Riding the Wind

The autumn in Gedou was getting deeper day by day.

On the terrace of the top - floor suite of the Royal Hotel, the red leaves of those maple trees began to show signs of withering.

The arrival of Lou Mengling brought the warmth of a real home to this luxurious cage.

She didn't care about the outside turmoil, nor did she inquire about any of Lu Chenyuan's plans.

All her attention was focused on Mo Qingli and the unformed little life in her belly.

Every morning, she would go to pick the freshest ingredients herself.

The soup she cooked was warm and nourishing, with the gentle flavor unique to the water towns in the south of the Yangtze River.

Mo Qingli's pregnancy reaction was very mild. Under Lou Mengling's careful care, her complexion was getting better day by day.

The time she spent on work in the morning was compressed to two hours.

For the rest of the time, she would accompany Lou Mengling and sit in the sun - filled living room, listening to her tell the interesting stories about Lu Chenyuan when he was a child.

"This boy, A Yuan, has been introverted since childhood and doesn't like to talk," Lou Mengling said while knitting a small baby sweater.

"While other kids were running wild outside, he liked to stay in the study and read books. He could read for an entire afternoon."

Mo Qingli listened quietly with a smile on her lips.

Just then, Lu Chenyuan came out of the study and happened to hear this.

He shook his head helplessly.

"Mom, if you keep talking like this, your son's glorious image will be ruined."

Lou Mengling gave him a blank look.

"What image do you still have in front of your wife?"

Mo Qingli laughed even more happily.

This kind of warm and trivial daily life was a luxury she had never experienced in the past twenty - odd years of her life.

Wang Tongwen became a regular guest at the hotel.

He would find different reasons to "visit" Lou Mengling every day.

Sometimes he would bring a newly published picture album, and sometimes he would bring famous tea snacks from country J.

He never overstepped the line and never showed excessive enthusiasm.

His presence was like a gentle ray of sunshine.

It didn't burn, but it gradually melted the ice in Lou Mengling's heart.

Lu Chenyuan saw all this but didn't interfere.

His mother had the right to choose the life she wanted.

All he had to do was to ensure that no one could hurt her again.

...

Beneath the calm days, the undercurrents were surging more rapidly.

The domestic layout began to show amazing strength.

One day, Lu Chenyuan received an encrypted video call from his younger brother, Lu Chenyan.

On the other side of the screen, Lu Chenyan was wearing a well - tailored suit, and his hair was neatly combed. He was no longer the impulsive and flamboyant big star.

His current identity was the president of "Xiayin Era".

"Brother, guess what was our biggest profit growth point last quarter?" Lu Chenyan's voice was filled with uncontrollable excitement.

"It wasn't movies, nor variety shows, and not even music."

"It was documentaries."

Lu Chenyuan raised his eyebrows, signaling him to continue.

"We cooperated with Ji Yichen and established a special documentary studio," Lu Chenyan said.

"The first work was about the scientists who returned from overseas at 'Hanqing Technology'."

"We didn't portray how great they were. We just filmed their daily lives."

"We filmed them staying up for three consecutive nights in the laboratory for a single data point."

"We filmed them arguing over technical routes while having meals in the canteen."

"We filmed them clumsily saying 'I love you' to the screen when they missed their families abroad."

"We didn't release this documentary on a large scale in the country. Instead, we promoted it to the streaming platforms in country A and country E through overseas distribution channels."

There was a sparkle in Lu Chenyan's eyes.

"Do you know, brother? It was a huge hit."

"Netizens in country A left messages in our comment section, saying, 'It turns out that scientists from Xia country are also flesh - and - blood people, not the monsters described in the news'."

"Viewers in country E said, 'I finally understand why they are willing to give up such good conditions and return home. Because that's where their roots are'."

"Brother, it seems that we've found a new way," Lu Chenyan said excitedly.

"Use the camera to tell the world about a real Xia country and a real group of Xia people."

