Does An Inferior Omega Also Have To Marry First, Then Fall In Love? - Chapter 32

Chapter 32: Ji Qingyu’s Sleepiness Was All Gone…

Ji Qingyu’s sleepiness was completely gone, frightened away by the photo Ma Yu had sent. The photo showed Ruan Jing buying necessities in a convenience store. Ma Yu had captured the moment she took off her mask.

She looked like she was not doing well, wearing an oversized, long trench coat. Ma Yu’s messages kept pouring in.

“She went to a small hotel nearby.”

“She seems very cautious, like she’s afraid of someone finding her.”

“I’m sending you the address.”

“I know. I’ll go check it out tomorrow.” He gripped the phone in the darkness, knowing he wouldn’t sleep tonight.

…

The next morning, just as Ji Qingyu was about to leave, several posts were shared in the stage play’s work group chat.

Messages piled up, quickly exceeding ninety-nine.

Ji Qingyu clicked in and realized that the video of yesterday’s interview had gone viral, which in turn resurfaced the issue involving Ji Ran.

In the video, Ji Qingyu wore a simple cashmere outfit, looking very gentle, with a homey, soft feeling, his temperament like April rain, carrying an unmelting melancholy. His hair was tied up in a small knot.

From what angle was this shot? Ji Qingyu thought. How did it make him look so good? Netizens were cheering in the comment section.

Since Ji Qingyu didn’t have any public social media accounts, people spontaneously flooded the comment section of Fu Shi Group’s official account.

“Tell your Group President’s wife to post more songs, or pictures, please.”

“He’s so handsome. Is President Fu blind? Why did he like Ji Ran?”

“Speaking of which, why did people ship Fu Han and Ji Ran before? Wasn’t it because of that famous video of Fu Han attending several of Ji Ran’s concerts? Maybe he was listening to Ji Qingyu’s songs…”

“Now that you mention it…”

The official Weibo account joined in the fun, re-sharing Ji Qingyu’s interview video. The sharp questions had been edited out, and the live stream footage had been suppressed, preventing a major impact.

Ji Qingyu stared at the comments for a while. It wasn’t until the thirty-minute interview video finished playing that he suddenly snapped back to reality, put away his phone, and prepared to leave.

…

The hotel was located on a dilapidated, rundown old street. Ji Qingyu walked down the alleyway and saw the poorly maintained small hotel. It was hidden between residential buildings. The sign was patched together with red duct tape, and there were moldy spots on the walls.

Ji Qingyu felt he hadn’t dressed warmly enough today. His thin jacket provided little insulation, and he felt cold.

As he walked in, he saw a figure moving furtively. Ma Yu was already waiting downstairs for him and quickly beckoned him over.

Ji Qingyu was wrapped in a scarf and wore a mask. This was his first time doing something like cornering someone, and he wasn’t good at it. They waited on the hotel’s first floor and were unexpectedly successful. Shortly after, they ran right into Ruan Jing, who was about to leave.

She still looked haggard, wearing sunglasses. She screamed, startled by Ji Qingyu and Ma Yu.

Ruan Jing tried to hide, running towards the second floor. Ji Qingyu and Ma Yu exchanged a look and quickly chased after her. Finally, Ma Yu managed to grab her. Ruan Jing struggled fiercely, terrified. Ji Qingyu tried to calm her down: “Don’t be afraid. We’re not here to hurt you. We just want to clarify what happened back then.”

Ruan Jing knew she couldn’t escape. She covered her face and sobbed. She avoided looking into Ji Qingyu’s eyes, muttering under her breath: “I had no choice. I’m sorry… I’m sorry. My family are ordinary people. We can’t afford to provoke Ji Ran. He gave me money and told me never to come back.”

“Ji Ran told you not to come back, so why are you here now?” Ji Qingyu offered Ruan Jing a bottle of water. He was also confused but added, “Don’t worry. I thought about what happened back then. I don’t blame you.”

“My family owes too much debt. I… I had nowhere to turn. I had no choice but to come back and find Ji Ran. I need him to help me pay off the debt, or I’ll tell everyone everything. I’ll go tell Fu Han. My life is hopeless anyway, so Ji Ran won’t get off easy either…” Ruan Jing wept bitterly, her hair disheveled, distraught and in pain. This tiny, shabbily decorated hotel was still expensive because it was in Jing City. “I’m sorry, Ji Qingyu. You don’t know how tormented I’ve been all these years. I always think about what happened back then… I keep having nightmares. I’m sorry.”

Ji Qingyu’s fingers curled up, trembling slightly. He felt distressed, too. The cold wind snuck inside his clothes, making him shiver twice.

How could he not hate Ruan Jing? But mostly, he felt pity for her. If he were in Ruan Jing’s situation, could he have resisted the threats and manipulations? He didn’t know.

He was silent for a while, his mind racing. Finally, he sighed inwardly.

“Aren’t you afraid of being in danger if you go to find Ji Ran yourself?” Ji Qingyu asked. “I’ll go talk to him. You go to a better hotel first. I’m still useful to him right now; he won’t do anything to me.”

Ruan Jing’s eyes were bloodshot, and her hair was a mess. She opened her mouth to speak, but finally just clutched his hand and asked: “After that incident, have you been doing okay?”

