145: Chapter 145 Silent Thunder and Return Voyage

President Chen Ran also sat up straight, his expression extremely serious. "Grandpa Shen, I..."

Shen Congjian raised his hand, stopping him, and looked at him with piercing eyes. That gaze seemed to penetrate all appearances and reach the depths of one's heart. "President Chen Ran, I didn't call you here today to test your knowledge or weigh your family background."

"To an old man like me, those things are all superficial."

"What I value is you as a person—your character, your sense of responsibility, and your heart for my granddaughter."

He picked up the teacup, then set it down again, speaking slowly and solemnly word by word, "I am very relieved to entrust Wanqing to you."

These few words, like a final gavel strike, resonated in the hearts of President Chen Ran and Shen Wanqing.

Shen Wanqing's tears finally couldn't be held back and rolled down. They were tears of joy, of being moved, and of relief and happiness after the dust had settled.

She looked at President Chen Ran, and President Chen Ran was looking back at her. Their gazes met in the air; no words were needed, for they already understood the myriad of emotions and the firm resolve in each other's hearts.

President Chen Ran took a deep breath, stood up, and gave Shen Congjian a deep bow. His voice carried an indisputable solemnity and promise: "Grandpa Shen, please rest assured."

"In this life, I, President Chen Ran, will never fail Wanqing. I will protect her, ensuring her safety, peace, and joy."

"As long as I am here, I will never let anyone or anything hurt her in the slightest or cause her worry."

Shen Congjian looked at the perfect couple before him, seeing the maturity beyond his years and the burning sincerity in President Chen Ran's eyes, and finally laughed heartily. That smile was full of gratification and relief.

He nodded and gestured for President Chen Ran to sit down. "Good, good. With those words of yours, this old man can be completely at ease."

"The road ahead is still long, and it certainly won't be smooth."

"But the two of you must support and trust each other."

"If you face any difficulties, remember, this will always be your home."

"Thank you, Grandpa!" President Chen Ran and Shen Wanqing said in unison.

Shen Congjian laughed loudly, his laughter hearty and clear, startling a few sparrows on the ginkgo tree.

The sunlight was just right, the courtyard was filled with golden hues, and the aroma of tea lingered in the air.

The black and white pieces on the chessboard seemed to still be recounting the silent confrontation and mutual understanding from earlier. Outside the chessboard, a romance that spanned mountains and seas and had weathered trials finally received the blessing and recognition of the most important elder at this moment, taking its most solid and warmest step forward.

The autumn sun in the Capital, filtering through the golden ginkgo leaves, warmly enveloped this quiet little courtyard, as if bestowing the most brilliant blessing upon this newly officially recognized beautiful marriage.

The haze of the Chu family, last night's farce, the high-level power plays... all seemed to be temporarily isolated outside this courtyard filled with warmth and hope.

The storms of the future might remain, but two hearts leaning closely together, along with the solid support from an elder, would become their most powerful strength to brave the waves.

...

The Capital.

The sunlight was still bright, but it lacked warmth, as if shining through a layer of glass.

In front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the State Guest House suite, President Chen Ran stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the few ginkgo trees in the courtyard whose leaves had mostly fallen. His eyes were calm, but in their depths, undercurrents seemed to be surging silently.

On the coffee table, several newspapers from today, representing different viewpoints, were spread out.

The front-page headlines were shocking, no longer the mild discussions or neutral reports of yesterday.

《Beware of the Strategic Adventures and Regional Instability Factors of Certain "Upstart" Nations》

《Partner or Potential Trouble? On the Boundaries and Risks of Dealing with Certain Emerging Political Entities》

《The Mystery of Enormous Wealth: Does the Deep Blue Nation President's "Golden Path" Stand Up to Scrutiny?》

《Looking at the Suspicions of "Overstepping" and "Privilege" in Certain Forces' Security from the Hong Kong Bloodbath Case》

The wording of the articles seemed objective and rational, but in reality, they were filled with hints, guidance, and subtle slants.

They portrayed the Deep Blue Nation as a "troublemaker" that relied on unspeakable means to get rich, acted recklessly, and might bring regional instability;

They cast President Chen Ran himself as an unstable factor with a mysterious background and overbearing conduct, whose presence repeatedly triggered conflicts.

The articles coincidentally cited similar rhetoric from several mainstream Western media outlets, forming a sort of internal and external consensus.

More subtly, the voices of some internal Xia media and experts who had originally reported positively on the development of the Deep Blue Nation suddenly became scarce today, or their tone underwent a subtle shift, becoming cautiously optimistic or suggesting strengthened risk management.

On the internet, some accounts that were previously inconspicuous began to centrally leak information or raise doubts. Topics ranged from President Chen Ran's vague origins to the potential threat of the Deep Blue Nation's military construction, and whether his close ties with certain families in Xia were appropriate, stirring the public opinion arena into a foul mess.

An invisible net, carrying cold malice and powerful manipulative force, was rapidly spreading from the Capital to the entire Xia nation, attempting to shroud President Chen Ran and the Deep Blue Nation within it, isolating and stigmatizing them, and ultimately potentially influencing or even reversing the direction of high-level decision-making.

