Chapter 70: Delving In

Chapter 70: Delving In

Ji Min: "…"

He thought the matter had been settled.

Never did he expect it to resurface here.

That awkwardness from before surged back.

Mixed with a sense of familiarity yet confusion, it left Ji Min momentarily at a loss for words.

His reaction was uncharacteristic of him.

It was as if he were an embarrassed young lad.

If Ji Min were ten years younger, everything would make sense.

Young people tend to act on impulse without rhyme or reason.

But Ji Min wasn't one of them.

He pressed his lips together, his mind in disarray.

Lu Ran, not hearing a response, tilted his head curiously to look at him.

Then, he proactively asked, "Did you not like what I said?"

Ji Min was taken aback, turning to look at him.

Lu Ran fiddled with the armrests of his wheelchair for a moment before lifting his head and asking, "Is there something wrong with my work, Boss?"

Ji Min was overwhelmed by a mix of emotions in that moment.

He found it incredibly difficult to describe Lu Ran as a person.

Despite his young age, this boy had an endless array of tricks up his sleeve.

Most of the time, he could infuriate people to the point of boiling over, wishing they could ascend to heaven on the spot.

Yet, there were always moments, certain instants.

He could render one speechless with his tenderness.

Just like now.

As he fiddled with the foam grip on the armrest, he looked up and asked, "Did I do something wrong?"

Ji Min opened his mouth, feeling an internal conflict within him.

Did he do something wrong?

Of course!

How could a normal person genuinely consider those matters part of their job and earnestly discuss with their boss whether they had done enough in that aspect?

Who would enjoy being "clarified" about their prowess daily?

Even being praised was odd.

Yet when faced with the youth's pair of eyes, not a single word of these phrases could Ji Min utter.

The once-imagined scene of "confronting and demanding accountability" had long vanished into the farthest corners of his mind.

Ultimately, Ji Min turned his head aside to avoid Lu Ran's overly direct and translucent gaze.

He cleared his throat and said, "There aren't any major issues, just a few areas that could use some refinement."

Upon hearing this, the previously listless person immediately perked up.

Lu Ran moved around the wheelchair to Ji Min's side.

Bending down, he placed both hands on the wheels of Ji Min's chair and nodded earnestly. "Mm-hmm, go ahead."

His attitude resembled that of a student presenting a research proposal and awaiting feedback from their mentor.

Ji Min turned his head again to avoid his gaze.

"Just…"

For a long while, he couldn't seem to find the right words.

It was Lu Ran who glanced at him instead.

As if afraid of bruising his fragile ego, Lu Ran cautiously probed, "Was it because I exaggerated too much?"

Ji Min hesitantly nodded.

What was exaggerated wasn't the content itself.

Of course, spending an entire night together in that manner defied common knowledge about human physiology, but a mushroom wasn't exactly a big deal.

With his strength, if he wished to, he could easily leave someone bedridden the next day even while sitting in a wheelchair...

Realizing where his thoughts had wandered off to, Ji Min quickly reined them in.

What was exaggerated was the tone with which the kid spoke, as well as his occasional descriptions of their relationship!

But before he could voice this out,

Lu Ran nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, it can't be too far from reality."

Ji Min was about to agree when he suddenly froze, turning his head to look silently at the child lying at his feet.

Wait, what did that imply?

Lu Ran remained oblivious to his employer's reaction, still muttering to himself. "What if someday you find someone and they realize you're not what they expected?"

Ji Min: "??"

Misrepresentation?

Lu Ran continued his thoughtful analysis, "Thus, we shouldn't focus too much on the physical attributes but emphasize on their abilities, since abilities can regress."

Ji Min: "..."

He gritted his teeth, "What nonsense are you talking about!"

He took a deep breath, determined not to act like the foolish Gu Ningqi who would get riled up over such trivial matters.

However, Lu Ran could tell he was upset and withdrew slightly.

The teenager stared at him for a long while.

Finally, he let out a heavy sigh and couldn't help but grumble, "You get mad when I say you're good, and you get mad when I say you're not. Boss, aren't you being too fussy?"

Ji Min was left speechless.

Suddenly, he realized something and turned his head to see Manager Chen and the driver staring at them curiously.

Manager Chen maintained a composed demeanor, but it was clear that he was trying to stifle laughter.

The driver, on the other hand, was much less restrained.

With the car window rolled down, he leaned out with an expression of someone watching a drama unfold.

When he caught Ji Min's gaze, he even wore a hint of disappointment, as if wondering why they had stopped talking.

Ji Min: "..."

He immediately fell silent, swiftly boarding the vehicle through the wheelchair ramp.

He didn't forget to call out to Lu Ran, who was still standing outside, "Get in!"

Even as the car started moving, Lu Ran still felt a lingering resentment.

