I'm the demise's white moonlight of the bigshot - Chapter 74

Chapter 74

The hospital on New Year’s Eve was eerily quiet.

Ji Ran stood in place, gazing at Ji Qingli with longing. She could imagine Ji Qingli scolding her, asking why she had argued with Jiang Liqi, and she could also picture him angrily accusing her of ruining the family atmosphere during the New Year.

But she never expected Ji Qingli to apologize to her and comfort her.

She couldn’t imagine such a scene, not even now. He told her that he didn’t believe she would do such a thing and that he was willing to believe she was innocent.

He even admitted his mistakes to her, right?

He said he was a failed father.

Ji Ran took a deep breath. She thought she didn’t care about anything Ji Qingli said, but now she realized it wasn’t that she didn’t care—she just didn’t dare to care.

There had been too many disappointments, and she had stopped expecting anything.

Perhaps when she was younger, Ji Ran had envied other girls who had close relationships with their fathers. But she received so little from Ji Qingli. He would buy her expensive gifts, so costly that even Pei Yuan thought they were too extravagant, but he never took her to the amusement park.

Later, when his relationship with Pei Yuan deteriorated to the point of freezing, Ji Ran could no longer recall any memorable moments she had shared alone with Ji Qingli.

After that, she went abroad to study and worked overseas for a few years after graduation. Her relationship with Ji Qingli became one of occasional polite phone calls.

The only thing worth mentioning was that every year, her bank account would receive a large sum of money from Ji Qingli.

Before she became an adult, this money was child support, received by Pei Yuan on her behalf. After she turned eighteen, the money was directly deposited into her account.

The only clear proof of their remaining father-daughter relationship was this continuous flow of money.

Ji Ran once thought that if she couldn’t have a lot of love, she could accept a lot of money. She had grown up in a family with cold relationships between her parents. When she no longer needed much love, she was willing to choose money instead.

“Have you never had any hope in me?” Ji Qingli asked after thinking for a long time.

When the nanny called to tell him that Ji Ran might have left home out of fear, Ji Qingli’s first reaction was, “What does she have to be afraid of?”

The next second, the nanny said it was because Jiang Yi accused her of pushing Jiang Liqi down the stairs.

At that moment, Ji Qingli found it ridiculous. How could he believe what Jiang Yi said in a panic? Besides, he was Ji Ran’s father, and he knew what kind of person his daughter was.

She would never intentionally push Jiang Liqi.

But now the problem was that Ji Ran had really disappeared. After hanging up the nanny’s call, Ji Qingli stood alone in the hospital corridor for a long time.

Finally, he understood the reason Ji Ran left home—she didn’t believe he would trust her innocence.

Men are usually not that sensitive; they don’t often reflect on parent-child relationships. Ji Qingli always thought his relationship with Ji Ran was decent, at least she had chosen to stay with him after the divorce.

But tonight, he realized how little trust he had earned from Ji Ran as a father.

When Ji Ran heard his question, she remained silent for a few seconds before slowly nodding.

Ji Qingli had anticipated this answer, but it still left him feeling helpless. He had tried calling Ji Ran, but she didn’t answer. In the end, he had no choice but to call Pei Yuan. It was the first time they had spoken since the divorce.

It was also the first time Ji Qingli used the word “please” with Pei Yuan.

He asked Pei Yuan to bring Ji Ran to the hospital because there were some things he wanted to say to her face-to-face.

Ji Qingli looked at her, his voice tinged with helplessness, perhaps due to the barrier between them. He said, “Ranran, you’re my daughter. I’ve watched you grow up. Over the years, you’ve never given us any reason to worry. So when this happened, I never thought you would intentionally push her.”

“Not even for a second did I think that.”

Ji Ran knew he was staring at her, but she turned her head away, not wanting him to see her cry. She tried hard to keep her eyes wide open, but the tears were uncontrollable.

They were on the verge of falling at any moment.

Ji Ran felt she was being weak, like a child who had always been ignored. She had resolved in her heart that no matter what, even if they offered her the whole world, she wouldn’t care.

