Chapter 89 You're really good, kid.
A few days later, Ji Jingyu received a call from Yu Juncheng.
"Ji Jingyu, you're really something." The voice on the other end of the conversation was deliberately lowered, making every word sound ruthless. "Did you give those two recordings to the old man?"
Yu Juncheng never expected that this illegitimate son, whom he had never cared about, would tear apart his carefully maintained respectable life and throw his plans into chaos.
Deng Yi divorced him.
As the party at fault, and given the prenuptial agreement, Yu Juncheng ultimately had to leave with nothing. All his years of scheming had come to nothing.
After seeing Ji Jingyu at the hospital, Deng Yi had already made up her mind. As soon as she got home, she had a big fight with Yu Juncheng, who was trying to continue to deceive her with sweet talk.
The two were arguing when Deng Yi's father arrived and brought out two recordings.
One segment is a conversation between him and Ji Jingyu on the day of Jiangda University's anniversary celebration.
The other segment is a cell phone recording.
Yu Juncheng was then shocked to realize that Ji Jingyu had been recording their conversations every time they met.
After listening to the two recordings, Deng Yi's expression changed drastically. She slapped Yu Juncheng across the face, her sharp nails scratching his skin and drawing blood from a red mark.
"So that's why you've been so impatient with Xiao Chen lately, and even tried to hit him. So you think you've found a better son, and you want me to acknowledge your son with that bitch? You're just delusional!"
Over the years, Yu Juncheng may seem to be enjoying great success, but in reality, things haven't gone as planned.
Although Deng Yi liked him, she had been pampered since childhood, and her spoiled temperament was ingrained in her bones. She always had a natural sense of superiority when facing Yu Juncheng.
When she's in a good mood, she might even give him a pleasant look. But once her temper flares, she completely loses her temper, venting her dissatisfaction without restraint. Her cold words are like icicles, piercing and cutting, and she might even yell at him in front of the children, trampling on his dignity at will.
Deng Yi's father never treated him as one of his own, and his gaze towards him was always filled with undisguised contempt.
But now, even those have become nothing but a pipe dream.
—
Those two recordings were indeed given to Deng Yi's father by Ji Jingyu.
"I heard from President Jiang that you wanted to see me." Deng Shuhan looked at the young man in front of him with a condescending and scrutinizing gaze.
The boy in the school uniform had deep eyes, a high nose and thin lips, and a clear and sharp facial contour. His superior physique, somewhere between a teenager and an adult, was immediately apparent.
Like Deng Yi, Deng Shuhan recognized the boy's identity at first glance.
However, he couldn't quite guess why Ji Jingyu was looking for him.
It wasn't until Ji Jingyu gave him two recordings that things changed.
“I know it would be easy for you to find evidence of Yu Juncheng’s infidelity, but I believe you will need this.”
Deng Shuhan only reluctantly agreed to meet Jiang Yunzhao out of consideration for Jiang's background. After all, given Jiang's family history, it was already a sign of his kindness that he didn't seek revenge.
"May I ask you what your purpose is in doing this?" Deng Shuhan looked at the boy with his back ramrod straight with a leisurely expression. "If a despicable person like Yu Juncheng really divorces my daughter, have you considered the consequences for yourself?"
Ji Jingyu had certainly considered it.
Once Yu Juncheng divorces Deng Yi, he will inevitably vent all his resentment on them, distorting the truth and believing that they ruined his "good life".
"The truth is, regardless of whether I was involved in this matter or not, Yu Juncheng has already set his sights on me."
Ji Jingyu's peaceful and uneventful days had long been shattered by Yu Juncheng. The other party would not let him off the hook just because he showed weakness; on the contrary, he would only become more demanding and take advantage of him.
He slowly raised his eyes, his dark eyes staring directly at Deng Shuhan, showing no fear or panic. "So, rather than waiting to be killed, we should take the initiative."
As long as we are strong enough, we have nothing to fear from Yu Juncheng.
Moreover, after spending time with him several times, he discovered that Yu Juncheng was not as invincible as he had imagined.
Ji Jingyu privately asked Jiang Yunzhao about his past views on Yu Juncheng.
Honest, dutiful, family-oriented, and loving husband.
"Although Yu Juncheng isn't very capable, he has a good reputation. He's honest and upright, and he's known for being a devoted family man and husband." Jiang Yunzhao sneered. "Heh, this bastard is quite the actor."
For a moment, Ji Jingyu wondered if she was hallucinating.
What a ridiculous eight words.
"If Yu Juncheng could keep his affair so well hidden right under your nose, what about other things? Has he also planned and concealed them all this time?"
Ji Jingyu seemed to be mentioning it casually, but it also seemed to have a hidden meaning.
