CFRFGC Chapter 145

⌈”…Audacious beyond belief.”⌋

Lu Ran also noticed Ji Min.

The man had just stepped out of a business car, his height and striking looks making him impossible to ignore.

Not to mention his status and the aura he naturally carried. It was hard not to look at him.

Lu Ran thought to himself, Oh no, oh no, this guy better not snitch to Grandpa.

In the past, Lu Ran never worried about Ji Min tattling. No matter what he did, Ji Min always indulged him, even helping him hide things from his grandfather.

But lately, Lu Ran felt like Ji Min had joined forces with his grandfather.

Moreover…

Their relationship hadn’t been great recently.

They hadn’t been in contact for nearly half a year—not a single message exchanged.

The man began walking toward him.

Lu Ran tilted his head slightly, avoiding Ji Min’s gaze.

Just then, the family’s butler approached and said that his grandfather was calling for him.

Lu Ran glanced at Ji Min’s approaching figure out of the corner of his eye. After hesitating for a moment, he followed the butler inside.

Shen Hanshan was getting older and didn’t like crowds.

After casually greeting the guests, he returned to a quieter room.

The so-called birthday banquet was really just an occasion for the younger generation to socialize.

When Lu Ran entered, Shen Hanshan was playing chess with Old Master Gu.

“Have all the guests arrived?” Shen Hanshan asked.

“Mm, most of them are here. Those who couldn’t make it sent their regards,” Lu Ran replied.

After speaking, he glanced outside and then found a chair to sit on.

It was clear he had no intention of going back out.

But even while sitting, he couldn’t sit still. Every now and then, he craned his neck to peek outside.

It was obvious—his body was here, but his mind was elsewhere.

Shen Hanshan gave him a sidelong glance.

Old Master Gu asked casually, “Ji Min came too?”

The moment he heard this, Lu Ran, who had been stretching his neck to look outside, immediately pulled his head back.

He feigned complete disinterest in what was happening outside.

Shen Hanshan didn’t answer.

Lu Ran had to step in. “I heard he did.”

“Has he finished dealing with his matters overseas?” Old Master Gu asked again.

At this, the teenager’s mood visibly soured.

“I don’t know. We haven’t been in contact,” he replied.

Old Master Gu raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“Alright, stop lingering here. Go outside,” said Shen Hanshan.

“I’m here to keep Grandpa company,” Lu Ran replied, sitting firmly in place.

Shen Hanshan glanced at him. “Your eyes are practically flying out of your head. Is that how you keep me company?”

Lu Ran: “…”

“Go outside and have some fun,” Shen Hanshan said as he placed a chess piece on the board.

Dragging his feet with a mix of reluctance and anticipation, Lu Ran finally headed out.

After he left, both old men shook their heads with a smile.

At that moment, a nurse arrived with a blood glucose monitor to check Shen Hanshan’s blood sugar.

Old Master Gu quietly observed. When it was done, he let out a sigh and said, “I don’t think Ran Ran’s heart is in running a company.”

Shen Hanshan waved dismissively and replied, “That kid spends all day messing with cats, dogs, and bugs. He only cares about animals and insects. If you lock him in the company, he’ll go mad within two days.”

But Shen Hanshan had long come to terms with this.

He continued, “I’ve already arranged trustworthy people for the company. That kid can enjoy a comfortable life on dividends in the future. Why force him to do brain-draining work?”

“You sure have a relaxed mindset,” Old Master Gu chuckled.

For their generation, it was different. People like him could rest easy knowing they had sons to carry the burden after them.

But for someone like Old Master Shen, unless Lu Ran was properly settled, he wouldn’t dare close his eyes, even at the end of his life.

“Still, it’s not a big deal,” Old Master Gu reassured him. “After all, Ji Min is watching over him. The marriage agreement has been set, hasn’t it?”

Just then, a loud and brash voice from outside broke through: “Ji Min?”

