By the time Ji Yang returned to the Ji family estate, the sun was already high in the sky.
There were more than twice as many security guards at the entrance as usual. They all wore black uniforms, with earpieces attached and bulges at their waists. When they saw Nie Xu’s car, they didn’t even stop it, allowing it to pass directly through.
Ji Yang thought this must be the kind of security surrounding the vote on the core assets. The place looked more like a military-controlled zone.
The car stopped at the foot of the steps in front of the main building.
Aunt Mo was already waiting at the entrance. When she saw Ji Yang return, she stepped forward to look him over.
“You’ve lost weight. Honestly, after going to Zhouleng, you didn’t even come inside when you returned. You wouldn’t even let me accompany you. Who knows how much hardship you’ve suffered out there all alone?”
Ji Yang replied, “It’s only been half a month. If you think I’ve lost weight, that’s probably just an illusion caused by how much you worry about me.”
Ji Yang got out of the car and stretched his slightly stiff knee.
Aunt Mo smiled at Nie Xu as he got out after him, then came forward to support Ji Yang’s arm. Lowering her voice, she said, “Things are lively today. The First and Second Branches are at each other’s throats. The Third Branch wasn’t going to get involved, but Second Madam has stirred up so much trouble that Third Madam specifically asked me last night when you would be coming back.”
Ji Yang thought about it. Third Madam had suddenly started asking about him, probably because Ji Mingyue had indeed warned her parents, and might even have mentioned him.
“It’s fine,” Ji Yang said. He was more concerned about something else. “If the First and Second Branches are fighting, have Big Brother and Third Brother fallen out too?”
“Not quite.” Aunt Mo explained, “From what I’ve seen, the eldest young master was still doing all right when he first returned from the investigation. But after the old master repeatedly rejected his decisions, his confidence took a serious hit. Now, with his uncle’s situation on top of everything else, he’s in a poor state. This morning, I even saw that illegitimate son hanging around with your eldest brother.”
Ji Yang helplessly reminded her, “You spend every day in the Ji family. Do you really still need to call people illegitimate sons?”
“I only say it behind their backs.” Aunt Mo looked disgusted. “You should see Yao Zhaoling now. She’s suddenly acting all high and mighty. She used to be so timid and submissive, but now she’s proactively inviting those wealthy ladies out for afternoon tea. She thinks her son has finally made something of himself. She should take a look in the mirror and ask herself whether those people even think she’s worth associating with.”
Ji Yang thought of a phrase: false prosperity.
The Ji family still maintained the appearance of being the wealthiest and most powerful family in Fanzhou. Even after the repeated launches and failures of the Lanhai Bay project, delisting, shipping scandals, and countless other upheavals, the First and Second Branches continued fighting fiercely against each other.
To outsiders, the Ji family still looked like a colossal force that could not be easily shaken. Even someone like Second Madam might not have realized that beneath this imposing structure, everything had already been riddled with holes and hollowed out from within.
Someone had single-handedly brought all of this about.
No, that wasn’t quite right.
Someone had gradually exposed what had already been there all along.
This person remained hidden, invisible to the world.
Even at this very moment, people knew him as the old master’s capable assistant, the barometer of Building Four, and the man who had once served as Ji Yang’s personal bodyguard and even his assistant. But that was the extent of their knowledge.
Ji Yang turned around.
Nie Xu took his things out of the car and closed the door, looking at him. “Something wrong?”
“I’m studying,” Ji Yang replied.
“Studying what?” Nie Xu asked calmly.
“How to remain composed even when Mount Tai collapses in front of me. I’m afraid that once we go inside, something might happen and I won’t be able to resist flipping the table.”
“You can flip it if you want,” Nie Xu said.
Ji Yang: “…You said I absolutely had to come back today. Wasn’t that because you wanted me to swallow my anger and put up with everything?”
Nie Xu took two steps forward and leaned down slightly, speaking softly beside Ji Yang’s ear. “Young Master, if you’re going to learn, then learn properly. I’ve never taught you to swallow your anger and put up with mistreatment.”
Ji Yang stiffened slightly, then tilted his head and rubbed his ear.
That was so tingly.
Nie Xu noticed his subtle movement, straightened up, and took a step back.
“Ji Yang.” A voice interrupted them at that moment.
Ji Yang looked toward the entrance where the voice had come from and saw Ji Zhonglin and Ji Chengyi standing there.
“Big Brother,” Ji Yang greeted him before turning to the person beside him. “Third Brother.”
Nie Xu also nodded at them.
Ji Zhonglin’s expression was rather dark. “Now that you’re back, hurry inside. Why are you still dawdling out here?” As he spoke, he looked at Nie Xu with a hint of wariness and caution. “Nie Xu, Ji Yang is still the Fourth Young Master of the Ji family. Even with Grandpa’s orders, he isn’t some prisoner.”
