Middle-aged tycoon: Twins come knocking on his door when he goes home for Chinese New Year

Li Ze was stunned when faced with his daughter's question.

Li Mengli's question was like a needle, precisely piercing the softest and most vulnerable spot in his heart.

Yes, what if Zhang Ruoran doesn't want to see him?

Li Ze stopped fiddling with the string of beads in his hand.

He cruelly abandoned Zhang Ruoran for the sake of the so-called system and money.

This departure lasted for a full eighteen years.

For the past eighteen years, this woman has raised two children alone, enduring countless grievances and hardships.

Put yourself in his shoes; if he were Zhang Ruoran, he would probably hate this heartless man to death.

Let alone meeting him, it would be considered polite not to stab him with a knife.

Can she really forgive him?

Li Ze was unsure.

He was a powerful figure in the business world, able to negotiate deals worth hundreds of billions without batting an eye.

But now, faced with this problem, the world's richest man has felt a long-lost tension and uncertainty.

However, this hesitation only lasted a few seconds.

Li Ze is a mature man, and even more so, a man destined for great things.

Escaping has never been his style.

Now that you've decided to come back, and now that you know you're pregnant...

No matter what lies ahead, whether it's a mountain of knives or a sea of ​​fire, he has to go and try.

Li Ze raised his head, his eyes regaining their resolve.

He looked at his daughter, who was somewhat worried, and said in a very sincere tone:

"Mengli, you're right."

"It's understandable that your mother hates me. If I were her, I probably wouldn't want to see this bastard ex-husband either."

"But it doesn't matter whether she wants to see me or not, or whether she forgives me or not."

"I'm going to see her."

"I owe you and your children so much. Even if she hits me, scolds me, or tries to drive me away, I will stay by your side and do everything I can to make it up to you."

"This is something I have to do as a man and as a father."

Li Ze's voice wasn't loud, but every word he uttered was spoken with great force.

Upon hearing these words, Li Mengli's eyes immediately reddened.

She could tell that the man in front of her wasn't just talking nonsense.

That sense of responsibility slowly melted the ice in her heart.

Li Mengli sniffed and said with a hint of grievance:

"Dad, it would have been better if you had come back sooner and said that."

"Even if it were a few years earlier... then Mom wouldn't have had to suffer so much alone."

Hearing his daughter's words, Li Ze felt another pang of pain in his heart.

Yes, we were way too late.

But he quickly adjusted his emotions. He realized that the past could not be changed, so he could only focus on the present.

Li Ze suddenly wanted to see what Zhang Ruoran looked like now.

Although I still picture her with her long, flowing hair when she was young, eighteen years have passed after all.

Time waits for no one, especially after all the suffering she's endured.

Li Ze looked at his daughter and asked softly:

"Mengli, do you have any recent photos of your mother on your phone? Could you show them to your father?"

"Of course."

Li Mengli nodded.

She took out her phone, skillfully flipped through the photo album, found a recently taken photo, and handed it to Li Ze.

Li Ze took the phone with both hands, his movements careful, as if he were holding some rare treasure.

The photo shows a middle-aged woman.

The background appears to be in a restaurant.

She was dressed in a business suit, her hair was tied up at the back of her head, and she looked very capable.

Although fine crow's feet have appeared at the corners of my eyes, my skin is not as supple as it was eighteen years ago.

However, his features remained refined, and his eyes held a newfound fortitude and composure that he lacked in his youth.

Li Ze's fingers gently stroked the face on the screen.

You can recognize her at a glance; this is Zhang Ruoran.

The woman who haunted his dreams and made him feel guilty for half his life.

Li Ze stared at the photo for a long time, muttering to himself:

"So many years have passed... Ruoran, you are still as beautiful as you were back then."

This kind of beauty is no longer youthful and pretty, but a kind of mellow beauty that has been polished by life.

Li Ze handed the phone back to his daughter, took a deep breath, and asked:

"Mengli, talk to your father."

"How has your mother managed to raise you all for the past eighteen years?"

Although his daughter had only mentioned it briefly, Li Ze wanted to know the details.

Only by knowing the details can he more deeply appreciate their hardships.

Li Mengli put away her phone and looked out the window at the receding scenery, seemingly lost in memories.

"After you left, Mom found out she was pregnant, so she went back to her hometown to live with her grandparents."

"But my maternal grandparents were in poor health and passed away one after the other when we were very young."

At this point, Li Mengli's voice lowered.

Li Ze's heart sank as well.

It turns out that at that time, she not only lost her husband, but also her parents.

That must have been a truly desperate situation.

Li Mengli continued:

"After my maternal grandparents passed away, I didn't have any relatives left in my hometown."

"My mother didn't want us to suffer in the countryside. She felt that there were more opportunities in the big city, so she took my brother and me to Han City."

"We had just started kindergarten then. My mother didn't have much money and couldn't afford to rent a decent place."

"She settled down in the cheapest kind of tin shack in the suburbs of Seoul."

"A tin shed?"

