Ji Tian: "..."
Did she look childish?
She glanced at the Princess toy a couple of times and then tied a high ponytail on the delicate doll.
Perfect.
After setting down the doll, she started observing her surroundings.
The wall shelves were filled with luxurious items; Ji Lingyun liked to collect antiques, and his office had a whole wall of them, with no sense of subtlety.
Whenever Ji Tian thought about how this huge company would eventually be taken over by the male lead, she felt heartbroken—it was all money, pure money!
She walked to the wall, picked up a ruby as big as a pigeon, and thought about how Ji Lingyun didn't even bother hiding such priceless gems, just placing them in the office.
The door opened, and Ji Lingyun walked in dressed in a tailored suit, his expression stern and even his subordinates had stern faces.
Working here, she felt as if she was in prison with its strict rules.
Ji Lingyun merely glanced at her indifferently, "You came. Tell me what you learned today."
Ji Tian pulled out her notebook—thankfully she was prepared and had summarized the day's lectures.
Yesterday Ji Lingyun had taught Ji Tian, and then hastily checked the textbooks for Grade 11 at Imperial City Academy. Some of the material definitely was advanced, but it was within his acceptable range since he had been in college at seventeen.
Ji Tian then gave Ji Lingyun the information Jian Chuyi needed to conquer, and after he briefly explained it, Ji Tian sat down to furiously scribble her homework.
She bit on the cap of her pen, her mind not really on her studies, her eyes constantly roaming around the office. Although Ji Lingyun was working, he kept an eye on her movements.
His voice was faint, "You want to say something? You've been looking around constantly."
There indeed was a question Ji Tian couldn't hold back, so she quickly asked, "Big brother, how much money does our company earn in a year?"
Ji Lingyun was first stunned, then understood—recalling the last time Ji Qilin spoke, Ji Tian thought their family was out of money.
Thus, he gestured with his hand, forming a one.
Ji Tian was shocked, "A hundred million?"
His expression slightly proud, a rare thing, he corrected, "A hundred billion."
After all, he had single-handedly built this empire.
Ji Tian's mouth could have fit a pigeon egg, she couldn't believe it, "You earn this much for others in a year?!"
Ji Lingyun: "..."
Her poor brother, working like a slave for someone with the surname Bai.
To earn this much and still get swayed by Bai Tingyu.
Not even slaves are treated this way.
Ji Tian thought of several ways to save the Ji Family, maybe playing mysterious and slipping notes, telling them their fate?
Probably she'd be caught and directly sent to a mental institution.
Or maybe they should move the money now? Ji Tian feared being considered a fool just like her third brother.
Or, perhaps indulging in food and shopping.
Even if she spent her lifetime, she couldn't finish a hundred billion.
And not just a one-time hundred billion—it was a hundred billion every year.
In the end, Ji Tian had only one method left, to spend it! Even if at a loss, it was better than letting those with the surname Bai have it.
Therefore, she took even more interest in their family industry, "Big brother, what products do our family's companies own? Or rather, which industry are we mainly advancing into?"
Ji Lingyun's usually stern expression rarely showed a hint of confusion. Had he heard wrong? Could his sister, who had previously cared little for anything outside her own interests, actually care about the company's business?
Initially, he had intended to let Ji Tian intern at the company after she graduated from college to gain some experience, but he hadn't expected her to take such an initiative. Ji Lingyun was naturally willing to enlighten her, "Our wealth originated from the energy sector and later expanded into electronics, jewelry, hospitality, entertainment, IT, seafood, real estate, mining, manufacturing, and various projects including tourism resorts and agricultural estates."
Ji Tian: "…"
Although she didn't understand, she could sense it was about making money.
However...
Aren't these high-end industries really exhausting?
She was tired just listening to him.
Ji Lingyun changed the subject, "Anything else you want to say?"
"Oh, it's like this," Ji Tian said earnestly. "I read a book called 'Approaching Science' today, developed a keen interest in science, and consequently, thought about starting a business. Brother, could you lend me ten billion to... oh, not fail, to earn?"
Ji Lingyun: "…"
His seventeen-year-old sister wanted to start a business?
With ten billion?
That was ridiculous!
His brow furrowed, he didn't want to crush her enthusiasm, so he asked, "Since you want to start a business, which industry are you thinking of?"
Ji Tian had already figured out the best industry to lose money in, she said excitedly, "The sharing economy."
Ji Lingyun: "...?!"
He deadpanned, "Bike-sharing already has market saturation, it will be hard to get a slice of it, and this industry might not be profitable."
Ji Tian: "?"
Might lose money? She was going to lose it all for sure!
Besides, who said anything about bike-sharing?
She sighed and shook her head, "Big brother, you're thinking too small. We need to expand our vision—then the sharing economy isn't simple anymore."
Ji Lingyun's eyelids twitched, "Go on, explain it simply."
Ji Tian grinned, "What do you think about shared slippers? According to my observations, no one has tapped into this market yet."
Ji Lingyun thought his ears had a problem and repeated, "What did you share?"
Ji Tian earnestly replied, "Slippers. Think about it, if someone encounters a rainy day and doesn't want to wet their shoes, they can just scan and get a pair of shared slippers. Of course, we could also offer a shared umbrella to go with the slippers."
"Think about it, if someone doesn't have an umbrella and doesn't want to wet their shoes, they'd scan both, isn't that a wild earning opportunity?"
"Of course, the same applies to sunny days, because if their shoes are too stifling and not breathable, they especially need a pair of cool slippers to soothe their overheated mood, and if the sun is too strong, wouldn't they also need an umbrella?"
The more Ji Tian thought about it, the more it made sense to her, and she gradually convinced herself, concluding, "Trust me! Invest ten billion, it'll be a massive profit, and I'll keep up with the rest of the projects."
Ji Lingyun: "…"
Had he agreed to give her money to start a business?
This shared umbrella, shared slippers idea—something felt off about it. So he looked at her expressionlessly, "What if it spreads athlete's foot?"
Upon hearing this, Ji Tian immediately pondered the issue, while Ji Lingyun just wanted to tell her one thing—her ideas simply wouldn't work, she might as well focus on her studies.
But clearly, he underestimated Ji Tian's determination to squander the family's money. She became even more excited, "Big brother, you reminded me. Wearing these slippers could indeed spread athlete's foot. So, we can add a shared shoe cover to this same series. Such a perfect three-piece set, where else could you find it?"
Ji Lingyun: "…"
It's like a father using a hoe to dig his son's grave. What a headache.