Chapter 199

Words : 1113 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

When Old Master Chen suddenly twisted his body, the scattered onlookers quickly dispersed, afraid he might try to fake an injury for compensation. Luckily, Old Lady Chen and the bodyguards caught up in time. “Old Chen, what’s wrong? Did someone pull out your shrimp vein?” Old Master Chen’s face twisted in pain: "My back... my back—it’s spasming!" It was all Ji Tingzhou’s fault! He always said the Ji Family was his jinx! In ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍the end, Old Master Chen was swiftly escorted back to the Ji Family due to his back injury, with a doctor summoned to examine him. Meanwhile, Ji Tingzhou continued strolling through the lantern festival with Ji Nian. "Wow, there’s a lantern stall over there! Daddy, let’s go look!" Sensing Ji Tingzhou’s patience was wearing thin, Ji Nian spotted a less crowded stall and tugged him toward it. Ji Tingzhou naturally obliged. An elderly man with graying hair sat behind the stall, surrounded by an array of vividly crafted lanterns—goldfish, lobsters, butterflies, crabs—all lifelike and bursting with color. "Grandpa, how much are these lanterns?" Ji Nian asked. The old man’s white beard twitched as he lifted his gaze to the child. "Not for sale." "These are all for my grandson," he declared proudly. Just then, a child holding a rabbit lantern dashed over. "Grandpa, give me the crab one!" The boy switched lanterns as if putting on a fashion show, cycling through them effortlessly. Ji Nian’s eyes dimmed with disappointment. [No wonder this stall’s so empty—it’s not selling anything.] Noticing the child’s fleeting sadness, Ji Tingzhou glanced at the lanterns. "You like them?" Ji Nian met his gaze. [Wait... is he about to—?] In her imagination, Ji Tingzhou dramatically whipped out a black card, slapped it onto the old man’s round belly, and declared, "Name your price. I’ll take them all." Buoyed by this fantasy, Ji Nian nodded eagerly. "Yes, I do." But Ji Tingzhou simply gave a curt nod and led her away. No high-rolling CEO moment. No black card theatrics. Ji Nian: [...Guess I’ve watched too many dramas.] She’d hoped to find another stall selling lanterns elsewhere. While other vendors did offer them, after seeing the old man’s exquisite craftsmanship, the rest seemed crude and mass-produced—lacking that handmade charm. As they wrapped up their stroll, Ji Nian received a message from Shen Qingtang, suggesting they meet at the fireworks viewing spot. Before she could speak, Ji Tingzhou—who’d been holding her hand—abruptly stopped walking. Ji Nian looked up, puzzled. Ji Tingzhou stood frozen, staring intently at a stall in the distance. It was rare to see him wear such an expression—almost like he was lost in thought. Following his gaze, Ji Nian tried to pinpoint what had captivated him. All she saw was an ordinary shooting game booth offering plush toys as prizes. "Daddy, do you want to play this?" Her voice snapped Ji Tingzhou out of his daze, though he still seemed distracted. "...Yeah." Without another word, he guided her toward the stall. With most attendees at the fireworks show, the booth was nearly empty. The owner idly scrolled through his phone until he heard footsteps. Like an automated machine, he rattled off the rules: "Fifteen yuan for twenty shots. Hit all twenty, pick any prize. Nineteen hits gets you first prize—" Ji Tingzhou scanned the payment QR code before the man could finish. Hearing the transaction alert, the owner grinned and looked up, only to be stunned by his customer’s face. Holy crap—a ridiculously handsome foreigner?! Ji Tingzhou read his bewildered expression instantly. "Chinese." Relieved to hear fluent Mandarin, the owner beamed. A pretty face meant more customers! But his smile vanished when Ji Tingzhou refused to take the toy gun directly. Instead, a bodyguard accepted it, meticulously sanitizing and wiping it down. As if the booth’s equipment carried some plague. "Rich people... so damn fussy," the owner muttered, wondering which elite family this lordling belonged to, slumming it at a carnival game. Only after the gun was thoroughly disinfected did Ji Tingzhou reluctantly take it. The owner wasn’t wrong. A tall, impeccably dressed, unfairly attractive man like him standing there naturally drew a crowd. Spectators slowed to admire the handsome guy's skills. And Ji Tingzhou’s prowess matched his looks. Legs shoulder-width apart, posture ramrod straight, he lifted the toy gun with practiced ease—suddenly making it seem like a real firearm. *Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!* Every balloon in his line of sight burst in rapid succession. "Whoa—!" The crowd erupted in awe. Only the owner’s face stiffened. Twenty shots. Twenty hits. Ji Tingzhou finally lowered the gun with a scoff. "Terrible quality." Well, duh—it’s a toy, not a sniper rifle. The vendor's lips twitched in resignation. "Pick any prize you want, handsome. Go ahead and choose." It was clear Ji Tingzhou had a target in mind. He raised his hand and pointed toward a doll tucked in the farthest corner— one with frizzy hair, clad in cheap fabric, its appearance unmistakably plastic. A knockoff Barbie. Compared to the other toys, it was obvious this one was just filler. The vendor hadn’t expected Ji Tingzhou to pick *that*. Afraid he might change his mind, the man immediately yanked the ugly doll out and handed it over. Originally, it had been a freebie thrown in when he bought toys for his daughter. She’d found it hideous, so he’d tossed it into the stall as padding—never expecting to sell it for twenty bucks. As usual, the bodyguard accepted it on Ji Tingzhou’s behalf. Ji Nian stared at the doll, which was so obviously at odds with Ji Tingzhou’s usual taste, and couldn’t help glancing at his father’s expression. [*Has he been possessed?*] But no, Ji Tingzhou really *had* wanted it. "Let’s go." Having secured his prize, Ji Tingzhou turned to the child. Only then did he notice the crowd gathered around them, watching. His brows furrowed slightly—his focus had been so intense earlier that he hadn’t registered his surroundings at all. Ji Nian said, "Okay," tugging him along while making sure no one brushed against him. "Dad... did you come over to play the balloon game because you saw that doll?" Burning with curiosity, Ji Nian *had* to know why Ji Tingzhou would fixate on... well, *that* doll. Ji Tingzhou’s gaze flicked to the doll clutched in the bodyguard’s hand. A gust of wind ruffled its already wild golden hair. "I had one exactly like this before." Hearing Ji Tingzhou voluntarily mention his past, Ji Nian perked up. Noticing the spark of interest in the child’s eyes, Ji Tingzhou reached over and ruffled his hair. Though, to be precise... it had been *Da Gen’s* beloved doll.

Chapter 199

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