But now, with just a small gesture, she was moved to tears.

Ji Qingli wasn’t used to saying such sentimental things. Seeing that he had said enough, he waved his hand. “Go back now. I’ll stay at the hospital tonight.”

Ji Ran nodded and turned to leave.

Ji Qingli thought for a moment and then called out to her, “Ranran.”

Ji Ran stopped and turned back to look at him, asking softly, “What is it?”

“Don’t run out at night like that again,” he said in a serious tone, though he seemed to realize it himself and softened his voice the next second. “It’s too dangerous. Dad would worry.”

“Okay,” Ji Ran nodded quietly but didn’t leave immediately. Instead, she hesitated.

After a while, she finally said softly, “I’m going home.”

In truth, she was also stubborn. What she really wanted to say was something else, but in the end, only these words came out.

But it didn’t matter. They still had a long, long time ahead of them.

This was the most turbulent New Year Ji Ran had ever experienced, and probably for Shen Zhi as well. When Ji Ran left the car, only Shen Zhi and Pei Yuan remained inside.

Pei Yuan sat in the driver’s seat, her elbow resting on the window, calmly watching the scene outside.

Not far away, her daughter and ex-husband were standing together, talking.

Shen Zhi sat in the back seat, also silent. For someone as noticeable as him, it was the first time he had tried to suppress his presence, hoping his future mother-in-law would overlook him.

Unfortunately, they were still young, even if in a few hours they would both be over eighteen.

But the label of “puppy love” was enough to cause serious consequences, possibly even separation.

Shen Zhi had some understanding of his future mother-in-law. She was strong-willed, domineering, and had a controlling nature that brooked no opposition.

If she opposed something, she would oppose it to the end.

A few years ago, Shen Zhi had been summoned by her at the hospital for a talk. Today, he was caught with Ji Ran late at night. Although the reason was justified, it was still a bold move.

If things escalated, it could be a death sentence.

Although he didn’t have a good impression in Pei Yuan’s eyes, he still needed to maintain some decorum and not completely give up.

Just as Shen Zhi was quietly playing the role of a well-behaved young man in the back seat, Pei Yuan suddenly spoke. She asked, “Won’t your mother worry about you being out so late?”

Wait, what?

Shen Zhi looked up, about to glance over, but he had the foresight not to look directly at Pei Yuan. Instead, he looked into the rearview mirror to observe her expression.

Just as he was about to scrutinize, he noticed Pei Yuan’s cold, dark eyes in the mirror, meeting his gaze.

It had to be said that in moments of crisis, human potential is astonishing.

Shen Zhi managed to calmly reply, “Thank you for your concern, Auntie. I can ensure my own safety.”

He added, “I can also ensure Ranran’s safety.”

This was his explanation for what had happened that night.

But Pei Yuan knew the incident had nothing to do with him, so she didn’t press further. Fortunately, Ji Ran soon returned and got into the car, sitting in the passenger seat.

Initially, she had wanted to sit in the back with Shen Zhi, but Pei Yuan’s gaze swept over them.

Ji Ran obediently opened the passenger door and sat beside Pei Yuan.

“Where do you live?” Pei Yuan asked.

This question was directed at Shen Zhi. Pei Yuan hadn’t gone so far as to kick him out of the car and make him find his own way home. So Shen Zhi provided his home address.

The car fell into silence again.

It was New Year’s Eve, and even the usually bustling streets of Jiangdu were unusually quiet. The roads were empty, and for a long time, they didn’t encounter another vehicle.

It had to be said that Shen Zhi was lucky to have found a taxi earlier.

Pei Yuan drove with confidence, pushing the car to the speed limit on the elevated highway. The distance from the hospital to Shen Zhi’s neighborhood was covered in just twenty minutes.

Shen Zhi wasn’t surprised by her blatant desire to get rid of him as quickly as possible.

So when they arrived, Shen Zhi politely thanked her and prepared to get out of the car.

Just as he opened the door, Pei Yuan turned to look at Ji Ran in the passenger seat, her gaze falling on Ji Ran’s feet. She said indifferently, “Change your shoes back.”

