Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Ji Qingyu spent most of his time at the hospital with Lin Ying. Upon returning home, Aunt Wang informed him that the legal dispute between the two families had escalated significantly. Ji Qingyu saw numerous discussions on Weibo, suggesting Ji Ran might face imprisonment. The Ji family’s stock prices plummeted, unearthing a slew of scandals.

“Sir, your father has called twice. He seemed eager to find you, but you were never home.”

The Ji family could no longer sit idly by. Ji Deyong, despite his age, paid a personal visit. Ji Qingyu looked at the man who was his father in name only—overbearing and unpleasant.

“No matter what, he’s still your brother. Are you truly determined to ruin him?” Ji Deyong glared at Ji Qingyu. Truth be told, he didn’t know this illegitimate son well, but the mere memory of that one-night stand filled him with disgust.

“You pushed me into the spotlight, then conspired with Ji Ran and Fu Yunsheng behind my back. You never intended to give me any way out—why should I spare him?” Ji Qingyu replied calmly.

“Ji Qingyu, I know you’ve always resented me for neglecting you and your mother, but look—you turned out just fine. Without the Ji family’s connections, would you have ever married Fu Han?” Ji Deyong frowned, as if the pressing issues were none of his concern and speaking with Ji Qingyu was an act of charity.

“I don’t have the energy to hate you. What you do is none of my business, and what happens to the Ji family is none of my concern either,” Ji Qingyu said evenly. “You should be grateful I’m not kicking you while you’re down. Frankly, every second in your presence disgusts me. I suppose Ji Ran’s rotten personality is no surprise—he learned from you.”

“Is that any way to speak to your father?” Ji Deyong’s face darkened. Years of indulgence had left him with a bloated, arrogant demeanor. He clung to a facade of paternal authority, though inwardly he was corrupt—expecting reverence from everyone despite his own depravity. What a convenient fantasy.

“Father?” Ji Qingyu’s gaze turned cold. “You’re nothing but a rapist. Even beasts don’t mate recklessly—you’re worse than an animal.”

Ji Deyong gaped in disbelief for a moment, shocked that such words could come from the seemingly gentle and obedient Ji Qingyu. He stood up, face contorted with rage, and raised his hand to strike—only to have a glass of water thrown in his face.

The pain was sharp, but what did a few insults matter? Ji Qingyu felt nothing.

The glass shattered, scattering sharp fragments across the floor.

Ji Deyong stared in shock at the omega before him. He had never been treated this way. Nothing was going as planned, and for a moment, he was utterly stunned.

“You mean nothing to me—alive or dead, it makes no difference. I never needed you before, and I want nothing to do with you now.” With that, Ji Qingyu stood and asked Aunt Wang to escort the guest out. When Ji Deyong tried to approach, bodyguards pulled him away.

“Ji Qingyu, what good will it do you if the Ji family falls? You’ll have no leverage left with Fu Han. You’re just an illegitimate child from the slums. Without the Ji family, you’ll be thrown out immediately. Do you really think someone like Fu Han, who values profit above all, will keep you around?”

Ji Qingyu laughed bitterly.

These people always assumed everyone else was like them—calculating gains and losses, treating marriage as a transaction and emotions as bargaining chips. They would do anything for fame and fortune. But what did it matter? From beginning to end, he had never cared.

…

Fu Han had recently insisted on squeezing into the small bed in the secondary bedroom with Ji Qingyu. He was home far too often. Ji Qingyu didn’t want to see him and avoided him as much as possible, shutting himself in his room during their overlapping hours at home.

Silence hung between them. Ji Qingyu hoped their final days together could end peacefully.

But to his surprise, that quickly produced stage play was unexpectedly nominated. The entire crew was ecstatic, which meant the two of them—who hadn’t spoken in days—had to attend the event together.

The journey to the venue was neither long nor short—a fifteen-minute drive. They sat in silence in the car as the sunset painted the sky.

Suddenly, Fu Han leaned over. He lowered his head and naturally took Ji Qingyu’s hand, his expression cool. “Remember to maintain the company’s image later.”

Ji Qingyu said nothing. Fu Han held his hand all the way until they exited the car. They went backstage for makeup first. Ji Qingyu didn’t understand why Fu Han had come so early to accompany him. The actors crowded around them as soon as they arrived. Yu Yue, who played the student omega, rushed forward and hugged Ji Qingyu.

“Xiao Yu, your husband is so handsome!” Yu Yue was straightforward and spirited, with a striking beauty. She got along well with Ji Qingyu.

Ji Qingyu was pulled along by Yu Yue as they walked inside.

Fu Han followed slowly behind, still exuding an air of aloof arrogance. His sharp features and elegant demeanor stood out, enhanced by his formal wear. He wore a bite guard, adding to his striking presence.

Yu Yue whispered gossip to Ji Qingyu: “I’ve been following the drama lately—your husband has really gone all out against Ji Ran for you.”

Ji Qingyu didn’t know how to react. He smiled and changed the subject.

“Mr. Ji, your lipstick needs a touch-up,” the makeup artist said, brush in hand.

