novelraw Chapter 416: Taking My Life Is the Only Way to Quench Your Hatred (Part 1)
Chapter 416: Taking My Life Is the Only Way to Quench Your Hatred (Part 1)
"Whatever you think in your heart is none of my business; I’m just telling you, Le Tong is the woman I want. Aside from her, I don’t want anyone else."Mr. Ji’s face suddenly darkened, and with a sweep of his hand, the bowl Le Tong had just handed him flew out and smashed on the ground with a "bang," soup and all.
"Ah Ru, do you think a woman like her is fit to be the wife of the Ji Family’s president?" Mr. Ji asked angrily, pointing at Le Tong.
"Grandpa, don’t you dare scold Mommy!" Baobao suddenly stood up on the chair, stretching his arms to shield Le Tong.
Le Tong picked up Baobao, looked deeply at Ji Rui, and then gently started to coax Baobao.
"Be good, Baobao. Mommy will take you to the bedroom to play for a while. Daddy and Grandpa have things to discuss."
Le Tong had no idea Ji Rui planned to clear things up in front of Mr. Ji and Baobao today. If she had known, she would have definitely stopped Ji Rui from such a reckless act.
She didn’t understand the way Ji Rui interacted with Mr. Ji, and him choosing to do this must have had his reasons.
However, when he decided to do this, he probably forgot to consider Baobao’s feelings.
Even though Baobao deeply trusts her, it’s undeniable that Baobao was raised by Mr. Ji, so the ones most hurt and uncomfortable from Ji Rui’s actions today are not Mr. Ji or her, Le Tong, but Baobao, the little guy caught in the middle.
Yet the usually obedient Baobao stubbornly clung to the edge of the table, refusing to leave.
"No!" Baobao turned around, wrapping his arms around Le Tong’s neck but facing Mr. Ji.
"Grandpa, if you dare to scold my mommy again, I won’t talk to you anymore!" Baobao pouted, saying in a soft, childish tone. While it sounded like he was being affectionate, all three adults present understood that his words were actually a threat, not just childish anger.
"Baobao, have you forgotten who raised you?" Mr. Ji looked at Baobao with a face full of pain. Unlike with Ji Rui, he couldn’t bring himself to be harsh with his precious Baobao.
"Grandpa, without Mommy, there would be no Baobao!" Baobao clearly stated the sequence of importance.
Mr. Ji opened his mouth, attempting to say something more to Baobao, but Ji Rui, who had been silent, suddenly interjected.
"There’s no need for you to judge what kind of woman Le Tong is. Let me ask you, when you brought her home, did you ever consider whether she was fit to be the wife of the Ji Family’s president?"
When Ji Rui referred to her, he was of course referring to Mr. Ji’s current wife, who was also his childhood sweetheart.
"Ah Ru, are you still holding a grudge against us?"
Over the years, from Ji Rui’s mouth, she was never addressed otherwise, only as ’her’ or ’that woman.’
"I wouldn’t hold a grudge if you had the ability to give me back my mom. Then not only wouldn’t I hate you, I’d also bring back your two precious sons."
Ji Rui put on a magnanimous appearance, but everyone knows that the dead can’t be brought back to life, something even a little child like Baobao understands, let alone the sharp President Ji.
"Isn’t this nonsense?" Facing Ji Rui, Mr. Ji’s expression turned icy and unpleasant.
"Yes, it’s nonsense, just like everything you’ve said, all nonsense!"
Compared to Mr. Ji’s explosive temper, Ji Rui remained unusually calm.
"And anyway, I have no interest in the title of Ji Family president. I called you here today, not only because Baobao wanted to see you but also to let you know that I’m preparing to rename the Ji Family to Huagang. Soon, the name of the Ji Family will completely disappear."
Mr. Ji had only tossed the soup earlier, but now most of the dishes on the table ended up on the floor with a clatter. Le Tong had no choice but to hold Baobao close to her, covering his ears, preventing him from witnessing the confrontation between his grandfather and father.
The table was in ruins, and Mr. Ji stood with a twisted expression, his hand shaking slightly as he pointed at Ji Rui across the table. "Ah Ru, do you still remember your surname is Ji?"
Ji Rui’s expression turned icy, "I’d rather not be surnamed Ji!"
Mr. Ji’s face looked even worse than Ji Rui’s, "Ah Ru, you are my son, and that is an unchangeable fact."
Ji Rui glanced at Le Tong, who was holding Baobao tightly next to him. His gaze softened significantly as he put a hand on her shoulder and spoke softly, "Take Baobao to the bedroom for a while and have Manager Chen bring some more dishes. I have a few things to discuss with him."
Le Tong raised her eyelids quietly, looking at him. Ji Rui seemed to understand the concern in her eyes and gently assured her, "Don’t worry, I won’t get angry with myself!"
Le Tong almost laughed in exasperation. If it wasn’t for the inappropriate setting and atmosphere, she might have burst into laughter. This man, how can he be so arrogant!
"Really, for you and Baobao, I won’t get angry with myself."
Ji Rui said softly again, making Le Tong think that not only was the topic unsuitable for Baobao, but it was also not meant for her to hear.
Ji Rui waited until Le Tong’s figure disappeared around the dining room corner before turning his gaze back to the furious man’s face.
"Dad!"
Even Ji Rui himself had forgotten when was the last time he called the man across from him ’Dad.’
Mr. Ji’s body trembled, and the rage in his eyes turned to surprise.
"I have the surname Ji and I’m your son, I know that, and I haven’t forgotten! But you, being my father, are you sure, you haven’t forgotten?" Ji Rui questioned leisurely.
Mr. Ji, who had been standing by the table, staggered at Ji Rui’s words, his body swaying before he finally steadied himself by holding onto the table’s edge.
"Dad, if Baobao said I was injured in a fall, did you really believe I was simply hurt from falling?"
Ji Rui stared at the pale-faced man opposite him, "I wasn’t injured from a fall; I was stabbed."
Mr. Ji’s eyes widened, seemingly unwilling to believe what Ji Rui had said.
"Dad, you don’t believe me? Would you like to have a look?"
Ji Rui lowered his head, efficiently lifting the hem of his shirt.
Throughout his life, he had sustained quite a few injuries, though not many were physical, but the emotional scars were numerous.
Every time, he hoped his father would at least show him a little concern.
But back then, it was only a silent hope in his heart; he never dared to speak up as he did now, as if pleading for the man opposite him for a bit of compassion.
Mr. Ji’s gaze fell on his abdomen tightly wrapped in bandages.
"Who did this?" Mr. Ji’s tone finally showed some tension.
Ji Rui looked at him steadily, "If it wasn’t you, not Ji Wen or Ji Wu, then it must have been CoCo who hated me so much she wanted to take my life to vent her hatred!"