The Hongmen national capital branch was vast and imposing.
The branch was located in the suburbs, on a specially allocated plot of land. Its construction cost six hundred million, entirely in mortise and tenon joinery, without a single nail. It covered an area of two thousand square meters, with a grand, square-shaped archway at the entrance inscribed with the words "Hongmen" in running script.
There was no modern style to be seen; the antique feel was overwhelming, creating an illusion of time travel.
It had to be said that Hongmen was indeed wealthy.
During the dark era, Hongmen had rallied all its members to donate money and materials. The then President Situ had also liquidated his personal fortune, donating a total of 420 million US dollars, which translated to a staggering 2.8 billion Kyushu coins.
Of course, Kyushu had not treated Hongmen unfairly in return.
It was a fitting response to the saying, "If you treat me as a national scholar, I will repay you as a national scholar."
The current president was Su Weizhang, who had a good relationship with Ye Longlin. When Ye Longlin was still overseas, Hongmen had provided considerable assistance, and Ye Longlin, in turn, had helped Hongmen overcome many crises. Within Hongmen, Ye Longlin was considered an honored guest.
After receiving Ye Longlin's call yesterday evening, Su Weizhang had rushed back from overseas. He hadn't even adjusted for the time difference, sleeping only two or three hours before getting up. Of course, these were minor issues for a martial artist.
Ye Longlin was driving a Hongqi HQ9 MPV today. Since he was bringing his child, other cars wouldn't be as suitable. He wasn't lacking in money and didn't need to consider resale value, so naturally, he wanted to support domestic brands.
On either side of the Hongmen entrance stood two rows of disciples dressed in simple white attire. Those serving at the branch were all core members.
Su Weizhang, clad in white Zen robes, appeared exceptionally spirited, leaning on a cane made of golden-silk nanmu.
"Hahaha, Brother Ye, long time no see!"
Su Weizhang was somewhat surprised to see Ye Longlin driving himself, but the look was fleeting before he opened his arms for an embrace.
Ye Longlin raised his hands, "Hold on, hold on, I'm not hugging you."
With that, he opened the rear door, unbuckled the child seat, and carried Ye Churan out.
"Yiyi, say hello to Uncle Su."
Ye Churan sweetly called out, "Hello, Uncle Su."
Su Weizhang looked at Ye Longlin with great surprise, his eyes widening. "You're married? And you have a child?"
"Brother Ye, this is not right. You didn't even notify your elder brother about your marriage. You're looking down on me."
Su Weizhang said with a hearty laugh, then instructed someone nearby, "Go get my calligraphy and painting, and present it to Brother Ye."
Ye Longlin rolled his eyes. "Alright, how can I accept your gifts? Besides, I've only registered the marriage; we haven't had the wedding yet. Given the current national situation, even if I wanted to have a peaceful wedding, someone would likely object."
"Hahaha, that's true. Let's go, let's go inside for some tea. We brothers can have a good chat over tea. You have to drive your child later, so no drinking."
Following Su Weizhang into the branch, they arrived at the tearoom.
The tearoom's ambiance was indeed excellent, imbued with an antique charm and aesthetic beauty.
"What do you think? It's not bad here, is it? I hired the most renowned domestic designer for this."
Ye Longlin, holding Ye Churan, nodded. "It's indeed quite good."
Ye Churan was fixated on the white gauze curtains, and anything that floated tended to capture a child's attention.
"Yiyi, play here, and don't go out, understand?"
Ye Longlin crouched down in front of Ye Churan and whispered.
Ye Churan nodded obediently, "Yiyi understands. Yiyi will be good."
Su Weizhang looked at Ye Churan and couldn't help but sigh, "My son, when he was your daughter's age, was completely insensible and a constant worry. Unlike your daughter, who is so sensible at such a young age. If my son were half as sensible as your daughter, I would be content."
Ye Longlin didn't reply, merely smiled, but the smile on his face couldn't be contained.
Su Weizhang and Ye Longlin sat there, engaging in conversation. Ye Churan played in the room, and in this new environment, she was like a curious kitten, wanting to explore everything.
After chatting for more than half an hour, Su Weizhang finally asked, "You must have looked for me so urgently because of the situation in the capital, right?"
Ye Longlin nodded. "Yes. The Ye family, after all, is a colossal entity. No one knows their true depth. So, I wanted to ask for your help. If the Ye family's foundation exceeds my expectations, you can serve as an external support force. If it's within my expectations, then consider it an invitation to watch a show." httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
It was always wise to be prepared for anything, especially in the current climate, where two sets of preparations might not be enough.
"The most crucial matter is the Dark Hall. Two years ago, I unexpectedly learned that the Dark Hall's headquarters were not abroad, but rather within our own country."
"But since the Dark Hall was established, no one knows where its headquarters are. There's even less information from within the country. So, I'm worried that the Dark Hall will heavily interfere. Although there's the Hall of Honor, hidden dangers are always more perilous than those in the open."
Ye Longlin sighed, speaking without reservation to Su Weizhang. He chose to trust him, believing him to be trustworthy.
"Indeed."
"Don't worry. Since Brother Ye has asked, I, your elder brother, will certainly not fall short. I will personally lead my men to support you. Rest assured."
Ye Longlin raised his teacup. "Then I thank you in advance, Brother. Let's toast with tea instead of wine. I'll drink."
Su Weizhang laughed heartily and also drank the tea in his cup.
"Bang!"
At that moment, a shattering sound was heard, and Ye Churan burst into tears.
"Yiyi!"
Ye Longlin reacted instantly, appearing before Ye Churan in the blink of an eye.
Ye Churan sat on the floor, surrounded by shards. If one wasn't careful, they could get cut. Judging by the pattern and color, it appeared to be blue-and-white porcelain.
"Yiyi, it's okay, Daddy's here, Daddy's here. Are you hurt anywhere? Let Daddy see."
Ye Longlin's face was filled with anxiety, his doting father persona no longer concealed.
Ye Churan shook her head, tears welling up, "Daddy."
Su Weizhang also walked over at this point, letting out a sigh of relief, "It's good that she's okay. It's good that she's okay."
"Brother, I'm so sorry. I broke one of your blue-and-white porcelain pieces. How much is it? I'll pay you."
Ye Longlin said apologetically, feeling quite embarrassed.
Su Weizhang immediately put on a stern face. "Brother Ye, you insult me by saying that. Our relationship is so good; there's no need to talk about compensation. Just have one more drink next time we meet, hahaha."