“And you think you’re worthy?”
The banquet was being held on the hotel’s top floor.
The waiter escorted Jing Shun into the elevator hall. Just as he was about to press the button for the exclusive VIP elevator, the hotel’s general manager hurried over in time.
“Xiao Zheng, wait a moment. Take Mr. Jing using the guest elevator on the right instead—it should be arriving soon.”
“……”
The waiter, Xiao Zheng, froze for a second and looked at Jing Shun awkwardly.
The elevator on the right was for regular guests.
For tonight’s banquet, hosted by the Chi family and Chi Sheng, special instructions had been given allowing Jing Shun to use the far-left VIP elevator directly to the top floor.
Seeing Xiao Zheng hesitate, the general manager bent down and explained gently to Jing Shun,
“Mr. Jing, I sincerely apologize. We just received notice that Mr. Chi Gui is about to arrive.”
The VIP elevator had to be cleared immediately and sent down to Basement Level 2 to wait.
“……”
Chi Gui?
Hearing the overly familiar name, Jing Shun asked,
“You mean the current chairman of the Chi Group? He’s coming tonight?”
The general manager nodded. “Yes.”
The Baolaili Hotel was one of the Chi Group’s luxury hotels. The private VIP elevator on the upper floors was reserved exclusively for members of the Chi family and was normally inaccessible to outsiders.
Although Chi Sheng’s status as the young master of the Chi family was prestigious enough, compared to Chi Gui—who held real power and authority—he was nothing in comparison.
As they spoke, the regular elevator arrived at the first floor and its doors opened.
The general manager courteously held the door button and warmly invited Jing Shun inside.
“Mr. Jing, please forgive the inconvenience.”
“It’s fine.”
Jing Shun didn’t care about this small act of “special treatment” and maneuvered his wheelchair into the elevator.
Seeing this, Xiao Zheng quickly followed.
The elevator doors slowly closed.
Watching the rising floor numbers, Jing Shun’s thoughts drifted because of the earlier conversation—
The “Chairman Chi” mentioned by the general manager, Chi Gui, was someone he had heard Chi Sheng mention more than once.
According to rumors, Chi Gui had been a child lost outside the family and was only acknowledged by the Chi family in his early twenties. He and Chi Sheng’s mother, Chi Ting, were half-siblings from the same father.
In other words, Chi Gui was technically Chi Sheng’s uncle, though they were only four or five years apart in age.
The Chi family was massive and complicated. As an outsider, Jing Shun didn’t understand all the tangled grudges and internal struggles.
What he did know was—
Chi Gui had carved his way through the family with ruthless decisiveness. In less than five years, he had taken control of both the company and the family from Old Master Chi, becoming the undisputed ruler of the Chi family.
Those collateral branches who had tried to oppose him all met miserable ends.
Because of this, Chi Sheng—born into the main family line—seemed both fearful and resentful toward Chi Gui, though he never dared provoke him openly.
Whenever Chi Sheng mentioned the man in front of Jing Shun, he always sounded displeased, describing Chi Gui as a ruthless person willing to do anything to achieve his goals.
But Jing Shun didn’t think so.
In fact, years ago, he had briefly met Chi Gui by chance at another banquet.
Chi Gui was strikingly handsome, refined in speech, and naturally pleasant to talk to, leaving Jing Shun with an excellent first impression.
Besides, Chi Gui had never received formal heir training from childhood, yet he still managed to dominate both the main family and collateral branches through sheer ability alone.
Wasn’t that proof of extraordinary capability?
Still, in his previous life, Chi Gui hadn’t attended this banquet.
So why had he suddenly come tonight?
—Ding!
Fortunately, the elevator didn’t stop at any other floors and arrived directly at the top floor.
“Mr. Jing, this way please,” the waiter said promptly, interrupting Jing Shun’s thoughts.
The moment Jing Shun exited the elevator hall, the dazzling banquet venue came into view.
A Baccarat crystal chandelier worth tens of millions hung from the center of the ceiling, cascading downward in layered circles. Countless crystal prisms reflected brilliant light in extravagant splendor.
Inside the hall, glasses clinked and conversations flowed.
Most of tonight’s invited guests were members of the younger generation from Haishi’s wealthy elite.
