Chapter 36 - Remorse

Madam Shen's visit to seize the "illegitimate child" had almost become a sensation in the capital city.

Many people were present that day.

Moreover, it wasn't a private room; there were plenty of spectators leaning on the railings around them.

Although those farther away might not have known the truth,

Ji Min's capabilities were more than enough to uncover the real story.

However, the truth was so unbelievable that Ji Min couldn't help but verify it twice.

In the spacious and empty cloakroom, Butler Chen nodded seriously. "That's right, Madam Shen admitted it herself on that very day."

Ji Min turned around and continued tying his tie in front of the mirror.

His long and strong fingers deftly knotted the sapphire-blue tie, only to then impatiently pull away, casting the tie aside into a cabinet.

"How could she make her own son live in the servants' quarters?"

"Make her second son have someone run over her youngest son's dog?"

"And even sign a so-called sponsorship contract with her own son?"

By the end of his recount, Ji Min was almost laughing.

Butler Chen shrugged and admitted, "I find it hard to believe as well."

Ji Min shook his head, retrieving the tie to re-knot it properly.

He seldom indulged in superfluous gestures.

Due to his physical limitations, he aimed for efficiency in every movement.

The fact that he had to retie his tie twice today already spoke volumes about his inner unrest.

As usual, Ji Min attended to his attire on his own.

Yet, the slightly slower pace betrayed the fact that his mind was wandering.

Ji Min's mind merely wandered back to the fiery spark in Lu Ran's eyes.

Within the confines of that cramped servant's quarters, the young man mockingly inquired, "If you wish to bed me, do you suppose my father would be so obliging as to have me delivered to your bedside, all neatly packaged?"

At the sponsorship ceremony, the young lad stood on stage and calmly revealed that he was an orphan.

And that day, outside the elevator.

Lu Ran turned back to him with a blazing gaze, "If I were to truly accept my fate, how would I live?"

Ji Min had initially assumed this was a cunning usurper, strategically maneuvering while in a temporarily weaker position.

But he hadn't expected that it might... just be a desperate retaliation from someone pushed to the edge of a cliff.

Ji Min wasn't particularly empathetic.

Seldom did he delve into the emotions and thoughts of others.

Yet at this moment, Ji Min couldn't help but ponder.

What must have been going through that child's mind when he stood on stage seeking sponsorship, only to catch sight of his mother in the audience?

As a member of the Shen family's lineage.

How did he feel watching his kin live in sunlit, spacious rooms on the second and third floors while he was confined to that tiny servant room with not even a closet?

No wonder...

Despite receiving financial aid, Lu Ran still chose to work part-time at a nearby café.

He was acutely aware that he had no safety net to fall back on.

He had to keep pushing forward.

Recalling the "study abroad" sponsorship he had proposed, Ji Min abruptly shut his eyes.

He reached up to massage his temples.

When he opened his eyes again, the depths of his black irises had returned to their usual serenity.

Due to spending too much time in the cloakroom, the butler, who was waiting outside, gently reminded him, "Sir, breakfast is ready."

"I see," Ji Min replied.

He maneuvered his wheelchair out of the cloakroom and into the elevator on the second floor.

As usual, he had breakfast, then rode to the company.

Ji Min had plenty of work awaiting him.

In theory, he shouldn't have the time or energy to spare for pondering over other people's affairs.

That child had no connection to him.

Lu Ran's background surprised Ji Min somewhat.

But that was merely another intriguing gossip in the endless cycle of Beijing's high society.

Yet, there were occasional moments when...

In the midst of his work, Ji Min would occasionally allow his mind to wander for a fleeting moment.

In his mind's eye, he conjured the image of the youth lowering his gaze demurely as he stepped into the biting cold wind.

At such moments, an unusual sentiment would surface, like a tiny pebble dropped into Ji Min's serene heart lake, creating ripples across its calm surface.

Lunchtime.

As usual, Ji Min put in some extra work.

