The Sweetest Marriage Ch.270

Chapter 270 – An Estate

The plane finally landed at LD City’s airport in F country. The long flight had left Chen Li somewhat weary. Upon disembarking, Wei Chen held Chen Li’s hand who was withered and weak.

However, Wei Chen interpreted Chen Li’s weariness as merely a result of inadequate sleep and food.

The airplane meal didn’t quite suit Chen Li’s taste. However, with Wei Chen’s insistence, Chen Li managed to finish the meal. Nevertheless, the unsatisfactory food failed to appease Chen Li’s appetite. Coupled with insufficient sleep, upon landing, Chen Li naturally appeared fatigued.

Even though Wei Chen understood why Chen Li felt weary, he reached out and embraced Chen Li, allowing him to rest against him.

Wei Chen knew because he understood Chen Li. However, Chen Yunlan was unaware. Assuming Chen Li wasn’t feeling well, he quickly approached, worried, and asked, “Xiao Li, what’s wrong? Are you too tired?”

Chen Li shook his head in Wei Chen’s embrace. “Dad, I’m fine,” he said weakly, not sounding like someone who was fine at all.

Chen Yunlan assumed Chen Li was reassuring himself, growing increasingly anxious. He asked Wei Chen, “Should we take Xiao Li to the hospital for a check-up? I’m afraid his body can’t handle this.”

Wei Chen gently patted Chen Li’s back and told Chen Yunlan, “No need. Once we arrive, I’ll make sure he gets something delicious, and he’ll be fine.”

At the mention of something delicious, Chen Li’s eyes lit up instantly. Nestled in Wei Chen’s arms, he nodded repeatedly, no longer displaying the previous signs of weariness.

Seeing Chen Li in this state, Chen Yunlan finally relaxed and said with a smile, “Great, after arriving at the estate, we’ll prepare a welcome feast for Xiao Li, guaranteed to make him happy.”

Chen Li’s eyes brightened a bit more.

As the three spoke, they passed through customs and heard a voice with a heavy F country accent.

“Chen Li, over here.”

Turning in the direction of the voice, they saw a tall man waving at them. All three recognized this man, Sylvester, a friend of Zhuge Yu.

Sylvester had come to pick them up after receiving Zhuge Yu’s notification but had forgotten to ask about the flight details. Consequently, to avoid missing Chen Li and the others, Sylvester had already waited at the airport for more than two hours.

During those two hours, Sylvester hadn’t thought to call Zhuge Yu for the flight information. Of course, Sylvester wouldn’t admit such a foolish mistake to them.

Surprisingly, when Sylvester saw Chen Yunlan, he was astounded. He hadn’t expected Chen Yunlan to come to F country with Chen Li and Wei Chen, and Zhuge Yu hadn’t mentioned it to him either.

No, Zhuge Yu did mention it, but in a rather mischievous manner. He only said that one more person would come with Chen Li and Wei Chen, and Sylvester’s surprise was evident on his face, something Chen Yunlan noticed at a glance.

“Why, are you surprised to see me?” Chen Yunlan said fluently in F country’s language to Sylvester.

Sylvester nodded, “Indeed, very surprised.” After all, he knew that Zhuge Yu and Chen Yunlan didn’t get along. How could Zhuge Yu let Chen Li and Chen Yunlan come to F country together?

As for how Chen Yunlan and Sylvester knew each other? The international art circle is vast; two well-known painters met at a few gatherings, which was entirely normal.

“Why did you come over?” Sylvester was puzzled, so he naturally asked.

Chen Yunlan didn’t conceal it either, “I came to accompany Xiao Li.”

Now Sylvester was even more puzzled. Why would Chen Yunlan accompany Zhuge Yu’s student to F country?

Sylvester couldn’t figure it out, and Chen Yunlan didn’t explain to Sylvester. He just handed him an address, assuming that as a native of F country, he would be more familiar with addresses there.

After learning the address, Sylvester said, “Get in the car, I’ll take you there.”

As soon as Chen Li got into the car, he rested his head on Wei Chen’s shoulder, playing with Wei Chen’s clearly defined knuckles in his hand, and soon closed his eyes to rest.

Wei Chen used his other hand to gently stroke Chen Li’s soft hair, kissed the top of his head, and slightly adjusted his position to make Chen Li more comfortable.

Chen Li nuzzled against Wei Chen’s face, teasing him mischievously, playfully provoking Wei Chen.

Wei Chen maintained a composed demeanor but pinched Chen Li’s fingers, which had finally gained a bit of flesh, as a slight warning.

Only then did Chen Li behave himself and soon fell asleep.

After about an hour and a half of driving, they finally arrived at the estate in the outskirts of LD City belonging to Chen Yunlan.

The estate had a large area, with the house surrounded by vast grasslands. Several black and white cows grazed nearby, unafraid and rather welcoming upon seeing the arriving car.

“Moo.”

As the car entered the estate’s premises, Chen Li woke up, now leaning against the window, observing the scenery outside. For Chen Li, it was a whole different world. His big eyes sparkled, not blinking as he watched the passing world through the car window.

Sylvester noticed Chen Li’s expression and slowed down the car so that Chen Li could see the world outside the window clearly. They drove within the estate for ten minutes before stopping in front of a house, a typical farmhouse in the outskirts of LD City, quite different from the style in China.

The group got out of the car and entered the manor.