Even if they weren’t the people at the very top of the social pyramid, they were at least heirs and successors from the upper tiers—people not to be underestimated.
Without the restraint of the older generation, the atmosphere among peers was clearly much livelier. The live band’s performance only fueled the excitement further.
Still, Jing Shun’s appearance caused the atmosphere to stiffen slightly.
Countless gazes instantly gathered on him—curious, scrutinizing, puzzled.
“Who’s that? He actually came in a wheelchair?”
“He’s probably a friend invited by Young Master Chi? He looks kind of familiar.”
“Isn’t he an actor? What’s his name again?”
“That’s Jing Shun. He’s not from our circle, but he and Chi Sheng are close. He debuted as a child actor. A while ago he injured his legs filming and even trended on Weibo.”
“You guys don’t know? Chi Sheng’s been aggressively pursuing him lately. He visits the hospital at least three times a day, and tonight he’s planning a confession. True love through hardship, huh?”
“So the rumors about Young Master Chi chasing someone are real? I thought it was just a joke among you rich young masters.”
“Whether it’s a joke or not, you’ll find out soon enough.”
“……”
The young masters and heiresses present had all been raised with proper social etiquette. No one openly pointed and gossiped loudly. After a few quiet whispers of curiosity, the discussions faded.
Jing Shun had never interacted much with people from this circle.
In his previous life, he only attended because Chi Sheng repeatedly begged him to come relax and clear his mind.
But today, Jing Shun had a completely different purpose.
He maneuvered his wheelchair alone toward the refreshment area.
The waiter followed closely beside him.
“Mr. Jing, would you like something to drink? I can get it for you.”
Jing Shun’s body still wasn’t suitable for alcohol, and he was just about to refuse when a familiar voice interrupted first—
“I prepared a special bottle of wine just for A-Jing. It’s being decanted in the side room. Go bring it over.”
Jing Shun and the waiter turned simultaneously.
Chi Sheng approached gracefully in a custom-made white suit.
His gaze openly settled on Jing Shun, his eyes practically overflowing with delight and affection.
“……”
As Jing Shun watched the figure walking quickly toward him, the image of his death from his previous life uncontrollably resurfaced in his mind—
Chi Sheng had looked down at him coldly, his eyes filled with disgust as though staring at trash.
The exact same face.
Yet they felt like two completely different people.
But of course.
Chi Sheng had personally admitted that all his affection and love had been fake. The mockery before his death had been real, and abandoning him had been real too.
“A-Jing, why didn’t you tell me when you arrived? I would’ve gone downstairs to pick you up myself.”
Chi Sheng dismissed the waiter and crouched in front of him.
“Why does your complexion look so bad? Are you feeling unwell?”
As he spoke, he reached out to touch Jing Shun’s cheek.
Jing Shun tilted his head away.
“No.”
For a moment, beneath the disgust, a deeper fear surfaced in his heart—
Fear that he had once been blind to someone’s true nature.
Chi Sheng paused briefly before withdrawing his hand.
Noticing the surrounding gazes, he immediately rationalized it to himself.
“A-Jing, are you worried people will see us and start guessing about our relationship?”
“……”
“It’s alright. Today, you and I are the stars of this banquet. I invited everyone here because I want them to witness this for us.”
He placed his hand on the wheelchair handle and guided Jing Shun toward the center of the hall.
Everyone’s attention gathered on the two of them. Some people close to Chi Sheng had already started cheering teasingly in anticipation.
Within half a minute, Chi Sheng accepted a bouquet of flowers from a waiter and took a nervous deep breath.
“……”
Jing Shun simply lifted his eyes and silently watched him perform.
Finally, Chi Sheng knelt on one knee before him and recited the confession he had long prepared.
“A-Jing, from the time we met at fourteen until now, it’s been almost ten years.”
“It wasn’t until your accident that I realized no one else could ever compare to your importance in my heart. I like you—and this feeling is unlike anything I’ve ever felt for anyone else.”
“I know you’ve been suffering lately, but I’m willing to accompany you through rehabilitation and face everything together with you. No matter what happens in the future, I want to stay by your side as your lover. Will you give me that chance?”
The guests reacted with varying emotions—moved, shocked, amused.
