RRP Chapter 18

Yan Yixuan led Ji Ling through the banquet hall, not in a hurry at all. Instead, he slowly exchanged a few words with one person, then greeted another. Ji Ling understood that with Yan Yixuan’s status, being too eager would make him look cheap, so he patiently followed behind him. Those who didn’t know better would have thought he was Yan Yixuan’s assistant.

 

By the time they finally made it to the territory of N City, a place filled with ambitious, wealthy people, there was still no sign of Zong Jiqi.

 

Yan Yixuan immediately got swept up in casual conversations with the crowd, while Ji Ling spotted a familiar actress among them.

 

In fact, he had thought about her many times before. Not because of anything special, but because that night she had tried to keep him there. Ji Ling often wondered—if he had stayed then, would the car accident have never happened? Would all these absurd events have been avoided?

 

But knowing his own personality, even if he could do it all over again, not even a god could have stopped him from leaving.

 

Sometimes, he even thought it would’ve been nice to be like Yan Yixuan—someone who could stay calm in a room full of warmth and softness, never flinching even when alarms were blaring outside.

 

But things couldn’t be undone.

 

Ji Ling pushed those useless thoughts aside and suddenly had an idea. He turned to the actress and asked, “Miss Zhong, do you know where Mr. Zong Jiqi is?”

 

The actress, named Zhong, was momentarily startled, but she quickly smiled and answered with patience, “Mr. Zong said he went out for some fresh air. He should be back soon.”

 

It turned out she did know Zong Jiqi.

 

Ji Ling had never introduced any of his past partners to his family, but it was after he left her that he had the accident. His younger brother must’ve reached out to her afterward.

 

At that moment, Yan Yixuan found an opening to join the conversation, glancing at Ji Ling as he said, “So you’re talking to a beautiful woman while I wasn’t paying attention?”

 

Miss Zhong immediately covered her mouth and laughed. “Mr. Yan, you love to joke. I’ve long heard of your reputation, and you truly live up to it.” As she laughed, her smile suddenly faded a little. “I once talked about you with a friend of mine, and I was lucky enough to meet you today, but my friend, unfortunately, won’t have the chance to meet you today.”

 

Hearing her words, Ji Ling was momentarily lost in thought.

 

Yan Yixuan didn’t quite catch on and asked, “So, were you talking about me, saying good things or bad things?”

 

Miss Zhong immediately responded playfully, “Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?”

 

Just then, Zong Jiqi returned.

 

His face still lacked any trace of a smile, his expression silent and gloomy, with a slight frown that even made him appear stern. Ji Ling couldn’t help but feel shocked by how much his younger brother had changed. Not long ago, he was just a student.

 

When Miss Zhong saw Zong Jiqi come back, she took the initiative to introduce, “Mr. Zong, this is Mr. Yan Yixuan from the Yan family, and this is…” She glanced at Ji Ling, her eyes filled with a hint of apology. Ji Ling quickly introduced himself, “I’m Ji Ling.”

 

Yan Yixuan added, “I’ve met Mr. Zong before.”

 

Though he didn’t explicitly mention it was at Zong Bolin’s funeral.

 

Zong Jiqi shook Yan Yixuan’s hand, saying, “Welcome to N City, Mr. Yan.”

 

Yan Yixuan smiled, “Mr. Zong, you seem more and more commanding. The Zong family is bound to thrive under your leadership.”

 

Zong Jiqi replied coolly, “Since my older brother’s passing, I’ve felt a lot of pressure. There are still many areas where I lack experience. I’m hoping to learn from someone like you, Mr. Yan, a veteran of the business world.”

 

By bringing up Zong Bolin’s death himself, he subtly evoked sympathy, yet his response to Yan Yixuan was composed and modest. Ji Ling was once again shaken—his younger brother seemed to have grown up in an instant.

 

He had become mature and composed, starting to understand the nuances of conversation, with polished manners. He was now a man with responsibility.

 

Ji Ling’s emotions became complicated in that moment.

 

Unable to hold back, he spoke up, “About your brother…”

 

Zong Jiqi quietly looked at him, and Yan Yixuan shot him a sharp glance, signaling him to avoid touching on that topic.

 

Ji Ling felt a storm of words brewing in his chest, but after a brief pause, he simply said, “My condolences.”

 

Zong Jiqi’s expression softened just a little. He nodded toward Ji Ling and said, “I know. Thank you.”

 

Yan Yixuan spoke at just the right moment. “This junior of mine is still new to the game, but he’s got a good business mind. A rising star. I brought him out to see the world.”

 

Zong Jiqi replied, “I’m a newcomer myself. We can learn from each other.”

 

They exchanged a few more polite remarks, and the more they talked, the more Ji Ling felt amazed by how quick Zong Jiqi’s responses were. Just then, a staff member approached and politely interrupted.

 

“Excuse me, gentlemen. Is Mr. Ji Ling here?”

 

Ji Ling answered, “That’s me.”

 

“Mr. Ji, hello. Thank you very much for supporting this event. However, your donation is a bit… unusual. We need you to confirm it one more time.” As he spoke, the staff member handed Ji Ling a document. Ji Ling skimmed through it quickly and said, “No problem.”

 

Yan Yixuan, watching idly from the side, asked, “What did you donate that’s causing such a fuss?”

 

Ji Ling replied, “A sports car.”

 

Yan Yixuan: “…”

 

“Please sign here,” the staff member said.

 

Ji Ling took the pen. To make writing easier, he slightly turned his body, lowering the document, and signed his name.

 

The moment he finished, he heard a soft, trembling gasp from nearby.

