Seeing the direction Ji Muzheng pointed, Qin’s Father’s heart pounded wildly, though he maintained a calm facade. He waved to a nearby servant, instructing them to bring Ji Weichen over, then turned to Ji Muzheng to explain.
“This child is quite pitiful—blind and with nowhere to go. My daughter found him, so he’s staying with us temporarily,” Qin’s Father said.
As he finished speaking, Ji Weichen arrived before the three of them.
“What’s your name?” Ji Muzheng asked kindly, like a benevolent elder, his gaze resting on Ji Weichen.
“Ji Weichen,” the boy replied obediently, standing before them with the nervous, timid demeanor of someone unexpectedly called upon by an adult. His long, thick lashes veiled his eyes.
Hearing this, Ji Muzheng paused slightly, showing no reaction to the name itself but expressing surprise at the shared surname. He then smiled.
“What a coincidence—I’m also surnamed Ji,” Ji Muzheng said, his eyes lingering on Ji Weichen’s uniquely beautiful hazel-green irises.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen such strikingly colored eyes before. It’s a shame you can’t see. I know a renowned ophthalmologist—I’ll have the Qin Family head contact him to examine you,” Ji Muzheng added.
At these words, Ji Weichen’s eyelashes trembled slightly.
Beneath them, his eyes darkened with an inscrutable intensity.
He had inherited his mother’s eye color, yet the man before him claimed it was his first time seeing such beautiful eyes.
He could show kindness to a stranger’s child yet mercilessly kill his own flesh and blood.
Ji Weichen spoke, his voice filled with gratitude as he offered a well-behaved smile.
“Uncle, you’re truly a good person. I will repay your kindness in the future.”
Seeing how things unfolded, Qin’s Father finally relaxed and chuckled, joining the conversation.
“This is fate! Since the children are around the same age, why not let them play together? I’ll call my Qin Ye and Qin Qing over as well.”
With that, Qin’s Father signaled to a servant to bring the two children over.
Ji Muzheng nodded in agreement, thinking it convenient—keeping the children occupied would allow the adults to discuss matters unsuitable for young ears.
With Ji Muzheng’s approval, Qin’s Father had the servant take the children to play in the courtyard.
Ji Cheng initially hesitated to leave but suddenly had an idea, his eyes shifting mischievously toward Ji Weichen. Watching Ji Weichen stumble due to his blindness, Ji Cheng grinned.
“Let’s go play!”
…
Su Meng’s current body was extremely frail, perpetually plagued by illness, leaving her unable to endure any strain. Her old ailments flared up frequently, and after resting in bed for a long while, she finally felt the stinging discomfort in her heart ease slightly, her breathing becoming less labored.
Changing into everyday clothes, Su Meng intended to check on the Ji family’s whereabouts when she encountered panicked servants rushing toward the courtyard.From afar, a crowd could be seen gathered in the courtyard. Qin Ye and Qin Qing stood with pale faces, seemingly stunned by the situation, while the servants hired by the Qin family hurried over with fresh clothes and other items.
At the center of the crowd stood two people.
One was Ji Cheng, whose face was drained of color. Gone was his previous arrogance; his body trembled as he stood drenched from head to toe. With fear and lingering terror in his eyes, he pointed at Ji Weichen.
“It was him. He pushed me in. He tried to kill me.”
The one being accused, Ji Weichen, appeared even more disheveled and pitiful. Naturally thin, his soaked clothes clung to his body, and his hair dripped with water. Several parts of his skin were scraped by the stones in the courtyard pond, and blood mixed with water streamed down, untreated by anyone.
Anyone could see how unlikely this was. Not only was Ji Weichen younger and physically smaller, but he was also blind. How could he accurately push a well-built peer into the lake, controlling it so precisely as to only submerge him without causing death?
Moreover, they had all just witnessed Ji Weichen struggling to rescue the drowning Ji Cheng from the water.
The scene fell into silence. Both Ji Muzheng and Qin’s Father wore grim expressions.
Su Meng arrived late and stood beside Ji Weichen. Given the current situation, anyone with clear sight could easily deduce what had happened.
Qin’s Father’s eyes held contemplation, his mind already made up. He certainly wouldn’t offend the Ji family over Ji Weichen. Regardless of the truth, Ji Weichen had to take the blame and endure the consequences. After all, what mattered about Ji Weichen wasn’t the boy himself, but the inheritance rights behind him.
A tool only needed to remain alive; everything else was insignificant in the face of trade-offs.