Ji Qingyu nodded in agreement. The next moment, Fu Han walked over, took the lipstick from the makeup artist, held Ji Qingyu still, and carefully applied it to his lips.

Ji Qingyu froze. Fu Han’s expression remained unreadable. After applying the lipstick, he used his thumb to wipe away the excess. Ji Qingyu’s body tensed; he turned away, avoiding Fu Han’s gaze. The sensation on his lips lingered, and Ji Qingyu stared blankly at the lipstick stain on Fu Han’s thumb.

Perhaps it was just habit—Fu Han was always adept at putting on a show.

The intense competition for the award was fierce, with many strong contenders. The crew had low expectations; just being nominated was already a significant achievement for them.

The award ceremony began. They didn’t win Best Screenplay, but to everyone’s surprise, Yu Yue won Best Actress. The entire crew, including Yu Yue herself, was stunned—then erupted in joy. Ji Qingyu smiled warmly. Before heading onstage, Yu Yue hugged Ji Qingyu tightly.

His attention drifted, his mind dull. Most of the time, he was lost in thoughts about Lin Ying, fragments of the past replaying in his head. He was lost in thought when suddenly, Fu Han grabbed his hand.

The host approached Ji Qingyu unexpectedly. One award had just been presented, and before the next was announced, the host conducted a lighthearted interview, now standing before Ji Qingyu.

“Mr. Ji, you and your husband seem very close—quite the loving couple. Could you share your love story with us?” the host asked with a smile.

“…” Ji Qingyu fell silent. The surroundings grew quiet for a few seconds. Fu Han also looked down at him, but Ji Qingyu had nothing to say—he didn’t want to speak at all.

For about ten seconds, the people on camera remained expressionless, silent, almost cold. The tension grew. Fu Han tightened his grip on Ji Qingyu’s hand, but Ji Qingyu still said nothing.

The host laughed awkwardly. “It seems Mr. Ji is a bit nervous! Next, we’ll be presenting the Best Composition Award. Who do you think will win?”

No wonder the host had approached him. Before Ji Qingyu could react, the spotlight was on him, and his name was being called from the stage.

Perhaps because so many bad things had happened in the past, this moment felt surreal. Ji Qingyu hadn’t prepared a speech. He thanked each crew member one by one, looking out at them.

He didn’t mention Fu Han. The other didn’t seem to mind and even stood up to meet him when he left the stage. But Ji Qingyu ignored the outstretched hand, holding the trophy as he walked away alone.

Fu Han’s hand hung in the air for a few seconds. He seemed slightly dazed, a crack appearing in his usually unreadable expression. For a moment, he looked almost lost as he watched Ji Qingyu’s retreating figure.

But it lasted only a second. He quickly masked his emotions, his face returning to its flawless composure.

After the ceremony, everyone went to a Japanese pub to celebrate. Yu Yue nudged Ji Qingyu quietly. “Did you and your husband have a fight?”

Fu Han sat to Ji Qingyu’s left. Though they spoke softly, he could still hear.

“We were never really married—it was just a contractual arrangement.”

Yu Yue covered her mouth in shock, looking back and forth between the two in disbelief.

Fu Han’s hand, holding chopsticks, paused. He reached for his glass but missed, knocking it over. Water splashed across his clothes. It was rare for him to be so visibly unsettled.

People around them exclaimed, and someone quickly handed him a towel.

Fu Han stood up to clean himself, glancing at Ji Qingyu twice as he left. Ji Qingyu never once looked in his direction.

Fu Han’s heart sank further. He couldn’t even deceive himself anymore—it felt like standing on the edge of a cliff, swallowed by unknown panic.

After dinner, they said their goodbyes. Only Fu Han and Ji Qingyu remained on the roadside. Ji Qingyu had drunk too much while celebrating with the crew. The cold wind made him lightheaded. As he moved to get into the car, someone grabbed his arm. Fu Han pushed him against the wall. The still-damp stain on his clothes made him look disheveled. His voice was cold. “Why did you tell people our marriage is contractual?”

“Why shouldn’t I?” Ji Qingyu’s gaze was empty, looking past Fu Han. Fu Han lit a cigarette; the glowing ember burned brightly in the night. Ji Qingyu coughed from the smoke. Fu Han extinguished the cigarette and tossed it into the trash.

“Isn’t this what you wanted? You’ve always told me to know my place. What are you dissatisfied with now?” Ji Qingyu’s tone was flat and emotionless, so cold that Fu Han fell silent.

After a moment, the alpha’s grip on Ji Qingyu’s arm tightened abruptly. He lowered his head to kiss him, as if trying to compensate for something through force. Ji Qingyu allowed it, thinking of it as being bitten by a dog—he gave no response.

The ride home was filled with heavier silence.

Fu Han seemed truly angry this time. As soon as they entered, he slammed the master bedroom door shut, finally no longer squeezing into the small secondary bedroom with Ji Qingyu.

Ji Qingyu couldn’t be bothered to care. He slammed the secondary bedroom door even harder. Finally, he could sleep peacefully.