The Creator's Grace - Chapter 21

“I will hand your sister’s life’s work back to you, but not now.”

A hand with well-defined joints stroked the fur on Lulu’s back, extending all the way to the cat’s head. The owner of the hand had skin that was pale to a somewhat unhealthy degree, a result of spending years in laboratories and offices.

Lulu was napping on Chi Yu’s lap, purring contentedly at the touch. Chi Yu had just showered; her long hair, still damp and unstyled, draped casually over her shoulders. Her eyes were vacant, her fingers tracing the cat’s forehead almost subconsciously.

Several days had passed since she returned from the office building, yet Chi Yu’s mind remained a vase filled to the brim with Ran Jin’s expressions and words—so full that she couldn’t think of anything else.

Could I really have misunderstood?

Chi Yu sat deep in the soft sofa, replaying every detail of what Ran Jin had said. Every word and sentence had sounded flawless, like a choreography practiced countless times.

Ran Jin must have anticipated the confrontation. Her response was a seamless, airtight fortress wall that must have taken a long time to build. Chi Yu couldn’t help but think how similar this felt to her sister’s death—full of loopholes, yet somehow self-consistent.

“Meow!” Lulu woke up and cried out to Chi Yu, begging for food.

Auntie Su heard the cry and brought a bowl of kibble. “Dinnertime!”

Lulu immediately abandoned Chi Yu and bolted toward the food bowl. Seeing Chi Yu’s somber face, Auntie Su tried to lighten the mood. “Oh, look at Lulu. She’s nearly twenty years old—that’s like being a hundred-year-old centenarian in human years—yet she can still run so fast and stay so lively. A friend in my hometown has a cat that’s only fifteen, and all it does is sleep. Forget running, it doesn’t even like to walk; it takes two steps and…”

“Auntie Su,” Chi Yu interrupted suddenly. “In all these years you’ve been in this house, did you think the feelings between my sister and Ran Jin were good?”

Auntie Su squeezed her hands together, knowing the inevitable question had finally come. “Actually… the police asked me that too. Every day I’m just cooking and doing housework; Xiao Feng and the others handle the cleaning upstairs. I really don’t know much about the rest.”

Chi Yu watched Lulu eat greedily and nodded. She hadn’t expected to get any key clues from Auntie Su, nor did she want to press her further. She stood up and went to the kitchen to open a can of wet food. The “dumb” calico, who had just finished her kibble and was licking her paws, caught the scent and sprinted toward Chi Yu.

“Slow down, no one’s taking it from you,” Chi Yu murmured, stroking the back of Lulu’s head. Her voice was low and slightly strained.

“Second Miss, are you catching a cold? Let me get you some medicine.”

Chi Yu gave Lulu one last pat and stood up. “No need. I just didn’t sleep well and I’m a bit stressed. I’m going out; don’t cook for me tonight.”

“Oh, alright.”

Forty minutes later, Chi Yu came downstairs in full makeup. Auntie Su could tell at a glance she was going out to meet someone. Because of her sister’s passing, she had been wearing nothing but black lately. Even so, Chi Yu looked radiant in her casual styling.

Chi Yu knew Ran Jin was hosting a banquet tonight for all the major shareholders of the Chi Group. She was undoubtedly trying to win them over, regain some dignity, and secure continued support from the board.

Chi Yu got into her car and turned the music up to maximum volume, using the thundering rhythm to stimulate her adrenaline. How could she possibly miss such a grand occasion?

Her struggle with Ran Jin had only just begun.

After her afternoon meetings, Ran Jin napped for a bit on the small sofa in the lounge. Falling asleep had been difficult, and waking up felt even worse. Her phone rang; her scheduled stylist was about to arrive to prepare her for the banquet.

Ran Jin splashed her face with cold water and downed a large cup of black Americano to sharpen her mind. The stylist was someone Ran Jin employed privately; she handled Ran Jin’s look for every major event. The stylist knew her boss’s preferences perfectly: Ran Jin always preferred professional suits, and there was rarely a need to prepare other styles.