Ji Yang looked surprised. Ji Chengyi also glanced at Ji Zhonglin in astonishment.
Nie Xu replied, “The eldest young master flatters me. I’m only responsible for bringing him back.”
Ji Zhonglin turned to Ji Yang. “Come here.”
“Huh? Oh.” Ji Yang glanced at Nie Xu before turning and walking up the steps.
As he approached, he realized that Ji Zhonglin really did look unwell.
The bloodshot veins in his eyes were obvious, and he had genuinely lost some weight.
Just then, Zhao Yuan came over to inform them that almost everyone had arrived inside. Ji Chengyi turned to Nie Xu and said, “Coming with us? Grandpa has been looking for you since early this morning.”
Only after calling out to Nie Xu did he turn to Ji Zhonglin. “Big Brother, I’ll head in first.” He glanced at Ji Yang before continuing, “And don’t get angry. He really doesn’t know anything about what’s going on.”
Ji Zhonglin pinched the bridge of his nose. “All right. Go ahead.”
Once Ji Chengyi and Nie Xu had left, Ji Yang asked, “What is it that I don’t know about?”
“You don’t know the current state of the Ji family.” Ji Zhonglin studied him for a moment before suddenly saying, “There’s nothing wrong with leaving the Ji family.”
Ji Yang asked, “Are you talking about me or yourself?”
“You.” Ji Zhonglin returned to his usual demeanor, then frowned and began lecturing him. “I’ve told you before to stay away from Nie Xu. The businesses he deals with every day are complicated, and they aren’t necessarily clean, either. Don’t associate with him unless you have to.”
Had he stumbled onto the Ji family’s underground business dealings?
No wonder the old master hadn’t been pleased with him lately.
Ji Yang pointed in the direction the others had gone. “Then why did Third Brother take the initiative to invite Nie Xu to go with him? Why aren’t you saying anything about that?”
Ji Zhonglin looked in the same direction. “Chengyi has already taken on too much for someone his age.” He glanced back at Ji Yang. “Stop targeting him just because of Nie Xu. They simply knew each other in the past.”
Ji Yang was practically speechless.
He fired off a series of questions. “Don’t tell me Third Brother was the one who told you Nie Xu was helping Grandpa conduct illegal business?”
“And don’t tell me he said he and Nie Xu were merely acquaintances.”
“And most importantly, don’t tell me you actually believed him?”
His voice rose with each successive question.
Ji Zhonglin frowned deeply. “What’s with that expression?”
“The expression of someone who’s so naive it scares me.” Ji Yang stepped closer, patted Ji Zhonglin on the shoulder, and sighed. “Although it really does sound like I’m trying to drive a wedge between you, considering you’ve looked after me to some extent over the years, I’ll give you a friendly warning. You think you’ve finally seen things clearly, but you should also consider what you stand to lose and who will benefit.”
Ji Zhonglin realized what he was getting at. First, he was surprised that Ji Yang would say something like that.
Then he defended Ji Chengyi. “I was the one who suggested handing the shipping business over to him in the first place. He’s the one who kept refusing.”
Ji Yang raised an eyebrow. “If he really wants to push it away, then what exactly is today’s internal family meeting supposed to accomplish?”
Ji Zhonglin fell silent.
It was as if too many things had piled up over the past few days. For a moment, he looked somewhat hesitant.
Ji Yang didn’t want to spell things out too explicitly.
In the novel, Ji Chengyi was a clever man. Although, in Ji Yang’s eyes, he had long since shed his cloak of kindness, other people didn’t see him that way.
If they refused to see it, then so be it.
When someone had ambitions, there would always come a moment when they could no longer hide them.
Besides, Ji Yang thought Ji Zhonglin’s situation was even more complicated.
Ji Yang ventured a suggestion. “Why don’t you go visit a gay bar or somewhere like that when you have time?”
“What?” Ji Zhonglin was completely unable to process the abrupt remark.
Ji Yang explained, “I mean, if Third Brother has left you confused about your sexual orientation or trapped you in some emotional dilemma over what’s morally acceptable, then go to places like that more often. Once a person’s moral standards have been lowered, it becomes easier for them to see the truth.”
He meant becoming enlightened about relationships. Once someone had seen enough, the secret thrill of forbidden love might disappear. He wondered whether that could cure someone of being hopelessly love-struck.
A man with authority and considerable ability should have been quite the eligible bachelor in a normal family. Yet, even with the First and Second Branches openly fighting each other, he still believed Ji Chengyi’s heart was as pure as a mirror.
