The Creator's Grace (GL) - Chapter 1

This was Ran Jin’s bedroom. The moment the door was pushed open, you could smell the same fragrance that clung to her.

The bedroom was very tidy, bordering on meticulous.

Chi Yu stood in the bedroom and looked to her left. It was an ordinary walk-in closet. To the right, a corridor hung with oil paintings and fossil rubbings led to a spacious study.

The warm yellow reading lamp in the study was still on, and several books with bookmarks stuck in them lay on the desk.

One could imagine that after Ran Jin fled her car in such a disheveled state last night, she probably hadn’t been able to sleep, perhaps reading all night.

There weren’t many things in the closet, but the black professional attire and the long dresses needed for social events were neatly arranged.

There were also some accessories, such as watches, cufflinks, and rings, hung and placed in categories.

Chi Yu picked up a necklace with her fingertips, examined it for a moment, and then casually put it down.

The style was as monotonous as Ran Jin herself, unchanging for years.

Apart from a 1.5-meter bed, there were no entertainment devices in the bedroom, not even a television. The spacious desk and two computers stood out prominently.

Several stacks of folders were neatly placed on the desk. Chi Yu opened them to take a look. They were all project files and blueprints handled by Ran Jin, with her handwritten annotations on them.

Light gray bedding and placing the desk in the bedroom – these all fit her style, not quite matching her sister’s.

Moreover, the size of this bed was a bit beyond Chi Yu’s expectations.

She couldn’t imagine how her sister and Ran Jin used to sleep on such a narrow bed where it wasn’t easy to stretch out.

Chi Yu had always thought that at least her sister was someone who knew how to enjoy life.

As far as Chi Yu knew, this apartment was bought by her sister five years ago. Because it was close to the company, if she worked too late, she would rest here directly, making it convenient to go to the company early the next day.

Now it seemed that the traces of her sister in this temporary abode had disappeared.

Chi Yu leaned back in the chair, slowly swiveling around. Looking out through the bright windows, the U.P. Building loomed nearby against the clear blue sky.

The U.P. Building, as majestic as an extraterrestrial structure, was the commercial empire built single-handedly by her sister, Chi Li.

The building resembled an alien creature, crouching above the crisscrossing highways, one of the most striking landmarks of this megacity.

The Chi family empire was a hungry beast, greedily devouring the energy industry.

Now, her sister’s years of hard work had fallen into the hands of Ran Jin, the former lover she had personally cultivated. Not only had it not stopped its pace, but it had become even more ferocious and terrifying.

••••

Six years ago, this woman named Ran Jin was brought back to the Chi family by her sister.

When she first arrived at the Chi family, no one knew who this woman, who seemed to be clinging to life, was, where she came from, or how she had met her sister.

Everyone only saw the eldest young lady carefully nurturing this woman of unknown origin, gradually letting her take over most of the businesses under the Chi family.

Ran Jin, who was only 23 years old at the time, took root in the Chi family empire.

Not only did she hold half of the Chi family’s assets, but her beautiful face also successively appeared on major business magazines and the big screen, becoming the most eye-catching face on the headlines of business, technology, and entertainment sections.

Beautiful, intelligent, and seemingly flawless, Ran Jin gradually reached the peak of public attention through repeated exposure.

She was the recipient of endless favor, and the perfect her was called “the creator’s grace.”

In the eyes of her followers, Ran Jin was perfect, without any flaws, a Venus carefully sculpted by God.

At that time, Chi Yu, still a high school student, buried herself in her studies and didn’t pay much attention to the family business.

Her parents had passed away early, and her sister Chi Li, who was sixteen years older than her, took great care of her. The eldest sister was like a mother, and the two sisters relied on each other, sharing a deep bond.

Her sister never forced her to do things she didn’t like, letting her plan her own life.

The sentence her sister said to her most often was: “You don’t have to walk the path that others have walked thousands of times. You just need to do what you like and become the person you want to be.”

The early death of her parents did not let Chi Yu taste the bitterness of hardship. She knew it was her sister who had created a carefree space for her to grow up in.

Chi Yu, focused on her studies, had no objection to her sister gradually handing over the group to Ran Jin. She knew her sister was a very clear-headed person and always knew what she was doing.

Moreover, this “outsider,” after entering the Chi family, quickly shed her outsider status and transformed into the mistress of the house.

The close relationship between her sister and Ran Jin was beyond doubt. Even if the gossiping media reported extensively on the business tycoon and her girlfriend, using sensational angles to hype up the “scandal,” it didn’t prevent them from appearing together.