Ji Qingyu smiled. He still replied: “Very well.”

Ji Qingyu looked at Ruan Jing, who was about the same age as him but looked so haggard. What goes around comes around. The consequences land the same on anyone.

He remained silent. Ruan Jing choked up. With a trembling voice, she added: “I’ll tell you something. Something none of them know…”

“I saw it…” Ruan Jing’s eyes were wide, as if she were about to reveal a secret buried for years. The fuse of this secret was buried too deep and hadn’t burned out after so long. “I saw Ji Ran hugging an adult back then. Later, I saw him on TV and realized that person was…”

Jing City in autumn was cold. The small hotel was run-down. There were holes in the sofa in the corridor, and the fleece blanket was tattered. When Ji Qingyu heard the name, he felt like his head had been hit hard with a hammer.

He took a few deep breaths. The thin mist scattered into the air. A buzzing sound filled his ears. Ruan Jing cried, tears streaming down her face.

“You, you didn’t see wrong, did you?” Ji Qingyu found it unbelievable. How could this be possible?

“No, there’s no mistake.” Having revealed the secret after all these years, Ruan Jing actually seemed somewhat relieved. “I also thought it was impossible, but it’s true. This is true…”

Ji Qingyu’s wrist began to hurt again. He suddenly lost all strength, and his breathing couldn’t calm down for a long time.

He felt utterly absurd, almost laughing out loud.

So that’s how it was. That was the meaning of it. The mystery of all these years was solved today. Ji Qingyu wanted to laugh, but mostly he felt a sense of melancholy.

“Brother Xiao Ma, I’m leaving her to you. Please take her away from here first.” Ji Qingyu slipped Ruan Jing some money and pushed her out. He rarely initiated contact with Ji Ran, but now he wanted to dial that number. He murmured, “I need to talk to Ji Ran.”

Ma Yu didn’t understand the internal details but watched Ji Qingyu with worry, “Be careful. Contact me if anything happens. Qingyu, I know you’re under a lot of pressure right now, but you need to know that even if you lose everything, you can come farm with your Brother Xiao Ma. I’ve leased such a big orchard, and I need all the help I can get.”

“I know,” Ji Qingyu said. “Don’t worry.”

This wasn’t the first time he had lost everything. He could handle this.

After Ma Yu and the still-distraught Ruan Jing left, he bought the cheapest pack of cigarettes from the convenience store. He unskillfully lit a cigarette with a lighter. Smoke billowed up.

He calmed himself for a long time, suppressing the urge to act immediately, and took a few more deep breaths before dialing the number. A few rings sounded.

“Oh, a rare caller,” Ji Ran answered, smiling. “What’s up?”

“Let’s meet.” Ji Qingyu’s voice was tight. “When are you free?”

“Anytime. I’ve postponed all my work recently, thanks to you,” Ji Ran said cheerfully. “Let’s meet at the coffee shop this afternoon.”

“Alright.”

After hanging up, Ji Qingyu continued smoking. He had deliberately bought strong ones. The first puff was acrid and spread rapidly, making him choke several times. Tears nearly came out. He reached out and grabbed the railing outside the convenience store.

On the taxi ride to the coffee shop, Ji Qingyu still found it hard to believe the news he had heard was true. Although he knew Ji Ran often did things out of the ordinary, he hadn’t expected him to be this crazy.

The coffee shop was mostly empty. Sunlight streamed in. The wooden seats were connected, and embroidered cushions and exquisite tableware were neatly arranged. Ji Ran had ordered a table full of desserts.

It was still the familiar spot. The aroma of coffee carried a slight bitterness. Ji Ran had arrived early and seemed a little down. He was resting his head on the table, playing a match-three game on his phone.

He was dressed casually. His wide denim jacket covered his hands, revealing only his fingertips. He still had the air of a big star, wearing sunglasses, his features handsome and pretty, like a delicate doll. A glass of lemon soda was placed in front of him, filled with ice cubes almost to the brim. Bubbles popped one by one.

Ji Qingyu looked at Ji Ran, still unable to understand him. He was so high and mighty, always seeming to live in a separate world, a world enveloped in an unreal bubble.

Ji Ran rested his face on his hand, finally completing a level. He looked up at Ji Qingyu, pulling his lips into a smile: “You’re here?”

The music from the phone game was loud. Ji Ran wasn’t wearing headphones and didn’t intend to turn the game off. He picked up the straw and bit it twice with his teeth. The ice cubes clinked together.

Ji Ran raised an eyebrow: “Why are you staring at me? Sit down. It’s rare for you to seek me out. What is it? Any progress on the documents I asked you to photograph?”

Ji Qingyu didn’t answer. He sat down opposite him without any pleasantries. His hands were clasped tightly together under the table. He found the person in front of him repulsive. He stared straight into Ji Ran’s eyes and cut right to the chase: “You and Fu Yunsheng are involved?”

Ji Ran froze. For perhaps several seconds, he didn’t speak. Then, he propped his chin up and leisurely forked a piece of cake. He finally turned off the game, resting his elbows on the table, and his gaze turned cold as he looked over.