Chapter Thirty-Five: Mr. Chen, Welcome Home
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Chen Siyuan had originally only wanted Chen Zehan to bring the old man back to China.
He had not expected the old man to hand him a list instead.
The people on it came from every walk of life. They were all prominent figures in Chinatown.
Chen Siyuan took the fast track and settled their passport arrangements. Unlike the old man, they were not undocumented, so the procedures were not complicated.
It was nearly dusk by the time Chen Siyuan returned to the old man’s courtyard to pick up Chen Zehan.
He had always done the same before, giving the grandfather and grandson a little private time together.
“Dad, are you finished with your business?” Chen Zehan asked curiously after getting into the car.
“Not yet, but there’s no problem. Everything is being processed, and it won’t delay our return to China.”
Chen Siyuan smiled and gently ruffled Chen Zehan’s hair. The boy had been invaluable today.
“Dad, are we flying back?”
“Yes. There are quite a few of us this time, so we’ll charter a plane straight home.”
Chen Siyuan had already begun making all the arrangements.
Bringing these overseas Chinese back to China would benefit everyone involved.
Most directly, it would give the country another opportunity for development.
Those Chinatown tycoons were immensely wealthy. Even a little money slipping through their fingers would provide tremendous support for China’s growth.
The tycoons themselves would benefit as well. During China’s period of rapid development, they would be able to share in the prosperity.
Then there were the hidden advantages.
For instance, with these powerful figures backing her, Liu Yifei would enjoy certain unspoken privileges in the future whenever she made films.
Of course, even without them, Chen Siyuan could have made all the necessary arrangements for Liu Yifei.
Still, a wise man knew how to take advantage of the larger tide.
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“Leader, an overseas Chinese investment delegation from the United States will arrive in the capital five days from now! It is being led by Jack Chen Law Firm, one of the leading law firms in America. They have already sent us an official letter.”
At the Ministry of Commerce, Jiang Nanning, who was temporarily in charge of affairs concerning overseas Chinese from the United States, was nearly knocked senseless by this unexpected windfall.
“Have you verified it?”
“Yes, I have. They are all highly influential Chinese Americans in their local communities. The delegation is headed by Chen Siyuan, founder of Jack Chen Law Firm, who is extremely well known and respected in the United States.”
Although Jiang Nanning had come to the Ministry of Commerce mainly to polish his credentials, he was no empty suit. Before reporting to his superior, he had already used his connections to investigate the matter.
Even a preliminary inquiry had left him trembling with excitement.
This time, they had truly struck gold!
As he spoke, Jiang Nanning handed the information he had gathered to his superior.
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The leader accepted the documents and leafed through them, his face brightening as well.
“Nanning, has their flight been confirmed?”
“Yes. Since there are so many of them, Chen Siyuan, the head of the delegation, has arranged a charter flight. It will fly directly to Capital Airport.”
“This is an excellent sign. I’ll report it to my superiors immediately and try to raise the level of the reception.”
“Leader, are we going to make a grand gesture to attract them?”
Jiang Nanning’s eyes lit up.
“This year is a crucial period for our accession to the World Trade Organization. Every factor that might have an impact must be taken into consideration. The return of these overseas Chinese is an opportunity.”
The leader thought highly of Jiang Nanning and did not hesitate to guide him.
“Then I’ll coordinate with them again and work out the details.”
“Yes. Find out what kinds of investments they may be considering so that we can arrange the appropriate follow-up.”
“Understood!”
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“Dad, how much longer until we arrive?”
Aboard the private jet flying from New York to the capital, Chen Zehan was visibly excited. This was already the fifth time he had asked Chen Siyuan.
Chen Siyuan glanced at the time. “About an hour. Go tell your grandfather.”
“Wonderful! We’re finally almost there!”
Chen Zehan leaped from his seat and ran toward the back of the plane.
The old man and the other Chinatown tycoons were all seated there.
“Slow down, grandson!” the old man called out anxiously from behind.
Chen Siyuan tightened his grip on Liu Xiaoli’s hand.
It was obvious that Liu Xiaoli was feeling anything but calm.
“What’s wrong? Feeling nervous about returning home?” Chen Siyuan asked with a smile.
Liu Xiaoli shook her head as she looked at him. “It feels like a dream. Four years ago, Qianqian and I boarded a plane bound for New York. Four years later, the four of us are returning to our homeland together.”
“Weren’t you afraid back then that I was deceiving you?”
Chen Siyuan suddenly voiced the question he had kept hidden in his heart for years. Their life had been so happy and harmonious that he had nearly forgotten about it.
“What? You mean the fake marriage?”
“Yes.”
“At that time, I had no other way out. Even if there had been only a one-percent chance, I would have tried. And your reputation was good, so I chose to trust you. As it turned out, I had made the right call.”
As she spoke, Liu Xiaoli leaned over and kissed Chen Siyuan on the cheek.
Liu Yifei, who had been watching the drama unfold beside them with great interest, hurriedly turned her head to look out the window.
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At that moment, however, Chen Siyuan and Liu Xiaoli had eyes only for each other.
“What if I told you that my intentions back then weren’t entirely pure?” Chen Siyuan asked with a mischievous smile.
“Even if they weren’t, so what? I’m so much older than you. Even in a fake marriage, I was the one who asked you for it. I was always afraid that one day you would leave the two of us behind…”
Chen Siyuan pulled Liu Xiaoli tightly into his arms.
“They say that marrying a woman three years older is like gaining a brick of gold. You gave me two bricks of gold! No, a son and a daughter as well! I could never love you enough. How could I ever abandon you?”
“So marrying you was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.”
Liu Xiaoli hugged Chen Siyuan just as tightly.
“Mom, I deserve some of the credit too!”
Liu Yifei jumped in to claim her share of the praise.
“Yes, your contribution was the greatest!”
Liu Xiaoli laughed.
Chen Siyuan thought to himself that it really had been Liu Yifei’s doing.
If he had not recognized the famous beauty Liu Yifei back then, how could he possibly have entered into a fake marriage with Liu Xiaoli?
Four years earlier, Liu Xiaoli had still possessed plenty of charm, but to Chen Siyuan, who was accustomed to beautiful women, she was not quite enough to make him willingly step into marriage’s grave.
The reason Chen Siyuan had proposed a fake marriage and married Liu Xiaoli was that she was the mother of the celestial beauty.
That had been the mentality of a man reborn into another life at work.
Still, after they truly married, Chen Siyuan did not feel that he had lost out.
On the contrary, he had come out ahead.
Liu Xiaoli was a treasure of a woman—
the kind of woman capable of reforming even a prodigal heart.
Soon, a flight attendant came over to remind them to fasten their seat belts. The plane would begin its descent shortly.
Chen Zehan did not return. He had settled into a seat beside his godfather.
It was a charter flight, after all. They could sit wherever they pleased.
The plane landed at Capital Airport.
When Chen Siyuan and the others stepped off, they discovered that a large crowd was already waiting outside.
They were officials from the Ministry of Commerce, along with leaders from the departments responsible for receiving this overseas Chinese investment delegation.
Chen Siyuan smiled faintly.
Now this was more like it. It was nothing like the last time he had come to the capital to meet Wang Changtian, when only Raphael had shown up with a Bosideng coat to greet him. That had been terribly shabby.
“Mr. Chen, welcome home!”
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