Ran Jin had long since rightfully become a member of the Chi family. Chi Yu would respectfully call her “Sister-in-law” whenever she saw her, and subordinates also called her President Ran.

Even though Ran Jin always just smiled faintly whenever she faced such titles.

Chi Yu knew that “Sister-in-law” was a bit shy internally, but she was her sister’s capable right-hand woman, resolute in her actions and strong in her methods. Coupled with her sister’s strong protection, Ran Jin’s position in the Chi Group had long been unshakeable.

Ran Jin’s encroachment was too rapid, so rapid that the circle from the Chi family empire to the entire energy industry was greatly surprised and unable to understand.

Inevitably, rumors spread.

Regardless of the rumors outside, Ran Jin acted as if she hadn’t heard them, focusing solely on working for her sister.

Ran Jin possessed a very clear business mind and a keen market sense. During the time Chi Yu left the country to study abroad, Ran Jin had already helped her sister eliminate the most powerful competitors and secured the mining rights for basalt and Helium-3 in the lunar regions.

When leaving the country, Chi Yu reluctantly bid farewell to her sister.

Her sister had gently comforted her at that time, saying that when she returned home after completing her studies, the two sisters would never be separated again.

Who could have imagined that this would be her last meeting with her sister?

When she returned to the country again, it was to attend her sister’s funeral…

They said that her sister, who had always been optimistic and full of ideals and ambitions, had committed suicide.

Chi Yu couldn’t believe it.

The feeling of being heartbroken to the point of death at the funeral was still deeply engraved in her memory.

Her hardworking sister was her last refuge in this world.

Now, her most beloved sister was gone, her death inexplicable.

Losing her sister had already shattered her heart, and the police’s hasty closure of the case infuriated her even more.

The bizarre nature revealed by that full-of-holes conclusion made Chi Yu think too much.

Her sister wouldn’t commit suicide; she had no reason to.

Moreover, she had left so suddenly without a word, not leaving a single message for her loved ones.

Chi Yu had started investigating the ins and outs on her way back to the country for the funeral.

All the evidence hidden in the gray corners, dug up inch by inch by Chi Yu, all pointed to that woman—

Ran Jin.

Four years ago, when Chi Yu went abroad, she had heard some rumors about Ran Jin’s background.

The Ran Jin described in those gossips was not sincere towards her girlfriend who truly loved and cared for her. Her motives were impure; she had come to seize the Chi family’s assets and take revenge on the Chi family.

At the time, Chi Yu only felt that these were nonsense, some unfounded rumors.

Living under the same roof for many years, she had a good impression of this beautiful and intelligent sister-in-law.

Before going abroad, she had sent the most active spreader of these rumors to prison, venting her anger for her sister and sister-in-law.

Unexpectedly, things were developing in the most terrifying direction, just like the rumors.

Thinking of her sister lying in the ground, having died so inexplicably, Chi Yu’s heart was torn by grief and indignation. With a “whoosh,” she yanked down the curtains in Ran Jin’s bedroom, the force almost tearing the Roman rod from the wall.

Perhaps it wasn’t just rumors.

The investigation results proved word by word that Ran Jin had been secretly expanding her influence in the Chi family without her sister’s knowledge. Her origins were unknown, yet she had truly been proceeding step by step with a plan.

Before her sister’s death, the two of them had broken up, and the breakup had been without any warning signs.

Chi Yu had always felt that the breakup was the fuse that ignited her sister’s death.

Perhaps her sister had discovered the secret she had hidden for so long, so she killed her sister and also wanted to devour all of her sister’s hard work.

Pretty wishful thinking.

The Chi family wasn’t all dead yet.

Chi Yu had never hated anyone so much.

Recalling her past sincerity and treating Ran Jin as a close family member, Chi Yu only felt utterly disgusted.

Her phone rang. It was a call from her assistant.

Chi Yu said, “I’m on my way. Where is she?”

The assistant replied, “President Ran left with Ms. Lu an hour ago.”

Lu Siqing, that police officer, it was her again.

No wonder the police could ignore the evidence that even Chi Yu could find, and the suspect was still at large.

Chi Yu hung up the phone and walked over to Ran Jin’s closet, scrutinizing it again. Indeed, there wasn’t a single piece of her sister’s clothing.

Chi Yu sneered. So eager to kick my sister out of your world?

But it doesn’t matter.

