Chapter 57: Finally Returning to the Lin Family

Xia Ruoxi was astonished by the sights along the way. After regaining her composure, she looked at Lin Feng and asked, “Is this the power of the great families?”

“What's wrong, were you frightened by everything we just saw?” Lin Feng glanced at Xia Ruoxi, who seemed worried, and spoke calmly.

“Don't you feel it? I never experienced this before, so I didn't know. Maybe my previous circles weren't at this level, but now that I’ve come into contact with it, I realize how deep the waters are, and how vast the power!” Xia Ruoxi said, deeply moved.

“Indeed, these great families wield immense influence. You saw how everyone gives way to their cars on the road. But with power comes exposure—their actions are always under scrutiny, and they must abide by many rules. Nothing can be done recklessly,” Lin Feng explained patiently, trying to guide Xia Ruoxi.

Yet after listening, Xia Ruoxi still looked at Lin Feng with an expression of partial understanding.

“Well, let me put it this way. Take what happened in our company before—how did the Lin family and the Wang family make their moves? At most, it was through political means, but political strategies come at a cost. And in Yanjing, no single family holds absolute sway. Whatever a family does, rival families keep watch; one mistake and everyone pounces. So these great families act cautiously, always wary of being caught out. Of course, if they feared nothing, it would be a different story,” Lin Feng continued, seeing that Xia Ruoxi hadn’t fully grasped his point.

After his explanation, Xia Ruoxi seemed to understand, lowering her head and sinking into thought. After a long moment, she looked up at Lin Feng and said, “Yes, you’re right! The greater the power, the greater the constraints—especially for these families.”

Lin Feng saw that she had understood some of it and went on, “This is why I brought you to Yanjing. You need to integrate with these families, learn how their circles operate, so you can deal with them in the future. Believe me, in the future, in Huaxia, those who trouble us most will be members of these great families. In business, we fear no one, but it’s the other messy matters that cause concern.”

“So, is this why you’ve returned?” Xia Ruoxi asked curiously.

“Honestly, I don’t know. I really don’t. I dislike their ways—they value profit above all. That’s why I don’t want to be involved in the Lin family’s Yanjing affairs. I’ll do what I can, but I won’t meddle beyond that. We should focus on our own matters. Besides, we have FutureTech in our hands, we’re not inferior to any of those families, so there’s no need to worry,” Lin Feng replied after thinking for a moment.

“No matter what you choose, I’ll always be on your side! By the way, who was that old gentleman? I saw everyone seemed to hold him in such high regard,” Xia Ruoxi quietly clasped Lin Feng’s hand.

“From now on, you can call him Grandpa Xiang. He was my grandfather’s bodyguard, serving since he joined the army at eighteen. Though my grandfather isn’t much older than him, during the war, Grandpa Xiang saved my grandfather’s life several times. Later, during peaceful times, our Lin family faced crises, and he stood by my grandfather, risking his life through it all. In our family, his status is second only to my grandfather. Not just me—even my uncles and my father respect him deeply; after all, their success was largely thanks to the two elders. As for me, when I was little, I once burned his beard and was locked in a dark room for ages—so among all the grandchildren, I was always the one he found most troublesome!” Lin Feng explained further, laughing as he recalled the past.

“Haha, you certainly were a handful as a child! No wonder Grandpa Xiang looked at you so differently just now,” Xia Ruoxi laughed along.

Soon, the car entered a quiet residential area. In Lin Feng’s memory, this place was reserved for families with distinguished military achievements, like his grandfather. The Lin family was just one among many here. Thanks to his grandfather’s prestigious car, they passed through heavily guarded checkpoints without anyone daring to stop them; their journey was smooth and unimpeded.

“The security here is so strict. Did you always live in this area? Doesn't it get inconvenient?” Xia Ruoxi asked, curious about the guarded gates along the way.

“It has to be strict. Think about what this place is—it’s home to Yanjing’s last remaining elders, those who lived through the founding of the nation. For people like them, the country takes special care. You saw the checkpoints, but no one stopped us because of my grandfather’s car. If it were any other vehicle, unfamiliar or unregistered, they’d inspect every inch before letting you through. Once you’ve registered and become familiar, it gets easier,” Lin Feng recalled fragments from his childhood and explained.

