Chapter 92 - A Gift

Ji Yue almost choked with rage.

She was about to say more, but Ji Min had already walked towards the tea room.

Resigned, Ji Yue could only follow angrily, clutching her purse.

With her hand covering her face, she seethed inwardly.

Before arriving, she had heard that Ji Min had someone in their life and intended to give this person a proper warning.

Yet, to her surprise, she was the one who ended up getting slapped in the face?

When they finally sat down in the tea room, she couldn't resist scolding, "Just look at the kind of person you've found! They have no manners at all!"

"If you want, Auntie can find you someone better, someone who's..."

The rest of her words trailed off under Ji Min's unwavering gaze.

"Considering what you've done overseas, is it too much for him to slap me in your place?" Ji Min asked.

Ji Yue choked on her words for a moment but quickly retorted, "Does he have the right to represent you?"

A corner of Ji Min's lips curled up as he said, "Whether he does or not is my decision."

Ji Yue's expression darkened, and she was about to say more when Ji Min interrupted her.

"Also, the Ji family will no longer be cleaning up the Li family's messes in the future. If you try to pin any of your affairs on the Ji family again, I'll take legal action."

Ji Min sipped his tea calmly.

Ji Yue felt somewhat displeased, but she knew deep down that they were in the wrong.

She equivocated, "These are trivial matters that can be discussed, but regarding that person outside..."

She mentioned Lu Ran again.

Ji Min lifted her gaze to look at her.

The man's eyes were deep, and he softly asked, "Do you want me to withdraw my investment from the Li family?"

It was this question that completely changed Ji Yue's expression.

She picked up her bag on the table and fanned herself, trying to suppress the fear in her heart. "Is it really necessary?"

Ji Min didn't respond further.

After a moment of silence, he casually reached out to touch his knee as if they were having an ordinary conversation. "I'm planning to treat my leg."

Ji Yue was startled.

"This... wasn't it said that your leg couldn't be treated? That there was a significant risk with the final surgery, and aren't you doing fine now? What if you end up paralyzed or even lose your life..."

"Doing fine?" Ji Min countered with a smile.

Only then did Ji Yue realize the inappropriateness of her words.

She fanned herself again and explained, "Aunt was just worried about you. Why would you suddenly want to take action?"

Ji Min's voice remained calm as he replied, "Nothing much, I just heard that Ji Chi broke his leg in prison."

Shock flashed in Ji Yue's eyes.

She forced a smile and said, "Why would something like this happen all of a sudden?"

After saying that, she added, "He deserves it anyway."

Ji Min nodded. "Yes, that's true."

He turned to look out the window and said casually, "It's only recently that I suddenly realized I should hate the person who broke my leg."

Ji Yue didn't know what to say. She smiled and took a sip of tea, subtly tightening her grip on the cup.

His nephew had always been different from other children since he was young.

He possessed remarkable abilities but cared little about most things.

Ji Yue still remembered when the incident occurred, and she rushed back to see Ji Min discharged from the hospital.

She thought that with his leg broken, Ji Min's life was over.

To her surprise, Ji Min didn't complain or harbor hatred. He didn't even curse at Ji Chi, who had betrayed him, before diving right back into work.

Soon after, he gathered evidence and toppled Ji Chi in one fell swoop.

He remained so calm as if breaking a leg was no big deal.

So why was he suddenly...

Lu Ran was playing with Big Yellow outside.

After a while, the door opened, and Ji Yue walked out.

Yet Ji Yue merely cast a glance and left hastily without comment.

moments later, Ji Min emerged from the tea room.

His expression was indifferent, giving no clue about how the conversation inside had gone.

Yet Lu Ran could clearly sense that Ji Min was not in a good mood.

He put down Big Yellow and slowly approached Ji Min.

He stretched out his palm towards Ji Min.

Ji Min was taken aback and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I shouldn't have hit her today, right?" Lu Ran said.

Ji Min raised an eyebrow at him.

Scratching his cheek, Lu Ran continued, "Director Lu said boys shouldn't hit girls, and she's your aunt, still a girl. I shouldn't have done it to her."

Extending his open palm toward Ji Min, he inquired, "So, Boss, are you going to punish me?"

Ji Min glanced at his open hand and asked, "Then why did you hit them?"

Lu Ran paused but still spoke truthfully,

"I overheard their conversation. She's your only family left. Hearing them think of you like that must have been distressing for you."

Ji Min suddenly laughed.

He thought to himself, how could he possibly be upset?

He was no longer a teenager.

But the smile gradually froze on his lips.

Because Ji Min recalled feeling enraged when he first learned about what the Li family had done abroad. And before meeting Ji Yue's family today, he seemed to still harbor some hope deep down.

It was precisely because of these reasons that after his conversation with Ji Yue today, he found himself inexplicably melancholic.

These emotions, which he himself had overlooked, were picked up by the child standing before him.

