459: Chapter 452: Meeting Ye Rongzhong 459: Chapter 452: Meeting Ye Rongzhong Ye Qingqing had Chen Hai stay until after midnight before he stealthily climbed over the wall to leave.
He actually wanted to stay over for the night, but Ye Qingqing wouldn’t allow it.
She insisted that Buddhism was a place of purity, and the neighbors were all nuns; it simply wouldn’t be proper for Chen Hai to stay overnight!
To refute her argument, Chen Hai had even specifically shown her a recent news article about a nun living in a mansion, driving a luxury car, and keeping a young lover.
Unfortunately, all his efforts were in vain.
Ye Qingqing was not only unmoved, but she also gave him a disdainful roll of her eyes.
Left with no choice, Chen Hai left resignedly.
However, it was obvious that he was in quite a good mood; upon leaving Yongning Temple, he even began to hum a tune along the way.
Although persuading Ye Qingqing to renounce her vows was difficult—she said she couldn’t face others if she returned to secular life so soon after becoming a nun, and needed time to think—at least she was no longer rejecting Chen Hai’s advances.
In Chen Hai’s eyes, this was a significant step forward, worthy of celebration.
After all, with his abilities, sneaking into the nunnery at midnight was a piece of cake if he wanted to.
Was it just a matter of saving face, not wanting to return to secular life so soon?
At most, he’d just need to sneak into her room a few more times—how long could she bear the loneliness?
How long could she resist?
His sports car was parked near Yongning Temple.
After getting back into the car, Chen Hai drove swiftly toward Liuhua Alley.
That house there, after so many years, still stood.
He had even visited it that afternoon.
The place, although unoccupied for many years, was still clean and tidy—evidently, it must be frequently maintained by someone.
He had been somewhat perplexed by this before.
After all, his subordinates and brothers in Capital City either died, were arrested, or fled; none were unscathed!
That house, once vacated, should have been left neglected for years, filled with dust and cobwebs.
Now it seemed clear that the cleanliness and upkeep of the house must undoubtedly be Ye Qingqing’s doing.
Unfortunately, the villa on West Mountain, which Chen Hai hadn’t visited in many years, had changed owners.
He had only glanced at it briefly in the past.
Seeing that the villa had a new owner, he didn’t inquire further.
After all, that large courtyard was originally a gift from the Ye Family to him.
Perhaps because Ye Qingqing had married someone else, the Ye Family didn’t want any further entanglement between the two and retrieved the villa.
As for the minor issue of property rights, it was, of course, nothing to the Ye Family!
Of course, this was just Chen Hai’s speculation, and he couldn’t be certain of the actual facts.
As for the villa on West Mountain, he never felt much sense of belonging to it.
Since the house in Liuhua Alley was built, he usually stayed there when in Capital City and seldom visited the villa on West Mountain.
One less house, was just one less; to him now, material possessions were of little concern.
If he truly had nowhere to stay, sleeping under a bridge wouldn’t bother him in the slightest.
Having stayed in the house in Liuhua Alley for one night, he got up early the next day, had breakfast, and drove straight to Yuedong.
Li Feng’s situation had been dragging on; surely, it wasn’t a solution.
As long as he remained in his position, Ye Qingqing, wanting to return to secular life, would probably have even more concerns.
Going to Yuedong, Chen Hai’s goal was naturally to resolve this matter.
…
Yuedong, in the outskirts of Yang City, by a mountain and beside a water stream, stood an unassuming villa.
Guards were stationed around it, and inside, one could see groups of security personnel patrolling nearby.
“Horse Cannon, checkmate, no move left, Ye, with your lousy chess skills, challenging me to a game?
You’ve already lost three rounds in a row; coming back for more?”
“Of course, I’ll come back!
It’s just three losses; have you forgotten how you were utterly defeated by me before?
I don’t believe I can’t win against you!”
“Fine, let’s see how you’re going to beat me today!”
Inside a pavilion in the villa, two old men were enthusiastically engaged in a game, giving as good as they got.
The so-called Ye was none other than Ye Rongzhong, of course.
Over eighty years old, but well-cared for and in good health, he still appeared very robust.
The other old man, surnamed Yun, came from North Desert and was a long-time friend of Ye Rongzhong’s; he happened to be visiting at this place these days.
“Ye, victories and defeats are common in military affairs, but with your restless mind, given your recent state, it will be difficult to win against me!”
In the newly started chess game, after just seven or eight moves, Yun had already captured one of Ye Rongzhong’s chariots.
Giving Ye Rongzhong a meaningful look, he chuckled and added, “What’s the matter?
Still worried about your daughter becoming a nun?”
