The fourth letter translated, still from Zhao Changpeng's child
Dear Judge Jones
I extend my warm greetings to you. My name is Ryan Zhao, and I write this letter to share my personal experience with my father, the defendant Zhao Changpeng. I am currently a first-year computer science student at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.
My father has always been a pillar of strength and guidance in my life. One of my earliest memories takes me back to Lake Louise in Canada, where we walked along the shoreline of the lake. I was six years old at the time and would ask him questions about the different plants and insects we saw, and he did his best to answer every question. He never ignored any question I asked, no matter how obvious the answer was, and would even take the initiative to open up a conversation and ask me about the natural world around us. He nurtured and encouraged me to always be curious, and it was through our interactions that I developed a passion for learning and things in and out of school.
In addition, my father's commitment to supporting my sister and me and ensuring our well-being has always been steadfast. I remember that not long after starting Binance in Shanghai, the rest of our family was still living in Tokyo. It was an extremely crazy and challenging time for him, he was working 16 hours a day, seven days a week, but he still managed to find time to visit us in Japan. Also, I was in adolescence at the time and in a rebellious phase: I was always in a bad mood and always fighting with my parents. Even when he was under a lot of pressure running a startup, he was still very understanding and supportive and never fought back against me.
My father's support also showed up when my sister, my mother and I moved to Shanghai to live with my father after I graduated from high school until he left the country due to increased business opportunities in Singapore. But even when we were physically apart, such as during the coronavirus pandemic, he continued to support me in school and provide guidance to me whenever I talked to him online.
In my entire life, all his actions seemed normal, as if everything he did for me was what a father should do, and I took his actions for granted.But as I started college and left the bubble my parents raised me in, my world expanded exponentially, and the more people I met, the more I realized how lucky I was to have CZ as my father. Despite the challenges he faced, my father always demonstrated integrity, compassion, and a deep sense of responsibility for my sister and me.
I implore your Excellency to view my father not just through the current situation, but through the entirety of his life. The impact of this situation, while profound, does not define the entirety of his character. I hope the scales of justice will weigh not just selective actions, but the essence of a loving father whose life was defined by values, morals, and resilience.
Sincerely,
Ryan Zhao
#赵长鹏#