Chapter 13 — IAVD (QT) Chapter 13

This weekend, Ji Ze came over again to seek guidance on business matters. By the time all his questions were answered, the sky had already darkened, and it was time for dinner.

Ji Xiu looked at the table full of food prepared by his daughter and suggested, "Eat here tonight before you head back. Your sister misses you; stay and talk to her."

"Okay!" Ji Ze agreed instantly.

The youth's features were no longer immature; they carried a trace of grit. However, toward the sister who had suffered so much, he remained incredibly yielding. Setting aside his files, he went to the kitchen to help with the bowls and chopsticks, chatting with Ji Mingzhu.

"Little sister, Brother is going to crash here for a meal today. You won't dislike me for it, will you?"

Mingzhu’s eyes sparkled. Hearing his words, she pouted and feigned anger. "How could I dislike it? It’s clearly you who never comes!"

Ji Ze laughed, feeling content as he carried the dishes out.

Ji Xiu was already seated at the head of the table. He gestured with his chin, signaling Ji Ze to sit on his right.

Ji Ze felt flattered. "Is Yiyang not coming for dinner today?"

Mingzhu brought out the last dish and explained, "Yiyang has an exam today, so he couldn't make it. Later, Dad and I are going to the hospital to bring food to Little Ye."

Ji Ze understood and said no more, settling in to eat.

The three of them were a picture of harmony. Ji Xiu focused on savoring the meal made by his daughter, adhering to the rule of "no talking while eating." Beside him, Ji Ze and Mingzhu sat close, chatting away; he watched them with a gentle smile and didn't interfere.

Halfway through the meal, Ji Ze mentioned Ji Wu again. His expression carried a hint of pity, making even the food seem less flavorful. He said dejectedly, "The house has been very lonely lately. Mom is sick and stays in her room all day, and I'm interning at the company. That leaves Ji Wu all alone at home. It’s quite pitiful—she doesn't even have anyone to eat with."

Mingzhu froze, her expression changing as she stopped eating. She didn't feel it was her place to comment on this topic.

To be fair, she didn't harbor much hatred for Ji Wu anymore. Whatever resentment she had at the start had scattered like sand in the wind after being brought home by Dad and enjoying his care. She only wanted to live her own life, study hard, and take care of her father when she grew up.

But that didn't mean she could be friends with Ji Wu. Ji Wu had occupied her identity and monopolized her father for fifteen years. Furthermore, the girl was clearly malicious; after Mingzhu returned, Ji Wu had constantly tried to sabotage her behind the scenes. If Dad hadn't been incredibly sharp and preventative, Mingzhu would have been bullied long ago.

Why would she care about Ji Wu's situation? Since Ji Ze was bringing it up now, she had zero desire to join the conversation.

Ji Ze, lost in his own thoughts, didn't notice the silence. He continued worrying about Ji Wu, wondering if she would be lonely eating by herself since he wasn't home. Clack. Ji Xiu set his chopsticks down, startling Ji Ze. "What is it?"

Ji Xiu’s expression was flat. "You certainly care about Ji Wu, worrying about her right in front of Mingzhu."

Ji Ze realized what nonsense he had just spouted. His face flushed with embarrassment and regret. "I'm just talking rubbish. Don't mind me."

Ji Xiu didn't look away. Mingzhu let out a dry cough and placed a piece of food in Ji Xiu’s bowl. "Dad, let's keep eating."

Ji Ze nodded guiltily. "Right, right. Let's eat."

He must have been overworked to bring that up here. Although Ji Wu was a bit lonely, it wasn't the fault of his father or sister. Bringing it up made it sound like he was blaming them; no wonder Dad was angry. Ji Ze busily served them food, trying to atone for his blunder.

Ji Xiu gave him a sidelong glance. "Since you think she's so pitiful with no one to eat with, I have a suggestion."

Ji Ze looked confused, not knowing what his father was about to say.

Ji Xiu stared at his son with a look of ‘disappointed but not surprised.’ "But first, tell me: did Ji Wu act pitiful in front of you, saying she’s all alone and no one cares for her?"

Ji Ze froze. He thought about it and nodded hesitantly. "I think so... every time I go home lately, I happen to see her sitting there looking all lonely."

As he spoke, he sensed something was off. He went to the company after school, so his return time was irregular—sometimes early, sometimes late. Yet, every single time, he "happened" to see Ji Wu sitting in the dining room looking solitary. Doesn't she have homework to do? The youth's point of focus was quite unique.

Ji Xiu interrupted his thoughts, saying coldly, "Good. Since she’s so lonely, let’s send her back to the Zhou family’s ancestral village. I heard the old lady there has six sons and over a dozen grandchildren. If Ji Wu goes back there, she’ll have plenty of company. She certainly won't feel lonely then."

Ji Ze’s first instinct was to object, but he caught himself before the words left his mouth. He recalled his father's reminder. Ji Wu was timing his arrivals to perform in front of him...

Ji Ze saw through it. He nodded and said, "Dad is right. Since she’s so lonely, the next time I see her, I'll mention it and ask if she's willing to go."

Ji Xiu nodded with satisfaction and continued eating.

A few days later, Ji Ze came over again for business advice. Ji Xiu asked him if Ji Wu was still lonely.

A dark look flashed in Ji Ze’s eyes. "Ji Wu said she has classmates and friends and isn't lonely at all. The previous matter was just my misunderstanding."

"Oh..." Ji Xiu drew out the syllable.

Ji Ze’s ears turned red. He felt his father was mocking him. "I'll use my brain more next time, Dad. Stop laughing at me."

He had been siblings with Ji Wu for years. Although they had grown distant because of Mingzhu, things hadn't turned terrible. He hadn't realized Ji Wu was calculating something, so he had no guard up. Now that Dad had enlightened him, he wouldn't fall into the trap again.

