My Nemesis Has Finally Gone Bankrupt Chapter 101

Chapter 101:

After the lawyer arrived, Ji Ran had even less to do and barely needed to listen at all. 

Just from Chen Qianqiong’s sneer and Ji Wei’s silence, he could guess how much had been thrown his way. 

He couldn’t help but chuckle. Old Madam Ji was really grasping at straws in her desperation. 

But the reason he came this time wasn’t for that measly inheritance. 

Two hours later, this contentious and confrontational meeting finally ended.

Before leaving, Chen Qianqiong walked up to Ji Ran and chuckled, “You are really quite different from your mother.” 

“You and your son are pretty different too,” Ji Ran responded calmly. 

“Let’s have a meal together sometime.” After saying this, Chen Qianqiong was pleased to see the look of disgust on Old Madam Ji’s face. She laughed, “Goodbye.” 

Ji Wei said nothing, silently following Chen Qianqiong out. 

“Ji Ran,” Old Madam Ji remained seated, not moving. She waited until most of the people had left before she spoke, “Stay. Grandma has something to say to you.” 

Ji Ran leaned back, casually smiling, “What a coincidence, I have something to say too.” 

Ji Guozheng, feeling a headache coming on, supported himself on the chair as he stood up, “I’ll go upstairs first…” 

“Wait.” Ji Ran called out to him, lifting his gaze, “You stay too.” 

Ji Guozheng frowned, “What’s with that tone?” 

Ji Ran didn’t respond to him. Instead, he stood up and patted the lawyer on the shoulder, “Thanks for coming all this way.” 

The lawyer was taken aback but quickly replied, “It’s what I should do.”

“Everything packed up?” Ji Ran asked. 

“Yes.” 

“Then there’s nothing more to do here. You can head back first,” Ji Ran said. “I’ll have someone transfer your fee.” 

“No need,” the lawyer said, sensing that something was off. “Mr. Qin has already paid me. I’ll sort out these documents when I get back, and we’ll be in touch.” 

“Alright.” 

After seeing the lawyer to the door, Ji Ran leaned one hand against the frame and said to the remaining servants and the lawyer in the room, “You all leave too.” 

Ji Guozheng sensed something was wrong, “What are you trying to do?!” 

“What could I do? I just want to have a good chat with you all, a casual conversation.” Ji Ran raised an eyebrow, smiling as he asked, “What, do you think I could commit arson or murder?” 

“That’s enough,” Old Madam Ji said helplessly. She indeed had something to say to Ji Ran, and no matter how angry she was, she had to hold it in, “Everyone out.” 

Before leaving, the old butler made sure to give Old Madam Ji two pills. 

The old butler had been with Old Madam Ji for decades. As he reached the door, he couldn’t help but say, “Young Master Ji, the Old Madam’s health has been poor lately. Please try not to agitate her further.” 

Due to his age, his voice was low and hoarse.

Ji Ran’s smile widened, “Out.” 

The door closed, and Ji Ran locked it from the inside, leaving only the three generations of the Ji family in the room. 

Ji Ran sat back in his original seat. The room fell silent for a moment before Old Madam Ji broke the silence. 

“Xiao Ran,” she softened her tone, “I know Chen Qianqiong said a lot of nonsense to you. She’s always been that way, doing anything for money and power. Don’t…” 

“Let me go first, Old Madam,” Ji Ran glanced at his watch and said, “Dinner’s about to start, let’s not waste time on storytelling.” 

“Ji Ran!” Ji Guozheng scolded angrily, “Is that how you talk to your grandmother? Watch your tone!” 

“I came here today to ask you both one thing.” Ji Ran didn’t even look at him, “The nanny who poisoned me when I was a kid, was she hired by you?” 

The two immediately fell silent, and the room grew so quiet you could hear a pin drop. 

Seeing their tense expressions, Ji Ran smiled, “Don’t worry, I’m not looking to pursue that matter now… it’s not even a priority anymore. I don’t have any recording devices on me; I just want to settle this account.” 

