President Ji’s Cat - Chapter 25

“Ah—! What are you doing!”

Once Xu Xiayun snapped out of it, she lunged at the bodyguards, hitting them repeatedly with her hands, and shouted at the group of directors: “What are you standing there for? Help them, quickly!”

One of the directors took a step forward, but the moment he raised his hand, he caught Ji Chufeng’s ice-cold gaze.

“…” He instinctively retreated and turned to look at his companions.

They looked at each other, but not a single person stepped out to intervene.

Soon, the mother and son were taken away by the bodyguards. The few people remaining in the emergency room stood there at a loss. They had come today merely to express their “loyalty,” and they hadn’t expected to stumble into this grand family drama; they didn’t know how to react.

Especially Chang Min. Watching the mother and son be dragged away, his heart felt increasingly hollow, and a cold sweat began to bead on his forehead.

Ji Chufeng merely swept a glance over them, not even gracing him with a second look.

“Did those present hear anything just now?”

They had more or less understood. Ji Chufeng calling Ji Chengye a “bastard” implied that he likely wasn’t Chairman Ji’s biological son.

Being the old foxes they were, they naturally wouldn’t admit to it, shaking their heads one after another and pretending they hadn’t heard a thing.

“Very good.” Ji Chufeng nodded in satisfaction. “Chairman Ji left a will before he passed, bequeathing all of his estate to me. I will officially assume the position of Chairperson of the Ji Group.”

“This—” The directors looked at each other. They knew Chairman Ji had intended to pass the company to his son. It was one thing to take over the company, but they had heard the word “all” very clearly.

For some reason, their minds immediately filled with historical dramas of ancient emperors killing their brothers to seize the throne.

As for Chang Min, he was completely stunned. He had been too confident; he never imagined the will would be altered.

Ji Chufeng didn’t care whether they could accept it or not. She added, “The contents of the will will be announced tomorrow.”

She dismissed the group. The reporters at the hospital had already been cleared out. Meanwhile, the news of Chairman Ji Shengjun’s passing had been spread by the press; however, only the few people present for the send-off knew that the sky over the Ji family had completely changed.

Ji Shengjun’s body was moved to the hospital mortuary to await further arrangements from the family.

Ji Chufeng sat on a waiting bench outside the mortuary, staring at the floor, lost in thought. Suddenly, a flurry of hurried footsteps broke her reverie. She looked up and saw a familiar face.

Upon hearing the news of Ji Shengjun’s passing, Yu Rou was worried her daughter wouldn’t be able to handle it alone and rushed over immediately. Xie Qiu had called her halfway to inquire, and hearing she was going to the hospital, she followed along.

“Qiu, you really didn’t need to come. I can manage on my own.” In the elevator, Yu Rou was still trying to convince Xie Qiu to go back; after all, this was her family matter, and she shouldn’t keep bothering others.

“I just happen not to be busy today,” Xie Qiu said. “If the two of you get nervous and start running around like headless chickens, what then? At least I’m here to offer some advice.”

“But, to keep troubling you like this…” Yu Rou truly felt bad. Seeing this, Xie Qiu pursed her lips, reached out, and patted her head. “Aren’t we best friends? Don’t be so formal.”

“I’m at such an age…” Yu Rou pushed Xie Qiu’s hand away. The gesture felt like she was being treated like a child; she hadn’t had her head patted in many, many years, and it was quite embarrassing.

The elevator doors opened, ending the topic. The two moved in sync, walking briskly in the direction indicated by the signs.

When Yu Rou saw the person sitting on the bench, she breathed a sigh of relief. Her daughter’s emotions seemed normal.

“Fengfeng,” Yu Rou called out.

Ji Chufeng stood up, clearing the messy thoughts from her head. She didn’t resort to her usual playful banter. “Mom, Auntie Xie, why are you here?”

“I came to see you,” Yu Rou said. She reached out and touched her daughter’s face. “Baby, are you alright?”

“What could be wrong with me?” Ji Chufeng caught her hand and then pulled it away.

“That’s good.” Yu Rou let out a sigh of relief and pulled them down to sit on the benches. “What do you plan to do now? How are the funeral arrangements being handled?”

“How else can they be handled?” Ji Chufeng said indifferently. “The funeral home, one-stop service.”

“Then where do you plan to hold the funeral? Have you looked into a cemetery yet?”

Ji Chufeng acted as if she had heard a hilarious joke. “Funeral?” She sneered. “Given all the bastardly things he did, the fact that I’m sending him to a funeral home counts as me being kind.”

She had no intention of holding a funeral. Facing those hypocritical people and watching them squeeze out fake tears felt utterly disgusting to her.

“That won’t do!” Yu Rou immediately vetoed the idea. “How can you not hold a funeral? Even in passing, he should go with dignity!”

Ji Chufeng remained silent.

Xie Qiu cut in from the side: “Tell you what, Auntie will handle the funeral for you. You won’t have to worry about a thing. I’ll hire professionals for every stage, and I’ll go over the details with you later.” She paused and looked at Yu Rou. “On the day of the funeral, it’s not convenient for your mother to attend. Just find me if you need anything.”

Xie Qiu was right; it wasn’t proper for an ex-wife to attend her ex-husband’s funeral, and besides, their ending hadn’t been pretty.

Fortunately, Yu Rou had no intention of attending either. She nodded and persuaded: “If your Auntie Xie says so, she’ll definitely settle everything for you. Fengfeng, you won’t have to worry about anything; just show up on the day of the funeral.”

“The funeral can happen,” Ji Chufeng said.

Yu Rou breathed a sigh of relief, but the smile that had just begun to form froze on her lips.

