Chapter 18 - 1#

The moment Ji Yang walked into the banquet hall, he could clearly feel gazes converging on him from all directions.

It wasn’t officially starting yet.

The murmurs were pressed very low, like fine spiderwebs tangled in the air.

Zhao Yuan appeared silently at his side once again, speaking flatly with a command: “Fourth Young Master, the old master wants you to go over first and greet the elders.”

“Okay.” Ji Yang nodded. Out of the corner of his eye he saw something, and spoke: “But you’ll have to wait a moment.”

The old man’s brows knitted, just as a sudden powerful force from behind knocked his shoulder aside.

“Here! Your medicine!” You Li himself came charging over.

He was panting, covered in damp mist, a bull-head necklace around his neck, T-shirt and jeans—like a proper young college guy, completely out of place in this scene.

He gave him the medicine, as if only just noticing Zhao Yuan. He turned his head and apologized: “Ah, Steward Zhao, sorry, sorry. You see, I was in such a hurry I didn’t pay attention.”

Zhao Yuan’s eyes darkened. “You Li, though you’re nominally one of Building Four’s people, you still need to read the room.”

Ji Yang let himself relax against the wall by the door. “I was the one who asked You Li to bring the medicine.”

The old man glanced at the bag in his hand.

Ji Yang lifted it a little. “An old problem, you know. Let me recover a bit before going over, so I don’t act rudely?”

Zhao Yuan’s gaze swept between the two of them, and only then did he leave.

Ji Yang lowered his head and rummaged through the bag while asking, “Do you have a grudge against Zhao Yuan?”

“It’s not that I have a grudge against him; it’s that he’s always found us an eyesore.” You Li didn’t mind telling this young master. “I heard Brother Lei say that Building Four wasn’t entirely under Brother Xu’s control before. The infighting was severe. There was one guy who was especially ruthless, someone who ran boats under this old bastard in the early years. He used a mission to injure quite a few of Brother Lei’s brothers.”

Ji Yang hadn’t found what he wanted, but he wasn’t in a hurry. “And then?”

“Then that person was gone later. As the Ji family’s business grew bigger and bigger, Brother Xu’s power grew too, and Zhao Yuan returned to the Ji family to become a steward.”

That really was a tangled old account.

Ji Yang could roughly imagine that time—when Fan Zhou was full of storms and the Ji family was just as chaotic.

It was probably a period when all rules and order had ceased to work.

Zhao Yuan and Nie Xu—there was probably a grandfather-generation age gap between them. To force someone who had also been one of Ji Yansong’s trusted aides back to the position of a steward—no wonder he could endure silently by “his” side for two years.

Ji Yang looked up. “You deliberately bumped into him just now. Aren’t you afraid he’ll make things hard for you?”

“I’m not afraid of him.” You Li grumbled. “He’s just a steward. He’s not better than anyone else.”

Ji Yang had seen it: among the servants working on the Ji family estate, almost none didn’t fear Zhao Yuan. Suddenly encountering someone this reckless, Ji Yang nodded at him and commented, “You’re impressive.”

You Li wiped the sweat from his forehead and snorted.

Then he turned his head and instinctively looked for that old bastard’s figure.

He found that Zhao Yuan had returned to the Ji family’s side and happened to run into Ji Chengyi, who was talking with someone. Ji Chengyi seemed to ask a couple of questions, and Zhao Yuan actually looked meek and obedient.

In that instant, You Li found the scene somewhat absurd.

In his understanding.

The noble and upright Third Young Master of the Ji family shouldn’t have any involvement with an old bastard like Zhao Yuan.

But now, judging by what he saw, the two actually seemed to be on rather good terms.

Then he looked back at Ji Yang.

Today he had changed his previous lazy manner, but he stood at the door digging in a plastic bag for ages. Didn’t he know there were so many people at the venue casting seemingly casual glances this way?

You Li took an A4 sheet from his pants pocket. “Looking for this?”

“Why are you carrying it on you?” Ji Yang took it and unfolded it, glancing over it.

You Li complained weakly, “Isn’t it because you said it was very important? You didn’t ask anyone else in the Ji family, and insisted I bring it over on Saturday. I didn’t even have time to change clothes early in the morning, and just now I almost got stopped outside.”

Speaking of this, You Li got angry.

The reason this young master gave for making him do things was simple and crude.

Last time Brother Lei transferred him to this young master’s side, the order had never been revoked. Recently there was a transfer order, so his nominal intern bodyguard position stayed put without moving. This was also a result uniformly acknowledged by internal transfers.