It was clearly his own incapability, yet he insisted that the story was exaggerated!

Halfway through the journey, he couldn't bear it any longer. He reached out and gently tugged at Ji Min's sleeve, his brows knitted as he said,

"Jinhua mushroom isn't being overly dramatic at all."

He took out his phone and said, "I saw online that other domineering CEOs all have..."

He paused, extended his arm, and then made a fist: "Something like this!"

Ji Min: "..."

But Ji Min was not Gu Ningqi, after all.

Though he had been infuriated, his anger had subsided as he calmed down. There was no longer any pleasure in proving himself, and he had returned to his usual pale and indifferent demeanor.

He glanced at Lu Ran coldly and suddenly countered with a question of his own:

"And you? Why don't you compare yourself to what you've investigated?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Ran was genuinely taken aback.

Then, Ji Min beheld the youth who had been earnestly "discussing" matters with him just moments ago, as if conducting scholarly research, now gradually, ever so gradually, flushing crimson across his countenance.

Gradually transforming into the appearance of a tomato.

"I!"

With a flushed face, Lu Ran held back for a moment before blurting out, "I'm only nineteen!"

There's still room for growth!

After saying that, he felt a bit embarrassed.

Already curled up in the back seat, he now slowly drew his legs up even further.

His arms wrapped around his knees, hiding himself like a ball.

He was annoyed with himself for not having arms as thick as his size.

The young man's appearance was genuinely amusing.

Yet, Ji Min suddenly averted his gaze, showing no intention of teasing further.

In fact, ever since he had asked that question just now, a faint sense of regret had arisen in his heart.

He had gone too far.

How could he...

To ask such a question?

The atmosphere in the car suddenly turned silent.

The man who had impulsively indulged in witty banter pressed his lips tightly together, not daring to even glance back.

For the rest of the journey, no one spoke a word.

That single question left Ji Min feeling awkward for several days.

It wasn't until Lu Ran went to school on Monday that he finally felt a slight relief, erasing the somewhat intrusive query from his mind.

But on that Monday, Ji Min received an unexpected message.

His assistant, who was confirming his schedule, said, "Mr. Ji, the chairman of the Shen Corporation has requested a meeting with you. He would like to know when you have time."

Upon hearing this, Ji Min furrowed his brow slightly and asked, "Shen Hongyuan."

The assistant nodded.

Although it followed the usual protocol for a business meeting, since it was Shen Hongyuan who sought him out, it likely had nothing to do with work.

Everyone in the Shen family knew that Shen Xingyu and he were alumni and had some private friendship.

Given their connection, if there were any business interactions between the Shen and Ji corporations, it would be Shen Xingyu who reached out to him.

Therefore, Shen Hongyuan's purpose for seeing him should be singular.

That was Lu Ran.

Ji Min's fingers holding the pen paused.

A sudden twinge of guilt surged through him.

He had just made some "rude remarks" to a certain young boy over the weekend, and today, that boy's father had come looking for him.

If the Shen family's father-son relationship were normal, this would indeed resemble an outraged father confronting him, a powerful and lascivious man.

But it was evident that Shen Hongyuan was far from being an ideal father.

He wouldn't do such a thing.

At this moment, Ji Min's mind was unexpectedly filled with Lu Ran's sarcastic voice:

"Mr. Ji, if you want to sleep with me, do you think my father would deliver me straight to your bed?"

The pen lingered, leaving a long trail on the final stroke of "Min" in his signature.

Ji Min placed the pen down and rubbed his forehead with his long fingers.

He wondered if he had been lacking sleep lately, causing these absurd thoughts to surface in his mind.

Ji Min waved dismissively, saying, "I won't see him."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he furrowed his brows and called out to his assistant, "Make it this evening."

When Shen Hongyuan received news of Ji Min, he found it hard to believe.

He hadn't expected Ji Min to agree so readily.

This time, when arranging the meeting with Ji Min, Shen Hongyuan didn't go through private channels; instead, he went through the company.

Shen Hongyuan had put in effort for this.

He arrived early at the location specified by Ji Min.

Pushing open the door to the private room, he already wore a refined smile on his face.

But in that instant, Shen Hongyuan couldn't help but sigh inwardly with regret.

The Ji family was an incredibly difficult connection to establish.

His eldest son, Shen Xingyu, didn't have a particularly deep friendship with Ji Min. If Ji Min truly fell deeply for one of his sons, Shen Hongyuan would be laughing in his sleep.

Unfortunately, why did it have to be Lu Ran?

Shen Hongyuan forcefully suppressed the pang of regret in his heart.

Anyway, everything would come to an end after today.

"Chairman Ji certainly has exquisite taste in selecting this place," Shen Hongyuan remarked politely. "I didn't expect that I would be the one causing you such expense, Chairman Ji."