*I will make you remember her,* Chi Yu thought. *Remember the person who saved you and loved you so deeply.*

Guilt will follow you like a shadow.

Tonight there was a banquet, which was actually a press conference for the Chi Group. Ran Jin was going to announce the lunar region energy mining rights she had just snatched.

How could Chi Yu miss such a high-profile night?

Chi Yu was going to make Ran Jin regret it, make her suffer, and after ruining her reputation, bring her and that colluding police officer named Lu to justice together.

••••

Before attending the banquet, Chi Yu arranged to meet her sister’s former assistant.

“Second Miss, I’ve brought what you wanted. Shall I help you change now?”

Chi Yu took the clothes.

A pecan gray silk long dress, beautiful and extremely figure-flattering.

The makeup artist hired by the Chi Group had been waiting for a long time to do her makeup.

Thick dark red curls draped over her delicate collarbones. Chi Yu opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror, wearing her sister’s clothes. Her bright red lips curved into a smile.

“Use my sister’s perfume too.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The top notes of fir, black truffle, and jasmine mingled and entered Chi Yu’s sense of smell. This was her sister’s usual fragrance.

Presumably, Ran Jin would also “love” it very much.

••••

The car was as quiet as outer space. Ran Jin sat in the passenger seat, arms crossed over her chest, eyes closed, having just drifted into a light sleep.

Lu Siqing’s phone suddenly rang.

Ran Jin opened her eyes.

“Sorry, did I wake you?”

Lu Siqing held the steering wheel with one hand, frowned, picked up her Bluetooth earpiece, and said very softly:

“…I’m outside, with Xiao Jin. Yeah, yeah, I’ll talk to you later. Hanging up.”

Lu Siqing quickly hung up the phone and looked at Ran Jin.

Ran Jin opened her swollen eyes with some difficulty, dark circles under them, looking very haggard.

She glanced at the scenery outside, confirming that there was still some distance to their destination.

“Didn’t sleep well last night?”

“It was okay.”

“Didn’t sleep well or didn’t sleep at all?”

“…”

Lu Siqing got the answer from her silence. She knew her old friend too well.

Lu Siqing couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed: “I thought you’d be free when she died. But it’s turned out like this.”

Ran Jin’s delicate brows furrowed, and she closed her eyes even tighter.

Lu Siqing glanced at Ran Jin’s neatly fastened cufflinks. Her slender wrists were hidden in her sleeves; even on the hottest days, she had never seen her wear short sleeves.

Even though the cufflinks were tightly fastened, the faint red marks on her wrists were still vaguely visible.

Lu Siqing asked in a low voice, “Is it Chi Yu?”

Hearing this name, Ran Jin slowly opened her eyes. Before her was her own reflection in the car window, long straight black hair draped over her shoulders. Her eyes held an unyielding silence, and the bloodshot in the whites was more than she herself had expected, yet it formed a vividly colored portrait.

Ran Jin’s tone revealed no emotion: “What about her?”

Lu Siqing was a little irritated: “Don’t tell me she’s not the one who’s been tormenting you lately!”

Lu Siqing drove impatiently, feeling it was unkind to get angry at a victim, so she tried to control her temper and asked her, “Are you really going tonight?”

“Such an important press conference, of course I have to attend.”

Lu Siqing hummed in agreement and said, “Then I’ll go with you.”

Ran Jin turned her head and gave her a faint smile: “No need, I can handle it myself.”

“You can handle Chi Yu? Handle that little brat? Can you even believe that yourself? Yes, you’re so capable. The competitors you’ve crushed over the years are countless, and the people who would kowtow at your door could wake up the ghosts in the underworld. Just take this lunar region energy battle. Yidai Technology, which was competing with you, has now applied for bankruptcy protection, and its founder, Wang Yan, has gone to see the King of Hell. I know you have your methods, Sister Ran, but in this world, there’s always one thing that can overcome another. There’s just that one person who can hold you down. That person is back now and is targeting you everywhere. What are you going to do now? Are you going to give up all your previous efforts?”

As Lu Siqing spoke, she became increasingly agitated:

“Are you really willing to let everything go down the drain? Just for Chi Yu?”

Lu Siqing’s voice echoed loudly in the car. Ran Jin remained sitting steadily, took a mint candy from the compartment, peeled it, handed it to her, and smiled at her.

Lu Siqing: “…”

Before closing her eyes again, Ran Jin smiled nonchalantly at Lu Siqing and said:

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle my own affairs.”