My Wife Is Gone… Forever

  “My wife is dead… She has been gone for ten years, taken by the enemies I brought upon myself. Later, I wiped out those enemies in the most ruthless way possible… But so what? My wife will never return. And our daughter—the daughter she shielded with her own body, the life she exchanged her own for—became my only remaining family, the most precious thing in my life. I have always granted her every wish, believing that it would make her happy every day… But I was wrong. I was wrong all along.”

  He lifted his head and let out a long, sorrowful sigh. At this moment, this man—renowned across the world, commanding both power and respect—revealed a side of himself that perhaps only Ye Tianxie had ever seen. He turned to face Ye Tianxie and said, “If this is truly Feifei’s choice, I won’t stand in her way… I only hope that she will be truly safe with you. If staying here means she can live happily every day, then I will be grateful to you for the rest of my life.”

  “If your gratitude can be expressed in large sums of money, I’d be more than happy to accept it.” Ye Tianxie chuckled, his meaning unmistakable. Su Luo had talked for quite some time but had yet to mention the “protection fee” that Ye Tianxie was most interested in. It was only right to give him a little reminder.

  “Ten million! If you can keep my daughter safe, I will pay you ten million every year!” Su Luo declared, his expression composed. He did not find Ye Tianxie’s bluntness offensive. Money was the reason Ye Tianxie accepted Su Feifei. What he could not accept was a lack of reason—because that would only multiply uncertainties.

  Ten million… An astronomical sum that an ordinary family could never accumulate in a lifetime. Such an offer was a testament to Su Luo’s stature as Asia’s wealthiest man.

  However, to Su Luo’s surprise, Ye Tianxie did not immediately accept. Instead, his brow arched slightly, and the relaxed smile on his face slowly faded. Narrowing his eyes, Ye Tianxie said indifferently, “Your daughter’s safety is only worth ten million? The most precious treasure in your life isn’t even worth a ten-thousandth of your fortune?”

  Su Luo frowned but responded firmly, “This has nothing to do with Feifei’s importance to me. Ten million is a price worthy of your abilities. And I believe… when it comes to protecting someone, this is the highest price ever offered.”

  Even the elite bodyguards by his side, “Black Panther” and “Red Wolf,” were each only paid two million per year. And they weren’t just responsible for protection.

  “The highest price?” Ye Tianxie’s lips twitched slightly. He glanced at Su Luo with a peculiar expression before casually saying, “Once, someone offered me two hundred million a year to be his personal bodyguard… Do you believe that?”

  Two hundred million a year!?

  Su Luo’s expression changed dramatically. But after a moment, he slowly shook his head. “Impossible! No one in this world would be insane enough to offer such a price. And even if they did… You wouldn’t be lacking money.”

  “Heh, I simply turned him down. Becoming his personal bodyguard would mean losing my freedom. But your daughter… protecting her doesn’t take away my freedom. Besides, your daughter is breathtakingly beautiful—much more pleasant to look at than some man. And most importantly… I believe you’ll offer a price far higher than two hundred million. Do you believe that?” Ye Tianxie smirked mysteriously.

  A bodyguard with an annual salary of two hundred million? Even Su Luo—Asia’s richest man—felt like he was listening to a fairy tale. Who could possibly warrant such an astronomical price? And who had the audacity to offer such a ludicrous sum? Even he would never pay that much.

  “Who was that person?” Su Luo asked darkly. Initially, he dismissed the claim as a joke. But looking at Ye Tianxie’s expression, he suddenly felt it might be true… If so, then who in the world possessed such power and wealth? And for someone to be worth two hundred million annually—what kind of secrets lay beneath this young man’s seemingly ordinary appearance?

  “You should know him,” Ye Tianxie said slowly. Then, he revealed the name.

  “Zuo… Zhen… Hua!”

  Three words, like three thunderclaps, crashed down on Su Luo. His entire body trembled violently, his pupils constricting to the size of a needle. He staggered slightly, and when he looked at Ye Tianxie again, his gaze had completely changed.

  Zuo Zhenhua… The name of the man who held the highest authority in China—the youngest supreme leader in the nation’s history.

  A man whose mere footsteps could shake China, whose mere words could shift the world. The people protecting him were undoubtedly the most elite soldiers, perhaps even supernatural beings with extraordinary abilities. He had the greatest power and the strongest protection force in the entire country.

