King of the Wilderness

On the second day, a Gulfstream G650ER private jet roared off from Teterboro Airport, carrying Lin Yu’an’s family on an epic journey that spanned two continental plates.

This time, their route followed the shortest distance between two points on Earth—the great circle route.

After taking off from New York, the plane didn’t fly straight west but climbed northwest, tracing a graceful arc on the large display screen.

It would fly over Canada’s vast Hudson Bay, brush past the edge of Alaska, and finally enter the immense North Pacific Ocean near the Aleutian Islands.

This was a route seldom experienced by regular passengers; it connected the North American Continent and the Asian Continent in the most efficient way.

"Wow," Aliya exclaimed as she looked at the ever-northward extending route on the screen, "I thought we’d fly straight west, but we’re heading towards the Arctic first."

Lin Yu’an smiled and explained to her, "This is the great circle route. Since the Earth is round, on a flat map, this arc is actually the shortest distance from New York to China."

After nearly thirteen hours of smooth flying, the plane made a brief technical stop at Narita International Airport in Tokyo, Japan.

In just over an hour, the plane quickly completed refueling and route checks. Aliya and Emily took the opportunity to stretch with the kids in the VIP lounge.

After taking off again and flying for over five more hours, when the plane finally touched down smoothly at the tarmac of the executive apron of Kunming Changshui International Airport, everyone was captivated by the starkly different scene outside the windows.

Here, there were no skyscrapers like New York, nor the snow-capped whiteness of Wyoming.

Instead, there were rolling red hills and an atmosphere filled with a subtropical, warm, and humid air.

At the foot of the airstairs, Sheng Risheng and Liang Wenbin had been waiting for a long time.

"Anzi!" Sheng Risheng was the first to rush up, giving Lin Yu’an a solid bear hug, "You finally made it back, you rascal!"

Lin Yu’an laughed and patted him on the back, "Long time no see, Shengzi."

After a brief exchange, Sheng Risheng immediately turned his focus to Aliya and Emily behind Lin Yu’an. Of course, he was aware of his old friend’s jaw-dropping family situation.

But having seen a lot in the world, after a brief inner turmoil, he immediately displayed a host’s enthusiasm.

"Hello! Welcome to China!" he greeted in his half-baked English, then winked at Lin Yu’an in Chinese, "Anzi, aren’t you going to introduce us?"

Lin Yu’an smiled and naturally introduced them, "This is Aliya, and this is Emily. Aliya, Emily, this is my best friend, Sheng Risheng."

"Aliya, Emily, hello!" Sheng Risheng said warmly, and a young lady next to him in a professional suit, looking very capable, stepped forward and translated fluently into standard English for him.

Sheng Risheng pointed to this lady, explaining to Lin Yu’an, "This is Translator Xiaochen, whom I especially hired for you. She will accompany you throughout the upcoming days, ensuring seamless communication!"

Aliya and Emily smiled and politely responded through the translator to his enthusiastic, somewhat exaggerated style, leaving a deep impression on them.

As for Liang Wenbin, he approached with a much more reserved demeanor.

He shook Lin Yu’an’s hand tightly, his face beaming with genuine warmth, "Yu’an, welcome home! It was a tough journey!"

Then, he turned to Aliya and Emily. Of course, he was informed by his son-in-law about Lin Yu’an’s special circumstances.

Being a veteran cadre fluent in bureaucracy, he deftly knew which matters to address and which to tactfully ignore.

He avoided using potentially ambiguous titles like ’wife’ and, instead, with an elder’s natural and kind demeanor, smiled and nodded at them.

"Aliya, Emily, hello. I’m Liang Wenbin," his gaze filled with appreciation for the younger generation, "I’ve heard so much about you from Yu’an, and meeting you today truly proves you’re extraordinary young women! Traveling all this way with the kids must have been tough for you."

These comments, without delineating relationships but assigning equal respect and care to both women, instantly bridged the gap, leaving Aliya and Emily feeling unquestionably comfortable and reassured.

When Lin Yu’an carefully brought Ethan and Olivia out of the baby carrier, Liang Wenbin’s eyes lit up instantly.

"Oh my! So these are our little darlings," he quickly stepped forward, gingerly taking Ethan from Lin Yu’an’s arms.

Looking at the black-haired, green-eyed, exquisitely adorable little one, his smile seemed to almost melt away.

"So alike! This nose, these eyes, it’s like they’re carved from the same mold as yours!" he said, playfully doting on Ethan while his gaze turned toward Olivia in Emily’s arms, fully displaying a loving elder’s tenderness.

While playfully interacting with Ethan in his arms, Liang Wenbin glanced unintentionally at his son-in-law, Sheng Risheng, and felt a sudden rush of exasperation.

He deliberately sighed, "Ah, look at Yu’an, he’s only been away for a few years and comes back with a full family. Such blessings indeed are enviable."

Hearing this, Sheng Risheng knew his father-in-law was starting again, and immediately put on an awkward yet helpless smile.