Chapter 19. Ji Qingyu sat in the passenger seat...
Ji Qingyu sat in the passenger seat. The car was so quiet it was almost unnerving. Fu Han didn't say anything. Ji Qingyu was holding a warm bowl of white fungus soup, which Fu Han had just handed to him from the back seat, saying it was brought to him by Aunt Wang.
Fu Han remained silent, and Ji Qingyu was also unsure what to say.
The view outside the window was quite nice. It was already warm enough to wear a light sweater, and the early autumn air was a bit chilly. Ji Qingyu was not good at handling the cold, so he quietly went to press the heater button.
Fu Han ignored him and rolled the window down a crack.
"Luo Sheng said you're a good kid and said a lot of good things about you. How come everyone around me likes you after you married me?" The car was parked in the parking lot without being started. Fu Han seemed to have nothing to do and deliberately wanted to waste time with Ji Qingyu.
Ji Qingyu slowly ate her white fungus soup, then, as if remembering something, glanced at Fu Han and quietly handed him the photo in her hand.
"Um, you didn't go over there just now, so we took our picture first," Ji Qingyu said. "We've left a spot for you. If you need it, I can add it for you."
He doesn't know how to use Photoshop, but he should be able to ask Nannan for help. Nannan showed him her masterpiece, and he doesn't understand why a perfectly normal girl would Photoshop herself into an alien.
Fu Han took the photo, glanced at it, and put it aside without any expression.
“Ji Qingyu.” Fu Han’s voice was very calm as he rested his chin on his hand. “You have other plans, right? Releasing songs, releasing albums, I can help you with any of them. Consider it a thank you gift for helping me find my mother.”
He doesn't actually have that many plans. He used to write songs just because he wanted to. After six years, he no longer has that much inspiration.
But he was still very happy that Fu Han said that.
Ji Qingyu sensed that Fu Han wasn't so angry anymore. He slowly drank the white fungus soup, and his stomach felt a little warmer.
“However,” Fu Han’s voice turned cold again, and he finally started the car and drove towards home, “don’t think that the past can be wiped clean.”
"Ji Qingyu, you have no credibility with me anymore." Fu Han stated the facts. Ji Qingyu didn't react in time. The tenderness turned into an ice cave, and his heart was pulled down again.
“I have good news for you. I’ve never been able to find that female omega from back then, but recently someone ran into her in Beijing. What do you think, if I catch up with her, you two can catch up?” Fu Han’s voice was slow and laced with sarcasm. “After all, she’s an old friend.”
"I...I don't want to see her." Ji Qingyu clutched the hem of her sweater, fear and panic surfacing along with the name.
"Of course you don't want to see her. You two, one a murderer and the other an accomplice, dropped out of school and went home after doing that kind of thing, while the other simply fled to avoid punishment. You two are really in sync."
Fu Han turned the steering wheel, and the car drifted violently. The tires screeched against the ground, and Ji Qingyu reached out and grabbed the car's handrail, but her body still fell uncontrollably towards Fu Han.
Fu Han dodged him as if he were burning his hand. His body bumped into the control panel, and the car almost shifted into neutral. It skidded a few times on the cold road, and Fu Han slammed on the brakes to bring it to a stop on the side of the road.
Ji Qingyu lurched forward, feeling weightless. He raised his hand to press against the windshield, but his head still slammed against the car body with a dull thud. It hurt a lot. He covered his head, and a sharper pain shot through his wrist.
This was completely unexpected. Before Ji Qingyu could react, Fu Han grabbed her wrist again. Ji Qingyu tried to push him away, but her wound was being squeezed. He forced out a few trembling words through his teeth, "Let go, let me go."
"Let go?" Fu Han reacted as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. The bubble of tenderness melted away, and he reverted to his arrogant and indifferent demeanor. He would not allow himself to be weak, nor would he allow anyone to disobey him. His words alone were incredibly hurtful. "Ji Qingyu, you provoked me first. Why didn't you let me go back then? Now you have the nerve to say you're letting go?"
Ji Qingyu was so frightened by Fu Han's intense offensive that he fell silent once again. He felt a tightness in his chest, a dull feeling settling in his lungs, and his eyes were wide open.
“I only wanted your money and power. Now that you’ve let go, I can’t be smug anymore. Isn’t that exactly what you wanted?” Ji Qingyu said. He thought that this was the best of both worlds. He could leave after Lin Ying’s surgery, and Fu Han wouldn’t have to see him every day and find him an eyesore.
Fu Han gripped Ji Qingyu's wrist tighter and tighter, his gaze fixed on her. The emotions that had welled up within him vanished in an instant.
“Whatever choice I make is my business, but you have no choice.” Fu Han finally took pity on Ji Qingyu and let go of her hand. “You have no choice but to obey.”
Ji Qingyu looked at his wrist. It looked the same on the outside, but inside it was covered in scars, just like his relationship with Fu Han. It seemed like there was still room for growth, but it was already riddled with holes.
After that, they remained silent for the rest of the time. Fu Han drove home and said, "I stand by my word. You can think about writing the song yourself."
“Fu Han…” Ji Qingyu mustered her courage, “What exactly did you mean when you asked me a few days ago if I was hiding anything from you?”
Fu Han glanced back at Ji Qingyu but didn't respond. He had left the photo in the car. Ji Qingyu sighed and picked up the photo.
They were supposed to go to the banquet together, but when Fu Han went home to change clothes, he received a phone call and left early, leaving the car for Ji Qingyu.