  Yet such a man had once offered two hundred million a year to secure Ye Tianxie as his bodyguard?

  Did that mean Ye Tianxie’s strength surpassed that of the most elite soldiers, even the strongest supernatural beings?

  “Do you believe it?” Ye Tianxie asked, watching the tremor in Su Luo’s gaze. His eyes remained calm and clear, without any sign of falsehood or deception. With Su Luo’s vast experience, he knew—such an expression could not be lying.

  Suddenly, he understood why he had been unable to uncover any real information about Ye Tianxie. He also understood where that sense of danger stemmed from. Everything about Ye Tianxie was shrouded in mystery, and beneath that veil, his true power might have already reached a level beyond ordinary comprehension.

  What kind of person was he?

  And if the man whom even the supreme leader of China failed to recruit was now the one protecting his daughter… then what enemy in the world could possibly harm her?

  “Three hundred million.” Su Luo’s voice was steady, his decision made. “As long as you keep my daughter safe, I will pay you three hundred million a year. In six months, you will receive the first installment.”

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  Even as he uttered that astronomical figure, Su Luo found himself feeling relieved. For the first time in years, a weight had lifted from his heart. His daughter was his most precious treasure. He had already lost his wife—if his daughter lived in fear and shadows, or worse, if she was taken from him as well, then what meaning would all his wealth have?

  Three hundred million… A true, unprecedented fortune—greater even than what Zuo Zhenhua had offered. Because to him, his daughter’s safety mattered far more than the supreme leader’s. More than anything in this world.

  “Excellent. I accept.” Ye Tianxie’s smile was dazzling. “With your fortune, three hundred million a year won’t even put a dent in your empire…” Then, his eyes glinted playfully. “But aren’t you afraid I’m lying to you, Su Luo? You’re Asia’s shrewdest businessman, yet you’re making such a hasty decision. Doesn’t that seem… out of character?”

  Su Luo gazed at him, a faint smile appearing at the corners of his lips. "If I must give a reason, then I can only say… I trust my instincts. Three billion. My word is my bond. I hope that in the coming year, Fei Fei can stay safe and, more importantly, truly be happy… Consider this a request from me to you." His voice paused.

  "I can guarantee the first part. As for the second… her happiness isn’t something I can control," Ye Tianxie responded with a slight smile.

  "No, you can." Su Luo shook his head, his complex gaze locking onto Ye Tianxie’s deep eyes. "Do you really think Fei Fei insisted on moving in with you just because of your ability to protect her? The night you saved her, she must have seen your strength, and that’s why she firmly believes you can keep her safe, allowing her to finally feel at ease… But have you ever considered what kind of impact your power, your appearance, and the way you saved her in her moment of despair might have on a girl? You really haven’t thought about it?"

  Ye Tianxie: "…"

  "Honestly… I have no idea how to answer that, because I’m not a woman," Ye Tianxie paused for two seconds before delivering a response that was enough to make anyone want to punch him.

  Su Luo nodded slightly and turned to leave.

  "Hey, it seems like you’ve already decided to trust me. But this concerns your daughter’s safety—believing me based solely on my words isn’t exactly the style of the sharpest businessman in Asia. So, to repay your trust, to set your mind at ease… and, of course, mostly for my own sake, there’s something you should see."

  Su Luo halted, turning back in curiosity. Ye Tianxie stepped forward, reaching into his pocket and slowly pulling out a small object about the size of a palm—round and resembling a badge. When Su Luo saw the emblem imprinted on it, along with the words beneath it, his expression changed dramatically. His face paled in shock as he stammered, "The… The Guardian of Huaxia…"

  "You don’t need to say its name out loud." Ye Tianxie cut him off. "Su Boss, you really are well-informed, to even recognize something like this. Since you know what it is, then you should also know that I wasn't lying. Now, do you feel reassured?" He pocketed the badge again. "Honestly, when I first got this thing, I never thought I’d actually have a use for it… Good thing I didn’t throw it away."

  The storm raging in Su Luo’s heart had reached an overwhelming peak. In this short time since stepping into Ye Tianxie’s home, he had experienced more shocks than in his entire life. His emotions fluctuated more intensely than ever before. And when he heard Ye Tianxie’s last remark, the muscles on his face visibly twitched.

