Chapter 93:
Ji Ran didn’t quite understand what Chen Qianqiong meant.
In the complex and troublesome relationship with the Ji family, Chen Qianqiong was undoubtedly one of the victims. No one could accept the sudden appearance of a pregnant woman around her husband.
Unlike Zhao Qingtong, Chen Qianqiong was not one to be trifled with. She knew how to maximize her own interests in this failed marriage and quickly severed emotional ties with the Ji family.
Therefore, Ji Ran never harbored any resentment towards Chen Qianqiong. In fact, he somewhat admired this woman he had only met once.
However, he believed that in her eyes, he was at best a speck of dust, someone she could never accept. Ji Ran understood this and accepted it.
But he didn’t expect Chen Qianqiong to react so calmly when she saw him again.
Qin Man whispered, “Don’t eat. I’ll take you home.”
“What are you standing there for?” Chen Qianqiong stubbed out her cigarette, raising her eyebrows. “Do you dislike the smell of smoke?”
Mother Qin laughed, “How could we? Xiao Man smokes too, though not much. Why are you two still standing? Come down.”
“Why are you here?” Qin Man asked as he walked down the stairs.
“Xiao Man, don’t talk to guests like that.” Mother Qin placed the soup on the table, completing the meal. “When your father and I first went to the United States, Qianqiong helped us a lot. Now that she’s back, of course, we invited her for dinner.”
Qin Man exchanged a neutral glance with Chen Qianqiong. “We have something to do, we should…”
“Where do we sit?” Ji Ran interrupted him.
“Sit anywhere you like. I invited another friend, but she couldn’t make it, so it’s just us tonight.” Mother Qin sat down, clasping her hands in front of her chest, looking girlish. “Just be at ease.”
Qin Man frowned and said to Ji Ran, “If you feel…”
“I don’t feel anything.” Ji Ran said, sitting down in a corner chair.
Qin Man didn’t hesitate much and sat between the two of them, separating them.
Throughout the meal, the atmosphere wasn’t too awkward. Mother Qin kept chatting with Chen Qianqiong about their adventures in America, and the men barely had a chance to speak.
Ji Ran listened silently. Although he had almost no direct interaction with Chen Qianqiong, he had often heard about her from others, always associated with the same few labels.
A strong woman, a workaholic, and someone with a strong career focus.
Perhaps influenced by Mother Qin’s warmth, she responded to every statement, occasionally even laughing softly.
After dinner, Chen Qianqiong took out a cigarette from her bag. “I’ll step out for a moment.”
Mother Qin said, “Smoke less, it’s really bad for your health. Xiao Man, you too.”
Qin Man served Ji Ran a bowl of duck soup and casually responded.
Chen Qianqiong stood up, hesitated for a moment, then turned and said, “Ji Ran, I remember you smoke too. Care to join me for a smoke?”
Ji Ran paused with his chopsticks and looked at her. “I don’t smoke women’s cigarettes.”
“It’s okay, I have something else.” Chen Qianqiong replied.
Qin Man stopped eating and frowned. “He’s quit. You go by yourself.”
Mother Qin was puzzled, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. She awkwardly laughed, “Exactly, how can an elder invite a younger one to smoke?”
Chen Qianqiong nodded and was about to leave.
The chair scraped the floor, making a sound.
Ji Ran said, “… I’m full. I’ll go out with you for some fresh air.”
He didn’t feel any hostility from her and had a hunch that Chen Qianqiong had something to say to him, which was why he decided to stay.
Qin Man was about to get up but was stopped by Ji Ran’s hand on his shoulder. He hastily said, “I’ll be back soon.”
—
The potted plants in the garden were withered from neglect.
The two stood on the balcony, neither saying a word.
After a while, Chen Qianqiong exhaled smoke, breaking the silence. “Long time no see. You’ve grown up.”
They really weren’t in the position to reminisce.
“What do you want from me?” Ji Ran asked directly.
“What do you think?” Chen Qianqiong asked him, “What could it mean for me to seek out my husband’s illegitimate son?”
Ji Ran said, “You can’t beat me physically, and you can’t gain any advantage verbally. Even if you wanted to cause trouble, there’s no need to call me out just to inhale second-hand smoke.”
Chen Qianqiong laughed.
Unlike Mother Qin, time had been slightly harsh on her. Although her youthful beauty could still be seen in her features, her face had gathered some wrinkles, which were evident when she smiled.
“I heard Ji Guozheng is dying in the hospital,” she said coldly, as if Ji Guozheng wasn’t her husband in name.
Ji Ran paused. “Almost.”
“Elder Lady Ji must be contacting you frequently recently, right? About the inheritance.”
Ji Ran remained silent.
Indeed, Grandma Ji had been contacting him, but he had been ignoring her. He figured it wouldn’t be long before she showed up at his doorstep.
“She’s getting old, and Ji Guozheng only has you and Ji Wei as his blood relatives… If Ji Guozheng dies, who do you think will inherit everything?”
Her implication was clear, and Ji Ran understood: “You’re trying to recruit me?”
Chen Qianqiong: “Not recruiting, just trying to save time. You can’t compete with Ji Wei.”
“Can’t compete? How do you know?” Ji Ran smirked.
Chen Qianqiong turned her head and looked at him for a long time.
“You don’t need to pretend in front of me,” she said, withdrawing her gaze. “You have no desire in your eyes.”
Ji Wei had told her that Ji Ran would rather stay far away from the family’s fortune and the word “inheritance” was never on his mind.
She was just afraid that Elder Lady Ji would drag him into the game. She didn’t want any change.
“Didn’t you hate them?” Chen Qianqiong’s tone turned sharp. “How they harassed your mom, and how they harmed her. And that Buddha-mouthed, snake-hearted old lady…”
“Harmed her? What do you mean?” Ji Ran interrupted her, his voice catching. “Explain yourself.”
