The Creator's Grace - Chapter 18

On the day Ran Jin returned, Chi Yu sent her a WeChat message early in the morning, saying she wanted to pick her up.

By the time Ran Jin’s plane landed and she woke up from her nap to see the message, an hour had already passed. Ran Jin quickly sent a voice message back, saying there was no need to pick her up as she still had some work matters to handle and would go see her in the evening after finishing.

After sending the message, she waited for a while, but Chi Yu did not reply.

Ran Jin was indeed very busy that day; she went straight to the company after landing. She held several meetings and finally finalized the matters regarding the lunar mining rights, which were now practically a certainty.

Previously, Yidai Technology had been competing with the Chi Group. Yidai’s founder, Wang Yan, seemed to be acting out of sheer spite, insisting on taking a bite of this massive cake. Now, under intense pressure, he was on the brink of bankruptcy and was no longer a threat worth mentioning.

A furious Wang Yan had spoken out insolently in many public settings, condemning Ran Jin for trying to monopolize the entire energy industry and claiming the Chi Group would veer off course under her aggressive leadership. While Wang Yan made these wild claims, the entire energy industry watched the spectacle; no one stood in solidarity with him.

For smaller enterprises, the Chi Group was their protector, and Ran Jin was actually easier to deal with than Chi Li—everyone liked a win-win partnership. Compared to her cold, unsmiling exterior, Ran Jin’s business intuition and decisiveness had garnered a large group of loyal followers long before she ascended to the Chairperson’s throne. No matter how much Wang Yan tried to tear at her, he couldn’t hurt a single hair on her head. Ran Jin ignored his radical remarks; no matter how he provoked her, she simply focused on her work.

“Thank you for your hard work, everyone,” Ran Jin said at the end of the meeting. “Securing the lunar mining rights this time was thanks to your full support. Thank you for choosing to trust me and following me as we push the Chi Group forward. I believe you will receive returns that exceed your expectations. I won’t say anything more.”

During this period, Ran Jin was managing both the struggle for lunar rights and the steady advancement of the massive “Undersea Paradise” project with an iron fist. Being young and full of energy, she handled all key projects personally with high efficiency. The shareholders were very satisfied with the current state of the Chi Group; shrewd businesspeople knew that Ran Jin was indeed very capable. She had vision and ambition, and within her heart burned an invisible but searing flame.

When the day’s meetings finally ended, Ran Jin told her driver he didn’t need to drive; she would drive herself back. On her way to the underground parking lot, Ran Jin took out her phone and checked WeChat. Amidst a sea of work-related messages, she found Chi Yu’s profile, which had sunk to the bottom.

Chi Yu still hadn’t replied to her message. Chi Yu’s WeChat name was Naomi, and her profile picture was a photo of Lulu. With Lulu’s sapphire-blue eyes and tilted corners, the cat possessed a natural elegance—it was a “beauty’s face.” Having looked at it for so many years, in Ran Jin’s heart, Chi Yu had merged into one with the photo of Lulu.

Ran Jin wondered if Chi Yu was unhappy because she had been slow to reply that morning; there had been no movement all day. Ran Jin knew Chi Yu wasn’t a petty girl, but with less than a month since Chi Li’s passing, the dependence Chi Yu had shown toward her recently exceeded the norm. This Chi Yu felt somewhat foreign to her. She wasn’t sure if this was a bad thing or a good thing.

Ran Jin, of course, knew that Chi Yu was secretly investigating the truth of Chi Li’s death and considered her a suspect. This was beyond doubt; anyone would do the same, especially the intelligent Chi Yu. Chi Yu had a right to know part of the truth, but not now.

Ran Jin got into her car and called Chi Yu. It rang for a long time without an answer until it automatically hung up. Did something happen? Ran Jin was worried. Or is she really angry?

Uneasy, Ran Jin thought about buying a gift to apologize to Chi Yu; she had been so busy lately she hadn’t even had time to eat properly, and her late reply wasn’t intentional. Ran Jin drove to L’s dessert shop, but unfortunately, the canelés were sold out, so she had to buy something else. She placed the sweets in the back seat and drove toward the Chi house.

Halfway there, she sensed something was wrong. A car had been following her ever since she left the dessert shop. Ran Jin glanced at the rearview mirror, closed the car window she had left slightly cracked, and accelerated. She threaded through the traffic fluidly and soon shook off the Bentley following her.

