Vera felt both shy and anxious, “I've never been in love, but I've seen enough romance dramas at least! Aren’t playful banters like this common in romance dramas?”“Yes, yes…” Charlie nodded with a smile. By this time, the plane had slowly taxied away from the gate, so Charlie brought the conversation back to the point as he whispered, “We'll be landing in Londel in a little over two hours. Can you still recall the exact location of your father's tomb?”Vera put away her smile and replied, “My father's tomb is northeast of Ensel Bay. I've seen maps and satellite photos. That place is now called Stoneridge.”Charlie nodded, took out his cell phone to check the map, and said, “Stoneridge is a bit closer to Londel. It's about an hour and a half drive from the airport.”“Mm-hmm…” Vera nodded slightly and said, “My father's tomb is on a mountain in the northeast part of Stoneridge. It's been hundreds of years, so I wonder what it looks like now.”Charlie asked her, “Was there a tombsto
Charlie nodded gently, “Okay, thank you for your hard work.”-When Fleur's plane landed in Melbourne, the plane carrying Charlie and Vera had already taken off from Aurous Airport, heading for the distant Londel over a thousand kilometers away.As the plane took off and flew westward, Vera completely lost her previous liveliness and playfulness. She leaned on Charlie's shoulder for a while, then her eyes seemed to lose focus as she stared out the window.Charlie could sense that something was wrong with her, and he understood her current state very well. After all, in this world, no one was more suited to feel homesick than Vera right now.She was a young girl who had been away from home for over three hundred years, and she was finally on her way back home. Anyone in her shoes would feel a mixture of emotions.After more than two hours, the plane landed at Londel Airport. When Vera got off the plane, her legs felt a bit weak involuntarily.As she clung to Charlie, he could cle
Whenever Sanguine was mentioned, Vera would clench her teeth in hatred. When she mentioned that none of her four uncles and their descendants survived, Vera burst into tears. Charlie didn't expect Vera's grandfather's family to be so tragic, and he couldn't help but sigh as he said, “In those days, lives were as insignificant as grass and leaves. Countless families that had lasted for hundreds or even thousands of years were cut off in that era.”Vera clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, saying, “It's all because of the traitor, Sanguine!”With these words, she showed a fierce attitude that she rarely showed, saying word by word, “The Lavors has been loyal for generations! My ancestors have dedicated themselves to the country, and my father even joined the military, fighting against the Qing Dynasty for half his life, never forgetting to support Oskia. However, Sanguine not only let the Qing army into the pass, overturning our country, but he also killed the king for his own s
“Later on, I also thought, instead of constantly running, it might be better to just leave the ring to Fleur so that she would stop pursuing me and let me live out the rest of my life peacefully. Upon second thoughts, Fleur was the one who murdered my father. If I compromised and begged for mercy from her, what's the difference between me and Sanguine, who let the Qing dynasty in? We would both be traitors, then.”After saying this, Vera said, “After understanding all this, I decided that no matter how difficult it is, I must survive. No matter how hard it is, I cannot compromise and give in to Fleur. As long as I can survive, I will definitely outlive Fleur. At that time, I will have the last laugh.”Charlie said firmly, “Don't worry, you will definitely outlive her.”Vera nodded earnestly and said, “I'm sure you will outlive me, Young Master. After I die, please bother to bury my ashes next to my parents. My life will be complete then.”Charlie said seriously, “Don't worry, if I
When Vera returned to Stoneridge after more than three hundred years, it no longer looked the same as it did before. While Ensel Bay was still there, centuries of development had changed its appearance significantly compared to three hundred years ago.Standing on the bustling streets of Stoneridge, Vera couldn't match the memories in her mind with the current scene. Fortunately, the changes in the mountains weren't significant. Despite some peaks being partially mined, the overall landscape remained relatively unchanged.After Vera identified it, she determined that her father's grave was located northeast of the current Stoneridge town, behind the first partially mined peak and the mountain resembling a tortoise shell.Charlie and Vera left the car in town and then changed into a pair of couples’ sneakers prepared by Vera in advance. They then began hiking toward the mountains.As they set off, Charlie silently activated his mental cultivation method, reducing his Reiki to the mi
Charlie smiled and said, “Don't worry, I'm not a reckless person. I know my limits.”Vera heaved a sigh of relief, “That's good…”After the two of them hiked over the first mountain, they climbed up the mountain that resembled a turtle's back. As this was the second mountain on the hiking route, there were just as many people here as on the first mountain.Vera introduced to Charlie, “This mountain resembles the back of a turtle. It's called Mount Turtle Back. It’s a rare geomantic treasure that’s in the area. When my grandfather was a local chieftain, he spent a lot of effort selecting this mountain as our family's ancestral tomb.”Charlie asked curiously, “Is this entire mountain your grandfather's family’s ancestral tomb?”Vera nodded and said, “That’s right. The Feng Shui here is excellent, resembling a dragon coiling around the mountain. It's considered very auspicious. Choosing to place the ancestral tomb here can bless future generations with prosperity, wealth, and fortune