“No,” Old Madam Ji said, her face turning pale. “Why would we poison you?” 

Ji Ran’s smile didn’t reach his eyes, “At that time, Zhao Qingtong had just had a car accident, which seemed to cause your company’s stock price to drop quite a bit?” 

Back then, he hadn’t been exposed much to the public. Many people only knew that the Ji family had an illegitimate child, but they didn’t know who that child was. 

He had no friends, no relatives, and unlike Zhao Qingtong, no fans or media attention. 

He wasn’t even listed on the Ji family household register. 

Such a small, insignificant person could have disappeared without a trace in that cold, lonely villa. 

No one would have investigated, and no one would have sought justice for him. After his death, there wouldn’t even be anyone who would remember him. 

“Again with this nonsense,” Ji Guozheng cursed, “Your mother has been dead for over ten years! When are you going to let it go?! I know what you’re about to ask—you’re going to ask about your mother’s car accident again! I’ve told you countless times, no one tried to harm her, she just wasn’t watching when she crossed the street…” 

“Was it you?” Ji Ran looked at Old Madam Ji and asked. 

Old Madam Ji had never seen such an expression before. 

It was full of mockery, resentment, and sadness. 

Ji Ran was smiling, but it was more frightening than if he were angry. 

After a long silence, Old Madam Ji said, “No.” 

Ji Ran nodded, “I see.” 

“Why must you dig into the past? It’s all ancient history.” Old Madam Ji tried to persuade him, “If you’re willing to cooperate and learn, your father and I will support you. If you have any talent for management, in time, the whole Yongshi could be yours.” 

“Not interested.” 

Ji Ran stood up and walked over to Ji Guozheng. 

Ji Guozheng’s hand had already gripped the wooden cane beside him. 

Due to his condition, he often suffered from sudden dizziness and needed a cane to feel secure. 

Ji Ran said nothing. He took out a small black USB drive from his pocket and placed it in front of Ji Guozheng. 

Ji Guozheng suddenly felt a pang of guilt and fear, but he forced himself to remain calm, “What’s this?” 

Ji Ran’s face was expressionless, “A cry from hell.” 

Ji Ran left very calmly. 

It was just like the first time he came to the Ji family, hiding behind Zhao Qingtong, showing only half his face, cautiously observing the finely dressed men and women before him. 

He had been very young then, but the hostile gazes directed at him from all sides were like sharp swords, piercing and undisguised. 

But this time, as he left, the only emotions in the eyes of those around him were avoidance and fear. 

After Ji Ran left, Ji Guozheng picked up the USB drive and plugged it into the computer. 

After a few seconds, a woman’s soft voice came through the speakers. 

As soon as the mother and son heard it, they felt like poisonous insects were crawling up their legs. Their backs stiffened, and their scalps tingled. 

… 

In just a few short hours, the weather outside had changed. Now, dark clouds loomed, and a dreary rain was falling. The newly hired maid of the Ji family saw him and quickly approached with a black umbrella, “Sir, do you need an umbrella?” 

“No need.” 

The voice came from outside the door. 

Ji Ran looked up to see Qin Man standing in the rain at the bottom of the steps, holding a black umbrella. 

Seeing Ji Ran lost in thought, Qin Man said softly, “Come on, let’s go home.” 

The two tall, handsome men left side by side, with the maid standing at the door, peering out until an elderly woman pulled her aside.

“What are you doing? You actually offered him an umbrella! Do you know who he is? Didn’t you get scolded?” 

The maid was stunned, “No, I wasn’t scolded. Who is he?” 

“Don’t ask! Just pretend you didn’t see him if you ever see him again!” 

The maid remembered these words for the rest of her life, but unfortunately, she never saw that young man again. 

Back in the car, Qin Man said, “I had your car driven back home.” 

Ji Ran responded with a hum.

