You Er turned around and saw an unexpected figure not far behind him.
Chen Mo had clearly rushed over from a press conference, still dressed in a formal suit. While his face appeared gentle and composed in Ji Nian's eyes, to others, it only conveyed a sense of coldness.
You Er glanced at Ji Tingzhou.
Logically, the family head should have noticed the footsteps, so why hadn’t he interrupted the conversation?
"Ji Tingzhou, explain. What are you talking about with this 'abuse'?"
Chen Mo raised his hand, signaling You Er not to assist him. He walked slowly but steadily toward Ji Tingzhou.
His dark eyes gradually took on the depth of night, as if he had an inkling of the truth but dared not dwell on it.
He stared intently at the man before him, searching for signs of impatience or mockery on his face.
But there were none.
Ji Tingzhou simply returned Chen Mo's gaze calmly.
As sharp as Chen Mo was, he quickly pieced together the answer.
Given Ji Tingzhou's personality back then, he would never have kept a child.
Why did Ji Nian's behavior not resemble that of a child raised with love?
Why were there no photos of Ji Nian before the age of five?
Why had Ji Tingzhou only announced her existence to the public when she was five?
With that realization, Chen Mo threw a punch.
Ji Tingzhou dodged it effortlessly.
Chen Mo: "……"
Ji Tingzhou raised an eyebrow, as if to say, "You really think you can take me on with that physique?"
Chen Mo: Rage level increasing.
This led to Wei Yang later reporting—no, explaining—the situation to Ji Nian.
Hearing that the fight had broken out because of her, Ji Nian quickly ran back, pulling Shen Qingtang along as they hurried to the car.
Gu Xiuyuan, following behind, muttered, "Bathroom emergency?"
When Ji Nian rushed back, she expected to find the two men disheveled and bruised in a heated standoff.
But she had overthought it.
Ji Tingzhou stood perfectly composed, a mocking smile playing on his lips as he watched Chen Mo, who was slightly out of breath.
In truth, given Ji Tingzhou's level of fastidiousness, he would never stoop to physically hitting Chen Mo.
And while Chen Mo was filled with rage, he couldn’t lay a finger on Ji Tingzhou—not in his current state, and certainly not even at full health.
Ji Nian, now understanding the situation, stood still, her lips twitching.
"Such a dignified fight…"
She was surprised, though, as she had never known Ji Tingzhou's combat skills. She had often heard from Wei Yang about how, during their childhood training under Zhiliao, Ji Tingzhou had always been the most diligent.
But hearing about it was one thing; seeing it was another.
Witnessing Chen Mo lunge fiercely only for Ji Tingzhou to dodge with ease gave her a tangible sense of "Wow, the princess is really nimble."
"Family Head, the young lady has returned," You Er interjected at the right moment.
The two men in the midst of the tension simultaneously stopped and turned their gazes toward Ji Nian.
Ji Nian, still wearing a chicken headband, waved at them. "Hi there~"
Ji Tingzhou: "……"
Chen Mo: "……"
The previously hostile atmosphere between the two softened almost instantly. They both suppressed their emotions with remarkable tacit understanding, not wanting to display their tension in front of the child.
Ji Tingzhou sighed in exasperation. "Who put that ridiculous thing on your head?"
He quickly figured it out, his emerald-green eyes narrowing dangerously as they landed on Wei Yang, who was crouching behind Ji Nian, trying to hide his presence.
Following that idiot's logic, did he think putting a chicken headband on Ji Nian would make her unrecognizable?
It had to be said, Ji Tingzhou truly understood Wei Yang.
Before Ji Nian could ask why he had suddenly shown up, Chen Mo stepped forward.
Seeing him walk briskly, Ji Nian worried he might trip and moved closer to him.
"Ji Nian will stay with me for the next few days."
After his identity was revealed, Chen Mo rarely used such a commanding tone with Ji Tingzhou.
Hearing this, Ji Tingzhou's expression darkened instantly—more so than when Chen Mo had tried to punch him earlier.
Chen Mo shot him a sharp glare and added in a low voice, "Don’t think this is over. I’ll get to the bottom of everything."
Knowing what he was referring to, Ji Tingzhou felt a twinge of guilt for a moment.
The events before Ji Nian turned five weren’t just a source of anger for Chen Mo; Ji Tingzhou himself couldn’t help but curse his past self whenever he thought about it.
He even vented his frustration on Zhiliao and Wei Yang for being so obedient back then.
Zhiliao and Wei Yang felt wronged. At the time, Ji Tingzhou had been in such a fragile state that it seemed he might snap at any moment. They hadn’t dared to think too much, staying by his side day and night, fearing he might disappear if they weren’t careful.
But looking back, if he had paid a little more attention to the child back then, perhaps things would have turned out differently…
Unfortunately, fate doesn’t offer second chances. What’s done is done, and one can only move forward.
Ji Tingzhou's silence prompted Chen Mo to ignore him further. He turned to Ji Nian and asked gently, "Be a good girl, Ji Nian. Stay with your uncle for a few days, okay? We can talk more about the universal antidote."
Ji Nian glanced between him and Ji Tingzhou.
Knowing her father was probably in a bad mood and her uncle was even more upset, she decided to tread carefully.
"Okay, but I want to say a few words to Dad first."
Ji Nian trotted over to Ji Tingzhou, took off her headband, and handed it to him.
"Dad, I’ll stay with Uncle for a few days. I’ll call you, and please don’t drink too much."
Given that Ji Nian had been able to create a cure for Wei Yang at the age of five, it was clear her memory was sharp. She surely remembered what this place was.
Yet, the child didn’t spare the surroundings a single glance, her attention solely focused on Ji Tingzhou and Chen Mo.
Ji Tingzhou's thoughts grew more tangled. If he had delved deeper, he would have realized this feeling was guilt.
"Alright, come back soon."
Ji Tingzhou was about to leave for a trip anyway. It was better for Ji Nian to stay with Chen Mo, where she would be cared for, than to be left alone at home.
The potentially explosive conflict came to an abrupt halt with Ji Nian's arrival.
But the tension didn’t disappear; it was merely suppressed, waiting to erupt more fiercely another day.
Once in the car, Chen Mo gently stroked Ji Nian's hair and whispered, "I’m sorry…"
If only he had known about Ji Nian’s existence sooner.
If only he hadn’t been deceived by 'The Crow.'
At least then, Ji Nian wouldn’t have suffered so much. The word "abuse," even without elaboration, was enough to make Chen Mo's heart ache. Ji Nian had been so young back then.
How could he not resent Ji Tingzhou for it?
Feeling Chen Mo's hand tremble, Ji Nian felt a bit awkward.
Though they were sympathizing with the original owner of this body, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness herself.
"Uncle, when are you going to take me to meet Grandpa and Grandma?"
Worried that Chen Mo might work himself into a state, Ji Nian decided to change the subject.
