Beishang, whose face was also flushed with alcohol, shook his head and said, “Vindictive and vicious.”
Cheng Cong’s expression sank, “There is still one who refuses to submit. Fu Chi, get out of here quickly, I will handle this one as well.”
Ignoring their subsequent bickering, Fu Chi lifted the heavily intoxicated Ji Chen, called a driver, and had him sent back to Fu Chi’s home.
To say he had no intentions would be impossible. They were both adult men, and certain moments were naturally difficult to endure.
Especially from the moment they stepped through the door, Ji Chen kept hugging him and sniffing him, babbling like a puppy about how fragrant he was, making it extremely hard for Fu Chi to act like an upright gentleman.
Without the slightest bit of politeness, he carried him straight into the bathroom and tossed his clothes outside.
When the moderately warm water soaked Ji Chen’s entire body, he finally gradually regained his sobriety.
Feeling himself being confined, Ji Chen almost screamed the words help.
Using every ounce of his strength to maintain his clarity, his brain spun so fast it felt like it was sparking off.
Just as Fu Chi was about to make his move, Ji Chen yelled loudly, “Do you remember what you said? If you go back on your word, whatever is between us is off!”
Fu Chi lightly nibbled on the back of Ji Chen’s neck, his voice already turning deep, “Little young master, do not push yourself. You know very well that you cannot pull off that kind of thing. We have already reached this point, do you think I will let you walk out?”
Ji Chen gritted his teeth, letting the warm water cascade down his dark hair and wet his hazy brows and eyes.
His tone trembled slightly, “Fu Chi… really, no.”
Fu Chi turned him around to face him directly, “Why? Do not tell me you feel nothing for me; you are trembling.”
Ji Chen’s brows twitched, “Is it possible… that I am shaking with fright? Ever since you developed that kind of feeling for me, I keep having dreams of you doing that to me… Anyway, I am extremely troubled.”
Fu Chi suddenly burst out laughing, recalling the several times he had heard Ji Chen sleep-talking and calling his name, only to realize he had been dreaming about them doing those sorts of things. His mood suddenly lifted considerably.
Pressing a single hand against the tile wall behind Ji Chen, his wet, red lips curved upward, “Very well, I will give you time to adapt and I will not cross the line, but starting now, do not let me hear the word no ever again.”
Ji Chen closed his eyes and remained silent, thinking to himself that he truly was a good-for-nothing. His clone had been forced, while he was even more spineless—resorting to seduction.
Yet today he had to appease this person; he could not let Fu Chi keep his focus on their family backgrounds.
Li Wei might not be in the country, but just in case Fu Chi grew suspicious, they could still run a DNA test with Fu Xi. Since the two of them weren’t brothers and the truth came to light, with Fu Chi’s shrewdness, he wouldn’t be far from the truth.
Steeling his scalp, he proactively hugged Fu Chi. Seeing Ji Chen being so obedient, Fu Chi’s gaze turned frighteningly dark, and he stopped holding back.
If he couldn’t eat the meat, he would at least fill up on the broth.
Just as Ji Chen had expected, after that night, Fu Chi stopped obsessing over family backgrounds. He went to work normally every day, and whenever he had free time, he would ask him out or use business cooperation as an excuse to come find him at his company—turning into an absolute clingy pest.
Ji Chen not only managed Liuguang but also oversaw numerous other companies, keeping him swamped with work. Their cooperation with the Fu Corporation also grew increasingly frequent, and Fu Chi would always offer plenty of useful advice on matters he didn’t understand.
Supporting each other, Ji Chen grew smoother and smoother in wielding power, while the Fu Corporation steadily expanded as well.
The true task at hand was something Ji Chen never forgot. Since Fu Xi’s initial plot had failed, he predictably sought out Fu Cheng to blow the matter wide open.
However, Fu Cheng no longer held any shares, posing even less of a threat to Fu Chi than Fu Xi the shareholder. Fu Chi didn’t care in the least, but being the former chairman, his actions still managed to divert a portion of his attention.
Just as Ji Chen was preparing to take advantage of the opportunity to deal with Fu Xi, troubles broke out once again over at the QingSheng Group.
Issues cropped up everywhere—either product counterfeiting, construction accidents, or tax disputes. Anyone with eyes could tell that the ones making a move were officials.