However, before heading to the Chi Group today, she had received a call from Ran Jin, who—for the first time ever—asked her to prepare dresses suitable for a banquet, “the more showy, the better.”

Though the stylist didn’t know why Ran Jin had suddenly changed her mind, she had felt somewhat guilty for receiving such a high salary for such repetitive work. Now that Ran Jin finally had a different requirement, it was a cause for celebration.

The stylist, who had always felt Ran Jin was wasting her stunning natural beauty, immediately had her assistant contact partner brands to bring over every dress that might suit her.

By the way, Ran Jin had sent another voice message: The dress must have long sleeves. Thank you.

The stylist and her assistant arrived to dress and make up Ran Jin. When everything was finished, even the stylist was moved. Once Ran Jin—who usually favored stiff, dark work clothes—switched to vibrant colors, her already exquisite beauty became ethereal.

The rose-gold, waist-cinched long dress and Ran Jin’s cool, pale skin complemented and highlighted each other’s beauty. Ran Jin was naturally slender with long legs; this dress maximized her physical advantages. A cutout design on the side of the leg allowed glimpses of her fair skin as she moved. Her collarbones and back, usually hidden beneath heavy work attire, were balanced and delicate.

The stylist curled her long straight hair, tinting the ends with a hint of forest green. Her thick hair was parted to the right, cascading from her collarbone to her chest. With large waves and shimmering eye makeup, she looked graceful and full of charm.

This was exactly what Ran Jin had requested: she wanted to be sexy, enchanting, and easily spotted in a crowd tonight.

The stylist was immensely satisfied with her work. Yes, this is Ran Jin! She should have been dressing like this all along!

The stylist happily searched for a mirror, wanting Ran Jin to see how beautiful she was. She looked around but couldn’t find one. She had forgotten—Ran Jin had a quirk: she didn’t like looking in mirrors. It was a strange habit; with such a perfect face and body, not liking to dress up or look in mirrors felt like a personal insult to the stylist.

“There is a mirror, behind the wardrobe,” Ran Jin said, also curious to see her new look.

The stylist’s assistant dragged the well-hidden mirror out and pushed it in front of Ran Jin. The stylist noticed the mirror was odd. As a full-length mirror, it was positioned so that when Ran Jin stood before it, her face was cut off. It wasn’t quite full-length, yet it presented everything below the neck perfectly.

Who makes such a nonsensical mirror? the stylist wondered. She asked Ran Jin, “President Ran, do you want me to replace this mirror for you? Who looks at themselves and only sees half a body?”

“No need,” Ran Jin refused directly.

The stylist maintained a serene smile. Fine, the boss is always right.

Ran Jin turned before the mirror, examining the somewhat foreign version of herself. From the front, the dress only exposed her collarbones, and her arms were wrapped in long sleeves, maintaining a mature aura with a hint of conservatism. Once she turned around, however, the long V-shaped back design plunged all the way to the center of her lower back. Her jade-like, snowy skin appeared even fairer and more delicate against the rose gold, her beautiful back curves revealed without reservation.

As the stylist and her assistant heaped praises upon her, Ran Jin’s eyes remained somewhat dim. The stylist thought Ran Jin didn’t like it and was about to suggest a change when Ran Jin said:

“This will do. Thank you for your hard work.”

The stylist left. Ran Jin stood by the window, watching the city’s night lights reflected on the glass. The shimmering points blurred her features and melted the stillness in her eyes.

Half-illusion, half-reality.

She had to do this. She was ready to commit sacrilege.

The venue Ran Jin chose for the banquet was a club called Mulan, owned by the Chi Group. The club was located in the suburbs, somewhat hidden.

Chi Yu drove for nearly twenty minutes after exiting the highway before reaching the entrance. She had checked beforehand; this club was under Ran Jin’s name and was likely her own venture. Mulan Club was usually a place for the group’s shareholders to drink and talk business; things unsuitable for formal settings could be discussed here in secret, guaranteed to be away from prying ears. Every night, countless business elites and celebrities appeared here.

