“You want me to use myself as bait to get justice for your daughter, but you’ve forgotten—I am a daughter, too. If I am hurt, my mother’s heart will also be wrung with agony.”
Wei Zhi said, “Our cooperation ends here.”
She turned to leave. Weng Xiuyue’s face twisted with rage as she shrieked, “Tan Mengyan!”
Tan Mengyan remained leaning against the window, motionless, as if he hadn't heard Weng Xiuyue’s command. When his indifferent gaze fell upon Wei Zhi, his eyes flickered slightly, as if a trace of warmth had entered them, but he quickly lowered his gaze, hiding his emotions behind his dark hair.
“Tan Mengyan, what are you doing?!” Weng Xiuyue’s voice grew higher and more furious.
Wei Zhi had already reached the top of the stairs. Weng Xiuyue finally gave up on trying to move Tan Mengyan and turned her attention directly to Wei Zhi.
“If you dare walk out of here today, I’ll send your real credit report to Ji Qikun.”
Wei Zhi’s footsteps faltered. She turned back to look at her. Seeing her stop, Weng Xiuyue immediately swapped her rage for a smile. The crowded fat on her face squeezed into deep furrows, where mottled tears reflected a watery, shimmering light.
“Xiao Wei, why leave? This is clearly a win-win situation. Why make it a fight to the death? I know your difficulties; we can sit down and keep talking! I know this is hard for you to accept all at once, but you have to realize, you could work for ten lifetimes and never earn this much money! I’ve investigated thoroughly—the real estate under Ji Qikun’s name alone is worth tens of millions, not to mention his various bank investments. As long as you cooperate with us, I guarantee that prenuptial agreement will become nothing more than a scrap of waste paper!”
Looking at that bizarre face—neither truly crying nor truly smiling—Wei Zhi felt a deep sense of sorrow in her heart.
She didn't reply. Instead, she turned and walked down the stairs of the water station.
“Wei Zhi!”
Weng Xiuyue chased after her, the wooden stairs thumping under her weight.
“We’ve come this far! Are you really willing to let all your efforts go to waste?!” she roared. “Fine! If you aren't afraid of Ji Qikun knowing—if you think he won't care about a million in debt—then I’ll send your credit report to Ji Zhongyong! I’ll let him know that you are a habitual liar, a woman who is unscrupulous and calculating! Will he think this is a minor matter that can be brushed aside, just like Ji Qikun might?!”
Wei Zhi gripped the arched handle at the bottom of the rolling shutter door and pulled upward with force. Those slender hands tore through the gloom with incredible strength. Outdoor sunlight poured in like a deluge, illuminating her long fingers and the large, brilliant diamond ring, which reflected a light even more piercing than the sun.
Wei Zhi walked out without looking back.
The sunlight flooded through the half-raised shutter, stretching out like a long golden carpet. Unable to penetrate deeper into the space, it could only lay itself at Weng Xiuyue’s feet. Countless mineral water barrels stood like silent sentinels, stacked layer upon layer in the cramped space, making the already narrow room feel even more suffocating.
Weng Xiuyue watched with an unreadable expression as Wei Zhi’s silhouette vanished into the crowd. Behind her, the sound of Tan Mengyan slowly descending the stairs echoed.
“I told you before, it didn't need to be this complicated.”
Tan Mengyan stood behind her, his voice low and raspy.
“I don't have long to live anyway,” he said. “Let me go.”
“...If I wanted to kill him, would I need you?” Weng Xiuyue turned around, facing Tan Mengyan with a cold sneer. “Eight years ago, he should have died the moment he walked out of that courthouse.”
“Do you think I haven't killed him because I’m afraid?”
“What I want isn't a pyrrhic victory where we both go down,” she spat, forcing each word through gritted teeth. “I want a total, crushing, absolute victory.”
“Then what do you plan to do?” Tan Mengyan asked.
“Send that credit report to Ji Zhongyong.”
***
Wei Zhi had been home for barely half an hour when Ji Qikun’s call reached her phone.
She stared at the name displayed on the screen for a moment before answering.
“...Hello?”
“Uncle wants me to come home immediately. It seems to be related to you. I’m coming to pick you up; we’ll go together.”
Wei Zhi remained silent for a while, until the only thing left in the receiver was the dial tone after he hung up.
She stood up calmly, went to the walk-in closet, and changed into a simple suit suitable for meeting elders. By the time she finished dressing, Ji Qikun was already downstairs.
“Uncle sounded very angry on the phone; he even mentioned divorce. Wifey, do you have any idea what this is about?”
Ji Qikun held the steering wheel with one hand, glancing carelessly at Wei Zhi through the rearview mirror. His expression was very relaxed, an attempt to make the pointed question seem casual. But he had forgotten that in such a situation, the one emotion a husband should least display was indifference.
