Chà Chà Novel

So absorbed in settling his emotions, Ji Shileng had not noticed how far the auction downstairs had progressed.

Shang Jianli took the catalog from his hands, checked the contents, turned to page thirteen, and handed it back.

Seeing that they had moved on to “serious business,” the doctor immediately excused himself to Shang Jianli and fled.

Seriously, who had called Shang Jianli a human ice machine?

When Shang Jianli and Ji Shileng occupied the same space, the doctor felt that Ji Shileng was the real ice machine.

The occasional glance he cast in the doctor’s direction was as indifferent as if he were looking at an inanimate object, without the slightest trace of emotion.

Colder and harder than ice a thousand years old.

Once Shang Jianli gave him permission, the doctor ran without looking back.

He did not even stop to explain how much of the Yunnan Baiyao on the coffee table to use.

He trusted Shang Jianli. It was only a couple of sprays, after all. How difficult could it be?

“After the auction, will you let Su Ke take you to the hospital?” Shang Jianli asked.

He could not stop worrying, afraid that delaying treatment would make the injury difficult to heal.

Ji Shileng’s health was already poor. Now he had twisted his ankle and still had not sought prompt medical attention.

Shang Jianli feared there might be lasting damage.

As long as Shang Jianli was not the one accompanying him, Ji Shileng would be fine with anyone.

If it was Su Ke, all the better.

“Fine”

At his agreement, Shang Jianli finally felt a weight lift from his chest and devoted his attention to introducing the lot. “The item currently up for auction is a natural imperial-green jadeite bangle”

Looking down at Ji Shileng’s expression, he guessed that he was not particularly interested.

Just then, the host’s clear voice came through the large screen. “The chapter ‘On Jade’ in The Family Sayings of Confucius states: ‘Flaws do not obscure beauty, nor beauty obscure flaws: this is integrity’”

Ji Shileng’s dark lashes fluttered. He looked up at the screen, then lowered his gaze to the nine photographs of the jadeite bangle in the catalog.

It was indeed the most richly colored imperial-green bangle to appear at auction in recent years.

Unfortunately, there were a few noticeable dark spots and cotton-like inclusions inside it, though they were difficult to distinguish without close inspection.

Ji Shileng lowered his eyes and turned past the bangle’s detailed description.

His mother, Wen Qin, had a birthday in two months. Lately, he had been struggling to decide what to give her.

Wen Qin had repeatedly told them that the thought was enough and the gift itself did not matter.

Clearly, none of her three children agreed.

Even if the dark spots and inclusions were not readily visible to the naked eye, knowing they were there still bothered him.

He had another two months to choose a different, flawless gift. There was no hurry to settle.

But the host’s next words made him reconsider. “This tells us that, in jade, beauty and imperfection do not conceal one another”

“Flaws are natural in jade. Even the most beautiful piece has its imperfections. And it is precisely those imperfections that make it all the more captivating”

His hand betrayed him, turning back to the previous page. His gaze lingered on the imperial-green jadeite bangle.

To be honest, a natural bangle of that color really was rare.

An internal battle began.

Noticing his hesitation and wandering gaze, Shang Jianli said, “If you’re looking for a gift, this bangle would be a good choice”

Ji Shileng looked up at him. How had Shang Jianli figured out what he was thinking again?

“Isn’t your mother’s birthday in two months?”

“You investigated me?”

“Yes” Shang Jianli admitted it openly. His voice softened. “Back then, I was afraid that person was you, and afraid he wasn’t”

Ji Shileng: “…”

“And? So you went and investigated everything about me?”

Ji Shileng understood why people might investigate him. He had long since expected someone to do so.

He was only pressing the issue to give vent to his displeasure.

But who simply admitted to investigating someone that brazenly?

“Then let this bangle be my apology” Rather than apologizing again, Shang Jianli tapped twice on the bidding interface. A notification confirmed that his bid had been placed.

On the large screen, the host froze at the number that appeared.

Recovering, she exclaimed, “Wait—one moment! The gentleman on the second floor has bid forty million star credits for the imperial-green jadeite bangle”

Ji Shileng looked at him helplessly. “Do I need this apology gift?”

If he wanted it, couldn’t he bid for it himself?

How many times did he have to say it? Money was the last thing he lacked.

“It’s not about whether you need it. I wanted a reason to give you something,” Shang Jianli said quietly.

Noticing that someone had outbid him, he raised his offer again.

“Utterly ridiculous” That was Ji Shileng’s entire verdict on his behavior.

When Shang Jianli said nothing, he asked, sounding as though he had run out of options, “What exactly do you like about me? I’ll change it”

There was no future for them.

Everyone had to move forward.

The more they looked back, the more it would hurt.

Far too much stood between them.

It was not that Ji Shileng failed to notice Shang Jianli’s changes. Imperial Capital News was one example.

He could tell that Shang Jianli wanted to bring it down.

He had put the outlet on a path to destruction, then left Ji Shileng to finish it off himself.

But besides Imperial Capital News, there was another obstacle between Ji Shileng and Shang Jianli.

Shang Jianli himself.

Shang Jianli smiled as though it did not matter and asked with apparent seriousness, “Then what did you like about me back then?”

Ji Shileng did not particularly want to discuss the past. But forced to share a room with Shang Jianli, they could hardly discuss a future. The past was all they had.

“I was blind back then,” he said indifferently.

“That’s good” Shang Jianli’s response surprised him.

Noticing his confusion, he explained, “I think I was terrible. The person I used to be didn’t deserve your affection”

“I’ve noticed something” Ji Shileng ruffled the hair over his forehead. In his frustration, he blurted out, “Every time you’re around me, you launch into this cringeworthy sentimental prose”

“Have you found out that I know about Wanshui?”

He admitted that the wall of roses had been beautiful.

Shang Jianli raised his bid again without meeting his eyes.

After a long silence, he said slowly, “I wanted to make amends, but that wall of roses probably did little more than look pretty”

“I won’t make excuses for myself. I promise that, in the end, there will be a reckoning for all of it”

Ji Shileng frowned. Something about the almost reverent way Shang Jianli spoke those last words sent a chill through him.

Then he offered a sincere suggestion. “Why don’t you go to the hospital and get yourself checked?”

He had spent so many years with Shang Jianli. Even if the man had lately taken to acting unhinged and spouting painfully sentimental prose, he was still an admiral. He had better not actually lose his mind.

Fortunately, Shang Jianli showed no particular reaction to that remark and simply left the private room.