King of the Wilderness

Scoot was momentarily stunned, then immediately understood Lin Yu’an’s urgency. Looking into Lin Yu’an’s eyes filled with longing, he knew any persuasion would be pointless.

But he still fulfilled his duty as a professional agent, reminding him, "Lin, flying directly from New York to Jackson Hole requires a heavy business jet."

"At this time, urgently deploying a Gulfstream G650 without prior booking, the price will be exorbitant."

He quickly glanced at his usual charter app on his phone and then reported a figure.

"I just checked, the fastest flight departs in an hour from Teterboro. The one-way quote... is about fifteen thousand dollars, and that’s not including taxes."

Fifteen thousand dollars, just to get home a few hours earlier. Scoot thought that any rational businessman, upon hearing this price, would choose to wait for tomorrow morning’s first-class flight.

"Money is not an issue." Lin Yu’an’s tone was as calm as if he were saying, "Get me a cup of coffee."

"Scoot, book it for me."

"Alright." Scoot said no more.

He took out his phone and directly dialed a number, "Hello, it’s me... yes, I need a Gulfstream, or a Global Express... the route is Teterboro to Jackson Hole."

"Requirements? Just one, as fast as possible. Price? The client said that’s not an issue."

An hour later, when Lin Yu’an arrived in a chauffeur-driven car arranged by Scoot at New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport, the busiest private jet airport in All of America,

a sleek and beautiful Gulfstream G650ER was already quietly waiting on the tarmac.

"Lin, have a safe trip." Scoot said over the phone, "And please convey my New Year wishes to your family."

"Thank you, Scoot. Happy New Year."

Lin Yu’an hung up the phone and boarded the top-level business jet, which could accommodate more than a dozen passengers, all by himself.

The flight attendants closed the cabin door for him, completely shutting out the noise of New York.

The plane taxied down the midnight runway, accelerated, and finally took off elegantly, climbing into the deep night sky.

Below, the countless lights of New York, like a shining galaxy, rapidly shrank in his view, eventually becoming a distant blur.

He knew he was heading towards the world’s warmest New Year’s family reunion, one that belonged solely to him, at the fastest speed of this era.

He was going home.

Inside the Gulfstream G650ER cabin, it was both luxurious and serene.

Lin Yu’an leaned back on a soft leather seat, beyond the cabin window was the vast starry sky and below him lay the sleeping North American continent.

He wasn’t sleepy, the plane flew over every familiar landmark of the Rocky Mountains, those ridges distinctly outlined under the moonlight and starlight.

The rivers, winding and frozen like silver ribbons, all proclaimed to him that home was getting closer.

When the altitude of the plane began to slowly descend, and the captain’s soft voice came through the communication device, Lin Yu’an had already sat upright, his gaze fixed tightly on the deep blue darkness outside the cabin window.

"Mr. Lin, we are about to land at Jackson Hole Airport. The ground temperature is -28 degrees Celsius. Welcome home."

The plane landed smoothly on the private tarmac. As soon as the cabin door opened, a familiar biting cold wind greeted him.

It didn’t make him feel cold; instead, it made him feel an unprecedented sense of closeness.

He didn’t take the VIP passage but walked directly from the tarmac towards a familiar figure that had been waiting there.

Security chief Sean O’Connor, wearing a thick parka, stood like a silent mountain in the night.

Seeing Lin Yu’an disembark, he immediately stepped forward to take the simple suitcase from Lin Yu’an’s hand.

"Welcome back, sir." His voice was as steady and strong as always.

"Thank you for your hard work, Sean."

The two exchanged no further pleasantries and quickly boarded the Cadillac Escalade.

"Everything good at home?" On the way out of the airport, Lin Yu’an couldn’t help but ask the question he was most concerned about.

"Everything’s good, sir." Sean glanced at the rearview mirror and replied, "The ladies and guests are all waiting for you. Lady Yelena has prepared a late-night snack for you."

The SUV sped along the deserted midnight highway, finally turning onto the familiar private road.

As the grand building, nestled against the ridge and aglow with warm lights in the night, appeared again in sight, this long journey finally reached its end.

The car came to a steady stop in front of the main house.

Before he could get out, the massive oak door was already pushed open forcefully from the inside.

Aliya and Emily, wearing only thin loungewear, dashed recklessly from the warm foyer into the biting cold of nearly minus thirty degrees.

"You’re back!"

Lin Yu’an barely had time to say a word before being tightly embraced by two soft bodies with a warm fragrance.

"Slow down, slow down, it’s cold outside." He laughed, holding both of his slightly trembling wives in his arms, gently half-pushing, half-embracing them back into the warm foyer.

Lin Yu’an looked into the eyes of his two wives, filled with joy, "Didn’t I tell you to go to bed early?" He gently stroked their frostbitten cheeks with concern.

"We couldn’t sleep." Aliya shook her head, clinging tightly to his arm, as though fearing he’d vanish again, "We were waiting for you to come home and stay up all night with us."