Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Meng Jing pressed her lips into a thin line and slipped behind Song Baichuan, couldn't help but laugh. Song Baichuan was pissed at everyone: "Read fewer of those trashy novels and comics, what's going on in that little girl's brain?"

"How dare you talk to your big sister like that." Meng Jing smacked him backhand. "A month older still makes me your sister, show some respect."

Xia Yinxi, the youngest one there, silently choked down his resentment.

Before they knew it, it was already past five. Grandpa Ji sat in his wheelchair, wheeled downstairs by the butler. Everyone stepped up to wish him a happy birthday, and Ji Yunzhuo led Xia Yinxi toward the center of the crowd.

The "Mrs. Ji" shares had been eyed by outsiders for years. Even though it was settled, you could tell a lot of people still had their own agendas.

People trying to cozy up to Xia Yinxi, others bringing guys and girls over to Ji Yunzhuo—such a huge beast, even a tiny bite would mean serious profit.

Ji Yunzhuo held his wine glass, cool as a cucumber, effortlessly blocking all the bad vibes aimed at Xia Yinxi while marking his territory.

"When's the wedding, President Ji?" a middle-aged man asked. "Make sure to let me know, so I can bring a little something."

"Haven't heard about an engagement either. President Ji, you're still so low-key."

Ji Yunzhuo replied, "Grandpa's not doing well, so we're keeping the engagement and wedding low-key."

"If the old man's sick, a wedding should cheer him up, right?"

Ji Yunzhuo smirked: "My dad was 'cheered away' by my uncle's wedding."

The room went quiet for a second, then a few people laughed awkwardly and changed the topic.

Xia Yinxi shut his eyes, holding in a laugh. Not polite. Not moral.

From the moment they met and he knocked over that urn, he knew Ji Yunzhuo probably didn't get along with his dad. Later, he kinda heard Song Baichuan mention some old Ji family stories, but it was just the same old story about chasing true love and running away.

But Xia Yinxi always felt there was more to it. From what he knew of Ji Yunzhuo, if his dad had just run off, he'd treat him like a stranger, not hold this quiet grudge.

He was curious and had asked the system about it, but it hemmed and hawed, pretended to lag, and gave him nothing—like a total AI moron.

And even though he and Ji Yunzhuo were a little closer now, they were nowhere near the point where he could pry into personal stuff, so he had to put that curiosity on hold for now.

Calling it a birthday party was just an excuse to network. Xia Yinxi took the chance to talk his parents into keeping things quiet for now, using the excuse that he was "afraid of being targeted," chatted with Grandpa Ji for a bit, and finally threw some shade at Ji Wentao before finally getting a chance to sit down and eat.

Ji Yunzhuo was still the center of attention, packed in with no room to breathe. The further Xia Yinxi got from him, the quieter it got. He found a super secluded corner behind a flower rack to snack on some pastries.

The banquet had these delicate Chinese-style pastries, sweet and light, but a little dry. After two cups of tea, Xia Yinxi finally let out a long sigh.

He really hated these kinds of events. At least the pastries were good. QvQ

Song Baichuan was busy with his own stuff, chatting away with some construction bigwigs. Li Yili took a second to bring Xia Yinxi a glass of wine: "This is good!"

It was indeed good—probably homemade green plum wine, super fruity. Xia Yinxi drank glass after glass, his cheeks and the corners of his eyes slowly turning red, feeling all warm.

By the time Ji Yunzhuo found him, he'd been zoning out for a while, crunching on something.

A waiter said carefully, "Young master, Master Xia has had about five or six glasses, and... he ate the plums too."

This green plum wine was a family recipe from the Ji family's distiller, at least fifty proof. Xia Yinxi had drunk over half a catty and even eaten the plums.

Ji Yunzhuo's cool hand touched Xia Yinxi's burning face. Xia Yinxi reacted slowly, rubbing against it like a kitten.

"Aren't you afraid of alcohol poisoning." Ji Yunzhuo applied a bit of pressure. "Still sober?"

Xia Yinxi lifted his eyelids to glance at him, swallowed the plum, and said, "Sour."

As evening fell and the wind picked up, guests began to leave before the rain started. Xia Yinxi hid in the corner, unwilling to greet anyone.

Once most people had gone, Xia Yinxi came out, dizzy, and looked at the violin hanging on the wall.

In this semi-Chinese-style reception hall, the Western instrument seemed oddly out of place. Xia Yinxi felt a daze—he had never learned any instrument, yet now he felt an inexplicable urge.

