I'm taking him with me

Ji Ting's eyes went blank for a moment, then his brows knitted deeply.

Ji Yanzhi never had a kind look for him. Every time he opened his mouth, it was to mock or curse him. If he hated him so much, why would he defy Ji Zhenting for his sake?

...Did Ji Yanzhi really have a split personality?

Ji Zhenting saw his confusion. Whether it was genuine or an act, he didn't care. He gave a cold snort. "But venomous snakes have their uses, too. Whether it's a snake or a big fish, once it enters the pond, it'll spur the little fish to fight for survival. Whoever wants to live will have to prove they're more capable."

Everyone eyed that position hungrily, but anyone who wanted to become the head of the Ji Family and have the last laugh would have to climb to the top over the bodies of their peers.

There was a hidden meaning in Ji Zhenting's words, but Ji Ting had already understood the surface meaning.

He stared at him, then said evenly, "That's not how you use the catfish effect. You'd better read the Treatise on the Balanced Standard and learn what the Mountain over Earth Hexagram means. Breed venomous creatures, and they'll devour you."

Ji Zhenting's cloudy eyes swept over his face. Without warning, he laughed. "I knew I hadn't misjudged you."

He was bold and clever, and he had managed to play the fool right under his nose for so many years. That strength of character alone made him worth keeping.

Before Ji Ting could figure out what he meant, Ji Zhenting had already turned away. "I'll compensate you for what happened today. Tell me once you've decided what you want. Zhang, come in."

Crane Garden's butler immediately appeared at the door, his head lowered. "Chairman."

"Have Doctor Zheng come-"

Before he could finish, a sudden commotion broke out outside.

"Young Master Ji, the chairman is discussing something inside. You can't go in!"

"You really can't go in. Please don't make this difficult for us..."

"Young Master Ji-"

Ji Ting turned toward the voices and froze.

Ji Yanzhi strode into the main hall, looking as though he had burned all his bridges.

Their gazes met across the room. Seeing the blood on Ji Ting, Ji Yanzhi walked over and clamped a hand around his wrist.

Ji Ting was dragged behind him with almost brutal force. He stumbled sideways and nearly lost his footing.

The bodyguards who had failed to stop Ji Yanzhi hurried in a moment later, but only dared to stand by the door. "Chairman, we..."

"Zhang." Ji Zhenting waved a hand. "Have them leave."

"Yes."

Silence returned to the hall. Ji Yanzhi stepped forward and lowered his head. "Grandfather."

"You're here." Ji Zhenting said only those two words, his tone unreadable, his eyes still half-lidded.

Ji Yanzhi's fingers tightened around Ji Ting's wrist. After a moment of silence, he said, "I've come to take Ji Ting back."

Shielded behind him, Ji Ting could only just make out Ji Yanzhi's profile.

He saw that Ji Yanzhi had raised his head to say those words. His voice was firm and steady, leaving no room for negotiation.

Ji Zhenting slowly lifted his eyelids. At last, he looked at Ji Yanzhi, then gave an inscrutable smile. "Then take him with you."

Ji Yanzhi had thought a confrontation was inevitable. He hadn't expected things to go so smoothly.

With no time to think about what was strange about it, he bowed his head to Ji Zhenting again. "Grandfather, we're leaving."

Ji Yanzhi led Ji Ting toward the door by the wrist. Just as they crossed the threshold, Ji Zhenting's voice sounded slowly behind them.

"Ji Ting, come visit me at Crane Garden more often when you have time."

Ji Ting frowned slightly. Glancing at Ji Yanzhi out of the corner of his eye, he turned his face a little. "No."

"Shut up!" Ji Yanzhi snapped, then forcibly dragged him away.

They made their way out of Crane Garden just as Liao Kai pulled the car up. Ji Yanzhi opened the door and shoved Ji Ting inside.

The car drove out onto the road, then suddenly stopped again. Liao Kai ran to the trunk, took out a small case, and returned to the car.

"Good thing I had someone put a first-aid kit in here." As Liao Kai spoke, he rummaged through it. "Uh, where's that..."

"Give it to me," Ji Yanzhi said from the back seat.

Liao Kai turned and handed him the case. After a brief search, Ji Yanzhi found the sterile gauze.

He tore open the packaging, took it out, and looked at Ji Ting. "Lower your hand."

Ji Ting leaned back and away, saying distrustfully, "I'll do it myself."

"I told you to lower your hand," Ji Yanzhi repeated coldly.

With no choice, Ji Ting lowered the hand he had been pressing behind his ear.

Before touching him, Ji Yanzhi examined the wound. "How did this happen?"

"Ji Shilei threw a vase at me. It smashed by my feet, and a shard flew up... Hss..."

The instant Ji Yanzhi pressed down, Ji Ting sucked in a breath of pain and instinctively shrank to the side.

"Stop being such a baby." With his other hand, Ji Yanzhi forcibly held his head still and pressed it straight against his chest.

Ji Ting was bent at the waist in an incredibly awkward position. Before long, blood began rushing to his face. "Ji Yanzhi, doing this will only make me bleed more."

Ji Yanzhi was tearing off a strip of medical tape. At that, he gripped the back of Ji Ting's neck and lifted his head onto his shoulder.

This position was actually even more awkward. Ji Yanzhi had to lean halfway over Ji Ting's body and reach around him to touch the wound behind his ear.

Ji Ting was briefly speechless. Why was Ji Yanzhi so stupid?

Just as he was about to apply the second strip of tape, Ji Yanzhi suddenly paused. He lowered his gaze to meet Ji Ting's eyes. "Ji Ting, do you want to die?"

Ji Ting was about to speak when the car suddenly jolted, bringing their faces within a few centimeters of each other.

At the last possible moment, Ji Ting raised his hand, planted it on Ji Yanzhi's face, and shoved hard, sending him toppling backward.

Thud. One of them had hit the window.

"I didn't see that speed bump. Everything's... okay, right?" Catching sight of the back seat in the rearview mirror, Liao Kai fell silent on his own.

Holding the gauze in place, Ji Ting edged to the right. "Sorry. I didn't mean to."

A clear, bloody handprint marked Ji Yanzhi's face. His hair was disheveled, and he was half-reclining against the window.

An eerily quiet atmosphere settled over the car. After sitting up, Ji Yanzhi wiped the handprint off his face with gauze, taking deep breaths throughout as though suppressing something inside him.

Once he had more or less wiped it clean, he said through gritted teeth, "Come here."

Naturally, Ji Ting refused. Ji Yanzhi took another breath. "Don't make me say it again."

Remembering what had just happened, Ji Ting gave in and moved closer.

Ji Yanzhi secured the gauze behind his ear, then shoved him away the very next second.

Watching his disgusted expression, Ji Ting was silent for a long moment. "Ji Yanzhi, why did you come to Crane Garden?"

Ji Yanzhi gave him a sidelong glance and said icily, "What's it to you? Do I have to explain everything I do to you?"

Hearing this, Liao Kai couldn't bear to let Ji Ting misunderstand, so he said, "Second Young Master, Mr. Ji rushed over as soon as he heard you'd been brought to Crane Garden under guard. He..."