Ran Jin wound through side streets and then returned to the main road. She thought this maneuver would be enough to lose anyone, but to her surprise, when she returned to the main road, that persistent Bentley appeared behind her again. Ran Jin usually had a driver or even bodyguards, but because Chi Yu had said she wanted to pick her up, Ran Jin hadn’t wanted anyone—especially people from the company—to see them together, so she hadn’t brought anyone. She hadn’t expected to be stalked.

Being followed by an unknown car didn’t cause Ran Jin any panic. In the years she had worked for Chi Li, she had experienced situations a hundred times more dangerous than this. Ran Jin calmly drove toward the Sixth Ring Road. At this hour, the Sixth Ring was full of heavy trucks. Since complex terrain hadn’t shaken the pursuer, it meant the stalker was a local familiar with the roads. But as far as driving skills went, they weren’t necessarily better than hers.

Ran Jin’s plan was to use the heavy trucks to block and lose the other car. As she deftly entered the Sixth Ring, she suddenly remembered where she had seen that Bentley. She called her secretary to ask; as expected, it was Wang Yan’s car. It seemed Wang Yan was consumed by rage and wanted to settle the score in person.

It was already completely dark. Although the Sixth Ring had lights, it felt much more desolate than the bustling city center. Streetlights were pitifully few, and looking ahead, all she could see were heavy, lumbering trucks. Ran Jin overtook a truck; Wang Yan chased her relentlessly.

Ran Jin accelerated expressionlessly, hitting the speed limit of 120 km/h, and overtook again, passing precisely between two trucks occupying two lanes. She moved skillfully through the traffic, while Wang Yan hung onto her tail like his life depended on it. It seemed Wang Yan’s fury was significant, and he was being incredibly brazen. Ran Jin wondered if he was carrying a weapon.

If he catches up…

As Ran Jin was considering her next move, a loud crash suddenly came from behind. She saw in her rearview mirror that Wang Yan had miscalculated while trying to overtake and slammed directly into the back of a truck. Following the massive impact, the white Bentley spun in the air before being crushed under the wheels of another truck that couldn’t brake in time.

Ran Jin, witnessing this, didn’t even blink. She slowed down and drove away quietly, as if nothing had happened.

After exiting the ramp and returning to the Fifth Ring, Ran Jin pulled over. She first called for emergency services, stating the location of Wang Yan’s accident, and then continued calling Chi Yu. She had a bad premonition; she wondered if Chi Yu’s long silence today was related to Wang Yan’s sudden madness. Did Wang Yan target Chi Yu too?

When no one answered, Ran Jin called Auntie Su’s mobile. Auntie Su found it strange that Ran Jin was looking for Chi Yu. “Isn’t the Second Miss with you? She went out to find you earlier.”

Ran Jin’s scalp prickled, and her heart began to race. “When did she leave the house?”

“That… I’m not sure. She had lunch at home, so she must have left in the afternoon. What’s wrong? Has she still not found you?”

Ran Jin didn’t have time to say more and hung up. As calm as she had been while shaking off the stalker earlier, she was now equally panicked. Her hand holding the phone was shaking. She took a few deep breaths and continued calling Chi Yu’s phone. On the third try, it was suddenly answered.

“Xiao Yu!” Ran Jin nearly jumped out of her seat.

“…You are the ‘Sister-in-law’ in the contacts, right?” It wasn’t Chi Yu’s voice, but a stranger’s voice—a man’s.

“I am.” Ran Jin knew she was listed as “Sister-in-law” in Chi Yu’s phone. She quickly answered and asked urgently, “What happened to her?”

“She… I don’t know. I was just passing by.” The man’s voice was also trembling, sounding very flustered. “I just got off work and passed by here. I saw the car door was open and thought it was strange, so I took a look. I didn’t expect… she’s slumped over the steering wheel and isn’t moving… I heard her phone ringing repeatedly, so I answered it for her.”

“How is she?!” Ran Jin tried her best to stay calm. She understood the man probably didn’t know exactly what happened, and asking further would only waste time. She immediately changed her approach: “Where are you now? I’m coming right away.”

“Okay, I’ll send the location using this phone.”

