RRP Chapter 17

Ji Ling had often wondered why he hadn’t returned to N City earlier.  

 

That was where his father had started his business and where he was born. He had grown up alongside the city. Though work had kept him busy in later years, and he hadn’t spent much time there, whenever anyone asked, he would still say he was from N City.  

 

After the car accident, Ji Ling had considered going back to N City to restart, but he knew that Zong Jiqi would never recognize him. Was he supposed to convince his brother that he wasn’t dead? It sounded too fantastical—if it hadn’t happened to him, he wouldn’t have believed it either.  

 

Besides, if he returned to start over, it seemed like staying where he was wouldn’t make much of a difference.  

 

Now, looking back, although Ji Ling didn’t want to admit it, Yan Yixuan had definitely played a huge role in holding him back.  

 

Later, as Ji Ling’s career began to pick up, he always told himself that it didn’t matter if he wasn’t in N City. As long as he got closer and closer to where he used to be, he could reconnect with his brother.  

 

But then Yan Yixuan threw him an opportunity.  

 

Ji Ling knew about the charity gala. It had always been held every year in N City, and as one of the city’s prominent figures, he would always attend. He figured Zong Jiqi would be there this year too.  

 

Ji Ling found himself secretly looking forward to it.  

 

The situation at Zong Corporation had stabilized recently. Zong Jiqi’s efforts to save their distressed business were starting to show results, but bigger moves were needed to reverse the declining trend.  

 

Because Zong Corporation was a business that dealt in real products, Ji Ling had seen firsthand how the public’s doubts about their brand grew after Zong Bolin’s death, which had pained him deeply.  

 

This time, with the chance to meet Zong Jiqi, Ji Ling wanted to observe his current state up close.  

 

It wasn’t long before the invitation from Yan Yixuan arrived in Ji Ling’s hands, addressed specifically to him. Ji Ling knew the scale of this gala—everyone invited was a major figure in finance. Yan Yixuan had gone so far as to put his name on the invite. He couldn’t help but think the organizers were probably scratching their heads, wondering who he was.  

 

Which meant, since Yan Yixuan wasn’t going with him, he’d have to attend alone.

 

Ji Ling wasn’t planning on bringing a companion. After all, he wasn’t well-known, and no one would care if he came alone. Once he finished his work arrangements, he booked a flight to N City for the day before the gala.  

 

He couldn’t help but chuckle at himself. Among all the people attending the banquet, he was probably the only one flying economy class.  

 

When Ji Ling stepped off the plane, the air seemed to carry a familiar scent. It was dry and cool, a stark contrast to the humid S City by the harbor. He immediately felt a sense of peace wash over him, the homesickness that had nagged him during the flight vanishing completely. His mood lifted, and he couldn’t help but feel a surge of excitement.  

 

He smoothly made his way to the hotel, dropped off his luggage, and headed out to wander around.  

 

He even went to the outskirts of Zong Corporation’s production base. He couldn’t go inside, so he just sat in a taxi and drove around the factory, the buildings so familiar, yet so distant. In that moment, it truly felt like he was seeing everything from another lifetime.  

 

But Ji Ling didn’t go to Zong Corporation’s headquarters or his old home. He was afraid that if he did, he wouldn’t be able to control himself.  

 

By the time evening rolled around the next day, Ji Ling arrived at the gala alone, but his heart wasn’t as calm as he wanted it to be.

 

The venue for the charity event was understated but professional. Every detail was thoughtfully arranged, and the media quietly snapped photos without causing too much of a disturbance. Ji Ling turned down a staff member offering to escort him to his seat and found a quiet spot to stand, watching the people walk in from the red carpet.  

 

He saw many familiar faces, but while he recognized them, they didn’t recognize him.  

 

In addition to entrepreneurs, there were plenty of celebrities at the event.  

 

Ji Ling noticed Shen Dongqing had arrived, which meant Luo Tao was probably there too, though he hadn’t spotted him yet. Then, his gaze landed on a familiar actress, someone he had once shared intimate moments with. She looked just as delicate and charming as before, smiling brightly, just like she had when she was by his side.  

 

Then, Yan Yixuan made his grand entrance, arm-in-arm with a stunning beauty. They whispered intimately to each other as they greeted others.  

 

Ji Ling couldn’t help but snicker inwardly. Young Master Yan still loved to make a spectacle of himself, parading around like a celebrity on the red carpet. That necklace on the woman’s neck had to have cost a fortune. Such showiness.  

 

Yan Yixuan clearly noticed Ji Ling too, his eyes narrowing as he briefly glanced at him. Ji Ling quickly turned away, refusing to look back.  

 

But the person Ji Ling was most eagerly waiting for still hadn’t shown up.  

 

Just when Ji Ling started to feel anxious, he finally saw Zong Jiqi.  

 

Zong Jiqi walked in alone, with the event staff guiding him ahead. He held his suit jacket with one hand, walking straight ahead, his eyes never straying.

 

His younger brother was a little different from what Ji Ling remembered.

 

Ji Ling remembered how he was supposed to attend Zong Jiqi’s graduation ceremony. Back then, his brother had been gentle, with an academic air about him—always wrapped up in research, a little naive, and stubborn. Zong Jiqi had always listened to their father and older brother. Although Ji Ling had been cautious about him getting involved in the family business, Zong Jiqi had never protested and had instead gone off to study in the U.S. So, in Ji Ling’s eyes, Zong Jiqi had always been the obedient younger brother.  

 

But today, Zong Jiqi was no longer that obedient little brother. He had become a man.  