Ji Min gazed at his hands before him, calloused and bearing tiny scars.

He reached out his hand and enfolded the youth's hand within his own.

And then, with a touch neither too gentle nor too forceful, it landed softly in the palm of the youth.

"Certainly, there will be consequences," Ji Min said.

He reached out to gently squeeze Lu Ran's forearm and inquired, "How much strength did you use to push Li Shan into the plate today? Did your hand tremble?"

Li Shan was Ji Yue's husband.

At that time, Lu Ran had slapped three members of the Li family in succession and forcefully pressed Li Shan into the plate.

It had seemed swift and decisive.

However, Li Shan was, after all, a sturdy man with considerable weight.

While others didn't notice, Ji Min observed that Lu Ran's hand had once again shown signs of overexertion.

His grip on the chopsticks trembled slightly during the subsequent meal.

Feeling a slight itch from the pressure on his arm, Lu Ran exerted some strength to withdraw his hand.

He flexed his palm, attempting to assure everyone that he was fine.

Yet, the lingering ache in his muscles made any such claim seem like a lie.

An idea sparked in his mind, and his eyes lit up.

He moved around to Ji Min's back, propelling the wheelchair towards the living room.

With an enthusiastic tone, he said, "Boss, I have something to show you."

Swiftly, he maneuvered Ji Min to the center of the living room.

He then rushed upstairs.

While running up the stairs, he didn't forget to turn off the lights in the living room.

Ji Min: "..."

By now, it was already dark outside.

With the living room lights off, he was left alone in the pitch-black space.

In no time, Butler Chen entered, startled, and asked, "What kind of special hobby do you have?"

Ji Min rubbed his forehead.

He didn't forget to remind Butler Chen, "Don't turn on the lights; he said they should be off."

Before long, the elevator ascended to the second floor and then descended again.

The elevator doors opened.

Big Yellow led a few... floating red dots out.

As they approached, Ji Min realized they were actually four robotic puppies, but with only their eyes glowing.

In the pitch-black living room, it looked particularly eerie.

Lu Ran emerged and fell silent at the sight.

He crouched down beside Ji Min's wheelchair. "This is the effect you wanted?"

Ji Min asked, speechless, "What are you doing? Trying to murder me?"

The teenager scratched his head before giving up. "Oh well, let's just go with it!"

With that, he pulled out a remote from behind his back and pressed a button.

A melody of birthday wishes emanated from the electronic dogs' bodies: "Happy birthday to you~ Happy birthday to you~"

Presumably to mimic realistic singing, these grotesquely ugly robotic dogs moved their mouths in sync while they sang.

Paired with their blinking red eyes and trembling electronic voices, they appeared eerily peculiar.

Ji Min and Butler Chen: "...."

Lu Ran felt a rare sense of awkwardness.

Scratching his face, he muttered, "Something's not right. This wasn't how I programmed them."

With that, he pressed another button.

Instantly, multicolored light strips illuminated the four robotic dogs, and they began dancing, shaking their limbs.

The previously tolerably normal "Happy Birthday" tune was now accompanied by a thumping beat, adding a "dum-dum-tish" effect.

Lu Ran clapped his hands. "Yes! That's it!"

Thus, the three of them remained in the dark living room.

They watched as the four robotic dogs, with their bright red eyes glowing, danced wildly around the room.

Eerie music echoed through the otherwise quiet Ji residence.

At one moment, it was an upbeat rhythm: "Dum-tish! Dum-tish!"

Then, it switched to a melodious tune: "Happy birthday to you~"

Combined with the flashing multicolored ribbons on their bodies and those blood-red eyes...

The effect was explosive.

The trio fell silent for a while, observing this scene.

Lu Ran maintained his crouching position and couldn't resist scratching his head. "Um... something still seems off, doesn't it?"

To be precise, it was the performance programmed by him that they executed.

But why did it seem so...

As the music softened, Lu Ran finally turned on the lights.

With the lights on, the four robotic dogs revealed their true forms.

Their ugliness had nowhere to hide.

"....You've been coming home so late lately, busy with... these?"

Ji Min stumbled over his words.

He hesitated between "ugly things" and "creepy things" before settling on a more neutral phrase, "busy with such tasks?"

Lu Ran nodded, only realizing afterwards that his ears had turned slightly red.

At that moment, the man in the wheelchair pressed his finger to his lips, stifling the laughter welling up in his throat.

He whispered with a low voice, "Not bad, it's quite... an astonishing experience."

Lu Ran lifted his gaze to secretly glance at him and whispered, "If you want to laugh, just go ahead."

Ji Min: "..."

He cleared his throat lightly and said seriously, "Indeed, it's quite nice."

Butler Chen, who had been frightened by the show: "...."

The two of you really have deep affection for each other.

Lu Ran played with the remote control for a while.

"It's not over yet!" he said.