Li Ze couldn't help but repeat it, his brows furrowed tightly.

Of course he knew what that place was.

It's as hot as a steamer in the summer and as cold as an icebox in the winter. It leaks when it rains and is so noisy that you can't sleep at all.

Li Mengli nodded:

"Yes, it's just a simple tin shed."

"It's only a dozen square meters, and a bed is all you need to fill it up. There's not even a toilet; you have to go to a public toilet hundreds of meters away."

"My mother went to work at a nearby factory, leaving early and returning late every day. She would lock my brother and me in the tin shed."

"We were little then, and we didn't understand things. We often cried and made a fuss. When Mom came home, she still had to cook and do laundry for us."

"We lived in that tin shack for six whole years."

When Li Ze heard this, he felt like he couldn't breathe.

Six years.

While he lived in a luxurious estate spanning thousands of square meters, enjoying top-quality red wine and steak.

His wife and children were crammed into a tiny tin shed of just over ten square meters, and even going to the toilet required running several hundred meters.

The stark contrast made Li Ze want to slap himself twice.

Li Mengli glanced at Li Ze, noticing his unpleasant expression, and continued:

"But it got much better later."

"When we were ten years old and in the fourth grade of elementary school, my mother had saved up some money."

"She then led us to move out of the tin shed and rent a house in an old neighborhood."

"Although the house is old, on the first floor, and a bit damp, at least it has a separate bathroom and two rooms, so my brother and I don't have to squeeze together anymore."

"Compared to the tin shacks, that place is simply paradise."

Li Mengli spoke casually, as if she were telling someone else's story.

But Li Ze felt a mix of emotions upon hearing this.

Is this what they consider "paradise"?

It was just an old, run-down rental room with a toilet.

"And then?" Li Ze asked, his voice a little hoarse.

"Later, the factory's business declined, and it went bankrupt."

"My mother started trying to do small businesses, selling clothes and breakfast at street stalls."

"That period was tough; we were often chased by the urban management officers."

"Later, my mother felt that this was unstable, so she went to work as a waitress in a restaurant."

Mentioning this, Li Mengli's face showed a proud smile:

"I never expected that my mother would have such a talent for food."

"She is conscientious, hardworking, and quick-witted."

"She started as a waitress and worked her way up through the ranks."

"She became a store manager in less than four years, from supervisor to manager."

"Now, she is the manager of a very famous high-end restaurant in Han City."

Li Ze was somewhat surprised after listening, then nodded approvingly:

"The manager of a high-end restaurant? That's impressive."

"Yes," Li Mengli said with a smile, "Now my mother's monthly salary plus bonuses can reach 20,000 yuan."

"Although we're not rich, it's enough to cover my and my brother's living expenses and tuition."

"Our lives are so much better now than before."

Looking at the satisfied smile on his daughter's face, Li Ze felt both gratified and heartbroken.

Thankfully, Zhang Ruoran is indeed a strong woman.

Even without him, she still supported the family with her own hands and became a strong woman.

The sad thing is that a monthly salary of 20,000 yuan might not even be enough for a meal in his eyes.

But in her daughter's eyes, it was already a very good life.

Li Ze didn't say anything, but silently memorized everything in his heart.

He thought for a while and asked again:

"By the way, we boarded the train in Guangcheng. Do you study in Guangcheng?"

Li Mengli shook her head:

"No, my brother and I both go to university in Seoul."

"I studied hotel management."

"I came to Guangcheng this time because school was on winter break, and my mother asked someone to find me an internship opportunity."

"I interned at a Michelin one-star restaurant in Guangcheng."

"My mother said that since I studied this major, I should go to the best places to broaden my horizons and gain some experience."

"After graduation, I'll try my best to work for one of those international chain hotels."

After listening, Li Ze suddenly understood.

No wonder my daughter was on this train from Gwangseong back to Seoul.

He nodded and praised:

"Your mom has really made good arrangements for you."

"Foresighted."

"International chain hotels are indeed good; they are well-managed and offer good benefits."

"If you do well, you could become a senior executive and earn millions a year."

Li Mengli smiled, her eyes filled with longing:

"I hope so, I will try my best."

"I'll be content as long as I can earn more money so my mom can retire and enjoy her life sooner."

Looking at his sensible daughter, Li Ze thought to himself:

Silly child, there's no need to wait until later.

If you want, Dad now owns several of the world's top luxury hotel groups.

Hilton and Marriott are both major shareholders, their fathers are major shareholders.

You can go to whichever store you want, and you can be the store manager if you want.

Even if you wanted to buy the whole hotel and use it as a toy, Dad would let you have it.

Of course, Li Ze didn't say these words out loud.

Some things need to be done slowly; giving too much at once might frighten the child.

At this point, Li Mengli checked the time.

"By the way, Dad, we'll be in Han City in a few hours."

"My mom and brother are already there waiting for me."

"We'll go back to our hometown together for the Chinese New Year then."

Upon hearing this, Li Ze's body tensed up abruptly.

Are we going to meet so soon?