Ji Xiu scrutinized him for a long time before finally nodding in satisfaction. He stepped back into the crowd of guests, yielding the space to let the wedding proceed step by step.
Not far behind him, Ji Wu watched his retreating back, her eyes filled with pain.
She hadn't expected to actually see Ji Xiu again. Though now that she did, he was acting as a father, holding another girl's hand and walking her down the red carpet toward marriage. This filled her with a mixture of jealousy and hatred. She felt as if the fifteen years she had spent trying to please him had been thrown to the dogs—a profound sense of betrayal and deception.
He was supposed to be her father, yet for seven years, he had refused to even see her.
Whenever she tried to visit, she found he had moved. His new residence was in a secure villa district with strict management. When she gave his name, the property management verified it with Ji Xiu, only for him to say he didn't know her, making her lose face in front of a bunch of "low-class" workers.
After that, she spitefully stopped trying to visit, waiting for Ji Xiu to regret it. She didn't know if he ever did.
But seeing him now, she was the one who regretted it. He was clearly the richest man in the city; why had she given up and let that "thief" Ji Mingzhu have him?
Watching Ji Mingzhu get married, a flicker of expectation inevitably rose in her heart. No matter how favored Mingzhu was, she was now married off. When Ji Xiu became a lonely old man living by himself without a son or daughter by his side, if she proactively visited and played the filial daughter a few times, perhaps his heart would soften. Maybe he would take her back as his daughter again?
Being Ji Ze's sister was never as good as being Ji Xiu's daughter. Ji Xiu was already in his fifties; no matter how healthy he was, he only had twenty or thirty years left. With his wealth—tens of billions in assets—if she cared for him in his old age, wouldn't all that money be hers when he died?
Thinking of this, Ji Wu felt a twinge of remorse. She should have visited more often over the past few years. If she couldn't get in once, she should have tried twice, or three times. Eventually, she would have succeeded.
If she had managed to regain his favor back then, her current situation wouldn't be so awkward. She blamed herself for being too proud seven years ago; giving up after being rejected twice had caused their bond to thin to the point where she couldn't even get near him.
Her thoughts quickly shifted from resentment to cold calculation on how to approach Ji Xiu. She no longer had any interest in Ye Yiyang.
Song Ruyue, who had brought her, had a silk scarf wrapped around her face. She gazed at Ji Xiu from a distance with a melancholy look. Catching the greed in Ji Wu's eyes, a flash of severity crossed her gaze. She warned: "Restrain yourself! If you keep embarrassing me like this, don't expect to come out with me again!"
Ji Wu snapped out of her plotting and bit her lip, lowering her head so Song Ruyue wouldn't discover her true thoughts. She had no invitation; Mingzhu and Ye Yiyang hadn't invited her at all. She was only here because she had sought out Song Ruyue at the nursing home and convinced her to bring her along. Otherwise, the island had no coordinates and didn't allow outsiders; she wouldn't even have found the place.
For the sake of her grand plan, she couldn't afford to offend Song Ruyue yet. But internally, she grumbled that the woman was overstepping. Song Ruyue hadn't been her father's wife for seven years and had been out of high society just as long, yet she still acted like the mistress of the house, meddling in everything. How self-important.
…
After the ceremony, the bridesmaid who caught the bouquet joyfully crowded around Ji Mingzhu to help her change into another gown. The guests on the lawn watched the bride leave before swarming toward Ji Xiu, Ji Ze, and Ye Yiyang to offer congratulations.
Before arriving, no one knew the bride was Ji Xiu’s daughter. Looking at the invitation, they had assumed it was someone with the same name. Only when they saw Ji Xiu’s face as he walked her down the aisle did the shock set in. Ji Xiu was the legendary "God of Investment." Countless people wanted a meeting with him but couldn't get one; they never expected to encounter him at a wedding. Now that they had him cornered, they weren't about to let go.
Ji Xiu remained gentle, maintaining a faint, refined smile. He handled the situation with ease, guiding the conversation. By the time they moved to the central building for the banquet, the crowd had settled down, no longer rowdy, hoping only to ensure the wedding went perfectly so they could get a few words of advice from the legend.
Ji Xiu didn't mind. He had achieved fame and fortune, but he hadn't been idle. Aside from his hobbies, he kept a close eye on market trends. Between his efforts and the original owner’s memories, he didn't need spoilers to remain the "God of Investment." It was his daughter's wedding, he was in a good mood, and giving a few tips cost him nothing.
Halfway through the feast, he felt a burning gaze on his back. He raised an eyebrow and turned to meet a pair of eyes filled with nostalgia and regret. Seeing him look back, Song Ruyue guiltily lowered her head. In the past, she could confidently feel that Ji Xiu had "married up" to her. Now that he had left her company and thrived even more, it proved she had been the one holding him back.
