President Ji’s Cat - Chapter 20

Xu Xiayun had no idea why this old man had been so hostile to her from the moment she arrived. She began to suspect that Ji Chufeng had whispered some slander while he was under “house arrest.”

“Husband, let me peel an apple for you…” Seeing Ji Shengjun’s grim expression, Xu Xiayun felt a bit frightened. However, standing there doing nothing wouldn’t help either, so she walked over and picked up an apple and a fruit knife from the table.

“No need.” Ji Shengjun’s face darkened further. He already looked sickly from the illness, but now his face was as black as the King of Hell.

“How can you not eat? The doctor said you only had a few sips of porridge today… Are you feeling unwell somewhere?” As Xu Xiayun spoke, she reached out with her right hand to check his forehead for a fever.

Just as she touched him, Ji Shengjun swatted her hand away. He had studied Muay Thai for a few years in his youth, and the force of the blow was not light.

Xu Xiayun flinched, but her left hand—which was holding the fruit knife—was caught off guard. The sudden movement caused the blade to slice across her right hand. Blood began to ooze out immediately.

“Ah!”

“Mom!”

Ji Chengye rushed forward, grabbing a few tissues to help her wipe the blood that wouldn’t stop flowing. He turned and shouted at Ji Shengjun: “Dad! What are you doing?!”

“Don’t call me Dad! I don’t have a son like you!” Ji Shengjun roared. He was already in a foul mood, but seeing this pair made his blood boil. Specifically, the thought of being a cuckold for so many years made his anger surge uncontrollably.

Hearing this, Xu Xiayun instinctively assumed Ji Shengjun was angry because they hadn’t visited him recently. Not even caring about the pain in her hand, she tried to drive a wedge against Ji Chufeng. “Husband, Chengye and I didn’t come to see you, and I know you’re upset, but we really wanted to! Chufeng wouldn’t let us see you at all—she even replaced all the bodyguards at the door!”

“Pah!” Ji Shengjun was a typical “protect-the-cub” type. Back when he thought the wife was his wife and the son was his son, he naturally favored them. But now that he heard Xu Xiayun speaking of Ji Chufeng this way, the “water” that had been in his brain for over a decade finally drained out. He reached for a glass on the table and threw it at them. “Get the hell out!”

Ji Chengye had never been treated like this. The glass smashed against him and shattered on the tiles. The pain made him grimace; he felt like rushing over and strangling the old man to death—after all, the will was already in his hands (or so he thought).

Just as he was about to snap, Xu Xiayun held him back. Retreating a few steps, her face pale, she said: “Husband, don’t be angry, don’t be angry… We’ll stand further away. Just calm down first!”

“I told both of you to get the hell out! Did you hear me?!” Ji Shengjun picked up another glass and hurled it at them.

Xu Xiayun and her son truly couldn’t fathom why his temper was so explosive, but as communication was impossible in this state, they decided to head back and treat the wound first.

Turning around, they saw Ji Chufeng standing at the door with a look of pure amusement. For the first time, they looked at her as if she were a savior, hoping she would draw some of the fire away from them.

Xu Xiayun hurriedly said: “Chufeng, you’re here.”

Ji Chufeng raised a hand dismissively. “Don’t mind me. Please, continue.”

Watching the scene of this “family of three” turning on each other was truly hilarious. She had never seen Ji Shengjun raise his voice at Xu Xiayun before; he was like a completely different person now.

The tonight’s performance was definitely worth the price of admission.

Seeing Ji Chufeng in the ward, Ji Shengjun’s expression actually softened a bit. He proactively called out her name.

His tone was different from usual—so much so that Xu Xiayun stared at Ji Chufeng in shock. Ji Chufeng knew exactly what she was thinking: the woman was likely wondering if she had drugged the old man to cause such a drastic shift in attitude.

Ji Chufeng looked at him but didn’t respond. During the stalemate, Ji Shengjun grew more irritated by the mother and son and told them to get out again.

Xu Xiayun took the exit offered. The wound on her hand couldn’t be ignored; it hadn’t hurt much when it first happened, but now the persistent throbbing made her hiss in pain.

As the door closed, Ji Shengjun reached out toward Ji Chufeng, grasping at the air. “Chufeng…” Perhaps the outburst had drained all his energy. His complexion looked even worse now. He coughed heavily and leaned against the bed as if his strength had been sucked dry.

The sound was particularly grating. Ji Chufeng stood leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, watching him from three or four meters away. Even though Ji Shengjun clearly wanted her to come closer, she remained unmoved.

“What did you call me here for?” she asked coldly. “Didn’t I send your wife and son over? Are you still not satisfied, Chairman Ji?” She finished with a mocking, icy smile.

Ji Shengjun heard the sarcasm in her voice and gave a bitter smile. “I know I was wrong in the past. I shouldn’t have neglected you. Those years abroad…”

“Stop.” Ji Chufeng cut him off. “My life wasn’t nearly as miserable as you imagine. In fact, it was quite comfortable. Save your worthless guilt.”

Ji Shengjun looked at her and sighed heavily. “I know whatever I say now is useless. You’d rather see my actions than hear my words.”

He could feel his body failing day by day, kept alive only by nutrient IVs. But how long could he last? Eventually, his system would be overloaded and unable to absorb anything.

He pulled a notebook from under his pillow. It contained records of various codes and figures: safe combinations, bank card PINs, a series of property transfer details, and a list of key people in the company who could be trusted. Although Ji Chufeng could follow the standard legal process to inherit the estate after his death, doing this now would clearly save a lot of effort.

When he handed her the book, Ji Chufeng could more or less guess what was inside. But when she actually saw the dense, slightly crooked handwriting, a small ripple of emotion stirred in her heart.

“This…” Ji Shengjun took off the jade thumb ring he had worn for years. The color and quality were worth at least a seaside villa, but Ji Chufeng disdained his things.

Seeing that she only glanced at it with no intention of taking it, Ji Shengjun added: “This was left by your grandfather.”

“…” Hearing this, Ji Chufeng hesitated for two seconds before reaching out to take the ring.

The warm jade seemed to retain the temperature of another person. Ji Chufeng instinctively squeezed it before tucking it into her pocket.

“If that’s everything, I’m leaving,” Ji Chufeng said, showing no sign of lingering.

“Wait!” Ji Shengjun called out hurriedly. Ji Chufeng stopped and turned back. Seeing his hesitant, “words-stuck-in-throat” look, she felt it wouldn’t be anything good.

He was still debating whether to speak. Seeing the faint impatience on Ji Chufeng’s face, his hand gripped the quilt unconsciously. He swallowed hard and looked at her with a hint of pleading in his eyes.

“Can you… let me see A-Rou one last time?”

A-Rou was Ji Chufeng’s mother, Yu Rou.