“Miss Yan…you think of everything for Chen Yang. But have you thought about yourself? I mean…Hollywood is a place of fame and fortune, full of all sorts of temptations…and I also remember that Chen Yang was accompanied by Miss Qiao last time, wasn’t he?”
As soon as she said those words, Yang Wei regretted them. She was stunned; how could she have said something so provocative? Had she really lost her composure in front of this girl with such innocent eyes?
Yan Di didn't change color as Yang Wei had expected. She simply sighed softly and looked at Yang Wei: "Miss Yang, I don't know how to understand what you mean... Well, I'm a very simple woman. I've considered what you're saying, but I never think too deeply about it. I also know that in this world, a man like Chen Yang, who is rich and powerful, rarely has only one woman by his side. Sometimes, I feel very sad and wronged. But I understand one thing: Chen Yang is sincere towards me. The way he looks at me is very genuine. At least I'm sure of that. I know he cares about me, and as for anything else... I don't want him to suffer, and I don't want him to be in a difficult position."
At this point, Yan Di actually smiled, resting her chin on her hand and saying softly, "Anyway, as long as he's happy, that's all that matters. I just don't want to see him looking troubled, or frowning. I've thought it through; as long as I'm by his side, I'll try my best to make him happy. As for what you said, I'll try not to think about it or ask about it... If one day he really doesn't want me anymore, then I definitely won't make things difficult for him; I'll just leave him... As long as he's truly happy, that's all that matters."
Then, Yan Di tilted her head and frowned, saying, "I know he's been unhappy ever since Qiao Qiao left... Sigh, I really want Qiao Qiao to come back, so Xiao Wu won't always be frowning. But I don't know what to do. Once I said I could leave him, and then he could bring Qiao Qiao back... But Xiao Wu got really angry that time, and I haven't dared to say it since."
Yang Wei felt like she had hit a wall. She had never imagined that such a girl could exist in this era! If she wasn't a completely naive fool, then she was an extremely selfless and foolish woman.
However, it seems that Yan Di doesn't fit either of these two points.
Is this woman the last blank sheet of paper in the world?
After a simple lunch, Yan Di personally cleared the table and then served a cup of hot tea.
"Miss Yang, can I ask you for a favor?" Yan Di asked suddenly.
"Um?"
Yan Di sighed, "I'm not very familiar with you, so it's a bit awkward for me to say these things so abruptly. But Xiao Wu has been away for so long, and I'm very worried about him." At this point, Yan Di looked at Yang Wei for a long time, then said softly, "Hmm, I think, if I'm not mistaken, you... must be very familiar with Xiao Wu, right?"
With her intelligence, Yang Wei immediately understood what Yan Di meant by "familiar".
At that moment, Yang Wei realized one thing: Yan Di actually understood his identity.
Yang Wei felt a little embarrassed, but Yan Di just smiled gently and then made her request: "I know this might sound unreasonable. But, during your time in Los Angeles, please take good care of him, okay?"
Then, amidst Yang Wei's complicated emotions, Yan Di said something that she could never forget afterward.
"Xiao Wu loves to eat oranges, but he's lazy and doesn't like to brush his teeth at night, so please try not to let him eat oranges at night, otherwise the acid will corrode his teeth and he will have toothaches."
"Xiao Wu has a stubborn streak. Sometimes, even if he's wrong, he won't admit it. For example, he won't wear more clothes and ends up catching a cold, but he won't say anything and will just suffer in silence."
"He can only eat dishes cooked with peanut oil, not vegetable oil, because he hates the taste of vegetable oil. But he never says anything, and he eats very little when he does eat. So please pay attention to this, otherwise, if he doesn't say anything and eats very little, he will have health problems."
"He doesn't like to loosen his shoelaces when taking off his shoes; instead, he likes to step down with one foot on the heel of the other. So the heels of his shoes need to be wiped more than once a day."
“He can seem fierce at times, but he’s actually a very soft-hearted person. So when he’s angry, as long as you go along with what he says, he’ll calm down and won’t hold a grudge. If he’s really wrong, he’ll quietly make up for it in other ways afterward. But when he’s angry, sometimes, even if he knows he’s wrong, he’ll stubbornly stick to his guns. So sometimes, it’s good to try to coax him in a roundabout way.”
