The Creator's Grace - Chapter 4

One month ago.

“Second Miss, the Eldest Miss… has passed away.”

Twenty hours earlier, Chi Yu, who was overseas, received a call from Butler Chen.

Chi Yu, who had been staying up late working on calculations in front of her computer, didn’t understand what Butler Chen was saying at first and fell silent for a moment.

Not receiving a response from Chi Yu, Butler Chen asked, “Second Miss?”

Only then did Chi Yu slowly rise from her chair. “What did you say?”

A sighing breath came through the receiver.

“Second Miss, please accept my condolences.”

When Chi Yu first received this call, only four words came to mind—utterly inexplicable.

Yesterday, her sister had video-called her as usual, on time, saying she had been feeling a bit under the weather lately, with a toothache.

She reminded Chi Yu to take good care of herself while alone abroad.

Chi Yu, busy with her calculations, took a moment to retort, “Sis, are you getting old? Starting the nagging mode of an elderly person before you’re even forty?”

“You’re my only sister. Who else would I nag if not you?”

In the video, Chi Li took a sip of coffee and smiled. “And you had to run so far away. I can’t even find you to nag you unless it’s through a video call.”

“Can’t you just not nag me? Alright, I won’t chat with you anymore. I have a lot on my plate here. I’ll talk to you again when I’m done.”

Chi Yu was indeed very busy. The new orbital project was more complicated than she had anticipated, and the newcomers in the project team were particularly fond of coming up with their own ideas, acting on whims. Even after Chi Yu had sternly reprimanded them face-to-face, they still hadn’t settled down.

And her sister’s video call had come at a particularly inconvenient time—just when she was scouring the internet for usable paid programs.

And they were talking about such trivial topics…

Chi Yu hung up decisively, not feeling anything was amiss at the time. The two sisters had grown up bickering like this, yet their bond had always remained strong.

Little did she know this would be her last conversation with her sister.

Her sister had passed away?

Chi Yu held her phone in her hand, standing in the room for a long while before calling back.

“Cause of death.”

Butler Chen said, “For now… we don’t know…”

Chi Yu was furious, her voice low and tense. “Why haven’t you investigated yet?”

Butler Chen was clearly shaken by her anger and hurriedly replied, “Yes!”

Without packing anything, Chi Yu stuffed her passport and a few personal items into her backpack, bought the earliest available flight ticket home on the way, and rushed back to the country.

Before the plane took off, she received a call from Ran Jin.

“Xiao Yu, please accept my condolences.”

Hearing Ran Jin’s familiar voice, Chi Yu finally couldn’t hold back. She knew her sister was truly gone.

A sharp pain struck her chest. Clutching her phone, she lowered her head, tears streaming down silently.

It took a while before Chi Yu could barely compose herself, steadying her voice to say:

“Ran Jie, take care. I’m already on the plane and will be back soon.”

“You’re coming back now?” Ran Jin’s question took Chi Yu by surprise.

“Of course I’m coming back, to see my sister off with you.”

After a moment of silence on the other end, Ran Jin said, “Send me your flight details. I’ll pick you up.”

At the time, unaware that her sister had already broken up with Ran Jin, Chi Yu naturally replied, “No need. There must be a lot of things at home that require your attention. It’ll be late at night when I arrive. I can make my own way back.”

Ran Jin insisted on picking her up, so Chi Yu had no choice but to inform her.

Having obtained Chi Yu’s flight information, Ran Jin had now gone twenty-six hours without sleep.

The news of Chi Li’s unexpected death had spread like wildfire.

The battle for the Lunar Zone mining rights had reached a fever pitch. Everyone in the Chi Group was giving their all to secure it, only for the leader to suddenly fall at this critical moment.

Chi Li was dead, but the fight for the Lunar Zone mining rights could not stop.

This was the Chi Group’s most important project in the past five years. They had prepared for years, staking everything on winning it.

Now, with only the final step remaining, any loss of composure would mean all previous efforts were wasted.

With Chi Li gone, many within the Chi Group began to panic, fearing that competitors might resort to extreme measures—even murder—to seize this massive prize.

The cause of Chi Li’s death remained unknown, and the Chi family seemed unwilling to disclose it to the public.

This only fueled more speculation and fear.

