Chapter 223

Words : 1272 Updated : Oct 13th, 2025

After her shower, Ji Nian quickly blew dry her hair a little before heading out. A servant informed her that Lu Jinghuai was still washing up. Ji Nian then hurried downstairs to find Ji Tingzhou. "Dad!" By now, Ji Tingzhou already knew that Li Zhiqiang and his son had come to the Ji residence, desperately trying to get an audience with him. But he didn’t mention it to Ji Nian. Instead, he closed the magazine in his hands and looked at the child running toward him with half-damp hair, dressed in a yellow T-shirt. Ji Tingzhou waved his hand in front of Ji Nian’s eyes, and in a cool tone, asked, "Can you see me now?" Clearly, he was bringing up how Ji Nian’s gaze had been glued to Lu Jinghuai’s face earlier. Ji Nian: "......" She should’ve known. "Of course I can see you! Not only with my eyes, but you’re always in my heart too. No matter what, you’ll always be my guiding star." She laid on the flattery thick, and Ji Tingzhou’s expression softened slightly. He motioned for a servant to fetch a towel. Seizing the opportunity, Ji Nian began to tattle. "Dad, someone bullied me at school today." She scooted closer to Ji Tingzhou, looking indignant, as if eager for her father to demand justice on her behalf. And Ji Tingzhou ate it up. Though he already knew what she was going to say, he played along, adopting an attentive expression. "Oh?" Taking the towel from the servant, he gestured for Ji Nian to turn around, then wrapped it around her still-damp hair and began drying it. Ji Nian obediently turned, kicked off her slippers, and curled her legs up as she launched into her complaint. "Today at school, this guy named Li Yuan stole Shen Qingtang’s sanitary pad when I saw him. Then he spread nasty rumors and swore at people, so I taught him a lesson..." She went on to describe how the boy’s lawyer had arrived and the things he’d said, emphasizing how unrepentant the other side was. Only after she finished her impassioned rant and took a sip of water handed to her by a servant did Ji Tingzhou finally speak. "That is pretty outrageous." Then he took the towel away and patted her head. "Wait here. I’ll get justice for you." With that, he handed the towel back to the servant and tilted his chin, signaling for the visitors to be brought in. Just as he finished speaking— Shen Qingtang happened to walk in, her backpack slung over her shoulder. "Ji Nian, Uncle Wei Yang said the little crown pri—" Before she could finish, she nearly collided with Lu Jinghuai, who had just stepped out of the elevator around the corner. Even though she only caught a glimpse of his profile, it was enough to freeze Shen Qingtang in place. Her first thought: Teacher, what kind of character design is this? Her second thought: Whose 2D husband just walked into the real world? Lu Jinghuai didn’t notice Shen Qingtang. In fact, the moment he stepped out, his gaze automatically zeroed in on Ji Nian. The freshly bathed "little crown prince" hadn’t fully dried his hair either, and he was wearing a slightly too-small T-shirt that Zhiliao had taken from Ji Tingzhou’s closet. Ji Tingzhou rarely wore short sleeves—this one had been mistakenly included by a brand that hadn’t yet figured out his preferences during their first year of gifting. Even on Lu Jinghuai’s slender teenage frame, the shirt was a little loose, the fabric slipping to reveal half of his collarbone. "You’re done washing up." Ji Nian swiftly snatched the towel back from the servant before they could take it away. She was about to hand it to him when she remembered she’d already used it herself, so she hesitated. As Lu Jinghuai approached, Ji Nian caught a whiff of a sweet orange scent—the same as her body wash. "Mn." He ‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‍nodded, glancing at the towel in her hands before asking softly, "Is that for me?" Ji Nian was about to reply when the towel was abruptly snatched away. She turned to see her father holding it. "No." Ji Nian meekly averted her gaze and looked toward Shen Qingtang instead. Shen Qingtang still seemed dazed. Ji Nian shot a glance at Lu Jinghuai, then nudged her with an elbow, whispering conspiratorially, "Shocking, right?" Shen Qingtang nodded, her eyes finally clearing a little. "Too shocking..." How does someone with looks this unreal end up in China... Feeling Lu Jinghuai’s gaze on them, Ji Nian introduced the two. "Hello, I’m Lu Jinghuai." The little crown prince’s voice was as gentle and warm as ever. Shen Qingtang introduced herself in return. Just then, Zhiliao came over to announce that guests had arrived, so the three kids lined up neatly on the couch. Perhaps because she’d heard so much about him but never seen him in person, Shen Qingtang stole another glance at Lu Jinghuai. This time, she noticed his silver-gray eyes—so striking they looked like colored contacts—were fixed unwaveringly on Ji Nian. When he sat down, he kept a respectful distance, careful not to crowd her. For some reason, it reminded Shen Qingtang of a dreamlike music box she’d seen many years ago. That music box still sat in Ji Nian’s bedroom, regularly taken out for maintenance. Unconsciously, her expression turned a little complicated. Why would the little crown prince leave Country O to study all the way in China...? Just as she was lost in thought, Li Zhiqiang and his son were ushered in by a servant. Li Yuan looked even worse than he had at school—one arm was in a sling, his neck flushed red, practically dragged in by his father. Ji Tingzhou lounged leisurely on the sofa, not moving an inch at the sound of their arrival. He was the most imposing presence in the room. Even with the stunningly handsome Lu Jinghuai present, Li Zhiqiang’s eyes immediately landed on the young head of the Ji family. Yes, young was still the operative word. While most people didn’t assume power until their forties or fifties, Ji Tingzhou had held his position for years, yet his appearance remained the most youthful. Li Zhiqiang thought wryly that he ought to thank his son. Without him, he’d never have had the privilege of meeting the legendary Ji family head. Though, admittedly, this wasn’t the kind of "privilege" anyone would actually want. "Mr. Ji..." Li Zhiqiang bowed as he greeted him. No one acknowledged him, but he didn’t mind. Instead, he turned his attention to the three kids sitting across from him. Ji Nian was easy to recognize—she was practically a gender-swapped version of her father. Who would’ve guessed such a prominent young lady would attend school under a false name? It was like something out of a drama. "You must be Miss Ji." "My deepest apologies for my foolish son offending you. I’ve brought him here specifically to apologize." "I beat him as soon as he got home. I’ve been too busy with work to keep an eye on him, and before I knew it, someone led him astray and turned him into this." Li Zhiqiang’s approach was textbook—admitting fault outright, not shielding his son, and even offering the excuse that the boy had been "led astray." This was how he usually handled things. Unfortunately, Ji Tingzhou didn’t play by the usual rules. He only said one thing. "I heard your son said the Ji family’s entire fortune wouldn’t be enough to compensate for his losses." Li Zhiqiang broke out in a cold sweat instantly.

Chapter 223

Comments (0)