Although Deng Shuhan was wary of Yu Juncheng, he had still given him a lot of power over the years under Deng Yi's persistent persuasion.
"Is this your real purpose in coming to see me?" His gaze swept over Ji Jingyu, his cloudy eyes concealing a deep calculation. "Do you know something?"
“I don’t know anything,” Ji Jingyu said calmly, “but your expression just now tells me that my guess is correct.”
Deng Shuhan narrowed his eyes, signaling him to continue.
“When Yu Juncheng is with my mother, he always adopts a superior attitude and uses a commanding tone to demonstrate his so-called ‘authority.’ This shows that he is a selfish, arrogant, and controlling person. You probably know better than I how he is in front of you and your daughter. Would such a self-important person really be willing to be a puppet without any real power?”
These seemingly straightforward narratives struck Deng Shuhan like a thunderclap.
When they first met, Deng Shuhan thought Ji Jingyu looked a lot like Yu Juncheng, but now he doesn't think so at all.
It's astonishing that a spineless coward like Yu Juncheng, who only knows how to curry favor with the powerful and has no moral compass, could have such a smart and courageous child.
It's a pity that this child didn't come from his daughter's womb.
He thought.
Before leaving, Ji Jingyu called out to Deng Shuhan and bowed deeply to him.
"In the matter of my mother interfering in your daughter's marriage, we have always been the ones at fault. My grandmother has always felt guilty, and I apologize to you."
"You're not bad, kid."
Deng Shuhan left with a cryptic remark.
"What did you say to that old man? I felt like his expression was off when he left." Jiang Yunzhao strolled in unhurriedly, his face showing a hint of nonchalant laziness.
Actually, he had been in the car the whole time.
After all, he was the person Jiang Sui liked. If the old man really wanted to take action, he could help him.
Unexpectedly, Ji Jingyu was able to handle the situation on her own and end the conversation unscathed, while Old Master Deng's expression was unreadable.
Ji Jingyu had no intention of hiding anything from Jiang Yunzhao, and told him everything they had said in their conversation.
Jiang Yunzhao remained silent for a moment, and when he looked up again, his sharp gaze, like that of a hawk, swept over Ji Jingyu inch by inch, as if trying to see right through him.
Ji Jingyu stood obediently in place, letting him scrutinize and examine her.
His family is both Ji Jingyu's weakness and his strong support. He is willing to do anything to protect them.
After a while, Jiang Yunzhao patted Ji Jingyu on the shoulder, "Putting everything else aside, you're really good. It's said that Deng Shuhan used to be involved in organized crime when he was young. He's ruthless and vindictive. He can't tolerate any wrongdoing. Yu Juncheng's days ahead won't be easy."
When he was Ji Jingyu's age, all he could think about was how to win over Su Yinian; he didn't consider anything else.
If he had been more mature and considered things more carefully back then, he and Su Yinian might not have gone through so many hardships.
—
So Ji Jingyu wasn't surprised to receive Yu Juncheng's call.
Hearing Yu Juncheng's furious roar from the other end of the phone, Ji Jingyu's expression didn't change at all. She gently stroked the edge of the phone with her fingertips and retorted word by word, "It's all your own fault."
Yu Juncheng threatened him menacingly, "Fine, you just wait..."
Before he could finish speaking, Ji Jingyu hung up the phone.
Making threats is the most useless form of bluffing.
Hearing the dial tone on the phone, Yu Juncheng was so angry that he smashed the phone.
But he really doesn't have time to deal with Ji Jingyu right now.
Over the years, Yu Juncheng secretly established a company behind Deng Shuhan and Deng Yi's back. He took advantage of his position to steal the company's trade secrets and technical solutions, successfully taking away several important projects to seek personal gain for his company.
He thought he had kept it a secret, until all the projects the company was negotiating were canceled midway, and he realized that Deng Shuhan had discovered his actions.
With a broken capital chain, huge bank loans owed, and forced to leave with nothing, Yu Juncheng's current situation can only be described as extremely dire.
—
Ji He never expected to see Yu Juncheng again under such an unexpected circumstances.
He hunched over in the shadows of the street corner, his hat pulled low and his mask covering most of his face, looking utterly pathetic and desperate.
They were nothing like their former dignified and arrogant selves.
When Ji He was suddenly grabbed by the arm, he almost thought he had encountered a robber.
"Don't shout, it's me." Yu Juncheng took off his mask and dragged Ji He forward with a limp, as if something terrible was chasing him.
"What are you doing here?" Ji He's eyes widened. "What happened to your leg?"
"Shut up!" came a roar in response.
During this period, Yu Juncheng lived a very impoverished and destitute life.
He urgently needed money to make ends meet, otherwise even the company's accounts would be frozen.
