CFRFGC Chapter 42

⌈Some star-chasing kids like to print photos of the people they admire.⌋

“Where are you taking it?” Ji Min spoke in a low tone.

“Huh? Didn’t you say you don’t like sweets?” Lu Ran asked.

“Put it down.” Ji Min pointed to the desk. “Today, I suddenly feel like trying it.”

Lu Ran walked back, placing the paper bag on the desk. “Make sure you enjoy it then.”

“This is the signature dessert from our shop—it sells out every day.” He added honestly, “Today, there was finally one left over, so I got it at a discount.”

Ji Min: “…”

This was the first time someone had gifted him a leftover, discounted item and had been so upfront about it.

Couldn’t certain kids show a little more tact?

“All right, I’m heading out.”

Seeing Ji Min look like he’d be working late into the night, Lu Ran took Da Huang and headed out.

“Mm,” Ji Min replied softly.

Just as Lu Ran was almost out the door with the dog, he seemed to remember something and poked his head back in. “Oh, right, send me a photo of you.”

“For what?” Ji Min asked.

“For printing something.” Lu Ran clasped his hands together in a “please” gesture. “Just send it on WeChat.”

With that, Lu Ran waved goodbye and left with Da Huang.

On the way out, his phone buzzed.

Lu Ran opened WeChat to find a message from Ji Min.

It seemed Ji Min really didn’t have many photos.

He had sent over a headshot.

Lu Ran suddenly felt like laughing and couldn’t stop as he walked, bending over with laughter.

Finally, he zoomed in on the photo.

He had to admit, looking good had its perks. Even in a “death sentence” headshot that would make most people look terrible, Ji Min still looked devastatingly handsome.

The photographer’s skill was impressive, too.

They’d perfectly captured that icy, world-weary expression on Ji Min’s face.

Two or three hours later…

In the Ji Corporation building, a slight sound finally broke the silence in the CEO’s office.

Ji Min finished organizing the documents for his subordinates and placed them neatly on one side.

He checked the progress of a few remote projects, then relaxed slightly, leaning back against his wheelchair’s headrest.

The whole building had quieted down completely.

Outside, the bustling traffic had finally quieted down.

Ji Min sat in silence for a while, preparing to leave for the night as he usually did. But his gaze drifted over to the paper bag on the desk, a strikingly incongruous object in this cold office, and to the small furry dog bed on the sofa.

Something had subtly shifted.

It was like a still lake suddenly disturbed by a tiny fish darting through, its tail flicking, sending ripples across the surface.

Ji Min didn’t immediately turn off the lights and leave. Instead, he walked over to the water dispenser, filled a cup with steaming hot water, returned to his desk, and opened the paper bag.

After a while, he took the elevator downstairs.

Outside the elevator on the ground floor, Butler Chen stood waiting quietly.

The door of the company car slid open and the wheelchair ramp unfolded.

Ji Min and Butler Chen got into the car.

As usual, Butler Chen asked, “What would you like for supper tonight?”

Ji Min’s work hours were typically long and he made a point to maintain his fitness regimen, meaning his daily calorie burn was high. But today, after the usual question, Ji Min replied, “Tell the kitchen not to prepare anything.”

“Hm?” Butler Chen sounded slightly surprised.

A faint smile curved at the corner of Ji Min’s lips. “I had some leftover, discounted sweets.”

Butler Chen: “?”

He glanced at Ji Min in the rearview mirror.

The man’s expression had returned to its usual composure.

Interesting. He’s hiding something.

Meanwhile, Lu Ran, having settled Da Huang, finally felt the burden lift from his heart. Ready to take on a few extra jobs, he rolled up his sleeves.

But as the year drew to a close, the Shen family atmosphere grew tense.

Madam Shen had been struggling with sleep lately. Recently, she’d been preoccupied with finding an alleged illegitimate son, hiring private investigators, and growing increasingly sensitive to outside scrutiny.

Each day, her nerves were taut, awaiting the final result.

After all her anxious waiting, however, it turned out to be a complete misunderstanding.

The so-called illegitimate child was none other than her biological son, Lu Ran.

And the rumor had been spread by none other than her youngest son, Shen Xingran, whom she doted on the most.

The situation left Madam Shen feeling utterly exasperated, like a punch hitting soft cotton, ungrounded and unsatisfying.

Madam Shen was always on edge, constantly wondering if Shen Hongyuan might have more hidden illegitimate children out there.

Her behavior had become so erratic and passive-aggressive that Shen Hongyuan hadn’t been staying at home lately.

Today, Madam Shen stepped out of her room. Just as she reached the top of the stairs, she heard Shen Hongyuan’s voice downstairs.

She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself.

The rumors about illegitimate children hadn’t died down yet; if word got out that Shen Hongyuan wasn’t even staying at home, who knows how people outside would gossip about her.

She descended a few steps and heard Shen Hongyuan laughing heartily below.

He sounded genuinely happy.

Madam Shen leaned over to see Shen Xingran and Shen Hongyuan chatting together, their interaction warm and cheerful.

Shen Xingran said something that made Shen Hongyuan laugh again.

Usually, seeing this scene would bring a warm smile to Madam Shen’s face.

But now, it inexplicably made her uncomfortable.

Shen Xingran had truly crossed her bottom line.

She hadn’t shown him a kind expression for quite some time now.

Not only did Shen Hongyuan ignore her attempts to scold Shen Xingran, but he also seemed to be getting closer to him.

By the time she reached the bottom of the stairs, her initial calm demeanor had long vanished.

Passing by the sofa, Madam Shen glanced at the two of them, and a snide remark slipped out: “Such a close relationship.”

