Outside the school, the grandfather and grandson duo walked towards the white Rolls-Royce with Zhong Yang in tow. Each person ignored the stares of bystanders, curious as to why they were leaving when school was still in session.
Grandfather Ji glances at his grandson sideways, and curiosity rises in him when he sees the boy smiling at his phone.
“What is so funny?”
Ji Jingxu doesn’t look away from his phone but continues to fidget over his phone screen with his fingers.
“I’m filling Zhuang Li on what happened.”
His last word fell, and his head tilted to the side when he thought about something.
“Will he be alright? Maybe I should go back to class. What if Deng Xian’s friends pick a fight with him?”
Grandfather Ji was intrigued by the young boy’s consideration of his friend. He smiles a sigh and looks ahead.
“He’ll be fine. His father taught him all he needed to know when it came to self-defense. Besides, his father is also making a visit to the school.”
Hearing this news, Ji Jingxu stopped typing on his phone, and sorrow closed his throat. His friend was born into a prominent family, and it was natural for his (Zhuang Li) father to get involved. It was also why Deng Xian and his friends spit nonsense at Zhuang Li but never touched him.
Even when Zhuang Li arrived at the library, no one dared to put up a fight against him.
However, for him (Ji Jingxu), it was another thing.
He may have the surname Ji, but he did not share the same blood as his grandfather or older sister. This made him an easy target for others to bully.
Grandfather Ji caught sight of Ji Jingxu’s change in expression from his peripheral vision. He lets out a sigh and stops in his tracks.
“Jingxu, I know what you are thinking, so discard those thoughts.”
He turns to look at the boy and smiles softly at him.
“No matter what anyone says, you are my precious grandson. Whether we share the same blood, you will always be a part of my family. If you are ever in trouble or need help, I will do whatever I can to help you.”
Ji Jingxu looks at his grandfather. He could feel tears building in his eyes at how the old man always reminded him that he was part of the family. However, knowing that his grandfather didn’t have much time left tore him inside.
His older sister has her life, and he only has his grandfather with him in the Ji Mansion.
What if he becomes insecure again and loses his way in life?
Grandfather Ji watched Ji Jingxu’s expression, and he couldn’t help but feel fresh energy fill him with a mixture of sadness. He places a hand on the boy’s head, breaking him from his daze.
“Didn’t I say to discard those negative thoughts? Why are you still letting your mind run ablaze?”
Even without asking, he could see that Ji Jingxu was filled with low self-esteem. It wasn’t just because of what happened to him at school but also the criticism from the second Ji family.
Thinking this, Grandfather Ji takes a deep breath. He needs to set things straight before he leaves this world.
He gently pats his grandson’s head before moving his hand away.
“Remember, no one can judge you. Never forget that you got yourself to where you are today. Not me, not your sister, but you.”
Ji Jingxu felt his throat tighten, wanting to cry his heart out. However, he manages to hold his emotions in and nods his head.
He cannot disappoint his grandfather, who raised him well and taught him about life.
As they arrived at the car, Ji Jingxu was no longer in his negative state of mind. He sent a quick message to his friend then something crossed his mind.
He looks at his grandfather getting inside the car’s back seat before entering.
“Was it just me or back there, it seems like Deng Xian’s parents were more afraid of Jie than you?”
Grandfather Ji laughs at the question without denying it. He places his cane down and half-shrugs his shoulder.
“What can I say? Your sister is a terrifying person. Even without Lu Tian or me, she is a very formidable person alone.”
Ji Jingxu couldn’t help but agree with his grandfather. His older sister is a force not to be reckoned with at all. He isn’t surprised that Madam Deng and her husband would react the way they did just at the mention of his sister’s name.
After all, Yue Ling is capable of doing many things with a snap of her finger.
He ends his thoughts here and turns to look out the window to enjoy the ride home. For now, he wants to spend every second with his grandfather.
While Ji Jingxu and Grandfather Ji depart for the Ji Mansion, back at An Qing, Yue Ling has finished visiting the employees. She was happy to speak to each individual and learn a bit about them.
Knowing she can depend on her employees to do their job and not fail her company.
“CEO Han, will you be working from here?”
Liu Yilong asked as he walked Yue Ling and Liu Shan to the lobby. He didn’t get the chance to ask her since everyone was eager to meet her.
Yue Ling didn’t cease walking as she didn’t need to ponder the question. She turns her head slightly to the side and parts her lips.
“I will be rotating my work schedule between De L’amour and An Qing but mainly at De L’amour. I will have Secretary Jiang send you my schedule.”
Although An Qing is her company, she is also a fashion designer. For An Qing to flourish further, she must focus on her brand. This was another reason she needed someone to fill the CEO position at An Qing. However, now she cannot just give the position to anyone anymore.
It wasn’t because she didn’t trust others but because she could not have someone lose their life like Chen Yifeng. A tragic mistake she did not foresee.
If someone wants to take An Qing, they will have to go through her head-on.
Reaching the front entrance of the building, she stops and turns to face the elderly man.
“Thank you for walking us out, but here is good. You may go back to work.”
Liu Yilong was taken aback by her sudden words. He had hoped to walk her to the car, but he gestured a polite bow, not wanting to go against her order.
“I will see to it that everything here runs smoothly. If anything is amiss, I will inform you right away.”
pAnDa (nov)e1
Unaware of Liu Yilong’s determination to fight against evil, Yue Ling and Liu Shan headed in the direction of the assistant’s car.
“Boss, will you be joining Lu Tian for lunch?”
Yue Ling’s heart felt light at the mention of Lu Tian, and she checks the time on her phone. It was a bit past noon, but she had already missed him. Having lunch with him sounds nice, but she shouldn’t bother him since he is working from home.
From her experience, usually, when a person with a hectic schedule works from home, it can only be because of something serious.
“No, I have somewhere else to be.”
She opens the car door for herself and gets inside. Once she sat down, she unlocked her phone and sent a message to someone.
Left alone outside the car, Liu Shan blinked his eyes in confusion. He thought his boss would meet Lu Tian for lunch like every other day.
However, not wanting to pry into her reason, he enters the driver’s seat and starts the engine.
Yue Ling presses the send button and puts her phone in her coat pocket. Hopefully, the person she messaged is available to have lunch with her.
“Shan, don’t forget to meet with Manager Luo after work.”
When he hears his boss, Liu Shan, drive the car away from An Qing. He nods his head without saying a word and stares ahead.
His boss was right. Due to Lin Hui going to Retro to find Liu Peng, he had to cancel his meeting with Uncle Luo. He should contact the old man and look at his chosen properties.
It’s time for him to do his own spring cleaning.
