No one expected Ji Chen to arrive so quickly.
Ji Ying was still stunned, but Ji Huai turned first, raising his brows in shock. His tone lost all its earlier arrogance. “Brother, how did you get here so fast?”
Brother? Fu Jingshen looked again at the fully covered Ji Huai, finally guessing his identity.
In moments, Ji Chen had already walked over, standing on Ji Ying’s other side. His voice was calm: “I was at Feng Nong.”
Ji Huai immediately sensed his bad mood and averted his eyes guiltily. “Haha… what a coincidence.”
From inside the car, Fu Jingshen watched the two men flanking Ji Ying like twin mountains blocking his path. After a pause, he opened the door, stepping out with long strides. He met Ji Chen’s unsmiling gaze, then extended a hand politely. “President Ji.”
Ji Chen returned the handshake coolly, his tone faint. “It’s late. I’ll take my sister home first.”
“Quickly, let’s go.” Ji Huai finally realized who was in the car. He shot Fu Jingshen a wary look, then pulled Ji Ying away in haste, as though chased by wolves and tigers.
Ji Ying followed, bewildered, unable to speak. She managed only a polite nod toward Fu Jingshen—yet her eyes collided with his deep, dark gaze beneath the night sky. Her lashes trembled, and she quickly turned away.
Once the siblings had gone, Ji Chen’s smile vanished. He said nothing more, turning to leave.
But Fu Jingshen called after him. “President Ji, I’ll be sure to pay a visit another day.”
Ji Chen halted, glancing back. “President Fu is busy. No need to trouble yourself with our humble home.”
Fu Jingshen replied evenly: “No need for formality, President Ji. After all—”
Ji Chen narrowed his eyes. “After all, what?”
Fu Jingshen had already opened his car door. His voice drifted into the night wind: “We’re family. No need for two sets of words.”
“…”
Ji Huai pulled Ji Ying into Ji Chen’s car, settling in the back seat.
Ji Chen had also been drinking that evening, so he’d already arranged for a driver.
Not long after they sat down, the front passenger door suddenly opened—and slammed shut with a thunderous bang.
“Back to the Ji residence.” Ji Chen’s face was stormy. He loosened his shirt cuffs as soon as he got in.
Ji Ying glanced forward, then turned to meet Ji Huai’s eyes. He mouthed: “What happened?”
Ji Ying shook her head.
But Ji Huai wasn’t about to return home. He told the driver: “Wait. Drop me at Xinghe International first. I’m not going back.”
The driver nodded.
Ji Chen, brimming with anger and nowhere to vent it, snapped coldly: “You’re always so troublesome.”
Ji Huai: “…”
Ji Chen glanced at him again through the rearview mirror, picking a fight. “Sitting in the back seat—are you treating me like your assistant?”
Ji Huai: “…”
When Ji Chen was in a bad mood, even passing mice suffered—let alone him. At times like this, the only one who could escape unscathed was Ji Ying.
Ji Ying leaned forward, resting her hands on the back of the front seat, her voice soft. “Big Brother, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Ji Chen smiled faintly. “Yingying, don’t worry.”
Since Ji Chen wouldn’t say more, Ji Ying didn’t press. She knew—if her brother didn’t want to talk, no one could make him. But Ji Huai could immediately tell what Ji Chen was angry about. Fu Jingshen’s sudden attentiveness reeked of ulterior motives—shameless, hateful!
He asked directly, as always: “Yingying.”
Ji Ying: “Hm?”
“When did you meet Fu Jingshen?”
Ji Ying answered honestly. “A little while ago at the teahouse—we met once.”
“What!?” Ji Huai’s face changed. “What did he say to you? Was he trying to lure you? I knew that old man had bad intentions!”
Ji Ying: “…Old man?” She thought for a moment, frowning. “Isn’t he the same age as Big Brother?”
Ji Huai sneered. “He’s two months older than Big Brother! Isn’t that old?”
