KUNLUN – The Little Lotus

Chapter Ten

The remaining men continued staring at the slowly moving mass of beetles. Finally, Zihan let out a quiet sigh. "Our boss..." None of them needed to finish the sentence. Every single one of them had been chosen personally by Lianhua. Every one of them had witnessed the terrifying side hidden behind her calm exterior. She had saved each of their lives, given them a future, and asked for only one thing in return—absolute loyalty. None of them had ever regretted giving it. Meanwhile, Lianhua arrived at her new home. After placing the freshly collected herbs into water, she treated herself to a long shower. The driver would arrive soon, and there were still many things she needed to buy: flowerpots, rich soil for her medicinal herbs, gardening tools, and a few more sets of clothes until the larger shipment she had sent by sea finally arrived.

Lianhua had just finished showering, changed into fresh clothes, and tied her long hair into a ponytail when her phone vibrated. A notification from the front gate informed her that her driver had arrived. She immediately contacted security, informing them that the driver would be carrying identification from a construction company. Once his identity had been confirmed, they were free to let him enter. Slinging her backpack over one shoulder, she locked the front door behind her, crossed the small front garden, and pushed open the large wooden gate. A long black limousine was already waiting outside. The moment she stepped through the gate, the driver's door opened. The man smiled warmly. "Looks like we finally get to meet properly." Lianhua tilted her head slightly. "Isn't this a little excessive for the CEO of an international company? I thought your schedule was always full, Luyang." He laughed and shook his head. "Never too busy for you. Front seat or the back?" She pointed toward the passenger side. "I'll sit in the front." "Good," he replied as he opened the door for her. "That way we can actually talk." Only after she had settled into the seat did he gently close the door, walk around the limousine, and slide behind the steering wheel.

As he started the engine, memories surfaced almost automatically. He still remembered the first day they had met at the Chinese Embassy in Berlin. A tiny girl had walked straight toward him as though she had known him all her life. After greeting him politely, she had calmly said something he would never forget. "Your family is going to get rid of you. Your father only married your mother for her money. If you want your mother to survive—and if you don't want to lose everything—you must do exactly as I tell you." She had then explained, step by step, everything he needed to do. At the time, he had stood there speechless, uncertain whether he was speaking to an unusually intelligent child or someone who could somehow see the future. Yet what shocked him most had not been the warning itself. It had been the precision. This little girl, a foreign child standing in the Chinese Embassy in Berlin, had calmly explained a complete counterstrategy to him—what documents to secure first, which accounts had to be protected, which lawyers could be trusted, how to isolate his father financially, and how to keep his mother safe until the family board could be forced to act. Every step had been clear, practical, and frighteningly professional. In the end, he had followed every single instruction. It turned out that every word she had spoken had been true. His mother had survived. His father had been removed from the family, together with his mistress and her son. The company had remained in the hands of the rightful family. From that day onward, Luyang had never questioned Lianhua again. He had simply trusted her.

Especially because the boy had not been his father's biological son. Back then, Lianhua had suggested a different man for his mother, and it had turned out that the man had loved her all along. The two of them had built a happy family together and had treated him as far more than just a stepson. In fact, Lianhua had founded this company because of him. Today, he was its official CEO. If one looked at it objectively, she had saved his life. She had also saved his mother, and because of that, his loyalty toward her was absolute. "My mother asked me to invite you over for dinner," Luyang said with a smile. "I really hope you'll say yes." Lianhua nodded. "Of course." She then continued, "So, I need potting soil, some gardening supplies, tableware, kitchen utensils, and pretty much everything else for a new home. Originally, I planned to buy everything little by little, but circumstances changed. I had to purchase a house rather unexpectedly, and apart from the furniture, there's practically nothing inside." Luyang nodded. "Then let's pick up my mother first. You know how much she loves shopping, and she knows all the best places to buy everything." Lianhua gave him a knowing look. "Fine, but I know your mother. Once she starts shopping, she doesn't stop. This is going to be a day from hell." Luyang chuckled. "You're probably right." He picked up his phone and called his mother. The moment she heard that Lianhua was coming with them, she was more than willing to join. "I'm already getting dressed! Don't you dare leave without me. That girl has an entire house to furnish, and she's absolutely not doing it without me!" Luyang slowly lowered the phone and looked at Lianhua with an amused smile. "See? I told you." Lianhua simply sighed. "Exactly what I was afraid of."The first thing Tian noticed was the unmistakable smell of a hospital. He slowly cracked his eyes open, blinking against the harsh light pouring into the room. Quiet whispers reached his ears, prompting him to open them fully. Just as the scent had already told him, he was indeed in a hospital. A quiet groan escaped his lips as pain radiated through every part of his body. Turning his head, he found Feng sitting beside his bed, while Runze leaned against a nearby table and Qiwei spoke quietly with Fang. The faint sound of Tian clearing his throat immediately drew everyone's attention. To his surprise, every one of them was covered in bandages. He tried to speak, but his throat and tongue felt unbearably dry. Fang quickly handed him a cup, and Tian eagerly drank several mouthfuls before pressing the control to raise the head of his bed. Once he was sitting up, he looked at Fang. "What happened?" Fang's expression darkened.