"He smokes a lot, and only flue-cured tobacco; he hates blended cigarettes. For his health, I always buy him cigarettes with low tar content. Actually, he doesn't smoke that much. Sometimes he likes to light a cigarette while thinking about something. He takes just one puff, puts it down, and then when he remembers it, it's already burned out. Then he'll light a second one... So, when you go into his room and see the ashtray full of cigarette butts, don't be alarmed. He doesn't actually smoke that much... But please make sure his room windows are kept open for ventilation. Otherwise, even if he's just burning cigarettes instead of smoking, if the smoke doesn't dissipate in the room, it will still harm his health."
"besides……"
Yang Wei was stunned.
One by one. Yan Di calmly recounted them, all of them details about the minutiae of my life. These were things that Yang Wei would never normally pay any attention to; things that she would consider utterly insignificant in her daily life.
Even though Yang Wei and I have been together for so long, she has never even thought about these kinds of questions.
But Yan Di, standing before him, seemed to be recounting these matters solemnly, one by one, as if they were of utmost importance.
At that moment, Yang Wei suddenly asked herself a question: Could I love him to this extent? Indeed, I would die for him!
But this girl in front of him would do anything for him!
That day, Yang Wei left my house with deep worry. Although she pretended to be nonchalant and even smiled and said goodbye to Yan Di in a friendly manner, a thought suddenly occurred to her after she stepped out the door, a thought that even she found unbelievable.
Perhaps... I really can't compare to her.
"Do you know how I felt when I walked out of your house that day?" On the plane, Yang Wei looked into my eyes. Then, in a slow, low voice, she said, "I suddenly felt like a failure. A real failure. I might be smarter than Yan Di, wiser than her, better at business, better at planning, and I can even tell you frankly, there was a time when I thought I was the most suitable woman for you! Because I not only love you deeply, but I can also give you the greatest help in your career! But after actually meeting Yan Di that day, I realized I was wrong, terribly wrong."
Then, as if mocking herself, Yang Wei said in a low voice, "So what if I have a knack for business? Even if I can help you earn another billion or two billion, so what? This isn't the marketplace, this isn't a battlefield. We're comparing something special. We're not comparing who's the prettiest, the smartest, the most capable, or who has the best family background... What we're really competing on is who loves you more!" A hint of helplessness flashed in her eyes: "Even if I, Yang Wei, consider myself clever my whole life, so what? That day I realized that Yan Di, this girl, truly loves you to the core, or rather..." She's already head over heels in love with you. It's almost instinctive for her; everything about you is more important than anything else. And even if I wanted to compete with her, so what? We're not comparing who can help you more in your career, nor who's more suitable as your business partner… The most fundamental question is: who is most suitable to be your wife, someone who shares your basic needs, lives with you every day, and takes care of you in every single detail? In this role, neither I, Yang Wei, nor Qiao Qiao, nor any other woman, could possibly compare to Yan Di, even if they tried to outdo her.”
To be honest, not only Yang Wei, but I am also in a state of extreme shock right now!
This past event, which I knew nothing about, was recounted by Yang Wei, and I could almost see Yan Di standing before me, still so beautiful, her eyes clear and gentle, with that delicate smile. Looking at me…
Indeed, Yang Wei is smarter; she's my best assistant in my career. Qiao Qiao is more individualistic; women like that make life feel like a thrilling rollercoaster ride.
But Yan Di, this woman who is forever gentle and kind, is my wife!
"And..." Yang Wei said softly, "Do you remember that fierce argument we had that day? I was really disappointed in you that day. But at that time, I also realized that maybe I did some things wrong. And I remembered what Yan Di told me before, that you're stubborn, and sometimes you can't just confront someone head-on..."
Then Yang Wei said with a wry smile, "So, please tell her thank you for me. If it weren't for her suggestion, we probably would have really fallen out that day. To be honest... I think she's the one who truly understands you the most."
