President Ji’s Cat - Chapter 22

Ji Chufeng did not tell her mother that Ji Shengjun wanted to see her; she intended to let that secret rot in her heart forever.

Yu Rou had a gentle nature and was easily moved to pity, but her firm decision to divorce her ex-husband years ago was the most resolute thing she had ever done in her life.

Now that her mother’s career was flourishing, Ji Chufeng didn’t want Ji Shengjun to disturb her again. She knew that if she told her mother, Yu Rou would almost certainly go to see him out of kindness.

“What’s wrong, Fengfeng?” Yu Rou asked, noticing Ji Chufeng staring blankly into space since she sat down, looking preoccupied.

“Nothing.” Ji Chufeng snapped out of it and forced a smile. “What’s for dinner?”

Her Ms. Yu had studied cooking for years, but for some reason, her skills remained mediocre at best. There had been no discernible progress over the years, though she did have a natural gift for making soups.

Speaking of food, Yu Rou raised her eyebrows, a look of pride on her face. “I recently learned two new dishes. I’ll make them for you tonight!”

Ji Chufeng wasn’t exactly thrilled. She rubbed her nose and whispered, “Let me prepare some stomach medicine first.”

For years, her mother had rotated the same two mediocre dishes. Now that she had “learned” two new ones, how could Chufeng not be worried?

“!” Yu Rou shot her a glare. “They’re delicious!”

“Yes, yes, yes,” Ji Chufeng replied perfunctorily. Yu Rou caught the tone, huffed, and turned toward the kitchen.

Actions speak louder than words! She was determined to use her culinary skills to refresh her daughter’s opinion of her.

Ji Chufeng watched Yu Rou enter the kitchen and close the door. She withdrew her gaze and scanned the living room.

For many years, Yu Rou had lived alone. The apartment she bought only had a master bedroom, a guest room, and a study. It wasn’t huge, but it felt cozy rather than lonely. The furniture was neatly arranged, the place was spotless, and greenery was everywhere, from indoor plants to potted flowers on the balcony.

She seemed to be enjoying life.

However, as a daughter, Ji Chufeng still hoped someone could take care of her mother. Regardless of whether that person was rich or poor, as long as they were sincere, Ji Chufeng would accept them.

Yet for all these years, her mother hadn’t had a romantic interest, nor even a close male friend. Her previous marriage ended in tatters, causing her much suffering. Ji Chufeng worried that the trauma had made her mother fear marriage and avoid dating altogether.

If that was the case… Xu Xiayun and her son would have one more sin to answer for.

Ji Chufeng sat in silence on the sofa for a long time until Yu Rou called her for dinner.

The dishes on the table looked appetizing—so much so that Ji Chufeng almost couldn’t believe her mother had made them.

“Quick, try my Salt and Pepper Shrimp!” Yu Rou placed a large shrimp in Ji Chufeng’s bowl, her eyes bright with anticipation for her daughter’s reaction.

Seeing her mother like this, Ji Chufeng was caught up in the mood. She smiled, took the shrimp, and peeled it.

The taste was a complete surprise. While it couldn’t beat a professional chef, the aroma was wonderful—a world of difference from Yu Rou’s previous cooking.

Sometimes, President Ji was stingy with her praise, but the person in front of her was family.

“It’s delicious! Better than a restaurant!” Ji Chufeng peeled another shrimp and held it to Yu Rou’s lips. She teased, “Has my Ms. Yu been attending a secret culinary school?”

“No, your Auntie Xie taught me.” Getting validation made Yu Rou beam with joy.

She had maintained herself exceptionally well; for a woman in her forties, there wasn’t a single fine line on her face. She looked thirty at most. When she smiled, her eyes curved into crescents, making it impossible not to smile back.

Ji Chufeng absolutely did not believe that such an outstanding woman lacked suitors. The more she thought about it, the more concerned she became.

“What’s wrong?” A hand gently caressed her cheek. Yu Rou pinched Ji Chufeng’s face. “Did something unpleasant happen?”

Ji Chufeng shook her head and pursed her lips. “I just think you and Auntie Xie have such a good relationship.”

“We do. Most of my peers have families, so our topics of conversation don’t always align,” Yu Rou said dismissively. “I have a lot in common with your Auntie Xie. I’ve even planned to go to a hot spring with her in a few days.”

Ji Chufeng followed the lead. “Doesn’t Auntie Xie have a boyfriend?”

Yu Rou shook her head. “She says she doesn’t want to get married and has no time for dating.”

“…” Ji Chufeng carefully watched her mother’s expression. She asked tentatively, “What about you? Don’t you want to find a stepfather for me?”

Yu Rou stared at her for a long time, making Ji Chufeng nervous, before finally speaking: “You’ve been restless all day just to ask me that?”

“…”

Truly, no one knows a child better than their mother.

“I’m at an age where marriage doesn’t matter much. Living alone is quite comfortable.”

Ji Chufeng frowned, unhappy that her mother was downplaying herself. “You are very young, and very beautiful.”

“…” Yu Rou was stunned. Being stared at intensely by her daughter and receiving such a sincere compliment made her feel a bit shy.

She bit her lip and looked down at the food. “Mom knows you’ve always been worried about me being alone. I’ve lived very well these years; you really don’t need to worry.”