“But I will not attend,” Ji Chufeng repeated. “Absolutely not.”

“How can a funeral not have the chief mourner?!”

“Since you want him to go with dignity, I’ll organize a grand funeral. I don’t care if a hundred people are hired to wail for him.” She paused. “But I will not be there. Don’t think that dying settles all accounts. It’s not that easy.”

Yu Rou frowned and sighed. “But if you, his daughter, don’t show up, the funeral has no meaning.”

“Then don’t hold it,” Ji Chufeng’s attitude was chillingly detached.

“…” They were stuck in a dead loop.

As Yu Rou looked distressed, Xie Qiu thought for a moment and spoke persuasively: “Chufeng, at a time like this, you shouldn’t only remember personal grudges. A funeral is a public occasion where friends and family will be present. If you, as the daughter, aren’t there and let someone else stand in, what do you think people will think?”

Ji Chufeng replied with total clarity: “If I cared about what other people thought, we wouldn’t even be arguing about this right now.”

“Yes, you’ve never cared about others’ opinions. But from today onward, you are no longer just the Eldest Young Lady of the Ji family. You are taking over the Ji Group; in the future, you have to manage an entire conglomerate.”

“As the saying goes, ‘He who wins the hearts of the people wins the world.’ Especially now that the outside world knows about the existence of ‘Master Ji.’ This cold-hearted approach of yours will make people lose heart. If the people are scattered like sand, how will you manage such a large corporation in the future?”

“Your identity isn’t just Ji Shengjun’s daughter. Before, as the Young Lady, you could act out or be headstrong because you ‘hadn’t grown up.’ But now, you’re the only one left in the Ji family. If you don’t manage the Ji Group well, can you face your grandfather?”

“Go to the funeral. Even if you just stand there, it counts as fulfilling your filial duty. In the future, people won’t be able to criticize you for it.”

Xie Qiu added meaningfully, “No one can truly live solely for themselves.”

Xie Qiu was clearly a qualified negotiator. Ji Chufeng’s tightly knit brows gradually relaxed, and the resistance in her eyes wasn’t as fierce. However, the person involved knew very well that the goal of all this talk was still to convince her to attend the funeral.

In the end, no conclusion was reached. Ji Chufeng excused herself and left, though her attitude wasn’t as adamant as before.

Yu Rou wanted to strike while the iron was hot and continue the persuasion, but Xie Qiu stopped her.

“Let her be alone for a bit,” Xie Qiu said, watching Ji Chufeng’s back. “Don’t be fooled by her act; her heart isn’t feeling good right now.”

“I know.” Yu Rou felt sad. Mother and daughter shared a connection; she could feel the deep conflict inside Chufeng. Hating Ji Shengjun had become a part of her habit, but now that he was gone, hating him lost its purpose. Yet, she couldn’t convince herself to let go, ultimately trapping herself in a cage. “She likes to keep everything bottled up. I’m afraid she has no one to talk to.”

“This is part of growing up.” Xie Qiu patted her shoulder and comforted her. “Only when she is willing to face it can this knot be untied. She’ll figure it out.”

Ji Chufeng had been busy all day. By the time she left the hospital, the sky was completely dark. Perhaps due to her mood, the deep blue sky looked somber.

She was a bit hungry, but had absolutely no appetite. She drove aimlessly around the streets for a few laps before finally entering her residential complex.

The underground parking lot was full, so Ji Chufeng had to park on the surface and lock her car. Her parking spot was a bit out of the way; she had to cross the central courtyard to reach Building D, where she lived.

The people living in this complex were either wealthy or influential, which meant everyone was busy. Ji Chufeng walked along the path, seeing almost no one along the way. Those she did see wore baseball caps and walked with their heads down in a hurry. The air was quiet, devoid of any “living” atmosphere.

Only the fountain in the center of the courtyard looked somewhat human.

However, for some reason tonight, the fountain wasn’t on. The water flowed silently; without the accompaniment of the fountain’s lights, that area looked rather dim.

Next to the courtyard, beneath a residential unit, was a 24-hour convenience store. Ji Chufeng stood by the edge of the fountain, staring at the water for a long while. She looked toward the convenience store, appearing hesitant.

After a long silence, she finally headed toward the shop.

When she came back out, she was carrying a small bag. She hadn’t bought the items inside for several years.

She returned to the fountain and sat on the stone ledge, looking up at the night sky. It was a night with no stars and no moon; no wonder it looked so gloomy.

A night breeze blew past, and Ji Chufeng let out a soft breath, exhaling a puff of white mist. She looked down at the bag beside her and reached inside.

She pulled out a flat box of ladies’ cigarettes and a lighter.

She had forgotten the last time she smoked. She only remembered it was several years ago when her mood was much worse than it was now. A friend had given her a cigarette, telling her it would help her forget all her troubles. She had believed them.

Later, after she emerged from the shadows, she never touched them again. She didn’t like the taste of tobacco, but she relied on the brief moment of mental clarity it provided.

Now, touching it again and lighting one, she took a puff and nearly choked. She still didn’t like the taste of tobacco.

Ji Chufeng sat in a daze, staring at the ground. She didn’t know how long she sat there with her eyes open, only that they were beginning to feel a bit sore.

The sound of footsteps approached from a distance. She didn’t bother to look; it was likely just someone passing by.

The footsteps paused for a brief moment, then started again, coming closer this time—so close that they stopped right in front of her.

A pair of dark knee-high boots appeared in her field of vision, and they showed no intention of moving.

Ji Chufeng looked up.

She met the gaze of Fu Sixue.