Yu Juncheng planned to start with Deng Yi, hoping she would change her mind for the sake of their many years of marriage and their two children. If all else failed, he would ask Deng Shuhan for help.
Unfortunately, he didn't even get to see Deng Yi.
As soon as the two divorced, Deng Shuhan sent her and their two children abroad.
After returning empty-handed from the Deng family, Yu Juncheng was forced to humbly borrow money from a few friends.
His former friends who used to fawn over him have all turned their backs on him. When he came to ask for help, they either refused to see him or made sarcastic remarks, showing no mercy whatsoever. Some even wanted to kick him while he was down.
On the contrary, a friend he didn't usually see was not only willing to lend him money, but also said he could help him get more money.
At that time, Yu Juncheng was so desperate that he tried anything and everything, hoping to grasp at any sliver of hope.
So he followed his friend into a casino.
At first, he was incredibly lucky, winning almost every time. His friends praised him as "the reincarnation of the God of Gamblers".
Yu Juncheng couldn't quite remember what happened next.
He only remembered that he initially only wanted to win enough to pay off his bank loan and then stop, but his friend said that he should take advantage of this good momentum and win more.
No one would complain about not having enough money, and Yu Juncheng was easily persuaded.
Once he has won enough money and the company is back on its feet, he will take revenge on those who kicked him while he was down.
He also wanted Deng Shuhan to kneel down and apologize to him in person...
But gradually, Lady Luck stopped favoring Yu Juncheng.
He quickly lost all his chips, but how could someone who was already blinded by gambling leave the table?
Yu Juncheng roughly shoved aside the people next to him, grabbed a waiter waiting on the side, and said in a hoarse and urgent voice, "I need to borrow money! I need to borrow money!"
So what if casinos and loan sharks have compounding interest?
As long as he can turn things around, none of this is a problem.
He will definitely turn things around!
...
The footsteps and angry shouts of the debt collectors grew closer and closer. Terrified, Yu Juncheng ran into a narrow alley without thinking, losing one of his shoes in the process, not even bothering to pick it up.
He had just been beaten up by them, and his body was covered in bruises, especially his right foot, which was in excruciating pain at the slightest touch.
After a long while, he dared to stick half his head out, his back covered in cold sweat, his whole body trembling uncontrollably.
The surroundings were silent; the debt collectors seemed to have left.
Yu Juncheng cursed under his breath and turned to run in another direction.
Li Cheng couldn't stay in Li Cheng any longer; he was going to find Ji He.
—
"Take me to your house right away!"
Yu Juncheng had already been to Nianhuali Community. Perhaps because of the previous police report, or perhaps because Ji Jingyu had specifically instructed him, the security guards at the gate refused to let him enter the community again.
Ji He shook her head. "No, my mom is recuperating at home. She'll get angry if she sees you."
"It's better if your mother stays at home." Yu Juncheng smiled coldly. "Do you know how much money the old woman has?"
What do you mean by that?
Ji He wasn't blind; Yu Juncheng's current state was too strange. A sense of unease welled up in her heart, and she stopped in her tracks, refusing to follow him any further.
“I desperately need money right now, so get all the cash you have on you and give it to me immediately. And your mother too, the old woman has lived so many years, she must have some savings.” Yu Juncheng’s tone grew increasingly frantic. “By the way, whose name is your house under? Sell it immediately, no matter whose name it’s under…”
"Are you crazy?" Ji He looked at the other person in disbelief, her eyes filled with astonishment.
"I'm not joking with you, go and raise the money for me right now!" Yu Juncheng gripped Ji He's wrist tightly, not letting go even when she winced in pain. "You dare disobey me?"
"The house is sold, and all the money is given to you, but what about us?"
A hint of annoyance flashed across Yu Juncheng's face, but in order to achieve his goal, he patiently coaxed her, "The difficulties are only temporary. Once I get through this, I'll buy you a bigger and better house. Besides, I've already divorced Deng Yi. Haven't you always wanted to marry me? We can start our own family soon."
Marrying Yu Juncheng has become an obsession for Ji He.
If it were in the past, upon hearing Yu Juncheng say that, she might have acted impulsively and followed his lead, doing those foolish things.
But that's impossible now.
Moreover, with just a little thought, she would discover that Yu Juncheng's words were full of flaws.
"I could never do that."
Upon hearing that Ji He dared to refuse him, Yu Juncheng's face darkened completely.
This money was his last lifeline; he had to get it.
With this money, he can go elsewhere and make a comeback.
"It's okay if you don't give it to me, someone else will."
The unease in her heart grew stronger, and Ji He tried to pry Yu Juncheng's fingers open, trying to break free from his grasp. "What exactly do you want to do?"