By the time he emerged from his office, the staff outside had already gathered in small groups to eat.

The moment he stepped out, the colleagues around him, as they typically did, cast subtle glances in his direction.

Ji Min paid no heed to those empathetic gazes.

He didn't proceed straight toward the elevator as he usually would.

His wheelchair came to a pause midway.

Ji Min turned his head to glance at the familiar paper bag on the neighboring workstation.

The two people there were still engaged in casual conversation:

"Their latte from that shop tastes great."

"I love their cheesecake. I order it every day."

The person across from them teased with a chuckle,

"Is that your love for cake? Don't tell me you have a crush on the barista instead?"

"Why not? Those puppy eyes of his are adorable."

Under Ji Min's watchful gaze, their conversation gradually softened.

Finally, they fell silent.

One of them awkwardly smiled at Ji Min and asked, "Chairman... would you like something to eat?"

Words lingered on the tip of Ji Min's tongue before dissipating.

In the end, he simply said, "No need."

Ji Min stepped into the elevator.

This time, the elevator was deserted.

Within the reflective walls of the palanquin, only the wheelchair and he were reflected.

There was no sight of the slender, frail youth who somehow managed to carry nearly ten large paper bags in his hands.

No one tried to escape him, frantically huddling into the corner of the elevator with their paper bags.

None of them pretended to be brave, shoving their paper bags onto his wheelchair.

Ji Min sat alone in his wheelchair, serene.

He watched as the floor numbers descended one by one.

No one pressed any buttons during the descent.

People jostled, burdened with their paper bags, frantically trying to fit into the elevator while holding their phones.

It was all quiet.

This scene was precisely what Ji Min had wished to see in a fleeting moment.

"Beep."

The elevator reached the first floor.

The doors slid open.

In that fleeting moment of exit, Ji Min recalled his thoughts from their previous elevator encounter.

A scheming something.

An irredeemable fool.

It was at this precise instant that Ji Min suddenly comprehended.

All day long, an emotion had been intermittently surfacing, disrupting his work and compelling him to constantly ponder the nature of Lu Ran's feelings.

Perhaps... a sense of guilt stemming from arrogance.

accompanied by a subtle sense of regret.

And there lies the awkwardness.

Studying abroad, it seemed like a well-intended sponsorship.

Yet to the youth he said, "You are unworthy to remain in the Shen household, unworthy to vie for or possess those things you desire."

Yet, ironically, there was no one more deserving than him.

Those things were always meant for Lu Ran.

There was no need to fight or snatch.

They should have been cherished and embraced with affection every step of the way.

Yet now, someone was pointing their nose at him and saying, "You are not worthy."

After Lu Ran's refusal, Ji Min, out of propriety, didn't say anything further.

Yet, some subtle judgments still permeated through his attitude.

Ji Min was unaware of how Lu Ran felt.

Recalling the last time they met, the youth emerged from the Ji Building in silence, his demeanor evoking the very essence of melancholic beauty characteristic of danmei elements...

Perhaps, he had sensed something.

In the following days, the employees of the Ji Corporation felt as if red rain was pouring from the sky.

Their usually gloomy boss, who resembled a vampire and preferred to stay in his office unless absolutely necessary, and whose appearance outside often signaled significant events, was now –

Window shopping?!

Goodness gracious!

The chairman must have been possessed!

When Ji Min stepped out for the first time, the people around him were on edge with anxiety.

During his second and third excursions, groups of employees started seeking out Ji Min's assistant for any insider information.

Inquire if the company has any significant developments or initiatives recently.

Is it possible that there will be layoffs?

So much so that the productivity in several departments spanning several floors skyrocketed.

The fear lies in the possibility that this very blade might inadvertently slip and strike oneself in the head.

When Ji Min ventures out more...

Employees gradually grew desensitized.

Everything returned to normal, including the way they treated Ji Min with extra caution on a daily basis.

To be fair, their boss was quite good-looking.

