Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Ji Qingyu sat in the passenger seat, the car’s silence creating a palpable tension. Fu Han remained quiet, and Ji Qingyu still clutched the warm tremella soup Fu Han had just handed him from the back seat, claiming Aunt Wang had prepared it.

With Fu Han silent, Ji Qingyu found himself at a loss for words.

The scenery outside was rather pleasant. It was already light sweater weather, with early autumn bringing a crisp chill. Ji Qingyu, sensitive to the cold, quietly reached for the heater button.

Fu Han didn’t intervene, merely rolling down the window a crack.

“Luo Sheng says you’re a good kid and spoke highly of you. How is it that after marrying me, everyone around me seems to like you?” The car was parked, engine off, and Fu Han seemed intent on prolonging the moment, perhaps to needle Ji Qingyu.

Ji Qingyu slowly savored the tremella soup, then, as if remembering something, glanced at Fu Han and discreetly handed him a photograph.

“Um, you… since you didn’t make it earlier, we took the photo without you,” Ji Qingyu explained. “We left a space for you. If you’d like, I can add you in later.”

He wasn’t skilled with Photoshop, but he figured Nannan could help. She had shown him her own creations before, though he still couldn’t fathom why a perfectly nice girl would edit herself to look like an alien.

Fu Han took the photo, gave it a brief, unreadable glance, and set it aside.

“Ji Qingyu,” Fu Han’s voice was flat as he rested his chin on his hand. “You must have other plans, right? Releasing songs, putting out an album—I can help you with all of that. Consider it… a thank-you for helping me find my mother.”

He didn’t actually have many plans. In the past, he wrote songs simply out of inspiration, but after six years, that well of creativity had largely dried up.

Still, Fu Han’s words brought a faint flicker of happiness.

Ji Qingyu sensed that Fu Han seemed less angry now. He slowly finished the tremella soup, feeling a comforting warmth spread through his stomach.

“However,” Fu Han’s voice turned cold again as he finally started the car and headed home, “don’t think that what happened in the past can simply be erased.”

“Ji Qingyu, you have no credibility left with me.” Fu Han stated this as a stark fact. Before Ji Qingyu could fully process it, the fleeting warmth between them had vanished, replaced by an icy chill. His heart plummeted once more.

“Let me give you some good news. I never found that female omega from back then, but recently someone spotted her again in Jing City. Tell me, if I catch her, wouldn’t it be nice for the two of you to catch up?” Fu Han’s voice was slow and laced with sarcasm. “After all, you’re old friends.”

“I… I don’t want to see her.” Ji Qingyu gripped the hem of his sweater, fear and panic rising at the mention of her name.

“Of course you don’t want to see her. The two of you—one the perpetrator, the other an accomplice—after doing something like that, one dropped out of school and went home, while the other fled to avoid punishment. Quite the tacit understanding.”

Fu Han turned the steering wheel sharply, causing the car to swerve violently. The tires screeched against the road, and Ji Qingyu instinctively grabbed the car’s handle, his body still lurching uncontrollably toward Fu Han.

Fu Han recoiled as if burned. Ji Qingyu’s body slammed into the console, and the car nearly shifted into neutral, skidding several times on the cold road before Fu Han slammed on the brakes, barely stopping at the roadside.

Ji Qingyu was thrown forward by the sudden stop. He raised his hand to brace against the windshield, but his head still hit the car body with a dull thud. It hurt. He clutched his head, a sharp pain shooting through his wrist.

The impact was unexpected. Before Ji Qingyu could react, Fu Han grabbed his wrist again. Ji Qingyu tried to push him away, but his injured wrist was squeezed tightly, forcing a few trembling sounds through his teeth. “Let go, release me.”

“Let go?” Fu Han laughed as if he’d heard the biggest joke. The illusion of warmth melted away, and he reverted to his arrogant, cold self. He refused to show vulnerability and wouldn’t tolerate defiance, his words alone carrying enough force to wound. “Ji Qingyu, you provoked me first. Why didn’t you let me go back then? Now you have the nerve to say ‘let go’?”

Ji Qingyu was rendered speechless by Fu Han’s intense attack, falling silent once more. A heavy feeling lodged in his chest, sinking deep into his lungs. His eyes widened slightly.

“I… I only wanted your money and influence. If you let go now, I won’t get what I want. Isn’t that exactly what you want?” Ji Qingyu said. He thought it would be a perfect solution—once Lin Ying’s surgery was done, he could leave, and Fu Han wouldn’t have to see him anymore, finding him an eyesore.

Fu Han’s grip on Ji Qingyu’s wrist tightened, his gaze fixed on him. The surge of emotion was brief, disappearing almost instantly.

“Whatever choices I make are my business, but you have no choices.” Fu Han finally released Ji Qingyu’s hand, almost mercifully. “Your only option is to obey.”

Ji Qingyu looked at his wrist. There was no visible change on the surface, but inside, it was already scarred and battered—much like his relationship with Fu Han. It might seem like there was still room, but it was already full of holes.

The rest of the ride passed in silence. Fu Han drove home and said, “My offer still stands. Think about the songwriting yourself.”

“Fu Han…” Ji Qingyu mustered his courage. “The other day, you asked if I was hiding something from you. What exactly did you mean?”

Fu Han glanced back at Ji Qingyu but didn’t respond. The photo was left behind in the car. Ji Qingyu sighed and picked it up.