Before he could think it through, his body acted on its own. Melodious notes poured from the bow and his fingertips, blending with the wind and rain outside into a summer serenade.

Guests paused to watch. The reception hall was brightly lit, yet it felt as if a single, brighter beam fell only on Xia Yinxi.

Xia Yucheng stood at the door, sighing with emotion as he quietly asked Meng Shuxue, "Do you regret not letting our son major in music?"

Meng Shuxue shook her head. "Xiaoxi's happiness is what matters most."

Xia Yinxi had been clever since childhood, learning everything quickly and thoroughly, but his interests came and went fast. Once he mastered something, he moved on, unwilling to delve deeper.

Violin, cello, piano, bamboo flute, oil painting, watercolor, horseback riding... he might have forgotten some of what he'd learned himself.

As the piece ended, thunderous applause erupted. Xia Yinxi took an elegant bow, but a nearly absurd guess surfaced in his mind.

He had never learned any instrument.

Could the original body's skills transfer to him through the transmigration?

The gazes around him were full of amazement, admiration, and undisguised affection. Xia Yinxi was oblivious, but Ji Yunzhuo took it all in, his heartbeat pounding so fiercely it felt like it might burst through his chest.

He followed the light closer, suddenly seized by an impulse to tightly embrace Xia Yinxi and block everyone's view.

His.

His alone.

The praise around him felt unreal, but Xia Yinxi still smiled and thanked everyone, seeing them off as the host.

Finally, the world fell silent.

Rain was falling outside. Song Baichuan and Li Yili hadn't left yet. Ji Yunzhuo steadied Xia Yinxi and turned to say, "The rain might get heavier. I'll have the butler arrange guest rooms for you."

Song Baichuan nodded. "Why are you holding onto him?"

Ji Yunzhuo found the question odd. "He drank half a catty of green plum wine."

Song Baichuan: "Only half a catty."

Ji Yunzhuo: "?"

Xia Yinxi looked up: "I'm not drunk." The earlier dizziness was just from too many people and lack of oxygen.

Though the tips of his eyes, cheeks, and earlobes were red, his eyes were unusually clear—he really wasn't drunk.

...He had a face that looked like it couldn't handle alcohol.

Half a catty of fifty-proof wine, and he was still this sober. Ji Yunzhuo couldn't believe it.

Was this scientifically possible?

But recalling how he single-handedly took on five people, Ji Yunzhuo fell silent.

"Let's head back first." Ji Yunzhuo took Xia Yinxi's hand, but before they could leave the hall, the butler hurried over, saying the old man wanted to talk to the young master.

"You go ahead. I'll go back myself."

Ji Yunzhuo hesitated, still worried, but Xia Yinxi patted him. "I'm not a kid. Go ahead."

The staff took Song Baichuan and Li Yili to the guest rooms, while Xia Yinxi walked toward Ji Yunzhuo's residence. He remembered it was near the living room—just turn right, then left, cross a little stream, and take a path through...

He was lost.

Staring at the unfamiliar path, Xia Yinxi sighed, giving up. He really couldn't rely on his sense of direction.

The rain had let up. Xia Yinxi put away his umbrella and strolled along the path, figuring Ji Yunzhuo would call if he couldn't find him. Might as well check out the view.

The Ji estate at night was kind of creepy, but the streetlights kept him from getting totally lost.

After wandering around for a bit, Xia Yinxi pushed past flowers and willows into a small courtyard. Two cat houses sat by the entrance, their tiny residents curled up inside, fast asleep.

He crouched down and gently tapped a kitten's head with one finger, suddenly remembering he hadn't seen Cheng Hao all day. Li Yili had said he was stuck abroad in a storm and couldn't come back.

So who was looking after his Little Orange now?

"Little Stream ah Little Stream": Cheng Hao's not home, so who's taking care of my son?

"LiLiLi": ?

"Little Stream ah Little Stream": My cat!

"LiLiLi": You scared me...

"LiLiLi": Left with my housekeeper, don't worry.

"LiLiLi": Little Orange eating.jpg

"LiLiLi": Little Orange playing with a cat wand.mp4

Relieved, Xia Yinxi pocketed his phone.

Ji Yunzhuo still hadn't called, and he hadn't found his way, so he wandered along the lit paths, eventually reaching the entrance to the back hill.

