“Your only mistake? Listen to what you’ve just said. You finally took on some of the blame with so much difficulty, yet you remain so conceited.” Ji Hongwen chuckled coldly. “As expected, even when you’re old, that stupid face of yours is still so important to you. Even if front of your own child, you’re unwilling to put it down and admit the mistakes you’ve made. Qing Lin’s life has already been ruined by you. It’s been so many years since she left. Don’t you feel any guilt whatsoever? Do you still think that she was in the wrong for leaving you when she was pregnant?”


  Xiao Zhenjun closed his eyes. He was silent for a moment before speaking. “It’s been so many years since she left…… No matter if it was my fault, right now, I only wish to make amends to my daughter. If from the beginning to the end, Qing Lin only hated me for my actions, when we reunite in the Yellow Springs [1. The underworld of Chinese mythology] a hundred years from now, I will admit my wrongdoings to her. But this doesn’t mean that you, Ji Hongwen, had the right to hide my daughter away from me for so many years! And to think that your birth daughter had so many opportunities to scheme against her!” ”


  Ji Mengran, who had stumbled onto the carpet, had already become forgotten. Now that she was abruptly mentioned, she stiffened, turning her reddened eyes toward Ji Hongwen. “Dad, I didn’t……”


  Ji Hongwen closed his eyes: “In this, I admit that I raised my daughter poorly. It was my fault that Mengran is involved in something so dirty.”


  Ji Mengran cried: “Dad! Even at such a time, you’re still speaking for the outsider! This person is already planning to bring Ji Nuan away. In the future, Ji Nuan won’t be your daughter anymore. If you let the police bring me away, aren’t you afraid of growing old all alone……”


  Ji Hongwen closed his eyes. “Growing old on my own is still comparatively better than raising a daughter whose conscience has been eaten, and who would willingly harm her own sister in order to obtain the family’s inheritance!”


  “Tsk……” Ji Mengran suddenly chuckled with her bloodshot eyes: “If Ji Nuan is really the Xiao family’s daughter, do you think she would still be impressed by our small Ji Corporation?”


  Ji Nuan’s supporting arm did not leave Ji Hongwen’s side. She spoke up clearly: “Don’t use your moronic logic to come up with conjectures about my thoughts. My Dad is only in his fifties. If you weren’t constantly angering him into being ill, he would be much stronger now. The Ji Corporation can last in his hands for at least thirty to forty more years. Why are you in such a rush for a piece of the inheritance? Will you not give up until you’ve chased Dad off his chairman’s seat?”


  In Xiao Zhenjun’s hands, the Ling Xiao Group was just as it used to be. Since the two of them were classmates back when they were studying in America, and were both of the same age, Ji Nuan felt a moment of unhappiness. What right did Xiao Zhenjun have to appear like such a healthy man, while her father was such a stark contrast?

  She definitely had to arrange for medical professionals of the highest standards to be by Ji Hongwen’s side. She would make them watch as he trained his body. She wouldn’t stop until his body became exceptionally healthy within two years.

  Ji Mengran cried out: “I’m not talking about that now. This is because, when I previously returned home, Dad said that he wouldn’t leave a single cent from the Ji Corporation to me! I’ve never said that I wanted him to give up his position right now. Ji Nuan, in this Ji family, you are an outsider! Don’t drive a wedge between us family members!”


  Xiao Zhenjun narrowed his eyes coldly at Ji Mengran, who was unaware of the grave she was digging for herself. He turned to Ji Nuan. “Outsider? Nuan Nuan, come back home with me. So long as the Xiao family is around, you will never be considered an outsider.”


  Without any hesitation, Ji Nuan supported Ji Hongwen to sit down on the couch. At the same time, she stood up from his side. She did not turn to look at Xiao Zhenjun as she spoke coldly: “The reason behind Mr. Xiao’s visit to the Ji family must be because you heard of what has recently happened to me. You rushed over here because you wanted to do something for me. I’m thankful for Mr. Xiao’s feelings, but I’m sorry. I’m unrelated to the Xiao family. As for these issues, I have my own ways of settling them. There’s no need for a distinguished guest like you to help. In addition, Mr. Xiao, you should be able to recognize that the Ji family does not welcome you. Please take your leave.”


  Hearing Ji Nuan’s words, Ji Hongwen raised his head in shock. Xiao Zhenjun, on the other hand, did not appear surprised. However, it was clear that he still did not expect Ji Nuan to hold onto Ji Hongwen so firmly when his daughter had schemed against her to such an extent.

  Xiao Zhenjun’s voice turned heavy. “You must have already guessed about this. We’ve met twice previously, and with your keen senses, you must have had several conjectures about the Xiao family’s relationship with you. You’ve remained avoidant of us the whole time, and I can be respectful of your decision. After all, we’ve never met once in twenty years. I understand that I must feel like a stranger to you, and I’ve never done my part in raising you. But right now, the Ji family is akin to a deep abyss. There’s no benefit in staying here. Why don’t you return home with me? We are blood-related. The feelings between a father and a daughter can be slowly nurtured. Trust me, with the Xiao family around, no one will ever dare to do anything against you. So long as you have this father around, so long as I’m alive, you’ll definitely be spoiled like a princess. You will be the treasure of the Xiao family!”


  “There’s no such thing as an abyss. This is where I grew up. This is my home. The man sitting on the couch is my true father.” Ji Nuan spoke mildly: “Ji Mengran’s issues are her own problem. You can’t blame my father for it. If Mr. Xiao has been standing outside for quite a while, you should have heard Ji Mengran’s earlier complaints; she said that my Dad was biased toward me since we were young. I’ve never suffered in any way in this family. Besides, I’m already in my twenties. I no longer have any dreams of being a princess. At the very least, the Ji family can be considered one of the four largest families in Hai City. I don’t think we are less than the Xiao family. Mr. Xiao, there’s no need for you to consider yourself above everyone else here. The ground underneath my feet here holds the memories of my childhood and carries the warm happiness my mother had in her final years. This is where my roots are truly located.”


  Xiao Zhenjun watched her, his brows furrowing slowly. “Nuan Nuan.”


  Ji Nuan finally turned to look at him. “Please address me as Miss Ji. We’re not close to the point where you can address me that way.”


  Xiao Zhenjun raised his hand toward her but paused midway. After a long moment, he finally put his hand down. He turned to look out of the door and changed the topic. “The police officers have been waiting outside for a long time. Ji Hongwen, do you still plan on throwing this troublesome daughter of yours out?”


  Ji Hongwen rushed to crawl toward Ji Hongwen’s feet. “Dad…… Dad…… save me……”


  Before she could touch Ji Hongwen, Xiao Zhenjun’s expression turned cold. Two bodyguards suddenly stepped through the door and without any further delay, they hauled Ji Mengran up.

  “Dad! Save me! I don’t want to go to jail, Dad—” Ji Mengran immediately struggled with all her might. She raised her voice and screamed loudly but was still firmly pulled away by the bodyguards. Without any hesitation, they brought her out of the Ji family’s villa. Even after the door was shut, Ji Mengran’s screams could be heard. Xiao Zhenjun only watched the shut doors coldly. He did not give Ji Hongwen any opportunity to soften his heart.