After attending the event, Ji Yanting hurried into the car.
As soon as he got in, he explained to Qiu Sang, "There's nothing between me and Chi Fangfei. Don’t misunderstand—"
Before he could finish, a soft chuckle interrupted him.
Looking up, he saw Rong Yu sitting in the car and immediately flushed crimson. "M-Miss Rong."
Rong Yu suppressed a smile. "Take me home first, then you two can go on your date."
Qiu Sang gripped the steering wheel, her expression calm as she deftly changed the subject. "Miss Rong, your rap performance today was outstanding—it really got the blood pumping."
Ji Yanting chimed in, "For the finals next week, I’ll be presenting the first-place trophy to Miss Rong..."
After an awkward exchange, they finally arrived at Hibiscus Manor. Rong Yu promptly got out, leaving the space to them.
Qiu Sang exhaled in relief.
For some reason, she always felt an inexplicable restraint around Miss Rong, like a junior facing an elder.
As she drove, she said, "I’ve been experimenting with some new recipes. Come to my place, and I’ll cook for you."
Ji Yanting’s eyes lit up with anticipation.
He had debuted in his teens.
His manager took advantage of his youth, industry insiders bullied him for lacking connections, and even minor co-stars schemed against him... After a fallout with a production team, his manager angrily terminated his contract.
He became an untouchable liability.
The family patriarch had opposed his entry into the entertainment industry, but seeing his determination, he had Ji Yanting’s eldest brother establish Ji's Entertainment to shield him from the storm.
Yet, Ji Yanting never returned to Ji's Entertainment.
During his lowest point—a time that should have been his youthful prime—he met Qiu Sang.
Back then, Qiu Sang had just graduated and was new to the industry, searching for work as a celebrity assistant.
He had chosen her at first glance.
She started as his personal assistant, but her competence soon shone, and he promoted her to manager. At her suggestion, he founded Yanting Studio. Without her help, the studio would never have taken off.
Qiu Sang had stood by him as he rose from obscurity, weathering highs and lows until he became a triple-threat superstar in film, music, and television.
He adored her cooking.
Three dishes and a soup later, the aroma filled the room. Ji Yanting dug in enthusiastically. "Sang Sang, your skills keep getting better."
The affectionate nickname made Qiu Sang’s cheeks burn.
She picked up a plate. "I’ll wash the dishes."
Ji Yanting followed her into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "Sang Sang, I really like you."
"Stop fooling around." Qiu Sang squirmed free. "The window’s open—what if someone sees?"
Ji Yanting reached over and drew the curtains.
Holding her, his eyes sparkled as he gazed at her. "Can I kiss you?"
Qiu Sang met his gaze. His radiant eyes, filled with nothing but her reflection, made her feel deeply cherished.
After a hesitant nod, Ji Yanting beamed.
They’d been together for days, but beyond holding hands and hugs, any further advance made her retreat. It had frustrated him endlessly.
Finally, she agreed.
Slowly, carefully, he leaned in, closing the distance to those longed-for lips.
Qiu Sang shut her eyes.
Her nails dug into her palms, forcing herself to endure the kiss.
What kind of relationship had no kissing?
Yet no amount of mental preparation could overcome her barrier. As his breath drew near, her entire body trembled.
Ji Yanting stopped instantly, gripping her hands. "What’s wrong?"
Scenes from a girlhood nightmare flashed before Qiu Sang’s eyes—still vivid, still carving into her after all these years...
"What are you doing?"
A voice cut through like a curse.
Qiu Sang shuddered harder.
Her eyes flew open to Wei Xu standing there, her disgust spilling over. "Weren’t you in tutoring? Why are you back?"
Wei Xu’s lips curled faintly. "What, afraid I’d ruin your fun?"
He stepped closer, whispering by her ear, "Who knew my mom had such pull, dating a superstar? Impressive."
Qiu Sang’s hands shook with rage as she slapped him.
Wei Xu tongued his stinging cheek, then turned to Ji Yanting’s stunned face.
Ji Yanting was indeed shocked.
To him, Qiu Sang was gentle, generous, resilient—unshakable in any crisis.
This was the first time he’d seen her lose control.
Wei Xu spoke evenly. "Do you even know who she is? She abandoned her husb—"
"Shut up!" Qiu Sang’s voice broke.
She pleaded with Ji Yanting. "Please go. We’ll talk tomorrow."
Ji Yanting hesitated. "You sure you don’t want me to stay?"
Qiu Sang pushed him out and shut the door.
Under the bright living room lights, Wei Xu’s face was shadowed, his dark eyes swirling with unreadable emotions.
She surrendered. "Just... go back, please."
"Not happening." Wei Xu stared her down. "Date if you want. But don’t get pregnant. Watching a sibling get loved would make me jealous—might end up strangling them."
With that, he slammed his bedroom door.
When Ji Yanting returned to Hibiscus Manor, the living room buzzed with activity.
Ji Zhouye and Ji Jingchuan were reading English newspapers, Duoduo and Rong Yu perusing English picture books, while the patriarch practiced tai chi nearby.
"Fourth Brother, your pronunciation’s off," Ji Zhouye remarked. "Great-Grandma, don’t you think?"
Rong Yu glanced up. "A-Chuan, perhaps I should hire you an English tutor."
"Thank you, Great-Grandma." Ji Jingchuan, wary of seeming slow, explained, "My village school had no English until middle school. One teacher for the whole school—just one class a week..."
Ji Zhouye frowned. "An hour from downtown Haicheng, and the education’s that poor?"
Ji Jingchuan smiled. "It’s better than some. Many kids can’t even afford school. At least I made it to college."
Even if his admission letter had been torn up.
But it didn’t matter. He’d started over, reborn for a future nothing like the past.
