Su's Mother heard Su Ning's words and looked into the shop. The tall boy standing at the cash register was Ji Chi.
"So Xiao Chi works here," Su's Mother said with a smile. "Su Ci and Little Tiancai must be tired from walking. Let's go in for a drink and say hello to Xiao Chi."
Su Ci had no objections.
It wasn't a weekend, but the shop was bustling with customers, indicating a thriving business.
Su Ci and Su's Mother sat at a small round table near the door.
"What would you like to drink? I'll go order," Su Ci asked Su's Mother and the two kids.
"Just a simple juice will do," Su's Mother replied, not feeling particularly thirsty. She took out her phone to send a message to her friend Fang Qin, assuring her that Xiao Chi was working diligently and she could rest easy.
Su Ning pointed at the advertisement on the signboard, his big eyes sparkling. "Sister, I want a watermelon juice."
"Alright," Su Ci agreed and turned to Little Tiancai. "What about you?"
Today, Little Tiancai was wearing a blue plaid shirt, looking both cute and handsome.
After staying at the Su family for so long, constantly playing with Su Ning, Little Tiancai was no longer as reserved and introverted as he used to be.
He smiled shyly, pointing at the purple drink on the advertisement board. "I want that one."
Su Ci glanced at it; it was a grape yogurt drink. "Okay, you wait here, and I'll go order."
"Sister, Ning Ning wants to come too," Su Ning said, grabbing Su Ci's skirt with his chubby hand.
"Let's go."
The line to order was quite long.
Su Ci and her brother stood at the end of the queue.
Both Su Ci and Su Ning were exceptionally good-looking.
The girl had bright eyes and white teeth, her skin snow-white, while the little boy had a soft, fair face, his chubby cheeks making him irresistibly cute. The two looked like a perfect sibling pair, drawing frequent glances from those in front of them.
Ji Chi was also very handsome. Before he started working at the milk tea shop, the business wasn't as booming.
The boss noticed that many customers came specifically for Ji Chi, so he assigned Ji Chi to handle the cash register and be the face of the shop.
His decision paid off. Since Ji Chi took over the cash register, the number of customers increased even more, and every day, many female customers asked for Ji Chi's contact information or secretly took photos of him.
After all, a tall, handsome, and cold-yet-attractive guy like Ji Chi was rare.
Su Ci held Su Ning's hand, noticing that many customers in the queue were taking photos of Ji Chi.
It seemed that good-looking people were always popular wherever they went.
Soon, it was Su Ci's turn.
She picked up her little brother, who was standing on the ground.
"Chicken Wing Brother," Su Ning greeted Ji Chi with a wide smile, revealing his white little teeth, his voice soft and sweet.
Ji Chi had spotted Su Ci and Su's Mother as soon as they entered the shop.
His usually stern face softened with a smile, which made the girls behind the queue blush.
Su Ning, seeing a familiar face in an unfamiliar place, was overjoyed. "Ning Ning wants watermelon juice."
Ji Chi looked at Su Ci. "Anything else?"
"One grape yogurt and two orange juices," Su Ci replied, her gaze falling on Ji Chi's wrist. His life value was only five days left.
Su Ci summoned Fu Gui. "Did you eat an entire golden cotton candy last night? Did it work?"
To prove that he wasn't a freeloader, Fu Gui quickly replied: [Master, Fu Gui can now see the cause of death within a week!]
Hearing this, Su Ci's eyes lit up.
Although Fu Gui still couldn't see a month ahead, being able to see within a week was a significant improvement.
She asked Fu Gui, "How will Ji Chi die?"
Fu Gui: [He will be beaten to death by someone.]
Su Ci was stunned. She looked at Ji Chi, who was placing an order with his head down, wondering how he could be beaten to death.
What was going on?
Ji Chi handed the receipt to Su Ci. "The order has been placed. You can wait at your table, and I'll bring the drinks over."
Su Ci came back to her senses. "How much is it?"
