The Creator's Grace - Chapter 3

“Your hands have grown cold.”

Chi Yu pointed out the change in her with apparent concern, while shifting her right hand from a clasp to interlocking their fingers.

Her other hand steadied Ran Jin’s waist, guiding her to follow the rhythm with shifting steps.

It was a natural dancing posture, but Ran Jin knew Chi Yu was restraining her.

The restraint wasn’t applied with much force—clearly, Chi Yu understood that Ran Jin was deeply troubled by the blockade of the lunar orbit and dared not break free.

Ran Jin’s steps faltered, and she stepped squarely on Chi Yu’s foot.

Chi Yu hissed in pain, nearly losing her high heel.

“Getting angry and taking it out on me already?” Chi Yu remained unruffled, continuing to speak to Ran Jin in a light, airy tone.

“Last night, what you did was to copy my iris, to unlock the lunar orbit permissions and manipulate everything, wasn’t it?”

“I really admire you, sister-in-law.” Chi Yu smiled as she swayed her hips sensually to the music. “Oh, I forgot again—it should be former sister-in-law, since you broke up before my sister passed away. You used my sister to smoothly take control of the entire Chi Group, then broke up with her. What a clever plan. Now, your ambition is about to destroy this massive warship, yet you remain so calm and composed. Truly, your mental fortitude is exceptional. No wonder my sister was deceived by you for so many years. Were you this calm and cold-blooded when you killed her?”

At these words, Ran Jin abruptly exerted force, only to have Chi Yu tighten her grip even more.

“…”

Ran Jin clenched her teeth, not letting any hint of pain show on her face that might put her at a disadvantage, even continuing to meet Chi Yu’s gaze directly.

Chi Yu’s eyes darkened as she studied the flawless face before her, murmuring with a trace of sorrow as she dissected her:

“Calm, and incredibly patient—lying low in our Chi family for six years, all to take my sister’s life and seize everything you wanted. Wealth, power, a person’s heart… you held them in your hands and toyed with them at will.

“Are you pleased with the outcome now? With hands stained with the blood of those who loved you, can you live on in this world with peace of mind? My sister, who trusted you so deeply and cared for you so much, was willing to give you everything. And you? Is this how you repaid her?”

Chi Yu’s words grew faster, and after her final accusation, faced with Ran Jin’s still icy expression, she snapped back to reality.

“Right, why bother speaking to a demon? A demon wouldn’t answer a human’s questions.” Chi Yu regained her earlier relaxed, confident composure.

Manager Xu and others from the group watched from the sidelines, puzzled. “Isn’t that… the second young miss?”

“It really is her.”

“Why didn’t anyone mention she was coming? And she’s dancing with President Ran…”

“They’re so close, it feels a bit intimate.”

Hearing the hushed whispers behind her, Manager Xu immediately turned and glared at them:

“What nonsense are you talking? Do you even know what their relationship is?!”

With Manager Xu’s sharp rebuke, no one dared to speak further.

Ran Jin, preoccupied with her thoughts, followed Chi Yu’s steps, her gaze lowered to the hem of Chi Yu’s dress.

“You’ve noticed, haven’t you? This is my sister’s dress.”

Chi Yu tilted her head slightly, her soft, wavy hair cascading to one side as she leaned close to Ran Jin’s ear and whispered:

“The perfume is also my sister’s. I believe you must have recognized it long ago. Does it feel as if my sister has crawled out of her grave to dance with you? Do you feel guilty? Are you afraid?”

“You’re convinced I killed your sister.” Ran Jin gazed at her, the hand being held also beginning to exert force.

For a moment, Chi Yu hesitated under her candid gaze, but quickly retorted, “If it wasn’t you, then tell me, how exactly did my sister die? Why did the surveillance footage only capture you? Why have you been frequently meeting with that police officer surnamed Lu?”

“My sister was so optimistic, so full of love for life. Could she have taken her own life? After living with her for six years, don’t you know?”

Chi Yu released their interlocked fingers and directly grasped Ran Jin’s wrist, her other hand also applying force as she pulled her into an embrace.

The scent of perfume on Chi Yu enveloped Ran Jin. Pressed against the other’s chest, the heartbeat felt through flesh and blood was clearer than ever before.

“If you didn’t kill her, then who did?” Chi Yu asked in a voice only the two of them could hear. “You didn’t continue investigating my sister’s death. You just let it go, allowing her to leave this world without clarity. Who is the real murderer? Can you tell me?”

Amidst the shifting shadows, Manager Xu stared intently at Ran Jin in the dance floor. After a few figures passed by, she noticed the distance between the two had grown even closer.

Is the second young lady… embracing Ran Jin?

Manager Xu was terrified.

Although the second young lady rarely stayed in the country, anyone from the Chi family recognized her face.

Not to mention the more sensitive media.

With so many eyes watching, what did their actions mean?

Before President Chi passed away, it seemed she had truly broken up with Ran Jin. Logically speaking, if Ran Jin were to be with someone else now, even if it were the younger sister of her former lover, there was nothing legally wrong with it.

But the media wouldn’t see it that way, and the public wouldn’t be so kind.

Lu Siqing stood in the corner, fists clenched tightly, wishing she could rush over and tear that little bastard away!

But Ran Jin hadn’t given any signal and seemed to be speaking with Chi Yu, so Lu Siqing couldn’t act too impulsively.

After all, this was a public place. If she caused a scene, it would only embarrass Ran Jin.

Under Chi Yu’s persistent questioning, Ran Jin still didn’t answer her inquiries. Instead, she brushed past the crucial issue of Chi Li’s death and asked in a low voice:

“Do you know how many people will capture this moment of you holding me? How will the media write about it?”