Ji Zhonglin finally understood what he meant, and he was practically steaming with rage.
His voice rose. “What nonsense are you talking about?!”
Ji Yang looked aggrieved. “He said he and Nie Xu were just acquaintances. What’s wrong with me saying a few words about it? Big Brother, you’re so biased.”
Ji Zhonglin took two deep breaths.
The sudden influx of that cloying, fake-innocent attitude was giving him a headache.
He snapped irritably, “Can you stop being so obvious every time you say something like that? Do you have to make it so easy for everyone to see through you?”
“I’m only doing it so you can see through me.” Ji Yang patted Ji Zhonglin on the shoulder and headed inside. “Mingyue wasn’t wrong. A straight man like you is only qualified to recognize green tea of my level.”
Ji Zhonglin: “…I knew that whenever you two got together behind everyone’s backs, nothing good would come of it.”
Ji Yang waved a hand. “Thank you for the compliment.”
Ji Yang and Ji Zhonglin entered the main hall one after the other.
The scene was much like the time when Ji Yang had been put on trial. Members of all the branches were present, though there were even more people this time. Besides several elderly relatives seated to the side, there were also a few younger members from the more peripheral branches of the Ji family. Some had crossed paths with Ji Yang when he was at Haicheng. Most of them held relatively junior management positions.
The old master sat at the head of the table, with Zhao Yuan and Nie Xu standing behind him.
Ji Yang glanced over the long table and realized that the seating arrangement was rather deliberate. He could faintly sense the beginnings of factional alliances.
They were already on the verge of arguing before the meeting had even started.
Everyone had their own opinions.
“Isn’t it obvious? President Ji has been at the helm of Ji Corporation for years. In terms of seniority, experience, and ability, he’s the most suitable candidate.”
“I disagree. The younger Mr. Ji is more suitable. He may not be old, but his abilities are there for everyone to see.”
When their initial arguments failed to settle anything, they began taking shots at each other instead.
“As for Chairman Zhu’s recent troubles, although President Ji himself wasn’t involved, the man is still his close relative. The impact has been considerable.”
“What kind of argument is that? The younger Mr. Ji may have some ability, but he hasn’t delivered any major successful projects. The Lanhai Bay project has suffered setback after setback, and then there’s his background. Where does he get the confidence to put himself forward?”
The dispute between the two factions was obvious.
Second Madam was certainly a formidable opponent. Compared with Ji Changshou and Yao Zhaoling, her roots in the family ran much deeper. Quite a few members of the collateral branches were aligned with the Second Branch, and when they spoke without restraint, their words became particularly cutting.
Ji Changshou was the first to lose his patience.
He slammed a hand on the table. “If you want to discuss the matter, then discuss the matter. What does attacking someone’s background have to do with anything? And what about Zhu Liqian getting caught cheating? How are we supposed to account for that?!”
“Ji Changshou!” Second Madam sprang to her feet. “How dare you bring up your younger sister-in-law like that? What kind of man are you? Your own sordid past is so filthy that I wouldn’t even want to dirty other people’s ears by mentioning it!”
Second Madam had completely abandoned her usual elegance and composure.
Her husband, sitting beside her, tugged at her and pulled her back into her seat. His expression was dark, which only made hers look even worse. Unwilling to let the matter drop, she pointed at the First Branch and continued shouting, “I was set up! At a time like this, who else could have done it except someone from the First Branch?!”
Ji Zhonglin looked as though he had finally had enough. “Mom! Can you stop making a scene?!”
“I’m making a scene?” Hurt flashed across Second Madam’s face when her own son reprimanded her. “I worked so hard to raise you, and this is how you repay me? Now you’re siding with outsiders to go against your own mother. Well done!”
Yao Zhaoling spoke up quietly. “Second Aunt, please don’t say things like that and hurt your son. You keep insisting that the First Branch framed you, but no one in the First Branch would do something like that.”
Second Madam sneered. “You’ve certainly raised two fine sons. Both of them are formidable now. Who knows what they’re capable of?”
Ji Yang hadn’t even found a seat yet, and he was already being served a mouthful of gossip.
Before he could swallow that, something even more disgusting came along.
No, seriously, what did any of this have to do with him?
Seeing the gazes converging on him from all directions, Ji Yang rolled his eyes with perfect elegance.
“First of all, I wasn’t raised by Yao Zhaoling. Secondly, although I’m not exactly a paragon of virtue, I’ve always respected my elders. And finally, if you’ve got gossip but don’t share it, what kind of person are you? Has anyone here ever seen me say a single word about this online?”
Those gazes gradually withdrew.