“He’s just lucky and ruthless. Hah, I’d advise you all to stay away from someone like that…”

Lu Ran had just stepped outside and immediately overheard Gu Ningqi badmouthing Ji Min.

He halted in his tracks.

A server carrying a tray of sushi happened to pass by.

Lu Ran stopped the server, picked up the wasabi on the tray, and squeezed an enormous dollop onto one of the sushi pieces.

“Y-Young Master?” The server was stunned.

Lu Ran pointed at Gu Ningqi, who was deep in conversation, and said, “Take it over to him and say I told him to eat it. He wouldn’t dare refuse.”

With that, Lu Ran walked off.

The server carried the tray over.

Old Master Gu and Shen Hanshan witnessed the whole scene.

After all, Gu Ningqi was the grandson of an old friend.

Although the boy had clearly grown up crooked, seeing his own grandson prank him so ruthlessly made Shen Hanshan feel a bit embarrassed.

Old Master Gu waved it off. “That kid’s brain is a mess and his mouth has no filter. A bit of wasabi might clear his head.”

Not long after, Gu Ningqi clutched his mouth and dashed toward the restroom.

It seemed he really ate it.

Inside the room, the two elders fell silent for a moment.

When Lu Ran was younger, he truly was obedient and well-behaved.

Shen Hanshan was stricter with him, while Ji Min simply spoiled him rotten.

Shen Hanshan hadn’t interfered back then.

Who could have guessed that as he grew older, he’d turn out like this?

On the surface, he still seemed adorably obedient, but deep down, he was a little tyrant.

Shen Hanshan loved his grandson dearly.

But even he had to admit… Lu Ran’s temper was something nobody could easily endure in the future.

“Well, whoever spoiled him can deal with him,” Old Master Gu said with a shrug.

“Nothing’s set in stone yet,” Shen Hanshan replied, not elaborating further.

Several months ago, Ji Min suddenly returned to the country and brought up the topic of the engagement out of the blue.

Shen Hanshan had agreed, but with one condition: Lu Ran wouldn’t marry until after he turned 24. Before that, if Lu Ran decided to back out, the engagement would be canceled at any time.

Ji Min had agreed to this as well.

Thinking back, Shen Hanshan felt a little guilty toward his old friend.

“Back then, we said our families would unite through marriage,” he sighed.

“Ah, times have changed. That kind of thing isn’t popular anymore,” Old Master Gu replied.

In fact, the idea of a family union had still been loosely acknowledged by both sides up until Lu Ran started high school.

Lu Ran had always been quite popular growing up.

At the Gu household, Gu Ningqi had naturally assumed himself to be the designated match for the union.

When Lu Ran entered high school, Gu Ningqi was a senior. Full of confidence, he treated Lu Ran as his personal property.

He even strutted into Lu Ran’s class to show off and boldly revealed the engagement, parading himself as Lu Ran’s “fiancé”.

This completely infuriated Lu Ran.

Though their families were close, Lu Ran didn’t make a scene at school.

He didn’t tell the teacher, his parents, or even Ji Min.

After school, he had the driver take him straight to the Gu family home.

Once there, he didn’t go to Old Master Gu.

Instead, he went straight to Gu Ningqi’s father and said: “Uncle, Gu Ningqi caused a scene in my class today. Everyone’s laughing at me. Even the teacher scolded me, thinking I was in an early relationship.”

“What should we do about this?”

“Our families are so close, so I don’t want to make a big deal out of it. But I can’t continue studying at this school anymore, so I’ll just drop out.”

He even added, looking pitiful, “Please tell my grandpa for me so he doesn’t beat me for quitting school.”

Every word was a total fabrication.

Gu Ningqi’s father’s face turned beet red at Lu Ran’s words.

Without another word, he grabbed a whip and chased Gu Ningqi—an almost-adult senior in high school—around the courtyard, whipping him as he ran.

Lu Ran stood on the sidelines, watching the entire scene unfold.

He even recorded Gu Ningqi’s high-pitched screams as he got thrashed.