Chi Yu drove her sister’s car and stopped behind the ornate iron gates. In the darkness, the security guard in the booth did not open the gate. Seeing the familiar car and license plate, he felt a bit puzzled and walked out to the car.

Isn’t this President Chi’s car? But President Chi has already…

Before the guard’s question could fully form, the window lowered slowly, revealing the cold face of a woman. With her hair falling in beautiful curves and wearing a tight black leather jacket, the woman’s small face held no expression, as if covered in a frost-like shell. Beneath her long brows, her beautiful eyes gradually showed a hint of impatience, though she didn’t look out at him.

After two seconds, the gate still hadn’t opened. Chi Yu’s eyes, heavy with suppressed anger, finally turned toward him.

“Second Miss…” the guard recognized her.

“Open the gate.”

“But, Second Miss, do you have an invitation?”

The guard asked in a near-trembling voice. Chi Yu stared at him for a moment before his superior ran over with a cry of alarm, pulled him aside, and said to Chi Yu with a beaming smile:

“Second Miss, you’re here! Quick! Open the gate for the Second Miss! What are you standing there for?”

The bumbling guard was still saying, “But, Miss Ran said that without an invitation…”

The superior, pained by his subordinate’s stupidity, gave him a hard shove on the back, and the guard finally stumbled to open the gate.

Having been blocked at the entrance, Chi Yu was understandably annoyed as she drove up the small hill. The brightly lit villa stood in the desolate, cold night like a monster that had swallowed all warmth.

It seems Ran Jin doesn’t want me here to ruin things.

Chi Yu pushed the car door open. The cold wind cut through her instantly, but she didn’t feel it. Her long legs were accentuated by tight black leather pants and stiletto leather boots. As she walked through the entrance, her long hair brought the chill of the winter night, leaving two middle-aged women talking by the window staring in shock.

Is that woman with legs up to her chest… the Second Miss of the Chi family?

Chi Yu walked into the crowd and scanned the room. As expected, they were all major shareholders of the Chi Group, along with faces she recognized from the business magazines she’d been reading lately. Many people were staring at the uninvited guest. Chi Yu took a glass of wine and sat on a sofa in the corner. Two shareholders she had met before came over to talk. Her main goal tonight was to win over the shareholders; she recognized these two as her sister’s old subordinates who had always been polite to her.

Chi Yu set her drink down and began discussing the lunar orbit with them seriously. From their conversation, she realized many people loyal to the Chi family disagreed with Ran Jin’s aggressive, heavy-handed tactics. Chi Yu was relieved; it seemed there was still plenty of ground she could win.

As she chatted, she searched for Ran Jin in the crowd. Curiously, that stiff work suit should have been easy to spot amidst the revelry, but Chi Yu scanned everyone and couldn’t find her. However, there was a woman with a hot figure and a sexy outfit who caught her attention. The woman was wearing a backless dress, her snowy, reflective skin turned toward Chi Yu, standing at the center of the crowd. Chi Yu didn’t recognize her; was she another partner of Ran Jin’s?

Tonight was Ran Jin’s home ground. Was she late, or was she on the second-floor gallery?

“Miss Ran, this outfit suits you perfectly today. You should have dressed like this long ago.”

Just as Chi Yu withdrew her gaze, she heard someone mention Ran Jin’s name. Looking up again, she realized the “Miss Ran” the person was addressing was the woman in the rose-gold backless dress.

Chi Yu’s surprised gaze fell on Ran Jin’s profile. It was indeed Ran Jin, yet it looked nothing like her.

The woman talking to Ran Jin had her hair pinned up and looked to be around thirty, with a mature and charming makeup look. One hand was draped casually over Ran Jin’s shoulder, the other held a wine glass. Her affectionate eyes were fixed on Ran Jin’s face, her hip cocked toward her, practically pressing against her as she savored her beauty.

Ran Jin showed no resistance to this intimacy. Instead, she allowed the other to linger, wearing a smile she usually reserved only for the Chi sisters.

“Yes, Miss Gong is right. I should have dressed like this long ago,” Ran Jin clinked glasses with her.

Chi Yu gave a polite “Excuse me” to the shareholders, stood up abruptly with her glass, and walked up behind Ran Jin.