Ji Yang folded the paper back up.

“Thanks.” Then he added, “Who told stamped paper proof to be more convincing?”

This was the effective conclusion he’d drawn from roaming the internet and reading countless evidence explanations.

As for why he looked for You Li.

He had no ties to the Ji family and was out on his own, making him the safest choice among the people he knew.

“You haven’t told your brother yet, have you?” Ji Yang suddenly remembered to ask.

You Li was suspicious. “Who is this medicine for? I’m telling you, I asked a quality inspector. There are synthetic ingredients in it. You can’t get this medicine on the market at all. Using too much will mess with your mind.” He didn’t forget to remind him, “All medicine the Ji family gets from the hospital has been tested. You’d better not fool around.”

This was the best proof of another case of darkness under the lamp.

Ji Yang smiled. “It’s for me.”

He held out a hand to indicate, “Two years now.”

You Li: “…………”

Ji Yang broke off an ibuprofen from the bag and popped it into his mouth, then picked up a glass of plain water from the long table nearby and tilted his head back to swallow it.

You Li’s brain nearly stopped working. “Wait, wasn’t delivering medicine just an excuse? Why are you actually taking it?”

“My leg really hurts,” Ji Yang said.

Outside, the heavy rain hadn’t stopped.

A lingering dull ache had continued from last night until now—not intense, but impossible to ignore.

You Li glanced at his leg. “Should I call the family doctor for you?”

“My previous medicine was given by the family doctor,” Ji Yang said expressionlessly, tossing the rest of the medicine back into You Li’s arms. “I’ll consider asking your brother to make you a regular. When the time comes, I’ll replace your brother and let you have the honor of being my personal bodyguard.”

You Li: “…Thanks a lot.”

Ji Yang’s eyes curved. “You’re welcome.”

You Li was so annoyed. He scanned the doorway. “I’m going back to school.”

Ji Yang: “Aren’t you going to find your brother and the others? They should all be here today.”

You Li shrank his neck. “I’m not going. I’m afraid of getting beaten.”

Ji Yang nodded in agreement. “He does hit pretty hard.”

He remembered the day Wei Qiming was arrested, and the force with which that man had dislocated someone’s arm in a single move.

You Li became unconvinced again and glared at him. “My brother doesn’t hit people for no reason.”

Ji Yang: “…Just go already.”

He wouldn’t lower himself to argue with a brother-complex person.

You Li’s appearance was just an abrupt yet completely unnoticeable little interlude in this banquet.

Ji Yang had no intention of going over to the Ji family’s side. He casually found a seat in the lounge area and sat down. Today’s prosthetic was the one he had previously shown off online. After practicing for so long, he had to admit it was the most useful model.

As Ji Yang sat down, he unconsciously relaxed the tension in his right leg.

“Didn’t you complain it was heavy? Why are you wearing it again?” Ji Mingyue came around.

Ji Yang turned and saw it was her. “It’s a public occasion. I need to keep up appearances too, okay?”

“I haven’t noticed you caring about appearances at all lately.” Ji Mingyue came around and sat beside him. “You didn’t see your father’s wife’s expression just now. She was afraid others wouldn’t know—she wishes you couldn’t come.”

Ji Mingyue cursed out loud. “No wonder she was raised outside—so petty!”

When this young miss was displeased, she didn’t care whether you were an elder or not—she’d curse you all the same.

Ji Yang thought about the Ji family’s roster.

The book hadn’t described the original host’s mother much, but after this period of time, he had gotten a rough understanding. She was said to be the youngest daughter of a deceased scholarly family, surnamed Yu, named Fei. According to the older servants in the Ji family, this Miss Yu had been rebellious in her youth. After an arranged marriage with a macho man like Ji Changshou, their relationship had always been discordant.

The Yu family had never been prosperous in numbers, but their reputation was loud. After the youngest daughter passed away, the elders died one after another.

The original host also had an uncle, said to have gone far overseas.

The second and third branches also had marriages of equal status. Though there were some messy matters, at least they weren’t out in the open like the first branch, causing everyone outside to know.

Ji Mingyue wasn’t the only one in the Ji family who would curse like this.

“Who pissed you off?” Ji Yang took out his phone and asked.

