Chapter 195

Words : 1438 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

The melody came to an end, and the snow-white little sprite bowed to her two young audience members before descending from the stage. The lid of the box closed automatically, returning it to its unremarkable wooden state, as if the scene had been nothing more than a vivid dream shared by the two girls. It wasn’t until a cool breeze swept through, raising goosebumps on their arms, that they snapped out of the spell cast by the performance. “I’ve never heard that piece before,” Shen Qingtang was the first to speak. She was a piano student and loved listening to all kinds of music in her free time, but she had never come across the melody that had just played from the box. The lively tune, with its rhythmic beats, had lifted her spirits considerably. Ji Nian traced the patterns carved into the box, patterns she had once seen at the Lu family’s home. “It was beautiful,” she said. The performance had sparked a desire in her to open the box and see if the little sprite was truly real. Of course, Ji Nian’s curiosity had always been reserved for her experiments with poisons, so even though the thought crossed her mind, she wouldn’t act on it. If she accidentally broke it, that would be a true shame... Though it was an unexpected gift, Ji Nian decided to place it on the shelf in her room, alongside the other presents she had received from her family. Before stepping off the stool she used to reach the shelf, she couldn’t resist taking one last look. Even though it had only been a short time since she first saw it, the second viewing still left her in awe. As for the small bottle of mysterious semi-liquid Ji Tingzhou had gifted her, Ji Nian decided to take it to her lab. She had originally planned to study it thoroughly tonight, but after seeing the gift from the young prince, her curiosity had waned slightly. “There’s no rush,” she thought. With that, Ji Nian headed downstairs to finish her meal. Unsurprisingly, the fried cicadas she had been looking forward to were nowhere to be seen on the table. They had clearly been removed. She glanced at Ji Tingzhou, who showed no sign of guilt, and let out a quiet huff in her mind. “What did Lu Jinghuai give you?” Ji Tingzhou asked casually. Ji Nian described what she had seen. Ji Tingzhou’s expression was... complicated, to say the least. He glanced at Ji Nian, who was already digging into her food with gusto, clearly hungry after the day’s events. Lu Zhi’s son had certainly been generous. If he remembered correctly, that box was a royal heirloom, said to hold symbolic significance related to the founding of the nation. It seemed Princess Feia had taken it with her and later given it to Lu Jinghuai. And now, it had ended up in his daughter’s hands. Ji Tingzhou, with a touch of mischief, chose not to tell Ji Nian about its history. However, wasn’t the box supposed to have stopped working long ago? Yet, according to Ji Nian, it seemed to be functioning perfectly. “Shen Qingtang’s grandparents are coming tomorrow. I’ve asked Wei Yang to invite the Chen family elders as well. It’s a good opportunity to settle these matters,” Ji Tingzhou said, his tone casual, as if he were discussing objects rather than people. Ji Nian paused, her spoon halfway to her mouth, and turned to him sharply. “What?” “Dad’s going to meet them?” She had thought Ji Tingzhou would be more resistant, given how he had treated Chen Mo in the past. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, Ji Tingzhou glanced at her. “Yes.” If he was willing, Ji Nian had nothing more to say. [Old Master Chen probably won’t come, but Old Lady Chen might,] Ji Nian thought, though she didn’t voice any objections. After dinner, father and daughter took their dog, Da Dan, out for a walk to help with digestion. Ji Nian held the leash, watching the large dog wag its tail happily ahead of them. She turned to Ji Tingzhou. “Dad, how’s the investigation into ‘The Crow’ going?” Knowing she would ask, Ji Tingzhou had prepared his response. “We’ve gathered some useful information.” He then briefed her on the recent movements of The Crow. Though his explanation was concise, Ji Nian quickly deduced why they had retreated from Hua Country. [What a shame. I was hoping to meet The Crow’s chemist, but it seems that’s not going to happen now.] [Still, given their nature, they’ll probably make a comeback someday.] Ji Nian’s thoughts mirrored Ji Tingzhou’s. The taste of defeat was bitter, and they would need to ensure they left no trace if they wanted to survive. Even if he didn’t take action, the leaders of various nations who had suffered from their poisons wouldn’t let them off easily. “Chen Mo played a part in this too,” Ji Tingzhou added, thinking of Chen Mo’s relentless pursuit of vengeance. He almost wished Ji Nian could see how ruthless her uncle could be. Chen Mo was usually so composed, but when it came to exacting revenge, he showed no mercy. Ji Tingzhou wondered who between them was more feared. If anything, Chen Mo was the one who had truly gone all out. ... The next day, Ji Nian and Shen Qingtang took the day off because of the guests. When Shen Qingtang’s grandparents heard she had skipped school for them, they were horrified, insisting that her education shouldn’t be disrupted. It took some convincing from Wei Yang, who explained that missed lessons would be made up by tutors hired by the Ji family, before the elders finally relaxed. “You must be Ji Nian. Shen Qingtang talks about you all the time. You’re so lovely, and you look just like your father,” the grandmother said upon seeing Ji Nian, her eyes flicking toward Ji Tingzhou in surprise. Goodness, she really did look exactly like him. It was almost uncanny. “Hello, Grandma, Grandpa,” Ji Nian greeted them, following Shen Qingtang’s lead. She took the opportunity to study the elderly couple. The grandmother, who had endured hardships in her youth, was quite thin, as Shen Qingtang had mentioned. She wore a gray suit and had a gentle, kind demeanor. The grandfather, just like in the photos, had a dark complexion and a surprisingly robust build. He was cheerful and straightforward, with a constant smile on his face. They were the epitome of ideal grandparents. Ji Nian sat quietly beside Ji Tingzhou, listening to the adults’ conversation. Her eyes occasionally met Shen Qingtang’s across the table. Both girls were worried about being separated. Fortunately, things weren’t as bad as they had feared. “Mr. Ji, here’s the thing,” Shen Qingtang’s grandfather began. “We’ve been thinking it over. Shen Qingtang was born and raised in S City, and she’s used to life here. “Plus, S Elementary is an excellent school, and we’re very satisfied with her education.” At this, Shen Qingtang’s eyes lit up. Her grandmother, noticing her reaction, patted her hand reassuringly. “Now that our circumstances have improved, we’ve decided to move to S City and settle here for the time being. “That way, Shen Qingtang can easily visit Ji Nian, and if you don’t mind, we’ll bring her over often.” “Not at all, not at all,” Ji Nian quickly chimed in, answering on Ji Tingzhou’s behalf. Ji Tingzhou shot her a glance but didn’t object. He simply nodded. “That’s fine.” “As for Shen Qingtang’s household registration...” Ji Tingzhou understood what the grandparents were hinting at—they wanted to transfer Shen Qingtang’s registration to his name. He had no issue with that. The two girls were overjoyed at the news that they wouldn’t be separated. As Ji Nian held Shen Qingtang’s hand, her thoughts drifted slightly. [Just as I thought, Old Master Chen and Old Lady Chen didn’t come.] At that very moment— Old Lady Chen took off her sunglasses and turned to Old Master Chen, who was sitting in the driver’s seat, with an exasperated look. “Are you sure this is the right way?” Old Master Chen stared at the dead end ahead and fell silent. It had been too long since he’d been to S City, and he’d forgotten the way. “It’s this stupid GPS. It’s completely unreliable. What kind of directions is it giving?” Old ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍Master Chen refused to admit it was his fault and instead blamed the navigation system angrily.

Chapter 195

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