Chapter Thirty-Four: What One Does Not Desire For Oneself

  It was around 10 o'clock in the morning, and there were not many people in the main hall of the wine house. Li Ruofeng didn't chat with the shopkeeper at the door, but threw a dollar coin over and stated his intention. The quick-witted shopkeeper led him hastily to the guest room located in the second courtyard.

  Standing at the entrance of the second-floor corridor of Tianzi No. 1 House, Li Ruofeng hesitated for a moment, ignoring the glances of the guests passing by in the corridor, and gently knocked on the door of the guest room with a white sign nailed to the door frame with the character "甲".

  Before long, the door opened from inside, and a young woman in purple cheongsam with clear eyebrows and eyes entered Li Ruofeng's line of sight.

  As for Li Ruofeng's arrival, it seemed to be completely beyond the woman's expectations. She exclaimed in surprise and immediately covered her mouth with her hand.

  "Aren't you going to invite me in, Yuriko?" Li Ruofeng's face wore a faint smile.

  "Ah, Mr. Li, how did you come?" Chiyoda Yui bowed deeply to him and then stepped back two steps to let him in, closing the door behind him after cautiously looking around the corridor.

  This is a suite, divided into living room, bedroom and bathroom, the whole decoration style is luxurious but not losing the classical charm.

  "Was it someone from the Black Dragon Association in Ganzhou who revealed this to you?" Li Ruofeng first casually looked around several rooms, then returned to the living room and sat down on a two-person red sandalwood sofa behind a tea table with a set of Kung Fu tea utensils.

  "Yes, Li Ruofeng, after you returned to your country, my father and I didn't hear any news from you. We don't know how you're doing, I'm very worried about you and miss you." Senba Yuri didn't throw herself into Li Ruofeng's arms like a long-separated lover, but instead sat calmly on her knees in front of the tea table, performing the tea ceremony while occasionally looking up at him to answer.

  "You've changed, you've become more mature and stable." Li Ruofeng took the incense cup she handed over, gazing at her sparkling big eyes, smiling as he spoke.

  "As a mother of a child, I certainly can't be as unruly and reckless as before." Chiyoda Yui gazed at him with a gentle smile.

  Li Ruofeng's heart tightened at the words, and his thoughts seemed to freeze in an instant. "You're married?"

  Chiba Yuri shook her head and smiled calmly, "The child is the one you left me, it's a boy. I gave him a Chinese name, called Yi Feng."

  Li Ruofeng stared at Senba Tsuru for a while before slowly saying: "How old is the child?"

  "In two months, she'll be one and a half years old. She looks just like you." Chiyoda Hiromi gazed at Li Ruofeng, who didn't know where she had pulled out an old black-and-white three-inch photo, using her fingers to gently press it onto the tea table in front of Li Ruofeng.

  Li Ruofeng lowered his head and slowly picked up the photo, carefully looking at it for a while before letting out a long sigh and asking: "Where is the child now?"

  "My father didn't even know the child existed, otherwise he would never have allowed our child to come into this world. Family honor wouldn't permit me to be pregnant out of wedlock." Chiyaba Yui lifted her cup and took a light sip of tea, "At first, I also used the reason of practicing swordsmanship to stay alone in Hokkaido until the child was full moon."

  "Lily, I'm sorry..." Li Ruofeng sighed.

  "It doesn't matter if it's right or wrong, I just want this child," said Chiyaba Yui, interrupting Li Ruofeng's apology with a smile. "He's very well-behaved and obedient, I love him very much."

  Li Ruofeng once again focused his gaze on the photo in his hand, as if he wanted to deeply imprint that lovely face into his heart. After a long time, he carefully put the photo into his pocket and asked with a bitter smile: "I think you didn't bring him to China this time, did you?"

  Chiba Yuri nodded slightly and said, "Of course, how could I let the people of Kuroko know that I had a child with you. However, Kaze-kun, for the sake of our child's future, I hope you will carefully consider our relationship."

  Li Ruofeng habitually took out a cigarette and match from his pocket, lit it, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled the pale blue smoke towards the tea tray on the coffee table. Looking at Qianye Bahe's eyes that showed no emotions, he said in a low voice: "Bring the child to China, let's get married, I can give you, and our child, a stable and comfortable home."

  Qianye Hua smiled slightly, unusually calm, and didn't respond immediately. Instead, she gently and elegantly refilled Li Ruofeng's cup with tea, then poured more hot water into the teapot. In a soft voice, she said: "If you don't cooperate with the Empire, I think it will be very difficult for us to build a stable home in Zhina."