President Chen Ran picked up the encrypted satellite phone next to him and dialed Shen Guomin's number.

The call was quickly connected, but Shen Guomin's voice sounded with obvious fatigue and suppressed anger.

"Xiao Chen, did you see it?"

"Yes, Uncle Shen. Is this... the Chu family starting to exert their influence?" President Chen Ran got straight to the point.

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the line before Shen Guomin sighed, his voice lowered: "It's not just the Chu family; it's the forces of their entire faction moving in unison."

"Last night's farce became the fuse, but it also gave them an excuse."

"In this morning's meeting, the wind shifted."

"Someone used those groundless reports to question the strategic benefit-to-risk ratio of cooperating with the Deep Blue Nation and to doubt your long-term reliability."

"They even... hinted that your very existence is a pawn for certain external forces trying to interfere with Xia's decision-making. The words were very harsh, and the accusations were grave."

Shen Guomin paused, his tone solemn: "Chu Yunshan is determined this time to use public opinion and internal pressure to muddy the waters, delaying or even destroying our existing cooperation framework. At the same time..."

"...it's also aimed at you personally and your relationship with my Shen Family."

"They are very strong in the propaganda departments, certain economic sectors, and local governments. This time, they've fully mobilized."

"At the top... there are also differing opinions; the power play is intense."

"As it stands, they have temporarily gained the upper hand."

"Many who were originally neutral or wanted to wait and see have been swayed by this wave of public opinion."

President Chen Ran listened quietly, his face showing no expression of surprise.

For a local powerhouse like the Chu family, once they decided to tear off their masks and use all their energy, it wasn't surprising they could create such a momentum.

They didn't need solid evidence; they only needed to create doubt, build an atmosphere, and utilize their vast network of connections and discourse power to form powerful pressure.

This was their home turf, their rules of the game.

"I understand, Uncle Shen."

President Chen Ran's voice remained steady. "Thank you for telling me this. It seems that if I continue to stay in Xia, not only will it be unhelpful for our cooperation, but I might instead become a target for certain people's attacks, making it harder for those who support us."

"It will also bring more trouble and risk to Wanqing and the Shen Family."

Shen Guomin's breath hitched on the other end of the line: "Xiao Chen, you mean..."

"I've decided to leave the country today and return to the Deep Blue Nation."

President Chen Ran was resolute, without a hint of hesitation. "It's no longer safe here, nor is it suitable for me to stay any longer."

"The Chu family's target is me. If I leave, it can at least temporarily alleviate the public opinion pressure and internal strife here, and also reduce the constraints on you and the Shen Family."

"But..." Shen Guomin wanted to say something but stopped.

He knew President Chen Ran was telling the truth.

President Chen Ran staying in the country was like a magnet attracting fire; it would only make the Chu family attack more crazily and make certain wavering factions at the top more inclined toward caution and cutting ties.

Leaving was indeed the most rational choice at present and the most beneficial for the long term.

It was just that... this was no different from a forced retreat, which left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Uncle Shen, this isn't a retreat."

President Chen Ran seemed to see through his thoughts, his tone firm. "The Deep Blue Nation is my root, my battlefield."

"By returning there, I can handle everything more proactively."

“The cooperation between Xia and the Deep Blue Nation is built on a foundation of mutual interest; it won't change just because of the noise from a few clowns."

"I believe that the truth cannot be faked."

"Once I return and establish a firm foothold, speaking with real development and achievements will be much more useful than staying here and getting caught up in pointless wars of words."

He paused, his voice softening slightly: "It's just Wanqing... With me gone, the Chu family might increase their pressure on the Shen Family even more, and they might even act against Wanqing. I was thinking..."

"You want to take Wanqing with you?"

Shen Guomin took over the conversation. This time, he didn't object immediately; instead, he began to ponder.

His niece's feelings for President Chen Ran—the old man had already given his nod, and he, as her uncle, could see it clearly.

Now that the situation was pressing, letting his niece stay in the country might indeed make her a target for the Chu family's blackmail and attacks, and his niece herself might not be willing to be separated from President Chen Ran.

"I'll have to ask Wanqing what she thinks about this, and also discuss it with Uncle Shen and Aunt Lin, as well as the old man," Shen Guomin finally said. "Wait for my call."

The call ended.

President Chen Ran put down the satellite phone and walked to the window, his gaze directed further south.

The Deep Blue Nation—that was his country, his home, and the source of all his power.

On someone else's chessboard, the rules were set by others, and one's hands and feet were bound.

Only by returning to his own chessboard could he act freely and play his own game.

He immediately contacted Fortress and Victor, issuing orders: "Notify everyone, including my parents and sister. Be ready within one hour. We are leaving the country tonight and returning to the Deep Blue Nation."

"Use backup identities and channels to avoid all possible surveillance and obstructions."

"Execute the flight route according to Contingency Plan Z-3."

"On the Deep Blue Nation side, notify Anvil to raise the national alert level and prepare for our arrival."

"Yes, Boss!" The orders were quickly passed down, and the entire team began to operate silently and efficiently like a precision instrument.