The Sweetest Marriage Ch.247

Chapter 247 – His Son

“Sorry, you have been restricted from leaving the country,” the airport’s attractive staff member sweetly informed Reinhert.

Initially filled with anger and apprehension, Reinhert felt something was amiss. Placing his hands forcefully on the counter, he angrily questioned, “Are you making a mistake?”

The staff member confirmed once again, “I’m sorry, sir, but you are indeed restricted from leaving the country.”

Upon receiving the same answer, Reinhert’s expression contorted. He realized the situation had reached a critical point. However, he didn’t know whether it was the Chen family or someone he had wronged retaliating against him.

Feeling a sense of urgency, Reinhert suddenly knew he had to escape. Unable to leave temporarily, he decided to find a place to hide, ensuring that the people associated with the Chen family couldn’t locate him!

With this thought, Reinhert swiftly left the airport, dragging his luggage along.

That night, Reinhert randomly boarded a vehicle heading to a southern city in China. It was a place whose name he hadn’t even heard before. This way, it would be more challenging for the Chen or Wei family to locate him, as he himself was unsure of his destination. This fog of uncertainty would confuse them during their investigation.

Unbeknownst to Reinhert, his every move had already been under surveillance. As long as he remained within China’s borders, there was no escaping observation.

Upon Reinhert’s arrival in the city, Jiang Ye received the news immediately. However, he didn’t instruct his men to act but rather ordered them to continue monitoring Reinhert’s every move. When the time was right and the Chen family intended to locate Reinhert, they would “accidentally” reveal Reinhert’s whereabouts.

If the Chen family was in cahoots with Reinhert, they would be left biting their nails. When the time was ripe, Jiang Ye and Wei Chen would emerge to conclude matters.

*

The next day, Chen Yunsheng went to Reinhert’s office looking furious. However, upon opening the door to Reinhert’s ward, Reinhert was nowhere to be found. Chen Yunsheng grabbed a passing nurse and asked, “Where is Reinhert?”

The nurse was startled by Chen Yunsheng’s demeanor and was hesitant in response. Chen Yunsheng grabbed the nurse’s collar, demanding, “Tell me, where is Reinhert?”

Startled, the nurse stammered, “I-I don’t know. Dr. Reinhert is usually here at this time, but… but he’s not here today.”

Chen Yunsheng immediately realized that Reinhert had fled and rushed to Reinhert’s residence, but it was already vacant!

“Damn it!” Chen Yunsheng couldn’t contain his frustration and immediately contacted Chen Yunqi, asking Chen Yuntang to track down Reinhert.

‘Reinhert, you’d better not still be in China. If you are, even if your heart doesn’t match my daughter’s, I’ll dig it out!’

Soon, Chen Yunqi provided a response. “It seems that the Sheng family has taken action. Reinhert has been restricted from leaving the country and is still in China,” Chen Yunqi reported.

“Yunqi, this plan has failed.” Chen Yunsheng reluctantly admitted the setback. With Reinhert, a crucial figure in the plan, having escaped, it meant that there was no one to cause Chen Li’s brain death, and Chen Yu couldn’t obtain a heart from Chen Li.

“Maybe,” Chen Yunqi didn’t consider the plan a failure. Whether Chen Yu could get that heart didn’t matter to him.

The Wei family also participated in the plan’s execution, and with Wei Chen’s intelligence, he could certainly see through it.

Facing a choice between a lover and family, how would Wei Chen choose?

From the current perspective, Wei Chen was likely to break with the Wei family.

To dismantle a force, internal conflict is more destructive than external strikes. If Wei Chen opposed the Wei family, internal strife would weaken them. Then, they could simply sit back and reap the benefits.

“How should we proceed?” Chen Yunsheng asked.

“Let’s wait and see,” Chen Yunqi said with a faint smile.

“I’ve just received news that Reinhert boarded a bus heading to the southern city,” Chen Yunqi relayed the information to Chen Yunsheng. “What’s your next move?”

“First, capture him and then decide. Right now, he’s the only one who can cause Chen Li’s brain death.” After the initial surge of emotion passed, Chen Yunsheng regained his composure. As long as Reinhert was still around, he had a means to capture Chen Li. Later, he could have Reinhert cause Chen Li’s brain death as planned.

However, this had to happen quickly. Chen Yu couldn’t afford to wait much longer. The heart condition had become increasingly critical. Without the heart transplant surgery, he worried Chen Yu might not last the year. Dr. Wang Kaiji, an authority in cardiovascular surgery, had conveyed this grim message to him the day before.

So, Chen Yunsheng was in a rush. After hanging up the phone, he sent people to look for Reinhert in the southern city and had others monitor Chen Li’s every move.

However, those monitoring Chen Li couldn’t get close to him. Following a series of incidents, someone was now protecting Chen Li. The individuals assigned to monitor Chen Li were quickly neutralized.

*

After undergoing psychological suggestions for half a month, Chen Li eventually returned to school. Coincidentally, on that day, the internationally renowned artist, Chen Yunlan, was giving a lecture at Q University.

Initially, Chen Li hadn’t intended to attend, but Zhuge Yu arranged this task, insisting that Chen Li must listen to Chen Yunlan’s lecture, stating it was crucial to know oneself and the enemy to win a hundred battles.

Chen Li wouldn’t disobey Zhuge Yu’s wishes. Hence, he arrived at the T-shaped classroom early to wait.

Chen Yunlan, a globally recognized painter, had caused a stir with his arrival at Q University. Even though Chen Li arrived half an hour early, the front rows were already taken. He settled in a corner.