Ji Ran looked down at the pair of men’s shoes on her feet—Shen Zhi’s shoes.

Earlier, at her grandparents’ doorstep, Shen Zhi had insisted on swapping shoes with her as soon as they got into the car. His shoes were warm and odorless.

She had been wearing them for so long that she had almost forgotten.

Unexpectedly, Pei Yuan had noticed.

So Ji Ran quickly got out of the car, and the two of them swapped shoes one at a time. But in a place where Pei Yuan couldn’t see, Shen Zhi gently scratched Ji Ran’s palm.

Ji Ran was startled and almost looked back into the car, but she forced herself to finish changing the shoes first.

Shen Zhi seemed to enjoy the thrill of teasing Ji Ran right under Pei Yuan’s nose. He leaned in slightly, his fingers slipping from her palm into her sleeve.

Winter sleeves were long, and his fingers, slightly cold, grasped her warm wrist.

He suddenly didn’t want to let go.

Shen Zhi looked at her, his eyes complex. He really wanted to snatch her away in front of her mother.

To hide her away.

So they wouldn’t have to be apart.

Pei Yuan drove her back directly this time. When Ji Ran got out of the car, Pei Yuan calmly said, “Go to bed early. Tomorrow morning, the driver will take you to your grandparents’ house to pay New Year’s respects. We’ll talk about other things later.”

Ji Ran nodded.

As she was about to close the car door, Pei Yuan, who was holding the steering wheel, suddenly turned to look at her and said with unexpected force, “What’s not your responsibility, no one can push onto you.”

Ji Ran was stunned for a few seconds.

Then she realized Pei Yuan was referring to the incident with Jiang Liqi.

Before she could respond, Pei Yuan frowned and said, “Close the door.”

Ji Ran obediently closed the door, and the next second, the car sped off, leaving only a trail of exhaust behind.

Her mother was truly something else.

Ji Ran finally understood that she would never have a gentle, loving mother who would hug her and say, “It’s okay, baby, Mommy loves you, Mommy likes you the most.”

But she had Pei Yuan, and that seemed pretty good too.

Ji Qingli returned the next day. Jiang Yi was sent back early in the morning by a driver. However, this time Jiang Yi kept her mouth shut and didn’t mention anything about Ji Ran pushing her mother down the stairs.

When Ji Qingli returned, Ji Ran wasn’t there.

She had gone to the Pei family early in the morning to pay New Year’s respects and wouldn’t be back for the day.

Grandma Ji asked about Jiang Liqi’s condition. The child was definitely lost, and her body needed rest. A miscarriage was no small matter, especially under such circumstances, which had harmed her body.

The old lady had already asked the nanny to prepare nutritious meals to be sent to the hospital. Although she didn’t like Jiang Liqi, she was still her daughter-in-law and had just had a miscarriage.

If she didn’t care at all, it would be too harsh.

As for the Pei family, in the afternoon, Ji Ran noticed that Pei Yuan seemed to have gone out, but she didn’t pay much attention.

When Pei Yuan arrived at the hospital, she frowned slightly. She didn’t like hospitals and avoided them unless absolutely necessary.

There were few people hospitalized during the New Year, and after asking at the front desk, Pei Yuan quickly found Jiang Liqi’s room.

She brought nothing with her.

When she pushed the door open, the person on the bed looked up in shock.

Jiang Liqi truly hadn’t expected Pei Yuan to show up. She immediately panicked and raised her voice, “Why are you here? Who allowed you to come?”

Having just undergone surgery, she was still very weak.

The caregiver heard her voice and came in from outside, but Pei Yuan smiled faintly and said, “Are you sure you want others to hear our conversation?”

Jiang Liqi felt an inexplicable guilt.

In fact, when she first saw Pei Yuan at the airport, she knew this woman would always be an insurmountable mountain for her.

Her beauty, her excellence, were things Jiang Liqi could never compare to.

So she really did let the caregiver leave, not knowing what Pei Yuan wanted to say. Their conversation wasn’t suitable for others to hear.

After the caregiver left, Pei Yuan took two steps forward.