The Chi family’s influence was enormous. The more powerful a family was, the more they valued strategic marriages and alliances between equals.
Yet Chi Sheng was publicly confessing to Jing Shun?
Not only was he a man, but a disabled man in a wheelchair at that.
How foolish. How deeply infatuated.
The roses before Jing Shun were a vivid, blinding red.
Their overwhelming fragrance triggered a violent wave of discomfort through both body and mind, making his eyes redden.
To Chi Sheng and the others, however, it looked like he had been moved to tears.
“A-Jing, please accept me?”
Chi Sheng repeated his plea nervously, but hidden in his eyes was absolute confidence—not the look of a pursuer, but of a hunter certain of victory.
“……”
Accept him?
Accept becoming a joke?
An endless surge of grief and fury rose within Jing Shun.
In the next second, he used all his strength to hurl the bouquet directly at Chi Sheng.
“And you think you’re worthy?!”
BANG!
The bouquet struck Chi Sheng’s face before crashing onto the floor. Rose petals scattered everywhere, making the expensive wrapping look laughably fragile.
Chi Sheng’s head buzzed from the hit.
The entire banquet hall was stunned speechless.
What was happening?
Rejecting the confession was one thing—but why hit him too?!
Chi Sheng stared at Jing Shun in disbelief, his thoughts momentarily short-circuiting.
“A-Jing, y-you…”
“So you’ve never liked anyone before me? Young Master Chi is really that pure and devoted?”
Jing Shun brushed flower petals off his knees lightly, his tone subtle and cold.
“I doubt it.”
Chi Sheng choked and instinctively tried to defend himself.
“A-Jing, what are you talking about? I’ve never had anyone else around me. I only like you!”
Jing Shun cut him off immediately.
“Pearl Huadao Hotel, Room 2103. Over the years, how many people have you taken there to sleep with? Do you still remember? Shall we check the hotel surveillance footage together?”
“……”
“Ever since you were sixteen, you’ve been renting that hotel suite under someone else’s identity. Every month you brought different influencers, fake socialites, and young celebrities there overnight. Sometimes more than one at a time. Am I wrong?”
Though his words weren’t explicit, they revealed the most obscene behavior possible.
The well-bred young masters and heiresses present all showed varying degrees of shock.
“……”
His deeply hidden secret had suddenly been exposed.
Chi Sheng’s breathing tightened, and the sting on his face became even more obvious. Grinding his teeth, he quickly exchanged glances with his two close friends.
The three of them had matured early and were extremely open about sex.
But openly messing around in elite circles was dangerous—it could easily affect family interests and reputation.
So from the start, they deliberately targeted people outside their social class.
After all, there was a clear divide between true wealthy elites and internet influencers or fake socialites. The latter usually only cared about money, and with enough cash, scandals could be suppressed.
Over the years, they had indulged in plenty of debauchery. They certainly weren’t clean.
But only a handful of people knew about it.
So how had Jing Shun found out?
“……”
Everyone present was smart enough to read Chi Sheng’s reaction.
From the look on his face, the accusations were probably true.
Though no one openly commented, contempt began appearing in their eyes.
So Chi Sheng’s noble, affectionate image had all been fake?
And he had started engaging in these kinds of transactions while still underage?
How disgusting and low-class.
“A-Jing, I know you’ve been upset lately, but you can’t question my sincerity like this.”
Chi Sheng forced a wounded expression and stubbornly insisted it was all false.
“Tell me, who filled your head with these lies and deliberately slandered me? They’re obviously trying to drive us apart!”
Jing Shun couldn’t even be bothered to explain. The coldness in his eyes deepened.
In his previous life, alongside that humiliating video, someone had anonymously sent him detailed written evidence exposing Chi Sheng’s disgusting private life.
The sender was probably one of Chi Sheng’s lovers, kindly including all sorts of proof.
Most likely, they knew Jing Shun was Chi Sheng’s official partner and hoped to stir conflict between them to take his place.
“Chi Sheng, I will never be with you.”
Jing Shun backed his wheelchair away.
“Your body is filthy. Your affection is cheap. Just having you near me makes me want to vomit.”
“……”
Chi Sheng had never suffered such humiliation in his life.
Even if his affection for Jing Shun had been fake, he still couldn’t tolerate being publicly disgraced like this.