Still, Ji Ze didn't quite understand. "Why would she put on a show like that in front of me?"

Ji Xiu narrowed his eyes and said nothing.

What else? She wanted to become the future mistress of the Ji family. Song Ruyue, her only support, was ill. Without that backing, her presence in the Ji house was illegitimate, and outsiders no longer flattered her. She couldn't stand the fall from grace. To stay in the Ji family long-term and regain her halo, her only option was to marry Ji Ze.

Although they were raised as siblings, there was no blood relation. As long as Ji Ze continued to pity and care for her, time could easily turn that affection into romance. Or, even without love, if she appeared tragic and dependent solely on him, a sense of responsibility would push a man into marriage.

Ji Wu had indeed planned well. Unfortunately, the Ji Xiu of this world was very much alive, and one sentence had ruined her plan.

In the following months, she tried various tactics on Ji Ze, attempting to change their relationship and secure her "permanent meal ticket." Luckily, although the boy was clumsy, his guard was high and he had Ji Xiu’s guidance. He avoided every trap and even pushed back, leaving Ji Wu embarrassed and unable to save face.

…

And so, amid their stalemate and skirmishes, the years flowed by like water. Everyone underwent significant changes.

Song Ruyue’s illness was one of the heart, and she didn't get better for a long time. After staying home for a bit, the surroundings only made her more depressed, so she moved to a nursing home. She stayed there for seven years.

Ji Wu learned her lesson and didn't dare stir up trouble under Ji Xiu’s nose. For university, she chose a school in another city and kept a low profile. However, a "centipede dies but never falls"—with her four years of college coming to an end, it seemed she was about to return.

Ji Mingzhu and Ye Yiyang tested into the No. 1 Middle School and then the same university, becoming schoolmates. Their feelings for each other blossomed, and they were now an openly recognized couple.

Ji Ze’s university performance was average, but he poured his heart into the business. After graduation, he joined the company officially. Only in his twenties, he was already a powerful figure, dubbed by netizens as the "Real-Life Overbearing CEO." This was simply because he was young, handsome, and rich.

Oh, and because he had an even wealthier father.

Ji Xiu possessed the original owner's memories and knew the future plot. Relying on this, every investment made by his firm was personally vetted by him, and most yielded massive returns. To avoid monopolizing everyone's opportunities, he didn't take everything, but he secured 10% shares in every major project. The wealth he accumulated was enough to make anyone green with envy.

In just seven years, he became a new legend in the country. His eyes were called the "Eyes of God," and his hands were the "Midas Touch." He stood once again on the Forbes list, effectively slapping the faces of those who had mocked him for divorcing years ago. Even if the public didn't understand exactly how he did it, his net worth spoke for itself.

It was said that the reason Ji Ze could manage the company so well at such a young age was because of this "God" advising him from behind the scenes, allowing the Song family company to be resurrected and flourish. Netizens loved to praise and tease Ji Ze for this.

Of course, that was just a rumor. Ji Xiu only guided Ji Ze for the first year; once the boy knew the ropes, he let go. Ji Ze’s success was mainly because he was the "Male Lead"—naturally brilliant and lucky in business. Outsiders just attributed his success to his father.

Ji Ze felt quite aggrieved by this. He came over to Ji Xiu’s place to crash for a meal and complained to his sister: "I clearly did all the hard work. Dad doesn't look after me at all. Last year, when I made a major tactical error and begged him for help, he ignored me completely. I had to work overtime for half a month just to fix it."

Though he had grown into a man, he still showed a childish side in front of family. Mingzhu smiled—her features had grown into a clear, gentle beauty—and placed Ji Ze’s favorite dish in front of him. "Brother, didn't you say you were hungry? Eat up."

Ji Ze muttered, sounding a bit jealous, "You’re just biased toward Dad." Whenever he complained about Dad, Mingzhu always sided with their father or changed the subject. It made him feel very unaccomplished. Am I not good to my sister? Perhaps because of this, Ji Ze had become increasingly doting on Mingzhu over the years, determined to push his father out of the top spot in her heart. Unfortunately, he was still ranked third. First was Ji Xiu, and second was that "brat" Ye Yiyang who went to university with her.

Speak of the devil. Just as Ji Ze thought of him, the doorbell rang.

Mingzhu’s eyes lit up. "They must be here."

She went to open the door and soon led in two guests: Ye Yiyang and his brother, Ye Songyang.

Seven years had passed. The once cold and proud boy had grown into a tall, lean young man. Walking in with Mingzhu, they were a perfect match. His brother, Songyang, looked like quite the third wheel.

Ji Ze’s mood soured, and he lowered his head to shovel rice. Ye Yiyang wasn't just higher than him in his sister's heart and valued by his father; his reputation was also higher. Ji Ze inherited a business, but Ye Yiyang started from scratch. In his sophomore year, he knocked on Ji Xiu’s door with a proposal and secured 30 million in funding. By the next year, he gave Ji Xiu a tenfold return. By the fourth year—this year—he surpassed Ji Ze to enter the top ten of the Forbes list.

Ji Ze didn't even have the confidence to object to his sister dating him. He could only ignore him to avoid being annoyed.

Ji Xiu sat at the head of the table, eating leisurely. He didn't care about any of that. After all, no matter how powerful they were, they all had to call him "Dad"—wait, Ye Yiyang hadn't successfully proposed yet, so he could only call him "Uncle." He didn't even have the right to call him "Dad."

Indeed, though Ji Xiu was relaxed, both Ye brothers were very respectful. They greeted him as "Uncle" and didn't sit until they were given permission.

Ji Ze looked at his father with a mix of envy and admiration.