A Little Trick, the Scumbag Dad Can't Hold the Knife After Understanding Love-Chapter 283

Princess Feia pushed the door open and stepped inside.

At the sound of the door, Lu Zhi, who had been wearing an angry expression just moments ago, suddenly looked over with red-rimmed eyes. He stepped off the bed barefoot, padding across the carpet toward her with a pout.

"Wife, Ji Tingzhou bullied me."

Princess Feia reached out and gently stroked the soft hair of her husband, who had buried his head against her shoulder.

"What happened?"

Lu Zhi handed her his phone, showing her the screen.

Even someone as composed as Princess Feia couldn’t help but let a faint smile tug at the corners of her lips when she saw the photo.

Noticing her reaction, Lu Zhi grumbled, "And you’re laughing too."

He snatched the phone back. "Why are you staring at it so long? Does Ji Tingzhou look better than me?"

Princess Feia leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth. "Alright, you’re the prettiest."

She knew he wasn’t actually angry—just in the mood to be spoiled.

That’s what happens when you’re the younger one.

"I’ll give Ji Tingzhou a call."

She motioned for Lu Zhi to go back to bed properly.

---

Standing for too long was tiring, and this spot was a bit precarious. Lu Jinghuai lightly tapped Ji Nian’s wrist with a curled finger, signaling for her to step down.

The two walked into the empty café, its ceiling made of glass, where golden fish could be seen lazily swimming above, their tails swaying gracefully.

[This weather… won’t they get cooked?]

Might as well raise edible fish—once they’re done, they’d just drop right onto the customers’ plates.

System: You monster.

The staff served their drinks before discreetly retreating to a distant corner, turning the setting into something unexpectedly formal.

Having just eaten, Ji Nian wasn’t in the mood for a drink, but since this was a business discussion, a bit of coffee to stay alert wouldn’t hurt.

She gave the young royal heir across from her a ‘kindly’ look, mentally calculating how much she could squeeze out of him.

But before diving in, she had to ask.

"About the restorative serum…"

She barely started before Lu Jinghuai understood.

"I’ve discussed it with my mother."

"She’s entrusted the matter entirely to me."

Meaning, negotiating with him wouldn’t be an issue.

Ji Nian finally relaxed.

At the same time, her mood was a little complicated.

Her mental age aside, the young heir was only fourteen—a genuine teenager.

Truly, ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‍the world was never short of prodigies.

Ji Nian straightened slightly. She knew that from the moment they entered, the entire building was filled with Ji Family members—even Wei Yang was stationed somewhere outside, silently keeping watch.

No need to worry about leaks or confidentiality.

"The restorative serum currently…"

Since he was the client, Ji Nian briefly explained its effects and the current stage of development.

Had this meeting not been so sudden, she would’ve prepared a full presentation with data to pitch it properly.

A partnership wasn’t something settled in a few hours, so Ji Nian wasn’t in a rush.

But after all that, when it came to the most crucial part—money—she still tossed out her ideal price.

She was fully prepared for Lu Jinghuai to haggle, but the young heir simply nodded. "Acceptable."

Ji Nian had a whole counterargument ready, only to be effortlessly cut off by those two words, leaving her hanging.

[This isn’t how you negotiate, young lord.]

At this point, he might as well be handing her money outright.

Yet Lu Jinghuai, who usually grasped her meaning with ease, now seemed oblivious to her thoughts.

"The Ji Family and Lu Family have collaborated for years. We know each other well—I trust the Ji Family, and of course, I trust you."

His smile was natural, like that of a saintly angel untouched by worldly concerns or the weight of money.

If Ji Nian hadn’t seen the calm, reckless madness in him when he raced cars in private, she might’ve actually believed he was above mortal desires.

The café’s warm lighting was bright, casting soft shadows under his pale gold lashes as they fluttered slightly.

Ji Nian’s skin prickled.

[Oh hell—]

That ridiculous thought she’d dismissed before resurfaced, but this time, it wasn’t so easy to shake off.

No way… that couldn’t be it.

She didn’t recall doing anything to warrant such feelings from him, and with his looks, he shouldn’t be the type to fixate on appearances.

Sure, she’d mentally teased him plenty, but that was just for fun—Lu Jinghuai was way too young. She wasn’t a monster.

"It’s getting late. Let’s schedule another time to discuss this further."

Lu Jinghuai immediately picked up on the faint chill that had crept into her tone.

She really wasn’t cut out for business.

The moment the possibility that this boy might have feelings for her crossed her mind, she lost all desire to continue negotiating.

Ji Nian sighed inwardly.

Seeing her wrap things up, Lu Jinghuai stood as well. As he pushed the door open to leave, he glanced back at her.

"Did I do something to upset you?"

"No, why would you think that?"

The wind on the rooftop had picked up, snatching the loosely tied ribbon from Ji Nian’s hair.

Before it could drift far, slender fingers caught it midair.

He held out the green ribbon to her, his voice tinged with sadness as it carried on the breeze.

"Then why won’t you look me in the eye?"

Was she still upset about the parent-teacher meeting?

No, he knew Ji Nian wouldn’t hold a grudge over that. Even her arguments with Uncle Ji were just part of their father-daughter dynamic.

Then what was it?

The price?

Realization flickered in his silver-gray eyes.

"Did I do something to displease you?"

Ji Nian opened her mouth to respond, but Lu Jinghuai spoke first.

"Maybe you don’t remember."

"When you came to Country O to deliver the antidote for me, that wasn’t our first meeting."

The statement threw Ji Nian’s thoughts into disarray.

"Huh?"

Not their first meeting?

In her memory, the first time she saw Lu Jinghuai was when he lay swathed in bandages, weak and injured.

Had they met before that?

Did the original Ji Nian meet him when Lu Zhi brought him to the Ji Family?

As she puzzled over it, his gaze remained steady on her face, his voice quiet.

"Seven years ago, when I was kidnapped and near death… it was you who cut your wrist and fed me your blood."

As Lu Jinghuai’s words settled, Ji Nian’s mind was yanked back to that time.

The breathtaking face before her overlapped with the memory of the ‘little sister’ she’d once cradled—golden hair dulled, body covered in gruesome abscesses.

Right…

No wonder she’d never seen him again after his rescue. Ji Tingzhou had even told her he’d died.

Back then, his condition was so severe that even if he survived, he’d be confined to a medical pod for life. It was easier to say he was dead—to sever Ji Nian’s attachment.

Compared to the broken ‘girl’ from her memories, the Lu Jinghuai standing before her now bore no trace of the torment he’d endured.

"...I remember you."

Ji Nian feigned surprise appropriately.

Hearing her say she remembered, Lu Jinghuai smiled faintly.

"There’s something I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time."

His gaze lingered on Ji Nian's hand holding the hairband—her fair, unblemished arm showed no trace of scars, making it hard to imagine the once-gruesome wound that had marred it.

"Did it hurt badly?"

"And... thank you."