Ji Chi wanted to say he could pay, not wanting to charge her.
The Su family had already done so much for him.
But Su Ci had already taken out her phone. Ji Chi's eyes darkened. "Fifty-six yuan in total."
"Okay."
After paying, Su Ci took Su Ning back to their table, where Su's Mother was exchanging messages with Fang Qin.
Ji Chi asked another staff member to help with the order and went to the back to prepare the drinks.
A young female staff member followed him in.
Ji Chi's tall stature made him stand out among the male employees.
The female staff member walked over to him, taking the order to help prepare the drinks. "Is that guest a friend of yours?" she asked softly, smiling at Ji Chi.
Ji Chi put the chopped watermelon into the juicer. Since Su Ning was too young to drink anything too cold, he didn't add ice. "Someone I know," he replied.
"Does she have a boyfriend?" another male staff member couldn't help but ask. The moment the girl entered the shop, everyone was struck by her beauty.
She was not only exquisitely beautiful but also had fair skin, making her seem to glow.
Ji Chi lowered his eyes, thinking of the boy named Lu Zhe. "Yes," he replied.
Hearing this, the female staff member breathed a sigh of relief. She blushed as she looked at Ji Chi. "Are you still working a part-time job tonight?"
Ji Chi casually responded, "Yeah."
The young female staff member, Ding Xiaoyou, watched Ji Chi's handsome profile and softly said, "Don't overwork yourself."
She knew Ji Chi's family background was similar to hers, both working part-time to ease the financial burden at home. She felt a kindred spirit with Ji Chi.
"Xiaoyou, I've worked with you for so long, and this is the first time I've seen you show so much concern for someone," the male staff member teased, as if seeing through her.
Ding Xiaoyou shyly glanced at Ji Chi before turning to hit the male staff member. "Is it a problem to care about my colleagues?"
Ji Chi ignored their banter and placed the four prepared drinks on a tray, carrying them out.
Ji Chi came to the small round table by the door. "Aunt Su, your drinks are ready."
"Xiao Chi, Auntie just found out you work here," Su's Mother said. "The business is good, and it's so busy. Are you tired from work?"
Ji Chi shook his head and carefully inserted the straws for Su Ning and Little Tiancai. "Not too tired."
He had once worked a night shift at a gas station, standing all night, so the milk tea shop, where employees could take turns to rest, wasn't too exhausting.
Su's Mother thought highly of her friend's son. She checked the time. "You're almost off work, right? We'll sit here for a while and wait for you to finish. Then we'll have lunch together, and we won't go home for lunch today."
Ji Chi agreed.
...
Although it wasn't a weekend, the mall was located in the city center, surrounded by many office buildings. The lunch hour brought an influx of people, especially on the fifth floor's food court, which was bustling with activity.
Su's Mother chose a Chinese restaurant. The private rooms were all occupied, so they had to settle for a table in the main dining area.
Su Ning and Little Tiancai were a bit excited. The Su family had a private chef, and since the two kids were young, they rarely dined out.
They picked a large round table. Su Ci sat next to Su's Mother, with Su Ning on the other side of Su's Mother.
Little Tiancai sat on Su Ci's right.
Ji Chi's seat was separated from Su Ci by Little Tiancai.
The Su family's high level of attractiveness was evident, with Little Tiancai also appearing delicate and handsome. With Ji Chi's good looks added to the mix, the group immediately drew the attention of many in the dining area.
Too good-looking.
At a table by the window, Boss Fang was surprised to tell Lu Zhe, "Xiao Zhe, I see Su Ci."
He and Lu Zhe had just signed a contract with a client and, since it was lunchtime and the company was nearby, they chose this restaurant. They didn't expect to run into Su Ci.
Lu Zhe followed Boss Fang's gaze and saw Su Ci's fair-skinned face. The girl was strikingly beautiful and hard to miss.
Boss Fang chuckled. "You two are really fated. Picking a random restaurant and still running into each other."
