Chapter 144

Chapter 144

True to form, Ji Mian was late.

When he got to the office, his phone was blowing up with messages from Zhou Ji and Xue Zongguang, all grilling him about his marriage to Yu Chuang.

Especially Zhou Ji, who sent a long string of voice messages and texts, spammed with shocked and incredulous emojis, completely flooding the screen. It was probably the most frazzled he’d ever been.

The thing is, Ji Mian had been with Yu Chuang all night and couldn’t find a suitable opportunity to reply, leaving Zhou Ji hanging all night.

Once he got to the office, he guiltily responded to each message. He didn’t admit that he married Yu Chuang because he was in love, only saying that he felt their conditions were quite compatible, so they got married.

He even got a few extra Affection Points. Ji Mian figured Zhou Ji probably thought he was using Yu Chuang as a stand-in for Pei Qing again.

But since Zhou Ji didn’t ask outright, Ji Mian didn’t bother explaining.

Ji Mian was tied up at the office until six, which was early for him, considering he usually worked late into the night. But just as he was about to head out, Yu Chuang called.

He motioned to the secretary who’d just handed him his schedule, signaling them to drop it and leave, then answered the call.

"Where are you?"

Ji Mian shot back, "You’re off already?"

"Yeah."

Ji Mian: "..."

This was so unfair. They were both bosses, so why was he the only one pulling late nights every day?!

"Your brother’s here on business, so his workload’s probably lighter."

Yu Chuang’s tone was puzzled, "Why are you never home?"

"..."

"Have you eaten? Let’s go out." It wasn’t like Yu Chuang to be so insistent, mostly because he was worried Ji Mian would refuse.

After agreeing and hanging up, Ji Mian sighed and went to the lounge to change out of his suit. The idea of having to wait somewhere for Yu Chuang to pick him up left him drained.

If Yu Chuang stuck around Ningcheng any longer, Ji Mian wasn’t sure he could keep up.

Yu Chuang picked him up at the agreed location and drove him to the reserved restaurant, which Yu Chuang had asked Lin Shuo to book at noon.

The restaurant had a chic and elegant vibe. It was the first time Lin Shuo had seen his boss reserve a place like this, as Yu Chuang usually ate at the company cafeteria or at affordable, down-to-earth restaurants when outside, so he couldn’t help but be surprised.

After his initial surprise, thinking Yu Chuang might be ordering two sets for himself, he kindly reminded, "Mr. Yu, should I book three sets? Two might not be enough for you..."

He quickly clammed up under Yu Chuang’s sharp look.

After they sat down, Yu Chuang couldn’t help but ask, "What exactly do you do every day when you’re out?"

He realized that Ji Mian’s nightly outings weren’t just a one or two-day thing but a regular occurrence.

Their marriage had been rushed, and he had always assumed the other person was living in hardship, not daring to ask, only thinking about how to make this person’s life better than before, how to make him happy, how to possess him.

During this time, Yu Chuang had been so immersed in the fact of his marriage to Ji Mian that he only now realized he knew nothing about the current Ji Mian.

Where had Ji Mian lived before? How had he made a living in the two years since the Ji Family went bankrupt...

"What’s it to you..." Ji Mian muttered.

"We’re married. I have every right to know what you’re up to every day," Yu Chuang frowned. "I’m not trying to control you, but it’s not safe for you to be out so late."

"Six o’clock is late at night? Seriously..."

Yu Chuang looked at him earnestly, "I just worry about you."

His calm tone made Ji Mian feel like he was being unreasonable, and his retort softened, "...I’ve got my own things to take care of."

"Can’t you just tell me?"

"..."

Yu Chuang looked down, knowing Ji Mian wouldn’t answer, and let it go.

"Young Master Ji?"

A clear, somewhat familiar voice suddenly came from behind Yu Chuang.

He froze, suddenly realizing who the voice belonged to, and instinctively looked up to observe Ji Mian's reaction.

Sure enough, Ji Mian was stunned, his gaze fixed behind Yu Chuang with a startled expression.

"Affection Points +180. Contributor: Yu Chuang."

The man who’d spoken walked up to their table, exceptionally handsome, with a small mole on the bridge of his nose, and a faint, more genuine smile on his lips.

Behind him was a taller man, colder and more composed, who looked away the moment he saw Ji Mian.

It was Pei Qing and Yu Yunkui.

"Affection Points +150. Contributor: Yu Chuang."

Pei Qing’s eyes fell on the person sitting with Ji Mian, caught sight of Yu Chuang’s face, and exclaimed, "It’s you?"

Pei Qing had always been good at remembering talented people. Even after all these years, and despite the mole on Yu Chuang’s nose being removed, he recognized him instantly.

Yu Chuang’s lips curled coldly. "Mr. Pei, long time no see."

His hand clenched tightly under the table. He really wanted to take Ji Mian and leave immediately, before Ji Mian started reminiscing about the past.

Pei Qing was bursting with questions but couldn’t ask them now. Did these two know each other before?

"Affection Points +210. Contributor: Yu Chuang."

Ji Mian’s eyes flashed.

System: "..." It's already full!?

In the system space, on the data bar, a glaring number had just broken through six digits.

It thought it would take some time to collect from those scattered Affection Points.

The system was thrilled: "Your brother’s really something..."

Pei Qing’s eyelashes drooped, noticing the wedding rings on their hands, and he was quite surprised, his gaze involuntarily shifting to Ji Mian.

He's married?

Pei Qing, who had been sharp for decades, couldn’t make sense of the situation right now.

He asked Ji Mian, “You… got hitched?”