Yang Wei and I looked at each other for a long time. Then she sighed softly, her expression seemingly complicated, but she squeezed my hand tightly, making me hold the small box she had given me.
"This is your congratulatory gift."
The plane landed at Vancouver Airport. Yang Wei didn't follow me out of the airport; instead, she suddenly pulled out a connecting flight ticket, something I hadn't expected at all.
"You... what is this?"
A bitter smile played on Yang Wei's lips, but her eyes remained bright: "I'm transferring here to go to Las Vegas. I'm sorry, Chen Yang." At the airport, she hugged me tightly: "I can't go out with you... and I can't attend your wedding. Darling, I love you. And I know you should marry her. I've thought it through... but I really can't bear to witness all of this, so I have to leave for now."
"..." I remained silent, simply holding Yang Wei tightly. I understood her feelings perfectly... and her actions were not surprising.
"I should be the one saying sorry." I pulled Yang Wei's eyes away and looked her in the eye. "I'm a bastard, a philandering bastard. I'm the one who's sorry to you."
Yang Wei smiled gently: "In this world, how many men are not fickle? At least you are sincere... and falling in love with you is something I chose to do."
After saying that, Yang Wei left my embrace and bit her lip. She whispered, "Actually, you know what? I could have just flown back to Las Vegas. The reason I deliberately accompanied you to Vancouver was because... I had originally planned to intercept you on the way and find a good excuse to prevent you from returning to Vancouver. But just now, on the plane, I changed my mind. Really, darling, I really think she's the most suitable person to be your wife."
After saying this, Yang Wei suddenly kissed me on the lips, then bit me hard before taking two steps back: "Darling, I love you! I... after I get home, I'll be waiting for you at our company in Los Angeles."
Yang Wei turned around and walked back into the waiting hall, while I walked out of the customs passage.
Actually, just as I was saying goodbye to Yang Wei, Hammer was standing far to the side. Only after Yang Wei left did he approach and whisper, "Fifth Brother, Miss Yang..."
I shook my head, signaling him to stop talking.
Afterwards, we walked out of the customs channel one by one. At the airport exit, I saw my senior brother's burly figure, and Xiluo, who looked more mature.
And Yan Di… oh, my Yan Di! She stood behind, one small hand nervously and expectantly rubbing a strand of her hair. Her features were beautiful, and she was as pretty as ever, but her chin seemed to have become more pointed, and she looked a little thinner.
The shock I felt from what I learned on the plane was still lingering. Seeing Yan Di, I put down my suitcase and strode over to her.
I was wearing sunglasses and keeping my head down because my current fame meant I could be recognized at any time, which would cause trouble. So, as I strode towards them, it took quite a while before anyone recognized me.
Yan Di was the only exception. She recognized me at a glance and ran towards me without hesitation, throwing herself into my arms.
Her body was so light, and that familiar fragrance stirred my heart.
I suddenly lifted her chin and looked into her clear eyes: "I love you."
"..." Yan Di was clearly surprised that I would suddenly say such a thing.
I smiled slightly, my tone firm and composed: "I once heard a saying: When you decide to marry a girl, you must tell her I love her."
Part Three: The Pinnacle, Chapter Two: Everything is Ready, Only the East Wind is Lacking
"This is a precious artifact specially made by the Fabergé family to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the founding of St. Petersburg. This 36-ounce work of art is entirely encased in platinum and inlaid with 20 blue gemstones of varying sizes..." A portly jeweler wiped the sweat from his brow as he carefully introduced the egg. "Gently opening the shell, inside lies a miniature model of St. Petersburg's iconic sculpture—the 'Bronze Horseman'... Look." Before him was a small Easter egg, a precious jewel from the Russian Tsarist family.
I looked at the tiny, egg-sized artwork, studded with gemstones, with satisfaction and smiled: "Very good, very beautiful."
The jeweler breathed a slight sigh of relief, then forced a smile: "Mr. Chen... oh no, Fifth Master, while this Easter egg isn't as valuable as some of the ones at Sotheby's, it's definitely a genuine Faber family piece! You can find this 'Bronze Horseman' in the Faber family's catalog!" He paused, then looked at me cautiously: "I wonder why you bought this..."