The moment Miss Gong met the aggressive gaze of Chi Yu, Chi Yu’s hand had already reached behind Ran Jin’s back, brushing Miss Gong’s hand away and replacing it with her own arm around Ran Jin’s shoulder.

“Sister-in-law.” Chi Yu faced everyone whose smiles had stiffened with her usual dignified and polite expression. “I have something to say to you. Can you come to the second floor with me?”

Brushed aside, Miss Gong nearly lost her balance and glared at her in anger. Chi Yu stared back calmly, her smile unchanging, completely disregarding her.

Miss Gong: “…”

Ran Jin felt the hidden pressure Chi Yu exerted on her shoulder. She curled her lips and said to the guests, “Excuse me, I need to leave for a moment.”

The two of them climbed the stairs to the deserted second-floor gallery. The floor-to-ceiling windows were bright and dustless. The biting north wind had cleared the clouds from the night sky, revealing a vast expanse of brilliant stars.

“Is she your next target?” Chi Yu leaned against the window, swirling her wine glass unconsciously.

Ran Jin crossed her arms. “Exactly. Because of you, the lunar orbit is locked. Of course I need to find partners who can help me through this difficulty.”

Chi Yu’s gaze fell unshielded on Ran Jin’s exposed collarbones. “Tonight’s outfit is quite unexpected. It’s not your style at all.”

Just as Ran Jin was about to speak, Chi Yu cut in: “You knew I was coming tonight, so you deliberately put on this show for me, didn’t you?”

Ran Jin turned her side to her. Beneath the ambiguous lights and the moonlight, Chi Yu saw a clear smile ripple across Ran Jin’s lips. It was somewhat contemptuous and mocking.

With a clack, Chi Yu set her glass on the windowsill and moved close to Ran Jin. Ran Jin furrowed her brow and instinctively leaned back, her waist hitting the window ledge behind her.

Chi Yu was pressed against her, her eyes as clear as ice, while the palm holding Ran Jin’s wrist was as hot as fire.

“It’s a pity your acting is poor, and this costume doesn’t suit you at all. Why go to all this trouble to find other partners when you could just beg me? If you’re sincere enough, we could sit down and talk properly about the lunar orbit.”

Trapped against the window, Ran Jin remained silent, watching her provocateur quietly. She then smiled faintly. “You aren’t still dwelling on the idea that I like you, are you? What do I have to say to make you believe me? I’ve said it before: I have no resistance to beautiful women. Miss Gong, whom I was just sharing sentiments with, is very beautiful. Aside from business, there are other things she and I can talk about. Do you understand what I mean?”

As she finished, Ran Jin’s smile slowly faded, and she looked away. Whether she spoke or remained silent, smiled or didn’t, her aura remained unchanged—like a forest lake that no one could reach, its surface a mirror without wind or waves. Finding its location was hard enough, let alone breaking its calm.

Chi Yu’s temples throbbed. She moved in abruptly, closing the distance between their lips until it was negligible. Their breaths, carrying their respective perfumes, mingled instantly into a complex scent swirling around their noses and lips.

She wanted to break Ran Jin’s silence, to look straight into the depths of her heart.

However, the kiss did not fall. She noticed that Ran Jin still didn’t flinch or look embarrassed. Instead, she stared back into Chi Yu’s eyes without avoidance and smiled.

“Why stop? Is it because there’s no audience here like at the press conference?” Ran Jin didn’t just stay put; she took a step forward, her chest pressing against Chi Yu’s.

“Xiao Yu, you really are a child who has never been in love…” Ran Jin’s tone lowered as she drew closer, gradually taking on an atmosphere as ambiguous as the moonlight. “Your kiss is just like you—innocent and cute.”

Chi Yu tried to straighten up and pull away, but Ran Jin grabbed her collar.

“Do you want your Sister-in-law to teach you how adults are supposed to kiss?”

Before Chi Yu could answer, Ran Jin had already kissed her. The scent of berry sweetness instantly spread between their lips and teeth, entangling them, hot enough to melt her away.