Su Meng felt a gentle tug on her sleeve. Looking down, she saw Ji Weichen standing beside her.
“…The Ji family is very powerful, right?” Ji Weichen’s voice was soft, almost inaudible to anyone but Su Meng.
“The Qin family took me in. I don’t want to cause them trouble. If I confess to this, the Qin family won’t face any problems, right? Sister… I only trust you. If you ask, I’m willing to do it.”
Ji Weichen spoke.
He thought the choice was obvious.
“Hmm.” Su Meng made a noncommittal sound, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and instead lifted her gaze to the crowd ahead.
“My room happens to face the courtyard. I saw what happened,” Su Meng stated.
Hearing this, Ji Weichen’s fingers twitched slightly, and he released his grip on Su Meng’s sleeve.
“Quick, tell them! Did you see him push me from behind? He even held my head underwater!” Ji Cheng’s eyes lit up at Su Meng’s words, forgetting even to dry his clothes with a towel.
“What I saw was Ji Cheng, for some reason, leading Qin Ye and Qin Qing away and bringing Ji Weichen to the side. Then, taking advantage of his inattention, Ji Cheng reached out to push him but ended up accidentally falling in himself. If it weren’t for Ji Weichen, Ji Cheng would have drowned,” Su Meng explained.
“Though it was a bit far, I might have been mistaken. Perhaps Ji Cheng simply fell into the lake by accident and dragged Ji Weichen down with him.”
“Weichen, that’s what happened, right?” After speaking, Su Meng turned her gaze to Ji Weichen.Qin’s Father’s face darkened to the extreme upon hearing Su Meng’s words. He wanted to stop her, but couldn’t directly prevent Su Meng from speaking in front of everyone.
Ji Weichen probably didn’t expect Su Meng to answer this way. His eyelashes fluttered slightly as he softly hummed in acknowledgment.
Why? Why would she choose this…
“You’re lying! You’re favoring him! It wasn’t like this at all! He really wanted to kill me, he even…” Ji Cheng couldn’t believe Su Meng’s response. When he looked at Ji Weichen, his eyes held a trace of fear.
Just moments ago, Ji Weichen hadn’t been like this in front of him – not this obedient and harmless. He had pressed him into the water again and again, all because of what he had said. He was simply a madman.
“Enough! Stop making trouble! Go back and rest first.” Ji’s Father couldn’t help but scold. He had originally wanted the Qin Family to provide a way out of this situation, but instead, he got such a response. He knew his own son’s troublesome nature well. If he continued to force Ji Weichen to admit guilt with so many people watching, the Ji family would become a laughingstock if word got out.
“Usually when someone saves a person, the rescued should show some gratitude.” Su Meng spoke up, stopping Ji Muzheng and Ji Cheng from leaving.
“Uncle, the Ji family comes from Upper Capital and is an aristocratic family. Surely you understand etiquette better than us folks from a small place like Jade City?” As Su Meng’s words fell, everyone’s gaze turned toward the Ji father and son.
“Probably the children were just playing and accidentally fell in. Ji Cheng, go thank him for saving you.” Hearing this, Ji Muzheng paused his steps and pressed Ji Cheng’s head down to make him thank Ji Weichen for saving him.
Ji Cheng felt extremely wronged. No one believed him, and he was so angry he nearly fainted.
Ji Weichen quietly listened to Ji Cheng’s thanks, his mind circling around one word from Ji Cheng’s earlier statement.
Favoring.
Was she… favoring him?
Why.
…
In Su Meng’s room, Ji Weichen stood before her still wearing his wet clothes.
“I saw it,” Su Meng said.
“You pushed Ji Cheng into the pond.”
Upon hearing this, Ji Weichen’s body tensed slightly.
“Come closer, lean forward a bit,” Su Meng spoke again.
Hiding his hand behind his back, palm concealing a small protective blade, Ji Weichen maintained his innocent, harmless expression on the surface. Gently leaning forward, he obediently lowered his head, though his body was taut like a drawn bowstring, the arrow ready to strike at any moment.
He waited, but ultimately only felt his hair being gently tousled with great tenderness.
“What is this?” Ji Weichen’s eyelashes fluttered as he asked, unfamiliar with such contact.
He was accustomed to enduring all kinds of malice, but rarely experienced such gentleness, especially when it came from…
“A reward,” Su Meng answered.
“But… only good deeds deserve rewards.” Ji Weichen was puzzled. After all, he was still young, and now finally showed some expression appropriate for his age. His wet black hair clung to his head, making him look adorably innocent and obedient.