People like Shen Hongyuan usually engaged in small talk before getting down to business.

After building a sense of familiarity through their conversation, he would then bring up his true intentions.

Ji Min sat quietly at the table, a financial magazine casually placed beside him.

He was far more interested in the magazine than in Shen Hongyuan.

He had no intention of beating around the bush with Shen Hongyuan.

Glancing at his watch, he reminded Shen Hongyuan with a detached tone, "Mr. Shen, my time is rather limited."

Shen Hongyuan was taken aback.

He glanced at Ji Min and deliberately shed the aura of a business tycoon, transforming into an ordinary middle-aged man as he let out a sigh.

"Mr. Ji, please don't take offense at my beating around the bush, but honestly…" Shen Hongyuan picked up the glass of water on the table and took a sip before continuing, "I really don't know how to bring this up."

A hint of pain flashed across his face at the right moment.

Ji Min remained composed, neither confirming nor denying anything.

"Every family has its own troubles," Shen Hongyuan said, as if they were discussing everyday matters, and sighed again.

"I wasn't aware that the Shen Corporation was facing any difficulties," Ji Min replied coolly.

Shen Hongyuan waved his hand dismissively.

"It's unrelated to that. Although I followed proper business protocol to meet with you, what I want to discuss is a personal matter."

Without waiting for Ji Min's response, he raised his hand in obvious distress, wiping his face, and said earnestly,

"I understand that one shouldn't air their dirty laundry in public, and I initially intended to keep this to myself. But… my conscience won't allow me to have my child cause you trouble by your side."

Ji Min's eyebrows lifted slightly.

Shen Hongyuan spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness, like a frustrated father. "But... I really can't keep it to myself anymore because Lu Ran... this child is not normal!"

Not normal.

Ji Min was slightly taken aback.

Not because of Lu Ran, but rather, he was surprised that Shen Hongyuan, as Lu Ran's biological father, would actually speak of his own son in such a manner.

Before meeting Shen Hongyuan today,

Although Ji Min knew that Lu Ran's biological parents were eccentric, he had still regarded Shen Hongyuan as "Lu Ran's father" when mentioning him.

Now, Ji Min suddenly found the title amusing.

He chuckled and said, "President Shen's words are quite intriguing. I've never sensed anything abnormal about Lu Ran. Yet, as a father, you're the one making such remarks about your own son?"

Ji Min's reaction was not unexpected by Shen Hongyuan.

He wasn't surprised either, only sighing. "President Ji, you don't understand!"

Shen Hongyuan said somewhat anxiously, "You must think I, as a father, am in the wrong."

"But he's my flesh and blood!"

"If there really wasn't a problem with him, why would I have dragged on without acknowledging him?"

"And why would I be telling you all this?"

Upon hearing Shen Hongyuan's words, Ji Min started to take them to heart.

Because he also found these matters inconceivable.

Seeing Ji Min's earnest attitude,

Shen Hongyuan gritted his teeth and made a significant sacrifice.

At the thought of what he was about to say, even with ample mental preparation, Shen Hongyuan's face twitched.

Shen Hongyuan once believed that he would never bring up such an embarrassing incident in his life again, let alone allow others to mention it.

But to his surprise, it was he himself who ended up divulging the story.

But true leaders overlook trivial matters in pursuit of greater goals!

Taking a deep breath, Shen Hongyuan mentally prepared himself before reluctantly saying,

"You have no idea what Lu Ran has done!"

"He actually... threw dog feces onto the dining table and threatened us with it!"

Shen Hongyuan's voice was filled with grief and indignation.

This might be the most genuine emotion he had displayed since entering the private room.

This was the most humiliating moment of his entire life!

With such a significant investment and by revealing this matter proactively, he was convinced Ji Min couldn't remain indifferent!

Shen Hongyuan had mentally prepared himself; he was sure to see disgust and disdain on Ji Min's face, given his identity.

Perhaps even...

Ji Min might distance himself from the entire Shen family from then on due to this incident.

But so what?

Shen Hongyuan gazed unwaveringly at Ji Min.

He observed the man sitting in the wheelchair across from him, whose pupils indeed dilated in surprise at first.

Just as satisfaction began to well up in Shen Hongyuan's heart,

that shock dissipated at an astonishing speed, almost unbelievable.

In the end, it transformed into a tranquil acceptance, as if it were something routine.

The man looked at him and said, "Oh, and then what?"

His tone was incredibly calm.

It even carried a hint of confusion, as if he was asking, "Is that all?"

Shen Hongyuan was taken aback.

Before he could react, he saw Ji Min frown at him.

Then he asked, "He doesn't usually behave like this. What did you do to provoke him?"