CHAPTER 73: CHAPTER 73: ON THE PHONE WITH MR. JING...

Shi Mianmian is just bullying Shi Su who can’t move conveniently now and can’t catch up with her.

Shi Su hasn’t even reached the kitchen area yet and hasn’t heard what Mianmian is mumbling to Ji Han inside. She finally moves to the kitchen door, and Mianmian is already bouncing out, satisfied with her masterpiece in her arms.

As soon as she meets the eyes of her tasteless mommy, Shi Mianmian quickly guards her painting in her arms again and runs aside.

"What did you go inside to say just now?" Shi Su, unable to follow her round the sofa due to her inconvenience, could only slowly move to the sofa and turn her head to look at the little girl smugly showing off there.

"The teacher said during the lesson that painting should have understanding and resonance. Mommy, you’re not my kindred spirit, Ji Han is!" Shi Mianmian sat back on the small stool at the coffee table, intending to continue painting with her watercolor pen. Then, with the other hand, she blocked Shi Su’s view so she wouldn’t see and stuck out her tongue at her: "Blergh, Ji Han just praised me!"

Shi Su’s face was full of sarcasm: "What did he praise you for? Did he say you painted very much like me?"

Mianmian tilted her head proudly and said, "Uncle said my painting is creative!"

Shi Su: "... It sure is creative to turn your beautiful and flowering mom into such a monstrosity."

-

The next day was the weekend.

Shi Mianmian knew her mommy wasn’t feeling well, so after waking up, she didn’t bother Shi Su and went to the living room obediently to ask Ji Han to help her find cartoons to watch on TV.

Shi Su woke up, but there was a faint pain in her stomach. Usually, it was fine, but since yesterday, the unspeakable pain and weakness during her period had doubled, likely due to soaking in the river for a while.

She lay on the bed without moving, as the cervical collar had been off for less than ten hours, so she was even lazier to move. But she didn’t feel good about asking Ji Han to cook dinner and breakfast for Mianmian again, and there weren’t many ingredients at home. So she ordered breakfast delivery using her phone and also planned to order lunch delivery when it was time.

But before noon, Shi Mianmian sneaked up to Jing Jihan and whispered, "Uncle, I don’t want to eat takeout. Why don’t the two of us go to the supermarket to buy something delicious for mommy~"

There were two small supermarkets downstairs in the community, not as well-stocked as large supermarkets, but they had simple ingredients available.

Mianmian remembered one time when mommy cooked her braised pork ribs, and the ribs were bought from the small supermarket downstairs; they were sooo delicious.

Mianmian also said that since mommy was sick, she had to take care of mommy, and she could help wash the ribs so mommy could eat well without eating takeout.

At eleven in the morning, Jing Jihan’s phone buzzed. It was Lu Zhao calling to report on Jing Yuanbin’s relentless schemes, continually paving the way for his smooth inheritance of the Jing Family’s business, with Lu Zhao noticing all his little moves.

After listening, Jing Jihan merely responded softly with an "Mm," without any emotional fluctuations.

Jing Jihan’s parents settled in the United Kingdom and rarely returned. Mr. Jing and the old man often had disagreements and quarrels. Later, Mr. Jing couldn’t stand the old man’s domineering and stubborn temper and settled abroad to handle the Jing Family’s overseas business in the UK. Other than official business, there was little contact with family, and Mrs. Jing occasionally called Jing Jihan, but he was frequently so busy he barely had time or energy to deal with his carefree parents living abroad.

The old man had long since given up hope on his two sons. One had a worse temper than his own and moved abroad, while the other second son was quite unaccomplished and narrow-minded with little vision. Although he often schemed, the old man disdained them both, placing all his hopes on Jing Jihan since he was young.

It was hope and also a heavy burden, not one everyone has the ability to bear.

Actually, from the time Jing Jihan returned to take over the company, he was aware of Jing Yuanbin’s actions.

The Jing Family held an esteemed position, with few internal members but rife with hidden conflicts. From the disagreements between parents and the old man’s feud with Jing Yuanbin, to Jing Yuanbin’s attempts to start anew in the capital, the turbulence beneath the peaceful surface never ceased.

Under Jing Jihan’s leadership, the Yu Jing Group lived up to the old man’s expectations, not just stabilizing its standing as a business leader but also progressing steadily toward joint business and political projects. In the mainstream commercial battleground, it held financial and political power firmly, its foundation unshakable by anyone.

One could say, as long as Jing Yuanbin didn’t bring disaster upon himself, with Jing Jihan around, he was part of the Jing Family which gave him ample opportunity to make waves in the capital’s business circles and venture capital market, with a bright road ahead.

Yet, Jing Yuanbin’s mindset had never been stable.

As long as he couldn’t sit in the Yu Jing Group’s CEO chair, he couldn’t sleep soundly.

In fact, Jing Jihan had no interest whatsoever in whatever Jing Yuanbin had been planning over the years. Jing Yuanbin had never been in a high position and never knew the immense responsibility of the Yu Jing Group and the Jing Family. He seemed oblivious to how the Jing surname, gilded in outsiders’ eyes, hid countless dangers. To hold the top position among the country’s five great families naturally came with its share of hidden threats, with every step a calculated effort.

The Kangheng Group, which was once evenly matched with the Yu Jing Group, had plainly and covertly attacked numerous times. Now, it could only bow to Jiang City the Jing Family. What Jing Yuanbin was doing lately wasn’t even close to egging on stones.

Lu Zhao knew Mr. Jing had his considerations, so he hadn’t taken action so far, but lately seeing Jing Yuanbin’s constant little moves still made him feel very uneasy.

Yet, compared to hearing Lu Zhao recount Jing Yuanbin’s pointless struggles and attempts, Jing Jihan was clearly more interested in the small ribs he had just bought with Shi Mianmian downstairs.

"Uncle, my mommy’s awake. The doctor told her to wear that thing on her neck, and she fiddled with it for a long time before getting it on. I just helped support it for a while!" Mianmian came running from the kitchen door: "But mommy’s being clumsy today; it’s so cute!"

Lu Zhao on the other end of the call: "...?"

Was his hearing going bad?

How could he possibly be hearing a child’s voice on Mr. Jing’s phone?

He must be hallucinating.

No way.

Jing Jihan hung up the phone, lightly patted the little one’s head who ran into the kitchen to hug his leg, signaling her to go back out and watch cartoons. After Mianmian obediently ran out, he leisurely rolled up his sleeves and started handling the loving pork ribs that Shi Mianmian insisted on buying for Shi Su.