Old Master Ji's brows furrowed deeply.
He had no issue with his second grandson promoting Zhou Yachen initially.
But the fact that Zhou Yachen had crossed his mother was unacceptable.
His gaze turned icy as he looked at his second grandson.
Ji Yanting spoke calmly, "This is a private meal. It’s not convenient to have you join. Let’s schedule another time."
Zhou Yachen’s smile froze. "Brother, I—I won’t interrupt your conversation. I’ll just sit here, I—"
Recently, he had been publicly condemned, his livestream account banned, all endorsements terminated, and he’d lost a fortune in compensation. These days, he’d been living like a rat in the gutter.
He was desperate for a comeback.
With the founder of the Ji Group right here, securing Old Master Ji’s favor would guarantee endless opportunities.
He opened his mouth to speak again.
Old Master Ji’s expression darkened. "A’Yan, if you can’t handle such a small matter, you might as well leave too."
Ji Yanting frowned. "Do you not understand?"
Zhou Yachen bit his lip and lowered his head. "My apologies for the disturbance."
He turned and walked out of the restaurant.
At the door, he glanced back and saw the acclaimed actor personally pouring water for Rong Yu, who accepted it without hesitation.
What was Ji Yanting’s relationship with Old Master Ji?
And with Rong Yu?
How could Rong Yu, a nobody in the entertainment industry who hadn’t even debuted, sit at the table while he was kicked out?
Zhou Yachen pulled out his phone and snapped a photo...
After the meal, Ji Yanting took the two elders to his residence in Beijing.
Given his immense popularity, he’d opted for a high-security penthouse rather than a villa.
"Old Master will stay here for the next couple of days," Ji Yanting said, changing his clothes. "I have an event to attend, so I’ll head out first."
He left in a hurry.
Rong Yu stayed behind, playing with the dog alongside Old Master Ji.
"How about naming it Pinecone?" She patted the dog’s head. "This time, you’d better take good care of Pinecone and let it live a long life. Can you do that?"
Old Master Ji vowed repeatedly, "Don’t worry, I’ll raise it like my own son and let it see me off in my old age."
He picked up his phone and instructed Steward Yu to prepare a doghouse, food, toys, treats—everything meticulously arranged.
After a few hours, Rong Yu and Old Master Ji had dinner before she prepared to return to her hotel.
There was a lecture that evening she needed to attend.
"I’ll be competing all day tomorrow," Rong Yu said. "You can meet up with some friends, and we’ll explore together the day after."
She stepped out the door.
As she reached the elevator, a figure in black suddenly darted out, startling her.
Upon closer look, it was a girl in dark clothing. Assuming she was a neighbor, Rong Yu paid no mind and shared the elevator ride down.
But the moment they reached the underground garage, a gust of wind rushed at her—someone grabbed her shoulder and shoved her hard.
Turning around, she realized a group of girls, all around their teens, had been hiding in the shadows.
"So it’s you, the one who had dinner with our brother?"
"You’re not even that pretty. How dare he bring you home? What did you do with Yanting?"
"If you dare seduce our brother, you’ll pay for it!"
"..."
Rong Yu narrowed her eyes.
These girls… were Ji Yanting’s fans?
They looked like students. How could they gang up like this?
The leader suddenly lifted a black plastic bag and flung its contents at Rong Yu.
Rong Yu reacted instantly, gripping the girl’s arm—
The night before the Physics Olympiad finals, the organizing committee held a lecture on physics-related topics.
Students, parents, and teachers arrived early, including Rong Wangtian.
He scanned the venue. "Where’s Rong Yu?"
"She went to meet a relative. She just texted me—she’s on her way," Pei Yaru said warmly. "Mr. Rong, please sit here."
Rong Wangtian frowned. "A relative? The Rong family has no relatives in Beijing."
Madam Song, seated nearby, couldn’t resist chiming in, "Exactly. How could your family have connections here? A man picked her up in a luxury car. That girl’s probably fooling around—"
"Madam Song!" Pei Yaru’s face flushed with anger. "As an elder, how can you slander a child with such malicious assumptions?"
Teacher Yang from the honors class added coolly, "Madam Song has a point. The whole school knows Rong Yu is close to Ji Zhouye—who’s rumored to be a Ji Group heir. Some girls will do anything to climb the social ladder..."
"Enough!" Pei Yaru snapped, drawing stares from the crowd.
She glanced at Rong Wangtian, but he remained impassive.
His own daughter was being smeared, yet he showed no reaction. She was appalled.
Rong Wangtian was lost in thought.
If Rong Yu was involved with Ji Zhouye, perhaps she could facilitate a meeting with the Ji Group’s chairman.
A meeting could lead to business opportunities.
His musings were interrupted by his vibrating phone—an unknown Beijing number.
Assuming it was spam, he answered.
A stern voice spoke: "Are you Rong Yu’s guardian? She’s involved in an altercation and requires your signature for release..."
"What?" Rong Wangtian exclaimed. "Rong Yu got into a fight?"
After receiving the police station’s address, he hung up.
"What happened?" Pei Yaru asked urgently. "Is Rong Yu alright?"
Clueless, Rong Wangtian rushed out, with Pei Yaru following.
Madam Song smirked.
Noticing her son’s worried expression, she sneered, "The Rong family’s reputation is ruined because of her. Stay away."
Song Huai lowered his eyes and said nothing.
The lecture began.
Meanwhile, Rong Wangtian and Pei Yaru arrived at the police station.
The moment he saw Rong Yu surrounded by officers, fury erupted.
"What kind of disgrace have I raised?" Rong Wangtian stormed over, jabbing a finger at her. "You’re eighteen! Don’t you know right from wrong? On your first day in Beijing, you land in jail for fighting? Are you determined to humiliate our family?"
He raised his hand to strike—
Pei Yaru intercepted him. "Mr. Rong, calm down! Let’s hear what happened first—"
Rong Wangtian shoved her aside, but two officers blocked him.
"Mr. Rong, Rong Yu was assaulted by six high school girls. Their parents are here, hoping for a settlement..."
His rage evaporated like water on hot coals.
He met Rong Yu’s calm, unreadable gaze—cold as a frozen lake—and couldn’t bear to hold it.
His lips parted, an apology forming.
But as an elder, he simply couldn't bring himself to lower his head and apologize to the child.
He turned to the police officer and asked, "Could you please explain what exactly happened?"