The next day, Lu Ran threatened Gu Ningqi to apologize in his class, claiming he had acted out because of “unrequited love” due to his mental illness.

Otherwise, he’d play the video during the school’s flag-raising ceremony.

From then on, whenever Gu Ningqi saw Lu Ran, he’d turn tail and run.

Both families silently acknowledged that the marriage alliance was off the table.

No one had expected Ji Min to take advantage of the situation in the end.

“Still… with these two having an engagement, why do they seem even more distant?” Old Master Gu asked curiously.

“Who can understand the affairs of young people?” Shen Hanshan replied.

At the Banquet.

Ji Min was holding a glass of wine, surrounded by a group of people discussing the latest developments in the business world.

Lu Ran stood a short distance away, glancing in his direction.

He didn’t approach and didn’t call out to Ji Min.

The man continued his conversation, speaking sparingly but ensuring that each word resonated with his audience.

Lu Ran still didn’t walk over.

Instead, he casually exchanged pleasantries with familiar faces, acting as though everything was perfectly normal.

In passing, he “coincidentally” walked by Ji Min.

On his second pass, the sharp-dressed man, while giving a straightforward evaluation—

“Anything over five billion lacks substantial value.”

—reached out and casually caught Lu Ran’s wrist.

Lu Ran: “…”

Instinctively, he tried to pull free.

Ji Min’s fingers held him lightly, without exerting much force. A gentle tug would easily break the hold.

Lu Ran tried once, then gave up.

Ji Min wrapped up his conversation, nodded politely to the others, and led the boy away from the crowd, still holding his wrist.

“Why are you grabbing me?” Lu Ran shook his hand to free it.

“What, should I let you flit around behind me like a little whirlwind?” Ji Min’s gaze swept over him with a hint of amusement.

Lu Ran fell silent.

Ji Min didn’t say more either.

Leaning against a window, he neither let go of Lu Ran’s hand nor looked directly at him, his gaze idly fixed outside.

After a while, Lu Ran couldn’t hold back the bubbling urge to share something.

He tugged Ji Min’s hand and said, “Come with me. I’ll show you the puppy I’m raising!”

The banquet continued, the hall bustling with lively chatter.

Quietly, Lu Ran led Ji Min upstairs.

The noise and excitement gradually faded into the background.

Lu Ran brought Ji Min to the end of the hallway, pushed open the door to his room, and walked over to the side of his bed.

He gestured toward a small box placed on the carpet next to the bed.

Inside the box, lined with a thick blanket, was a tiny yellow puppy that had just turned a month old. It was nestled in the blanket, sleeping soundly.

Ji Min followed Lu Ran, crouching down to look at the puppy in the box.

“Another rescue? Why did you keep this one?” Ji Min asked.

Lu Ran had a habit of rescuing animals, but he would usually find new homes for them.

“Because it’s too small and weak. Its siblings have all been adopted, leaving only this one behind. So, I kept it,” Lu Ran explained.

“Have you named it yet?” Ji Min reached out and poked the puppy’s little belly.

“Of course I have. Its name is…”

Lu Ran was about to say “Da Huang”.

But before he could, Ji Min chuckled softly and said, “With your usual naming habits, I bet it’s something like Da Huang or Xiao Huang.”

From Ji Min’s tone, Lu Ran could hear the teasing laced in his words.

His ears turned slightly red, feeling inexplicably self-conscious.

When he was younger, such remarks wouldn’t have fazed him. Whenever he got into trouble, he would run straight to Ji Min for help.

But at some point, Lu Ran started to care about Ji Min’s opinion.

He didn’t want to do anything embarrassing in front of him.

The thought of all the silly things Ji Min had witnessed from his childhood sometimes made him bolt upright in bed at night, wishing he could launch himself into space with a rocket.

So, Lu Ran cleared his throat and hastily improvised a more “sophisticated” name. Tilting his chin up proudly, he declared: “I named it… Douglas.”

“Douglas?” Ji Min raised an eyebrow, looking highly amused.