“...I’m sorry, I don't know what to say. You’ll find out when we get to Uncle’s house,” Wei Zhi said softly.
Ji Qikun reached out and squeezed her hand where it rested on her lap.
When they arrived at the Ji residence, the atmosphere was even more somber than the last time. From the moment they entered the garden, Wei Zhi didn't see a single servant.
Xi Manjing was the one who opened the door, the layer of ice on her face thicker than ever. Almost as soon as she opened the door, she turned away, unwilling to even look Wei Zhi in the eye.
In the first-floor living room, Ji Zhongyong stood before the tea table with his hands behind his back, his face ashen. He showed no surprise at seeing Wei Zhi beside Ji Qikun.
“Uncle, Xiao Zhi and I are here,” Ji Qikun said with a smile. “What on earth happened to make you so angry?”
Ji Zhongyong ignored his question, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on Wei Zhi, filled with disappointment and rage.
“Wei Zhi, I know your family background isn't good, but I’ve always said that at our level, as long as a person is upright, background is the last thing we need to consider. But what I hate most is being deceived! If there is no trust, is there any point in becoming a family?!”
“Uncle, what exactly happened?” Ji Qikun asked again.
Ji Zhongyong continued to speak only to Wei Zhi. “I don't care what happened in the past, but from now on, it is absolutely impossible for you to remain in the Ji family. Qikun treats you with total sincerity; I cannot bear for him to be heartbroken by the truth. If you are willing to divorce him, I can resolve your problems for you. Furthermore, I will ensure no one else ever finds out about this.”
He picked up the stack of documents on the tea table and looked at Wei Zhi.
She knew that what he held were the credit records of everyone in the Wei family; they must be shocking to behold. Initially, she had been terrified that these things would cause Ji Qikun to discard her. She had hidden them desperately, never knowing that her efforts were merely an after-dinner amusement for the hunters.
“...I love Qikun. I won't divorce him,” she said hoarsely.
“You have the nerve to say you love him!”
The stack of documents escaped Ji Zhongyong’s hand like a swarm of white butterflies gone out of control. They danced wildly in the air, scattering over Wei Zhi’s head and before her eyes.
One sheet of paper slapped against her face. Its weight was as light as a cicada’s wing, yet it brought a pain like being pierced by a winter icicle—as if all the blame and resentment were condensed into that thin slip of paper. Wei Zhi was forced to close her eyes, her breath instinctively hitching.
Xi Manjing sat coldly on a nearby sofa, legs crossed, her expression one of detached indifference.
Ji Qikun leaned down, picking up several documents from the floor to look them over. In the vast living room, the only sound was Ji Zhongyong’s ragged breathing.
“Uncle, actually, I’ve known about all of this for a long time.” After neatly stacking the papers in his hand, Ji Qikun placed them on the tea table. “And Xiao Zhi was the one who told me. I was the one who told her to hide it from you, fearing you wouldn't agree to us being together. I’m sorry, Uncle.”
He said, “If you want to blame someone, blame me. Xiao Zhi did nothing wrong.”
“You—” Ji Zhongyong looked at Ji Qikun in disbelief.
“Being born into such a family wasn't Xiao Zhi’s choice. She took on all those online loans to save her mother. Uncle, haven't you always said that while people say merchants have no honor, you insisted on being a merchant with heart and soul? Xiao Zhi is the kindest, strongest girl I’ve ever met. I love her, and I am willing to bear all of this with her.”
He took her hand without hesitation. Wei Zhi stared at him blankly.
His face was like a masterpiece carved by the finest porcelain artisan, delicate yet masculine. The soft contours beneath his eyes were wide and clear, a gentle touch that added a sense of warmth and approachability to his face. Beneath his narrow eyelids was a dark, mysterious gaze; his black eyes were as deep as a bottomless night sea, weaving a great web of desire with his dark red lips.
He smiled at her, as if telling her to leave everything to him.
“What illness does her mother have?” Ji Zhongyong asked hesitantly.
“Tell him yourself, Xiao Zhi,” Ji Qikun encouraged. “Uncle will surely understand.”
Wei Zhi was silent for a moment before she spoke:
“Since 2012, my mother has been diagnosed with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor. She needs to take the targeted drug Imatinib. She requires two boxes a month; one box costs eleven thousand, so two boxes are twenty-two thousand. To treat my mother, I tried everything. I only slept five hours a day, spending the rest of my time working to earn money... but it still wasn't enough. Nowhere near enough.”
“Driven to a dead end, I could only turn to online loans. Before I knew it, the interest had snowballed to a point where I could never repay it. I admit I lied. I am sorry for betraying the trust of Uncle and Aunt. I’m sorry.”
Tears welled in Wei Zhi’s eyes, but she forced herself to remain steady, finishing her explanation calmly.
