System: "In a story where the CEO's son is a top-tier hacker at five, you can do it too."
"You're Ji Tingzhou's daughter, a genius in toxicology at five. What's the problem?"
Ji Nian chuckled: "I might as well say I just didn’t forget it from the womb."
System: "That works too."
"Works my foot," Ji Nian thought. She didn’t want to test human nature. If someone found out, her dream of leaving the Ji Family and living independently would become a pipe dream.
Ji Nian’s plan was to play the naive, sweet girl until she reached adulthood.
"Let me think about it again," she muttered.
Maybe she could write a note and secretly throw it to Ji Tingzhou?
That seemed like the only option at the moment.
Whether it would work or not, she’d know once he had someone test it.
Having made up her mind, Ji Nian relaxed—only to bump into something hard and come to a sudden stop.
"Do you have eyes, or are they just for decoration?"
A man’s exasperated voice came from above. Ji Nian looked up and saw Ji Tingzhou, now dressed in outdoor clothes.
His scarred fingers gently rubbed the spot where she’d bumped her head, then ruffled her hair.
"Where are you going?" Ji Nian asked, shaking her head slightly.
Ji Tingzhou didn’t see the need to hide things from her just because she was a child.
"Taking Wei Yang somewhere else to detox. The Ji Family’s facilities aren’t enough."
Hearing that Ji Tingzhou was taking Wei Yang away, Ji Nian panicked and grabbed his hand before he could pull it back.
"I’m coming too!"
Ji Tingzhou pried her off. "What are you going to do? Sing 'chick chick chick' to him?"
Ji Nian: "......"
So he had heard her.
Good thing she hadn’t said anything inappropriate back then.
Watching Ji Tingzhou stride ahead with his long legs, quickly leaving her behind, Ji Nian stubbornly chased after him and latched onto his leg.
Ji Tingzhou continued walking without even glancing down, dragging his little appendage along.
Ji Nian: "......" Is this how it’s supposed to work?
"Take me with you, please," she pleaded.
This was the first time since learning Ji Tingzhou was her father that she’d acted so clingy and sweet.
"Why do you want to come?" Ji Tingzhou stopped and looked down at her. The little girl’s watery green eyes stared up at him pitifully.
Honestly, it reminded him of how Da Dan had begged him to spare its manhood before being neutered.
Except, back then, the dog was fighting for its dignity, while Ji Nian was clearly doing this for Wei Yang.
Such a foolish child, risking herself like that without a second thought.
Ji Tingzhou was actually a little angry. He didn’t know what Ji Nian’s birth mother was like, so he couldn’t tell who she’d inherited this self-sacrificing, reckless personality from.
He’d known Wei Yang for years before considering him family.
Ji Nian had only just met him, yet she was willing to beg like this. Just like before, when she’d called him "Dad"—a term that had once traumatized her—just to help Shen Qingtang.
"Of course, it’s to make sure you sleep," Ji Nian said, cutting off his thoughts with an unexpected answer.
Ji Tingzhou’s expression froze for a moment.
Tired of looking up, Ji Nian pressed her face against his leg and yawned, speaking as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "I’m going to keep you company."
She’d noticed that Ji Tingzhou seemed to enjoy holding her while he slept and that he’d been suffering from insomnia for years.
She didn’t know why being with her helped him sleep, but she didn’t dwell on it.
"Well? Can I come?" she asked, standing on her tiptoes to grab his fingers.
Ji Tingzhou’s heart trembled. Her words seemed to have a magical effect, squeezing into his chest and filling him with a soft, aching warmth that left him momentarily speechless.
So, this time, it wasn’t for Wei Yang.
She wanted to accompany him, to help him sleep?
"...Go pack her things," Ji Tingzhou finally said, turning to Zhiliao, who had appeared at some point.
Zhiliao nodded, a small smile playing on her lips as she turned away.
Knowing she’d succeeded, Ji Nian secretly gave a little victory sign.
Zhiliao quickly packed a suitcase for Ji Nian.
Since it was late, Ji Nian’s body had reached its limit. Shortly after boarding the plane, she dozed off, her head tilting to the side as she leaned against someone.
She slept deeply, not uttering a single word in her dreams.
Looking at the little girl sleeping soundly against him, Ji Tingzhou put down what he was holding and waved off the flight attendant, personally carrying Ji Nian to the bed.
Already in her pajamas, Ji Nian kicked her legs slightly, rolled over, and hugged the blanket, not waking up at all.
...
"Hey, my dear investor, long time no see."
A scruffy man, having been notified to pick up Ji Tingzhou, spread his arms for a hug from a distance.
Ji Tingzhou sidestepped him.
The man pouted. "So cold. It’s been so long since we last met."
It was still dark, and he hadn’t seen clearly from afar. Now that he was closer, he noticed Ji Tingzhou was holding something in his arms.
Wrapped in a blanket, it was curled up against his chest.
"Did you bring Da Dan?"
Wait, no. Ji Tingzhou had never carried that dog before.
Looking closer, it seemed to be a child??
The man, who’d been buried in his research, didn’t know Ji Tingzhou had adopted a child, but he did know that Shen Rushan’s daughter had been raised by him.
"Is this Tangtang? You’re something else, worrying about Wei Yang yet still bringing a kid along for fun."
"Tang what Tang? Lead the way," Ji Tingzhou snapped, looking like he wanted to swat the man away like a fly.
But seeing his unkempt appearance and wrinkled clothes, clearly the result of being holed up in the lab for too long, Ji Tingzhou opted for a kick instead.
His foot landed squarely on the man’s backside.
The man rubbed his butt, glaring at Ji Tingzhou but not daring to say anything as he walked ahead, occasionally glancing back with a resentful look.
He’d been analyzing the sample Ji Tingzhou had urgently sent over, working tirelessly.
Meanwhile, Ji Tingzhou didn’t seem to care, carrying the child into a temporary resting room.
When he came out, the child was no longer in his arms.
The man sighed regretfully. He’d really wanted to see what Shen Rushan’s daughter looked like.
Did she resemble Shen Rushan so much that Ji Tingzhou treasured her like this?
Though curious, he quickly refocused on the task at hand.
"The temporary inhibitor I made can delay the onset of symptoms. I’ve studied it—the person who made this toxin is a genius. Most of the elements are incompatible, but somehow, she found a way to balance them."
"But that’s also why, if the balance is disrupted, Wei Yang... might die instantly."
Ji Tingzhou nodded, showing he understood.
"Do it," he said.
"Don’t worry about the cost."
That was all he could offer now.
Wei Yang was already showing early signs of poisoning, slipping into hallucinations.
When Ji Tingzhou went to see him, Wei Yang was drooling, crying incoherently as soon as he saw Ji Tingzhou.
"Wuwuwu, big bro, why? Why is this happening to me?"
Ji Tingzhou thought he was questioning why such a thing had happened to him.
That was something Ji Tingzhou wanted to know too.
Why did everyone close to him have to leave?
Was it really like the one-eyed fortune teller had said? That he was a cursed star, destined to bring death to those around him?
But Wei Yang’s next words were—
"I spent five thousand on Latin dance lessons, and after a month, my dingding hasn’t changed at all."
"Wuwuwu, my five thousand, my dingding, wuwuwu."
