Ji Shileng choked on his words, unable to understand how Ji Shiyun had circled back to the subject.
“What’s unusual about it? Haven’t other people looked at me that way over the years?”
Ji Shiyun inspected the crooked bow from every angle, remained dissatisfied, and untied it to try again.
“So far, Qin Si is the only one who’s gotten close enough to you for me to see it so clearly”
Most of the young men from prominent families who were “interested” in Ji Shileng didn’t dare overstep in front of Ji Shiyun or Ji Shifeng.
Everyone knew Ji Shileng could at least pretend to be well behaved. His older siblings didn’t even bother.
If they took a dislike to someone, the trouble they could cause behind the scenes was no joke.
Ji Shileng murmured an “Oh,” then thought back and found it hard to believe.
“Wait. Are they really all that proper in front of you?”
Take Su Bai, for instance. The man fluttered about like a brightly colored butterfly and clung to Ji Shileng whenever they met.
“They’re probably afraid of Ji Shifeng and me. Besides, don’t you know what you’re like in the Federation?”
Ji Shiyun couldn’t even be bothered to lift her eyes.
As a child, if he disliked someone, one disagreement could prompt him to have an entire sports field torn up.
To the other person, it was punishment out of nowhere. Yet they couldn’t say much in protest.
Who would dare defy the Ji family’s youngest? Did they think their family’s life was too peaceful?
“Sis, we should have some faith in ourselves. How could we possibly be that frightening…”
Even Ji Shileng couldn’t believe his own words.
After all, under certain circumstances, he was afraid of Ji Shiyun too.
“Listen to yourself. How much conviction was there in that?”
Ji Shileng fell silent and offered no argument.
There really hadn’t been much.
Ji Shiyun produced another lopsided bow and looked thoroughly puzzled.
“How did you tie the original one?”
It had been so neat and beautiful.
“That…”
Ji Shileng thought back to Qin Si wrestling with the gift box the previous night.
“I think Qin Si tied it…”
Unsurprised, Ji Shiyun nodded.
“Thought so. I was fairly sure it wasn’t you”
When it came to bows, Ji Shileng’s main concern was getting them tied. How they looked was irrelevant.
He slumped over the table and pretended not to hear. Bored, he double-tapped Qin Si’s name.
He hadn’t expected a detailed personal profile to appear.
Qin Si had even attached an introduction.
Ji Shileng was speechless.
Was this a job application? Why was there a personal statement attached?
“Sis, why does double-tapping your spreadsheet bring up detailed information?”
Unable to rely on her brother, Ji Shiyun untied the bow again, determined to make one she liked.
Third time’s the charm.
“Qin Si adjusted a few things and added that details page. I’d originally printed the documents out”
Ji Shileng rubbed his temples. No wonder Qin Si had asked him to set a few more requirements. He had been laying the groundwork for this.
“All right”
He skimmed the page. In truth, he wasn’t interested in Qin Si’s lengthy list of accomplishments or his life history.
“Why does the section for Qin Si’s parents say ‘None’?”
Ji Shiyun finally managed a reasonably presentable bow.
“I haven’t looked into it. If you’re interested, ask him yourself”
She had little interest in investigating a stranger’s private life.
But if their relationship progressed, she would investigate Qin Si thoroughly, whatever methods it took.
She would never let the tragedy repeat itself.
“All right. Let’s go”
Ji Shiyun put away the certificate box and handed him his crutch.
“They’re waiting downstairs. We’re going to pay those idiots at Imperial Capital News a visit”
Ji Shileng stretched, took the crutch, and began moving at a turtle’s pace.
Ji Shiyun gave him a disapproving look.
“You have a wheelchair. Must you insist on imitating a turtle?”
She didn’t mind his slow pace. She was worried he would lose his balance, fall, and injure himself again.
After the scolding, Ji Shileng leaned close to his sister.
“I thought I’d go back to my room after lunch. I didn’t know we were going out”
“All you ever do is act sweet to get your way”
Ji Shiyun supported him, her expression softening considerably.
“Qin Si messaged me. He said there’s a wheelchair downstairs”
“Oh”
It took Ji Shileng another moment to react.
“How did he get into my room?”
“He messaged the manager and asked him to find a wheelchair”
Ji Shiyun linked her arm with his and matched his pace.
“You could learn a thing or two from him”
“Sure”
It went in one ear and out the other.
As they left the elevator, they spotted the others waiting by the entrance. A gleaming wheelchair stood beside Qin Si.
Ji Shifeng’s tongue was as sharp as ever.
“What’s this? Ancient history had the man who tried to copy Handan’s walk. Now we have Ji Shileng learning to walk like a turtle?”
Ji Shileng wobbled on perfectly level ground. Fortunately, Ji Shiyun caught him.
She glared at Ji Shifeng and was about to speak when a calm male voice cut in.
“Walking slowly helps his joint recover. There’s nothing wrong with taking his time. We’re not in a rush, are we?”
Su Ke waggled his eyebrows at Ji Shileng.
Ji Shiyun glanced at Qin Si in mild surprise, then looked between him and her brother. In the end, she said nothing about it.
She checked her watch.
“If he falls again, Ji Shifeng, you’re responsible. Let’s get going before we miss our appointment”
Outnumbered two to one, Ji Shifeng said no more and obediently took on the role of driver.
This was a private outing, so using the assigned drivers would be inconvenient.
After all, every one of them had been arranged by the Empire.
Qin Si took Ji Shileng’s crutch and stowed it in the trunk with the wheelchair. Then he had the nerve to gently ask whose car Ji Shileng wanted to take.
Ji Shileng was speechless.
Come on. His wheelchair and crutch had already been taken hostage and swiftly locked in Qin Si’s trunk.
Whose car could he possibly take now?
Trusting Qin Si, Ji Shiyun nodded slightly.
“Mr. Qin, I’ll leave Xiaoshi in your care”
“It’s no trouble. Happy to help”
Qin Si smiled warmly.
It was the kind of smile any elder would approve of.
Thoroughly outmaneuvered, Ji Shileng stayed silent, mentally muttered a couple of curses, and hopped into the back seat.
Through the window, the high-rises raced backward, their outlines blurring.
It wasn’t the first time he had felt this since arriving in the Empire: the entire country now seemed utterly unfamiliar.
Time had crept into his memories without his noticing.
The things he had once known so well he could picture them with his eyes closed had quietly been replaced by something new.
And it wasn’t only things. People were the same.
Ji Shileng understood that time itself wasn’t the answer, but the answer would be found within it.
He also understood that time told the truth.
Through the rearview mirror, Qin Si saw his half-closed eyes, unable to make out his expression.
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