Helping Chen Yunlan manage the house was a middle-aged man named Carl. He had lost one leg due to a dog attack while hunting in his youth and now used a prosthetic, walking with a slight limp.

Today, they knew that Chen Yunlan was coming back, so he waited at the door with his family.

“Sir, you’re back!” It was Carl’s wife, Mary, an ordinary Western woman with somewhat frizzy-looking hair and freckles on her face, but very warm. At this moment, she had a warmly radiant smile on her face.

Carl and Mary had a pair of children, twins, now ten years old. They weren’t here; they were still playing on the farm and hadn’t returned yet.

Carl and Mary curiously observed Chen Li and Wei Chen. This was the first time their master had brought someone home, and they weren’t sure about the relationship with their master.

Chen Yunlan noticed the curiosity in Carl and Mary’s eyes, so she introduced them, “This is my son, Chen Li, and his partner, Wei Chen.”

Carl and Mary were surprised by the identities of the two and even more astonished that their master already had a son. As for the relationship between Wei Chen and Chen Li, Carl and Mary found it quite normal. In this country, there were quite a few same-sex couples among ten couples; it couldn’t be more normal.

However, Carl and Mary had their boundaries and didn’t ask anything further. Instead, they led the guests into the pre-arranged rooms.

Chen Li and Wei Chen settled in at the estate, beginning their life for the coming year.

*

Meanwhile, back in China, Chen Yunsheng rushed back from Beijing to Shanghai overnight, only to receive news that Chen Shihuai was hospitalized due to illness. He hadn’t even had time to take a sip of water before rushing to the hospital where Chen Shihuai was.

Chen Shihuai had already woken up. Seeing Chen Yunsheng’s return, he avoided mentioning Chen Yu, just leaning back on the bed and indifferently asked why Chen Yunsheng had come back.

Chen Yunsheng’s hands still trembled a bit. Whenever he thought of Chen Li’s parentage, he couldn’t help but feel fearful. Even now, meeting Chen Shihuai, he felt uncertain and intermittently trembled.

“If there’s something, just get to the point. When did I ever teach you to beat around the bush?” Chen Shihuai couldn’t stand Chen Yunsheng’s hesitant demeanor and asked, furrowing his brow.

Chen Yunsheng swallowed and said, “Dad, I saw Mr. Qu at the Ci’en Hospital. He came out of Chen Li’s hospital room, and I also heard Chen Li calling him Grandpa Qu. Dad, do you think Chen Li could really be Mr. Qu’s grandson?”

“What did you say?” Chen Shihuai suspected his own ears were failing him. How could he hear such a thing that Chen Li, a bastard, was Mr. Qu’s grandson? How could that be possible?

“Dad, you didn’t mishear. I wish I had misheard at that time, but the fact is right in front of us,” Chen Yunsheng said with a sense of despair.

Chen Shihuai suddenly felt at a loss, not knowing what to say, but he quickly regained his composure. “Apart from you, who else knows about this?” he inquired.

“Dad, rest assured, I haven’t told anyone,” Chen Yunsheng promptly assured.

“Good, for now, we mustn’t let Beijing’s Chen family know about this,” Chen Shihuai’s expression turned grave. Obviously, he and Chen Yunsheng were thinking along the same lines. If the Chen family in Beijing found out about Chen Li’s parentage, they, who had mistreated Chen Li, would surely be abandoned by them.

He then pondered why suddenly forty-five percent of Chen’s shares had ended up in someone else’s hands. “Surely Mr. Qu had a hand in this; otherwise, how could it happen so surreptitiously?”

Mr. Qu had begun retaliating against them!

Connecting his dismissal from the position of Chen Corp.’s chairman with this situation, Chen Shihuai’s heart instantly turned cold. If the Qu family had truly acted against them, the Chen family in Shanghai would certainly not be a match for Mr. Qu! They would be doomed!

Chen Shihuai felt as if a fire had been lit under him, feeling urgent and uncomfortable. His blood pressure, which had been barely restrained by medication, rose again, making him feel dizzy and unable to sit still.

“You…go find Chen Li!” Chen Shihuai covered his mouth, addressing Chen Yunsheng. “Whether it’s kneeling or any other means, only Chen Li can save us now. As long as Chen Li forgives us, Mr. Qu will let us go!” Chen Shihuai’s tone was desperate, as if the collapse of the Chen family was imminent.

“Okay,” Chen Yunsheng gritted his teeth in agreement. He never thought that their family’s fate would be in the hands of that fool Chen Li.

Although both Chen Yunsheng and Chen Shihuai knew that if Chen Li was willing to forgive them, the Chen family could be saved, they also realized that it wouldn’t be easy for Chen Li to forgive them. The harm they inflicted on Chen Li couldn’t be resolved just by kneeling and apologizing.

Despite this, as long as there was a glimmer of hope, both Chen Yunsheng and Chen Shihuai wouldn’t give up. The Chen Corp. was something they had built over three generations and barely established a foothold in Shanghai. Father and son wouldn’t stand by and watch the Chen Corp. collapse!

Chen Yunsheng left the hospital, purchased a ticket to the capital, and intended to repent in front of Chen Li, seeking forgiveness to end Mr. Qu’s pressure on the Chen family.

Meanwhile, Chen Shihuai couldn’t stay in the hospital either. He also wanted to go to the capital and repent in front of Chen Li, hoping that Chen Li would see their sincerity and forgive them!

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