I smiled and took a sip of tea. "It's a wedding gift for my newlywed wife." A complex look appeared in the plump jeweler's eyes. Beads of sweat appeared on his fat face, which he quickly wiped away with a handkerchief before sighing, "If it's a wedding gift, then an Easter egg would be most suitable. Historically, there are records of Tsars gifting Easter eggs to their beautiful wives as a symbol of love. Several world-famous Easter eggs were made for this purpose."
Without a word, I reached out and picked up the artwork from the table. Its exterior was covered in shimmering jewels, resting on the velvet fabric, radiating a soft glow—very elegant. The jeweler watched with concern as I handled the egg without gloves, leaving behind several fingerprints, but dared not speak. Only after I put it down did he carefully pick it up with his gloved hand, then took out a small pair of tweezers and gently wiped it a few times with a small piece of silk cloth.
“I’m very satisfied with this. Name your price.” I leaned back on the sofa, looking the guy in the eye.
The man in front of me is one of the owners of some of the most famous jewelry stores in Vancouver. It was quite a coincidence, really. I had originally planned to buy a piece of jewelry as a wedding gift for Yan Di—I couldn't recall ever giving her a token of love before.
However, I don't want to buy anything like a diamond ring; I think that's too tacky and lacks creativity.
As a result, Lingya Zhou gave me a suggestion. The chubby jeweler in front of me came from a family that had been in the jewelry business for generations in Vancouver. Although their business wasn't very large, they had quite a few rare collectibles.
Especially since it was rumored that he possessed an Easter egg. This was a treasure—an Easter egg handcrafted by the legendary Russian jeweler family, the Fabergé family, each one a priceless gem, a coveted collectible for jewelers worldwide. Although this jeweler had a "Bronze Horseman" in his possession, he had kept it a secret, so no one else knew about it.
Unfortunately, it was Zhou, with his protruding teeth, who somehow learned that this jeweler had an Easter egg and eagerly told me about it. Easter eggs were traditionally gifts from the Russian Tsars to their wives, and thus have always been considered a symbol of love. Giving such a gift to my newlywed wife was, of course, perfectly appropriate.
If it were an outsider coming to buy it, the jeweler would naturally refuse outright. He had no intention of selling it... but I'm different!
I now wield immense power in Vancouver, commanding smuggling tycoons, social elites, and underworld bosses. The mayor, councilors, and high-ranking police officials are all my guests. Other gang leaders are completely subservient to me. Given this situation, how could a small-time jeweler dare to offend me?
When I went to his shop to buy it, he had no choice but to bring out this prized possession.
I fell in love with it at first sight! The jeweler, after giving me a long, enthusiastic presentation, probably wished I wouldn't like it, but seeing my satisfied expression, he couldn't do anything about it.
“This… Chen, um, Fifth Master Chen.” He stammered. But it was really awkward for a foreigner to call me “Fifth Master” with a rolled “tongue”. Seeing his nervousness, I smiled and said, “Alright, you can just call me Mr. Chen. I really like this item. So, just name your price.”
I don't really like bullying others, but this is something I'm planning to give to my newlywed wife, so I can't refuse to give it to him. I'll just pay more for it.
However, the jeweler was sweating profusely and stammering, unable to speak. A thought flashed through my mind, and I understood what he was thinking.
I knew this artwork was definitely valuable. That's why the jeweler was hesitant to name a price—if he asked for too low, he'd likely lose a lot of money. If he asked for too high… and angered me, things would be even worse. Seeing his predicament, I sighed and said gently, "I'm buying this as a wedding gift for my wife, so name your price. Whatever you ask for, I won't make things difficult for you. It's a symbol of love, and love is priceless, isn't it?"
I said that, and he sighed, hesitated for a moment, and said in a low voice, "Well... Mr. Chen, I originally had absolutely no intention of transferring this item, but... well, how about this, last year at Sotheby's, an Easter egg sold for six million four hundred thousand US dollars. However, that egg was of better quality than this one. So, I intend to transfer this item for six million US dollars..."
