Chapter 202

Words : 1341 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

Completely unaware that Chen Mo was attending cram school, Ji Nian arrived at school feeling utterly drained. [I hate school...] Yesterday, she still hadn’t found time to visit the lab, and she had no idea how Old Master Chen was doing—whether Chen Mo had taken him home or not. ... At the Ji residence. After Ji Tingzhou finished his meal, Zhiliao brought over the materials he had requested the night before. Ji Tingzhou worked with remarkable efficiency that day. After discussing some information related to 'The Crow' with Zuo Yi, he dismissed him. His gaze fell on the pile of materials stacked on the small table beside the sofa. Twirling his fountain pen, he set it down and stood up. The study was empty except for him, silent save for the occasional breeze rustling the wind chimes hanging by the window, their delicate chimes filling the air. The large golden retriever curled up in its dog bed twitched its ears at the sound, shifted positions, nuzzled its chew toy, and drifted back to sleep. The wind chime had been made by Ji Nian during a handicraft class. The child had returned home triumphantly and bossily instructed Wei Yang to hang it by the window in his study. As if she cared whether the noise disturbed her father’s work. Ji Tingzhou, who worked a maximum of four hours a day, scoffed inwardly. Making sure no one was around, he casually sank onto the carpet, his long legs clad in casual trousers stretching out loosely. Humming a strange melody, he began unpacking the materials Zhiliao had delivered. Had Ji Nian been there, she would have recognized the tune as the opening theme of Desperate Dad. Once he’d sorted through everything he needed, Ji Tingzhou recalled the lantern designs he’d seen the night before, pulled out a blank sheet of paper, and began sketching his desired style. Meanwhile— "Hey, be careful." Old Master Chen, who had been barely able to move while lying in bed the night before, had recovered enough after a night’s rest to walk—albeit stiffly, his back straight as a board, moving with the awkward posture of a rooster. "I’m fine, I can walk." "Where’s Ji Tingzhou? I need to talk to him!" With so many unresolved issues between their families, Old Master Chen wasn’t about to let a sore back waste this trip. Seeing the old man hobble out awkwardly, the attendant in charge of their care relayed his request to Zhiliao. After receiving the message through his earpiece, Zhiliao called the landline in Ji Tingzhou’s study. Disturbed mid-crafting, Ji Tingzhou frowned, wiped his hands with a wet wipe, and picked up the phone. "What is it?" "Old Master Chen wishes to see you." Ji Tingzhou, who had completely forgotten about the elderly couple—only now remembering they were still in the house—glanced at the half-finished sketches on his desk. "Take him to the first-floor reception room." Reluctantly setting his work aside, Ji Tingzhou changed clothes before heading down to meet them. ... Supported by attendants, Old Master Chen painstakingly inched his way to a seat, breaking into a cold sweat from the simple effort. After a short wait, Ji Tingzhou arrived. A large, fierce-looking dog trotted at his side. Apart from their brief encounter the night before, this was the first time the elderly couple had met the young current head of the Ji family alone. With Ji Nian present last night and the warm lighting softening his features, they hadn’t noticed anything particularly unusual about him beyond his striking looks. But this time, Ji Tingzhou made no effort to conceal his intimidating aura, his emerald-green eyes radiating pressure. Now, he truly embodied the description Old Master Chen had given of a "Ji family member." Old Master Chen cut straight to the point: "Mr. Ji, you know how Ji Nian was born, don’t you?" Ji Tingzhou immediately understood where this was going. Sure enough, the old man continued, "Your genes were purchased by my daughter. The child was born at the cost of her life. By all rights, she has no connection to you whatsoever." "Moreover, we don’t trust you to raise her." His ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍gaze sharpened. "Have you ever raised a child before? Do you know how to be a father, how to guide a girl?" "Forgive my bluntness, but your own childhood was likely warped. I seriously doubt someone with questionable morals can properly educate a child." "And can you guarantee you’ll never have another?" The man before him was still so young. As a fellow man, he knew exactly how men were—even if Ji Tingzhou nodded, he wouldn’t believe it. His tirade left Old Lady Chen stunned. Wait, was this really why they’d come? This wasn’t the first time Ji Tingzhou had faced such accusations. The first time, when Chen Mo had tried to take Ji Nian by force, he’d calmly pulled out a gun and told him to get lost. But now... He recalled the phone call with Ji Nian a few days ago in Country O, when she’d mentioned the past five years. It had forced him to confront something he’d subconsciously avoided. Ji Tingzhou’s momentary silence was interpreted by Old Master Chen as an inability to respond. Fortunately, Ji Tingzhou quickly regained his composure, lifting his gaze to lock onto the old man. Old Master Chen, who had suffered psychological trauma in the past, broke into a cold sweat. His previously authoritative voice wavered slightly. "W-what? My son knows I’m here—don’t even think about silencing me." Ji Tingzhou merely curled his lips into a mocking smirk. Old Master Chen: No respect for elders... "I was never supposed to know she existed." "But now, she’s been delivered right to me." "What’s mine stays mine. Unless I allow it, no one takes her away." "You can’t deny that, by blood, no one has a stronger claim than I do." "And as for another child..." He paused, his emerald eyes glinting with derision. Ji Tingzhou’s lips curled into a malicious smile, though his eyes remained cold. "I’m sterile. Can’t have more." The elderly couple: !!!!!! Shocked!!!!!! Was this something people just admitted? Seemingly bored, Ji Tingzhou stood, looking down at the white-haired couple whose eyes still held a sharp clarity. "One more thing—you’re wrong." "My childhood wasn’t warped." "And..." "I do have experience raising children." Da Gen and Wei Yang totally counted. With that, Ji Tingzhou turned and left. Old Master Chen, belatedly snapping out of his shock, tried to stand—only to freeze halfway, his back protesting. "Wait!" "What’s your ranking in the Ji family!?" Ji Tingzhou’s steps hesitated for a fraction of a second, but he didn’t stop. Old Master Chen only heard his calm reply: "I don’t have one." "That’s impossible—!" Old Master Chen gasped. Just as the door was opened from outside, Ji Tingzhou glanced back, his emerald eyes briefly meeting the old man’s. "I’m the illegitimate son." The words "illegitimate child" rolled off his tongue with ease, devoid of any trace of shame over the label—as casual as introducing himself. Truth be told, it was no secret. Anyone who saw his features would know. After all, the wife of the Ji family had no foreign bloodline. Old Master Chen seemed to snap back to reality then. As Ji Tingzhou’s figure vanished beyond the gate, a distant memory surged up like a sudden, inescapable urge—unwelcome and visceral. "I barely looked away for a second, and you wandered into this mess. Don’t say I didn’t warn you—keep what you’ve seen to yourself. These are the Ji family’s private affairs. One wrong word, and you’ll get burned." "Private affairs?" "Yeah. That kid they’re tormenting? Don’t waste your pity. An illegitimate child still carries half their blood, after all. At worst, they’ll rough him up a little. The Ji family forbids killing kin—their rules are clear on that." Old Master Chen shuddered violently. The fading silhouette of Ji Tingzhou blurred into the bloodied boy from his memories. "Eh? Old Master, what’s wrong? You’re not crying over this, are you?"

Chapter 202

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