  Li Ruofeng's eyes suddenly turned cold, and he closed them lightly for a moment before opening them again. He sighed: "It seems that your Emperor has decided to adopt Tianzhong's memorial and implement the outline proposed in it."

  "If you, Feng Jun, with your wisdom, had known long ago that the Empire's Man-Mong strategy was impossible to change." Senba Yuri said seriously: "And the Chinese army, which has been severely damaged by internal wars for a long time, is not able to withstand the advance of the Imperial Japanese Army. As long as you cooperate with the Empire, the Empire can fully support you in establishing a new regime to replace the current Nanjing government, thereby unifying China and establishing the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. Only then will we have a happy, stable, and beautiful home."

  "When did you become a spokesperson for the Japanese military?" Li Ruofeng asked with a cold smile.

  "I'm not representing the Ministry of the Army, but for our children, for our future. I'll speak as the matter stands." Chiba Yuri replied with a stern expression.

  "Lily, I think we'd better not get bogged down in this issue. We both understand each other's position and neither of us can convince the other." Li Ruofeng rubbed his temples with his eyes closed and said, "Give me a straight answer, what do you want me to do so that you'll hand over the child to me?"

  Senya Yuri slowly stood up from the ground, sweeping away her previous gentle and elegant demeanor. She gazed coldly at Li Ruofeng, her tone becoming exceptionally harsh as she replied: "Fully cooperate with the Empire, and the Empire will provide you with all conveniences, helping you gain control over Gansu, Shaanxi, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang, making you the king of China's northwest. At that time, I will marry you in my identity as a member of the Imperial Household of Japan, and naturally, our child will return to your side."

  Li Ruofeng slowly got up, suddenly stretched out his hand and grabbed the collar of Qianye Yuli, pulling her in front of him. His eyes were cold and piercing as he stared at her, "You've disappointed me, extremely disappointed me. You actually thought of using our child as a bargaining chip to threaten me? Let me tell you clearly, I don't need your help. I can still grasp the entire Northwest in my hands!"

  Qianye Baihe wasn't surprised or afraid at all, instead she teasingly leaned her beautiful face close to Li Ruofeng's, her sensual red lips almost touching his mouth, exhaling a sweet fragrance, and smiled seductively: "I know you really have this ability, using less than a year's time to achieve today's success, becoming the highest military and political leader of Hexi Corridor, which proves that my vision at the time was not wrong at all. Being able to become your woman, carrying your child, is the wisest decision I've made in this lifetime... Ruofeng, honestly, I really didn't expect you to take the initiative to find me today..."

  "Shut up!" Li Ruofeng suddenly became furious and interrupted her persuasion.

  "Qianye Baihe, listen up! My affairs are none of your business, don't think that just because you gave birth to my son, you can blackmail me!"

  "Y...you..." Chiyaba Yuri was clearly intimidated by Li Ruofeng's sudden and violent outburst.

  "I don't care what attitude the Japanese military has, Northwest affairs are none of their business!" Li Ruofeng gritted his teeth and said: "Go back and tell your master, wait until the Kwantung Army occupies the three eastern provinces, then come talk to me about conditions!"

  "What do you mean?" Chiyoba Yuri asked in a daze.

  "I know the Chiba family and the Navy Ministry are in cahoots, and the achievements of the Kwantung Army in China's three northeastern provinces have pleased your Emperor. So you want to help the Navy Ministry make a name for itself in China too?" Li Ruofeng gazed at Chiba Yuri with a sinister look, lightly patting her cheek, and sneered: "The northwest is my territory, it's not your turn yet, Japanese people, to point fingers and draw pictures. Go back and tell the Tokko people not to play tricks on my turf, or else don't blame me for being ruthless!"

  "Isn't there really room for negotiation?" Chiba Yuri attempted to persuade once more.

  "Take good care of the kid for me, wait till I've taken control of the entire northwest territory, then bring him back to me quietly, got it?"

  Chiba Yuri first subconsciously shook her head, then immediately nodded vigorously.

  "Don't try to use my son as a bargaining chip with me, or else I'll make sure you regret it." Li Ruofeng patted her face twice, not lightly nor heavily. "Get back to Japan and take good care of my son for me!" After saying that, he didn't even bother to see how Chihaya Yui reacted, and slammed the door shut as he left.