In the business class cabin of a flight from San Francisco to the imperial capital, Liu Yutong chose a window seat and sat down.
She had originally planned to fly directly to Danancheng, but received a call from Uncle Li just before her departure. This elder, who had always supported the Longxin project, was going to the imperial capital for a meeting. Upon learning that she was about to return to China, he suggested they travel together so she could make an appearance before the relevant officials.
Of course, this appearance wasn’t a formal meeting—just a chance for the officials to get a first impression of her.
Liu Yutong understood the importance of this opportunity, so she changed her flight at the last moment and headed for the imperial capital.
Now, she was half-reclining in her seat, holding a copy of Semiconductor Physics and Devices, reading intently.
After all, the officials she was about to meet were completely different from those she had dealt with before. The more knowledge she absorbed, the better prepared she would be.
The plane had been flying smoothly for three hours when the cabin crew began serving meals.
“Miss, would you like something to eat?” a flight attendant asked softly, approaching with care.
Liu Yutong closed her book and rubbed her slightly tired eyes. “I’ll pass on the food for now. Just give me an Americano without sugar, please. Thank you.”
“Of course!”
Not long after, the flight attendant brought the coffee.
Liu Yutong took a sip and let her gaze wander around the cabin.
The people from the Yuncheng group surrounding her were scattered nearby, resting, while only a stranger sat in the seat to her left.
The woman wore a light gray Chanel suit with a pale purple silk scarf tied at her neck, quietly reading a finance magazine.
From her appearance alone, she looked quite young—around thirty, with an air of scholarly elegance, warm and refined, likely a woman from a wealthy family.
Liu Yutong’s eyes lingered on her face for a few seconds, feeling an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
Maybe it’s because she looks kind, she thought to herself.
Just then, as if sensing Liu Yutong’s gaze, the woman looked up, paused briefly, and then offered a polite smile with a gentle nod.
Liu Yutong nodded back with a smile, then turned her attention away, reopening her book to continue reading about the principles of bipolar junction transistors and MOS field-effect transistors.
A few minutes later, the plane hit some turbulence, jolting slightly.
Liu Yutong lost her grip briefly, and the coffee she was holding spilled onto her book.
She sighed, pulled out some tissues, and began wiping it up slowly.
Just then, a voice came from the woman on her left: “Need some help?”
Liu Yutong looked up to see the woman had stood up, offering a towel. “Use this—it’ll clean it better.”
“Thank you!” Liu Yutong took the towel, wiped the coffee stains off her book, and then pressed the call button to ask a flight attendant for a fresh towel for the woman.
Perhaps because of this small incident, or maybe because the fourteen-hour flight was too boring, the woman struck up a conversation with Liu Yutong.
“Semiconductor Physics and Devices—a very technical book. Are you a student in this field?”
Liu Yutong shook her head. “No, I just find it interesting and read it for fun. My major is business administration.”
“Business administration?”
A flicker of surprise crossed the woman’s eyes. “That’s rare. Most young people studying management seldom take an interest in such hardcore technical books.”
Liu Yutong smiled. “Just reading casually.”
“Many industries are deeply integrated with technology these days. If you don’t understand the basics, it’s easy to fall into pitfalls. Learning a bit more is never wrong.”
The woman nodded. “It’s surprising that someone so young has such insight. My husband’s company is also involved in some tech investments, and I often hear him say the rarest talent these days are those who understand both business and technology.”
The two naturally continued chatting, the conversation gradually drifting to the field of investments.
“Do you work in investments?” Liu Yutong asked.
The woman laughed. “Being called ‘big sister’ by someone as young as you makes me a bit shy. I’m actually forty-three.”
Liu Yutong was astonished, because the woman didn’t look a day over forty—she seemed around thirty and was quite beautiful.
“I really couldn’t tell. I feel like you’re not much older than me.”
“Really? Then I’ll take that as a compliment.”
The woman laughed even more heartily. “I rarely meet young people I connect with so well. This long flight, with you beside me to chat, has been truly pleasant.”
“Same here!”
Liu Yutong felt the same way—the conversation was remarkably easy and enjoyable.
From then on, they talked about tech trends and business logic, from studying and reading to clothes and skincare, chatting for about an hour.
“Little sister, although you’re very young, your perspective on issues is quite mature. I’ve met many young people your age, but it’s rare to find someone who combines business acumen with a focus on technology.”
“You’re too kind, big sister.”
Only then did the woman reveal the strange feeling she had had all along. “It’s weird—even though we’ve only just met, I feel especially close to you, as if I’ve known you for a long time.”
Liu Yutong: “I feel the same way.”
The woman smiled, and the warmth in it was bright. “Then it must be fate. Are you heading to the imperial capital this time to go back to school?”
Judging by Liu Yutong’s eloquence and demeanor, along with the flight’s destination, the woman naturally assumed she was a student at one of the top universities in the imperial capital, likely from a well-off family.