The anger in his chest finally ignited, nearly burning away the polite mask he wore before others.
One of Chi Sheng’s close friends from the Fang family could no longer hold back and snapped,
“Jing Shun, who do you think you are?”
“You’re just a cripple who’ll spend the rest of his life relying on a wheelchair! Do you really think you’re some priceless treasure?”
“In all of Haishi, where are you going to find someone more outstanding and with a better background than Chi Sheng? Who are you pretending to be so noble for?”
“……”
Jing Shun silently tightened his grip on the wheelchair handles, his fingertips gradually losing color.
Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, he noticed a figure standing at the entrance of the banquet hall.
He turned to look—
The man was tall, dressed in a black overcoat that emphasized his straight figure. At that moment, his deep and unreadable gaze rested quietly on Jing Shun’s face.
Jing Shun recognized him immediately, and his heart trembled.
The other guests followed his gaze and were equally shocked.
“Why is Mr. Chi here?”
“No idea. When did he arrive?”
“I didn’t even notice! This banquet actually drew Chairman Chi himself?”
Ever since taking over the Chi Group, Chi Gui rarely appeared at social banquets.
Whenever news about him spread, it was either about acquiring overseas projects worth billions or representing Haishi at major international business summits. His reputation had become almost legendary.
No matter which story one heard, it was clear that Chi Gui stood at the very top of Haishi’s social pyramid.
The arrival of such an important figure instantly caught Chi Sheng off guard.
Although Chi Gui was technically his uncle, the two had never been close.
A few years ago, they had even openly fought over family power and interests, leaving their relationship extremely strained.
“……”
Jing Shun looked at Chi Gui standing not far away. Part of it was stubborn pride, part of it was impulse.
He maneuvered his wheelchair forward before anyone else could react, stopping directly in front of Chi Gui.
“Mr. Chi, you saw what just happened, didn’t you?”
Chi Gui lowered his gaze slightly, waiting for him to continue.
Jing Shun took a deep breath and dropped a bombshell.
“I really can’t stand that useless trash Chi Sheng. On the other hand, I think you’re pretty great. So how about the two of us give it a try?”
The moment those words fell, the entire banquet hall erupted in shock.
Chi Sheng rushed forward immediately.
“A-Jing! What nonsense are you talking about? Stop fooling around!”
Tonight’s Jing Shun felt like a completely different person, and irritation crept into Chi Sheng’s tone.
“Whatever this is, we’ll talk about it when we get back! Stop embarrassing yourself here!”
Before Jing Shun could respond, Chi Gui glanced coldly at him first.
“Did he ask you?”
“……”
The unquestionable tone and overwhelming pressure in the air instantly silenced Chi Sheng.
His uncertain gaze moved back and forth between the two of them, his expression turning ugly.
Chi Gui looked back at Jing Shun and suddenly said,
“Repeat what you just said.”
“……”
At that moment, the banquet hall felt like a crate of lit firecrackers—
On the surface, no one dared make a sound, but underneath, chaos had already exploded, with occasional whispers slipping out like sparks.
One guest finally couldn’t hold back and muttered to the person beside him,
“I’m not hearing things, right? Is Jing Shun seriously going to say it again?”
“Oh, come on. Saying it a second time? That’s just asking to be humiliated.” Young Master Fang overheard and scoffed loudly. “I think he didn’t just break his legs—he knocked out his brain too!”
Chi Gui subtly lifted his eyes, silently marking the source of the annoying voice before turning his attention back to the man in the wheelchair.
“……”
Jing Shun couldn’t figure out what Chi Gui was thinking.
But he knew plenty of people behind him were waiting to see him make a fool of himself.
At this point, aside from seeking Chi Gui’s help, he couldn’t think of a better option.
“I said,” Jing Shun repeated steadily, “I really can’t stand that useless trash Chi Sheng. On the other hand, I think you’re pretty great. So how about the two of us give it a try?”
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds—
Time stretched endlessly in the silence of waiting.
“……”
Chi Gui stared into Jing Shun’s light brown eyes and, beneath his calm and composed facade, caught a trace of soft desperation.
The corner of his lips moved almost imperceptibly.
Then he answered—
“Okay.”