Lu Zhe's lips curved up as he saw Su's Mother and the two kids as well. His gaze moved to Ji Chi, who was seated one seat away from Su Ci, and he was slightly surprised to see him there.
The atmosphere was harmonious, and Ji Chi seemed to have completely blended into the Su family.
Lu Zhe's dark eyes darkened.
Boss Fang asked Lu Zhe, "Who is that boy? Is he Su Ci's brother?"
Boss Fang had seen Su's Mother, who was rescued by Lu Zhe from the fire scene, and had also met Su Ci's older brother. Now, there was an unfamiliar boy who seemed to be talking to Su Ci. He couldn't help but take a few more glances, feeling a sense of familiarity with the boy's demeanor.
"No," Lu Zhe told Boss Fang, "His name is Ji Chi. He's a guest of the Su family and is currently staying with them."
Boss Fang took another look at Ji Chi, noticing his stern features. When he turned back to look at Lu Zhe, it suddenly dawned on him.
No wonder he felt a sense of familiarity with the boy. The cool aura around Ji Chi was indeed very similar to Lu Zhe's.
The boy reminded Boss Fang of Lu Zhe when he first started working at his computer shop.
Boss Fang saw that Ji Chi and Su Ci seemed to be chatting quite comfortably. A teenage girl and boy, they looked quite compatible.
Boss Fang subconsciously frowned and asked Lu Zhe, "Xiao Zhe, since we've run into them, do you want to go over and say hello to Su Ci?"
Lu Zhe shook his head, "No, there's no need."
Su's Mother was also there, and he didn't want to disrupt their atmosphere.
Boss Fang, having experienced a lot in life, could roughly understand Lu Zhe's thoughts. "Does Su Ci's family know about your relationship?"
Lu Zhe didn't hide it from Boss Fang, "No, they don't."
Boss Fang sighed, not saying anything more.
He knew Lu Zhe's situation better than anyone else.
This young man, though cold on the surface, had a warm and gentle heart, always considering others.
Apart from his health, Lu Zhe was superior to others in both appearance and ability. His company had just started, yet he had already received numerous orders. Even the issue of his orphaned background no longer existed.
If it weren't for his terminal illness, Lu Zhe and Su Ci would have been a perfect match, and there would have been no parental objections.
Lu Zhe looked at the sight of Su Ci smiling at Ji Chi, his thin lips tightening, and his eyes darkening.
Boss Fang felt a pang of regret and quickly changed the subject, "Regarding the new project we just took on, I have some other ideas. Let's finish eating and head back to the office to discuss them."
Lu Zhe lowered his eyes, "Alright."
...
Su Ci knew that Ji Chi had been beaten to death, but she didn't know who the perpetrator was.
She planned to observe Ji Chi's surroundings over the next few days.
In the morning, she emerged from her room with heavy sleepiness in her eyes, just in time to meet Ji Chi, who was also heading out.
The boy was still dressed in black, with a black backpack on his back. His features were sharp and cold, undeniably handsome.
"Good morning," Su Ci greeted him proactively.
Ji Chi saw the girl's sleepy eyes and a few stray hairs hanging by her face, making her fair cheeks appear even softer. He didn't dare to look too long, "Good morning."
Su Ci asked him, "Are you going to work?"
Ji Chi acknowledged, "Yes."
Su Ci said, "After breakfast, I'll go with you. The drinks at your shop are quite good, and I want to buy one."
For someone like Su Ci, a young lady of her stature, she could have just ordered the drink via delivery or had her family's staff buy it for her.
But Ji Chi didn't say anything more.
After breakfast, Su Ci followed Ji Chi out the door.
The morning sun was gentle, warm and not too harsh.
Ji Chi usually walked a distance from the villa to the bus stop to take the bus to work. He didn't want to trouble the Su family's driver.
After all, as someone working a part-time job, how could he justify taking a luxury car to work?
Su Ci, being pampered all her life, wouldn't consider taking the bus with Ji Chi. "Get in the car."
