Ji Shileng fell silent.
A competitive streak stirred in him, and he asked plaintively, “Mom, why didn’t you reply to my comment first?”
Wen Qin couldn’t stop smiling. She still found time to placate her beloved son. “Don’t rush me. I’m replying one at a time. I’ll send you a couple of extra kissing stickers in a minute”
“Thanks, Mom”
The three of them got out of the car and entered the villa, running straight into Ji Shifeng as he changed his shoes.
Su Ke’s bright smile instantly vanished.
Ji Shileng pressed a hand to his forehead. “Is that really necessary?”
“Yes” Su Ke hid behind him. “I’m still angry. I don’t want to talk to him”
“You’ve finished work so late. Stop wandering around and go upstairs to bed. Starting tomorrow, sleep at the institute” Wen Qin raised an eyebrow and shooed Ji Shifeng upstairs. “And another thing: if you’ve upset Su Ke, don’t come home until you’ve made it up to him”
Ji Shifeng finished putting on his slippers and asked helplessly, “Mom, am I still your son?”
How had Su Ke’s standing in the family become higher than his?
“Haven’t I just told you to get some rest because you worked so late?” Wen Qin said dismissively. “Stop standing there like a post. If you’ve changed your shoes, get going”
“Fine…”
She wasn’t concerned about him at all. She was clearly concerned about Su Ke.
Before leaving, Ji Shifeng gave Su Ke a lingering look.
Ji Shileng went upstairs for a moment. When he returned, Wen Qin was still holding Su Ke back for a chat.
“If Ji Shifeng bullies you, tell me right away. I’ll teach him a lesson for you”
Su Ke nodded.
“The same goes for Ji Shileng. If he bullies you, remember to tell me”
Holding a glass of water out of sight at the corner of the staircase, Ji Shileng heard every word.
Well, then. Su Ke ranked above him too.
Su Ke brightened. “That won’t happen, Auntie. Shileng and I are the best of friends”
“Good” Wen Qin linked arms with him and asked affectionately, “Keke, there’s something going on between our Xiaoshi and Qin Si, isn’t there?”
“Qin Si’s pursuing him” Assuming Ji Shileng wasn’t around, Su Ke spoke without restraint. “He even stepped in over that Imperial Capital News business in the Empire”
The first part didn’t surprise Wen Qin. The second did. “I could tell he was pursuing him. But what happened with Imperial Capital News?”
Ji Shileng chose to turn around and return to his room. He had no interest in eavesdropping.
“Qin Si was the one who uncovered their tax evasion” Since Wen Qin had asked, Su Ke simply told her. “As soon as he found it, he sent their big boss straight to jail. That certainly felt good”
Wen Qin nodded thoughtfully. It seemed those reports were fairly accurate. “And what’s going on between you and Shifeng?”
“Auntie, we just had a tiny, tiny disagreement” Su Ke made a gesture to show how truly insignificant it was.
“It’s all right. As long as you aren’t being mistreated. I’m on your side” Wen Qin left it at that. “Get some rest. Tomorrow I’ll take you grape picking and we’ll have a picnic in the countryside”
There was no need for adults to get too involved in the younger generation’s affairs.
Half an hour later, Ji Shileng wandered downstairs again, intending to find Su Ke and share the matcha chiffon cake the chef had delivered.
Instead, he found Ji Shifeng and Su Ke standing together at the kitchen entrance.
Instinctively, he slipped into the shadows by the staircase. This time, he was interested in eavesdropping.
“Why haven’t you replied to my messages?” Ji Shifeng lowered his head and asked, his voice as gentle as water.
Su Ke opened the refrigerator and glared at him. “What do you think?”
“It was only a kiss. You can always kiss me back”
Listening, Ji Shileng decided his brother was utterly shameless.
What did he mean, you can always kiss me back?!
“Get lost!” Not wanting to disturb anyone, Su Ke kept his angry voice low. “How can you be so shameless? You call that a kiss?”
“Then let me make it up to you. Is there anything you want?”
“I want you to go away”
“Oh” Ji Shifeng acknowledged it. “That’s not an option”
“Then why ask?” Su Ke took out a chocolate brownie, closed the refrigerator, and prepared to leave.
“Chocolate brownies are too rich. Have this instead” Ji Shifeng moved aside the bottom row of yogurt, revealing the matcha chiffon cake hidden behind it. “The chef delivered it this morning. Ji Shileng hasn’t had a chance to eat it yet”
Ji Shileng fell silent.
His own brother. Wonderful.
His ankle was almost fully healed now. Tomorrow, he was taking Ji Shifeng’s car out to show it off around town.
“I like rich food. Mind your own business” Su Ke headed out with the chocolate brownie.
Ji Shifeng caught his wrist and sighed helplessly. “You have a sensitive stomach. If you eat something too rich, you’ll feel ill tonight”
“I was wrong that day. I’m sorry, Mr. Su” He apologized solemnly. “I shouldn’t have pulled you back and kissed you outside your house”
His apology made Su Ke’s face and ears flush red, only making him angrier.
“Who apologizes like that? You aren’t taking this seriously at all!”
“How am I not? I’m being perfectly sincere” Ji Shifeng’s eyes reflected nothing but Su Ke.
Then he added plaintively, “Come to think of it, shouldn’t I be the one feeling hurt?”
He had confessed his feelings, only for Su Ke to tell him he would have to prove himself.
“Hmph” Su Ke said fiercely, “You’re finished. You’ve lost every last point”
“Then I’ll work hard to earn them back” Ji Shifeng took out the matcha chiffon cake. “Shall we eat in your room?”
“No” Su Ke turned his head and added, “We’re eating in yours. I don’t want that sugary smell lingering in my room”
“All right” Ji Shifeng continued, “I got your arena ranking up to third in the country today. Tomorrow or the day after, I’ll get it to first”
“You’re that good?!”
Ji Shileng finally had solid proof.
He knew it! There was no way Su Ke could climb that high on his own!
Ji Shifeng had been playing for him all along!
Now he had definite proof, even if he hadn’t managed to record it.
But from this far away, the recording wouldn’t have been clear anyway. It made little difference.
Outside the window, the bright moon hung high. The sky, so dark blue it was almost black, felt oppressive, and the moonlight was cold and unfeeling.
In a secluded private room, Qin Si and Ji Shiyun sat facing each other in a chilly atmosphere.
“Mr. Qin, if there are no objections, we’ll proceed with this plan for now” Ji Shiyun capped her fountain pen and folded her hands on the table. “As you know, I have only one requirement for this operation”
“Rest assured, Miss Ji. I won’t let anything happen to him” Qin Si signed at the bottom of the document. “To a successful partnership”
“To a successful partnership” Ji Shiyun stood and shook his hand.
Their struggle with the Shang family was proving far more difficult than they had imagined.
That operation had infiltrated the Federation over so many years that uprooting it all at once would be no simple task.
Fortunately, both the Ji family and Qin Si had formidable power behind them.
They might as well clash and see who proved stronger.
A distinctive message alert sounded from Qin Si’s communicator. He opened the chat and found that Ji Shileng had sent him a message.
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