From the front seat, Ji Chen’s voice was soft, almost amused. “Ji Huai.”
“You looking for death?”
Ji Huai shut his mouth immediately.
Ji Ying didn’t understand Ji Huai’s sudden hostility, nor why even the usually composed Ji Chen seemed strange. She explained gently:
“He didn’t say anything to me. Today was just a coincidence…” Her words trailed off. Her gaze was caught by the towering skyscraper ahead. It was the city’s most prosperous district, where land was worth its weight in gold. The Fu Corporation headquarters stood there. Through the car window, she saw neon lights blazing across three towers surrounding Fu’s building. Each displayed bold characters: [Sakura (Yinghua) 0416, Happy Birthday, Wishing You Peace Year After Year.]
Instinctively, Ji Ying checked the time. Exactly midnight, April 16. At that moment, her WeChat flooded with birthday messages. Her long lashes trembled, and she lowered her head, suppressing the smile tugging at her lips.
Beside her, Ji Huai wailed in outrage, staring at the dazzling Fu towers.
“What a scheming old man!”
Ji Chen rested his elbow on the window, sneering coldly. “Flashy. Unrealistic.”
If what Yan Hang said today was true—that Fu Jingshen didn’t actually like Ji Ying—then all of his actions were highly suspicious. Moreover, this man was deep-minded, profit-driven. For Ji Ying, he was by no means a good match.
Ji Ying looked at her two brothers. In the tense silence, she softly spoke:
“Actually… I kind of like it.”
“!!!”
Fu Jingshen still went to Feng Nong. Pushing open the private room door, he immediately saw Yan Hang slouched lazily against the chair, phone in hand, cigarette dangling from his lips, looking every bit the playboy.
Hearing the noise, Yan Hang turned. Seeing Fu Jingshen, he quickly straightened up. “Third Brother, you’re not too lucky—Brother Chen just left.” Afraid Fu Jingshen would be displeased, Yan Hang explained: “He didn’t mean to. His sister suddenly called, so he went to pick her up. Brother Chen is famous for protecting his sister—everyone knows that.”
Listening to Yan Hang call him “Brother Chen” over and over, Fu Jingshen slowly raised a brow. “I saw. At the door.”
Yan Hang sat bolt upright. “Then you must have seen…”
“Mm.” Fu Jingshen replied casually.
At once, all the young men around—who had long heard of Ji Ying’s reputation—pricked up their ears. But faced with Fu Jingshen’s coldness, none dared ask.
Only Yan Hang, fearless, pressed on: “How was she?!”
Fu Jingshen toyed with the cards on the table, giving Yan Hang a deep look before answering: “You’ll know when you see her.”
His curiosity unsatisfied, Yan Hang sighed, leaning back to scroll through his phone. “Still playing, Third Brother?”
“No.” Fu Jingshen stood. “I have things tomorrow.”
“What things… oh shit!” Yan Hang sat up again, glancing at his phone, then at Fu Jingshen. He thrust the screen toward him, pointing at the trending photo of the Fu Corporation headquarters. “Third Brother, was this you?”
Everyone knew the Fu headquarters stood in the most expensive district, a cold, high-tech fortress like an unyielding machine. For years, no one had ever managed to put advertisements on it—let alone light it up for a woman’s birthday.
Fu Jingshen looked, instinctively denying: “It was Grandfather.”
Yan Hang’s mind, for once, was sharp. “Grandfather hasn’t managed the company in years. If you really didn’t want to, could he force you? Come on.” He shook the phone, clicking his tongue. “It’s already trending. Netizens are going crazy. Let me read some.” He scrolled, imitating the tone of Weibo comments, while the other young men tried not to laugh.
[Which CEO’s beloved is this time?]
[This girl named Sakura (Yinghua) must be so happy.]
[He must really love her.]
[Am I the only one wondering how much it costs to rent out the Fu Corporation building?]
[To the one above—Fu Corporation doesn’t sell. Even with money, you can’t buy it.]