Shen Hongyuan, who had little patience for her passive aggression, frowned and said, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Shen Xingran kept his head down, saying nothing.

But Madam Shen’s temper flared instantly.

How had these two suddenly become allies, while she was left feeling like an outsider?

She unleashed a tirade at home before storming out in a huff.

Madam Shen had arranged to meet a few friends for a spa day.

Normally, she would be surrounded by a larger crowd of wealthy ladies.

But lately, she found their looks unsettling and gradually distanced herself from them.

Today, she had invited just three friends.

One of them was running late.

“Why hasn’t Madam Li arrived yet?”

“Maybe something came up at home?”

Lying on the massage bed, Madam Shen felt a flicker of annoyance and began wondering if she should cut Madam Li out of her social circle as well.

Before she could decide, the curtain of the private room lifted, and the slightly plump Madam Li squeezed her way inside.

On this cold winter day, Madam Li entered the room, drenched in sweat.

She plopped down on the sofa, grabbed a magazine, and began flipping through it while catching her breath.

“Hey, what happened to you? Did you run over here?”

“Don’t even start!” Madam Li waved her hand. “You won’t believe what I just heard!”

“What’s going on?” The others who were lounging around perked up immediately.

Madam Shen also leaned in, intrigued.

Madam Li continued, “I have a cousin back home who married a newly rich guy; you all know about it, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, go on.”

“They’ve been married for a while but didn’t have any kids. The rich guy didn’t mind, so they adopted one.”

Madam Li said, “We all praised that man for being decent and the family was harmonious; the kid is growing up now. But guess what happened?”

“What happened?”

Madam Li clapped her hands. “That kid turned out to be his biological child!”

Everyone looked confused. “Wait, wasn’t he adopted? How did he become biological?”

Madam Li’s finger, adorned with a ring, waved dramatically. “The thing is, this child is actually the result of him cheating with another woman!”

“He brought the child home as an adoption, and voila! The illegitimate child is now legitimized!”

“Can you believe something like that?”

“So your cousin has been raising someone else’s child for nothing?”

The other two ladies listened with rapt attention.

However, Madam Shen, lying on the massage bed, suddenly felt a chill run through her.

She unconsciously tightened her grip on the pristine white sheets beneath her.

In recent days, Ji Min has gone on a short business trip.

He had mentioned to his assistant that Da Huang was still in his office.

Lu Ran went to pick him up every night.

It wouldn’t have been a big deal if Ji Min hadn’t mentioned it.

But now, Da Huang’s presence had taken on an air of mystery.

During the time Ji Min was away, people occasionally took advantage of breaks to pass by the glass wall outside the chairman’s office.

They did this just to catch a glimpse of the little yellow dog lounging on the sofa.

The origins of Da Huang were the subject of countless rumors, with many wild stories circulating.

The most absurd one claimed that the dog was a gift from Ji Min’s former partner.

Out of deep love and resentment, the partner didn’t want to keep it at home or give it away, so the only option was to leave it at the company.

When Lu Ran was delivering takeout, he overheard a conversation and found himself momentarily at a loss, unsure whether to be shocked by the wild imaginations of this group or by the fact that someone like Ji Min, who seemed difficult to get along with, actually had an ex-partner.

But upon realizing it was an “ex”, it somehow seemed reasonable.

Ji Min was completely unaware of this.

He was, however, curious about why Lu Ran wanted his photo. When he had asked, Lu Ran had simply said he needed it to print something.

Ji Min frowned.

He thought of some young fans who liked to print pictures of their idols.

Lu Ran was nineteen this year.

At that age, he was certainly capable of such antics.

So that day, Ji Min had only asked his assistant to find a photo ID.

In the morning, Ji Min had just disembarked from a plane and hurried back to the office.

He arrived quite early.

As he contemplated how to persuade a certain young man to focus on his studies, Lu Ran entered, leading Da Huang.

Today, he was also holding a delivery box.

Upon entering, he greeted with familiarity, “Good morning!”

Ji Min responded with a slight acknowledgment.

While glancing at his schedule for the day, he subtly observed Lu Ran.

With a few swift movements, Lu Ran tore open the box.

He pulled out a collar.

After glancing at the collar, Ji Min’s lips twitched slightly.

Then, suppressing his laughter, Lu Ran put it on Da Huang.

Once it was on, he affectionately rubbed the dog’s head and exclaimed, “It fits perfectly!”

After saying that, he waved and made to leave.

Ji Min instinctively felt that something was amiss, his voice cold as he called, “Come back.”

Lu Ran halted in his tracks.

“What did you put on him?” Ji Min asked.

“Nothing much,” Lu Ran replied. “Just some cool, fierce-looking stuff.”

Not buying into his nonsense, Ji Min said, “Bring him over so I can take a look.”

When you’re under someone’s roof, you can’t help but bow your head.

Although Lu Ran knew he had bolted, the man before him exuded a powerful aura. As soon as he spoke, Lu Ran found himself unable to resist the urge to pick up Da Huang.

He shuffled over to the office desk.

Once he had fully brought Da Huang over, Ji Min finally decided to shift his gaze.

He casually glanced at the new collar on Da Huang.

To his surprise, he noticed a circular metal pendant dangling from it.

The pendant was shaped like a bone on the outside, with a small switch on the side.

Ji Min extended his long finger and pressed the switch.

With a click, the pendant popped open.

In that instant, Ji Min’s brow furrowed.

The pendant was inscribed on one half with a phone number and contact information.

The other half…

Displayed his ID photo.

The picture was wedged into the narrow pendant, emanating a cold, lifeless glow…

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