Seeing that Ji He refused to cooperate, Yu Juncheng's patience ran out. He suddenly increased the force of his push and dragged her to a secluded place.
“You are the old woman’s only daughter. If you threaten her with you, she will definitely give you money.”
He wanted more money. Even if Ji Lanwan couldn't come up with it, there was still Jiang Yunzhao, wasn't there?
They have such a good relationship, he doesn't believe Jiang Yunzhao would stand idly by.
Yu Juncheng actually wanted to kidnap her and extort money from her mother.
Is he crazy?
Ji He struggled desperately, but even though Yu Juncheng had injured a leg, the difference in strength between them was still huge. She was dragged along and staggered forward, the rough road surface hurting her soles.
Who can save her?
The only response Ji He received was her own cries and the other person's heavy breathing.
She could clearly feel her strength draining away bit by bit, and despair overwhelmed her like a tidal wave...
"Oh, Mr. Yu, we've been looking for you for ages!"
A vulgar voice interrupted.
Ji He was thrown out, and when she came to her senses again, Yu Juncheng was surrounded by a group of people.
He crouched on the ground, holding his head, letting them push and shove him while hurling insults at him, pleading repeatedly, "Give me a few more days, and I'll definitely pay you back. Please, please."
The leader revealed a mocking smile, crossed his arms and looked down at Yu Juncheng: "Master Deng is really resourceful. He said you would definitely come to this place, and told us to guard it. I didn't expect it to be true."
One of them, with triangular eyes, kicked Yu Juncheng hard, yelling, "Run! Run again!"
Master Deng?
Yu Juncheng had already suspected that Deng Shuhan had set him up, and these people's words made that suspicion a complete certainty.
What good would it do to know?
He couldn't care less about that now; he had to find a way to escape.
Yu Juncheng's gaze fell on Ji He beside him. His pupils suddenly contracted, and the despair on his face was overwhelmed by wild joy, revealing a ferocious expression of crying and laughing at the same time. "Go ask her for it. She has money."
The other person kicked him to the ground and spat at him, saying, "Do you think we guys don't know the law? You owe us money, it's all in black and white, we have a written agreement, it's only right that we ask you for it. But she has nothing to do with this, if we ask her for the money, wouldn't that be robbery?"
“She’s mine, she’ll definitely help me pay back the money!” Seeing that the other party was unmoved, Yu Juncheng added, “Or I can pawn her to you. Although she’s a bit older, someone will definitely like her…”
"It's so noisy, hurry up and cover your mouth and tow the car up."
The group quickly got into the car.
Just before driving off, the man rolled down the window and glanced at the stunned Ji He. His tone was casual yet carried an undeniable ruthlessness. "Big sister, we won't cause you any trouble, and you shouldn't go against us. Just pretend we didn't see anything today. Also, Boss Deng asked me to pass on a message to you: it's a good thing you had a good son. Be a decent person in the future and don't do such despicable things again."
That's ridiculous, that's absurd.
Is this repulsive man really the one she has loved for so many years?
She ruined her life because of such a man and almost ended up being abandoned by everyone.
Ji He suddenly raised his hand and slapped himself hard across the face.
—
"What happened to you?" Ji Lanwan was so shocked when she saw Ji He looking disheveled that she almost fell off her chair. Luckily, the nanny she had hired caught her in time.
Seeing the worry on Ji Lanwan's face, Ji He could no longer control her emotions. She stumbled over and hugged Ji Lanwan tightly, choking back tears as she apologized, "I'm sorry, Mom, I was wrong, I really know I was wrong."
Her emotions were complex; she felt relieved to have survived, hated Yu Juncheng, but felt mostly guilty towards Ji Lanwan and Ji Jingyu.
She almost let a wolf into the house and ruined the family.
"Did Yu Juncheng come looking for you again? Did he hit you? Give me my phone, I'm calling the police right now!"
“This is the last time. I will never see him again. I swear to you.” Ji He stopped Ji Lanwan. “From today onwards, let’s pretend this person is dead.”
Ji Lanwan sighed, "You have to keep your word. If you continue to entangle yourself with Yu Juncheng, Xiao Jing and I will never forgive you again."
"I know, I know," Ji He nodded repeatedly.
—
When Ji Lanwan recovered enough to walk on her own, Ji He packed her bags and left the house.
She left behind only a letter and a bank card.
"Mom, I accepted the opportunity to be transferred to another province. I will come back when I feel I can face you and Xiaojing with my own face."
“The card I’m giving you contains my savings from all these years. Don’t worry, every penny in it is money I earned myself, it’s absolutely clean. I will continue to deposit money into the card on time every month. If you still consider me your daughter, please accept this.”
Author's Note: Thank you so much for the nutritional supplements, my darlings! [kissing emojis]
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