Chà Chà Novel

Shang Jianli turned toward the voice. There was no amusement in Su Ke’s eyes, and his expression was distinctly unpleasant.

“My apologies. This gentleman simply resembles someone I once knew.”

“That’s enough, Su Ke. A few looks won’t hurt me.”

Ji Shileng stopped him in time.

“If you cause trouble and my second brother beats you up, don’t expect me to stop him.”

Su Ke fell silent.

Ji Shifeng was a smiling tiger. Su Ke usually went out of his way to avoid him.

The sales assistant asked:

“Sir, we offer interstellar express delivery. Would you like us to ship these directly to your home, or would you prefer to take them with you?”

“Can you deliver to the Federation’s capital?”

It had been so many years since his last purchase that he had not even known LILALI offered interstellar express shipping.

“Certainly. May I have the full delivery address?”

“1223 Qingshui Creek, Federation capital. Just put the Ji family as the recipient.”

Ji Shileng took the pen, quickly wrote a phone number on the paper, and handed it over.

Customers at this store were generally wealthy, but the address still left the assistant stunned for a moment.

It was not simply a question of expensive real estate. Ji Shileng had just ordered dozens of dolls in one go, their total price enough to buy a house outright in Sitejiala.

But Qingshui Creek in the Federation’s capital was somewhere money alone could not buy access to.

Its residents had generally made contributions to the Federation. To express gratitude—and retain talented people—the Federation awarded them homes there.

The assistant marveled inwardly. He had assumed this was some newly rich customer, never imagining he belonged to one of the Federation’s great families.

He had thought the man was merely one of the elite.

Instead, he stood above even them.

Chu Wan’s breathing grew increasingly unsteady. At a loss, she looked toward Shang Jianli.

Ji Shileng made no attempt to hide anything. He did not care whether they recognized him.

There was only one Ji family in Qingshui Creek.

And its youngest son was named Ji Shileng.

Since Ji Shileng’s “death,” Shang Jianli had grown somewhat thinner, the coldness in his features becoming more pronounced.

Now firmly established in his position as general, he had lost almost all the gentleness and composure of his youth. In their place was an aloofness that seemed to hold everyone beneath his notice.

“Shileng.”

Ji Shileng heard him.

But he did not respond.

“Su Ke, let’s go.”

Ji Shileng withdrew his gaze and slipped his hand into his pocket, hiding his slender wrist, as though he had not heard anyone call his name.

Su Ke spat in disgust. However slow he might have been, by now he could roughly guess who stood before them.

Seeing that his friend had no desire to engage, he said nothing more and ushered Ji Shileng toward the exit.

“Ji Shileng.”

Shang Jianli called again, this time using his surname too.

Ji Shileng neither stopped nor looked back.

From the moment he had fallen from that starship, the title of the general’s spouse had ceased to have anything to do with him.

Shang Jianli’s expression darkened. His hands clenched tightly at his sides, his emotions unreadable.

Chu Wan pressed her lips together. They watched Ji Shileng recede into the distance until the slowly rising car window concealed him completely. Only then did she speak.

“General…”

“It’s him.”

Shang Jianli made it a statement.

Chu Wan opened her mouth, then closed it again after a long moment.

So what if it was him?

And what if it was not?

Qingshui Creek in the Federation’s capital. The Ji family’s youngest son. The owner of Joker Studio…

In a flash, every detail miraculously fell into place.

Only after the car and its passenger had long since disappeared did Shang Jianli slowly withdraw his reluctant gaze.

“He seems to have put on a little weight.”

Chu Wan could no longer quite follow his train of thought, but she answered anyway.

“He has.”

Shang Jianli chuckled softly.

“That means he’s been eating properly since going home. Good.”

He needed to eat well, rest well, and regain his health.

Only then could he properly hate Shang Jianli.

If there was no love left, perhaps hatred would make an acceptable substitute.

They could not sever their ties completely.

He would not allow it.

Better to remain connected by the thinnest thread than to make a clean break.

Chu Wan said nothing. She watched as Shang Jianli spoke to the assistant and received a catalog of LILALI’s classic dolls from previous years.

His back perfectly straight, Shang Jianli turned the pages with his fingertips, examining each one with intense concentration.

After a long while, he looked up.

“Excuse me. Is this glass doll from Stellar Year Twenty-One still available?”

The assistant scratched his head, looking troubled.

“I’m sorry, sir. The doll you’re pointing to was a limited edition from the Rose Confession collection.”

Understanding what the assistant meant, Shang Jianli frowned slightly.

“Is there any way to purchase one now?”

“Perhaps you could keep an eye on auctions?”

The assistant himself was unsure whether one would ever appear at auction. This particular doll was exceptionally collectible.

He added tactfully:

“Sir, only one thousand were released worldwide. They’re almost impossible to obtain now, regardless of the price.”

Shang Jianli’s hand paused almost imperceptibly. He quickly composed himself.

“Then please wrap all of this year’s latest designs.”

The assistant was momentarily dazed.

Well, here was another wealthy customer.

As Shang Jianli lowered his head to write the delivery address, a scene from the past rose in his mind.

“The glass doll you gave me?”

He had finished work in the middle of the night when Ji Shileng called.

On the other end, Ji Shileng’s voice had been gentle, his question seemingly casual.

“Yes. Apparently, this model has a hidden clasp you can open. They say there’s a little surprise inside.”

How had he answered back then?

“It was my nephew’s birthday a few days ago. He specifically asked for that doll.”

Ji Shileng had paused, seemingly at a loss.

“So you gave it to him?”

“You gave it to me, which means it belongs to me. Doesn’t it?”

Shang Jianli had felt irritated and cut the conversation short.

“I have the right to do what I want with my belongings.”

Memories piled up like snow. Without warning, the snowbank collapsed, and Shang Jianli faced the avalanche utterly unprepared.

What happened afterward?

What had Ji Shileng said?

He remembered.

Before the call ended, Ji Shileng had murmured:

“But that was my wedding-anniversary gift to you…”

A few seconds later, Shang Jianli thought with an almost cold detachment: there was still a chance, wasn’t there?

It was only a doll. He would find a way to get another.

Besides, Ji Shileng was alive. He still had a chance.

Even if Ji Shileng belonged to the Federation’s Ji family, so what?

There would be a way.

He had always called Ji Shileng softhearted.

Now he was profoundly grateful for it—grateful that Ji Shileng’s heart softened so easily.

Inside the car, Ji Shileng removed his sunglasses. Suddenly, he rubbed the tip of his nose and stifled a few quiet coughs.

“Shi, why are you coughing all of a sudden?”

Hearing his muffled coughs, Su Ke instantly forgot every bit of irritation from their encounter with the people from the Empire.