The next day at noon.
A scheduled reminder popped up in the bottom-right corner of his screen. Ji Ting closed his laptop and prepared to get up and stretch.
Just then, his phone suddenly vibrated.
"Hello, this is Fang Jie from the president's secretarial office. President Ji would like to meet with you over lunch. A driver will arrive at the family residence to pick you up in fifteen minutes."
Ji Yanzhi wanted to see him? Ji Ting's brow shifted slightly. "What does he want with me?"
"I'm sorry, President Ji didn't specify."
Ji Ting didn't particularly want to go. He felt that Ji Yanzhi was like a chemical element with an extremely high atomic number-highly unstable.
But he agreed to the secretary's request in the end. Given Ji Yanzhi's temper, if he refused, his brother would very likely send someone back to drag him away.
At half past twelve, Ji Ting arrived at the Shili Group headquarters.
Once he entered the president's office, the secretary closed the door from outside.
Ji Yanzhi didn't even look up, his eyes still on the documents on his desk. "Find somewhere to sit."
Ji Ting chose the corner of the sofa farthest from him. It was as though a galaxy lay between the brothers.
About ten minutes later, the secretary knocked again and came in, placing two lunch boxes on the table.
"President Ji, lunch is ready."
"Mm."
Only after the secretary left did Ji Yanzhi rise from his desk and walk over to the sofa.
"Ji Ting."
Ji Ting looked up to see Ji Yanzhi's cold face. His brother indicated the spot beside him with his eyes. "Come here and eat."
Ji Ting fell silent for two seconds, then lied. "I'm not hungry."
"Did I ask whether you were hungry?"
Tyrant, Ji Ting judged inwardly.
Ji Yanzhi wasn't angry at all this time. Compared to having something wrong with his intelligence or being schizophrenic, "tyrant" was practically pleasant to hear.
Ji Ting still didn't move. "Did you call me to the office just to eat with you?"
"Eat with me?" Ji Yanzhi sneered out of habit. "You're not qualified for that."
The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them a little.
Ji Yanzhi realized that he seemed utterly incapable of interacting normally with this younger brother. Whenever he opened his mouth, barbs inevitably came out, making even the air around them stiffen.
He awkwardly looked away, softening his tone a little. "I called you here because I have something to tell you."
"Go ahead."
For some reason, Ji Yanzhi felt stifled. He took a deep breath. "We found new evidence in the smuggling case. Ji Liping and Ji Rui weren't just smuggling luxury goods. They were also dealing with a drug trafficking organization in Southeast Asia. Legal estimates they'll get life imprisonment at a minimum."
So Ji Yanzhi sent people to investigate further. Well, that takes care of a major threat.
Ji Yanzhi's long fingers curled slightly as he finally voiced what had weighed on him all morning. "Ji Ting, if anything like this happens again, you can tell me directly."
Ji Ting blinked. Does Ji Yanzhi mean he'll believe me?
Ji Yanzhi parted his lips. Unable to answer directly, he could only approach it indirectly. "Whether what you say is true or false, I'll at least send someone to investigate."
This time, Ji Ting had no inner commentary. It seemed that when it came to trusting each other, there wasn't even room for consideration.
He said mildly, "If what I tell you sounds absurd, your first reaction will be anger."
Irritation welled up in Ji Yanzhi's chest, and he said bluntly, "Then tell me something right now. Let's see whether I lose my temper with you."
Ji Ting looked at him. After a long silence, he said, "I gave Lu Yanchu the address you wanted."
Clang-
It was as though every bass key on a piano had been struck at once, each note reverberating through Ji Yanzhi's mind.
He clenched his back teeth, his chest rising and falling with deep breaths.
Watching the almost tangible fury in his eyes, Ji Ting said calmly, "You're angry, aren't you?"
Admitting it would mean eating his own words. After a long while, Ji Yanzhi forced out through gritted teeth, "Why did you give it to Lu Yanchu?"
"Because he's trustworthy and emotionally stable. He's the most suitable choice."
At those words, fury gathered in Ji Yanzhi's eyes. Just as he was about to erupt, he suddenly realized that this answer had backed him into a corner.
If he said he wasn't angry, he couldn't lash out at Ji Ting over the address. But if he did lash out, he would prove Ji Ting right: Lu Yanchu was more emotionally stable than he was.
Ji Yanzhi looked at him and gave a humorless chuckle. "If you think Lu Yanchu is so wonderful, why don't you go be his younger brother?"
