The CEO Omega I Picked Up Has Run Away - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Having agreed with Ji Hen to meet at eight o’clock the next morning to head to town, Ji Shu returned to her small mud hut.

Ji Hen’s house only had two rooms; he even gave the only bed to Li Mengwan while he slept on a layer of straw on the floor. Ji Shu couldn’t possibly sleep in the same room as Ji Hen, nor could she sleep with Li Mengwan. So she returned to her hut, bringing only a loaf of bread and a carton of milk.

Inside, the mud hut was just as Ji Hen had described: pitch black. The night wind was fierce, and Ji Shu tossed and turned on her straw bed, unable to sleep. Fortunately, the original host had grown up in this environment, so despite the insomnia and the wind, she didn’t catch a cold.

When the first ray of sunlight pierced through the clouds, Ji Shu rose. She checked her new phone; it was only seven in the morning. The phone had been dead, but she had charged it at Ji Hen’s house, and with the system’s help, the time was calibrated perfectly.

Ji Shu tore open the bread bag and finished it in a few bites. Just as she was about to insert the straw into her milk carton, she saw a large group of people appearing dozens of meters away. She immediately shoved the milk back into her pocket.

Led by Ji Da-niu and Ji Xiao-gui, a dozen people were carrying red trays filled with peanuts, longans, and other traditional gifts, marching grandly toward Ji Hen’s house. They clearly did not have good intentions.

“What are you doing at Ji Hen’s house?” Ji Shu stepped out and asked.

Ji Xiao-gui and Ji Da-niu, still traumatized from yesterday’s beating, instinctively shrank behind a middle-aged bald man at the sight of Ji Shu. But remembering their strength in numbers, they stepped forward arrogantly.

“What are we doing?” Ji Xiao-gui sneered. “A marriage proposal, obviously! I’ve taken a fancy to the woman at Ji Hen’s place. If you’re smart, stay out of this. I’ve checked that woman was kidnapped and brought here by Ji Hen. I’m telling you, if you don’t give her to me today, I’ll go to the town police station and report you for human trafficking. Right, Uncle?”

He looked flatteringly at the bald man beside him. This was Ji Jianxing, the village chief. He wasn’t as overbearing as his nephews.

“Now, child, a proposal is a proposal. Don’t talk about kidnapping,” the Chief said. “In this day and age, mutual consent is what matters. If you like her and she likes you, the deal is done. Outsiders can’t interfere. However, I believe a woman especially one with no family needs a good man to marry. Our Xiao-gui is great. He’s even willing to pay 80,000 yuan in bride price. In our village, the highest has only been 60,000. See? We won’t skimp on a single thing for the lady.”

The Chief’s words were far from pleasant. He spoke as if Li Mengwan’s consent was already a foregone conclusion. They hadn’t even asked her opinion; it was a total lack of respect.

Ji Da-niu seized the chance to mock her: “Ji Shu, you won’t interfere with my brother’s happiness, will you? Or do you like her too? Can you afford the bride price? Look at the pathetic state of you and Ji Hen. So what if you’re Alphas? Which Omega would ever follow you? To go begging with you every day? Hahaha!”

Ji Shu laughed out of sheer anger. She thought such scenes only happened in TV dramas. “I hope you keep your word,” she said to the Chief, “and respect her choice.” Otherwise, she wouldn’t mind “interfering.”

Compared to these two pieces of trash, Ji Hen was a saint. Li Mengwan had amnesia, but she wasn’t stupid. She would surely refuse. Ji Shu wasn’t worried. And if things turned physical, she didn’t think she’d lose. Even in a weaker body, Ji Shu—who once held a record of fighting thirty people alone was confident.

When Ji Xiao-gui reached out to shove her, Ji Shu sidestepped him and entered Ji Hen’s house first.

Ji Hen was stunned to see the crowd. Upon hearing the word “proposal,” his face darkened, and he immediately shielded Li Mengwan. “Get out! My sister isn’t marrying you! She deserves someone better!”

The hot-blooded youth didn’t know how to hide his emotions. In his eyes, Ji Xiao-gui—a man who gambled, visited brothels, and was constantly drunk wasn’t fit to touch his goddess. Honestly, Ji Hen felt even he wasn’t worthy, which was why he had never confessed. He secretly hoped that one day, when he made something of himself, he could marry her with dignity.

The Village Chief’s face hardened. “Ji Hen, we’re here for a proposal. We need to ask the woman’s opinion. Isn’t it inappropriate for you to block us? Or do you have some shameful ulterior motive?”

