"Director Yu, what's wrong?"
The secretary, who was recording the meeting, noticed something amiss and immediately asked Yu Mengzhi.
The executives in the conference room also turned their attention to Yu Mengzhi.
Everyone was filled with confusion.
Had Director Yu's daughter fallen ill again?
They all knew that Yu Mengzhi's daughter was frail and often sick due to her premature birth.
Yu Mengzhi took a deep breath and said to the vice president on her right, "Could you please preside over the meeting for me? I have some personal matters to attend to."
The vice president was none other than Yu Mengzhi's cousin, Yu Huaiqing.
Yu Huaiqing had married Bai Meizi two years ago and, with the help of the Bai family, his career had accelerated. Coupled with Yu Mengzhi's trust in him, he had become the vice president of Gou Chen Group, able to fulfill his ambitions.
Seeing Yu Mengzhi's slightly pale face, Yu Huaiqing asked in a low voice, "Mengzhi, are you really alright?"
Yu Mengzhi waved her hand and left the conference room with her phone.
Yu Huaiqing withdrew his gaze and said to the executives in the room, "Then I will preside over this meeting."
Yu Mengzhi hurried back to her office.
By then, the phone had been ringing for thirty seconds. If anyone were present, they would have seen Yu Mengzhi's fingers trembling.
She finally mustered up the courage and pressed the answer button.
"Chen Jinzhao..."
"Yu Mengzhi!"
The moment the call connected, they both blurted out each other's names almost simultaneously.
Yu Mengzhi's mind went blank. She suppressed her excitement and asked, "Jin Zhao, is that you?"
Chen Jinzhao heard the familiar gentle voice after a long absence and was filled with emotion. "It's me. I'm still alive."
Yu Mengzhi did not cry. In fact, she became unusually calm.
She knew Chen Jinzhao must have encountered some trouble and immediately said, "Where are you? Do you need my help?"
Their communication was always this simple.
Sometimes, they could understand each other's thoughts without even speaking.
"Yes, I'm currently in the waters near the Liúqiú Islands. I have a premonition that someone will pursue me. I previously sent a message to China via the yacht's radio, but received no response," Chen Jinzhao said calmly. Yu Mengzhi's heart trembled slightly, and she immediately said, "Continue sailing. I'll contact my grandfather right away and have him mobilize resources to help you."
"Thank you!" Chen Jinzhao said.
Yu Mengzhi replied, "Why thank me? We don't need to thank each other."
"I can't talk to you now, I need to contact Grandpa."
"I'll call you back later."
Chen Jinzhao put on a brave face and said with a faint smile, "Okay, goodbye."
Beep——
He hung up the call himself.
Yu Mengzhi patted her face. Feeling the pain, she realized she wasn't dreaming. She murmured, "I must ensure his safe return, without the slightest negligence."
After taking a few deep breaths, Yu Mengzhi dialed her grandfather Li Buyan's private line.
As soon as the call connected, Yu Mengzhi said, "Grandpa, Chen Jinzhao is alive. He just called me for help..."
Three minutes later, the call ended.
Orders were issued from the command center in the western suburbs, and the East China Military Region immediately sprang into action. Ten of the most advanced fighter jets took off and headed towards the East China Sea.
The thought of seeing Chen Jinzhao soon made Yu Mengzhi tremble with excitement.
"Three years. I wonder how he's been..." she murmured.
"He's clearly alive, so why hasn't he contacted me in the past three years? What happened during these three years?"
"Will he think I've gotten old when he sees me?"
"I'll be thirty next year."
Yu Mengzhi paced back and forth in her office, her restless inner turmoil evident.
After pacing for a few rounds, Yu Mengzhi picked up the phone and dialed the number from before, but the call did not connect.
This extinguished the excitement in Yu Mengzhi's heart.
Chen Jinzhao's situation was still precarious. If he were caught by Mitri's pursuers, the consequences would be dire.
Yu Mengzhi muttered anxiously, "Chen Jinzhao, you must return safely this time. Don't make me and our daughter wait any longer."
Meanwhile.
Chen Jinzhao finally received a radio response from the Chinese military, who stated that they were sending personnel to rescue him.
Even more pleasing to Chen Jinzhao was the news from the Chinese military that a Chinese super warship was deployed nearby, whose fighter jets could provide assistance to Chen Jinzhao in a short period of time.
"How's it going?" Shan Li Douliu asked.
Chen Jinzhao replied, "Everything is going smoothly. What we need to do now is to accelerate to the maximum and get as far as possible from the island, entering international waters 12 nautical miles out."
Shan Li Douliu carefully calculated the time and said with some excitement, "If all goes well, we should be more than 12 nautical miles out by now, but this area is within Japan's economic zone, so we're not completely out of danger yet."
"As long as we leave territorial waters, China will have a legitimate reason to intervene," Chen Jinzhao said.
Shan Li Douliu nodded.
It was at this moment that the two in the cockpit suddenly said, "Our radar has been damaged. Someone is interfering with our communications."
Chen Jinzhao took out his phone and tried to make a call, but as expected, it wouldn't go through.
He said in a deep voice, "The Mitri military has made a move. Now it's a race against time. All we can do is leave it to fate."
This was the most powerless situation.
Shan Li Qianhui also emerged from her room. Her face paled when she learned of the situation, and she moved closer to Chen Jinzhao.
Even if they were to die, they would die together.
In the anxious waiting period, the Matsui family in Edo learned of explosive news.
The steward, through his subordinates, learned that there was a shocking photograph in Matsui Yusuke's home. Without daring to delay, he barged into the assembly hall again, causing the Matsui family members to show their displeasure once more. The steward knelt on the ground and presented his phone to Matsui Taro.
"Master, our men found this photo in Matsui Yusuke's home. Please take a look," the steward said, his voice trembling, which was puzzling.
A member of the Matsui family said, "You weren't this timid and fearful before. What's with you today, like a different person? If I had to call my father for every little thing, what use would you be as a steward?"
Matsui Taro frowned and took the steward's phone. After a careful look, his pupils constricted sharply.
Clang!
The teacup in his other hand fell to the ground with a crash, spilling tea all over him.
Even so, Matsui Taro did not avert his gaze.
The other members of the Matsui family realized that something was wrong with Matsui Taro and hurriedly asked, "Father, what's wrong?"
Matsui Taro trembled and said word by word, "That great devil is still alive."
"Chen Jinzhao is still alive!"
Upon hearing this.
Everyone's expressions changed drastically.