Her long-repressed regret began to spread again—guilt, remorse, and loss. She hadn't wanted to come to Mingzhu’s wedding originally, as they had no bond. But she knew Ji Xiu would be here, and she wanted to see him. As for Ji Wu, that was an accident. She still felt a bit for the child, and when Ji Wu begged to come, Song Ruyue made her promise not to cause trouble.
Song Ruyue had been out of the social loop for years and had no idea about Ji Wu’s scandalous pursuit of Ye Yiyang.
Ji Xiu saw her, then shifted his gaze to Ji Wu beside her, his expression turning cold. Song Ruyue sensed something was wrong, but before she could grasp the thought, Mingzhu and Ye Yiyang arrived at their table to toast. Ji Xiu looked away and focused on Mingzhu with affection, leaving Song Ruyue feeling a profound sense of loss.
…
The banquet ended smoothly. The newlyweds went on their honeymoon while the other guests flew back on Ji Xiu’s private jet. The news of the "Ji-Ye Alliance" finally exploded into the public eye. Since filming wasn't restricted, guests uploaded videos, and the wedding topped every entertainment and business headline.
Ji Mingzhu became the woman who was born with a golden spoon and married for love. Netizens were full of envy, praising her luck and the grand ceremony.
A few days later, Ji Ze called the nursing home to bring Song Ruyue back. "I have a girlfriend," he said. "She's coming to visit the house. Come back to meet her."
Song Ruyue hadn't meddled in anything for years, but for the sake of her son, she agreed. The girl was excellent—gentle and meticulous, a perfect complement to the clumsy Ji Ze. Soon, an engagement date was set.
At the engagement banquet, Song Ruyue re-entered social circles and finally learned the truth. She realized why Ji Wu had insisted on attending the wedding and why Ji Xiu had turned cold. Song Ruyue turned beet red. Thinking of Ji Xiu’s cold, handsome face, she felt humiliated by Ji Wu’s lack of self-respect. That night, she discussed it with Ji Ze: they would give Ji Wu a sum of money and send her abroad, never to return.
The last of her affection for Ji Wu finally vanished. Ji Ze agreed instantly. He could have supported her, but she kept causing trouble. She had even tried to sabotage his relationship with his new girlfriend using the same petty tricks she had used on Mingzhu.
Ji Wu had even tried to outshine the bride at the engagement banquet by wearing a flashy red dress. Given her bad reputation, it only invited mockery. The engagement was almost ruined. Ji Ze’s patience was exhausted.
Their plan wasn't easy, as Ji Wu refused to leave. She even tried to break into Ji Xiu’s house to beg for sympathy, hoping he would scold Ji Ze and Song Ruyue. She was more skilled now and actually made it inside once.
But Ji Xiu was indifferent. He didn't care if she stayed or left. When she cried about "losing the warmth of a family," he coldly told her that if she missed family, she could find the Zhous. Father Zhou had been released from prison months ago, and Mother Zhou was due out soon. He suggested she go meet them at the prison gates for a "happy family reunion."
Ji Wu was choked with anger. In a fit of spite, she actually went to find the Zhous in the countryside. But before even entering the village, the squalor terrified her. Seeing the scruffy Father Zhou and her biological brother Zhou Wei living off their elderly parents, she fled in terror.
Without waiting for Ji Ze to say more, she took the money, got on a plane, and vanished from the country. She was afraid the Zhous would cling to her; Father Zhou had already told her that her wealth was bought with his and his wife’s prison time, and she owed them for the rest of their lives. Ji Wu lived for "face," and she couldn't let them ruin her reputation.
Years later, it was said she squandered her money quickly and had to marry a local white man who was a chauvinist and became violent when drunk. Her life was miserable. Only then did she truly feel regret for targeting Mingzhu and losing the Ji family. But there is no medicine for regret.
…
Ji Wu’s departure left Ji Xiu to focus on his son’s new wife—the woman who would support the world-line. She was an excellent match for Ji Ze. Seeing them together, Ji Xiu finally felt at peace regarding his son.
The years passed quickly. Ji Xiu lived to the age of eighty-one. Because of his stressful early years with Song Ruyue, his health was average. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by family.
As he lay dying, Ji Mingzhu wept uncontrollably by his bed. Ji Xiu used the last of his strength to pat her hand.
"Mingzhu, you have always been the pearl in my palm. Dad is leaving first, but don't be afraid. You’re grown now, with a husband and children to walk with you."
Ji Mingzhu was heartbroken. Seven years ago, she had moved back to take care of him, but in reality, she was the one who couldn't bear to leave his protection. Even as a grown woman with children, in her father's eyes, she was always that timid child he had rescued.
Her father was gone, and no one in this world would ever love her so selflessly again.
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