Ji Liuguang was utterly stunned.
He remembered when he was little, every time he threw a tantrum and threatened to run away from home, Old Master Ji would lower himself to coax him, giving him whatever he wanted.
But now, not only did the old man not try to stop him, he even uttered such harsh words.
Had four years of studying abroad made Old Master Ji stop caring for him?
He was the Ji Family’s own flesh and blood.
The argument had grown so loud that many servants peeked out to watch the commotion. Under the scrutiny of so many eyes, Ji Liuguang felt unbearably humiliated.
If he backed down now, he would never be able to hold his head high in front of these servants again, nor could he maintain the dignified air of the Ji Family’s Fourth Young Master.
"Fine, I’ll leave then!"
Ji Liuguang tore off his expensive watch, yanked the necklace from his neck, and flung his designer coat to the ground. He even unbuttoned his shirt and threw it down.
Through gritted teeth, he spat, "Is this enough for you?"
Seeing his refusal to repent, Old Master Ji’s fury burned even hotter. But a hand gently patted his back from behind, quietly soothing his temper.
The old man’s voice was cold and steady. "Leave all your bank cards and credit cards behind."
Ji Liuguang’s composure shattered. So enraged that he laughed instead, he sneered, "Fine, fine! How ruthless of you! I suppose you’d be happy if I died out there!"
He pulled out his wallet, extracting each card one by one before hurling them to the floor. Then he stomped on them, grinding them under his heel in a fit of spite.
"Now, may I go?"
Each word was laced with fury, forced through clenched teeth.
He would wait—
Wait for Old Master Ji to beg him to come home!
"Wait a moment." Rong Yu spoke leisurely. "There’s still one last thing."
Ji Liuguang glared at her with murderous intensity.
This woman, this outsider who had appeared out of nowhere, had been fanning the flames from the start. If not for her, he wouldn’t have been pushed to this point.
Suppressing his rage, he growled, "What now?"
At that moment, Steward Yu hurried over with a stack of documents and handed them to Rong Yu.
She skimmed through them quickly, confirming everything was in order, then flipped to the last page and held out a pen. "Sign."
Ji Liuguang thought it was some kind of severance agreement.
But when he took it, he realized it was a stock transfer contract.
In the Ji Family, every child was granted a two percent stake in the family business on the day they were born.
Two percent might seem small, but given the sheer scale of the Ji conglomerate, the annual dividends alone amounted to a staggering sum. After he came of age, those shares had finally been placed under his control…
Losing his bank cards was one thing, but now they wanted his shares too?
Wasn’t this too cruel?
Ji Liuguang gripped the pen, hesitating.
"If you still wish to enjoy the privileges of the Ji Family, then you must abide by its rules." Old Master Ji sat back in his chair, speaking unhurriedly. "In two days, a military unit will be conducting training exercises in Haicheng. You’ll join them for half a month—"
Ji Liuguang froze.
The military?
Training with soldiers?
Was this a joke? He was the Ji Family’s Fourth Young Master—why should he suffer like this?
Back when he was studying abroad, even eight classes a week had felt like too much. How could he possibly survive military training?
"No way!"
He refused outright.
Snatching the pen, he signed the document. "You just want to force me to submit, don’t you? Well, I won’t!"
After scrawling his name, he hurled the pen to the ground and stormed off.
Nanny Zhang, who had lingered nearby, rushed after him. "Fourth Young Master! Don’t be so childish—just apologize to the Old Master! There’s no need for such a rift in the family. Please, just yield a little—"
Blinded by fury, Ji Liuguang shoved her away violently.
Nanny Zhang lost her balance and fell.
He Jingchuan pressed his lips together, stepping forward to help her up.
"This is all your fault, you wretched bastard!" Nanny Zhang turned her anger on him, pushing him away. "If it weren’t for you, the Fourth Young Master would never have fought with the Old Master like this! I’ll deal with you later!"
She rushed to Old Master Ji, her face frantic. "Old Master, the Fourth Young Master is leaving all alone—how will he survive out there? If anything happens to him, you’ll regret it! He’s your own flesh and blood! You can’t just cast him out because of some outsider’s meddling—"
Her gaze flicked pointedly toward Rong Yu.
Old Master Ji cut her off. "When Liuguang was young, he may not have been the brightest, but he was at least obedient. Over time, he became more and more unruly—rebellious, willful, causing trouble time and again until we had no choice but to send him abroad. I’d hoped those years would temper him, but instead, he’s only grown worse! If half the blame for his behavior lies with me, then the other half lies with you, Nanny Zhang!"
She shuddered. "No, Old Master, I’ve always cared for the Fourth Young Master! I’ve looked after him since the day he was born—raised him with my own hands! I only ever wanted what was best for him… Yes, he has a temper, but what child his age isn’t rebellious? No matter what, he’s still a Ji by blood. You shouldn’t be so harsh—"
"Enough!"
Old Master Ji pinched the bridge of his nose.
Exhausted, he turned to Steward Yu. "She is no longer needed in the Ji Family. Settle her wages and have her leave today."
Nanny Zhang’s eyes widened in disbelief. "Old Master, why? What have I done wrong? The Fourth Young Master still needs me—"
Steward Yu frowned, signaling two maids to escort her away.
He then asked, "Old Master, what about Nanny Zhang’s son?"
"Jingchuan is a good boy." Old Master Ji sighed. "Miraculously unspoiled. Let him stay until he revives that orchid, then he may go."
Steward Yu nodded in acknowledgment.
No matter how much Nanny Zhang protested, the Old Master’s decision was final.
Steward Yu settled her wages and instructed her to pack her belongings and leave before nightfall.
As she folded her clothes one by one, placing them into her suitcase, her eyes lingered on the vast estate, filled with reluctance.
Then, the door creaked open.
He Jingchuan stepped inside, silently helping her pack.
"Are you happy now?" Nanny Zhang shoved him. "You never wanted me working for the Ji Family in the first place! Now that I’ve been dismissed, you must be thrilled—absolutely thrilled, aren’t you?"
He Jingchuan lifted his gaze, staring at her in silence.
Though he said nothing, his eyes seemed to hold volumes.
Under that gaze, Nanny Zhang inexplicably faltered, her complaints dying on her lips.
After a moment, he lowered his head and resumed packing. Once everything was in place, he hoisted the suitcase and spoke softly.
"Mom, I’ll see you out."
She scowled. "Aren’t you coming with me?"
His voice was calm. "I still need to save that orchid for the Old Master."
"Does it have to be you?" Her voice turned shrill. "You just want an excuse to stay, don’t you?"