Despite his intimidating sternness, he could barely be considered an attractive sight.

Some even went as far as to idle away their time by summarizing Ji Min's behavioral patterns:

He tends to appear around meal times.

His territory extends to the office and the elevator area.

He even takes a spin in the elevator.

For now, he seems harmless and composed.

However, his expression isn't too pleasant when he exits the elevator.

Ji Min pays no heed to others' opinions.

It's as if he's merely extending his pre- and post-meal strolls.

Butler Chen perceives something and jests, "Seems like Mr. Ji has plenty of leisure time lately?"

Ji Min is candid.

Not giving Butler Chen the chance to tease him, he directly says, "I'm looking for an opportunity to rectify my mistakes."

It was arrogance and stubbornness that bred regret and awkwardness.

The sooner the amends were made, the sooner it would end.

Better to quell that persistent guilt that kept resurfacing and flourishing.

Let it not constantly intrude on his work, reminding him—

That he had bullied a child.

Butler Chen chuckled. "Why doesn't Mr. Ji opt for a more efficient approach? Like, ordering takeout personally?"

Ji Min: "..."

His thin lips pressed together.

The elderly butler's kind eyes gleamed with amusement.

He understood, "Oh... I see. It's because you're feeling embarrassed."

Ji Min: "..."

He maneuvered his wheelchair and turned back to his office.

That night, Ji Min followed Butler Chen's advice.

In the past, he would always entrust his assistant with ordering meals.

This time, without informing anyone, Ji Min downloaded a food delivery app on his phone and placed the order himself.

He rarely dined out.

Familiarity with food delivery apps was alien to him as he placed his order. Setting his phone aside, the emotions that had been surfacing in his heart lately subsided somewhat.

Ji Min acknowledged that Butler Chen was correct.

Had he dealt with it from the start, it wouldn't have bothered him so much.

He signed off on two documents.

There were issues with a recent project, and Ji Min, engrossed in overtime work, gradually lost track of the food delivery.

He called to discuss the matter with a project manager.

Maneuvering his wheelchair remotely, he headed straight for the elevator.

Before Ji Min could press the elevator button,

the doors suddenly opened.

A paper bag bearing a familiar logo caught him off guard.

Lopsidedly placed, the bag struck a chord within him.

Ji Min lifted his gaze.

The subtle pounding in his chest subsided instantly.

"Excuse me, excuse me!"

The voice echoing from the elevator was that of an unfamiliar man.

Rough and mature, it lacked the clarity of youth.

The figure, dressed in the same uniform, carried a solid, adult presence, with a dozen paper bags casually slung over one arm.

Ji Min was momentarily taken aback before he maneuvered his wheelchair backwards.

"Sorry, did I bump into you, sir?" Little Wang asked, scratching his head.

Ji Min shook his head.

He watched the delivery person about to leave before suddenly remembering something.

He said, "There's my takeout."

In his heart, that tiny sprout of guilt, which had just been extinguished, emerged once more.

It seemed to have been nourished by some sort of sunshine and rain, now protruding its head and wriggling about wildly.

Ji Min thought to himself, ordering takeout wasn't going to make a difference anyway.

The next day at noon, Ji Min paid extra attention.

The delivery person was the same one he had seen the previous night.

That evening, Ji Min ordered takeout again.

This time, he stayed in the office.

When the knock on the door sounded, Ji Min paused, gazing at the door of his office.

A few seconds passed before he spoke casually, "Come in."

Once again, the paper bag entered first.

But the figure behind it was still not the one he wished to see.

He took the delivery.

Ji Min hesitated for a moment but still asked directly, "Did the previous delivery staff quit?"

Hearing his question, Little Wang was somewhat surprised.

But he answered truthfully, "No, he didn't."

Ji Min paused.

Little Wang quickly understood and hurriedly said, "Oh, I'm not sure what happened, but he mentioned that for any future Ji Corporation orders, he'd like me to deliver them."