It was Wang Sao who noticed Ji Qingyu's wrist. Less than half an hour later, her wrist had become red and swollen, indicating a bruise.
Aunt Wang found some spray and sprayed it on Ji Qingyu's wrist a few times. Since she couldn't fix it with a bandage and it would be too conspicuous at the banquet, Ji Qingyu just let it be.
The dinner was hosted by the Ji family to discuss long-term business cooperation between the Ji and Fu families. The dinner was held at the Banshan Winery, an ancient building built by a nobleman who stayed there in the last century. The gathering was more like a private banquet among core members. Almost all the attendees were prominent figures who knew each other well and gathered in groups of three to five.
Ji Qingyu wasn't good at dealing with people, so she just found a corner and spaced out by herself.
Fu Yunbo seemed unaware of Luo Sheng's situation. He remained arrogant, standing in the center of the banquet hall talking to Ji Deyong with a cold, fake smile on his lips.
Ji Deyong was seen with a beautiful woman by his side. She is a rising star who is currently enjoying great popularity. She is a rare new generation actress in the entertainment industry who has both acting skills and good looks.
Ji Qingyu felt annoyed even looking at Ji Deyong. Amidst the neon lights, clinking glasses, and bustling activity, he hid behind a high wall of champagne towers and food, where few could see him. This made him feel slightly more comfortable, and he hoped to stay there until the end of the banquet.
The fruit at the banquet was fresh. Ji Qingyu picked up a few grapes and put them in his mouth. A waiter brought over a cocktail, and he drank the whole glass in no time.
Perhaps the liquor was too refreshing, because he actually wanted to drink more. Before he could call for help, a hand adorned with expensive jewelry handed him a cocktail from behind.
"Thank you." Ji Qingyu turned around to express her gratitude, but her expression immediately froze. Coincidentally, it was Ji Ran.
"This is the kind of stuff for kids. You can only drink this much." Ji Ran smiled at Ji Qingyu in a seemingly affectionate manner, his hair styled in a fluffy and stylish way, and his every move exuding the air of nobility that comes from years of mingling in high society.
Ji Qingyu put down her cocktail and tried to leave without saying a word.
Anything good ever happens where Ji Ran is. He's like a shark that smells blood; he finds his prey without any warning.
He was dressed playfully today, like an innocent and naive child. Underneath his white suit was a colorful plaid shirt, with two buttons undone, revealing his beautiful collarbone.
"Brother, don't go! I brought you flowers to congratulate you on the successful completion of your performance." Ji Ran magically produced a bouquet of white lilies from behind his back. They were a very inexpensive variety of lilies, with black spots on their pure white, curved petals.
“No need,” Ji Qingyu said. “I don’t want these things.”
Especially not what you give me.
"You really don't want to talk to me? Then don't force yourself. I'll find someone else to talk to you." Seeing that Ji Qingyu didn't intend to respond, Ji Ran wasn't annoyed. He put the flowers aside, grabbed Ji Qingyu's wrist, and called out with a smile in the direction of 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 positions to the bar area. Only then did Ji Qingyu notice that there was another person standing behind the bar. He looked somewhat similar to Fu Yunbai, but he was middle-aged and dressed very modestly. He had a kind of bitterness about being frustrated and unsuccessful.
Ji Ran pulled Ji Qingyu over, not even glancing at the middle-aged man who was mixing drinks, and sweetly greeted him, "My brother and I were busy chatting and didn't come to greet the elders."
"Good girl." Fu Yunbai smiled. In public, he didn't embarrass Ji Qingyu. He simply lowered his gaze and asked Ji Qingyu in a calm tone, "Where's Xiaohan? Didn't you come with him? Why haven't I seen him?"
He had not received any notification from Fu Han.
Ji Qingyu thought to herself, "Doesn't Fu Yunbai know his son's character? How could he possibly have the time to tell me his whereabouts? Maybe he has something to take care of if he leaves before him."
He shook his head: "Perhaps something came up and he was delayed. He's been very busy lately and has a lot of work to do."
"President Fu is a young and promising talent, at the height of his career, unlike us, who are already old and just getting by." Ji Deyong's middle-aged weight gain made the female celebrity next to him appear even smaller. Ji Qingyu couldn't stand it; he felt physically nauseous whenever he was near this man. He looked away, refusing to look at this "father."
"Brother Ji, what are you saying?" Fu Yunbo smiled casually and got straight to the point, "There will be many more collaborations in the future that will require the efforts of both of you."
After a series of repetitive polite remarks, Ji Qingyu found it uninteresting and tried to turn and leave, but Ji Ran blocked her way.
Ji Ran revealed his handsome canine teeth and tilted his head slightly. Ji Qingyu ignored him and continued walking past him.
“Fu Han is indeed very busy.” Ji Ran leaned against the bar. The bartender handed Ji Ran a dry martini, which was his most frequently drunk and favorite drink. It was strong, bitter, and easy to get drunk. Ji Ran smiled softly, his eyes like a clear and pure agate.
He stood up, leaned close to Ji Qingyu, and whispered in her ear in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Fu Han arrived early this morning. He's upstairs now. What a coincidence, I saw him with a beautiful omega."
Ji Ran straightened Ji Qingyu's cuffs, lowered his gaze to look at his wrist, and Ji Qingyu pulled his hand back. Ji Ran smiled again, a very bright, very malicious fake smile.
"Brother, I like you the most, of course I have to help you. I'll show you a way, do you want to go and take a look?"
A note from the author:
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