The car was quiet, and he listened to the sound of the rain for a long time before finally saying, “Before we go home, let’s stop by the police station.”

Qin Man paused, “Have you made up your mind?”

Ji Ran: “There’s nothing to think about.”

Without saying another word, Qin Man turned the steering wheel and headed toward the police station.

He reached out and held Ji Ran’s hand, gently squeezing his thumb. Perhaps the central air conditioning in the Ji household was too strong, as Ji Ran’s hands were cold.

“I’m here.” Qin Man rubbed his hands to warm them up, his tone calm but firm, giving an inexplicable sense of reassurance. “I’ll be with you. Everything will be fine.”

—

In September, a post quietly appeared online. After a few hours, it spread across the entire social network.

[Melon Farmer]: #Today’s Strange Talk# Last month, the police received a sexual assault report. The person who reported the case was the victim’s son, and the accused were his father and grandmother. The incident happened more than ten years ago…

[Melon Farmer]: Following up on my last post, the victim’s son is an illegitimate child.

[Melon Farmer]: Following up on my previous posts, the victim is Zhao Qingtong.

[Melon Farmer]: That’s right, the deceased woman Zhao Qingtong. To those doubting this, shut up. I’m posting this under my real name, and if anything is false, I’ll take full legal responsibility. You don’t need to tell me, idiots.

The post was taken down by various social media platforms within a day, but it was too late. Screenshots and fabrications quickly flooded the trending topics.

[Who is Zhao Qingtong? Why does this name sound so familiar?]

[Search ‘Ji Ran,’ ‘Zhao Qingtong, the mistress,’ ‘Ji family tycoon’ on Weibo for context.]

[This illegitimate child is just stirring up trouble again. No matter what, all illegitimate children should just die!]

[Is this real?? My dad was obsessed with Zhao Qingtong. When the news about her being a mistress broke out, he stared at it for a long time and got scolded by my mom all night.]

[Ji Ran is a drug addict, and that’s a fact, no need to repeat it.]

[The drug accusation was debunked. After his livestream incident, if it were true, he would have been arrested long ago. As for this new accusation, I just want to say: curse those who spread rumors, but curse rapists even more.]

[Honestly, given this news, the comment above is spot on. I watched that livestream too, and I have to say, he’s totally my type.]

At first, netizens didn’t take it seriously, and the user ‘Melon Farmer’ had been silent for a while. Some even speculated that he had been arrested for spreading false information.

But then, at 5 PM that day, two police statements were released.

[On July 2, we received a report from eleven years ago. Due to the nature of the case, we have taken it very seriously. The informant provided substantial evidence. After our investigation, we decided to open a case. On July 29, we formed a task force to delve deeper into the case. On September 2, we brought the suspect, Ji, into the police station for questioning.]

The keywords “Ji” and “eleven years ago” immediately linked the case to the previous trending topics.

This sudden twist and the case spanning such a long period shocked netizens.

Many people flocked to Ji Ran’s old Weibo account to express sympathy and apologize. Of course, there were still many skeptics.

These reactions were just people venting their emotions and opinions. No one expected a response, especially since Ji Ran’s Weibo had been dead silent, like he had forgotten the password.

This made the abusers even more reckless.

But just after dinner time, Ji Ran updated his Weibo.

He reposted a comment that insulted him and even changed his Weibo username.

[Dad Ji]: Enjoying the attention, idiot? Internet police, there seems to be some pedophilic content in this guy’s Weibo. Suggest a thorough investigation. [A small account but still: So what if Zhao Qingtong was innocent? She’s been dead for so many years. What’s Ji Ran trying to do now by bringing this up? Using his mom’s death for clout? Absolutely disgusting. Well, you got what you wanted—look at how popular your Weibo is now with so many comments. Must feel great, right?]

…Netizens were utterly shocked again.

The most surprising part was that half an hour later, a police account replied underneath, “Received. Working overtime to investigate.”

