Chapter 44: The Incompetent and Malicious Ex-Boyfriend (46)
In the quiet atmosphere of the cafe, Ye Qi sat expressionless, staring at the elderly man in a Zhongshan suit sitting across from him.
“You’re saying you’re my grandfather?”
From the moment the old man had seen Ye Qi, his eyes had been fixed on him, seemingly unable to look away.
Ye Qi looked far too much like his daughter who had passed away young—especially those eyes; they were virtually identical.
In fact, even without a paternity test, he was certain that Ye Qi was his grandson.
“Yes. Or more accurately, I am your maternal grandfather. Your father married into the Qi family back then. Your original name should have been Qi Le.”
The old man paused for a second. “The ‘Le’ from ‘Ping’an Xi’le’ [Peace and Joy].”
When his daughter and son-in-law died in that car accident years ago, he had been consumed by grief and had neglected the three-year-old Ye Qi. A nanny had taken him out to play, and he had been kidnapped.
He had been searching for Ye Qi all these years but had never found a trace—until an old friend mentioned seeing a child in a hospital who looked strikingly like his daughter…
By the time he had rushed to the hospital, Ye Qi had already been discharged.
He had taken a toothbrush Ye Qi left behind and a strand of hair from the pillow to conduct a DNA kinship test.
…
Ye Qi remained silent.
He had known since he was a child that he was an orphan.
His grandmother had told him she found him in a small woods. He had been burning with a high fever at the time; if he had been sent to the clinic any later, he wouldn’t have survived.
It was a stroke of luck that the fever hadn’t turned him into an idiot.
After he recovered, his grandmother had adopted him.
He had never thought about looking for his biological parents, as he had always assumed he had been abandoned.
He hadn’t expected…
Seeing Ye Qi’s silence, the old man took out a photograph and pushed it toward him.
It was a family portrait.
Ye Qi took a look. A man was holding a child about two years old, and the woman smiling beside him did indeed look very much like himself.
The old man then produced a report. “This is the DNA kinship test report. Of course, if you don’t believe it, we can do another one.”
The old man looked at Ye Qi, his voice calm.
“I should have looked for you a couple of days ago, but you were in a bit of trouble. I spent some time helping you suppress it.”
“You should be able to guess what that trouble was.”
Ye Qi suddenly lifted his eyes, meeting the old man’s sharp gaze.
His Adam’s apple rolled, and after a moment, he whispered a “Thank you.”
He hadn’t been able to get in touch with the other party over the last two days, and he had already begun to have a bad feeling.
“There’s no need to say thank you. In the end, it was I who failed you. Ye Qi, you need money, and the Qi family has money. I haven’t retired from my position yet; if you want to enter politics, I can pave the way for you. I have no other requests; I only hope you can return to your ancestral home and reclaim your identity.”
Ye Qi rubbed the handle of his coffee cup. He knew the old man before him had no reason to lie.
He didn’t need money, and he didn’t need a background, but he wanted to stay by Shen Ci’s side.
There were always people with no common sense trying to get close to Shen Ci. He knew that without a backer or a background, he would eventually be dumped by Shen Ci, or forced to separate from him…
After hesitating for only a second, Ye Qi agreed to the old man’s request.
Upon hearing Ye Qi’s answer, the weight in Elder Qi’s heart finally lifted, and his eyes grew red with excitement.
He said “Good” three times in a row.
“I’ll be hosting a banquet this Saturday to introduce you to the circle. You should move back home and live with me; just tell the servants if you need anything.”
Ye Qi shook his head. “I’ll arrive early on Saturday, but there’s no need for me to move in. I’m used to living where I am now.”
Elder Qi’s eyes narrowed slightly. He had, of course, investigated Ye Qi thoroughly, which included the knowledge that Ye Qi was in a relationship with Shen Ci.
How could a mere man be worthy of his grandson?
———
Elder Qi set the banquet location at Pearl Harbor.
The riverside villa at Pearl Harbor was bathed in gilded lights, and the air was filled with the clinking of glasses. The guests were all prominent figures whose names were well-known in the Capital.
Elder Qi hadn’t invited many people; this was a private banquet restricted to the top tier of the Capital’s elite.
As Elder Qi led Ye Qi by the hand into the banquet hall, the noisy chatter suddenly went quiet for half a beat.
Ye Qi was wearing a black, hand-tailored suit that accentuated his sharp shoulder line. His features carried a hint of coldness, and his face—the spitting image of Elder Qi’s daughter—made the older generation in attendance realize the truth instantly.
Elder Qi stopped in the center of the hall, a smile wide on his face as he spoke.
“Allow me to introduce my grandson to everyone: Qi Le.”
As the name “Qi Le” was spoken, a low ripple of gasps swept through the hall.
Everyone knew that Elder Qi had lost his beloved daughter in his early years, and not long after, his only grandson had gone missing. He had searched for so many years without success, so this sudden appearance was more shocking than any headline news.
The first to step forward was Old Master Ming, leaning on his dragon-headed cane with a face full of smiles.
“Old Qi, this truly is a momentous occasion. After all these years of searching, you’ve finally found Qi Le. Your wish has been fulfilled.”
Elder Qi let out a sigh. “Yes. I can die in peace now.”
“Aiy, don’t talk such nonsense on such a happy day.”
The smile on Elder Qi’s face deepened as he introduced him to Ye Qi. “Qi Le, this is your Grandpa Ming. He was my comrade-in-arms…”
Ye Qi politely addressed him as “Grandpa Ming.”
Seeing his calm demeanor—neither fawning nor aloof, but very steady—Old Master Ming noted that he lacked the awkwardness one might expect from someone suddenly entering the top social circle.
He was a good prospect.
He praised, “Not bad. If that worthless grandson of mine had even half of Qi Le’s composure, I’d be satisfied. You’re around the same age; I’ll introduce you to each other another day…”
After some more pleasantries, Elder Qi led him around to introduce him to others.
“This is Chairman Qin of the Qin Group, this is Old Master Shen from the energy sector, and this is President Lin from the financial circle…”
Those who were introduced responded with smiles, their gazes lingering on Ye Qi with a mix of curiosity and genuine happiness.
Chairman Jiang handed over a glass of champagne, saying with a smile, “Young friend Qi Le has an extraordinary aura. With you taking over the Qi family in the future, Elder Qi can finally rest easy.”
Ye Qi took the champagne, his fingertips brushing against the glass. “Chairman Jiang is too kind. I’ll be looking to you seniors for guidance in the future.”
He didn’t speak much, but every word was appropriate and showed no sign of rashness.
Elder Qi watched from the side, growing increasingly satisfied. He knew his grandson was born to stand in this position.
In a corner, Wu Mu sat on a sofa, his gaze fixed on Ye Qi. His expression was not particularly good.
He hadn’t originally wanted to come today, but his grandfather and Elder Qi were old comrades-in-arms with a very close relationship. His grandfather had a cold and couldn’t attend, so he had sent Wu Mu to offer his congratulations.
He had recognized Ye Qi at first glance.
He had originally thought Ye Qi was just a poor kid with no money or background.
It turned out he was the long-lost heir to the Qi family.
This was going to be difficult to handle.
Shen Ci and Ye Qi already had a strong relationship, and Wu Mu had only been lucky enough to have Shen Ci for one night by chance.
If Shen Ci were truly forced to choose, Wu Mu knew exactly who he would pick without even needing to think about it.
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