Ji Mingyue: “Who else? The Qi family. Every one of them wishes we’d get married tomorrow. So annoying.” She pointed outside. “Did you see when you came in? Besides the reporters specially hired by the Ji family, Yao Zhaoling paid out of her own pocket to invite a lot of media, just waiting for her son’s important moment later. The Qi family is rushing to join in the excitement, and outside they’re already calling themselves the son-in-law of the Ji family’s third branch.”

“Your parents agree too?” Ji Yang put his phone on the table in front of him, upright, leaning it against the wooden tissue box behind.

Ji Mingyue watched his movements, puzzled, but said, “Originally it was going to be dropped. My parents respect my opinion, but Grandpa is very insistent on this marriage alliance, and even promised the Qi family mining rights to the Xinhai Line. My parents have no choice.”

Ji Yang remembered what Jiang Lei had mentioned earlier in Building Four.

The Qi family’s covert business was probably deeply tied to the Ji family. Even Ji Zhonglin might not know about it, let alone Ji Mingyue.

Ji Mingyue watched him open his phone. “What are you doing?”

“There are plenty of reporters today anyway.” Ji Yang said, “The reporters Yao Zhaoling invited can’t get into the inner venue. We might as well give them a hand.”

Ji Mingyue: “What do you mean?”

Ji Yang: “Today’s first livestream, titled ‘A True Record of the Rich and Powerful, Dedicated to My Most Beloved Third Brother’.” Ji Yang put his index finger to his lips. “This is the gift I mentioned to my dear stepmother. Guaranteed surprise.”

Ever since the auction incident, his account had gained over three hundred thousand followers.

Even now, people checked in under it every day, asking who he really was.

The livestream opened.

The camera wasn’t turned on immediately; the viewers trickled in and slowly stacked up.

The comments section in the lower left.

[?????]

[I said he was a salesman. Sure enough, he went live.]

[Unfollowed. Stinky salesman, don’t try to scam my money.]

[The background noise is kind of loud. Sounds like there’s music too.]

[No, I mean, you go live, fine, but you’re not so ugly you don’t even dare turn on the camera, are you?]

[A True Record of the Rich and Powerful? Recording how you have no bottom line for traffic? Don’t think everyone online is an ordinary person. I know the Ji family has an important banquet today, with celebrities from all walks of life attending. You’re just trying to ride this topic, aren’t you?]

[Addicted to playing Ji Yang?]

[Let me see you on a finance channel one day.]

Ji Mingyue was already dumbfounded beside him. She looked at the phone in front of him, then at Ji Yang. “Are you crazy? You’re livestreaming here. If Grandpa and your dad find out, do you know what the consequences will be?”

[I say, why is there a straight man beside him? The plot is a bit fake.]

[Actress miss, what consequences? Say it so we can hear too.]

Ji Mingyue: “…………”

Although this young miss had worked hard to start a business, she took the socialite route. Never mind mingling online—she hadn’t even done online promotion for opening a café, let alone being confronted by netizens.

She immediately retorted: “Who’s acting?”

Ji Yang took over the conversation. “A proper young miss of the Ji family’s third branch. Don’t mess with her. She has a very bad temper.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he received a slap on the back.

Ji Yang acted as if nothing had happened and continued looking at the phone screen. “What’s so interesting about finance? As long as you all donate fast, how is that not debuting in the C position?”

If earlier he had told Nie Xu that there was something wrong with the medicine out of pressure to survive,

But until the moment the drug test report actually came out, there really was a part of him that couldn’t digest it. This was content that wasn’t in the book, yet it had vividly appeared in his current life.

In the so-called wealthy family.

A place glamorous on the surface, but inside like a pool of sewage and mud.

With Wei Qiming suddenly going mad earlier, making the plot happen ahead of time—this plot point in the book was related to him, the vicious villain. Just in case, this livestream was deliberately started at this time.

Three hundred thousand was a decent scale.

[Debuting in the C position? That Fourth Young Master hiring someone to kidnap people is all over the news. I’m afraid you’ll end up in jail for him.]

[Say what you will, his voice is kind of nice.]

[Voice fetishists are blessed.]

[I’m here to throw cold water. People with nice voices are usually ugly.]

[Super ugly.]

[Doesn’t dare turn on the camera. Monstrously ugly.]

It was at this moment that Ji Yang, without any warning, turned on the camera.

He was a little close to it.

This caused the bullet comments to go blank for a few seconds.

At that time, Ji Yang’s livestream had two thousand five hundred and sixty-eight viewers.

In a short time, it suddenly soared to five thousand.

And it was still growing.