Vera couldn't help but smile faintly when she saw Charlie’s serious expression, and she said, “Young Master, even though the close-defense missiles could kill Mr. Jothurn, they may not be able to kill Fleur. Moreover, Fleur is the only one who knows where Master Marcius Stark cultivated. Young Master, please bear with it a little longer and don't end Fleur's life here.”Charlie laughed heartily, “I was just expressing my feelings. Even if someone could bring close-defense missiles here, I can't use them here.”Vera nodded slightly and said, “Young Master, there's no surveillance here. Please wait for me for a moment. I'll go ahead to pay respects to the ancestors of the Lavors.”Charlie nodded in a gentlemanly manner and said, “I'll wait here for you.”Vera smiled apologetically, then walked into the nearby pine forest.Five minutes later, Vera walked out of the pine forest with red eyes. At this moment, five or six outdoor enthusiasts with gear on their backs came from the direct
Furthermore, if something were to happen, it would be difficult for him to protect Vera.Vera seemed to know what Charlie was thinking. She smiled and took the lead to speak up and say, “Darling, don't worry. Yorkshire Hill rarely experiences strong winds, and it's even rarer up here. Moreover, the weather is so clear now. We're only staying for one night, so there won't be any strong winds. Even if there were, they wouldn't reach us.”Charlie didn't expect Vera to still hold onto this immature idea, so he deliberately said, “Okay then, Darling, let's head down the mountain first and discuss what to do on the way.”“Okay!” Vera nodded contentedly, linking her arm with Charlie's, and saying affectionately, “In that case, we have to hurry. I'm afraid if we come late, there won't be any suitable spots left!”As the two descended the mountain and were alone, Charlie spoke up, “Miss Lavor, were you serious about what you just said?”Vera solemnly replied, “Call me ‘Darling’! The topic
When Jacob came to his senses, he was already in tears. The student presumed he was unwell and asked, "Mr. Wilson, do you want me to call your wife to pick you up?" Elaine's sarcastic face immediately popped up in his mind, and he trembled with fear. He quickly wiped away his tears and stammered, "D-don't bother... I... I just got something in my eyes..." The student obviously didn't believe him and asked worriedly, "Why don't you call your wife? Or I'll call a cab for you." "No, no." Jacob waved his hand and said, "I'll call my son-in-law to pick me up. He has just returned to Aurous Hill, so it shouldn't be a problem." After that, he quickly took out his phone and called Charlie. Just a few minutes ago, Charlie had left the cafe and was about to walk Yolden to his car. When he saw Yolden walking straight toward a domestic new energy vehicle, he asked curiously, "I don't think you were driving this model before, were you?" "I just bought it," Yolden replied with a smil
If Matilda still had feelings for Jacob, his nostalgic strategy would definitely have a strong impact. However, Matilda had already decided to move on, so Jacob's suggestion did not stir any emotions in her at all. With an apologetic smile, she said, "Sorry, Jacob, Yolden is downstairs waiting for me. We have something to discuss. How about another day? We can have dinner together, and I'll treat you." Jacob didn't expect the nostalgia strategy to fall flat. His original plan was to use nostalgia to get Matilda to go with him to eat near the school, then take the opportunity to revisit old places and subtly reignite their past memories. After all, revisiting old places was the best way to rekindle old feelings, no exceptions. It was like drinking the pasta water after cooking the pasta. However, he never imagined that Matilda's expression wouldn't change in the slightest. There was no shyness, no hesitation, no nervousness, and certainly no fluttering heart. She simply and
Matilda had been listening attentively before, but now, she was lowering her head, fiddling with her phone, and her expression even carried a hint of shyness and happiness, like that of a young girl. Jacob felt a pang of jealousy. While doing the presentation, he couldn't help but resentfully think to himself, "What has Matilda been chatting about with that Yolden guy? She's so happy..." At that moment, Matilda had just received a message from Yolden. In the message, Yolden informed her of the outcome of his conversation with Charlie and expressed his desire to have the wedding as soon as possible. Seeing how eager her beloved was to marry her, Matilda naturally felt very touched. At that moment, she had completely fallen into Yolden's love. For this man, who had a similar background, education, values, and even lifestyle to her own, she could find no fault with him. She felt that he was perfectly tailor-made for her by heaven itself, almost as if everything about him perfectly m
