When Ji Shang came home that evening, he saw Ji Dongsheng at the dinner table.
Ji Dongsheng had moved out a long time ago and never wanted to come back. On the rare occasions he did, it was to see An Yubei.
He always left after seeing him and never stayed for dinner, so today was a rare exception.
Ji Shang took off his coat, washed his hands, and sat down at the dining table. Slowly drying his hands, he asked, "What brings you back?"
"Didn't you say you wouldn't come back even if it killed you?"
Ji Shang sounded like a parent addressing his son, not the least bit warm or friendly. If anything, his tone was interrogative.
Ji Dongsheng was clearly the father, yet somehow, he seemed a whole rank beneath Ji Shang.
Thoroughly displeased, Ji Dongsheng scoffed. "Am I the father here, or are you? This is my home too. I'll come back whenever I want."
"Don't forget who brought you into this world. Without me, you wouldn't have inherited this fortune."
If Ji Dongsheng hadn't been such an unambitious salted fish who preferred lying flat, Ji Shang would have had to wait at least another thirty years to inherit the family fortune. He certainly wouldn't have been acting so arrogant here.
Ji Dongsheng suddenly felt a little regretful about his salted-fish nature.
If he'd had even a little ambition, Ji Shang wouldn't have had a say in any of this.
Sigh!
Ji Dongsheng had moved out partly out of spite. All he'd wanted was to date someone and get married. Had Ji Shang really needed to oppose it so strongly?
He'd kept saying Ji Dongsheng's wife had bad intentions and was after his money. Back then, Ji Dongsheng hadn't believed him.
Mostly, being lectured by his son had made him lose face, so Ji Dongsheng had entered a rebellious phase in his later years and insisted on getting married despite the entire family's opposition.
Thinking about it, if Ji Shang hadn't opposed it so strongly back then, perhaps Ji Dongsheng wouldn't have rebelled by getting married.
The same words sounded different coming from An Yubei. At any rate, they were easier on the ears than when Ji Shang said them.
"I'm moving back in. Permanently."
Ji Shang put down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth, asking casually, "Had a fight with your darling little wife?"
Ji Dongsheng hated Ji Shang's sarcastic way of speaking, so he snapped, "I'm getting divorced. Happy now?"
Ji Shang snorted. "Oh? What's all this about?"
An Yubei ate in silence, watching the two of them at daggers drawn across the table. He felt awful.
[Why are Dad and my brother arguing? Watching them fight feels so awful.]
[If only they could get along peacefully.]
[I want to live with Dad and my brother. We're a family. It would be livelier that way.]
[But now they're fighting. What should I do?]
An Yubei was so worried that he lost his appetite, and the two arguing men fell silent at the same time.
Xiao Bei's upset. What should I do?
Father and son exchanged a glance and called an unspoken truce.
Ji Shang placed some meat in Ji Dongsheng's bowl and asked with a smile, "Dad, why are you getting divorced? Is there anything you need me to do?"
Hmph. You sure changed your tune fast, brat. Even turning a page isn't that quick.
Seeing Ji Shang's sudden change, Ji Dongsheng took the offered way out. "She doesn't love me. I've come to my senses and decided I should get divorced after all. From now on, I'll stay with Xiao Bei... and live with you. No more romance."
An Yubei was delighted. [Yay! Dad finally stopped being a love-brain.]
Ji Dongsheng: "..."
Of course. Just look at who I am. If I say I'll change, I'll change. Taking advice is what I do best.
Ji Shang: "...!"
Xiao Bei, you're giving him too much credit. Being a love-brain is cancer. There's no cure.
Ji Dongsheng declared haughtily, "Women are such liars. I'm tired."
As he spoke, Ji Dongsheng sorrowfully picked up the meat Ji Shang had given him and bit into it.
The taste of star anise instantly filled his mouth, leaving it tingling all over.
Ji Dongsheng looked closely. That wasn't meat at all. It was clearly star anise.
Ji Dongsheng had become nearsighted with age and couldn't quite make out everyday things. He'd never expected his own son to pull something like this on him.
Unfilial son!
Damn it. I can't lose my temper in front of Xiao Bei. I'll put up with it for now.
Returning the favor, Ji Dongsheng put a clump of cilantro in Ji Shang's bowl and said through gritted teeth, "Son, you should eat more greens too. Thanks for working so hard to support the family."
Ji Shang frowned at the cilantro in his bowl. It was the food he hated most.
"Thanks, Dad. You work hard lying flat at home too."
Ji Dongsheng snorted. Being sarcastic again.
I'm too magnanimous to hold it against you.
Seeing the two getting along peacefully, An Yubei brightened up completely.
[My brother and Dad made up. This is wonderful. We're a happy family again!]
Undercurrents swirled around the dinner table as the father and son, who didn't get along, worked hard to keep up appearances so An Yubei wouldn't be sad.
That night, before bed, someone knocked on An Yubei's door.
An Yubei went to answer it in his little yellow duck slippers.
Seeing Ji Dongsheng, An Yubei broke into a happy smile. "Dad, what brings you here?"
Ji Dongsheng walked in holding a document. "I've brought you something good."
An Yubei's face filled with curiosity. "What is it?"
An Yubei took the document and saw that it was a share transfer agreement.
"Dad, what's this?"
Ji Dongsheng sat down beside An Yubei. "Silly boy, sign this agreement and you'll own ten percent of the group's shares."
"This is the security I'm giving you. From now on, no one can drive you out of the Ji family, not even Ji Shang."
Ji Dongsheng knew An Yubei was a child who lacked a sense of security. He himself had been rather unreliable over the years and had neglected An Yubei's feelings.
Now that he'd come to his senses, he wanted to make it up to An Yubei.
An Yubei remembered that Ji Dongsheng owned ten percent of the group's shares. In other words, Ji Dongsheng was giving him all his shares without keeping any for himself.
Secretly shocked, An Yubei said, "Dad, I can't accept this."
The Ji Group was currently valued at a hundred billion, so ten percent was ten billion.
An Yubei felt unworthy of receiving so much money.
[This heaven-sent fortune was more than he could accept.]
Ji Dongsheng pressed it into An Yubei's hands. "Silly boy, I don't have much else. These shares are about all I have left. Just take them and stop refusing. This is a gift from your dad."
"Besides, your brother agreed to this too. Hurry up and sign."
[My brother agreed too? Dad and my brother are so good to me!]
[Sob, sob. Dad really does treat me best.]
[Dad is my idol.]
Hearing An Yubei's thoughts, Ji Dongsheng happily had him sign.
He'd paid a hefty price to earn that "best."
But it was worth it.
Trading worldly possessions for a sweet, sensible son was truly worth it.
An Yubei obediently signed, then said, "Dad, I'll support you from now on."
"All right! Get some rest. Come with me to get divorced tomorrow. Once the paperwork's done, how about we go shopping?"
Ji Dongsheng didn't have much else to do, and he thought he could get An Yubei a few things before school started.
An Yubei nodded eagerly. He really wanted to go out and have fun too!
Ever since he'd become rich, he hadn't gone out, so naturally, he hadn't experienced the joys of being wealthy either.
He wanted to experience the joys of being wealthy!
He wanted to be happy.