  That badge… the legendary emblem symbolizing the highest honor… In the hundreds of years since Huaxia’s founding, only three people had ever received it. Including the one he just saw, that made four. And this man had actually considered throwing it away.

  What kind of things could truly catch his interest, then?

  "Well… Since Su Boss is reassured, could that first three billion be transferred to my account sooner rather than in six months? I’m actually a little tight on cash right now," Ye Tianxie said with an utterly serious expression, finally revealing his true intentions.

  "No wonder…" Su Luo muttered, his gaze flickering as he stared at Ye Tianxie.

  No wonder even Zuo Zhenhua had been so eager to have him as his guardian. No wonder Ye Tianxie had dared to reject him. Before him, only three people had ever received that badge—but none had been as young as this man.

  What kind of secret was hidden behind him?

  As Ye Tianxie had said, Su Luo had an instinctive trust in him. But instinct alone wasn’t enough for true belief—especially when it came to his daughter’s safety. Even though Ye Tianxie had demonstrated capabilities beyond imagination, Su Luo still would have investigated him in every possible way.

  But with that badge… there was no need.

  And beyond that, with that badge in his possession, no one could even dare to investigate him. Knowing that, Su Luo could completely and utterly set his heart at ease.

  Fei Fei had made her decision on impulse. But at this moment, Su Luo was certain—her choice would be the best decision of her life. Though even she herself had no idea who exactly she had chosen.

  "By nine o’clock tomorrow morning, three billion Huaxia dollars will be transferred to your account," Su Luo stated, his voice firm and devoid of hesitation. Three billion a year—buying his daughter’s absolute safety, securing his own peace of mind, and deepening his connection with such a person. To a businessman like him, this was a deal worth making—worth every cent.

  "Su Boss is indeed a straightforward businessman." Ye Tianxie snapped his fingers, his eyes almost sparkling. Money, after all, could come easily… if the one paying was the richest man in Asia. If he were guarding anyone else’s daughter, he wouldn’t make three billion even in a lifetime.

  Su Luo smiled. "If you’d like, you can call me Uncle Su… or Uncle Luo."

  "Uncle Luo." Ye Tianxie responded without hesitation, smiling as well.

  Su Luo nodded in satisfaction. He lifted his head slightly before lowering his gaze back to Ye Tianxie, his eyes now carrying something deeper. "To be called ‘Uncle’ by someone like you… Heh, I actually feel honored. Fei Fei… she is my only daughter. I want her to be happy for a lifetime. If you are willing to protect her forever, and if she is willing to be protected by you for life… I will give you all my wealth."

  The meaning behind his words was unmistakable.

  Ye Tianxie maintained his usual calm expression, his gaze indifferent, offering no response.

  A trace of disappointment flickered in Su Luo’s heart. His daughter had beauty, an exceptional figure, and an unmatched temperament. As for family background… as her father, he was the undisputed richest man in Asia. He had always believed that there was no man unworthy of his daughter—only men unworthy of her. And he had never thought that any man would refuse his daughter.

  Yet, here before Ye Tianxie, his beliefs were overturned.

  For the first time, he felt that his daughter wasn’t worthy of a man.

  This man… He was like a favored child of the heavens, possessing things far beyond what ordinary people could imagine. He was standing right here, yet he seemed to be on an entirely different level—overlooking everything from above.

  If not for meeting Ye Tianxie today, Su Luo would never have believed that such a person could exist.

  And if Fei Fei were to end up with a man like this, what kind of perfect life would she have? At the very least, she would never again be harmed by anyone. And as for him, he could finally be at ease—more at ease than ever before.

  Turning away, Su Luo walked toward the stairs. As he stepped down, he spoke in a voice so soft it seemed as though he were talking to himself, yet his words carried weight: "Take care of Fei Fei. But if you ever do anything to hurt her against her will… no matter who you are, I will stop at nothing."

  Watching his retreating figure, Ye Tianxie smiled. "Good. That’s exactly what a father should say."

  Father…

  A certain memory flickered through his mind—the nightmare of that night. A shadow crossed his expression, darkening it briefly before fading away. He did not follow Su Luo downstairs. Instead, he stood on the balcony, gazing out at the familiar world before him. His face remained calm, his eyes as still as a dead sea—silent, unreadable.

  What was he thinking?

  What was he remembering?