“You’re right. The country must cherish such invaluable people,” Xia Ruoxi nodded in agreement.

At last, they passed the final checkpoint and entered the residential area. Once inside, everyone in the car sensed the speed dropping, no longer racing ahead as before.

“Are we almost there?” Xia Ruoxi felt the change in speed and asked nervously.

“Yes, we’re close. This place hasn’t changed much since ten years ago. Just past these few villas and we’ll arrive. The slower speed is due to regulations here, and you must remember: whenever you drive here, keep your speed at twenty kilometers per hour, never above. This rule is absolute—do you understand?” Lin Feng said sternly.

Seeing Lin Feng’s seriousness, Xia Ruoxi quickly agreed, but she still asked curiously, “You left here when you were little, surely you didn’t drive then. How do you remember these rules?”

“It’s not that I remember clearly, but more than ten years ago, a child from another family broke this rule, treating this place like a racetrack. Nothing happened, thankfully, but because he violated the rule, his grandfather chased him around the villa area with a cane—he suffered quite a bit! That left a deep impression on me. I don’t know why the rule exists, but I know it’s strictly enforced—no exceptions for anyone,” Lin Feng continued his explanation.

After Lin Feng finished answering her questions, the car finally stopped in front of a villa. In Lin Feng’s memory, this was the place where he grew up. Seeing the familiar surroundings awakened many childhood memories, and he looked at the scenes with a touch of sadness, saying softly, “We’re here.”

Ahead, people from the other car were already getting out. Lin Feng saw his parents exiting, so he opened his door and took Xia Ruoxi’s hand to join them.

To his surprise, his grandfather and grandmother were already waiting at the entrance, though his uncles were absent—probably at work. Lin Yu, whom Lin Feng had met before, was present and came over to greet him and Xia Ruoxi.

“Dad, Mom, why are you waiting at the door for us? You shouldn’t have!” Lin Chuanzi, seeing his long-lost mother waiting at the door, rushed forward, grasping her hand in excitement.

“Sigh, I wanted to see you sooner. You have such a hard heart—ten years without coming home, and your father’s heart is even harder, saying he didn’t want you and sticking to it!” Lin Chuanzi’s mother let him hold her hand, while she criticized both him and the old man.

“Mother, forgive me, I’ve been unfilial. If not for us, Chuanzi wouldn’t have clashed with Father so badly,” Liu Runli hurried forward, clutching the elder’s other hand to plead for forgiveness.

Seeing his wife and son like this, the old patriarch felt emotional; perhaps age had softened him, for his eyes turned red.

When he saw his wife weeping beside him, the old man quickly comforted her, “All right, all right, everything is in the past. Now that we’re all back, let’s leave it behind.”

“Hmph, it’s all your fault!” The old lady’s words only fueled the fire.

“Yes, yes, my fault. But look at your age now—besides, the younger generation is here,” he said, noticing Lin Feng and, especially, the unfamiliar girl among them.

At his reminder, Lin Feng’s grandmother noticed them too. She tried to pull away from those supporting her and walk toward Lin Feng.

Seeing this gesture, Lin Feng was deeply moved. All the moments of his grandmother’s care flooded his memory. His eyes grew moist, but stubbornly, he held back his tears, took Xia Ruoxi’s hand, and hurried to greet her, “Grandma, I’m home!”

The old lady saw her grandson, the mischievous favorite she hadn’t seen in ten years, and thought of how her stubborn son had taken him away for a decade. How much suffering must the boy have endured? Overwhelmed by these memories, her long-restrained tears poured forth once more.

Seeing his grandmother’s sorrow, Lin Feng felt as if his heart were being cut. If there was anything worth cherishing in his Lin family memories, it was the loving grandmother who had always doted on him. Unable to bear seeing her like this, Lin Feng gently comforted her, “Grandma, I’m back now, aren’t I? Please don’t cry. I even brought my girlfriend to meet you!”