Chapter 193

Words : 1103 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

Ji Tingzhou deftly caught the child who came barreling toward him but was caught off guard by the weight, letting out a muffled grunt. "Heavy as a little pig." He pinched her cheeks, which he hadn’t done in days, and noticed they’d grown rounder—both pleased and slightly annoyed. How had Ji Nian gained weight the moment he left? Had Chen Mo been secretly feeding her pig feed? Completely unaware that her father was imagining her hunched over a metal basin full of pig feed, Ji Nian rummaged through his pockets with her tiny hands. "Where’s my gift? Where is it? Where’s my gift?" Ji Tingzhou frowned and pulled her hand out of his pocket. "You’re wrinkling it. The pockets aren’t designed to hold things." Ji Nian: "...Then what are they for?" Ji Tingzhou stared back impassively. "Aesthetics." Ji Nian shrugged. "Fine." Then she watched as Ji Tingzhou tilted his chin toward the stern-faced bodyguard standing across from them, sunglasses firmly in place. The bodyguard swiftly reached into one of his bulging pockets—ruining the otherwise serious silhouette of his suit—and pulled out a velvet box. With practiced efficiency, he sanitized it thoroughly before handing it over to Ji Tingzhou with utmost deference. Ji Tingzhou glanced at Ji Nian, gesturing for her to take it. Ji Nian: "........." So other people’s pockets *are* meant for holding things? She accepted the box, turning it over in her palms to examine it. Shen Qingtang leaned in curiously beside her. "Is it a gemstone?" Ji Nian pondered for a moment. "Dad usually doesn’t give those." He treated them like pebbles to skip across the lake. Honestly, Ji Nian strongly suspected the servants sneaked out at night with diving gear to "accidentally" drop them in the water. Otherwise, why couldn’t she find a single one when she went fishing for them during the day? But she was getting off track... [Definitely not bathroom supplies.] She had to emphasize this because of past "gifts"—like the "intricately crafted traditional-art toilet seat cover" or the "antique ivory toilet plunger carved with the god of toilets" (elephants need their tusks; protect wildlife, everyone). As a result, the most valuable part of Ji Nian’s room was her bathroom. "Just open it and see." Steeling ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍herself, she cracked the box open—expecting little but still feeling a flicker of anticipation. To her surprise, inside was a small vial. The transparent container was larger than an adult’s tartar deposit, small enough for Ji Nian to hold easily between two fingers. Inside was a semi-liquid substance, translucent yet shimmering with a metallic silver sheen. "So pretty," Shen Qingtang murmured in awe. Ji Nian nodded in agreement. [What *is* this?] She asked her system to scan it. Ever since Ji Nian started helping the system procure "Desperate Dad" merch, it had become far more obliging. It ran the scan without protest. "Huh? No results," it said, sounding surprised. Now *that* was surprising. Even the system couldn’t identify it. "Dad, what is this?" She turned to Ji Tingzhou, eyes brimming with curiosity. Seeing her interest, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "Something dug up by Lu Zhi’s people at the mines. An unclassified type of stone—heat-resistant, incredibly hard to refine." "What you’re holding is the extracted essence of over a thousand units. Tests confirm no radiation or toxicity." "But just in case, it’s sealed in a special container. Look, but don’t open it." Ji Nian nodded cheerfully, already plotting to extract a sample for study later. Noticing Shen Qingtang’s fascination, she placed the vial in her palm for a closer look. If Ji Tingzhou had given it to her, it was at least safe. Then she remembered something else and blinked up at Ji Tingzhou. It took him a second to catch on before he signaled the bodyguard to produce another item. The bodyguard once again reached into his overstuffed pocket, retrieved something, and sanitized it meticulously. Ji Nian shot a dubious look at his pockets. Was Ji Tingzhou using this man as a walking suitcase? "Oh! It’s my gift! Thank you, Uncle Ji!" Shen Qingtang accepted her present with a bright smile. Ji Tingzhou waved a hand dismissively—no thanks necessary. Gifts for Shen Qingtang were easy. The girl adored cheap trinkets—paper, tin, or acrylic—that skyrocketed in value simply because they bore certain characters’ faces. "The limited-edition *Doctor Miraculous* O.A. collab! I couldn’t find it even after hiring five proxy buyers!" Watching Shen Qingtang carefully inspect each item under the light, Ji Nian reached into her backpack and pulled out the resealable plastic bags Shen Qingtang always carried. "This size, right?" Shen Qingtang nodded eagerly and began packing her newly acquired treasures. Both girls were delighted with their gifts, their chatter lively on the way home. But Ji Nian, usually so talkative, didn’t bring up her visit to the Chen grandparents as expected. Ji Tingzhou’s gaze slid to Wei Yang, who’d already dug out his own gift from his inner pocket the moment they got in the car. Wei Yang, happily gnawing on duck neck, felt his boss’s stare and slowly looked over: ? What’s up? The man was built like a bear that had achieved enlightenment, cheeks puffed with food, meat strands clinging to his lips. Ji Tingzhou’s eyelid twitched. Idiot. At home, a mountain of packages waited at the entrance, servants busily hauling them under Zhile’s direction. Ji Nian tiptoed over and leaped for a sneak attack—only for Zhile to dodge as if she had eyes on the back of her head. "Too slow." When Ji Nian pouted at her failed ambush, Zhile bent down and tapped her forehead. Ji Tingzhou chimed in mockingly, "At your snail’s pace, you couldn’t even take on Wei Yang mid-crap." Wei Yang: "......" Of course she couldn’t—he’d just *pause* mid-business to retaliate. Ji Nian thought, *Oh, you wanna mock me?* Remembering what she’d brought back from Yudu Village, she flashed Ji Tingzhou a grin brimming with pure mischief. Suddenly, Ji Tingzhou felt a chill of foreboding. An hour later— He stood frozen before a dish that easily ranked among the top ten most revolting things he’d ever seen. A plate of glossy, shelled insects, their limbs curled, their beady eyes staring lifelessly. Ji Tingzhou jerked back violently. "Have you lost your mind?!" He whipped his head toward Ji Nian. This was worse than pig feed. From a distance, Wei Yang clutched his stomach, barely stifling laughter. He’d *known* Ji Nian would make her father face this dish. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Even back when they were starving enough to boil tree bark, Ji Tingzhou had refused to join the others in eating lice.

Chapter 193

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