For a time, everyone’s gaze turned toward the Lan family. After all, Elder Lan had spent his entire life in politics, wielding immense power and high status. With someone clearly targeting QingSheng right now, how could the old man not make a move?
Yet what shocked everyone to the core was that the party seemingly targeting the QingSheng Group happened to be the Lan family itself, leaving everyone in a fog, completely unable to make sense of it.
Ji Chen knew this was a clash between his father and those lackeys under Elder Lan. The ones who wanted him dead didn’t fall outside of that circle.
The old man wanted him to inherit the Lan family, meaning outsiders couldn’t get a slice of the pie, so they could only try to get rid of him. His dad was probably furious and starting to play for keeps.
Elder Lan was facing a desolate twilight years, while their QingSheng was at its zenith, and he didn’t believe the Ji family would lose.
However, suffering a certain degree of losses was inevitable. As the heir, he needed to be even steadier right now, and he guessed his opponents thought the same, which was why he had once again become the breakthrough target.
A video suddenly circulated online, driving Fu Xi completely out of Ji Chen’s mind and making his brain feel like it was about to explode.
It was all that sticky-rice cake Fu Chi’s fault for insisting on getting handsy with him. He had been caught on camera kissing him by the neck in the parking lot, instantly setting Beijing ablaze.
The revelation that QingSheng’s heir, Ji Chen, was gay spread far and wide.
Some people even tied it together to agitate public opinion regarding QingSheng’s recent troubles, basically arguing that it was no wonder QingSheng was in constant turmoil with an heir who had such inclinations.
Normally, no media outlet in Beijing dared to publish stories about the little crown prince, but this one had managed to leak out. Even though the video was quickly deleted, everyone who needed to know already knew, and Fu Chi’s identity was dug up as well.
The previous turbulence within the Fu Corporation had already caused a huge uproar, and people had been guessing what kind of relationship the two of them shared. Now that the truth was out in the open, no one dared to speak casually, but everyone was just waiting to watch the joke—especially since Ji Chen was an only child!
Even if Ji Fei had a child, it would carry another surname, and the Ji family’s lineage looked like it was going to end with this generation.
Ever since the video was posted, Ji Chen’s phone hadn’t stopped ringing. Ji Chen didn’t answer a single call, feeling profoundly humiliated. Why was evolving a paper-figure world so difficult for him?
It would have been fine to suffer in private, but why did it have to become common knowledge? It was too shameful!
Besides, in that video, it wasn’t even him choking Fu Chi and kissing him—from that posture, anyone could tell he was the bottom!
That was what he cared about the most!
The very first person to arrive at Ji Chen’s residence was Fu Chi. Aunt Wu, who opened the door, wore a rather unsightly expression; she had watched the video too.
What kind of feeling was it to watch the child she had raised with her own hands get arched by a pig? She was currently experiencing it right then and there.
“Hello, I am looking for Ji Chen.”
Aunt Wu paused for a moment, stepped aside, and said, “Come in. The young master is upstairs and hasn’t come down yet.”
Fu Chi knocked on the door, but there was no sound from inside.
Fu Chi’s knocking fingers curled inward as he felt a rare trace of tension. What was Ji Chen actually thinking? Would he want to break up?
“Ji Chen, open the door. Let us talk. I know you feel uncomfortable inside, but I have always been serious about this. Sooner or later, we have to get through this hurdle.”
The front door slammed violently against the wall with a surge of anger.
With a dark expression, Ji Chen grabbed Fu Chi by the neck, pinned him against the door, bit down hard on his thin lips, and glared sideways, “What kind of angle was that hidden camera filming from? Wasn’t it supposed to be like this? He must have photoshopped it!”
Fu Chi glanced past Ji Chen’s shoulder, “We can discuss camera angles in private later. Let go of me first.”
Ji Chen gripped tighter, “Why should this young master listen to you? Have you forgotten who’s in charge here? You—”
Feeling helpless, Fu Chi forcefully grabbed Ji Chen’s head and turned it around, forcing him to meet the three-views-shattered gazes of Ji Heng and Lan Ying.
Ji Chen turned to stone.
“Dad… Mom… When… when did you two come upstairs?”
For the very first time, Ji Heng felt that even talking to his son required organizing his thoughts. After remaining silent for a good long while, he said, “Right when you kissed him.”