Just as the Chi Group was on the verge of chaos, the new chairwoman, Ran Jin, presided over a board meeting, decisively making several crucial decisions.

She swiftly allocated funds, reassigned personnel, and bid for lunar orbit slots.

It was through this board meeting that everyone realized the Chi Group had changed hands.

Chi Li was dead, and the woman she had personally groomed, this “Ran” woman, was now the head of the Chi Group.

In the matter of purchasing orbital slots—a decision that should have been approached with extreme caution—Ran Jin acted boldly, spending heavily to secure three of the most expensive and convenient slots, purchasing them for a full ten years.

These ten years were the golden decade for lunar mining. Whoever could establish a foothold on the moon during this time would hold the future’s voice.

Everyone knew this, but knowing was one thing; having the courage to act decisively was another.

After all, the annual cost of each orbital slot required two hands to count.

With countless competitors, having private orbital slots was the key to gaining an advantage and taking the lead in the mining rights battle.

Orbital slots were the foundation, the most powerful weapon for dominating the market.

Everyone understood the logic, but what if they ultimately failed to secure the mining rights?

The Chi Group could resell the slots, but lunar orbits were auctioned by term, depreciating with each passing day. By then, even selling at a loss would require finding a willing buyer.

While there were three most convenient main routes to the moon, taking longer, winding paths was still possible.

Witnessing the Chi Group stuck with unusable orbital slots would be worth the detour.

If they failed to secure the lunar mining rights and couldn’t find buyers for the three major orbital slots, leaving them stuck in their hands, the Chi Group would likely suffer a devastating blow.

Faced with doubts, Ran Jin had only one thing to say:

“You need not hesitate. Just follow behind me and heed my decisions.”

Matters that even Chi Li had been unable to decide quickly were now being commanded without hesitation by the new ruler. And Chi Li’s former followers had swiftly aligned themselves with the new leader.

The decisions were implemented immediately.

From top to bottom, tens of thousands within the Chi Group trembled for their livelihoods.

On the day after the death of the Chi Empire’s leader, Ran Jin pushed the Chi Group to the edge of a cliff and hung herself high in the air.

One misstep, and she would be pierced by ten thousand arrows.

Some people believe Ran Jin possesses extraordinary boldness, while others think she is far too reckless.

Yet no one can deny her audacity.

Amidst opposition and naysayers, in this era of rapid information dissemination, Ran Jin’s decision was soon leaked online, causing an uproar throughout the energy sector.

[Wow, buying three at once? Is this a monopoly?]

[The Chi family is still wealthy, after all.]

[It’s not like she earned this fortune herself, so she spends lavishly without a second thought.]

[Acting so rashly, isn’t she afraid of being outbid and losing everything in the end?]

Click.

Shutting the door on the doubts, Ran Jin, having just finished three consecutive meetings without eating, asked her assistant to bring her a sandwich and a cup of black coffee.

Sitting down at her desk and opening her computer, she reviewed the progress of the mining rights and various updates for a while before feeling a sharp dryness in her eyes.

She rummaged through the drawer for the artificial tears prescribed by her doctor, squeezed a few drops into her eyes, and leaned back in her chair to rest with her eyes closed.

Once the discomfort eased, she reopened her eyes, her thick lashes still glistening with moisture. She opened the drawer again and took out a preserved flower sealed inside a transparent resin sphere.

This white rose was frozen in full bloom, its beauty undiminished over the years…

A knock sounded at the door, and her assistant entered. “Ms. Ran, I’ve left the sandwich and coffee on your desk.”

“Mm.” Ran Jin had already put the preserved flower away. “Thank you.”

After the assistant left, she checked the time and realized she had been too engrossed in admiring the flower, losing track of the hours.

She needed to visit Lu Siqing and then hurry to the airport to pick up Chi Yu.

Grabbing her handbag, she took the private elevator down to the underground parking garage.

After she left, the assistant returned to the office and noticed that Ms. Ran hadn’t touched the sandwich or black coffee at all.

She spent a long time at the Lu residence, staying until late into the night. As the time for Chi Yu’s flight to land approached, Ran Jin promptly ended the conversation.

While waiting by the elevator, Lu Siqing stood behind her in a bathrobe.