Ji Chi didn't move.
"It's on the way anyway. Get in the car. Do you really want to waste money taking the bus to work?" Su Ci sat in the backseat, puzzled as she looked at Ji Chi standing outside the car.
Ji Chi didn't insist further. He opened the door to the passenger seat, got in, and politely thanked the driver, "Thank you."
The driver quickly responded, "Mr. Ji Chi, you're too polite."
The journey was quiet.
Su Ci, having woken up early, leaned back in the seat and dozed off.
Sunlight filtered through the car window, casting a soft glow on her face, making her look like a little fairy.
Ji Chi glanced at her through the rearview mirror but didn't dare to look too long.
The car stopped outside the mall.
Ji Chi got out of the car, arriving at work ten minutes earlier than usual.
Su Ci dozed off in the car for a while, feeling a bit more awake. She felt she was making too many sacrifices for Lu Zhe.
After the last time she got up early to go hiking and stake out, now she had to observe potential murderers.
Actually, she had considered having Ji Chi stay at the Su family home on the day of his death.
But after the incident with her brother, she had learned a lesson. Keeping Ji Chi at the Su family home might not necessarily prevent accidents. There could be reasons that forced him to go out, or he might even have an accident at the Su family home.
So, Su Ci believed the best solution was to find the person who would kill Ji Chi.
If she couldn't find them, there was nothing she could do. She had done her best.
The milk tea shop was already open, and the employees had changed into their uniforms and were ready to start work.
"Ji Chi, good morning. I brought two breakfasts today. Have you eaten? I'll share one with you," Ding Xiaoyou saw Ji Chi arrive and quickly approached him.
Ji Chi coldly refused, "I've already had breakfast, thank you."
"Xiaoyou, I haven't had breakfast yet. Share one with me," a male employee teased.
Ding Xiaoyou glared at him, "I'll save it for lunch."
"Wow, the beauty from yesterday is here again," the male employee saw Su Ci enter the shop and immediately nudged Ji Chi, "Did you come with your friend?"
Ji Chi didn't respond. He went to the staff room to change into his work uniform.
Ding Xiaoyou couldn't help but look at the girl with snow-white skin and a face so beautiful it was almost unbelievable. Not only was she beautiful, but her aura was also impeccable, and her attire was beyond compare.
She was clearly a girl who had been pampered since birth.
Ding Xiaoyou bit her lip and pushed the male employee away, her tone a bit sharp, "It's time to work. Are you going to slack off?" She lifted the curtain and went into the back of the shop.
Su Ci wasn't in a hurry to order. She walked to a small round table in the corner of the shop, where the view was good.
She propped her chin lazily, occasionally glancing at the shop's employees.
At the same time, their information had already been sent to her phone.
Su Ci felt she was getting better at her "rescue missions."
She skimmed through the employees' information, finding nothing special or noteworthy.
Ji Chi's quiet and reserved nature didn't seem like the type to easily provoke others.
Su Ci pondered.
"Excuse me, please move aside," Ding Xiaoyou's mop stopped by Su Ci's feet.
Su Ci came to her senses and looked down. She stood up to make room for Ding Xiaoyou to mop.
Up close, Ding Xiaoyou found the girl even more stunning, with a beauty that was breathtaking.
Her eyes were bright and watery, with a small teardrop mole below her eye, exuding a captivating charm. Her skin was flawless, and her lips were a glossy, vibrant red.
Most importantly, she was wearing no makeup.
Ding Xiaoyou mopped the floor, her gaze inadvertently falling on the girl's feet. She was wearing light pink sandals, and her toes were pink and white, adorable.
She thought of herself. As a girl, her feet were not big, but the skin on her soles and the back of her feet was rough, nothing like the smooth and delicate skin of the pampered girl.
A girl raised in luxury was completely different from someone like her, who had started working part-time early to support her family.
The girl's life was truly enviable.
However, such a pampered princess would undoubtedly be arrogant and self-centered, unlike girls like her who were understanding and knew the ways of the world.
