blow after blow.

Soon, blood pooled on the floor, and the bodyguard stopped moving.

Looking at the man sleeping quietly within the ice coffin, Tian Nongyu, whose spirit had been nearly exhausted over the years, plunged into madness.

"My son, if you die, what use will this empire I spent half a lifetime building have?"

"Rest assured, Father will make sure you survive. Whoever dares to stand in your way, I will kill them."

At that moment, Tian Nongyu's cell phone rang.

"It's me, Long Yiran. Elder Tian, let's talk."

"It's you, bitch! You stole my Xueer, give her back to me!" Recognizing the voice, Tian Nongyu's eyes turned bloodshot and frantic.

Long Yiran sneered, "Why put it so nicely? In your eyes, Xueer is just a medicinal ingredient, but in my eyes, she is my life."

"Whoever dares to harm her, even if I am only a woman, I, Long Yiran, will fight to the death."

"Very well, then I'd like to see what you have to say. I'll send you the address, come."

Hanging up the phone, Tian Nongyu caressed the ice coffin, his face filled with doting tenderness. "My son, hold on just a little longer, you'll be fine soon."