They were supposed to attend a banquet together. While changing at home, Fu Han received a call and left early, leaving a car for Ji Qingyu.

It was Aunt Wang who noticed Ji Qingyu’s wrist. In less than half an hour, it had swollen and turned red, likely bruised.

Aunt Wang found some spray and applied it to Ji Qingyu’s wrist. They couldn’t bandage it—it would be too conspicuous at the banquet—so Ji Qingyu left it as it was.

The banquet was hosted by the Ji family to discuss long-term business collaboration between the Ji and Fu families. It was held at the Half Mountain Winery, a historic building supposedly constructed by a noble who once resided there. The gathering felt more like a private invitation among core members, with almost all attendees being influential figures who knew each other well, clustering in groups of three or five.

Ji Qingyu wasn’t good at socializing and found a corner to zone out alone.

Fu Yunbai didn’t seem to know about Luo Sheng yet. He remained as arrogant as ever, standing in the center of the banquet hall talking to Ji Deyong, a cold, fake smile on his lips.

Ji Deyong had a stunning beauty by his side—a rising star in the entertainment industry, rare for her both acting skills and looks among the new generation.

Ji Qingyu found it irritating even to glance at Ji Deyong. Under the shimmering lights and amid the clinking glasses, he hid behind a wall of champagne towers and food, barely visible to others, which made him feel slightly more at ease. He hoped to stay like this until the banquet ended.

The fruits at the banquet were fresh. Ji Qingyu popped a few grapes into his mouth. A waiter brought him a cocktail, and he finished the entire glass in no time.

Perhaps the drink was too refreshing—he actually wanted another. Before he could call for one, a hand adorned with expensive jewelry offered him a cocktail from behind.

“Thank you,” Ji Qingyu said, turning around. His expression froze immediately. Of all people, it was Ji Ran.

“Stuff for kids to drink. I guess this is all you can handle,” Ji Ran said with a seemingly affectionate smile. His hair was expertly tousled, and his every move exuded the grace of someone long accustomed to high society.

Ji Qingyu put down his cocktail and tried to leave without a word.

Wherever Ji Ran was, trouble was sure to follow. He was like a shark smelling blood, finding his prey without any prompting.

Today, he was dressed playfully, like an innocent child unaware of the world. His white suit jacket covered a colorful plaid shirt, unbuttoned at the top to reveal his delicate collarbone.

“Brother, don’t go. I brought you flowers to congratulate you on the successful performance,” Ji Ran said, magically producing a bouquet of white lilies from behind—a cheap variety of lily, its white, curved petals dotted with black spots.

“No need,” Ji Qingyu said. “I don’t want these.”

Especially not from you.

“So unwilling to talk to me? Fine, no pressure. I’ll find someone else to chat with you,” Ji Ran said, unbothered by Ji Qingyu’s reluctance to engage. He placed the flowers aside, grabbed Ji Qingyu’s wrist, and called out cheerfully to Ji Deyong and Fu Yunbai, “Dad, Uncle, look who I found!”

Ji Qingyu shook off Ji Ran’s hand and took two steps back.

Ji Deyong and Fu Yunbai had gradually moved their conversation to the bar. Ji Qingyu only then noticed a man standing behind the bar who resembled Fu Yunbai but was middle-aged, dressed modestly, with an air of unfulfilled ambition.

Ji Ran dragged Ji Qingyu over, ignoring the middle-aged man mixing drinks, and sweetly greeted the elders. “My brother and I were so busy chatting, we didn’t get to say hello to you all.”

“Good kid,” Fu Yunbai smiled. In public, he didn’t embarrass Ji Qingyu, merely lowering his gaze and asking calmly, “Where’s Xiao Han? Didn’t he come with you? I don’t see him around.”

He hadn’t received any notice from Fu Han.

Ji Qingyu thought, *Doesn’t Fu Yunbai know his son’s temperament? Why would Fu Han bother informing him of his whereabouts? He probably left early to handle some business.*

He shook his head. “Maybe something came up. He’s been very busy lately with a lot of work.”

“President Fu is a young talent at the peak of his career, unlike us—already old, just counting down the days,” Ji Deyong said. His middle-aged paunch made the female star beside him seem even more petite. Ji Qingyu couldn’t stand it; being near this man made him nauseous. He averted his gaze, refusing to look at this so-called “father.”

“Brother Ji, you flatter me,” Fu Yunbai said with a relaxed smile, getting straight to the point. “There will be plenty of collaborations for our two families to work on in the future.”

It was the same old worn-out pleasantries again, which Ji Qingyu found utterly dull. He wanted to turn and leave, but Ji Ran deliberately blocked his path.

Ji Ran flashed his charming fangs and tilted his head slightly. Ji Qingyu had no intention of engaging and tried to walk around him.

"Fu Han really is quite busy," Ji Ran leaned against the bar as the bartender handed him a dry martini—his usual and favorite drink, strong, bitter, and packs a punch. Ji Ran chuckled softly, his eyes clear and pure like agate.

He stood up, moved closer to Ji Qingyu, and whispered into his ear, in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Fu Han arrived early this morning. He’s upstairs right now, and just my luck, I saw him. A pretty omega went upstairs with him."

Ji Ran straightened Ji Qingyu’s cuff and glanced down at his wrist. Ji Qingyu pulled away, and Ji Ran laughed again—a bright, venomous, and insincere smile.

"Brother, I like you the most, so of course I have to help you. Let me show you the way. Would you like to go take a look?"