Chà Chà Novel

Ji Shifeng was momentarily stunned by his brother’s words.

Then he smiled. Now that was his little brother. His words ought to pack that much of a punch.

Shang Jianli fell silent. Ji Shileng had backed him into a corner.

Admitting that an authoritative outlet had reported something false would undermine some of Imperial Capital News’s credibility.

Refusing to admit it would effectively confirm the general’s spouse’s death, contradicting his own statement.

“He isn’t dead,” Shang Jianli insisted stubbornly, offering no explanation.

The young prince of Shaye, a close ally of the Empire, stepped forward to break the silence.

“Mr. Ji, there’s no need for such gloomy talk at a military technology conference. Death isn’t a pleasant word”

Ji Shileng remained as languid as ever.

“What of it? I may have been the first to mention death, but did you actually hear the whole conversation?”

Without giving the prince time to think, he continued, “If you didn’t, that’s all right. You can ask to review the security footage”

Watching from the sidelines, Chu Wan could only admire the way Ji Shileng dispatched every challenger who came his way.

Ji Shifeng, never one to shy away from making things worse, added fuel to the fire.

“This began with General Shang mistaking my brother for someone else. I see no need to compare the living with the dead”

His tongue was even sharper than Ji Shileng’s.

“My brother, after all, has a long life ahead of him. Besides, we ought to show respect for the deceased. Surely the general’s spouse deserves at least that much?”

Back then, newspapers, advertisements, and major online platforms had loudly proclaimed that the general’s spouse was doomed to an early death.

They said he had committed too many “evils,” that he had received his just deserts, and that was why his life had been cut short.

The young prince flushed with anger, stammering for a long time without managing a coherent reply.

“I merely offered my opinion. I didn’t ask any of you to agree with me” Shang Jianli’s eyes were as cold as ever.

He said “any of you,” but everyone knew exactly whom he meant.

“Quite right” Ji Shileng nodded. “In that case, as my brother said, let’s show respect for the dead and leave it there”

Besides, the general’s spouse really was dead, wasn’t he?

There was no reason to keep arguing. He had no habit of putting on an entire play for an audience free of charge.

When Ji Shileng said the discussion was over, Shang Jianli agreed.

“All right”

In the end, he could not bring himself to speak of respecting the dead.

Ji Shileng was plainly alive. He was standing right in front of him, perfectly well, throwing barbs at him.

Shang Jianli understood. The person who had “died” was Ji Shileng, the general’s spouse—not the Ji family’s third child standing here now.

Ever the dutiful adjutant, Chu Wan cleared her throat.

“Yes, exactly. We’re here to discuss military technology. Let’s leave other matters aside”

However curious the guests might be, the people involved had called an end to the subject. They had no choice but to suppress their curiosity, pretend they had heard nothing, and resume their discussions.

Ji Shifeng led Ji Shileng into a lounge.

“That’s my little brother”

He tossed out the praise rather distractedly. Before he even sat down, he took out his communicator and began typing furiously, reporting today’s “victory” to the family.

None of them liked that man Shang, but what had just happened had certainly helped them vent their anger.

Ji Shileng had no words.

Could his brother at least put a little effort into the compliment?

Ji Shifeng had barely any time to savor the moment before the conference was due to begin.

After giving Ji Shileng several earnest reminders, he headed for his assigned seat at the very front, looking back every few steps.

Ji Shileng nodded perfunctorily. Surely his brother had spoken to the organizers beforehand.

There was no way they would seat him beside anyone from the Empire.

Following a volunteer’s directions, he easily found his place in the third row of the main hall.

Bored, he glanced around, his eyes briefly passing over the nameplate on the neighboring desk.

Shang?

He was particularly sensitive to that surname these days.

His gaze snapped back. When he read the name Shang Shengge, he nearly choked.

He was beginning to think he ought to consult an interstellar almanac, choose an auspicious day, and visit a temple to rid himself of his bad luck.

Who could stand running into one jinx after another?

He had forgotten to mention that Shang Shengge was Shang Jianli’s useless nephew.

Maintaining his faith in Ji Shifeng, Ji Shileng reassured himself that perhaps it was merely someone with the same name.

He knew how his brother handled things. Surely he had made arrangements with the organizers.

Then Shang Jianli’s useless nephew arrived with his head of blond hair and sat down.

Ji Shileng remained silent for a moment.

Sure enough, the idiot had not changed at all.

And just as Ji Shileng recognized him, he noticed Ji Shileng.

Their eyes met. Ji Shileng was the first to smile.

“Hello. I’m Ji Shileng”

The useless nephew looked as though he had seen a ghost in broad daylight. His mouth opened and closed, but he could not form a complete sentence.

“Ji… Ji Shileng?!”

“What’s wrong? Surprised?”

Staring at a face identical to that of his former sister-in-law, Shang Shengge suddenly remembered Chu Wan’s warning.

“If you run into a certain familiar stranger later, don’t provoke him the way you used to”

“A familiar stranger?” Shang Shengge had replied disdainfully. “If that were really the case, they wouldn’t dare show their face in front of me”

Chu Wan had hesitated, then given him a couple of pitying looks.

“Well… use your own judgment. If anything happens, your brother won’t help you”

Shang Shengge had agreed outwardly, but he had not taken her words to heart.

His brother was Shang Jianli, an Imperial general. Who would dare sever ties and then come strutting around in front of him?

Yet now, a “Ji Shileng” who had supposedly been “dead for ages” had appeared out of nowhere, giving him a genuine fright.

He cast several complicated looks at the nameplate in front of Ji Shileng, then denied it stubbornly.

“Surprised? Of course not”

Thinking of his former sister-in-law, he waved impatiently.

“What sort of freak are you? You had surgery to look like that useless idiot, took his name, and now you’re deluding yourself that my brother will want you?”

“Still, I wouldn’t mind having a little fun with you”

He looked Ji Shileng up and down carefully.

“I’ll give you this. The face is impressively convincing”

Ji Shileng gave two soft chuckles.

Amid the noise around them, the sound was almost inaudible.

He was a little curious.

“Fun? What kind of fun?”

“You know, when it comes to delicate beauties…”

Halfway through his smug declaration, Shang Shengge abruptly stopped.

He gave two awkward little coughs.

“I don’t know whether you’re naturally beautiful, but an artificial beauty is fine, too”

Ji Shileng’s smile did not fade. Folding his arms, he listened attentively for him to continue.