Ji Ran’s Weibo finally went quiet.

He lay on the sofa, looking at the ceiling, as a flood of private messages from “a small account but still” came in.

At first, they were full of insults, then confusion, and finally, frantic apologies.

Ji Ran snorted in amusement, opened his photo album, and replied.

[Dad Ji]: [The internet is not a lawless place.jpg]

He initially planned to continue responding to the trolls—Qin Man was in a meeting, so he had nothing else to do.

But just as he exited the chat interface, an unfamiliar phone call came in.

“Xiao Ran…” After two months, Old Madam Ji’s voice had aged considerably. “When will this matter finally end?”

When she first heard the recordings, she still harbored some hope—after all, so many years had passed, what could a few recordings do? They wouldn’t be enough to convict anyone.

She never imagined that Zhao Qingtong, in her attempt to report the case all those years ago, had gone to a hospital to collect samples! She even foolishly handed the results to her agent!

With things as they were, her only hope was to use her connections, thinking that if handled properly, there might still be a chance.

But she never expected Ji Ran to go this far, using such a mutually destructive method to blow the whole thing up.

With so much public attention, there was nothing more she could do.

“You know your father’s health… He’s already in such bad shape. Can’t you just let him go?” Old Madam Ji massaged her temples, her voice full of suppressed frustration.

“Wasn’t Zhao Qingtong in bad shape back then? I didn’t see you going easy on her.” Ji Ran sneered. “Although I only have the recorded conversations between your housekeeper and agent, if I really wanted to dig deeper, it’s not impossible.”

In truth, Ji Ran didn’t have any evidence directly implicating Old Madam Ji. As long as the housekeeper kept quiet, she would remain untouchable.

But he said it anyway—he wanted her to spend the rest of her life in constant fear.

“What do you hope to gain from this?!” Old Madam Ji couldn’t maintain her composure any longer now that she was personally implicated. “Your mother is dead! She’s been dead for years! Can’t you just let her rest in peace? Do you know how humiliating this is for a woman? Now, so many people are talking about her—how do you expect her to rest in peace?!”

“Humiliating?” Ji Ran’s smile vanished in an instant. He tightened his lips and asked, “What’s so humiliating about it? From start to finish, wasn’t this all your son’s fault? Now let me ask you, do you feel humiliated?”

Old Madam Ji was speechless.

“And as for resting in peace?” Ji Ran asked, “If that’s really a thing… Has she ever truly rested in peace all these years?”

Old Madam Ji took a deep breath and said with difficulty, “Xiao Ran… I’m begging you, as your grandmother.”

“Instead of begging me, you should beg the judge for a lighter sentence.”

Old Madam Ji fell silent.

She knew that she couldn’t convince Ji Ran.

After a long pause, a sarcastic laugh came from the other end of the phone. “Didn’t you just ask what Zhao Qingtong did wrong?”

“Her biggest mistake was giving birth to you.”

“Do you know what an incredible offer I made her back then? If she had just aborted you, I would have given her a large sum of money, provided her with great resources—enough to make her a true superstar. But what did she do? She was ungrateful, insisted on giving birth to you, and caused so much trouble for others. In the end, she couldn’t even die in peace.”

Ji Ran hung up the phone.

When Qin Man came home, he found Ji Ran lying on the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling.

He walked over, bent down, and interrupted Ji Ran’s thoughts. “What are you thinking about?”

“I was thinking…” Ji Ran said, “Qin Man, why do you think my mom decided to give birth to me?”

The question was so abrupt that Qin Man barely had time to think before he calmly replied, “Because she loved you.”

“She didn’t even know my gender, so why would she love me?” Ji Ran asked.

“I don’t know, maternal love has always been hard to explain,” Qin Man chuckled, “But I’m sure she loved you, very much.”

That love, Ji Ran thought, must not have faded with time or death.

Otherwise, how could he feel its presence so clearly and intensely right now?　

Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.