Chapter 131

Words : 1133 Updated : Oct 5th, 2025

“Dad, what’s wrong?” Ji Nian paused for a moment but still walked over. Ji Tingzhou turned his head and saw the child covered in sweat. He handed her a tissue, and his frightening expression softened somewhat. “Where were you just now?” She took the tissue and wiped the sweat from her forehead after running a long distance, then replied, “The secret base.” Upon hearing that it had to do with the laboratory, Ji Tingzhou knew asking further would be pointless since he wouldn’t understand anyway. So, he didn’t delve into the topic. “Go upstairs and take a shower. You’ve been out all day.” Ji Nian discarded the tissue and said, “Got it.” “This is a gift for Dad. Remember to open it.” Seeing that Ji Tingzhou didn’t seem inclined to explain why he was in a bad mood, Ji Nian didn’t push. Knowing she was feeling sticky and uncomfortable, she quickly went to take a shower. Ji Tingzhou stared at the small box on the table. Having grown accustomed to receiving gifts from Ji Nian, he calmly used a disinfectant wipe to clean the gift box before opening it.@@@@ Inside, he found a box of chocolates. Upon closer inspection, he could smell the aroma of brandy, indicating they were alcohol-filled. The chocolates were shaped like various small animals, with quite a few being little yellow chicks—some with raised tails, others grinning stupidly. That stupid grin reminded him of Ji Nian. Just as he finished changing his clothes, Zhi Liao, who had seemingly never left the Ji household, suddenly appeared and said to Ji Tingzhou, “She made these herself.” Forest Kingdom Elephant Mommy’s Baking Center. The small animals who were bullied by their coworkers and superiors at work had jobs there. While completing tasks, Ji Nian picked up the skill of making chocolates and decided to gift them to Ji Tingzhou. Zhi Liao also knew that Ji Nian had prepared something for her, but she wasn’t asking, waiting for the child to give it to her personally. Hearing that Ji Nian had made them herself, Ji Tingzhou raised an eyebrow. “She made these?” His hand, which was about to take one, paused. Ji Tingzhou decided not to eat them and instead sealed them away. After Ji Nian came downstairs freshly bathed, she saw the chocolates untouched and asked puzzledly, “Dad, don’t you want to try them? I made them myself.” Ji Tingzhou calmly replied, “I don’t like chocolates.” Ji Nian thought, as if that were possible. You love them to death. However, she didn’t call him out on it in front of everyone. “Dad, Uncle said he’s going to a faraway place. Do you know where he’s going?” Ji Nian tilted her head to look at him. Ji Tingzhou thought to himself, I know. To the underworld, of course. But he didn’t say this to the child, merely stating that he wasn’t sure. His vague and perfunctory attitude made Ji Nian suspect that he might know something. “Don’t ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍talk about him.” “There’s something I need to tell you.” Why call it vicious? Because it was impossible to tell that Chen Mo had been poisoned. To the outside world, he probably appeared to be suffering from some genetic mutation, a disease so terrifying that any ailment linked to genetics is beyond frightening. The poisoner was relying on this line of thought. He wanted Chen Mo to believe he was ill, to die in the agony of thinking he had a terminal illness. “If I had discovered this a bit later, I would’ve known about my ‘uncle’s’ death a week later as a ‘little gray rabbit.’” Ji Nian put the report down. The system couldn’t help but ask: [Since no matter how you look at it, it seems like a strange illness, how did you figure out it was poison?] Ji Nian put on her custom-fitted gloves, raring to go: “Because I have special methods.” “The poisoner may have hoodwinked others, but he can’t fool me.” [So, are you going to save him? You still have school the day after tomorrow. It’s too late.] The system coldly stated. Perhaps everyone, including Ji Tingzhou, thought that since Ji Nian had gained an uncle, she cared deeply about him. The system had initially thought the same. But after accompanying Ji Nian for so long, it understood her true nature very well. At first, she had even toyed with Ji Tingzhou, and it was only through these two years of interaction that she gradually opened her heart. How long had she known Chen Mo? Initially, her kindness toward Chen Mo was merely because he fit her aesthetic preferences. Later, although she knew he was her uncle, in reality, he was no different from a teacher in her mind. This wicked little chick didn’t admit it, but she just enjoyed seeing Ji Tingzhou’s flustered look at having a ‘competitor.’ Kids who lack love just have too many tricks up their sleeves. If you were to dissect it carefully, Ji Nian isn’t unkind to anyone. Her image of a naive, sweet, little sunbeam is so well-crafted that even Ji Tingzhou has only glimpsed a tiny sliver of her true self. Hearing its cold, unfeeling words... oh wait, it’s not even human. Upon hearing the system’s words, Ji Nian thought this guy is the real system. How could a bunch of data have human emotions? Chen Mo’s poison had nothing to do with her own toxins, but the uniqueness of this poison had sparked Ji Nian’s challenge spirit, so no matter what, she was going to do it. Isn’t the reason sufficient? As she thought this, scenes suddenly flashed in her mind: in the Forest Kingdom, Chen Mo’s complex, worry-filled gaze, and the many things that no one had ever taught her. Presented to her in an innocent, fairy-tale-like manner with a margin for error, the depth of care shown had even softened this ‘hardened excrement’ with a warm urine. “Does this count as being raised all over again in a new world...” She muttered, her voice low, and when she raised her head again, she had reverted to her usual, smiling, naive Ji Nian. [Of course I’ll save him. He’s my uncle, after all.] At this moment, she didn’t know that the poisoner had used such a thing on Chen Mo with the intent of mockery. The one who sold poisons finally fell to poison itself. How laughable, wouldn’t you say? ... In the shadows, a black-clothed man heard the news that Chen Mo had isolated himself, refusing to see anyone, and reached out to remove a piece from the chessboard. "A useless relic, it's time to step off the stage."

Chapter 131

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