"We don't argue or defend. We just record."

"Let them see and think for themselves."

A smile appeared on Lu Chenyuan's face.

"You did a great job," he sincerely praised.

This younger brother, who was once a bit at a loss among the siblings, had finally found his own battlefield.

Moreover, he had fought a beautiful surprise battle.

Culture was the best weapon.

It could penetrate the strongest barriers and reach the softest part of people's hearts.

This surprise force of "Xiayin Era" was quietly changing the world's public opinion.

After hanging up the phone, Mo Qingli handed him a glass of warm water.

"Chenyan has grown up," she said.

"Yes," Lu Chenyuan nodded. "So has Qianqian."

As he spoke, he handed the tablet computer to Mo Qingli.

On the screen was an international news article.

The title of the news was "The Eastern Angel in Africa".

The protagonist of the report was none other than Lu Qianqian and her "Distant Future" Foundation.

In the news footage, Lu Qianqian was wearing the simplest windbreaker and a straw hat. She was in a dusty village in Continent F, instructing local villagers to install the small solar water purification equipment provided by Yuanlong Technology.

Her face was tanned, and her hair was a bit messy.

But the whole of her seemed to radiate a holy glow.

The report said that in the past six months, this foundation had brought clean water, stable electricity, and efficient agricultural technology to more than a dozen extremely poor countries.

They attached no political conditions and exported no values.

They just silently changed the lives of the locals with technology.

At the end of the report, the journalist interviewed a local village head.

The old man said to the camera:

"The people from Country A came and gave us ballots."

"The people from Xia Country came and gave us wells."

"We don't know what democracy is, but we know that water can save lives."

These words were more powerful than any grand narrative.

Mo Qingli watched the extremely radiant Lu Qianqian on the news.

"You've turned her into a truly lovable princess," Mo Qingli said softly.

Lu Chenyuan shook his head.

"I just gave her a chance to see the real world."

"The path was chosen by herself."

Law, culture, technology, humanitarian aid...

The pieces Lu Chenyuan had placed in the country were all bearing fruit on their respective battle - fields.

These forces converged to form a powerful and gentle potential energy.

Bit by bit, they were countering the rigid pressure of Country A's hegemony.

...

Country A had obviously noticed these "small moves".

They couldn't stop Xia - country enterprises from doing charity in third - world countries.

Nor could they stop Xia - country's film and television works from being launched on their platforms.

So, they poured all their anger on Country J, an "unruly" ally.

A bigger storm was brewing.

That afternoon, Ambassador Li Wenbo paid another visit.

His face was more solemn than ever.

"Mr. Lu, the situation has changed," he said bluntly.

"The Ambassador of Country A to Country J submitted a strongly - worded memorandum to the ruling party of Country J yesterday."

"They accused Country J of having low judicial efficiency, covering up 'commercial criminals', and seriously damaging the interests of Country A's enterprises."

"They demanded that Country J must end the investigation of Mrs. Lu within a week and initiate a public prosecution."

The air in the study instantly became oppressive.

"Public prosecution?" Lu Chenyuan's eyes turned cold.

"Yes," Li Wenbo nodded. "It means they want to drag this matter into a long - term judicial process."

"Once it enters the public - prosecution stage, it'll be difficult to get out."

This was a blatant final ultimatum.

Country A couldn't wait any longer.

They wanted to use Mo Qingli as a hostage to force Lu Chenyuan and the Yuanlong Technology behind him to make concessions.

"What's the attitude of Country J?" Lu Chenyuan asked.

"There's a lot of pressure within the ruling party," Li Wenbo sighed. "The pro - A faction is in the dominant position. They tend to sacrifice us to gain Country A's forgiveness."

"It seems that our previous efforts were not enough," Lu Chenyuan's fingertips gently tapped on the table.

There was no panic on his face.

Only the calmness of someone about to enter a decisive battle.