Big Yellow followed the robotic dogs in their dance for a while before collapsing on the side, completely done with the performance.

Lu Ran maneuvered the quartet of robotic dogs back.

Then, the lead robot dog approached with a greeting card clutched in its mouth.

As it drew near Ji Min, it accidentally lost its footing and nearly ended up prostrating itself.

Despite the challenging journey, it successfully delivered the envelope into Ji Min's hands.

The height of the robotic dog was perfectly aligned with Ji Min's wheelchair.

Ji Min didn't need to crane his neck nor bend down; he casually reached out and took the card.

On the card was a sketch of a small person and a puppy.

It was depicted in a posture of kneeling and bowing, vivid and expressive.

Opening the card revealed the slightly immature yet neat handwriting of a teenager.

It read:

Wishing my debonair, generous, exceedingly loving, and ever punctual with salaries boss a very happy birthday!

There were probably dozens of adjectives sandwiched in between.

At first glance, they were all positive.

But upon closer inspection, one could discern a subtle hint of mischief.

Terms like "bad-tempered," "reluctant to grant leave," and "never increasing wages" were cunningly concealed within.

Ji Min closed the greeting card, casting a quizzical sidelong glance at the young man beside him.

"And there's more!" Lu Ran exclaimed eagerly.

He maneuvered the four robotic dogs into the shadows beside the elevator.

In no time, four robotic dogs arrived, carrying a cake between them.

This time, it held the cake with both front paws and stood upright, walking only on its hind legs.

At first glance, it's exotically enchanting to the extreme.

The youth beside the wheelchair maneuvered the remote with utmost caution, dreading the slightest mishap that might send the cake tumbling to the ground.

With a calm and composed demeanor, he successfully delivered the cake to Ji Min's doorstep.

The young man set down the remote control and couldn't help but applaud.

It was unclear whether he was wishing Ji Min a happy birthday or praising his exceptional skill in remote control.

He gazed up at Ji Min with his chin raised, pointing at the large cake and declaring, "I made this myself!"

His pride was evident in this gesture.

Ji Min's eyebrows lifted slightly at the sight.

Unable to resist, he inwardly wondered, Can something you made really be edible?

Still, out of politeness, Ji Min leaned in for a closer look.

The cake was intricately crafted.

The frosting on top was also meticulously done.

One could tell that it had been practiced diligently.

Lu Ran cut a slice and offered it to Ji Min.

Ji Min didn't have a sweet tooth, but he still took it and used a fork to spear a piece.

However, when the cake touched his tongue, it wasn't as cloyingly sweet as expected.

A subtle hint of sea salt flavor mingled with the aroma of caramel, melting on his palate.

Surprisingly, it wasn't unpleasant at all.

Lu Ran leaned in to observe Ji Min's expression, grinning mischievously, "I know you don't like sweets, so I made a savory cream especially for you!"

Ji Min gently bit down on the spoon between his teeth.

Slightly dazed, he recalled those moments.

As the heir of the Ji family, he had never missed a birthday celebration since he was young.

Many people would come to join in the festivities.

The preparations were always grand.

There would always be a cake.

Yet, nobody would ever bother instructing the pastry chef to turn the cream in the banquet cake into a savory flavor.

Ji Min would always feel overwhelmed by sweetness, eventually losing his interest in desserts over time.

He slowly devoured the entire cake in his hand.

The young man crouched beside him, however, exclaimed, "There's more! There's more!"

Ji Min was somewhat taken aback and looked at him.

Then, Lu Ran pressed the remote control again.

Due to some unknown design, the four mechanical dogs immediately positioned themselves head-to-head in a circle.

After fiddling with them for a while, one of them lifted its head and approached Ji Min.

It then made a motion as if it were opening its mouth.

However, halfway through the action, it froze.

"Oh no, why did it get stuck?"

Lu Ran leaned over and patted the dog's head several times, but its mouth remained closed.

Eventually, Lu Ran reached inside and fumbled around for a moment. He then withdrew his hand, holding something in his palm, which he passed to Ji Min.

Ji Min stretched out his hand to take it, only to realize that it was a tiny mechanical puppy.

It was intricately crafted with movable limbs and a head that could pivot.

"Noticing how fond you are of Big Yellow, I assume you have a soft spot for puppies, Boss," Lu Ran said, looking up at him.

Then, he picked up the robotic puppy and placed it on Ji Min's wheelchair remote control.

Inside the mechanical dog was a magnet that instantly adhered to the controller.

Lu Ran gently pulled on Ji Min's arm, positioning his large hand on top of the remote.

Saying, "This way, Boss, you can pet the dog anytime, anywhere!"

Ji Min lifted his gaze.

Those dark eyes, their undertones appearing especially somber beneath the lamplight, gazed upon the youth at his side.

His palm gently closed.

Fingers enclosed that tiny mechanical dog entirely.