Lu Siqing’s hair was still damp, strands clinging to her shoulders. With her arms tucked into the pockets of her pink robe, she studied Ran Jin’s face intently.

“Hmm?” Ran Jin squinted her uncomfortable eyes, noticing Lu Siqing’s scrutiny. She relaxed her brow slightly, letting out a questioning sound.

Lu Siqing chuckled. “Does anyone know that the formidable Ms. Ran, who challenges everything, acts like a child in front of me? You don’t even take care of yourself properly. Come here, let me see your eyes. How bad are they? Are you still wearing them?”

Lu Siqing pulled Ran Jin closer, leaning in to examine her pupils carefully.

Ran Jin took a step back, instinctively pressing the elevator button. “I have no choice. I must be cautious.”

“You don’t even take them off when you sleep, do you?”

“No.”

“You’re truly insane… Do you not care about your eyes at all?”

Ran Jin remained silent.

“Ah, forget it. I can’t be bothered to lecture you—you never listen anyway. Little Jin is perfect in every way, except for this stubborn temper of hers, which is utterly infuriating. Hurry back and get some rest. Are you keeping vigil again tonight?”

“I need to go to the airport first.”

“To the airport at this hour? What for?” Lu Siqing perked up, quickly understanding. “Chi Yu is back?”

“Her sister passed away. How could she not return?”

“You’re right, it’s good that she’s back. Let her keep watch over the spirit. You’ve been exhausted for so many days, don’t worry about it anymore. The Chi family doesn’t treat you well anyway. But why are you so eager to pick her up? Is there no one left in the Chi family, or are there no cars at the airport? After all, you’ve already broken up with Chi Li, haven’t you? Can’t you just go back and sleep peacefully? You still have to fight the whole world tomorrow!”

Ran Jin stared at the flickering floor numbers on the electronic screen, not responding to Lu Siqing.

Lu Siqing wanted to say more, but the elevator doors opened. Ran Jin stepped inside, turned around, and said “Goodnight,” cutting off all the words Lu Siqing had yet to speak.

The elevator doors closed, shutting out Lu Siqing’s angry face along with them.

As the elevator slowly descended, the cold, vibrant glow of advertisements inside washed over Ran Jin’s face. Her expression, which hadn’t shown a smile in days, softened imperceptibly as if she had thought of something…

Ran Jin’s car had been parked in the lot for nearly an hour. Chi Yu’s flight was delayed and still hadn’t landed.

Sitting in the driver’s seat, Ran Jin crossed her arms over her chest, leaning slightly forward with her head bowed, her forehead almost touching the steering wheel.

She had been trying to stay awake, waiting for a message from Chi Yu, but exhaustion and the comfortable temperature inside the car lulled her into sleep. After days of nonstop work, she was utterly drained.

In her dream, she returned to that rainy day.

Huddled in an alley, her body was covered in blood and grime, her battered form clinging to its last breath.

She heard the muffled sound of raindrops hitting an umbrella.

At some point, a strange woman stood beside her, with someone holding an umbrella over her.

The woman crouched down, took her limp wrist, and examined it.

“Hello there, little Ran,” the woman lifted her face, admiring it for a moment before saying, “I’ve finally found you.”

…

She was then taken to a large house, warm and bright, with a pleasant fragrance wafting from every corner.

She didn’t dare sit on the soft, turmeric-colored sofa, afraid her dirty self would stain it.

It wasn’t until the cheerful young girl approached her with a glass of peach juice, pulling her down to sit, that she relented.

“I’ve asked someone to get you pajamas. Drink some peach juice and then go take a bath. It’s so cold outside, how did you get drenched like this? You must be freezing. Look at you, your hands are so cold.”

Sixteen-year-old Chi Yu, with her shoulder-length black hair and lips like glistening jelly, had no idea what kind of relationship this person would develop with her sister. Innocent and full of kindness, she held Ran Jin’s hands, her palms soft and warm, her slender, pale legs exuding a sense of vitality and beauty.

Without a trace of disdain, Chi Yu used her clean, snow-white hands to warm Ran Jin’s, offering her the peach juice. “You’re my sister’s guest, right? We rarely have visitors. My name is Chi Yu, you can call me Xiao Yu. What’s your name?”