19. She was the instrument of his release.

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Ji Qingran’s displeasure went unnoticed by Lu Tingyuan. He simply told her coldly, in the tone of delivering a notice, “Let Yiyi intern at your company for a few months. As compensation, I will invest three million. Including the two million I promised before, that makes five million. I’m investing in your company.”

Ji Qingran found it amusing.

Spending three million just to buy Su Yiyi an internship opportunity, plus the two million previously promised—both were because Su Yiyi deliberately arranged for Ji Qingran to be hit, and this was to settle the matter quietly.

So, all in all, his generous five million was entirely for Su Yiyi.

Su Yiyi really was valuable.

“President Lu, aren’t your terms a bit unfair?” she said with a faint smile, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “You’re putting up so much money, so your share won’t be small either. That way, all the effort Jiang Yao and I put in will just be working for you.”

Lu Tingyuan glanced at her sideways, then suddenly reached out and pinched her cheek, smiling lightly. “You’re quite good at calculating.”

Ji Qingran tilted her head, avoiding his touch.

He didn’t mind and instead pinched her nose.

This was their little intimate gesture.

“The two million is compensation to you and recorded under your name. The remaining three million to buy Yiyi the internship opportunity is also under your name. I don’t want a single share.”

He thought Ji Qingran was somewhat naive, having no background or backing, yet still trying to start a business like others. It was too innocent.

Even though she held the title of the eldest daughter of the Ji family, the Ji family didn’t really take her seriously. People of that social class were mostly snobbish, and no one paid her any mind.

So when she planned to start a business with Jiang Yao, he didn’t stop her but rather waited to see what kind of trouble she could stir up.

When she finally got beaten badly, she would have to face reality and realize that except for him, she had no other way out.

She could only obediently stay by his side, forever under his control.

This five million was the bait he used to make her accept her fate.

Ji Qingran did feel a bit tempted.

Lu Tingyuan’s offer was too enticing—five million, and no shares taken. Across the whole Jiang City, it would be hard to find another investor as generous as him.

If only the condition of letting Su Yiyi into the company wasn’t attached.

After hesitating for a moment, she replied, “I need to discuss it with Jiang Yao.”

He nodded in agreement. As he saw her out, he mentioned, “I have already replaced the clothes you ruined. If you need anything else, just tell me. I can buy it for you, or you can use the card I gave you.”

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Ji Qingran instinctively felt that refusing him now wouldn’t be wise, so she said nothing and stood at the door to say goodbye.

However, he seemed displeased, his gaze cold as he looked at her. “Just leaving like that?”

She looked at him in confusion.

He narrowed his eyes and looked at her twice. Seeing she still showed no reaction, he suddenly pushed her against the wall, then pressed down and bit her lips.

She was caught off guard and instinctively opened her mouth to shout.

But he took advantage of the moment, kissing her passionately.

Ji Qingran had done many reckless things with him before, but she was fundamentally modest. She thought this was at the apartment entrance, and the building didn’t have just one household per floor. Neighbors might open their doors and see them kissing.

She felt uneasy and reached out to push him away.

Most of the time, their relationship was quite harmonious in matters of intimacy. Except for once at the hospital when she refused him, he had made many excessive demands before. Even when she was reluctant, she eventually gave in to his persistence and accompanied him.

Her resistance now only made him more annoyed.

“Not sleeping with me, and now you won’t even let me kiss you?” he said harshly, tightening his grip, cruelly holding her head, and bullying her.

Later, after kissing her until her legs went weak, he lifted her up, her legs wrapped around his waist, and kissed her for a long while.

When Ji Qingran tried to struggle midway, he coaxed her, holding her calf: “Qingran, I’m only wearing a towel. If you move around, I’ll be exposed.”

She even heard footsteps from upstairs neighbors. She was scared and didn’t dare move, letting Lu Tingyuan kiss her until he was done before putting her down.

He held her, resting his head in the hollow of her shoulder, rubbing his nose against her, panting, “I kind of regret letting you move out. It’s too inconvenient, like sneaking around.”

Ji Qingran stood there coldly, calming her breath. After he finished, she said, “You could let me move back in.”

After a pause, she curled her lips with a hint of sarcasm, her tone still indifferent, “But if that happens, Su Yiyi will have to move out.”

Lu Tingyuan responded with a grunt, cupped her face, kissed her again, and apologized lightly, “Yiyi’s health is too poor. I don’t feel at ease with her alone. You live outside for now. I’ll come find you when I have time.”

Naturally, when he had time was up to him.

Ji Qingran understood this to mean he would come to her when he desired.

Perhaps it was because she was cleaner than the other women outside.

She lowered her eyelids without a word, quietly waiting until he had calmed down before taking her leave.

Once downstairs, she took out a tissue and wiped her mouth hard, almost hurting her lips.

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She had gained little pleasure from that kiss—perhaps some physical satisfaction, but her mood was terrible.

Lu Tingyuan merely regarded her as a tool for venting. His needs were always great. When they rarely met before, he could keep her locked indoors for days without going out.

Now, he was holding back only because he felt sorry for Su Yiyi, who was young and in poor health. He couldn’t bear to torment her as he did Ji Qingran.

Ji Qingran left expressionless.

The next day, she told Jiang Yao about Lu Tingyuan’s intention to invest five million.

Jiang Yao was also tempted but strongly uncomfortable with the condition that Su Yiyi be brought in.

“If he’s so capable, why doesn’t he get Su Yiyi into Lu Corporation?” Jiang Yao bit her lip and said.

Ji Qingran thought about it and analyzed, “The hiring standards at Lu Corporation are very strict. Su Yiyi probably doesn’t qualify. Even if Lu Tingyuan cares about her, Lu Corporation isn’t his sole domain. Lu Weian is watching closely, so it’s really difficult for him to sneak her in.”

Jiang Yao understood, but accepting Su Yiyi’s involvement was still a hard pill to swallow.

Ji Qingran agreed, and the two tacitly dropped the subject.

Soon after, Jiang Yao encountered another investor who toured the company and showed interest.

During a lunch banquet Jiang Yao hosted, the guest stepped out mid-meal to take a call. When he returned, his eyes fixed intently on Ji Qingran.

Seeing her look his way, he didn’t avoid her gaze but smiled at her incessantly.

The smile was somewhat ingratiating.

“Something wrong?” Ji Qingran asked.

The man didn’t answer, continuing to smile mysteriously.

Not long after, the door to the private room was pushed open from outside, and Lu Weian entered.

He walked straight to Ji Qingran’s side before sitting down.

Without changing the tableware, he naturally took Ji Qingran’s cup.

There was a lipstick stain she had accidentally left on the rim, but he didn’t mind and deliberately drank from that spot.

His attitude clearly signaled possession.

Ji Qingran frowned and asked, “What are you doing here?”