 

“Bolin…?”

 

Ji Ling looked up and saw Miss Zhong’s face, pale and full of confusion.

 

Yan Yixuan and Zong Jiqi also turned to her. She forced a smile and said, “Mr. Ji’s handwriting and movements just reminded me of an old friend.”

 

She looked unsettled, almost panicked. Then she added, “I’m not feeling well. I think I need to rest for a bit.”

 

Without waiting for a response, she hurried away.

 

Zong Jiqi frowned, glancing in the direction she left, then at Ji Ling, a thoughtful expression in his eyes.

 

“I’m a little worried. I’ll go check on her. Excuse me.” With that, Zong Jiqi also took his leave.

 

Ji Ling handed the signed document back to the staff. In the end, only he and Yan Yixuan remained.

 

Yan Yixuan narrowed his eyes. “Zong Jiqi is becoming more and more like his brother.”

 

Ji Ling said nothing.

 

After the banquet ended, Ji Ling bid farewell to the crowd and prepared to leave alone.

 

He felt especially drained tonight. Coming back to N City, seeing his younger brother and his former lover—it was nothing like he had imagined.

 

He couldn’t tell if it was nostalgia or something else, just that a heavy, unshakable weight sat in his chest, making him feel suffocated and restless.

 

Just as he was about to leave, someone suddenly called out to him.

 

“Mr. Ji!”

 

Miss Zhong stood at the bottom of the steps, wearing a long dress and high heels, without even a coat to shield her from the night air.

 

Ji Ling stopped in his tracks, and like a gust of wind, she rushed up to him.

 

“Mr. Ji…” She hesitated, seeming unsure of how to begin. Ji Ling waited patiently until she finally spoke. “I heard you’re in the entertainment industry. If you don’t mind, in the future, if there’s anything I can help with, just let me know.”

 

Ji Ling looked at her, surprised.

 

She quickly added, “You remind me so much of my friend… Not in looks, but in the way you make people feel.” She seemed a little uneasy. “He was very good to me, but he’s gone now. Just… if you ever need me, come find me. Let’s just say it’s my way of remembering him through you.”

 

Ji Ling closed his eyes for a moment and replied hoarsely, “I understand. Thank you.”

 

Miss Zhong gave him a small nod, lifted the hem of her dress, and disappeared like the wind.

 

Ji Ling turned and walked away.

 

His once-naive younger brother had become steady and mature. The lover he thought was only a transactional partner had actually cared for him deeply.

 

Should he sigh at fate’s cruelty, or curse the heavens for playing such a joke on him?

 

Everything he had once firmly believed in was now shaken.

 

His emotions were so tangled that even he couldn’t make sense of them. There was no way to vent, no clear path forward.

 

And for the first time, Ji Ling didn’t know where to go.

 

He stopped in his tracks, hesitated for a moment, then suddenly turned and strode toward the parking lot.

 

Spotting Yan Yixuan’s car, he stormed over, his steps firm and unyielding.

 

Yan Yixuan was just about to get into the car with his female companion when Ji Ling intercepted them. He turned to the woman and said, “Sorry, miss, I need to talk to Mr. Yan.” Then, without hesitation, he pulled a few bills from his wallet and slapped them into her hand. “You can head back on your own.”

 

Before either Yan Yixuan or his companion could react, Ji Ling hooked an arm around Yan Yixuan’s and shoved him straight into the car, leaving him completely baffled.

 

Ji Ling then climbed in himself, slamming the door shut. “I have something to ask you.”

 

Yan Yixuan glared at him. “Since when did I become your personal consultant?” His voice carried a tinge of annoyance—Ji Ling was acting downright irrational.

 

But as he got a good look at Ji Ling’s face, he paused. “What’s wrong with you now?”

 

Ji Ling pressed his lips together tightly, refusing to answer. His expression was an unreadable mess—confusion, frustration, anger, and even sorrow flickered across his face.

 

Outside, the woman pounded on the car door, her face flushed red with fury.

 

Yan Yixuan let out a sigh and gestured at her through the window, signaling her to leave.

 

The woman looked heartbroken. Her voice trembled with grievance as she huffed, “If you prefer men, you should’ve just said so sooner!” Then, without another word, she stormed off.

 

Yan Yixuan was utterly speechless. Before he could even think of a response, Ji Ling spoke first.

 

“Let me tell you a story.”

 

“Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled his kingdom well. But one day, he had an accident. Everyone thought he was dead, so they crowned another royal as the new king.”

 

“But the old king wasn’t actually dead. And what’s more, he discovered a shocking truth—he wasn’t from the royal bloodline at all. He was actually from another race entirely. When he finally returned to the kingdom, he saw that the new king was doing a great job too.”

 

Ji Ling looked at Yan Yixuan and asked, “If you were the old king, would you fight the new king to reclaim the throne?”

 

Yan Yixuan furrowed his brows, eyeing Ji Ling suspiciously. “Since when are you into fairy tales?”

 

Ji Ling’s expression remained serious. “This isn’t a fairy tale. It’s a horror story.” He locked eyes with Yan Yixuan. “For a businessman, this is truly terrifying.”

 

Yan Yixuan froze for a second. Then he thought about it carefully—and suddenly laughed. “If this were a company instead of a kingdom, an outsider fighting for control would definitely damage the business. But if it were a company I built with my own hands, why would I ever give it up?”

 

Ji Ling looked at him and asked, “If it were you, could you walk away from all the wealth and power?”

 

Yan Yixuan’s smirk carried an air of absolute certainty. “No. What’s mine is mine. I would never give it up.”

 

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