Lu Ran nodded, though his confidence wavered slightly.

“Changed your style?” the man asked.

Lu Ran was silent for a moment, then raised his head to look at Ji Min. He said, “I’ve grown up. You’re not allowed to tease me anymore.”

“When have I ever teased you?”

Ji Min seemed surprised, then found it amusing. “Why care about such things? Haven’t I seen all sides of you?”

“What sides!” Lu Ran raised his chin stubbornly, refusing to admit it.

Ji Min raised an eyebrow.

“For example, when you were little, you pointed at a chick and insisted it was a little bird, crouched in the grass to catch grasshoppers, dove headfirst into a flowerbed, and used your fingers to dig earthworms out of the dirt…”

“Uh… I did all that?” Lu Ran looked shocked.

“Of course,” Ji Min continued exposing him. “You even stuffed a wet, broken-in-half earthworm into your clothes—”

“Ahhh! Stop talking!” Lu Ran reached out to cover his mouth.

His palm met warm skin.

The room suddenly fell quiet. The muffled sounds of conversation and music from downstairs drifted in through the ajar door.

Lu Ran raised his eyes and met the smiling black eyes of the man in front of him.

The little puppy in the box stirred from the noise, letting out a big yawn and rolling over.

Lu Ran quickly withdrew his hand and bent down to poke the puppy’s head.

He casually said, “You probably came today to discuss something with my grandpa. You should head downstairs.”

“I came to see you too,” Ji Min said.

“What for?” Lu Ran glanced at him cautiously.

The man sat down on the carpet without hesitation, propped his chin with one hand, and looked at him. “To ask when our Ran Ran plans to take me off the blocklist.”

—

Lu Ran’s finger, which had been poking the puppy, froze.

He didn’t answer Ji Min’s question but instead frowned, looking displeased. “Don’t call me that. I’m not a child.”

“I don’t think of you as a child.” Ji Min sighed softly.

Once the puppy fell asleep, Lu Ran and Ji Min went back downstairs.

Lu Ran never mentioned whether he would take Ji Min off the blocklist.

Ji Min didn’t ask again either.

He knew Lu Ran’s temper—one question was enough. If he pushed further, he might end up on the blocklist forever.

Downstairs, Fang Chen and the others had arrived.

When they saw Lu Ran come down, they immediately dragged him over.

The birthday banquet lasted a long time, stretching from noon until evening.

It wasn’t until night fell and the arranged Peking opera performance concluded that things quieted down a bit.

By now, the older guests were slowly leaving.

But for the younger crowd, the night was just beginning.

Fang Chen and his group started playing a murder mystery game.

Lu Ran wasn’t interested and sat off to the side, resting in a chair.

Before long, he heard some movement behind him.

It was Ji Min.

The man carried a faint smell of alcohol. Likely irritated from all the noise, he sat down and leaned back in the chair with his eyes closed.

Noticing Ji Min sitting nearby, Lu Ran remained silent for a while.

He thought about the question Ji Min had asked upstairs earlier.

Lu Ran had blocked Ji Min on WeChat for almost half a year now.

Although Ji Min had brought it up today, Lu Ran still wasn’t in the mood to unblock him anytime soon.

Fang Chen and his group finished their murder mystery game and invited Lu Ran to play badminton.

Lu Ran stood up, took off his jacket, and joined Fang Chen for a few rounds of badminton.

From his chair, Ji Min opened his eyes slightly.

Not far away, the boy was running across the court, laughing at someone on the other side.

He looked genuinely happy as if the exercise had lifted his spirits.

When the games were over, Lu Ran finally felt a bit better, his earlier frustrations dissipating.

He walked over and sat down next to Ji Min. Remembering something, he said, “I left my tablet at your house. I’ll go back with you later to get it.”

Ji Min opened his eyes and replied with a simple “Mm.”

Lu Ran turned his head, about to say something else.

Suddenly, the man who had been reclining in the chair with his eyes closed slowly sat up straight and leaned in toward him.

