Chà Chà Novel

Ji Shileng changed the subject. “Most of the time, I just hold a cigarette between my lips to take the edge off”

He had never touched cigarettes before, but there had been a period when life became too difficult to endure.

On one side, the criminal organization Shang Jianli had antagonized was secretly hunting him. On the other, the Imperial military kept him under relentless surveillance.

The former wanted him dead. The latter had no intention of keeping him alive.

The Imperial military was watching him only because they planned to use him as bait to draw out the remnants of that criminal organization.

Everyone wore a mask, hovering around him and telling him not to be afraid.

Shang Jianli was busy too. And because of Ji Shileng’s situation, his superiors deliberately sent him elsewhere.

What if they let Shang Jianli stay with Ji Shileng and something happened to him?

During that time, the pressure weighed so heavily on Ji Shileng that he could barely breathe.

With no one to confide in and no one who understood his predicament, he spent his days in the company of cigarettes and alcohol.

Too much alcohol made him nauseous. Too many cigarettes made him dizzy. Gradually, he grew to prefer simply holding an unlit cigarette between his lips.

“…Shileng, you handle a cigarette far too naturally for someone who hasn’t smoked much”

“You have to believe that some people are simply born talented”

Defeated, Su Ke turned to stare gloomily out of the window.

Ji Shiyun closed her eyes for a moment, then said pointedly, “Talented or not, smoke less. You don’t have so many troubles now. Why smoke when there’s nothing wrong?”

Ji Shileng agreed.

Looking back, he did think smoking was a foolish thing to do.

But the people he had encountered then had been foolish, and so had the situations he had found himself in. He could hardly be blamed for doing something foolish himself.

As they talked, they arrived at the banquet venue.

Through the car window, Ji Shileng gazed at Balemate Royal Church, his eyes as still as water, without the slightest ripple.

The royal building was designed in the Baroque style, renowned for its grandeur, elaborate ornamentation, and ostentation.

Outsiders longed to discover the mysteries within. In truth, there was nothing particularly remarkable about it.

Reporters who had caught wind of the event were already waiting outside the church, afraid of missing a sensational story.

These days, any coverage of the Ji family—especially its youngest son—was almost guaranteed to attract attention, even if it did not become a major sensation.

Perhaps because the Empire had spoken to the Ji family beforehand, Ji Shileng wore a mask and followed behind Ji Shiyun, waiting while she answered questions.

The reporters at the front were reasonably well behaved. They knew which questions to ask and which to avoid.

Ji Shiyun answered briskly, and both sides extended every courtesy.

Then the reporters at the back pushed their way forward.

“Ms. Ji, how would you describe the relationship between the admiral’s spouse and the Ji family’s third child?”

“Ms. Ji, the interstellar network is buzzing with claims that your youngest brother is actually the admiral’s spouse. Is that true?”

“Young Mr. Ji, we hear Admiral Shang has been pursuing you recently. Would you consider joining forces with the Shang family through marriage?”

Ji Shileng and Su Ke exchanged a glance, each seeing the other’s speechless exasperation.

Impatience also crossed Ji Shiyun’s face. Far too many Imperial reporters had no sense of boundaries.

Ji Shileng removed his mask, revealing a calm expression.

He asked a staff member for a microphone, his gaze sweeping over the reporters with youthful, unrestrained arrogance.

His voice was indifferent. “What? Is the admiral’s spouse your shortcut to clicks? He’s dead, and you’re still clinging to him for attention?”

The noisy reporters fell silent at once.

“If you’re that curious, why don’t you kneel down and kowtow to him?”

“Perhaps one day, if he’s in a good mood, he’ll visit a few of your dreams and have a chat”

Some of the reporters bristled. “Young Mr. Ji, please show us a little respect”

Ji Shileng chuckled. “A little respect? How exactly have I disrespected you?”

“Or rather…” His voice turned cold. “Who the hell are you to demand my respect?”

One young, hotheaded reporter shouted that he should not get too smug. What if the Ji family went bankrupt one day—

Before he could finish, one of Shang Jianli’s subordinates escorted him out.

Shang Jianli was also wearing a sharply structured suit that evening.

Broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs.

Standing beside Ji Shileng, the two of them looked like celebrities, impossible to overlook.

Shang Jianli did not take a microphone. His presence alone made the entire crowd fall quiet.

“I don’t want anyone causing a disturbance at this banquet. Shouting like that is disgraceful”

One reporter still refused to back down. “Ji Shileng provoked us first! He told us to kowtow to a dead man”

Shang Jianli clenched his hands, impatience and anger showing plainly on his face.

“Weren’t you the ones who brought it up?” He repeated, one by one, the questions the reporters had deliberately used to put them on the spot. “What? Do you need me to refresh your memories again?”

Ji Shileng looked away. He had been so occupied arguing with the reporters that he had not noticed Shang Jianli approaching.

If he had known Shang Jianli was coming, he would not have kept arguing.

Though the reporters really had been asking for it.

“Enough. Let’s leave it there” Ji Shileng returned the microphone. “I’m going inside”

Before leaving, he remembered something and added, “Sorry to disappoint you, but the Ji family won’t be going bankrupt anytime soon. I can afford to stay smug for a very long time”

“There’s no need for any of you to worry about the Ji family” Ji Shifeng put an arm around Ji Shileng’s shoulders, his gaze passing over Shang Jianli.

Under the flashing cameras, both sides had to pretend they were perfectly cordial.

After they shook hands, Ji Shifeng said, “As they say, better to arrive at the right moment than to arrive early. Your timing was excellent, Admiral Shang”

He was implying that Shang Jianli had deliberately stood aside and watched the spectacle.

“I was taking note of which media outlets had upset you,” Shang Jianli explained. “The Empire will take corrective action”

Ji Shifeng gave a quiet snort. “I hope so. We won’t keep you from your interview, then, Admiral Shang. We’ll head inside first”

In such a public setting, Shang Jianli could hardly keep staring at Ji Shileng. He had no choice but to look away.

He gave perfunctory answers to the reporters’ questions. Just as he was about to leave, one question stopped him.

“Admiral Shang, do you believe a love story is a tragedy?”

“A tragedy?” Shang Jianli considered it for a moment, then answered earnestly, “There is no tragedy in love”

To someone who loved, how could love be a tragedy?

Was autumn a tragedy to spring?

“Doesn’t loving someone you can’t have count as a tragedy?” the reporter ventured.

Shang Jianli answered just as readily. “When you read a book, do you only read the final page?”

Loving someone he could not have meant he still possessed the capacity to love.

And the final page of a book was not necessarily the end.

He had loved. And if the person he loved had brought him tears or smiles, then it had been worthwhile.

That was not a tragedy.

At least, he did not believe it was.

“We still don’t understand why you married Ji Shileng back then. Would you be willing to share the reason with us now?”

It was not only the reporters. Most of those present were curious about the answer.

Shang Jianli instinctively turned his head. Ji Shileng had long since entered the banquet hall and was nowhere to be seen.

He looked back and asked, “Does love need a reason?”