Reading further, Yan Hang couldn’t stop laughing.
Fu Jingshen tilted his head slightly, looking down at Yan Hang with a blank expression. “Funny?”
Yan Hang sobered instantly, shaking his head quickly. “No, no, not funny.”
“Romantic—truly romantic!”
“Third Brother, your love for Ji Ying is witnessed by heaven and earth!”
Though he said this, Yan Hang didn’t truly believe Fu Jingshen had done all this out of genuine affection for Ji Ying. Fu Jingshen always had his own motives. Ji Ying had reached the right age, and a marriage alliance between the two families would be nothing but advantageous.
Fu Jingshen couldn’t be bothered to respond. He gave a cold snort. “Let’s go.”
“Wait!” Yan Hang hurried to his side, lowering his voice. “There’s something else I need to tell you.”
“Speak.”
Yan Hang leaned in, vividly recounting his conversation with Ji Chen earlier that evening. When he finished, he draped an arm over Fu Jingshen’s shoulder, smug. “So? Pretty clever of me, right?”
The next second, his arm was brushed off mercilessly.
Fu Jingshen looked at him quietly, then closed his eyes, suppressing the urge to hit him. “Thank you.”
By the time Ji Ying arrived home, it was already past midnight. Following Ji Chen inside, she noticed the lights were still on.
Yu Wanqing sat on the sofa, elbow propped against her head, waiting. This was long past her usual bedtime. She rubbed her temples, clearly exhausted but forcing herself to stay awake.
Ji Ying froze. “Mom, why didn’t you go upstairs to rest?”
At the sound of movement, Yu Wanqing quickly opened her eyes. Seeing her daughter’s figure, she finally exhaled in relief. “I had to see Yingying come home before I could rest.”
She stepped forward, pinching her daughter’s pale cheek gently. “Why did you come back so late?”
Hearing this, Ji Ying answered helplessly: “My brothers are all here. I’ll be fine.”
“Next time, Mom, don’t wait up for me. Go to bed earlier, alright?”
“Still talking about next time!” Yu Wanqing immediately refused. “This time your brother was with you—otherwise, how could I let you come home so late? And with your health, how can you endure such strain?”
Ji Ying lowered her gaze, silent for a few seconds, then replied softly: “I understand, Mom.”
Satisfied, Yu Wanqing took her hand toward the stairs. “Alright, go take a bath and rest early.”
Before leaving, Ji Ying nodded to Ji Chen. “I’ll go upstairs first. Big Brother, rest early too.”
Ji Chen: “Mm.” He stood still, watching her slender figure ascend, his steps no longer light. Suddenly, he called out to his mother. “Mom.”
Yu Wanqing paused. “What is it?”
Only after Ji Ying’s figure had disappeared did Ji Chen speak. “Yingying is already twenty. You should give her some space.”
Yu Wanqing froze, clearly puzzled. “Space? I only ask her to come home early. Is that wrong?”
Ji Chen: “But you’re putting a lot of pressure on her.”
Yu Wanqing crossed her arms. “Chen, you know your sister’s health is weak.”
“I know.”
“Then have you thought—if something happened to her, what would we do?”
Ji Chen: “But that won’t happen…”
“How can you be sure?” Yu Wanqing countered. “Remember that year at the Fu family? You weren’t there. I relaxed for just a moment, and she fell ill with a high fever that wouldn’t break. Have you forgotten?”
Ji Chen’s throat tightened. “I haven’t forgotten.”
“That’s why,” Yu Wanqing said coolly, “you should stop dragging your sister into reckless things.”
Ji Chen pressed his lips together, staring straight at his mother. “But one day she’ll marry, have her own household. You can’t control her forever. And as far as I know, the Fu family has recently shown intentions of arranging a marriage.”
The hall fell silent. No one spoke.
A few meters away, at the corner of the stairs, Ji Ying quietly lowered her thick lashes. After a moment, she tiptoed away.