Comments flew by.

[!!!]

[Critical hit.]

[Damn, I’m in the classroom during evening self-study, I almost jumped up just now. Isn’t this the same person as in the previous photo?]

[So this person really is Ji Yang.]

[The Ji family’s Fourth Young Master, a frequent headline guest? Unbelievable.]

[Hello, pretty young man.]

[Actually, we’re not those tasteless face-licking dogs. It’s mainly that the Ji family is too rich. I don’t want much, five million is enough, really.]

There were also quite a few cursing him.

Things like values follow looks, cursing him as scum among the rich, saying his vile tricks failed to harm anyone and he still dared to play on the internet.

The spot they sat in was a corner of the hall by the side. Plus, in the Ji family, he had no high commercial value or outstanding contributions, so in this kind of occasion, it was rare for no one to disturb them.

No one knew what was happening here.

Behind the sofa Ji Yang sat on was a pot of bird-of-paradise, half a person tall, in the corner.

No more people could be seen in the camera.

Disliking how tiring it was to keep leaning forward, Ji Yang simply picked up the phone and leaned back against the sofa, occasionally replying to comments: “I can’t flip the camera now. Isn’t looking at me enough? Am I not good-looking? Filming others is invading privacy… I can’t afford to offend them, there are too many big shots… Whitewashing? No whitewashing. I admit what I’ve done, but not what I haven’t… Today, aside from the Ji family, no one else will be on camera…”

Ji Yang turned to look at Ji Mingyue. “Want them to see you? Want to? And while we’re at it, tell the livestream viewers that story of your involuntary marriage alliance?”

Netizens: “…” Is this something that can be livestreamed?

Ji Mingyue: “…………”

Seeing how extremely practiced Ji Yang looked, Ji Mingyue asked him, “Why do you seem so experienced? Didn’t you used to call netizens internet trolls and psychopaths?”

“Hey, don’t say random things.” Ji Yang covered the phone and immediately denied it. “Them cursing me is love. How can they be trolls?”

Ji Mingyue: “…You’re sick.”

Just then, several people had somehow gathered beside the sofa where they were.

Ji Yang glanced over. He didn’t recognize them.

But the other side acted as if they were very familiar with him, especially the leader, a sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked guy. He came up and said, “Ji Si’er, what are you doing? You came and didn’t even look for us brothers. What are you hiding here for?”

“Fu Cheng.” As soon as Ji Mingyue saw who it was, her expression turned ugly. “What are you doing here?”

The group sat down on the opposite sofa one by one. Fu Cheng smiled and spoke: “I say, Miss Ji, can’t you not give us a sour face every time you see us? We’re friends with Fourth Young Master Ji after all, aren’t we? Besides, we came with proper invitations.”

Ji Mingyue: “Don’t rush to claim connections. Only an idiot like Ji Yang would think you’re friends.”

Ji Yang was innocently cursed.

He pulled his attention from the phone screen and looked over. “I declare, that’s in the past. Next time you curse someone, can you not curse them right to their face? It’s very embarrassing.”

Livestream bullet comments.

[The young miss cursing people scratched my itch.]

[I said, who were those attention whores just now? Can’t they see they’re on livestream?]

[I guarantee no one in the Ji family knows about this livestream right now, and those people across don’t know either.]

[The name Fu Cheng sounds kind of familiar. Isn’t he that only son of a side-food family, famous for playing with women?]

[Absolutely. Ugly and loves to play.]

[Birds of a feather flock together, as expected.]

The people across spoke again.

They found a topic they thought appropriate.

“Fourth Young Master, about Brother Wei’s matter, aren’t you planning to explain it to the police?”

Ji Yang: “Explain what?”

Fu Cheng: “Although he admitted it was a spur-of-the-moment idea, we’ve known each other for so long after all…”

Ellipses floated across the bullet comments.

The most puzzling question was none other than: It really wasn’t you who ordered him to harm someone?

Forced to clear his name, and to thank this genius who had delivered himself to his door, Ji Yang was in the mood to talk to them: “Wei Qiming is also suspected of identity fraud and illegal investment. Instead of wasting time here, you’d better think carefully about whether you have any other involvement with him. If you do, turn yourselves in early and be good people.”

The several people across: “…”

Netizens: “…” Your friendship is really so fake.

Seeing that this topic wasn’t working, Fu Cheng noticed that the banquet had just begun its proceedings.

It was obvious at a glance who the focus of tonight was.