Chapter 693: Choosing One's Own Life

Parents are not the prequel to their children, and children should not become the sequel to their parents.

Every person is an independent individual with their own thoughts and an independent personality; they must complete the path they wish to walk, rather than being forced into a life that others deem good...

If Shi Ran is willing to come here to be the Clan Leader when she grows up, she will not stop her.

Conversely, to decide right now that Shi Ran must be the Clan Leader in the future, or even to make her leave her relatives, classmates, and little friends to live here immediately—how is that any different from a hostage exchange?

These words from her niece were something she had never heard before.

Ji Yingjie has never had children, and she never knew that children also need to have independent thoughts.

Ji Yingjie was confused: "You are her mother; isn't it only natural for you to make decisions for her?"

"If your child doesn't listen to you, that is unfilial and will be punished by heaven."

Shi Youxuan: "That's right, I can certainly demand she do so, using moral kidnapping; my daughter is very sensible, and she would definitely agree to my request, but she would not be happy."

Happy?

What the hell is that?

Ji Yingjie was even more confused.

Do children even need to be happy?

She thought back to her own childhood; it seemed she had never known happiness.

Her mother only demanded obedience.

From a young age, she was an obedient child.

Her older sister, Ji Yingyin, was very outstanding and was her role model; she took good care of her, but she was also required from a young age to be raised according to her sister's standards.

Ji Yingyin liked science and astronomy.

So, her mother demanded that she also study science.

But she clearly didn't like science; she liked poetry and literature, and her mother flew into a rage!

She said these useless things were only liked by pretentious people, and she burned them all to ashes in one fire.

From then on, she studied science with her sister; although she didn't like it, fortunately, the women of the Ji Family are all intelligent, so even without interest, she studied well.

But when Ji Yingyin returned from studying abroad, she was suddenly forbidden from being like her!

Her mother demanded that Ji Yingjie shatter the beliefs she had built for twenty years, forbade her from treating her sister as an idol anymore, and told her to change idols!

All of her sister's merits became flaws.

Everything she was previously required to do was later forbidden.

At that time, Ji Yingjie was just as confused as she is now.

She didn't know why one thing should lead to the negation of a person's entire being.

But she still didn't dare to argue with her mother.

The daughters of the Ji Family are instilled from childhood with the philosophy that they must obey their mother; let alone talking back, even having a different opinion is considered unfilial and rebellious!

But she had her own thoughts and couldn't figure it out.

The collision of two different ideologies did not result in a good integration, and as a result, she developed a volatile and irritable personality...

Shi Youxuan's words touched her deeply.

In reality, being the Clan Leader was not Ji Yingjie's ideal either.

It was just that there was no other way.

Her mother demanded she must do it, and she habitually obeyed.

Ji Yingjie was lost in thought.

"Auntie, Auntie?" Shi Youxuan reached out and waved in front of her eyes.

Ji Yingjie came back to her senses: "What is it?"

Shi Youxuan: "Nothing, I just want to know if we can leave now?"

"No."

Shi Youxuan:...

Her reasonable request was once again heartlessly rejected.

Ji Yingjie chased Shi Youxuan out of the room; she wanted to be alone and quiet.

But the result of being "quiet" was still to stick to her own ideas.

She had almost been "brainwashed" by her niece.

Having regrets is one thing, but reality is another.

One cannot overturn the old Clan Leader's educational philosophy just because there are regrets!

The Ji Family has been able to stand for a thousand years without being destroyed while under the watchful eyes of the outside world, which in itself has many merits that cannot be easily changed.

Ji Yingjie threatened Shi Youxuan with the lives of Sheng Hanyu and Jian Yining.

Either choose to be the Clan Leader herself.

Or send the child here.

No bargaining accepted, and she would not listen to any excuses!

Shi Youxuan agreed to be the Clan Leader herself, and demanded that Sheng Hanyu and Jian Yining be released!

But before the two of them left, the three of them had to meet once.

Such a normal and reasonable request was, however, rejected.

"No, you are going to play new tricks again."

One cannot blame Ji Yingjie for thinking this way; it was mainly because Shi Youxuan had far too many schemes.

She had a new idea every minute, and every idea could catch her off guard and take her by surprise, giving her a splitting headache.

"Then how about this, when we meet, you will be there too; that should be fine, right?" Shi Youxuan took a step back.

"Let me think about it."

She thought for a while and agreed: "Alright."

The three of them met.

Ji Yingjie was present.

Shi Youxuan said to her husband: "I promised my aunt I would stay and be the Clan Leader. You and A Ning should go back. After you go back, you are not allowed to flirt with others; you must keep yourself clean, do you understand?"

Ji Yingjie was quite satisfied.

As expected of a woman of the Ji Family, she had the domineering style of the Ji Family.

Sheng Hanyu: "When will you come back? If it's a short time, I can probably hold out, but if it's a long time, I can't say for sure."

Shi Youxuan:...

"You dare."

She reached out to twist her husband's ear and threatened him through gritted teeth: "I'll give you a chance to say that again. Think carefully before you speak. Be careful, or I'll make you kneel on a washboard when I get back."

"Wife, don't twist, there are outsiders here. Give your husband some face... I was wrong, I really know I was wrong, ouch, it hurts..."

Jian Yining really couldn't watch anymore.

He interjected: "That's enough. You two should stop. Don't flirt during a farewell scene; it's too inappropriate."

"At least have a good cry in each other's arms."

"I can't cry," Shi Youxuan answered honestly. "As long as I think about how I'll be taking the Ji Family's countless wealth back with me before long, I want to laugh out loud."

Ji Yingjie began to feel that something was wrong.

The three of them were singing in harmony.

Jian Yining pointed at Ji Yingjie: "She won't let you take the Ji Family's wealth away."

Shi Youxuan: "My aunt won't live much longer. Once she dies, I'll take it back."

Ji Yingjie:...

Sheng Hanyu added a timely jab: "Wife, I believe in you. With your ability, you could even anger a healthy person to death. As long as you work hard, she won't last long."

Jian Yining asked: "The Clan Leader isn't a fool either. She will brainwash you, make you forget everything from the past, and focus on being a ruling machine."

Shi Youxuan: "The psychologist who helped treat Wan'er last time taught me a method—anti-Hypnosis. The effect is quite good; it just so happens I can try it out this time."

Ji Yingjie:...

She understood everything now.

What farewell.

What letting her be present to "monitor."

It was simply a counter-threat with ulterior motives!

This trick of Shi Youxuan's was effective.

Ji Yingjie decided to let them leave; a twisted melon is not sweet.

And Shi Youxuan was not only not sweet, but could also turn into a "bomb" at any time, "blowing" the Ji Family into ashes.

Ji Yingjie could not joke around with the Ji Family's thousand-year foundation.

Although "Hypnosis" was powerful, it could only exert its greatest strength when a person was caught off guard.

That's right, that was the plan she had in mind.

She was prepared to use "Hypnosis" on Shi Youxuan as soon as the two men left, to make her forget everything from the past without anyone knowing, and have her focus on serving the Ji Family.

Her niece had actually seen through her thoughts.

Not only did she see through them, she even had a response plan ready!

Ji Yingjie gave up completely.

She decided to adopt Nianyin as her foster daughter, bestow the Ji surname upon Nianyin, and then groom Nianyin to be the future Clan Leader.