But only two steps. She didn’t get any closer, just frowned slightly as she looked at Jiang Liqi, as if she were some kind of contagious virus.

Jiang Liqi propped herself up on the bed and slowly sat up. Lying down made her feel like she was looking up at Pei Yuan, which was extremely uncomfortable. Even though she was weak from the surgery, she had to sit up.

Pei Yuan didn’t care about her petty thoughts. She had come here today for a reason. Her conversational style was always straightforward, and she really didn’t want to waste any more time with Jiang Liqi. “I just want to tell you that no matter what you’re trying to do, pushing something that didn’t happen onto my daughter is something I won’t tolerate.”

She looked at Jiang Liqi with a smirk, like a cat watching its prey, calm yet mocking.

Jiang Liqi immediately raised her voice, “You came here to threaten me? On what grounds?”

“On what grounds? Do you think just because you don’t say anything, I can’t find out the truth?” Pei Yuan sneered at Jiang Liqi.

She was also a woman and knew that a mother wouldn’t joke about her own child unless absolutely necessary.

Jiang Liqi’s fall and miscarriage had nothing to do with Ji Ran, so there were only two possibilities: either she fell accidentally, or she fell on purpose.

Pei Yuan was clever and could guess the reason.

Jiang Liqi suddenly felt guilty. Pei Yuan was right; everything left traces. Moreover, when she had the surgery last night, the doctor would have discussed her condition with Ji Qingli.

Perhaps the doctor even told him that the fetus had already stopped developing.

Jiang Liqi naturally didn’t dare to escalate the matter further and even wished to let it go.

“I never said Ji Ran pushed me,” Jiang Liqi said calmly.

Pei Yuan sneered.

So this was Ji Qingli’s taste in women.

How pathetic.

Pei Yuan found it all quite boring and turned to leave. As she opened the door, she looked back at Jiang Liqi and said cheerfully, “Oh, by the way, I wish you and Ji Qingli a happy marriage. I hope this is his last marriage.”

Jiang Liqi’s already pale face turned even paler.

When Pei Yuan returned home, Ji Ran was watching the previous night’s Spring Festival Gala with her grandparents. The old man sighed, “The Spring Festival Gala is getting less and less interesting.”

Ji Ran smiled and asked, “Grandpa, what would make it interesting for you? I can watch it with you.”

The old man said leisurely, “Grandpa thinks you’re the most interesting. I want to see you every day.”

He still wanted her to stay in Jiangdu.

Ji Ran remained silent, not responding to this topic. Instead, when Pei Yuan came in and took off her coat, she looked over and said, “Dad, if you really want to, next semester you can help me keep an eye on her.”

Grandpa Pei was startled, then realized his daughter had decided to let Ji Ran stay in Jiangdu. He smiled happily, “Good, good. I have plenty of time to help you watch over Ranran.”

Ji Ran looked at Pei Yuan, her eyes not showing much surprise.

Pei Yuan walked over to her and said indifferently, “Ranran, I don’t think it’s suitable for you to live there anymore. Your father has started a new family, and now with this incident, I think the best arrangement is for you to stay here.”

Ji Ran remained silent.

She knew Pei Yuan was just informing her; she didn’t have a say in the matter. Moreover, Pei Yuan was right. The reason she wanted to live with Ji Qingli was that she felt Jiang Liqi and Jiang Yi had taken her and her mother’s place.

She wanted to reclaim it.

But now she realized that what belonged to her had never disappeared.

It had always been there.

Now, in that northern city she had once found unfamiliar but quickly grew to love, there was a boy she cherished and adored. She was so reluctant to part with him, but she had to say goodbye for now.

That night, Ji Ran called Shen Zhi. She knew she should tell him in person.

But she felt she didn’t have the courage for that.

“Shen Zhi,” she called his name from her end of the phone, her voice filled with longing. It wasn’t even time to part yet, but she was already finding it hard to let go.

How could she bear to be apart from him?

Shen Zhi leaned against the headboard, sitting up slightly, and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”

Ji Ran tried to keep her tone light, not too heavy. “After the New Year, I’m not going back.”