“This trip to the imperial capital is mainly because of an invitation from an elder,” Liu Yutong said.
“An elder? So are you from the imperial capital yourself?”
“No, I’m from Pearl City. I go to university there too. You might not have heard of it. This flight to the imperial capital is purely to broaden my horizons,” Liu Yutong explained.
“Pearl City? You’re in university in Pearl City?” At the mention of that name, the woman’s expression froze briefly, as if stirred by some unpleasant memory, and her face changed color.
“Yes, at Pearl City University of Finance and Economics. Do you know our city, big sister?” As soon as she spoke, Liu Yutong noticed the woman’s mood shift clearly—her face even turned slightly pale.
“Big sister, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
“Should I call a flight attendant?”
“No, no need.”
The woman quickly waved her hand. “I just… suddenly remembered something from the past.”
Her gaze toward Liu Yutong grew complicated. “Pearl City is a wonderful place. I lived there in my youth.”
“Really? What a coincidence! So we’re practically from the same hometown. Haven’t you been back to visit in a long time?” Liu Yutong asked again.
The woman nodded. “I really haven’t been back for many years, and I don’t dare to go back. I lost too much there, including my daughter.”
Liu Yutong listened quietly, sensing that the woman’s mood had become low, as if she had touched on some painful memories.
After a long pause, the woman steadied herself and then said jokingly to Liu Yutong, “If my daughter were still with me, she’d probably be about your age.”
"Is your daughter also in Bright Pearl City?" Liu Yutong asked.
The woman nodded slowly. "Many years ago, I left home for some reasons and left her behind. Over the years, I've always wanted to find her. I know roughly where she is, but I've never had the courage to go to her."
"Why?"
"I owe her too much. I left her when she needed a mother's love the most. If I suddenly showed up now, saying I regret it and want to make amends—wouldn't it be too late? I'm terrified she'll hate me, even more afraid she won't want to acknowledge me."
Liu Yutong was silent for a moment.
She thought of her own mother, the woman who was a complete blur in her memory.
If her mother were still alive, if her mother suddenly appeared before her, what would her reaction be?
She didn't know either.
"Sister, maybe you should give yourself a chance, and give her a chance too. You can't keep running away forever, can you?"
"Some regrets, if you never try to make up for them, may become permanent ones."
Perhaps moved by Liu Yutong's words, the woman gradually made up her mind.
"You're right. I can't keep hiding from her. When I get back this time, I plan to go to Bright Pearl City and see her. Even if she hates me, I'll accept it. If I keep avoiding facing her, I'm afraid I'll regret it for the rest of my life."
"I support you. Sister, when you arrive in Bright Pearl City, you can find me. I'll help you locate someone."
Liu Yutong truly felt a deep connection with the woman, and sensed that there must have been some unspeakable difficulty behind her leaving back then, or else she wouldn't be like this.
The woman wiped away her tears and forced a smile: "Thank you. I don't know why, but talking to you about all this has made me feel much better."
"You're welcome."
The two then chatted about other topics until they gradually grew sleepy, and each went to rest.
When Liu Yutong woke up, the plane's announcement was just playing, prompting that they were about to begin their descent.
The flight attendants began reminding passengers to fasten their seatbelts and adjust their seats.
Just before disembarking, Ms. Jiang suddenly asked, "Little sister, how many days will you be staying in the Capital?"
"Probably a day or two. Once I've visited the elders, I'll head back to Bright Pearl City. There's a lot waiting for me there."
"I see. If you have some free time while in the Capital, you're welcome to visit my home. It's out near Xishan, the environment is quite nice."
"Thank you for the kind invitation, sister, but this trip is pretty packed. I probably won't have the time. Next time—if I ever come to the Capital again, I'll definitely pay a visit."
"Alright, it's settled then. Next time you're in the Capital, be sure to contact me."
"Absolutely."
The plane landed smoothly at Capital International Airport.
After getting off, they parted ways at the end of the jet bridge.
Walking out of the terminal, Liu Yutong quickly spotted Uncle Li's car—a very low-key black commercial vehicle.
Uncle Li personally got out to greet her: "Yutong, you must have had a tiring journey."
"Uncle Li, I feel bad making you come all the way to pick me up," Liu Yutong said with some humility.
"Don't be so formal with your uncle. The Loongxin project is a high priority now. The leaders I'm taking you to meet today are all in charge of technology and industrial planning. Make a good impression and show them the potential of Loongxin," Uncle Li said.
"I understand, Uncle Li," Liu Yutong nodded, and got into the car with him.
Meanwhile, at another exit of the airport's VIP channel.
The middle-aged woman had just stepped out when she saw a black Bentley parked at the entrance.
Standing beside the car was a man under fifty, with a refined, scholarly air. This was her current husband, Lin Dong, the head of the Capital's powerful Lin family.