The location arrived; it was not far away, only two kilometers. Ran Jin set off immediately. As she turned her car around, she said to the man, “Please call for an ambulance for me!”

“I already called!”

“Good! Thank you!”

Ran Jin couldn’t even remember how she arrived at the scene after hanging up. When she ran to Chi Yu’s car, she found Chi Yu slumped powerlessly over the steering wheel. No matter how much she pushed or shook her, Chi Yu wouldn’t wake up. A large pool of blood was dripping from her chest, having already stained her trousers and shoes red.

“Xiao Yu… Xiao Yu?” Ran Jin could barely make a sound. Her head was buzzing, and her throat felt as if it were blocked by sand. Chi Yu did not respond. Ran Jin’s hands were covered in blood; Chi Yu’s body was still warm, but no matter how she called her, there was no reaction.

This came too suddenly. Even though Ran Jin had prepared for the worst on the way there, seeing a lifeless Chi Yu left her mind blank. Ran Jin noticed that the blood was coming from the left side of Chi Yu’s chest. Her vision blurred suddenly, and a suffocating pain spread from her heart, making it impossible to breathe.

She called Chi Yu’s name repeatedly, grasped Chi Yu’s cooling hand, and pressed the back of it against her face, trying to warm her. “It’s my fault…”

She knew the dangers were constant and that those people might target Chi Yu, so why had she let her guard down? She had the ability to protect herself, but Chi Yu knew nothing. Why hadn’t she made more time to stay by Chi Yu’s side? Even if she were hated, she should have protected her properly…

A regret so painful it felt like death was tearing at Ran Jin’s heart. Tears fell uncontrollably, dripping into Chi Yu’s palm which was draped over the seat.

A cold, tiny transparent object was washed out of Ran Jin’s eye by her tears, falling silently into Chi Yu’s palm.

Chi Yu’s fingertips moved. Without Ran Jin noticing, she closed her hand and gently felt the object with her thumb, confirming it repeatedly. It was the blocker washed out of Ran Jin’s eye by her tears. Now, Ran Jin’s iris was completely unprotected.

Overcome by grief, Ran Jin didn’t notice that the man who had called her had quietly vanished, and the ambulance never arrived. Even this narrow street was deserted; it was clearly a meticulously designed stage.

“It’s my fault… I’m sorry…” Ran Jin, unable to control her emotions, hugged Chi Yu’s neck. Just as she touched the skin of Chi Yu’s neck, she suddenly felt a pulse.

Ran Jin froze.

“What did you do wrong? What are you saying sorry for?”

Chi Yu, who had been slumped over the steering wheel motionless, suddenly spoke. Ran Jin’s back straightened in shock, and she tried to pull away. Chi Yu immediately grabbed Ran Jin’s arm, leaving her no way to retreat.

“Why are you so worried about me?” Chi Yu’s question was like a curse, tightening around Ran Jin’s heart. “I didn’t even see you cry when my sister died.”

Blood left startling marks on Ran Jin’s cufflinks. Chi Yu stared deathly into Ran Jin’s eyes, and Ran Jin was like someone whose soul had been captured, her tears still falling. Chi Yu dragged her into the car and pinned her against the seat.

“Why exactly did you come to our Chi family? Was your meeting with my sister all a calculated plot? Did you kill her? Tell me!”

Out of anger, Chi Yu’s strength was staggering. Ran Jin wanted to struggle but was afraid of hurting Chi Yu. After a few attempts at resistance, she simply bent her arms and stopped struggling, but she didn’t answer either.

Chi Yu saw her expression turn cold, still not saying a word, which made her even angrier. “You—”

Just then, the voices and laughter of a group of middle-aged women who had just finished square dancing drifted over. Chi Yu was distracted for a second. Ran Jin immediately pushed her away, escaped through the other car door, dove into her own car, and vanished into the night…

Chi Yu couldn’t catch her. She sat back in the car, drained of strength, and closed the door. After sitting quietly for a long while, Chi Yu, who had directed this entire performance herself, finally seemed to come back to life. She placed the iris-copying blocker on the center console and sent the copied iris data to Qi Tong.

“Done! This time it’s really Ran Jin’s iris! How did you do it?! Sister Yu, you’re amazing!”

Covered in fake blood, Chi Yu did not reply to the message. She closed her eyes tiredly, merging into the darkness.