His company had just been established for a short time and had already taken on many contracts. Even the issue of him being an orphan was no longer a problem.

If not for the terminal illness, Lu Zhe and Su Ci would have been a perfect pair. Why would they ever face parental opposition?

Lu Zhe looked at the girl smiling at Ji Chi. His thin lips pressed lightly together, and his dark eyes dimmed.

Boss Fang felt a pang of pity and quickly changed the subject. “For the project we just took on, I have some other ideas. Let’s finish eating and get back to the company to discuss.”

Lu Zhe lowered his eyes slightly. “Mm.”

– – – ˗ˋˏ♡ˎˊ˗ – – –

Su Ci knew Ji Chi would be beaten to death, but she didn’t know who the attacker was.

She planned to observe the people around Ji Chi over the next few days.

In the morning, still carrying heavy sleepiness in her eyes, she walked out of her room — just in time to run into Ji Chi, who was also heading out.

The boy was still dressed in black, a black backpack slung over his shoulder. His features were cold and sharp, undeniably handsome.

“Morning.” Su Ci greeted him first.

Seeing the drowsiness in the girl’s eyes and a few loose strands of hair falling along her cheek, her fair face looking even softer, Ji Chi didn’t dare look too long. “Morning.”

Su Ci asked him, “You’re going to work?”

Ji Chi replied yes.

Su Ci said, “After breakfast, I’ll go with you. The drinks at your shop are pretty good, I want to buy another one.”

A young lady like Su Ci didn’t need to personally go out to buy a drink.

She could have simply ordered delivery or asked a household servant to get it.

But Ji Chi didn’t say anything.

After breakfast, Su Ci followed Ji Chi out the door.

The morning sunlight was gentle and warm, not harsh at all.

Ji Chi usually walked a distance from the villa to the bus stop and took the bus to his part-time job. He didn’t want to trouble the Su family’s driver.

After all, with his identity as someone doing part-time work, how could he ride a luxury car to go to his shift?

Su Ci had been pampered since childhood; there was no way she would take the bus with Ji Chi. “Get in.”

Ji Chi didn’t get in.

“It’s on the way anyway. Just get in. Are you really going to waste money and take the bus to work?” Su Ci sat in the backseat, looking at Ji Chi, who stood outside the car, puzzled.

Ji Chi didn’t insist. He opened the front passenger door and sat down. “Thank you.” He politely thanked the driver.

The driver quickly responded, “Young Master Ji Chi, you’re too polite.”

All the way, the car was quiet.

Su Ci had woken up early. Leaning against the backseat, she dozed off.

Sunlight streamed through the car window, falling across her face in a soft glow, making her look like a little fairy.

Ji Chi withdrew his gaze from the rearview mirror, not daring to look too closely.

The car stopped outside the mall entrance.

Ji Chi got out, arriving more than ten minutes earlier than usual compared to when he took the bus.

Su Ci had napped a little in the car and felt a bit more awake. She felt she was sacrificing way too much for Lu Zhe.

After waking up early last time to climb the mountain and keep watch, now she even had to observe the murderer.

Actually, she had considered just making Ji Chi stay in the Su house on the day of his death.

But after what happened with her brother last time, she had learned her lesson. Even if Ji Chi stayed at the Su house and didn’t go out, it didn’t necessarily prevent accidents. Something might happen that forced Ji Chi to go out, or perhaps an accident could occur inside the Su house instead?

So Su Ci felt that the best way was still to find whoever would kill Ji Chi.

If she couldn’t find them, then there was nothing more she could do. She would have tried her best.

The milk tea shop had already opened, and the employees were dressed and ready for their shift.

“Ji Chi, morning. I brought two breakfasts today. Have you eaten? I can give you one.” Ding Xiaoyou hurried forward when she saw him.

Ji Chi coldly rejected her. “I’ve already eaten. Thank you.”

“Xiaoyou, I haven’t eaten yet. Give one to me?” a male employee teased.

Ding Xiaoyou glared at him. “I’m saving it for lunch.”

“Wow, the beauty from yesterday came again.” The male employee saw Su Ci entering the shop and immediately patted Ji Chi. “Did you come with your friend?”

Ji Chi didn’t respond. He headed to the break room to change into his uniform.

Ding Xiaoyou’s gaze couldn’t help shifting to the girl with snow-white skin, her face unbelievably beautiful. Not only was she good-looking, but her whole temperament was elegant, and her clothes needed no explanation.

One look and anyone could tell she was a pampered girl.

Ding Xiaoyou bit her lip, shoved the male employee aside, and snapped a little, “It’s work time. Why aren’t you working? Are you planning to slack off?” She lifted the curtain and walked to the back.

Su Ci wasn’t in a hurry to order.

She walked to a small round table in the corner of the shop and sat down, the view from there was good.

Bored, she propped her chin on her hand, occasionally observing the employees in the store.

At the same time, their information had already been sent to her phone.

Su Ci felt that her “saving people homework” was getting better and better.

She skimmed through the employees’ information. All of them were very ordinary — nothing that especially needed attention.

Someone as quiet and non-talkative as Ji Chi didn’t seem like the type to provoke others easily either.