The others chimed in, using moral kidnapping: “Ji Hen, many of us are your elders. This attitude is disrespectful. Aren’t you afraid your dead parents will crawl out of their graves to teach you a lesson? If they won’t, we will!”

Ji Hen’s face turned red with fury. In rural areas, the more honest you are, the easier it is for people to bully you with “morality.” Even Ji Shu felt the pressure. She could beat them up, but she wasn’t great at arguing.

Seeing them silent, Ji Xiao-gui grew emboldened. He reached out to grab Li Mengwan’s hand. “Sister, I’m here to propose. 80,000 bride price! My house is at the village entrance—a three-story building. You won’t have to do a thing. Just give me sons or Alphas, and you’ll live a life of leisure. Plenty of village women want me, but I only want you. Do you agree?”

He spoke as if she were getting a bargain. The crowd added: “Sister, we heard you have no family. If you marry Xiao-gui, we’ll be your family. If you’re too picky, you’ll end up with a penniless loser when you’re older.” They looked pointedly at Ji Shu while saying “penniless loser.”

Ji Shu suppressed the urge to punch them. Not my business, not my business, she chanted internally. It’s her choice.

Finally, everyone looked at Li Mengwan. It was as if they expected to send her to the bridal chamber tonight.

“I’m sorry,” Li Mengwan said, pulling her hand away.

The faces of the three Ji Xiao-gui, Da-niu, and the Chief fell. Ji Hen and Ji Shu breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

Before they could persuade her further, Li Mengwan added: “I already have someone I like.”

Ji Hen’s heart skipped a beat with hidden hope. She had no memories and only spent time with him since coming here. Could it be…?

Ji Shu looked at her in surprise. Did the female lead fall for Ji Hen this quickly? Is sincerity really the ultimate weapon? Well, considering Ji Hen’s future sacrifices losing a leg and going blind he deserved it.

Li Mengwan looked back at Ji Shu. Suddenly, her face flushed, and her gaze became shy and tentative.

Ji Shu had a very bad feeling.

The next second, her premonition came true. In her cool, soft voice, Li Mengwan said: “I like Sister Ji Shu. I want to be with her.”

Ji Hen felt as though the sky had collapsed. How was he inferior to his cousin? Looks? Okay, his cousin was slightly more handsome. Build? His cousin was slightly better. Strength? But… but he didn’t gamble, he didn’t look at other women, and he was hardworking! Why didn’t she choose him? He was the one who took care of her most of the time!

Ji Shu was terrified and instinctively tried to refuse: “I don’t—” I can’t afford to have my legs broken and go blind!

But then, a soft weight pressed against her left arm, accompanied by Li Mengwan’s pleading whisper: “Sister, help me, please?”

The spring-like fragrance flooded Ji Shu’s senses. Her mind went blank for a moment.

When she snapped back, she heard Li Mengwan say: “I have already had intimate contact with Sister Ji Shu. I will marry no one but her.”

The room erupted into insults from the rejected party. “You shameless woman! Marry her and go begging then!” “I’ll wait for the day you come crawling back to me crying!” “Bah, I thought you were pure, but you’re just a used shoe. You’re not worth my 80,000!”

When people can’t get what they want, they destroy it. Ji Shu missed her chance to refuse; everyone now assumed they were together. Meanwhile, Ji Shu’s mind was filled with the System’s warnings of broken legs and blindness.

Once the crowd left, only the three remained. The door had been kicked in by a furious Ji Xiao-gui. Ji Hen was still in shock and heartbreak.

Li Mengwan pulled away from Ji Shu, her eyes red as if she were about to cry. “If Sister doesn’t like me or is unwilling… then just treat it as a joke. Don’t force yourself.”

When did we have ‘intimate contact’?! At most, I touched your hand by accident! Ji Shu was determined to refuse. Li Mengwan was stunningly beautiful, but Ji Shu only appreciated her from a distance. She feared the day the CEO regained her memory and sought revenge.

Her lips parted, but in the end, Ji Shu shook her head and whispered: “Don’t cry.”

She couldn’t help it; the “weapon” hidden in Li Mengwan’s sleeve was literally pressing against her arm. Plus, the discomfort at the nape of her neck was pulling at her nerves. Ji Shu felt like she was going crazy. No wonder Ji Hen was willing to go blind and lose a leg for her.

Li Mengwan blinked her teary eyes and smiled joyfully. “So… Sister agrees to be with me?”

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