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

The train chugged along, the scenery outside the window rushing past.

Li Ze sat in his seat, still fiddling with the string of beads in his hand, but his mind was already in complete turmoil.

He's a man who's seen the world, even when it comes to negotiating deals worth billions.

He had never been this nervous, not even when dozens of guns were pointed at his head.

But the thought of seeing his ex-wife, whom he had wronged for eighteen years, came too soon.

Li Ze felt like he had a rabbit in his heart, his mind racing with anxiety.

What should I say?

"Long time no see?"

Or should I say sorry?

It seems like anything I say would sound too insignificant.

Before I knew it, five hours had passed.

During those five hours, Li Ze didn't rest either; he chatted with his daughter, Li Mengli, about many things related to family.

The more they talked, the deeper his guilt became, but at the same time, he admired Zhang Ruoran even more.

"Mengli, you said your mother bought a house. Is the mortgage a big burden?" Li Ze asked tentatively.

Li Mengli sighed, squeezing the empty water bottle in her hand until it cracked loudly.

"Why isn't it big?"

"Although my mom is now the store manager, with a salary and bonus of about 20,000 yuan, the cost of living in a place like Wuhan is too high."

"The mortgage payment for that house is a fixed seven thousand dollars every month without fail."

"The remaining 13,000 yuan will be used to pay for the household utilities and property management fees, as well as my and my brother's living expenses at school."

"My brother and I try to be frugal, but you know how prices are these days. Together, it'll cost at least four or five thousand."

"In addition, there's the daily grocery shopping, cooking, social obligations, and sometimes the need to see a doctor and buy medicine."

Li Mengli counted on her fingers for Li Ze:

"My brother and I did the math. Even if my mom works hard for 30 days every month, the most she can save is 3,000 yuan."

"If I get a headache or fever, or if someone has a birthday and I have to give a gift, then I've worked for nothing this month, and I might even have to pay out of my savings."

Li Ze frowned as he listened.

Three thousand yuan?

In his eyes, this might not even be enough to fill up the car with gas.

But for Zhang Ruoran, it was the only guarantee for the whole family to cope with risks.

Life is too tight.

"So how do you usually live? That dress you're wearing looks pretty old, doesn't it?"

Li Ze looked at his daughter's slightly faded dress and asked with heartache.

Li Mengli looked down at her skirt and said with a smile:

"This dress is really nice. It was a birthday present my mom bought me two years ago. I only wear it when I go out."

"To ease my mother's burden, my brother and I do part-time jobs whenever we have free time."

"Like this winter vacation, my younger brother was never idle."

"He found a job delivering food in Seoul, riding his electric bike all over the city in the dead of winter."

"He video-chatted with me a couple of days ago. His hands were covered in chilblains, and his face was cracked from the wind. But he was quite happy, saying that he had worked himself to the bone for a month and earned more than two thousand yuan."

He said he wanted to save the money to buy his mother a new down jacket for the Chinese New Year. His mother had worn that down jacket for five years, and all the down feathers had fallen out.

Hearing this, Li Ze felt a pang of sadness, and his eyes welled up with tears.

My son is only eighteen years old.

At an age when they should be enjoying their youth to the fullest, they are delivering takeout in the cold wind for two thousand yuan.

But then, a relieved smile appeared on Li Ze's face.

He nodded, his tone carrying a hint of appreciation:

"This kid's got guts!"

"Although we've never met, this spirit of hard work and responsibility is truly inherited from me."

"It has a bit of my former glory."

Upon hearing this, Li Mengli couldn't help but roll her eyes and cover her mouth to stifle a laugh:

"Dad, you really know how to brag."

"My mom says my brother takes after her; he's stubborn and inflexible. How come you say he takes after you?"

Li Ze laughed and waved his hand:

"Whatever, whatever. After all, he's my son, like father, like son."

Although he said that, Li Ze had already made up his mind.

When we meet, I must make it up to this son.

Delivering takeout?

From now on, you'll manage all the food delivery companies in your home. You can deliver to whomever you want, or just sit in the office and count your money if you don't want to.

As we were talking, the train's loudspeaker came on:

"Dear passengers, we have arrived at Seoul Station..."

The train slowed down, and the passengers began to get restless, standing up to get their luggage.

Li Mengli also stood up and reached for the large suitcase on the shelf.

The box was quite heavy; it was probably filled with local specialties she brought home from Guangcheng, as well as her change of clothes.

She stood on tiptoe, looking somewhat strained.

Just then, a large, strong hand reached out and easily lifted the heavy box down.

As soon as Li Mengli turned around, she saw Li Ze smiling at her.

"From now on, Dad will do all the heavy lifting."

"A girl's hands are for holding pens and cosmetics, not for carrying bricks."

Li Ze carried the suitcase in one hand and protected Li Mengli with the other.

That natural protective instinct warmed Li Mengli's heart.

From childhood to adulthood, she has always carried her own luggage when going out, or her mother has helped her carry it.

Never before had a man stood beside her like this, taking all her weight away from her.

Is this what it feels like to have a father?

Li Mengli couldn't help but smile, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart.

The two got off the bus with the flow of people.

