Zhang Mei had said so much, yet Ji Yanzhi hadn't spoken once throughout.
Fang Jie cautiously glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and found his gaze unfocused, as though his mind were elsewhere. But he knew that President Ji usually wore this expression when he was recalling something.
He understood Ji Yanzhi's habits, but Zhang Mei didn't.
Seeing that Ji Yanzhi remained so cool toward her, her smile noticeably faded. "The banquet is about to start, and I still have a few things to take care of, so I won't take up any more of your time, President Ji."
Ji Yanzhi came back to himself. His lips parted slightly, but in the end, he only said, "Please, go ahead, President Zhang."
After Zhang Mei left, the two of them turned and headed out.
Studying Ji Yanzhi's expression, Fang Jie asked quietly, "President Ji, didn't the Second Young Master mention any of what President Zhang just said to you before?"
Ji Yanzhi fell silent for a moment. "He did."
He had simply been afraid Ji Yanzhi wouldn't believe him, so he had said it quietly in his mind.
This answer left Fang Jie puzzled. If President Ji had already known, why had his expression just now...
"Director Wu."
The sudden call startled Fang Jie. He snapped his head up, just in time to see Director Wu turning to leave.
Ji Yanzhi took the initiative and walked over, a trace of amusement in his voice. "What a coincidence. So you're attending this banquet too."
It was too late for Director Wu to hide now. Inwardly cursing his rotten luck, he turned around with a look of delighted surprise. "President Ji? My, what a coincidence! If I'd known you were here, I'd have come over ages ago."
Fang Jie restrained himself from rolling his eyes. Those were lovely words, but why had he been trying to sneak away just now?
With half an hour left before the banquet began, Zhang Xu finally found Ji Ting in a corner of the lounge sofa.
"Shit, why are you hiding out here?"
Ji Ting closed the laptop on his knees and said flatly, "Reading."
Zhang Xu scowled and said indignantly, "You came to my house and didn't even come find me? What, are you seriously cutting ties with me?"
Ji Ting didn't get drawn into that discussion. "Did you need something?"
"Why didn't you reply to any of the messages I sent you a while back?"
"I told you, I'm not interested in finance." Seeing the disappointment instantly appear on Zhang Xu's face, Ji Ting paused briefly, then added, "Besides, there was basically nothing wrong with the stock market analyses you sent, so there wasn't anything for me to correct."
Zhang Xu's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Yeah."
No sooner had he spoken than Zhang Xu lunged at him for a hug. Ji Ting immediately tried to dodge, but Zhang Xu used both his arms and legs to forcefully wrap himself around him.
"Don't be so stingy. What's wrong with a hug? Hey, stop pushing me..."
While the two were tangled up in a strange position, an icy female voice descended on them. "Zhang Xu."
Zhang Xu jolted. Looking up and seeing Zhang Mei, he curled his lip as though she had spoiled his fun. "What? You're going to police me hanging out with my friend too?"
"Our eldest uncle and the others are over there. Go keep the elders company."
Zhang Xu didn't move. He still had so much to say to Ji Ting.
Just then, Zhang Mei raised her index finger, her face expressionless. "One-"
Whoosh. A gust swept past Ji Ting's cheek, and Zhang Xu vanished in the blink of an eye.
Zhang Mei suppressed the upward curve of her lips and extended her right hand. "Hello, Ji Ting. I'm Zhang Xu's eldest sister, Zhang Mei."
Ji Ting stood and shook her hand. "Hello."
"Zhang Xu told me everything that happened before. Although I've already spoken to your older brother, I still felt I should thank you in person."
At the words "your older brother," Ji Ting's gaze abruptly sharpened. "You told Ji Yanzhi about what happened with Zhang Xu?"
Zhang Mei raised an eyebrow slightly. Why were these brothers' reactions stranger than the other's?
One had been utterly indifferent, while the other seemed somewhat nervous. It looked as though the waters of the Ji Family were far more turbulent than the rumors outside suggested.
Pretending she hadn't noticed anything, she smiled and said, "Yes. I happened to run into him at my grandfather's earlier, so we chatted about it."
Ji Ting's fingers curled at his side. Only after two seconds did he say, "It was no trouble. Don't worry about it."
"Then come over more often when you have time." Noticing that something was on his mind, Zhang Mei took the initiative to end the conversation. "Excuse me. I'll leave you to it."
After she left, Ji Ting didn't immediately go looking for Ji Yanzhi.
What had happened with Zhang Xu must have aroused his suspicions. If Ji Ting rushed over in a panic now, it would only make Ji Yanzhi more suspicious. Rather than protest too much, he would be better off treating the matter as insignificant, which would instead ease those suspicions.
Having worked out the crux of the matter, Ji Ting calmly sat back down and waited for the banquet to begin.
Ten-odd minutes later, Fang Jie hurried over to find him.
"Second Young Master, President Ji asked me to bring you out."
"All right."
The two left the annex. Neither said much along the way, but Ji Ting had a vague sense that Fang Jie kept glancing at him out of the corner of his eye.
It seemed this secretary had also been present when Zhang Mei spoke to Ji Yanzhi.
As they walked, Ji Ting suddenly realized they were heading toward the main gate and stopped. "Secretary Fang, aren't we going to the banquet?"
"President Ji has already met with Director Wu. He has some matters to attend to, so we're heading back now."
Whatever crossed his mind, Ji Ting lowered his eyes and nodded. "Okay."
When they reached the main entrance, the driver had already brought the car around, and Ji Yanzhi was sitting in the back seat.
For a long time after the car left the Zhang Family home, a subtle, stagnant atmosphere lingered inside.
Only when they were nearly at the family residence did Ji Yanzhi speak unhurriedly. "Did you see Zhang Xu today?"
"Yes."
After Ji Ting answered, Ji Yanzhi turned halfway toward him and looked at him. "When did you start learning about options, and how long did you study them?"
"I read up on them before. I studied for about half a year."
That was what Ji Ting said aloud, but what Ji Yanzhi heard was: [At the end of last month. Two hours.]
The pupils in his dark eyes abruptly contracted. Although he had already confirmed that his useless younger brother was smarter than he had imagined, that answer still sent a slight shock through Ji Yanzhi.
"You..."
"Ji Yanzhi." Ji Ting suddenly turned toward him, his tone calm. "I only learned about this because Zhang Xu lost my money trading options. I had no other motive, and it certainly wasn't as complicated as you're imagining."
A hint of interest appeared in Ji Yanzhi's expression. "You know what I'm thinking?"
Ji Ting didn't answer his question. He only said, "Whether you believe me or not, I'm not interested in Shili, and I certainly won't fight you over the family fortune."
Ji Yanzhi gave a cold laugh. It was unclear whether he found those words ridiculous or was laughing at Ji Ting himself.
Just as Ji Ting was about to give up on communicating again, Ji Yanzhi said in a tone bordering on mockery, "You think this will get you out of studying?"
Ji Ting froze, even wondering whether he'd misheard. "...What?"
"Starting today, our previous agreement is void. Instead of getting into a second-tier university, you have to get into a first-tier Project 985 university."
"And you're not allowed to go to that gaming room of yours anymore. If I catch you there even once more, I'll dock Xu Ren's pay."
With a brain that smart, he still had the nerve to coast through life as a good-for-nothing?
Ji Yanzhi refused to believe he couldn't do it. Even if he had to force him, he would straighten out every lazy bone in Ji Ting's body.
Before you continue