“Was badminton fun?” Ji Min asked in a low voice.

“Hmm?” Lu Ran was unscrewing the cap of a water bottle, having just taken a sip.

The cap wasn’t screwed back on yet.

Ji Min’s gaze was deep, quietly fixed on him.

Lu Ran inexplicably felt that this version of Ji Min seemed unfamiliar, even dangerous.

Confused, he followed Ji Min’s gaze down to the mouth of the water bottle in his hand.

“You… want some water?” Lu Ran offered, extending the bottle toward him.

Ji Min didn’t take it.

Instead, he leaned closer, bypassing the bottle entirely.

Ji Min’s seat was in a blind spot, away from prying eyes.

No one dared to come over and disturb him, so the area remained quiet.

Meanwhile, Fang Chen and his group were making a racket over by the badminton court.

Behind them, Lu Ran felt Ji Min’s warm breath brushing against his face.

Lu Ran froze, his mind turning into mush.

W-what is he doing?

Is he… going to kiss me?

Why would he kiss me?

In the end, Ji Min’s breath paused right at the corner of his lips.

It was as if Ji Min suddenly realized what he was doing, running a frustrated hand through his hair before pulling back.

Lu Ran was still dazed, completely unable to process whether Ji Min had actually kissed him or not.

Just then, the butler came over to call for Ji Min again.

The man who had almost kissed him stood up as if nothing had happened and said to Lu Ran, “I’ll let the old man know I’m leaving soon. You go wait for me in the car.”

Oh, so he still remembered that I’m supposed to go to his place?

Lu Ran was still in a daze.

Under normal circumstances, he would have pointed a finger at Ji Min and shouted, “You stop right there! Try leaving, I dare you!”

But his brain wasn’t functioning.

By the time he thought of calling out, Ji Min had already left.

Lu Ran sat there for a moment longer before heading straight to Ji Min’s car.

Guests were leaving one after another.

Fang Chen and his group eventually dispersed too.

Even the parking area became bustling with activity.

Lu Ran sat inside Ji Min’s business car with the doors and windows tightly shut.

The driver had gone out for a walk, leaving Lu Ran alone in the car.

He silently watched the people outside coming and going, cars backing out of parking spaces and driving away one by one.

Just a year ago, his relationship with Ji Min had been much closer.

When he was a child, Ji Min would visit him every week.

But once Ji Min started working at the company, he gradually became busier.

During the years after Old Master Ji passed away, Ji Min’s life became even more grueling.

Even so, Lu Ran had always seen Ji Min as a big brother who treated him with great care.

Before graduating from high school, Lu Ran’s understanding of relationships was very simple.

Grandpa was Grandpa—his only family.

Grandpa Gu was the kind neighbor’s grandfather who treated him kindly.

Fang Chen was his childhood friend who grew up with him.

As for Zhang Lin and Gu Ningqi, they were just annoying fools he was forced to acknowledge due to their connections.

In his memory, these people naturally assumed these roles.

When Lu Ran saw them, his mind automatically associated them with their relationships and places in his life.

Beyond that, he never bothered to figure out who they truly were as people.

Take his grandfather, Shen Hanshan, for example. In Lu Ran’s heart, he was always just “Grandpa”, not “Shen Hanshan” the person.

At that time, Ji Min was no different to him.

Ji Min was the doting big brother from next door.

But after the college entrance exams, perhaps because he suddenly had too much free time, Lu Ran’s curiosity unexpectedly flared up.

During the summer break following the exams, Lu Ran stayed at Ji Min’s house, slacking off.

He was under a lot of pressure.

His grandfather had told him that if he didn’t score 700 points, he’d have to go home and take over the family business. But if he did, he could choose whatever major he wanted.

It felt like he had a pack of wolves chasing him.

During the waiting period for his results, he often dreamt that he scored exactly 699 points.

Every time he woke up, it was like the end of the world.

Ji Min laughed at him for it, teasing him about being overly dramatic.