Winters in Han City are much colder than in Gwangseong. As soon as I got off the bus, a gust of cold wind blew over me.

Li Ze instinctively turned to the side to shield his daughter from the wind.

Once on the platform, Li Mengli took out her phone and dialed Zhang Ruoran's number.

The call was answered quickly.

"Hey, Mom, I'm getting off the bus."

Zhang Ruoran's gentle voice came from the other end of the phone:

"Okay, go slowly, don't push. Your brother and I are waiting for you at the exit."

Li Mengli glanced at Li Ze beside her, her smile becoming somewhat mysterious:

"Okay, Mom. By the way, you should be mentally prepared."

"What's wrong?" Zhang Ruoran asked, puzzled.

"I brought you a huge surprise! I guarantee it will blow your mind!"

After saying that, Li Mengli hung up the phone with a giggle before Zhang Ruoran could ask any more questions.

Li Ze heard everything clearly from the side, and shook his head with a wry smile:

"Mengli, are you sure this is a surprise?"

"I have a feeling that once your mom sees me, this surprise will turn into a shock?"

"Judging from what you just said, your mom and brother probably hate me to death. If I suddenly appeared, your brother wouldn't just rush up and punch me, would he?"

Although Li Ze was joking, he was actually a little unsure of himself.

After all, he was a heartless man who "abandoned his wife and children," and in his son's eyes, he was probably even worse than a thug.

Li Mengli walked over, took Li Ze's arm, and comforted him:

"It's okay, Dad, I'm here."

"Although my younger brother has a bit of a temper, he listens to me the most. I'll stop him and let you finish what you're saying first."

"Besides, you're my dad, which makes you his dad too. Blood is thicker than water, what could he really do to you?"

Li Ze sighed and patted his daughter's hand:

"Let's hope so. Come on, let's get off the train."

……

at the same time.

At the exit of Hansi Railway Station, there was a commotion.

The once bustling exit has now been forcibly cleared into a passage by a group of burly men in black suits and sunglasses.

There were at least thirty or forty men in black, each one burly and expressionless, standing there like a wall.

They didn't say anything or lay a hand on anyone; they just stood there, and the oppressive aura they exuded kept passersby at bay.

People passing by were pointing and taking pictures with their phones.

"Wow, who is this? Such a grand entrance!"

"I don't know. Judging from the situation, it must be either a big star or a young master from some powerful family returning home."

"This is outrageous! Have they taken over the entire exit?"

At the very front of the crowd stood two people.

One was a middle-aged woman wearing an old beige down jacket. Although her clothes were simple, she had a gentle temperament and her back was very straight.

The other one was a young man, wearing a yellow deliveryman uniform, who hadn't had time to change out yet.

He has delicate features and a clever look in his eyes.

It was Zhang Ruoran and Li Menghan.

Li Menghan looked at the group of men in black in front of her and couldn't help but curl her lip, her face full of disdain:

"Mom, look at these people."

"I wonder which young master has returned. He's making such a big fuss, as if he's afraid people won't know he's rich."

"These rich people are getting more and more arrogant. Don't they care if people can walk?"

Zhang Ruoran smiled and helped her son tidy his wind-blown hair:

"Alright, that's enough."

"It's their business if they have money. We should just live our own lives and mind our own business."

"Your sister will be out soon. I wonder what surprise she brought. She's being so mysterious."

Li Menghan snorted:

"As long as she comes back safe and sound, that's all that matters. I'm just worried she might get scammed out there."

"My sister is naive; there are a lot of bad people these days."

Just then, a clear shout suddenly rang out from the crowd at the station exit:

"Mom! Xiaohan!"

Zhang Ruoran and Li Menghan both perked up and quickly looked in the direction of the sound.

Li Mengli, wearing a white dress, stood out among the crowd of people dressed in heavy cotton-padded coats.

She was waving and walking towards them with a big smile on her face.

"sister!"

Li Menghan called out, a bright smile spreading across her face.

Zhang Ruoran also looked loving and took two quick steps forward, wanting to go and pick up her daughter.

However, after taking only two steps, Zhang Ruoran suddenly stopped.

The smile on her face froze instantly, and she stood there as if struck by lightning.

Because she saw the person next to Li Mengli.

The man was dressed in a smart casual outfit, exuding an extraordinary air. He was carrying a suitcase in one hand and being held by his daughter's arm in the other.

Although the years have left their mark on his face, making him more mature and composed.

Even if that face turned to ashes, Zhang Ruoran would still recognize it.

That was the man she had loved, hated, waited for for eighteen years, and resented for eighteen years.

Li Ze.

Zhang Ruoran's breathing became rapid, and the cloth bag in her hand fell to the ground with a "thud".

Li Menghan, who was standing next to him, did not recognize Li Ze immediately.

After all, Li Ze was still in his mother's womb when he left.

Li Menghan only saw that her sister was holding hands with a strange man!

And this man looks so much older than my sister.

Although he's handsome, he looks like a middle-aged man.

Most importantly, the wealthy air about this man was completely out of place among them.

Countless bad thoughts flashed through Li Menghan's mind in an instant.

My sister went to intern at a big hotel in Guangcheng...

Meeting a wealthy older man...

Being kept by a sugar daddy?