He intertwined their hands, then kissed the back of her hand. "Let's grow old together, alright? You're not allowed to leave me first…" He was pertaining to the time when they would have to leave this world through death.

Xue Jinxu tilted her head that was resting on his shoulder and looked up at him. "En." She gave him a pa.s.sionate kiss. "You too. Don't leave me first… Promise me… If that time comes, we'll leave at the same time during old age… How's that?" She offered her pinky.

He took it. He intertwined his own pinky with hers and sealed their agreement by touching their thumbs together. "Promise."

The gates opened to allow a sedan's entrance. Chen Linyun's father had arrived.

After a while, a tall brusque man emerged from the outside. He stopped on his tracks at the sight of his son.

"Father." He rose from his seat. "How have you been?"

The moment her husband rose, she stood up as well.

"Linyun! Linyun my son! HAHAHAHA. You're here now!" He was hugging him tightly and tapping his rough hands on his son's back. He shared the same temperament with Mo Wenbin.

"Look at you!" He placed his rough hands on his son's cheeks and took a good look at him. "You're all grown up now!" He sighed. "The last time you were here you still wet your pants."

"Father!" He blushed from the embara.s.s.e.m.e.nt. He pulled his eyegla.s.ses up his nose bridge.

"HAHAHAHA. It's the truth! We've all been there! Hahaha."

"And who's the pretty lady, Linyun?" He finally noticed the Xue Jinxu.

"Father, she's Xue Jinxu, my wife." Chen Linyun introduced her to his father formally. His face had not even recovered from its blush before. It flushed again.

"Wife?!" He stared at Xue Jinxu closely. "Since when?"

Xue Jinxu gave an awkward smile, "We got married not too long ago, around two weeks ago, Sir." She extended her hand. "It's my pleasure to meet you Sir." Then she abruptly withdrew it again only to replace it with a bow at ninety degrees.

"The pleasure and honor is mine." He was ecstatic. He hugged her. "Welcome to the family, daughter-in-law. Call me 'Father' or 'Dad'. It's been a long time since I was called by those names, now the two of you will. You should come here often. Where do you live? You can live here with us!" He hugged them both. He laughed in exaltation.

"You rascal, you haven't visited me since your return to Beijing! Thanks to your marriage, you've thought of going back home." He turned to Xue Jinxu. "Daughter-in-law, make sure you and Linyun will visit here often alright? Make him do it! You're responsible now for that."

"Father, don't give her any pressure!" Chen Linyun said protectively. "It's not her obligation, but we promise we will visit often if our schedule permits it."

"What schedule? Make time for your old man!"

Chen Linyun only pursed his lips. He had deep sentiments about the subject which had roots from long long time ago. In his mind, he could only think of his mother and him while growing up. His father had not visited them in Country D as far as he knew.

"Father, I'm here to talk about something serious." He gave out a look that his father could relate with.

"Alright, let's talk in the study." He led the way.

Chen Linyun squeezed Xue Jinxu's hand. "Wait here. Make yourself comfortable. Aunty will join you soon enough, or you can join her in the kitchen. We'll be at the second floor."

"Okay." She smiled at him supportively. Other than her formal introduction to his family, she did not know exactly why they were here, or why Chen Linyun had sought his father after the recent events. However, she will follow his lead no matter where it was headed.

---

At the study room.

"Father, to tell you honestly, I might be needing your help on something."

Chen Lingfang raised his brows. His son had never asked for his help before. This would be the first.

"Explain the situation." He's back to his commanding mode. Chen Lingfang is a government official. He had served the government ever since he finished taking up Public Administration in the best university in Imperial. On top of that, the Chen Family had a long lines of history serving the nation whether it be in the government ranks or in the military. It's too unfortunate that the current generation – Chen Linyun and Mo Wenbin's generation – did not partake into serving the government.

"Father, there's a grave threat to my wife and her family. Someone had bad intentions to them. I'm trying to use my resources as a private citizen but my resources are limited. I could only do so much, and the information in the internet, and around me could only be so much."

"Hmmm." Chen Lingfang's mouth started to twitch. There was a hint of a smile. "What are you proposing?"

"I want to enter the Ministry of Intelligence and Surveillance. Is it possible?"

There was mirth in his eyes. Father Chen was smiling broadly now, no hint of reservation whatsoever. Enthusiastically he answered, "Of course it is possible. Finally! Our lineage as public servants will continue!"

"Of course son! Hahaha! You don't know how much you made me happy." He tapped his son's shoulder. "You made the right choice."

"Do you have a specific culprit in mind?" He probed, returning to the predicament.

"The person behind the threats was s.h.i.+ Fan Hai, the young master of the s.h.i.+ Family, who were the leader in the petroleum industry."

Chen Lingfang narrowed his eyes. "You will be of much help. The government had been having their own suspicions involving that family and their business but they were elusive and powerful. If you could get anything worthy, it would really push the investigation forward."

"There were issues of smuggling, and violations to environment laws around the sh.o.r.elines, but there were no concrete evidence pointing at them, that's why they could not answer to the law… yet."

"I understand Father. I'll do what I can do." He narrowed his eyes as well.