As he said this, he looked at me expectantly, a hint of heartache involuntarily showing in his eyes—I knew that this price was probably too low, but he didn't dare to ask for a higher price.
I smiled, took out my checkbook, wrote a check for eight million dollars, and placed it on the table: "I won't let you lose out. You can keep this check; consider it payment for this item... Well, I'm very grateful that you're willing to transfer this item to me. So, I'll send you an invitation to my wedding. If you encounter any trouble in Vancouver in the future, you can come to me. From today onwards, you can tell others that you are my friend."
The fat man's eyes lit up, and he immediately showed a hint of joy. You see, I'm practically all-powerful in Vancouver now! Just the name "Fifth Master" is enough to make me practically untouchable here. If this guy can get on my good side, it will definitely be very beneficial for him in the future.
********************
When Hammer and I walked out of the jewelry store, I checked the time; it was about three in the afternoon. I got into the car—a Rolls-Royce I had just ordered. It was bulletproof from the windows to the tires. After getting in, Xiao Zhu, sitting in the driver's seat, glanced back at me: "Fifth Brother, where to now?"
Xiao Zhu's original job was to take care of Uncle Qi. After Uncle Qi passed away, I handed him over to Xiluo to be his assistant. However, this guy didn't like doing business, and after I came back this time, he begged me to stay by my side. I also needed a clever person by my side (Hammer is a hothead and can't drive), so I agreed to let him.
"Doesn't the little girl have some assessment this afternoon? Let's go check it out, and then pick her up."
Afterwards, we drove to a public opera house in Vancouver. I'd enrolled my daughter, Xiao Wu, in a private high school. And to cultivate her temperament and temper her wildness, she'd been forced to study music—the violin—for the past six months.
Speaking of this girl learning music, it really gave Yan Di a headache for quite a while. They started by having her learn to sing. They hired a vocal teacher who had come from China to study in Canada. But the little girl scared away the expensive private music teacher in her very first music lesson. Before leaving, the teacher said, "The moment she opens her mouth, all the mother wolves within a ten-kilometer radius will come swarming in their chariots!"
Then they had the little girl learn piano, and after just one lesson, she stunned the expensive teacher who had previously worked as a pianist in the Philharmonic Orchestra! In the end, the teacher didn't even dare to accept the lesson fee and left. Before leaving, he said, "This child's playing is like flowing water, like a gazelle hanging its horns, completely natural… but not a single note is in tune. If I continue teaching her, I feel I'm doing the piano a disservice!"
Then he tried to find a way to teach her the pipa, thinking that even if she couldn't become a piano master, she could still develop a certain classical beauty's "half-hidden face while holding a pipa" charm, which would be quite endearing. For this, he hired a top pipa player from China at a high price, someone who had reportedly worked in the Central National Orchestra. This time, the teacher didn't have her play immediately, but instead taught her to read music—and that backfired. The girl's first question was, "Teacher, can you play 'Eighteen Touches'?" This immediately angered the still-charming teacher, who left on the spot.
In the end, for some reason, this little girl became obsessed with the violin. Everyone had given up on her, so they simply stopped hiring any professional teachers and bought her several violins. They also provided her with a lot of audio-visual materials, such as videos and discs, and let her play whatever she wanted at home.
I've been gone for so long, I don't know how her studies are going, but I heard she's taking some kind of assessment today. I just finished shopping and had nothing else to do, so I decided to go check on her.
We drove to the opera house. Although such an audition prohibited unauthorized personnel from entering, those rules didn't apply to me. Hammer casually lifted his suit jacket, revealing a gun holster under his arm. Coupled with his menacing appearance, who would dare stop us?
The staff were too scared to speak, but Xiao Zhu had already pushed open the door to the inner part of the opera house and led me inside.
The entire opera house was nearly empty, except for a few people in the first two rows, presumably the examiners. Without saying a word, I walked over and sat down at the very end of the second row. Some of the examiners glanced at me, probably with some surprise. I didn't say anything, just smiled slightly and nodded to them.