Seeing Jiang Lu walk out, Lin Dong immediately got out of the car and personally opened the door for her.
"Tired?"
Jiang Lu smiled. "Not too bad. Why did you come yourself? I told you the driver could have picked me up."
"You've been abroad for half a month—I've missed you like crazy. If I hadn't come to get you myself, I'd have gone mad," Lin Dong said, his eyes full of affection as he took her suitcase and helped her into the car.
"At our age, talking so cheesily," Jiang Lu laughed, her eyes filled with love.
"Haha, young at heart! I always think we're still young," Lin Dong joked.
"Come on, let's head home first."
"Mm."
Just before getting into the car, Jiang Lu couldn't help but look back.
"Lulu, what are you looking at?" Lin Dong noticed her movement and asked curiously.
Jiang Lu: "I met a girl on the plane. We talked the whole way, but I forgot to ask her name."
"Do you want me to have someone look into it? The business class passenger list should have a record," Lin Dong said.
Jiang Lu shook her head: "No need. Meeting someone you click with by chance doesn't have to lead anywhere. If fate wills it, we'll meet again."
"Alright."
Once in the car, Lin Dong asked, "How did the San Francisco negotiations go?"
"Pretty smoothly. The cooperation agreement with that biotech company has been signed. I'll have people follow up."
Lin Dong took her hand as he drove: "You've worked hard. Actually, you could have let the subordinates handle these things. Why did you have to travel so far yourself?"
"This project is very important. I wasn't comfortable leaving it to others. Besides, I wanted to get out, to clear my head," Jiang Lu replied.
Lin Dong sensed a hint of unease in her tone: "What's wrong? Did something happen on this trip? You seem a bit down."
Jiang Lu was silent for a while before shaking her head: "It's nothing. Just tired from the long flight, I guess."
Lin Dong didn't press further: "Then get some sleep. I'll wake you when we get home."
"Mm." Jiang Lu nodded and closed her eyes.
Perhaps due to jet lag, even though she had slept for a few hours on the plane, she still felt sleepy.
Before she knew it, she had a nightmare.
In the dream, she was in a run-down little house. The air reeked of cigarette smoke, alcohol, and stale odors. A gambling addict was beating a very thin little girl with a belt.
The little girl was pitiful, curled up in a corner, crying heart-wrenchingly.
"Stop hitting her! Don't hurt my daughter!"
Jiang Lu rushed over like a madwoman, trying to shield the little girl, but her hands passed right through the girl's body again and again, unable to touch her.
"You useless woman! What did you run away for?"
The gambler turned his head, his face full of menace as he glared at her: "If you hadn't run off, I wouldn't have lost so much money being unlucky! This brat is a jinx. I'll just beat her to death!"
He raised his belt again and struck the little girl.
Jiang Lu could only watch helplessly as the belt fell on the child, powerless to stop it, crying in despair: "Tongtong! My Tongtong!"
"..."
"Lulu! Lulu! What's wrong?"
"Jiang Lu! Wake up! Wake up!"
"..."
After Lin Dong called out to her several times, Jiang Lu jolted awake from the nightmare, her face already soaked with tears.
The afterimages of the dream kept tearing at her nerves, making her body shake uncontrollably.
Lin Dong pulled the car over to the side of the road, reached over, and wrapped his arm tightly around her shoulders. "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. I'm here. It was just a dream."
Jiang Lu leaned against his shoulder, unable to hold it in any longer, and burst into tears. "Lin Dong... I dreamed about Tongtong... She was so small and thin, and that man was hitting her with a belt. She was curled up in a corner, crying... I wanted to hold her, but I couldn't reach her... I couldn't save her... I couldn't do anything... Wuwuwu..."
Seeing his wife like this, Lin Dong's heart ached deeply.
"That wasn't your fault, Lu. It wasn't your fault. It was just a dream. Tongtong must be grown up now. She's your daughter, and she'll surely be as strong as you."
He knew about Jiang Lu's past, and he knew she had been thinking about that daughter all these years. But she rarely brought it up, perhaps because she was afraid to face her guilt for not being there for her daughter, or perhaps because she was worried he wouldn't be able to accept it. So she had kept it buried inside.
But they had known each other for over a decade and had been married for ten years this year. How could he possibly not accept his wife's daughter?
After a long while, Jiang Lu's sobbing finally began to subside.
Lin Dong comforted her some more, gently wiping away her tears with his hand, and then made a decision.
"Lu, once I finish up what I'm working on, I'll personally go with you to Pearl City. We'll find Tongtong and bring her home. No matter what happened in the past, from now on, with me here, with us here, she will never suffer again. Your daughter is my daughter!"
"Really?" Jiang Lu looked at her husband with tear-filled eyes.
"Of course it's true. Three days from now. In three days, we'll go to Pearl City."