It was probably around that time, in an effort to distract himself, that Lu Ran began to notice how interesting his “big brother” actually was.

Not as a brother, but as a person.

For example, Ji Min was quite good-looking.

And every time he witnessed Lu Ran throwing tantrums or causing trouble, his expressions were intriguing—a mix of frustration and helplessness.

He would mutter to himself, blaming his past self for spoiling Lu Ran so much, yet he’d still patiently clean up the mess.

Lu Ran found it incredibly entertaining.

In fact, he started deliberately causing minor trouble every day just to see Ji Min’s reactions.

But Ji Min was too sharp and quickly caught on.

Pinching Lu Ran’s cheek, he raised an eyebrow and asked, “Are you messing with me on purpose?”

Lu Ran wasn’t the least bit afraid of Ji Min losing his temper.

Unable to break free from Ji Min’s grip, he lowered his head and bit the man’s finger.

Once he had a firm bite, he lifted his head triumphantly to glare at him.

Ji Min probably hadn’t expected him to be so audacious.

He was stunned for a long time after being bitten.

Then, Ji Min quickly withdrew his hand from Lu Ran’s mouth and casually changed the subject, asking what they were having for dinner.

During that time, Lu Ran was very happy.

Every day, as soon as he opened his eyes, he’d go to find Ji Min to have fun, even forgetting about the day the college entrance exam results were released.

That was until one day.

Lu Ran was in Ji Min’s room, playing games on Ji Min’s computer.

He played so late that he decided not to go back to his own room and just lay down on Ji Min’s bed to sleep.

The next morning, before dawn.

Lu Ran was woken up by some movement on the bed.

The person sleeping beside him suddenly turned over and sat up.

Lu Ran, still groggy, opened his eyes and saw that Ji Min’s face looked very upset.

Even now, Lu Ran could clearly remember that moment.

Because he had never seen such an awful expression on Ji Min’s face before.

“What’s wrong?” Lu Ran asked, half asleep.

Ji Min didn’t respond. He reached out and pulled Lu Ran’s hand from under his pajamas.

Then, with a cold expression, he left the room.

Lu Ran didn’t think much of it and turned back to sleep.

Then… he suddenly received the news that Ji Min was going abroad.

Ji Min’s trip had come up very suddenly.

Everyone was thrown into chaos because of it.

At the time, Lu Ran hadn’t started school yet.

He had always thought Ji Min would take him to college.

But after Ji Min left, Lu Ran didn’t feel much of anything.

After all, he had Ji Min’s house key and could stay as long as he wanted.

But after Ji Min went abroad, Lu Ran stayed in the empty villa for a few days, feeling bored, and decided to return home to be with his grandfather.

Although Ji Min was overseas, he still remembered Lu Ran’s school start date.

He even sent a gift for Lu Ran’s enrollment from abroad.

Whenever Lu Ran needed something from Ji Min, Ji Min was still able to take care of it perfectly.

It seemed like everything was just like before.

As if Ji Min had only been busy with work and had gone on a long trip.

Everyone else, including the employees at Ji Min’s company, thought the same.

But Lu Ran gradually started to care.

In the past, he never bothered to care whether Ji Min was on a business trip.

Because Ji Min was always so busy, spending about three hundred days a year on business trips.

Whenever Lu Ran wanted to see Ji Min, he would first ask Ji Min’s assistant.

If Ji Min was free, he would see him.

If Ji Min wasn’t free, Lu Ran would be fine talking to his assistant instead.

But this time, Lu Ran felt that something was wrong.

He himself felt something was off.

Ji Min was even more off.

Lu Ran couldn’t shake the feeling that Ji Min was avoiding him, but he had no proof.

Because Ji Min always responded to his messages properly.

He often checked in to ask how Lu Ran was doing.

But Lu Ran just felt like something was wrong.

Yet he couldn’t find any reason for Ji Min to be avoiding him.

Lu Ran tried to think if he had done something to make Ji Min angry.

