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He looked at Ji Chi, his voice soft, “If there’s a chance, would you still want to imprison me?”

Ji Chi hesitated.

This was a tremendous temptation for him, the lifelong struggle he faced.

Jiang Junlin held him and sat them both down on a chair. “Ji Chi, I only want to continue the legacy of the Jiang family for our country. So, I’m destined to be without a wife, without children, and without a lover.”

This could be considered a promise, in a way.

Ji Chi pushed him away abruptly. “What do you mean by that?”

Did he want Jiang Junlin to be alone for the rest of his life? Wasn’t this an attack on his feelings?

Jiang Junlin immediately realized the misunderstanding. “Why don’t you look at it from a different perspective? 1 won’t have a lover for my whole life, so what does that make you?”

Ji Chi furrowed his brow, bewildered. What did that make him?

“You can come to me anytime.”

He thought, Ji Chi was still young, in his early twenties. Someday, he would get tired of this, bored of being with one person for so long.

“Ten years, twenty years later, the young wolf cub might not be so persistent anymore.”

Ji Chi understood, tears welled up as he laughed. “Jiang Junlin, who do you think 1 am? Do I only want that little bit of happiness? What have you taken me for?”

This humiliation felt like a slap to Ji Chi’s face. He turned cold, lay down on the bed, facing away from Jiang Junlin, and refused to say another word.

Jiang Junlin looked at his stubborn back in silence, feeling helpless.

“Do you know why 1 wanted to imprison you?” Ji Chi’s voice was hoarse.

Jiang Junlin lowered his head and looked at his own hands, silent.

Ji Chi continued, “I grew up without parents, wandering the streets. 1 almost thought that stray dogs were my family, and 1 fought them for food, fought to survive. Later, I was sent to an orphanage, a hellhole. I escaped and was captured by the Five Corners. I don’t know where my family is, where I’ll be buried when I die. In my heart, you’re my only family. If you don’t want me either, then there’s nothing worth holding onto in this world. The Five Corners has been a nightmare for me my whole life, but it’s also where we met.”

Jiang Junlin clenched his fists, his heart aching.

Perhaps Ji Chi had told him many lies.

But he knew, this statement was true.

In A City, at the Blue Fields Villa.

On Chinese New Year’s Eve, starting from the morning, Gu Ci received phone calls from the Jiang family, inviting her to spend the New Year’s Eve at their place. Gu Ci didn’t want to leave the Blue Fields Villa and made excuses, saying she had a headache and needed to rest at home, not liking the hustle and bustle of celebrations.”

Gu Wenliang, not knowing if it was a change of heart or if he needed money, also called Gu Ci. As soon as Gu Ci heard his voice, she hung up. At noon, Gu Ci went to see Lu Zhiyuan.

“Today is New Year’s Eve!” Gu Ci asked coldly, “Do you have any more stories to tell?”

Lu Zhiyuan put down his book and looked at her. “Cici, did you see a doctor?”

“The doctor said there’s no cure for me,” Gu Ci said with a wicked smile, a mix of illness and coquetry. “What should I do?”

“Then find another doctor,” Lu Zhiyuan said. “Your illness has always been under the care of Dr. North. Bring her back, and you don’t need to worry about Jiang Junlin and Ji Chi. While Ji Chi may not want to use Black Hawk to help Jiang Junlin, if it comes to life and death, he’ll spare no effort. Cici, the Triads isn’t your responsibility, you don’t need to trouble yourself.”

“What would you like to eat?” Gu Ci suddenly asked, changing the subject.

Lu Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow. “It’s New Year, so can 1 go out for some fresh air?”

“I’m ready, bring it on!”

“Then make me a full Chinese banquet,” Lu Zhiyuan said gently, looking at her. “Since you asked, shouldn’t there be some sincerity?”

“Fine, I’ll make you a full Chinese banquet!”

Gu Ci left in a huff, and Lu Zhiyuan’s smile gradually faded as he sighed.

When Li Jiang was summoned, he was still puzzled. Gu Ci wrote a list and asked him to prepare the dishes.

“Miss Gu Ci?”

“Your master wants to have a full Chinese banquet.”

Li Jiang gaped.

Third Master, you’re quite arrogant for a prisoner!

Li Jiang gathered a few people and divided the list into six parts for each of them to buy. They managed to buy everything for Gu Ci in less than half an hour. Gu Ci wasn’t really going to make a full Chinese banquet for Lu Zhiyuan, but she did prepare twenty-four dishes, including four cold dishes, four stir-fried dishes, four steamed dishes, four fried dishes, four stewed dishes, and four boiled dishes, with a variety of seafood and meats, all covered.

Li Jiang said nervously, “Miss Gu Ci, you don’t need to tire yourself out. We can call a hotel if you want.”

With so much food, the Third Master wouldn’t eat it all.

“No need!” Gu Ci said, “It’s cold outside, and you don’t have to wait here. I won’t kill him.”

Li Jiang, of course, knew that Gu Ci wouldn’t kill Lu Zhiyuan.

She wouldn’t, but someone else might!

The guards were there to watch over Lu Zhiyuan, that was their duty.

Gu Ci was busy cleaning the crabs, planning to make curry crab. She hadn’t finished brushing one crab when she heard the sound of a car. The old lady, the old master, the Jiang family couple, along with Gu Zi Yu, came to the Blue Fields Villa to celebrate the New Year. They even brought a lot of bags with them.

Gu Ci, who had claimed not to be feeling well and just wanted to lie at home, was now in the kitchen with a cleaver in hand and met the Jiang family members face to face. She even had a knife in her hand.”

“Gu Ci…”

Grandma Jiang asked in surprise, “Cici, if you’re not feeling well, why aren’t you resting? Why are you cooking alone?”

Jiang Minghua looked at the kitchen filled with vegetables, all intended for cooking, and there were even recipes nearby. He contemplated, “Cici, are you hosting guests? There are so many ingredients.”

Gu Ziyu silently covered his face. Mom, why didn’t you check your phone?

He had sent text messages and called.

“Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle, Aunt… Why are you here?” Gu Ci felt guilty.

“Miss, you should leave the kitchen for now; we’ll take care of this.” Auntie Gui brought two chefs to handle the ingredients, and the chefs had brought their own ingredients to prepare the New Year’s Eve dinner.

Gu Ci was bewildered as she was pulled out of the kitchen.

Grandpa Jiang said, “This is our first New Year together since you joined our family. Of course, we should celebrate it together. If you’re not feeling well and need rest, we came here to celebrate as a family. Wherever our family is, that’s home!”

Gu Ci’s eyes welled up with tears, deeply moved. The Jiang family valued tradition, and celebrating the New Year had to be done at home, with ancestral worship and staying up late. Even if Jiang Junlin was busy, as the eldest grandson, he had to be at home on New Year’s Eve, burning incense and lighting lamps. It was impossible for him to go to someone else’s house for the celebration.

The elders had compromised for her.

“Grandpa, Grandma….”