Yu Chuang’s eyelids also lifted, his gaze fixed tightly on Ji Mian until he nodded and said “Yes,” the weight in his heart slowly lifting.

Pei Qing gently congratulated the two, “Congratulations.”

He had apologized to Ji Mian long ago, but no matter how often he said it, the guilt lingered.

Ji Mian had had a thing for him for years and had once spoken up for him when the Pei family insulted him, yet he had nearly brought Ji Mian’s family to ruin.

He hadn’t meant to bankrupt the Ji Family, but the Ji Family had backed the wrong horse. When the Pei family fell, the Ji Family had to learn the hard way.

Two years ago, he had considered lending a hand to the Ji Family, but Ji Hai was too quick-tempered, sure he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and so he never took it.

Fortunately, the Ji Group is now back on its feet.

“Master Ji…” Pei Qing thought of Ji Mian’s marriage and his current position as the heir to the Ji Group, suddenly feeling that “Master Ji” wasn’t quite right, and switched gears. “If the Ji Group needs anything, Mr. Ji, just let me know.”

Ji Mian heard “Mr. Ji” and his breath caught.

Yu Chuang, meanwhile, frowned a bit.

“…Yes,” Ji Mian forced a smile.

With that, Pei Qing nodded to them and headed deeper into the restaurant with Yu Yunkui. When they got to the back table, Pei Qing paused, ready to sit down, but Yu Yunkui dragged him to a corner out of Ji Mian’s sight.

“…Mr. Ji?”

Ji Mian froze at Yu Chuang’s voice.

Yu Chuang gave him a puzzled look, “Mr. Ji… what Mr. Ji?”

And the Ji Group mentioned by Pei Qing… hadn’t the Ji Family already gone bankrupt?

“Maybe—”

“Huh?”

Ji Mian was about to explain when a man and woman at the next table got up to pay the bill. A man about fifty years old glanced over the low partition and saw Ji Mian, exclaiming in surprise, “Mr. Ji!”

The call was respectful and enthusiastic, the tone of a business schmooze. This person was the boss of a small company that had a cooperative relationship with the Ji Group.

Ji Mian’s eye twitched, thinking: Zhou Ji had been right. He really shouldn’t keep coming to places like this.

The man laughed, “I actually ran into Mr. Ji here.”

Meeting the boss of a partner company, Ji Mian had to put on the smile that belonged to “Mr. Ji.” He stood up and exchanged a few pleasantries with the man. When speaking, he was mature and shrewd, completely different from the arrogance and haughtiness he showed when facing Yu Chuang.

Ji Mian appeared calm and composed, chatting and laughing freely, but he didn’t dare to glance at Yu Chuang throughout the entire time.

“My wife and I will leave first, so we won’t disturb Mr. Ji’s meal.”

Ji Mian smiled and watched the two leave. After they both walked out of the restaurant door, he still didn’t have the courage to turn his head to see Yu Chuang’s expression.

“Sit down, he can’t eat you,” the system said leisurely.

Ji Mian sat down with a stiff head, his head lowered, unprecedentedly obedient.

Just then, the waiter served two appetizers and placed them in front of Ji Mian and Yu Chuang.

Ji Mian didn’t dare look up but forced himself to appear calm. He put on a calm front and started eating.

Thirty seconds went by, but the person across from him hadn’t even touched his utensils.

After a couple of bites, Ji Mian finally found the food hard to swallow. He set down his knife and fork gently, slowly lifting his gaze until it met Yu Chuang’s dark eyes.

"..."

"...Boss Ji?"

Ji Mian remained silent.

"Boss Ji."

Ji Mian averted his gaze, "Hmm."

"The Ji Group didn’t go bankrupt?"

Ji Mian tried to defend himself, "I never claimed the Ji Family went bankrupt, it was just... close to bankruptcy."

Indeed, it was Zhou Ji who had told Yu Chuang about the Ji Family’s bankruptcy. But since Ji Mian and Zhou Ji had gone out together just yesterday, given their relationship, it was impossible that Ji Mian wasn’t aware of this.

Yu Chuang felt like he’d been tossed into a puzzle, completely bewildered.

What baffled him most was: If the Ji Group still existed, why did Ji Mian agree to marry him?

Yu Chuang told himself not to overthink it. Perhaps the Ji Family was no longer as prosperous as it once was, with even Ji Hai no longer involved in management. The Ji Group must be falling apart.

Ji Mian’s agreement must have been for some other reason. It couldn’t possibly be because he liked him.

"Show me the Ji Group."

Ji Mian’s hand trembled, "R-right now?"

"Now."

"...I’m kind of hungry."

"I can go by myself."

"..."

Twenty minutes after that, Ji Mian and Yu Chuang stood together at the base of the Ji Group’s corporate building.

Yu Chuang tilted his head a bit, gazing up at the skyscraper that seemed to touch the clouds. He squinted, barely making out the top. It might not rival Ningcheng’s two biggest companies, Yun Chi and Tai Xing, but to call it a decline?

—Situated in the heart of the business district, the most bustling area of Ningcheng, surrounded by bustling, neon-lit commercial areas.

A good forty minutes from Lishui Xinyuan.

Yu Chuang held Ji Mian’s left hand, his fingers lightly tracing the wedding ring and knuckle on Ji Mian’s ring finger. He tilted his head slightly, his tone hard to decipher:

"You were late today, right?"

Ji Mian: "..."

"How late were you?"

"...Half an hour."

Yu Chuang let out a sudden laugh.

Employees who had just finished overtime spotted Ji Mian as they left the company, stirring the pot.

"Mr. Ji!"

"Hey, Boss Ji!"

Ji Mian paused, speechless.