Su Ci sank into thought.

“Excuse me, please step aside.”

Ding Xiaoyou’s mop stopped beside Su Ci’s foot.

Su Ci returned to her senses. She glanced down, then cooperatively stood up to give space for her to mop.

Up close, Ding Xiaoyou realized the girl was even more beautiful — a type of breathtaking beauty.

Her eyes were bright and watery, a small teardrop mole beneath the outer corner adding an indescribable allure. Her skin was so fair it had no flaws at all, and even the natural color of her lips was glossy red.

Most importantly, she wasn’t wearing any makeup.

As Ding Xiaoyou mopped, her gaze unintentionally fell on the girl’s feet. She was wearing pale nude-pink sandals, and the toes exposed were pink-white and cute.

Then she thought about herself. She was also a girl, but her feet weren’t small, and the skin on both the soles and insteps was rough. They could never look that pink and tender.

A girl raised in pampered comfort was completely different from someone like her, who had gone out early to work part-time and support the family.

That girl’s life was really good.

Though, a pampered princess like that must be proud and self-important, definitely not like girls such as her — understanding, sensible, and familiar with the ways of the world.

She and Ji Chi had similar family backgrounds, both children from struggling households. No one understood Ji Chi better than she did.

Su Ci had no idea she was being secretly compared like this. She continued scrolling through the data on her phone while observing the employees.

The Lu family’s business empire was huge. After Lu Zhe was acknowledged and brought back, Lu Chen learned that his son wanted to start a company. With a grand wave of his hand, he gave Lu Zhe an entire office building in the city center.

Lu Zhe’s company was located near this mall.

Boss Fang had worked until late last night and wasn’t in great shape today. He came to the drink shop intending to buy a cup of coffee — but unexpectedly, Su Ci was also there.

“Xiao Ci.” Boss Fang greeted her first.

Su Ci lazily lifted her eyes. Seeing a familiar face, she smiled. “Uncle Fang, what a coincidence.”

Boss Fang smiled as he walked forward. “I came to buy a coffee to wake myself up. Why are you here too?”

“The drinks here are pretty good.”

Su Ci hadn’t seen Boss Fang in a long time. “How is Little Kuaile doing lately?”

When Boss Fang mentioned his son, his entire face filled with fatherly love and a wide smile. “He can walk almost no different from normal people now. He’s adapted very well to the prosthetic. In September, when school starts, I’m planning to send him to kindergarten.”

Su Ci liked Little Kuaile very much. The child was well-behaved and sensible. “That’s great. My two little brothers will also be going to kindergarten then.”

After chatting, Uncle Fang learned that Su Ci’s two brothers were enrolled in the same kindergarten he had signed his son up for.

Even though the tuition was expensive, he wanted the best for his son and had gritted his teeth to send him there.

Since the Su family’s children were also going to that kindergarten, it seemed his choice had been the right one.

“Hopefully they’ll be in the same class and can become good friends then.” Su Ci felt that the personalities of the three children were quite similar — obedient, sensible, and never troublesome.

Boss Fang smiled. “That depends on whether the children have fate.”

After chatting a bit, Boss Fang had to hurry back to work. He didn’t say much more to Su Ci and walked over to the cashier to place his order.

Seeing the boy in front of him, Boss Fang turned back in surprise to look at Su Ci, who had already returned to her seat.

A troubling thought rose uncontrollably from the bottom of his heart.

When he returned to the company, Boss Fang happened to see the young man coming out of the office holding a file.

“There’s missing data here. Check it again.”

Lu Zhe handed the file to an employee. His expression was cold and stern; even though he wasn’t scolding, the employee instinctively tensed up.

“Uncle Fang.”

Lu Zhe turned and saw Uncle Fang holding coffee.

The young man was attentive. “The pantry is out of coffee? I’ll have someone buy more later.”

“For things like that, the HR department will handle it.”

Boss Fang looked at Lu Zhe, hesitation and conflict all over his face.

Today, Lu Zhe was wearing a high-quality white shirt, the top button fastened to the collar — serious and ascetic.

His waistline was straight, his sleeves rolled up, revealing strong, well-built arms — carrying the greenness of youth yet already showing the steady calm of a man.

Devastatingly handsome.

Lu Zhe sensed something was off in Boss Fang’s expression. “What’s wrong?”

Boss Fang hesitated, then finally said, “When I went to buy coffee, I saw Xiao Ci at the drink shop too. She’s probably still there. Don’t bury yourself in work every day, girls also need time and attention.”

Boss Fang suggested, “Xiao Ci should still be at the drink shop. Why don’t you take the day off and go walk around with her?”

Lu Zhe gave a soft laugh. “No need. She knows I’m following up on a project recently. She told me to find her after I’m done.”

Although Su Ci could be clingy and teasing at times, she wasn’t unreasonable. When she knew he was busy, she would obediently wait for him.

Boss Fang couldn’t help glaring at Lu Zhe, feeling this boy was being far too complacent.

That other boy didn’t just resemble Lu Zhe in temperament, he was also living in the Su house. With proximity like that, things could easily happen.

Moreover, though it was painful to admit, that boy had a healthy body.