 

Zong Jiqi’s expression was serious, with no smile. Perhaps it was his expression, but his facial features seemed sharper now. His hair was neatly combed to one side, giving him a more mature look. He wore a dark suit, one hand resting on his stomach, standing tall and straight. He only slightly leaned in when someone greeted him.  

 

As he walked past Ji Ling, he didn’t spare him a glance.  

 

Ji Ling quietly watched him until he entered the venue and took his seat.  

 

After a while, Ji Ling went over to find the staff and asked them to show him to his seat.  

 

He had expected to be placed in some far-off corner of the banquet hall, but to his surprise, they led him to a large table in the middle. Looking around at the people seated there, he understood the seating arrangements were based on location—local business owners were grouped together.  

 

The seat next to him, naturally, was reserved for Yan Yixuan’s date.  

 

Yan Yixuan and Ji Ling positioned the glamorous beauty between them, while across from them sat Shen Dongqing and Luo Tao, who had arrived at some point Ji Ling hadn’t noticed.  

 

Ji Ling was the last to arrive at the table. He greeted everyone vaguely, and someone curiously asked, “Which company does this young boss represent?”  

 

Just as Ji Ling was about to introduce himself, Luo Tao spoke up, “This is Mr. Ji Ling, the rising star of the media industry. He’s recently worked with me, a young talent with limitless potential.”  

 

Luo Tao praised him effortlessly, without even breaking a sweat. Ji Ling felt a little embarrassed, letting out a nervous laugh before sitting down. Yan Yixuan, on the other hand, couldn’t stop the grin at the corner of his lips, barely holding back a laugh as he sipped his water.  

 

The gala had several rounds: famous business people gave talks, followed by a celebrity auction, with performances mixed in. Despite being called a ‘banquet,’ no one was really there to eat. Everyone sat together, discussing industry news and trends. During the livelier performances on stage, some guests left their tables to mingle with others.  

 

During one of these breaks, the group of local entrepreneurs began chatting among themselves.

 

“Has Yan Yili not come?” The loudest voice at the table was Luo Tao, who directly asked Yan Yixuan.  

 

Yan Yixuan gave him a glance and replied, “How should I know if he’s coming or not?”  

 

His response was a little rude, but the woman beside him quickly smoothed things over. “Mr. Yan Yili might have something else to attend to.” She then handed him a pastry and coaxed gently, “Why don’t you have a bite?”  

 

Yan Yixuan smiled again and accepted the food.  

 

It wasn’t that Yan Yili had something else to do—it was more likely that he didn’t want to come as long as Yan Yixuan was here.  

 

Everyone knew it, but only Luo Tao had the nerve to bring it up and stir the pot.  

 

Yet Luo Tao, unfazed, kept pushing, “My brother and I are really close. He told me, as long as I came, it’d be like him coming too.”  

 

At this point, Shen Dongqing had to place his wine glass in front of Luo Tao and said, “Drink up, President Luo.” 

 

Then, as if to change the subject, he turned to Ji Ling. “Mr. Ji, you’re here too. What a surprise.”

 

Ji Ling smiled humbly. “I was introduced by someone. Seeing everything here has been quite the eye-opener.” 

 

The wealthy guests continued their conversations, some hoping to hear the latest news, others looking to build connections, and a few aiming for potential business deals. Ji Ling grew a bit bored listening, his mind drifting to other tables.  

 

When the auction started, everyone quieted down to participate. As the Best Actor, Shen Dongqing decided to auction off some of his personal collections. He got up to leave for the auction, with Luo Tao following closely behind, eager to join in. Yan Yixuan, however, looked relieved, finally enjoying some peace and quiet.  

 

Yan Yixuan bid on a few items for charity, but Ji Ling didn’t join in. He just remained expressionless, fiddling with the food on his plate.  

 

After the auction ended, Yan Yixuan suddenly asked, “What? Bored?”  

 

Ji Ling was momentarily slow to realize the question was directed at him. He turned to reply to Yan Yixuan, “Yan…” But just as he spoke, he realized someone was sitting between them—the beautiful woman, who was innocently looking at him. He quickly changed his tone and said, “Mr. Yan, would you be able to introduce me to someone?”  

 

Yan Yixuan didn’t bother hiding their familiarity and asked directly, “Who?”  

 

Ji Ling answered, “Zong Jiqi.”  

 

Yan Yixuan frowned. “Aren’t you in the entertainment business? Since when did you take an interest in the real estate industry?”

 

Ji Ling drawled, “Just thought I’d like to meet him.”  

 

Out of nowhere, Yan Yixuan suddenly flashed a gentle smile. Ji Ling instinctively felt that he was up to something again, but instead of causing trouble, Yan Yixuan simply turned to his beautiful companion and said in a soft voice, “Wait for me here. I’ll be back soon.”  

 

Then he stood up, his smile vanishing as he gestured to Ji Ling with a dry tone. “Let’s go. Time to meet N City’s new big shot.”

 

“…Was that really necessary?” Ji Ling muttered inwardly. This young master’s mood swings were way too extreme.

 

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TL: Hey everyone!

I’m so sorry for not being regular with my updates! Compared to last year, I have way more exams, so I haven’t been able to translate as much. Really sorry about that!

But good news—I got a short break and stocked up on chapters to release, so no more missed updates (yay!).

Also, if you have a moment, I’d love to see some comments! This is the first time I’ve translated a novel with no comments at all, and even a small message would really motivate me to keep going!

Hope you’re all enjoying the novel so far! Wishing you a great day! (˶◜ᵕ◝˶)

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