Ji Ting watched him silently for a long while, then lowered his eyes and sighed.
Ji Yanzhi's mental age is a little low.
Ji Yanzhi narrowed his eyes and asked suspiciously, "Ji Ting, were you just insulting me in your head?"
Ji Ting answered without hesitation, "No."
He didn't consider that thought disparaging. It was merely an inference about his fundamental nature.
"No, huh?" Ji Yanzhi sneered and pointed at the table. "Then eat both lunches. Leave even one bite, and you can forget about going home."
Ji Ting frowned slightly. "You're using this as an excuse to retaliate."
"I'm teaching you that every grain of rice is hard-earned."
With that, Ji Yanzhi left Ji Ting alone and headed to the secretarial office.
Whatever instructions he gave, he returned quickly. When he entered, he saw that Ji Ting had already opened one lunch box. Seeing him approach, Ji Ting even pushed the other one toward him.
Ji Yanzhi glanced down at it. "What, are you begging for mercy?"
Ji Ting was silent for a moment, unwilling to engage in his childish argument. "Yes. Two boxes are too much."
The corners of Ji Yanzhi's lips lifted almost imperceptibly. Only then did he sit on the sofa. "I'll let you off this time. Eat."
This was the brothers' first meal at the same table. As they ate, Ji Yanzhi discovered that Ji Ting was an extremely picky eater.
He didn't touch the vegetables. Once the meat was gone, he simply ate plain rice.
The sight irritated Ji Yanzhi, but he didn't want to police Ji Ting's bad habits, so he decided that what he didn't see couldn't bother him.
After lunch, Ji Ting thought he could leave, only for his brother to coldly say, "Stay here."
Ji Yanzhi waited for Ji Ting to kick up a fuss, but Ji Ting merely said calmly, "Then I'd like a computer."
Ji Yanzhi glanced at him, returned to his desk, and pressed the intercom, asking the secretary to bring in a laptop.
"No games or videos. Do something productive," Ji Yanzhi said coldly.
Ji Ting nodded. "Okay."
For the past two days, he had been organizing the original novel's plot on his computer. But doing that right under Ji Yanzhi's nose clearly wouldn't be appropriate.
After thinking for a moment, Ji Ting opened the official website of an academy of sciences.
About half an hour later, while reading the marketing department's year-end report, Ji Yanzhi suddenly heard a sigh.
Ji Ting thought, My qualifications are too low. I don't even have a university degree. Finding a job will be difficult.
He looked up and saw Ji Ting sitting before the computer with his lips pressed together, his expression slightly grave.
Ji Yanzhi scoffed inwardly. Now you regret it. Why didn't you work hard when you were in school?
Actually, "Ji Ting" had attended university.
As soon as he graduated from high school, his father had packed him off to a college abroad where money alone could buy a diploma. But Ji Ting had sneaked back after studying there for less than six months.
With only a high school diploma, participating in cutting-edge experimental projects was out of the question. Even remotely related academic work was a pipe dream.
Ji Ting frowned in thought, but to Ji Yanzhi, his expression looked lonely and troubled.
At least thinking of finding a job meant he wasn't beyond saving, Ji Yanzhi thought. If Ji Ting asked him nicely, he might reluctantly consider helping.
Just then, the secretary knocked on the door.
Ji Yanzhi smoothed away the curve of his lips. "Come in."
The secretary entered, walked to the desk, and set down a sheet of paper. "This is what you just asked me to look into: Mr. Lu Yanchu's schedule for this week."
He left after setting it down. Ji Yanzhi scanned the contents, his brow gradually furrowing.
Given Lu Yanchu's personality, he would certainly rush to Sea City as soon as he received the address. He wouldn't rest easy until he found the person and made proper arrangements. However quickly he acted, he would need to clear at least three days.
Yet the public schedule on the paper was packed, without a single event canceled.
Ji Yanzhi narrowed his eyes. Had Lu Yanchu not gone?
For the moment, he couldn't tell whether this was a smokescreen or whether Lu Yanchu had arrived too late and failed to find the person.
As he considered it, that restless anger rose in Ji Yanzhi's chest again. If Ji Ting had given him the address in the first place, none of these complications would exist.
His grip creased the paper as he turned his gaze on the culprit. "Ji Ting."
"Mm," Ji Ting answered, his eyes still on the screen.
The more Ji Yanzhi thought about it, the angrier he became, his expression darkening like storm clouds. "Have you ever considered the consequences of giving the address to someone else?"
Before you continue