Perhaps they had reconsidered and realized that this matter really had little to do with him. He wasn’t even a candidate to inherit the business, and he had been at odds with Ji Chengyi for a long time. There was no reason for him to target the Second Branch.
However, Second Madam had been so certain in her accusations that the First Branch naturally became the prime suspect.
Ji Chengyi spoke up at just the right moment. “Please, everyone, stop arguing. Grandpa is here today, and we’re here to discuss important matters. We can deal with personal issues another time.”
The old man also reacted, opening his eyes from their closed state.
“Ah Xu, hand out the documents.”
Ji Yang stood at the very end, so he was the last to receive a copy.
Inside were clear records of Zhu Guangsheng’s embezzlement over the years.
The hall fell silent for quite a while.
By presenting these documents, the old man had shown that he already had someone in mind. Anyone sitting here who wasn’t stupid should have been able to see that. But shipping was Haicheng’s core business. Whoever took charge of it would, to a great extent, become the old man’s designated successor.
The Second Madam held the documents, her manicured nails nearly piercing straight through the two sheets of paper.
Ji Zhonglin was the first to report on the group’s recent situation. He presented the figures, progress, and difficulties in a clear and orderly manner. The Second Madam tried to interrupt several times, but each time Ji Zhonglin silenced her with a look.
When it was time to discuss the shipping division, the old man’s gaze swept over everyone’s faces.
“Zhu Guangsheng’s matter has already been dealt with. Shipping cannot be left without someone in charge. I called you all here today to decide who will take over.”
Nie Xu stepped forward from behind the old man and placed a stack of ballots on the table.
“We’ll decide by vote. Everyone present gets one vote, and there will be two rounds in total. The first round will be anonymous. Anyone whose name appears on the ballots will have five minutes to speak. After that, we’ll proceed to the second round of public voting, and the final candidate will be decided.”
Ji Yang held the thin piece of paper and instinctively sneaked a glance to the side.
Ji Mingyue immediately turned away, complaining, “What do you think this is, copying homework in elementary school?”
Ten minutes later.
All the ballots were back in Nie Xu’s hands.
“Ji Chengyi, one vote.”
“Ji Chengyi, two votes.”
“Ji Zhonglin, one vote.”
…
“Ji Zhonglin, five votes.”
“Ji Yang, one vote.”
When Ji Yang heard his own name, he instinctively shot Ji Mingyue a glare. Ji Mingyue gave him a provocative look that clearly said, That’s right. It was me.
But after that, Ji Yang unexpectedly heard his name called again and again, occasionally mixed in between the other two names.
Not to mention Ji Yang, quite a few people present had strange expressions on their faces. They looked at one another, exchanging glances.
Only Nie Xu remained composed.
In the end, he calmly announced, “There are twenty-eight votes in total. Ji Chengyi, eight votes. Ji Zhonglin, eleven votes. Ji Yang, nine votes.”
Nie Xu neatly gathered the ballots.
“Now, each candidate may give their speech.”
Quite a few people exchanged glances. Apparently, most of them hadn’t expected Ji Yang’s final vote count to be higher than Ji Chengyi’s.
Some people looked displeased, but the most unpleasant expressions belonged to Ji Changshou and Yao Zhaoling.
After all, the difference was only one vote. Wasn’t that practically like slapping Ji Chengyi right across the face?
Ji Yang saw that Ji Chengyi was still maintaining his calm smile, but the deeper emotions in his eyes were faintly revealed by the way he repeatedly clicked his retractable pen.
Ji Yang raised his hand right there in the meeting.
Nie Xu looked up. “Speak.”
“Although I can understand that some people probably don’t want to get involved, so they chose an innocent person like me…” Ji Yang stood at the end of the long table, almost diagonally opposite Nie Xu. “Given that premise, is this speech really necessary?”
Ji Yansong knocked on the table. “Do you think this is child’s play?”
“Isn’t it?” Ji Yang replied. Remembering someone’s earlier remarks about swallowing his grievances, he pointed at Nie Xu. “If I have to give a speech, that’s fine too. Let my assistant prepare one for me. Then I’ll consider whether I actually want to fight for this family inheritance.”
Everyone’s gaze fell on Nie Xu. For those who weren’t familiar with him, their wary speculation eventually circled back to the rumors about the relationship between the two of them in the past.
This Fourth Young Master had been acting unpredictably lately.
To openly make such a demand at a time like this, emphasizing his claim to ownership—wasn’t this just nonsense?
In the end, Ji Yansong stared at him for quite a while before relenting.
“Ah Xu. Write one for him.”
Everyone sighed inwardly: This Fourth Young Master really wasn’t what he used to be.
Ji Yang thought: It’s all your fault, everyone sitting here. If he doesn’t write one for me, I really might start saying whatever I want.