Charlie's worries were not unfounded. He had long known that Jacob had not completely given up on Matilda despite her relationship with Yolden. After returning from the cultural exchange in Korea, Jacob had been more dejected than ever before—something he hadn't even displayed when his family had gone bankrupt. If there was still a chance to salvage the relationship when one's beloved was merely dating someone else, their marriage was tantamount to a death sentence. Furthermore, considering the high intellectual backgrounds of Matilda and Yolden as well as their age and life experience, their decision to marry at this stage of life undoubtedly signaled their intention to build a long-term future together. This left Jacob with absolutely no chance at all. At this moment, Jacob was blissfully unaware of the devastating news and was busy conducting a calligraphy and painting workshop at Senior University. The so-called workshop was essentially a few slides showcasing classic
After that, Charlie asked with a bit of curiosity, "When did you and Matilda decide to get married?" Yolden smiled sheepishly and explained, "Remember when the city organized our cultural exchange trip to South Korea? I confessed to Matilda during that trip, and she accepted. After spending some time together, we both felt we were a great match. Considering our age, we didn't want to delay such an important decision any longer, so we decided to take the next step and build a family together." He continued, "Last month, we went to Lambonear for a few days. I bought a ring and proposed to her by the seaside, and she said yes. We also sought the opinion of our respective children—Autumn and Paul—and they were both very supportive. Both kids are exceptional and independent, so they urged us to have the wedding as soon as possible. I wanted to wait until you returned so I could check your schedule. For our wedding, we'd like to ask you to be our officiant." "What? Me as the officiant?
Charlie said without hesitation, "Sure. When is it convenient for you? Send me the address, and I'll go meet you." Charlie had always respected Yolden not only because he was a nice and talented man but also because he and his mother went way back and went to the same school. Yolden said hastily, "I've just come from Senior University. It's the weekend, and I don't have classes today. Why don't you send me the address and I'll meet you?" Charlie gave it some thought. It was a little past 3 p.m., so Yolden had likely already had lunch, and there were still a few hours until dinner. Inviting him to The Heaven Springs didn't seem ideal for a discussion. Considering that he had lived in the United States for many years and probably had a habit of having coffee in the afternoon, Charlie said, "How about this? There's a Starbucks not far south of the university. Let's meet there for a cup of coffee." "Perfect!" Yolden said with a smile. "I was just thinking you could give me an addre
On the way back to The Heaven Springs, Julien was in a much better mood than when he had arrived. Initially, he was filled with anxiety, unsure of what Charlie had planned. But now, everything had become clear. The troublesome matter of Salem and Edmund was no longer his concern. All he had to do was wait for the video from the ship to be released and then head back home. Charlie noticed his improved mood and smiled as he asked, "Julien, you've resolved the most critical matter right after landing in Aurous Hill. You must be feeling pretty happy, right?" Julien chuckled and said, "To be honest, before coming here, I was worried that I'd end up going back empty-handed and being secretly mocked by others. But now, it's different. Once your video is released, no one can blame me for not doing my job. If anything, they can only blame their family for missing their chance. After all, so much time has passed, and it's their fault Salem and Edmund were moved to the Middle East." As he
"Good." With a light nod, Charlie turned to Jiro and spoke up, "Jiro, I'll give you a chance to prove yourself." "Okay, Mr. Wade!" Jiro beamed excitedly. "Please tell me what to do! I promise I will do my best to serve you." Charlie smiled and said, "Once the ship is ready, you'll board it together with them. Your only task is to keep a close watch on them the entire time. Don't let them pull any tricks. If you succeed, you'll be a free man here. You'll get a basic monthly salary and can ask for anything you like within reason—so long as it's not contraband, it will be yours." Hearing this, Jiro was so thrilled that he trembled all over. His current treatment was already decent, but he was still only a semi-free man. He didn't dare casually set foot on the ground outside. If he could become a truly free man, he would be able to enjoy the sunlight outdoors freely. More importantly, from then on, he would have a salary. Although he couldn't personally go out shopping, having a sa
Julien had uncovered Charlie's true identity quite some time ago and investigated Charlie's background. He was well aware that Charlie had become the head of the Wade family and that the Acker family fully supported him. Although the outside world believed that Ten Thousand Armies had subdued the Wade family, Julien had witnessed Charlie's methods firsthand. Even the top two figures of the Rothschild family had been toyed with by Charlie, so how could Ten Thousand Armies possibly make him surrender? Thus, Julien deduced that Ten Thousand Armies was undoubtedly Charlie's covert tool. Considering the combined strength of the Wade family, the Acker family, and Charlie's personally cultivated forces, it was evident that Charlie even had the power to contend with the entire Rothschild family. Moreover, with the life-extending pill in his possession and the life of the Rothschild family head in his hands, Charlie's chances of prevailing in a confrontation against the Rothschilds were e