After thinking it over, the only thing he could come up with was…

That time he had secretly touched Ji Min’s abs while Ji Min was asleep.

But what was there to be angry about?

If Ji Min didn’t want him to touch it, he could just say so…

With this feeling of unease, Lu Ran started to feel unhappy.

Gradually, it turned into anger.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became!

Even though Lu Ran felt like his anger had no reason behind it.

Every time he saw Ji Min’s usual replies on the chat page, his anger would rise just a little bit more.

Until his 19th birthday.

Ji Min, as always, planned a grand birthday party for him, gave him gifts,

And even sent a video message from abroad.

In the video, Ji Min carefully apologized to him, saying he would return once he finished his work.

Because of work, Ji Min occasionally missed his birthday.

But he would usually make it up when he had the time.

Lu Ran never minded these things when he was younger.

But this time, watching the man apologizing in the video,

Lu Ran grabbed the remote control and pressed the button, turning off the video on the large display with a loud “click.”

Everyone was startled.

Throughout the birthday party, Lu Ran kept a stern face.

When it was over and he returned to his room, he picked up his phone and blacklisted and deleted all of Ji Min’s contact information.

Once deleted, it remained that way until now.

Lu Ran himself felt that he had probably been spoiled by Ji Min.

Ji Min had been staying abroad for a long time.

Whenever asked, he’d say it was because he had unfinished work and his return date was uncertain.

Occasionally, he would come back, but only to handle some matters, then leave immediately.

But two months after Lu Ran blacklisted him, Ji Min suddenly returned to the country.

The first thing Ji Min did after returning was not to see Lu Ran.

Instead, he met with Shen Hanshan.

That day, Lu Ran came home from school and unexpectedly ran into Ji Min.

After almost a year abroad, Ji Min didn’t seem to have changed much.

But it was as if he had made some kind of decision.

When he saw Lu Ran, the man smiled and called out softly, “Ran Ran.”

Lu Ran coldly responded with a simple reply.

Then, Lu Ran heard about the engagement.

At first, he was stunned for a long time.

He didn’t really feel any resistance, just confusion.

… It felt similar to the way he almost got kissed by Ji Min earlier.

That evening, Lu Ran went straight to find Ji Min.

That day, Ji Min was unusually not at the company.

He was alone in the villa, probably just coming back from the gym.

He still hadn’t changed out of his dark gray sweatpants.

When he saw Lu Ran coming, he didn’t look surprised.

He didn’t bring up the engagement, nor did he ask why he was blacklisted.

Instead, he asked, as usual, if Lu Ran was hungry and what he’d like to eat.

Lu Ran tried hard to remain calm.

He tried his best to act like someone who wouldn’t be bothered by something like an engagement.

Once Ji Min finished cooking the steak, Lu Ran poked at the food on his plate and casually asked, “I heard the Ji family and the Shen family are going to form an alliance through marriage.”

He used the term “alliance” to try and frame the engagement as a matter between two families.

Ji Min glanced up at him, not saying much.

Lu Ran held his breath.

After a moment, he finally let out his frustration and asked, “Why did you and my grandfather suddenly arrange an engagement? What are you two up to? Now that the engagement is set, what am I supposed to do?”

He bombarded Ji Min with a series of questions.

Ji Min looked up at him, then lowered his gaze again. He responded nonchalantly, “Just be the same as before. You don’t need to do anything.”

Lu Ran came to ask because he was caught off guard by the news of the engagement.

But after asking, he was even more confused.

That evening, Lu Ran didn’t stay overnight at Ji Min’s house.

Instead, he made a big fuss and returned to the Shen household, grilling his grandfather with more questions.

But in the end, his grandfather didn’t offer much clarification either.

While feeding his pet parrot, Shen Hanshan casually said, “Don’t worry about it. Focus on your studies. If you like someone in the future, be together. If you don’t, then find someone else.”

Lu Ran was left stunned, thinking to himself, what the hell is going on here?