She and Ji Chi came from similar backgrounds, both from struggling families. No one understood Ji Chi better than she did.
Su Ci didn't realize she was being compared. She continued to look at the information on her phone and observe the employees.
Lu Chen, with his vast business empire, had given Lu Zhe the entire building in the city center as his office building after learning that his son wanted to start a company.
Lu Zhe's company was located near this mall.
Boss Fang had been working late into the night and was feeling a bit sluggish today. As he headed to the beverage shop to buy a cup of coffee, he was surprised to see Su Ci there.
"Su Ci," Boss Fang greeted her proactively.
Su Ci lazily lifted her gaze and, seeing a familiar face, smiled, "Boss Fang, what a coincidence."
Boss Fang smiled and approached, "I'm here to buy a coffee to perk myself up. What about you, why are you here?"
"The drinks here are quite good," Su Ci replied. It had been a long time since she last saw Boss Fang. "How is Little Kuaile doing?"
When Boss Fang mentioned his son, his face filled with paternal love and joy. "He's walking almost normally now, and he's adapting well to his prosthetic limb. I plan to send him to kindergarten in September."
Su Ci really likes the child named Xiao Le, who is sensible and well-behaved. "That's great, both of my younger brothers will also be going to kindergarten."
After chatting for a while, Boss Fang learned that Su Ci's two younger brothers would also be attending the same kindergarten as his son. Although the tuition was expensive, he wanted to give his son the best and had decided to enroll him there despite the cost.
Since the Su family's children were also going to that kindergarten, it seemed his choice was right.
"I hope they end up in the same class and become good friends," Su Ci said, feeling that the three children's personalities were quite similar—well-behaved and quiet.
Boss Fang smiled. "That will depend on whether the kids are fated to meet."
After a few more words, Boss Fang had to rush back to work and didn't linger to talk with Su Ci further. He walked to the cashier to place his order.
As he looked at the boy in front of him, Boss Fang was startled and turned to glance at Su Ci, who had already returned to her seat.
An unsettling thought began to creep into his mind.
When he returned to the company, Boss Fang happened to see the young man carrying documents walking out of the office.
"There's a data omission here. Check it again," Lu Zhe said, handing the file to an employee. His countenance was stern, and even without scolding, the employee felt nervous.
"Boss Fang," Lu Zhe turned and saw Boss Fang holding a cup of coffee.
The young man was very attentive. "Did the coffee in the pantry run out? I'll have someone buy more later."
"Such minor matters will be handled by the HR department," Boss Fang replied, his gaze lingering on Lu Zhe with a mix of hesitation and indecision.
Lu Zhe today wore a white shirt with excellent texture, buttoned up to the highest point of the collar, looking serious and ascetic.
He was wearing a high-quality white shirt, with buttons fastened up to the collar, looking both serious and ascetic. His posture was straight, his sleeves rolled up, revealing strong, muscular arms. There was a youthful freshness to him, yet also a mature steadiness that was irresistibly attractive.
Lu Zhe noticed Boss Fang's unusual expression. "Is something wrong?"
Boss Fang hesitated, then finally said, "I just saw Su Ci at the beverage shop while buying coffee. She's probably still there. You shouldn't always be so busy with work; you need to spend time and effort on a girl."
He suggested to Lu Zhe, "Su Ci is likely still at the beverage shop. Why don't you take a day off today and spend some time with her?"
Lu Zhe chuckled, "No need, she knows I'm following up on a project recently. She told me to find her after I'm done."
Although Su Ci could be clingy and persistent at times, she wasn't unreasonable. She understood when he was busy and would patiently wait for him to finish.
Boss Fang couldn't help but glare at Lu Zhe, feeling that he wasn't being proactive enough.
The boy at the beverage shop not only resembled Lu Zhe in demeanor but also lived in the Su family's house, making it all too easy for something to happen.
Moreover, as much as it pained him to admit, the boy had a healthy body.