Chi Yu rubbed her slender wrist. “Let me guess why you can remain so calm. You must not be fighting alone. Slowly devouring the Chi family isn’t an easy task; it can’t be accomplished by one person alone. Among your mysterious and intimate partners, there must be someone you can rely on for support. Even if those backers abandon you, with your good public image, if you play the victim, someone like me—who returned halfway and carries the blood of the Chi family—might instead be condemned by public opinion. So, what should I do to tear off your mask?”

Seeing that Chi Yu was about to rub open the cufflink, exposing her wrist, Ran Jin suddenly struggled free.

Chi Yu nearly lost her grip, thinking she truly cared about what had been said, and laughed:

“Don’t be so rough. I don’t want to hurt you for now. I’ve prepared a generous gift for you.”

Ran Jin showed no interest in what lavish gift she intended to present, keeping her eyes lowered and remaining silent.

Chi Yu was completely unconcerned about her actually escaping. She withdrew one hand to pick up her phone, her fingers deftly gliding across the screen.

“Guess what the public will think of you when your true face is revealed? And when your reputation is utterly ruined, how much of your backing will remain?”

The music came to an abrupt halt. Just as everyone looked bewildered, the venue’s speakers began playing a recording.

…

“Have you heard about it too? I think this matter is a bit… mysterious.”

“Most likely, it’s because of the competition over the Lunar Zone’s energy resources. That woman surnamed Ran…”

“That woman surnamed Ran, not to mention her competitors, even her own patron and former lover, all for the sake of the top seat in the Chi Empire…”

“Beautiful she is, but equally venomous. A master of deception… This time, she managed to secure the Lunar Zone’s energy resources entirely thanks to her exceptional social skills.”

The recording was crystal clear, reaching the ears of everyone present.

Manager Xu shouted, “Turn it off!”

A sharp noise followed, and the public broadcast ceased, plunging the venue into a deathly silence.

But the media personnel had already quietly taken out their phones, recording the earlier segment, and now they all aimed their devices at Ran Jin.

The conversation between the crew-cut man and the bespectacled woman had been fully recorded by Chi Yu. Using her own access, she entered the hotel’s system and broadcasted the recording for everyone to hear.

However, she had edited out the malicious comments about private affairs.

Chi Yu found them dirty, polluting the Chi family and tarnishing her sister’s memory.

The vast venue, filled with over a hundred people, was thrown into confusion. Low murmurs began to spread.

“Was CEO Chi… killed by Miss Ran? Wasn’t it suicide?”

“This is too sensational, isn’t it?”

“I never would have guessed… Miss Ran always seemed so upright.”

“Appearances can be deceiving.”

“…”

Ran Jin knew many people were secretly filming her, but she showed no fear. Instead, she smiled.

“Xiao Yu.”

This was the affectionate nickname Ran Jin had always used for Chi Yu, who was several years younger. Bringing it up now carried a hint of mockery.

“Over the years, rumors have never ceased to surround me. The public has long grown tired of these trivial exposés. If you think you can bring me down with such gossip, you’re being naive.”

“Oh?”

Chi Yu showed no sign of panic from the perceived failure. The hand she had withdrawn from Ran Jin’s waist did not return to its original position. Instead, she caressed Ran Jin’s chin, gently kneading it and lifting her face.

“What if we add this?”

While Ran Jin was still pondering the true meaning of this intimate gesture, Chi Yu suddenly did something entirely unexpected.

In front of everyone, she kissed Ran Jin on the lips.

Ran Jin hadn’t anticipated Chi Yu would do this. The fiery yet sweet kiss came so abruptly.

For a moment, she was caught off guard.

Chi Yu noticed that Ran Jin didn’t resist at all, even allowing her to part her lips effortlessly.

Their bodies were so close that even the slightest tremor could be felt by the other.

So it really is like this.

This thought flashed through Chi Yu’s mind as she deepened the kiss, seeking more fervently.

“Chi Yu! Stop!”

Forcing herself to break free from the haze of passion, Ran Jin suddenly snapped back to reality, pulling away and calling her name in a muffled voice, warning her.

“If you no longer care about Chi Corporation as a convenient weapon, if you want the accumulated wealth of the Chi family over the years to be destroyed by your own hands, then go ahead and break free from me.” Chi Yu stopped kissing, her glistening lips parting slightly, exuding a deadly allure. “I won’t force you.”

An uproar erupted.

The sudden breakup between Chi Li and Ran Jin, once the media’s darlings, had already caught everyone off guard, sparking endless speculation.

Who could have imagined that barely a month after Chi Li’s departure, Ran Jin would be seen locked in an impassioned kiss with her own younger sister in full public view?

Were they witnessing the Chi family’s scandal firsthand?

Rage simmered in Ran Jin’s eyes—she was finally angry. “Chi Yu, for the past month, you’ve been scheming to bewitch me, all for today? Just to humiliate me in public? To ruin my reputation? Don’t you know that by doing this, you’ll also tarnish your own good name? Your name will be tied to mine, and we’ll both become sinners!”

“Sinners.”

Chi Yu wrapped her arms around Ran Jin’s waist, gazing intoxicatedly at the provoked woman. The expression that was usually invisible now appeared so vividly, so intensely.

“As long as I can drag you into hell, as long as I can avenge my sister, what do I care? I’m not like you—I don’t rely on reputation. Ran Jin, the Chi Corporation you seized, the lives you took—I’ll reclaim them tenfold, making you understand what pain truly is, what despair truly feels like. I’ll let my sister in heaven witness your well-deserved punishment.”