Chen Qianqiong paused, and they locked eyes for a few seconds.
She looked away. “I’ve only heard things.”
“That employee was supposed to give your mom hush money. During that time, the company’s top brass was in turmoil. To avoid any scandal, they wanted your mom to go abroad—better not to come back.”
“Who knew the employee had a family issue? He drank to drown his sorrows, and when he tried to park, he accidentally stepped on the gas instead of the brake…”
“Impossible,” Ji Ran’s eyes turned icy. “Then why would Ji Guozheng give that person money?!”
“You’ve found out quite a lot,” Chen Qianqiong chuckled. “That man was threatening Ji Guozheng. He was running his mouth, and on top of that, he had the money Ji Guozheng gave him. Ji Guozheng wanted a clean break, almost impossible.”
She asked: “Do you really think Ji Guozheng would have had Zhao Qingtong killed? How is that possible? Zhao Qingtong was so easy to manipulate, he didn’t need to risk his life.”
Ji Ran stood there, lost in thought for a long time.
He had considered countless possibilities: murder, a simple accident, even suicide.
If what Chen Qianqiong said was true, then for a moment he didn’t know who to blame for Zhao Qingtong’s death.
The drunk driver?
Ji Guozheng, trying to buy his troubles away?
Or Zhao Qingtong, who knew the other was bad, but went to the appointment anyway?
Chen Qianqiong thought Ji Ran would need time to process. But in less than half a minute, she heard him ask, “What makes you think I’d help you?”
“If you have even a little conscience left, you would naturally help me,” Chen Qianqiong took a drag of her cigarette. “Without me, would you still be standing here fine?”
“If it weren’t for me, the Ji family would have dragged Zhao Qingtong to the hospital for an abortion long ago.”
Ji Ran’s mood was unusually calm.
He said, “The version I heard was that Elder Lady Ji asked me to stay.”
“Really?” Chen Qianqiong was not surprised at all. “Given your understanding of Elder Lady Ji, do you think she would willingly let someone who tarnished the Ji family’s reputation stay?”
“The Ji family seems prosperous, but in reality, they are not even comparable to some small households. They just have a bit more money than others. Especially Elder Lady Ji, she looks like a noble lady, but in reality, she is old-fashioned and malicious. Clearly a woman herself, yet she believes that women are naturally inferior to men…”
Ji Ran chuckled.
It was absurd. How many years had he lived in so many lies?
“And what about you?” he asked. “What reason do you have for keeping me around?”
“As long as you’re here, in the eyes of others, I will always be the weaker side of this marriage, won’t I?” Chen Qianqiong didn’t hold back. “This can bring me many benefits, even in the event of a divorce or dividing assets, I will have the absolute advantage.”
Perhaps there was also a tiny bit of sympathy for the woman who came to beg her.
But only a hair’s breadth, insignificant, not worth mentioning.
“How about it?” She came back to herself a little. “I don’t need you to do anything. As long as you’re not here, I can save a lot of effort. Once everything is settled, I will…”
“I refuse,” Ji Ran said calmly, lowering his eyes.
Chen Qianqiong was stunned for a moment, then laughed. “Why?”
“I don’t trust you.”
Leaving these words behind, Ji Ran turned and went back to the living room.
Chen Qianqiong watched his back and lightly exhaled a puff of smoke.
—
“We’re heading back,” Qin Man said from the driver’s seat, rolling down the window and speaking to someone outside.
“Alright, drive carefully and stay safe,” Mother Qin nodded.
“Could you give me a ride?” Chen Qianqiong approached with a smile. “I’ve had a bit to drink, so I don’t think it’s safe for me to drive… Can I leave my car here and have someone pick it up tomorrow?”
Before Mother Qin could respond, Qin Man spoke first. He coldly refused, “Sorry, it’s not convenient.”
The car pulled out of the driveway. Qin Man glanced sideways at the person wearing a blindfold.
“Is she bothering you?”
“No one can bother me,” Ji Ran said with his eyes closed.
Qin Man didn’t say anything more. The car returned to quiet, and Ji Ran’s heart calmed down as well.
He was thinking back to what Chen Qianqiong had just said.
Actually, he believed most of what Chen Qianqiong said.
He had been puzzled before. If what Grandma Ji said was true, that she had put in a lot of effort to save him from Chen Qianqiong, why did she then immediately go abroad and ignore him? Even Ji Guozheng probably did more than she did.
Thinking back to how he had desperately restrained himself in front of her before, Ji Ran felt nauseous, like he wanted to throw up.
In the past, he would have definitely agreed to Chen Qianqiong and turned the Ji family upside down.
But he had refused.
Suddenly, he felt exhausted, unable to find the meaning in doing all this.
Ji Ran wasn’t a teenager with a grudge; he had never thought of himself as some avenger.
From start to finish, all he wanted was justice, the truth.
Just as he was thinking this, someone grabbed his left hand.
Through the blindfold, Ji Ran couldn’t see anything, only feeling the warmth of the other person’s skin.
“Why is your hand so cold?” Qin Man adjusted the temperature.
He had expected Ji Ran to immediately pull away from him and curse at him.
But Ji Ran remained still, curling his fingertips slightly, letting him hold his hand.
“Qin Man.”
“Yeah?”
“Look at my face,” he said. “Is it written ‘idiot’ on it?”
“No, it just says ‘likes Qin Man’.”
“…”
A warm current flooded his tired heart.
Ji Ran swallowed lightly, his voice hoarse after a while, “…Let’s go get your glasses fitted another day. Your myopia must be at least 800 degrees.”
Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.
Mah poor son 😢