For a moment, both ends of the phone were filled with heavy breathing.

Ji Ran forced back the lump in her throat and let out a short laugh. “Actually, three semesters are short, right? We can see each other during winter and summer breaks. When we apply to the same university in the future, we won’t have to be apart anymore. Also, don’t think that just because I’m not by your side, you can slack off. If you don’t study hard, I might apply to Tsinghua or Peking University, and you—”

“I’ll wait for you,” Shen Zhi’s voice interrupted her.

“I’ll wait for you.” Shen Zhi’s voice interrupted her words.

He gazed at the wall across from him, his eyes closing slightly.

“Ranran, when it comes to you, I will never let go.”

So don’t worry. Time has never been a barrier for us.

He would wait for her.

From then on, Ji Ran spent her days counting down.

There was only one week left until school started at 4th middle school.

Six days left.

Five days.

Four days.

…

One day.

Coincidentally, the day before school started was Valentine’s Day.

Ji Ran knew Shen Zhi’s flight was that night.

She sent him a message in advance, telling him she wouldn’t be seeing him off.

That night, after finishing the last question on her paper, Ji Ran looked out the window.

Ji Qingli and the others had long since gone home. Everyone had left. She was the only one remaining.

A deep loneliness suddenly spread from the bottom of her heart, vast and unshakable, like an endless sky blocking out all light.

Until her phone rang.

Ji Ran saw Shen Zhi’s name flashing on the screen, and her heartbeat pounded wildly, as if it were about to leap into her throat.

When she answered, Shen Zhi chuckled softly and said, “How could I leave without spending Valentine’s Day with my girlfriend?”

“Shen Zhi, you…” Ji Ran was at a loss for words.

Shen Zhi laughed.

“Come outside. I’m waiting for you at the door.”

Ji Ran ran all the way there and saw him standing beside a motorcycle at the entrance. When she reached him, Shen Zhi took the helmet in his hand and placed it on her head.

She hadn’t even had time to ask where the motorcycle came from, why he hadn’t left, what happened to his ticket, or what he planned to do about school.

But none of those questions mattered the moment she got on the backseat, wrapped her arms around his waist.

So what if she indulged herself this once?

“I’m taking you somewhere.”

As Shen Zhi spoke, the motorcycle sped off into the night.

Ji Ran held onto his waist, feeling the wind weaving through her body. Maybe it was the speed, but she had a moment of illusion, as if a portal through time would open right before them in the next second.

As if they could pass through ten years in an instant.

Ever since Ji Ran was left behind in Jiangdu, she had imagined countless times—if only she were ten years older, if only she were twenty-seven now. Then she could control her own fate, then there would be no need for separation.

But at this moment, she was infinitely grateful to have a second chance.

Because in this life, he was here.

They had met at the very beginning of each other’s stories.

As these thoughts swirled in her mind, memories of her past life intertwined with the present. Ji Ran suddenly felt something indescribable rise within her.

At this moment, she wanted so badly to tell Shen Zhi.

The secret of time.

Her secret.

So she shouted, “Shen Zhi, I want to tell you my secret!”

Shen Zhi, still riding, laughed. Though he didn’t turn around, he said, “What a coincidence. I want to tell you a secret too.”

Ji Ran’s interest was immediately piqued.

“Then you say yours first.”

Just then, they stopped at a red light.

Shen Zhi tilted his head slightly to look at her and smiled.

“Weren’t you the one who wanted to tell me a secret?”

Ji Ran grinned mischievously.

Suddenly, their vision was flooded with light.

When they looked up, a car was hurtling toward them, ignoring the red light.

The driver seemed unable to even grip the steering wheel properly, and the vehicle veered completely off course, heading straight for them.

The high beams shone unbearably bright.

Ji Ran’s world turned into a field of white light.

She turned her head and saw Shen Zhi’s face—so far, yet so close.

Everything happened too fast. Neither of them had time to react.

In the final moment, Shen Zhi grasped her hand. His voice, distant and ethereal, seemed to come from the void:

“I am Yuan Jing… Actually, I have always loved you.”