Ji Zhongyong’s expression gradually softened. His gaze swept over the floor before he finally turned and sat on the sofa, letting out a long sigh.
“Even so, I still don't recommend you stay together.”
He looked at the two of them, advising them earnestly, “To put it bluntly, Xiao Wei, you have bad luck. I don't have a prejudice, but you know we business people believe in these things. You were born into that kind of family, and your relatives have met with one disaster after another—this is Heaven telling you that you shouldn't be with Qikun. Why try to go against the will of Heaven?”
Ji Qikun spoke the words that were in her heart.
“I don't believe in fate, Uncle,” he said with a smile. “If there really were such a thing as karmic retribution, why are there still so many bad people roaming free? Why are there so many good people whose lives are full of misfortune?”
“If life goes poorly after I’m with Xiao Zhi, that will be my own fault. It will be because I became dull and foolish, unable to use my wisdom to achieve the life I want.”
“Since you’re so confident, then resign from the company,” Xi Manjing suddenly interjected, speaking with a cold sneer. “Give up everything the family has given you, and let’s see if you can live a better life on your own.”
“Be quiet!” Ji Zhongyong’s sharp rebuke caused Xi Manjing’s face to turn ugly in an instant.
“You give in to him on everything!” Xi Manjing stood up, her voice shrill. “Since the beginning, you’ve believed whatever he says! In your heart, he’s your real son! You wanted to bypass Xiao Teng and hand the company to him, and I endured it. But now he’s defying you for a woman full of lies—are you going to endure this too?!”
Enraged, Xi Manjing swept the tea set off the table. Sharper than the sound of shattering porcelain was her broken questioning.
“Are those bullshit principles of yours only meant for me and your actual son?!”
“Enough!” Ji Zhongyong flew into a rage. “This is a matter for the Ji family. Shut your mouth!”
Xi Manjing was left speechless. she let out a few tragic laughs, tears flashing in her eyes. She shot a hateful look at Ji Qikun and Wei Zhi, grabbed her phone from the sofa, and strode up to the second floor.
Immediately afterward, a slamming door announced her temporary exit.
Only the three of them remained in the wide living room.
“For her, you would rather leave the company and give up everything in the Ji family?” Ji Zhongyong asked.
“I would.”
Ji Qikun wore a carefree smile, as if it were a trivial matter.
“I believe that with my abilities, even if I start from scratch, I can reach this position again. Haven't you always said, Uncle, that work can never come before family? I only now truly understand what you meant. If a man cannot even protect his family, how can he support a massive corporation?”
Ji Zhongyong looked at Ji Qikun, who stood with a straight back, meeting his gaze directly. His heart was a whirlwind of emotions.
His only son had tragically become a vegetable, sleeping for years without waking. He had long since raised Ji Qikun to be his successor, but the matter with Mei Man had left him with some doubts and hesitation.
Making marriage a condition for entering the company had been a test for Ji Qikun.
A test to see if he was truly mature, if he could truly shoulder the heavy responsibility after Ji Zhongyong was gone.
He had indeed succeeded.
The only flaw was that the person who had made Ji Qikun grow was a woman even he found complex and dangerous.
“These things were delivered an hour ago. Regardless of which of you they were targeting, the sender has been plotting for a long time and harbors deep hatred toward you.”
Ji Zhongyong took off his glasses and placed them on the table. He looked up at Ji Qikun; the anger was gone from his eyes, replaced only by exhaustion.
“Do you know who it is?”
“I know,” Ji Qikun said calmly. “This was aimed at me. I’ll find a way to resolve it.”
“As long as you know what you’re doing.” Ji Zhongyong waved his hand. “Resolve it as quickly as possible; don't let it affect the company. That is my only requirement. Once this is handled, come back and take over the company.”
“Yes. Don't worry, Uncle.”
“...You may go.”
Ji Zhongyong lowered his head deeply, rubbing the bridge of his nose between his eyes. He suddenly looked several years older.
Ji Qikun took Wei Zhi’s hand and led her out of the Ji residence.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 征信报告 | Credit report | A record of an individual's credit history. |
| 水站 | Water station | A shop that sells and delivers large barrels of mineral water. |
| 卧蚕 | Love bands | The soft, puffy area directly under the lower eyelid, often considered a sign of youth or beauty in East Asia. |
| 胃肠道间质瘤 | Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST) | A type of tumor that occurs in the gastrointestinal tract. |
| 伊马替尼 | Imatinib | A targeted therapy drug (brand name Gleevec) used to treat certain cancers, including GIST. |
| 季腾 | Ji Teng | Ji Zhongyong and Xi Manjing's biological son, currently in a vegetative state. |
| 伯妈 | Aunt | Specifically, the wife of one's father's elder brother (Uncle/伯父). |
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