In the dead of night, the pitch-black hill path was creepy, with streetlights only lighting the first bit. Xia Yinxi followed the lights back, but before he got far, he heard voices rustling from a nearby courtyard. He was about to ask for directions when someone spat, "Who does he think he is? He should've died with his useless dad!"

Xia Yinxi stopped, leaned against the courtyard gate, and held his breath.

Ah, the classic 'get lost and find drama' buff—long time no see!

"Isn't he scared of the dark? I had someone trick him into going to West Courtyard." Ji Wentao sat on a stone bench in the yard, rolling two walnuts in his hand. "Lock him up for one night, see if he shapes up."

Ji Wenjiang, sitting across from him, looked annoyed. "He was scared of the dark as a kid. He's almost thirty now. Can't you focus on the business? What's the point of these cheap tricks?"

"Relax, I checked. It's called... P-something-D. It's not that easy to fix. I've heard some people still have it until they're on their deathbed. Let him learn his lesson."

Ji Wenjiang couldn't be bothered to argue. He sipped his tea, then muttered like he had to vent, "You told him to go, and he just went? Is he stupid? You..."

"He's pretty close with that androgynous one, so I used his name. Don't worry."

Xia Yinxi: ...

He took back his earlier thought that Ji Yunzhuo wouldn't face payback. The one who really deserved it was someone else.

But Ji Yunzhuo's fear of the dark and PTSD—what was that all about?

Leaning against the wall, Xia Yinxi grabbed a nearby pinecone and slowly picked off its scales.

Meng Shuxue and Ji Yunzhuo had told him a lot about his likes and dislikes, down to little things like not liking people walking behind him. Ji Yunzhuo remembered them all and always went along with them.

But no one had ever told him what Ji Yunzhuo liked, disliked, or feared.

The legends about the Ming Ji leader he'd heard since transmigrating were too mythical, too fabricated. In their interactions, Ji Yunzhuo always seemed unbreakable, so much so that Xia Yinxi forgot that everyone has preferences, fears, and loves.

Xia Yinxi suddenly wanted to know Ji Yunzhuo's past.

...As a co-actor understanding his partner, it was professional ethics.

"Twenty years ago, when Ji Changming threw him into the mountains, we should've helped. Letting that kid survive has caused us so much trouble."

Xia Yinxi listened quietly, sending Ji Yunzhuo a message asking where he was.

Ji Wenjiang didn't respond. In the yard, Ji Wentao kept cursing, "Isn't his fear of the dark because Ji Changming locked him in that storage room for five whole days? That's his father's doing, nothing to do with us."

"Damn, he's tough—no parents, yet he's still alive, and he keeps making trouble for me!"

"Twenty years ago, we should've killed him... Ah!!!"

Xia Yinxi agilely climbed a locust tree outside the yard. Hidden by the leaves, he flicked his wrist, sending the pinecone flying straight into Ji Wentao's right eye.

Ji Wenjiang quickly stood to steady his brother. "What's wrong?"

"Damn, what hit me?!"

Ji Wentao stormed outside, covering one eye, and looked around. Seeing no one, he muttered, "Ghosts..."

"Enough, go see a doctor."

Ji Wenjiang helped him away. Xia Yinxi sat on a branch, leaning against the trunk, and sent Ji Yunzhuo another message.

No wonder Ji Yunzhuo threw away his father's ashes. Served him right.

When no reply came, Xia Yinxi called directly. The line rang for a while but no one answered. His heart tightened. Ji Wentao had tricked Ji Yunzhuo into going to West Courtyard and must have prepared to cut off his contact with the outside world.

Maybe he'd broken Ji Yunzhuo's phone, or the place had poor signal.

First, find him. Xia Yinxi quickly called Li Yili. "Hey, LiLi, where's West Courtyard?"

Li Yili's voice was groggy. "There's a remote little yard in the far west. No one's been there in ages. Why are you going?"

"Go find your brother, now!" Xia Yinxi opened his phone's compass, unsure if heading west from here would lead him there. "Get the butler too..."

He paused and changed his mind. "Don't tell anyone else. Go now."

If Ji Yunzhuo was having a PTSD episode, he might not want anyone to see.

Li Yili scrambled out of bed. "What happened? Why would my brother go there? Damn, he was locked in there for days as a kid... I'm on my way, don't panic."

On the other end, wind and heavy breathing from running filled the line. Li Yili worried that Xia Yinxi, after drinking so much, might go out in the rain. "My brother's place is far from West Courtyard. Don't get lost."

The wind faded, and Xia Yinxi's voice came through faintly. "I found him."