Blowing his nose and glaring fiercely, Ye Rongzhong said, “Don’t talk about that unfilial daughter—mentioning her just annoys me!”
“Living a good life, yet she insists on becoming a nun?”
“Li Feng and I went to Tianning Temple to persuade her; we hardly said a few words before she actually shut us out, rushing us to leave.”
“If it weren’t for the fact that she’s not young anymore, I would have been ready to slap her right then and there…”
As soon as he started talking about his daughter Ye Qingqing in front of his old friend, Ye Rongzhong couldn’t help but scowl and began to grumble incessantly.
“Uncle Ye, Qingqing must have her own compelling reasons for taking the vows!”
“Not long ago, I just went to Yongning Temple and met with her.”
“Just calm down and stop cursing her.
If you’re really that discontent with her, I’ll apologize on her behalf.
How does that sound?”
A sudden voice appeared beside Ye Rongzhong and the elder surnamed Yun.
Outside the pavilion, merely a few meters from the two men, the spot that was clearly empty just moments ago, now hosted a young man in casual attire, though no one knew when he had appeared.
“Who are you?
Who allowed you to come here…”
Upon seeing this young man, Ye Rongzhong was visibly startled.
The elder surnamed Yun playing chess with him, however, darkened in expression, stood up swiftly, and pointed at the young man, berating him furiously.
His reaction was quite normal.
After all, he was well aware of just how tight the security was within this villa!
Playing chess here in the pavilion with Ye Rongzhong, other than the possibility of Song Ling, Ye Rongzhong’s wife, coming to interrupt, no one else would dare to intrude upon them.
Yet now, this entirely unfamiliar young man had appeared so suddenly.
Even the elder surnamed Yun was certain that not even among Ye Rongzhong’s children and nephews would there be such a young man!
Faced with this situation, it was inevitable for him to suspect.
Immediately, he labeled the young man as one with ill-intentions who sought to harm them.
“Enemy attack, protect the leader!”
“Hands on your head, kneel and surrender, right now, without delay!”
“Any resistance, don’t hesitate, shoot to kill!”
…
The furious shout from the elder surnamed Yun caused the nearby security personnel to break into a cold sweat.
In just an instant, at least a dozen security officers had drawn their weapons, warning the young man while simultaneously sprinting towards the scene.
The appearance of such a completely unknown young man near the two leaders, unbeknownst to them, represented a serious dereliction of duty on their part.
Had it not been for the fact that the young man was unarmed and didn’t seem to be carrying any weapon, at this moment, those security officers would have done more than just warn; they would likely have opened fire.
The young man was, of course, none other than Chen Hai, who had hurried over from the Capital City.
With such stringent defenses in place, his distinctly unfamiliar young face would have been turned away at the gate, unable to even get a message through to Ye Rongzhong.
Therefore, Chen Hai had no choice but to make an unsolicited entrance.
“Uncle Ye, it’s been decades since we last met, and just as we reunite, you welcome me with such a display?
I’m afraid I can’t withstand it!” he said with a faint smile.
Despite the numerous guns aimed at him, Chen Hai seemed oblivious, as if he didn’t see them at all.
He nodded amicably at the elder surnamed Yun and then, turning his attention to Ye Rongzhong, he smiled and said.
“Fang, Yang, there’s nothing for you here, you may leave!”
“Secure the perimeter well, and don’t let anyone irrelevant get close!”
Ye Rongzhong’s face was a complex mixture of surprise and shock.
He waved his hand towards the security personnel who had just rushed over, commanding them.
The group of security officers paused, glanced at one another.
Seeing Ye Rongzhong, who showed no signs of being held hostage, and given his instructions, they complied, though perplexed, and faithfully retreated to a distance.
“Nearly thirty years have passed since we last met!”
“You still look like that somewhat green student from those days; the passage of time seems to have left no mark upon you, Chen Hai.”
“Does someone in this world truly possess the secret to eternal life, to remain forever young?”
“Did you come here on Qingqing’s behalf?”
Ye Rongzhong gazed at Chen Hai for a while and then sighed deeply.
To tell the truth, the news of Chen Hai’s arrival in Liuyuan County had reached his ears just a few days after he appeared.
Even though he had known for years that Chen Hai seemed eternally youthful, seeing his slightly immature face now still profoundly astounded him.
“Everyone wants to live forever, but achieving immortality may not always be a blessing!”
“Uncle Ye, as I said just now, I met with Qingqing before coming to you.”
“I’m here hoping that you can help me arrange to test my own strength.”
“If my power can satisfy you and certain others above, I hope you can give me justice in certain matters!”
Chen Hai said with a serene smile, speaking unhurriedly.