In such gatherings, Chen Li naturally felt uneasy around strangers. Fortunately, a classmate noticed him and voluntarily sat beside him, creating a secure space around Chen Li to shield him from unfamiliar interactions.

After half an hour, the T-shaped auditorium was packed, everyone engaged in discussions about Chen Yunlan.

Chen Li’s gaze fell on the distant stage where Chen Yunlan, accompanied by the Dean of the School of Fine Arts, arrived fashionably late.

As Chen Yunlan entered the T-shaped classroom, thunderous applause erupted, warmly welcoming his presence.

Although Q University’s School of Fine Arts had many professors on par with Chen Yunlan, they were mostly elderly and didn’t have the same level of charm.

While Chen Yunlan wasn’t a typical heartthrob, at his age, his foxy eyes added a considerable amount of charm, making him increasingly attractive as he was observed.

Many students came specifically for Chen Yunlan’s attractiveness. As soon as Chen Yunlan started speaking, the lecture began.

Chen Yunlan’s lecture was undeniably captivating. Some students, initially drawn by Chen Yunlan’s looks, found themselves gradually engrossed in the content of the lecture and began listening attentively.

From the moment Chen Yunlan uttered the first words of the lecture, Chen Li was instantly drawn to the content of the speech. He understood the reason his teacher insisted he attend Chen Yunlan’s lecture.

Although Zhuge Yu couldn’t see eye to eye with Chen Yunlan, inwardly, he acknowledged Chen Yunlan’s expertise. This was precisely why he encouraged Chen Li to attend the lecture—know thy enemy, as they say—though it was just an excuse from Zhuge Yu’s proud disposition.

Chen Li listened earnestly. However, he soon noticed that Chen Yunlan’s gaze seemed to frequently fall on him. Feeling Chen Yunlan’s eyes on him once more, Chen Li looked up, meeting Chen Yunlan’s gaze directly. Chen Yunlan quickly averted his eyes, leaving Chen Li puzzled. However, he shrugged off the confusion and resumed taking notes.

The lecture lasted for an hour and a half. When Chen Yunlan finally concluded, the students in the T-shaped classroom reluctantly dispersed, some desiring to take photos with Chen Yunlan or get his autograph, but all such requests were politely declined.

Chen Yunlan’s gaze fell on Chen Li again, following him until he left, reluctantly withdrawing his eyes only after Chen Li was out of sight.

During the conference that day, he became too emotionally charged. He instantly denied the possibility of Chen Li being his son from years ago. However, since then, Chen Li’s face persisted in his mind, merging with the memory of that person.

It was just too similar, as if carved from the same mold.

How could Chen Yunlan think this way unless Chen Li was the child he once knew?

This possibility left Chen Yunlan sleepless for several nights, his mind filled with images of Chen Li.

His child…

Perhaps Chen Li was his child after all!

Chen Yunlan knew beforehand that Chen Li was at Q University. He eagerly anticipated meeting Chen Li during this lecture. So, when he saw Chen Li in the classroom, Chen Yunlan was pleasantly surprised. During the speech, he couldn’t help but steal glances in Chen Li’s direction.

Just with a few glances, Chen Yunlan became more convinced of his own speculation. Some of Chen Li’s habits were exactly like those of the person he used to know, these mannerisms were subconscious, perhaps even unnoticed by Chen Li himself.

Chen Yunlan felt suffocated; he even had the impulse to rush forward and embrace Chen Li, but he restrained himself, not wanting to startle the boy.

“Mr. Chen?”
“Mr. Chen?”

The dean of the School of Fine Arts noticed Chen Yunlan lost in thought and called out to him several times.

Chen Yunlan snapped back, his expression unchanged. “What’s wrong?”

The dean chuckled, “Is Mr. Chen watching Chen Li?”

With growing certainty that Chen Li might be his child, Chen Yunlan wanted to understand more about him. He inquired, “Did that student just now call himself Chen Li? Could you tell me something about this student?”

Speaking of Chen Li, the dean began to talk enthusiastically, “Ah, Chen Li, he’s our pride at the academy. Despite his young age, he’s exceptionally gifted in art, surpassing many in his field. He won the Dream Cup’s gold award last year for his piece ‘Light,’ displayed at the National Art Museum. Many visitors go there just to see ‘Light.’ Of course, his other works are also excellent… but it’s a pity.”

“What’s the pity?” Chen Yunlan asked. Why was it a pity if he had such remarkable talent?

“It’s a shame that Chen Li has been dealing with autism since childhood and doesn’t like interacting with strangers,” the dean lamented.

However, the words ‘autism’ struck Chen Yunlan like thunder. That person he knew also had autism.

With so many coincidences, Chen Li must be the child he gave birth to all those years ago, his son!

Almost without thinking, Chen Yunlan asked, “Dean, do you know when Chen Li was born?”

“I’m not exactly sure about the date, but Chen Li is twenty-two this year. His birthday was just last month,” the dean replied based on vague recollection. His child was born in the early days of autumn, twenty-two years ago!

This couldn’t be wrong! Absolutely couldn’t be wrong! Chen Li was his son! His son was not dead!

In that moment, Chen Yunlan didn’t know what he felt. He sensed something surging in his mouth, his once dormant heart now beating violently.

“Dean, you mentioned Chen Li’s ‘Light’ is currently at the National Art Museum, right?” Chen Yunlan’s eyes seemed to ignite with fire. Perplexed, the dean nodded, “Yes, it’s at the National Art Museum.”

“Thank you!” With these words, Chen Yunlan turned and hurried off, ignoring the welcome banquet prepared for him by the dean.

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