“Marriage isn’t just about finding someone you like; two people have to adjust to each other, and over time, many problems arise. I live very comfortably alone. I have professional cleaners come regularly, I contact property management if something breaks, and occasionally your Auntie Xie comes to stay. We cook together, and I have plenty of time to travel. Compared to some of my peers, it’s really not that bad.”

Yu Rou added sentimentally, “When I was young, I thought a happy life was just two people together, even if it was just daily chores. But thinking about it now…” She looked at her daughter. “My daughter is all grown up. There’s no mandatory reason to marry. Sometimes, marriage is just a shackle. If I meet someone suitable, I really will consider it.”

Ji Chufeng could tell her mother wasn’t lying, but she still wasn’t entirely at ease. After some hesitation, she finally said it.

“I thought—” she paused, “it was because of your previous marriage.”

Yu Rou was taken aback, then laughed softly.

“That was so many years ago. I let go of it long ago. If you always live in the past, you’ll live a very exhausted life.”

“Perhaps in your eyes, he did many wrong things. But the two things he did right in his life were: first, marrying me—because of that, I have you, my unique daughter. The second thing was being honest with me.”

Back then, with Ji Shengjun’s power, he could have easily kept a secret family on the side without anyone knowing. But he didn’t; he confessed to her proactively. He knew she would never tolerate infidelity and hated being deceived, so he told the truth, knowing the price was the end of their marriage.

There was love between them once, but that was in the past. Yu Rou had completely moved on, which was why she could talk about it so calmly. At the very least, her ex-husband hadn’t mistreated their daughter, had he?

“…” Ji Chufeng fell silent for a long time.

She picked up a shrimp, peeled it in silence, and put the meat into Yu Rou’s bowl. “He said… he wanted to see you one last time.”

As she spoke, she was ready to take her mother to see him. But then she heard the reply.

“No,” Yu Rou shook her head. “He and I are no longer related. But you are different; you are his daughter. Even if it’s just an act, you must maintain appearances for the world to see.”

Perhaps, Ji Chufeng realized, she had never truly understood her mother’s heart.

Even though Yu Rou said that, Ji Chufeng didn’t act on it. She never cared about other people’s opinions or what they said about her.

After the scene at the hospital, the butler reported that Xu Xiayun had to get several stitches on her hand. She couldn’t understand why Ji Shengjun had suddenly become so angry and didn’t dare return to the hospital to play the role of the devoted wife. This was perfect; President Ji didn’t have time to deal with them just yet.

She originally thought Fu Sixue would sign the variety show contract as planned, making a guest appearance to build some buzz before a major push. But she didn’t expect the plan to die before it even started.

“What???” Hearing Shen Tang’s report, Ji Chufeng thought she had misheard.

Shen Tang repeated, “The production team said they aren’t signing.”

“Why?”

“…” Shen Tang paused. “They didn’t give a specific reason, but according to the information I have, they signed someone else.”

“Who?”

If it were someone more popular than Fu Sixue, she could accept it. But Shen Tang’s next words made Ji Chufeng’s temples throb.

“It’s a trainee from Fengyu Media. She has a lot of momentum lately.”

“I—!” Ji Chufeng almost let a curse slip out. “A trainee compared to a legitimate actor? Is the PD’s brain connected to their colon?!”

“Word on the street is that Fengyu waived the appearance fee and even offered to pay the production instead.”

“…” Ji Chufeng let out a cold laugh. “This show is that popular?”

“It’s… not a matter of popularity.” Shen Tang looked at Ji Chufeng and bit her lip.

Sensing there was more to it, Ji Chufeng pressed, “Then what is the problem?”

Shen Tang hesitated, wondering if she should tell the President that her new artist was a “hot potato.” Ji Chufeng lost her patience. She tapped her knuckles on the desk and said deeply, “Speak.”

“Actually, this isn’t the first time Fengyu has done this,” Shen Tang said. “Although I didn’t handle Fu Sixue before, I’ve heard rumors. The reason her popularity tanked so fast has something to do with her biological parents.”

Ji Chufeng raised an eyebrow, catching a thread of memory. “The CEO of Fengyu?”

Shen Tang nodded.

Ji Chufeng suddenly grew calm. It seemed the little cat had stories she didn’t know yet. “Does Fu Sixue know?”

“I told her before coming here.”

“…” Ji Chufeng shot a look that seemed to blame Shen Tang for having a big mouth. “How is her mood?”

“She just said ‘I know’ and didn’t say anything else. She looks normal.”

Normal? Like hell she is.

Based on their dinner conversation, Fu Sixue had been looking forward to this gig, even if her tone was neutral. Now that her hopes were dashed, she was bound to be dejected.

Before Shen Tang could finish her report, she saw the President suddenly stand up to leave.

“President Ji? Where are you going?” She wanted to finish her report, but only heard the reply: “I’m going to see my lit—”

The voice stopped abruptly. Ji Chufeng swallowed the word “cat” and replied coldly, “I have business. You head back first.”

Then, the President hurried out.

Shen Tang looked puzzled, rubbing her earlobe. “I thought Fu Sixue’s matter was the only big thing today…”

An Yi, having overheard everything, gave her a cryptic look. “Who says it isn’t?”

“…”

The moment they locked eyes, An Yi seemed to understand.