After that, he just gave up and stopped caring.

But no matter how much he tried to ignore it, the impact of the engagement still lingered in the background.

He didn’t like people joking about his relationship with Ji Min.

If, during the summer after the college entrance exams, he had just peeled away the “neighborly older brother” persona to see Ji Min as a person, now, that same person seemed to carry the vague title of “fiancé”.

Lu Ran had always thought Ji Min wouldn’t choose a business marriage.

Because his parents’ marriage had been a tragic result of such a union.

So, after thinking it over…

He figured the most likely reason for the engagement was some kind of business collaboration between his grandfather and Ji Min.

Perhaps once the collaboration was over, the engagement would be called off and he wouldn’t need to worry about it.

But now…

Lu Ran suddenly wasn’t so sure.

The warm sensation on his lips still lingered.

Lu Ran began to scratch his head in the car.

He thought to himself, this might be a long-term partnership.

Maybe he and Ji Min were really going to get married.

Just now…

Maybe Ji Min was just testing it out, seeing if he could kiss him with his face, which was so familiar it almost seemed excessive.

So, did he not kiss him after all?!

Thinking about this, Lu Ran became even more furious, feeling like he could explode on the spot.

Without a second thought, he extended his hand and punched the spot where Ji Min usually sat.

At that exact moment, the car door on the opposite side opened.

Ji Min happened to witness this scene.

The man paused for a moment, then asked, “…Are you really this angry?”

“No! I’m not!” Lu Ran replied.

He retracted his hand and sat up straight.

Ji Min hesitated for a moment, but still got into the car.

However, he rolled down the window.

The man sat quietly.

Right beside him, the young man was practically radiating heat with anger.

Ji Min lowered his gaze slightly and finally said, “The driver will be here soon.”

After speaking, he leaned back against the seat, closing his eyes to rest.

Lu Ran continued to fume for a while.

Then, he suddenly realized why he had come here in the first place.

Of course, it was to confront Ji Min about why he had kissed him!

Lu Ran turned to look at the man beside him.

Ji Min had his eyes closed and seemed to have fallen asleep.

“Hey.” Lu Ran poked his arm.

Ji Min didn’t react.

Is he really asleep?

Lu Ran slowly leaned closer to take a look.

He knew that Ji Min had been quite busy lately and had probably taken time off this afternoon to come here.

It seemed like he had somehow been surrounded by a bunch of elders and had been forced to drink some wine.

So, he must have really fallen asleep now.

Hearing the steady rhythm of Ji Min’s breathing, Lu Ran felt a bit bolder.

He propped himself up and leaned in closer.

His gaze roamed over Ji Min’s face before slowly stopping at the corner of his lips.

Lu Ran: I am going to get revenge.

Why should this guy be able to kiss him, and he couldn’t kiss him back?

After all, they had an engagement now.

Lu Ran placed his hand on Ji Min’s leg, gathering his courage to move closer.

Suddenly, the man, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them.

He reached out and pinched Lu Ran’s cheek, his fingers slightly distorting the soft flesh.

Ji Min lowered his gaze to look at the young man in front of him, his black eyes filled with deep astonishment.

“…You’ve got guts,” the man said in a hoarse voice.

Lu Ran’s heart skipped a beat, pounding wildly.

It was a mix of being caught red-handed and some other involuntary feelings.

His heart was racing so fast, it felt like it might jump out of his chest.

He broke free from Ji Min’s fingers, sat back in his seat, and argued, “But you kissed me first!”

Hearing his words, Ji Min turned his head, looking out the car window.

The Adam’s apple hidden in the dark shifted slightly before he said, “I forgot.”

Lu Ran: “…”

“Oh,” he responded nonchalantly, opening the car door and preparing to leave.

However, halfway out, his wrist was grabbed by Ji Min.

“Didn’t you say you were going to my place?”

The man’s voice was very soft and low, with a hint of pleading.

Lu Ran said, “I forgot.”

Ji Min: “…”

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