Chapter 148: Had to Contend

Gu Zhiyan did not get in the car with Shen Xun.

He was quite shocked.

The distance from the deck to the water surface is so high; the autumn-winter water is piercingly cold.

Is that so?

Does it have to be this way?

Gu Zhiyan felt that this was not quite like the Lin Shutong he knew.

Clearly, when abroad, Lin Shutong talked most about how to make the project succeed and how to develop it after returning home, rather than fighting over a man at the cost of hurting herself.

Li Dan looked at Gu Zhiyan and sighed, saying: "I'll send you back to the hotel. Just now you went to pull Lin Shutong, and you're wet too—go back, take a shower, don't catch a cold."

"Don't worry about Lin Shutong, President Shen can jump in the water to save her; he won't ignore her."

Li Dan couldn't understand why Gu Zhiyan insisted on wading into this muddy water.

What's so attractive about Lin Shutong?

Whether it's the young master Gu or the lawyer Gu, what beautiful woman could he not want?

Li Dan still decided to ask: "Why do you insist on getting into this muddy water? This involves Ke Zhongyu; your father and the Nian family are still close."

"Is this woman named Lin Shutong the one who saved your life?"

Gu Zhiyan looked out the window: "Pretty much."

Domestic poisoning might just be simple poisoning; finding a woman to relieve it would suffice.

Overseas poisoning would involve the domestic taboo that everyone hates; once touched, it would become a war of self against self until death.

Li Dan, hearing him say that, had no idea what to do.

Wanting to change the subject, he asked Gu Zhiyan whether he felt Jiang Lai's facial features were somewhat familiar.

But he also felt it wouldn't be appropriate to say that to Gu Zhiyan's face, as it sounded like he suspected Gu Zhiyan's father of infidelity.

It's better not to ask.

……

Lin Shutong, face deathly pale, huddled in Shen Xun's arms.

Gu Zhiyan didn't understand why she would fight for Shen Xun's affection.

She had no choice but to contend.

If Shen Xun didn't stand on her side, what would happen to that sum of money?

She couldn't afford it.

Gu Zhiyan could afford it, but behind him is the Gu family; would the Gu family agree? No.

Gu Zhiyan cannot fully decide for himself.

Shen Xun supports the Shen family by his own strength; he can make his own decisions.

He independently decided to marry Jiang Lai and independently gave her the money.

If Jiang Lai were just an ordinary housewife, she wouldn't need to go to such trouble.

She walks on the path paved by her grandfather; she will have a bright future.

Shen Xun would love her more; she only needs to move her mouth and hand a little to make Shen Xun divorce the ordinary Jiang Lai.

But Jiang Lai is not an ordinary person who can be easily manipulated.

She possesses an identity that others find hard to suppress; once exposed to the public, it becomes a dazzling identity.

Thus, Jiang Lai disrupted her planned trajectory.

The self-developed chip project struck her from the roster, her reputation ruined; if she doesn't seize Shen Xun now, what does she have left?

She must preserve at least one thing.

Otherwise she would become a huge joke.

Shen Xun ultimately chose to jump into the water to rescue her, bring her back, rather than continue waiting for Jiang Lai on the cruise ship.

Jiang Lai must have seen it, right?

She should understand that forced melons aren't sweet, right?

She should know to let go, right?

On the way back to Shuantianque.

Shen Xun got out of the car and bought medicine to prevent colds and fevers, as well as a thermometer.

After returning, Shen Xun boiled water to steep medicine in the living room; Lin Shutong changed into clean pajamas and leaned against the headboard.

Watching Shen Xun prepare her medicine and take her temperature felt like returning to the warmth of when she first came back to the country.

With a beep, Shen Xun looked at the thermometer and said: "No fever, take some medicine to prevent."

"Thank you, Ah Xun." Lin Shutong held the cup and drank the medicine.

Seeing her finish drinking.

Shen Xun opened the door, saw the mountain, and asked: "Why did you jump down?"

Lin Shutong startled: "What?"

Shen Xun said firmly: "I'm asking why you jumped down yourself."

Lin Shutong also replied firmly: "I just fell by accident."

How careless would one have to be?

Shen Xun didn't believe it.

Lin Shutong looked into his eyes and said: "Ah Xun, you know I can't swim; how could I..."

"You also know you can't swim!" Shen Xun looked angry.

Lin Shutong gave a light smile: "You're worried about me."

Shen Xun slightly opened his mouth, then closed it again.

He said helplessly: "From now on don't be like this, Shutong, between us..."

Some things should be said clearly.

But when he saw Lin Shutong's pale face, he felt the timing tonight was off.

"Get good rest." Shen Xun stood up.

Lin Shutong moved as well and asked him: "Where are you going?"

"Go back." He lowered his head at his soaked clothes and pants; even after wringing them a bit, they still clung uncomfortably.

Lin Shutong wanted to keep him, but didn't dare.

If he stayed, someone with ill intent would photograph him and that would be the end.

"Ah Xun, will you come see me tomorrow?" Lin Shutong coughed lightly.

Shen Xun's gaze dodged: "Not necessarily; if you can't take care of yourself, you can call the Ji Family's servant to come pick you up."

He opened the door.

He left.

The car had spare clothes; Shen Xun changed into them and returned to the riverbank dock, where the cruise ship happened to dock and Ke Clan's people disembarked one after another.

Looks like the celebration banquet is over.

He widened his eyes, not seeing Jiang Lai but first seeing Shen Xi.

Shen Xi looked around, as if searching for someone.

He opened the car door and got out.

Shen Xi also saw him and immediately ran over: "Brother, why are you also here?"

Shen Xun asked the same question: "How did you come here?"

"I came to find Shutong sister." She had something to ask Lin Shutong about whether what her mother said was really true.

But she had waited a long time at the riverbank dock; the cruise ship didn't arrive on schedule, and after hearing someone had fallen into the water, it stopped a while longer at another dock.

She waited and waited, ending up lonely.

She almost froze to death at the riverbank.

When the cruise ship docked, she went aboard and walked around, but didn't see Lin Shutong at all and couldn't get through on the phone.

Feeling stood up, Shen Xi became even angrier.

Since she couldn't ask Lin Shutong in person, asking her brother was just as good.

"Brother, Mom told me that actually all your money over the years has gone to Shutong sister, not been withheld by Jiang Lai, right?"

Shen Xun's pupils constricted.

At the dock, people came and went, most of them Ke Clan employees, and Shen Xi practically had no filter!

"No." Shen Xun denied outright.

Shen Xi had always trusted her older brother, but today her mother scolded her like that, and her mother's analysis also made sense.

"You're just coaxing me, right?"

"Go sit in the car." Shen Xun pulled Shen Xi into the passenger seat, slammed the door shut and locked it.

Shen Xi pounded on the car window, seeing her older brother had no reaction, then grabbed her phone to bombard him with calls.

Shen Xun set his phone to silent and fixed his gaze on the cruise ship's exit.

Until the crowd dispersed, he still didn't see Jiang Lai.

He should have gone back long ago.

Shen Xun's eyes flashed with loss as he returned to the car.

Shen Xi persistently asked: "Brother, is what Mom said really true? Did you give all your money to Shutong sister, so I have no money to go abroad?"

Shen Xun knew Shen Xi's persistent nature; both parents already knew, and he didn't mind his sister knowing either.

But he didn't directly admit it.

Shen Xi couldn't keep her mouth shut.

"Part is investment, part is lent out."

"Lent out?" Shen Xi believed it, but her anger rose just the same: "You have money to lend her but don't care about our whole family? No way, I'll go find Shutong sister to get back the money you lent her!"