Chapter 17

Jiang Lai turned off the lights and lay down to sleep, her mind unable to stop thinking: where would Lin Shutong take Shen Xun?

To the home she shared with Shen Xun?

Or to the place where Lin Shutong lived?

Lin Shutong also lived in the same residential complex; that must have been Shen Xun's idea, right? Otherwise, how would it be convenient for Shen Xun to pick her up and drop her off for work?

She had thought the tenderness Shen Xun showed her was love.

It turned out it wasn't.

Shen Xun hadn't just given Lin Shutong tenderness; he had given her money, given her support, given her protection, given her so much... things that she, his wife, had never received.

If one could say she had obtained a title, yet tonight at the dinner table, Shen Xun hadn't even acknowledged he was married, nor did he feel any regret because of it; instead, he turned around and questioned her for being deceitful.

Who exactly had deceived whom?

Jiang Lai's thoughts ran wild, yet she stubbornly forbade herself from shedding tears.

Either way, the divorce agreement had been signed.

It was just a matter of time.

Just a matter of the divorce certificate.

Once she left this quagmire, she would be fine.

……

Lin Shutong had originally wanted to take Shen Xun back to the place where she lived, as it would be more convenient to do things there without worrying about Jiang Lai coming back to disturb them.

After she helped Shen Xun out of the car, Shen Xun walked straight toward his own home, no matter how she shouted: "A-Xun, it's this way."

Shen Xun would stumble and still circle back.

She knew then that Shen Xun was attached to the home he shared with Jiang Lai!

Just like how he held her and called her "Wife."

Lin Shutong felt resentful, but she couldn't win against a drunk man, so she had no choice but to help him back to their home.

Just as she placed him on the sofa, her wrist was gripped.

"Shutong."

"Lin Shutong."

This time, he was calling her.

Lin Shutong's mood improved slightly, and she sat over and said: "What is it? Not calling me 'Wife' anymore?"

The aftereffects of the alcohol had all surged up; Shen Xun was quite drunk, his head resting on Lin Shutong's shoulder as he said: "You are my wife."

Lin Shutong smiled triumphantly and pushed him away on purpose: "I'm not, Jiang Lai is."

Shen Xun frowned, seemingly chewing on the name "Jiang Lai," but he didn't respond for a long time.

"Why did you marry Jiang Lai?"

"To marry you." The drunk man spoke slowly, a hint of grievance in his voice, "But you left, you didn't want me."

Lin Shutong's heart softened instantly, and she cupped his face and said: "I told you I would come back, A-Xun."

"You didn't discuss it with me."

"It was my grandfather's decision; it was too sudden, I didn't have time to tell you." She explained patiently, "My grandfather probably only let me go out for this project to look out for my future."

"I know you're angry, but there was no other way; my grandfather wouldn't allow me to come back to find you halfway through. But thank you for these years, for transferring the research funding to me on time every month; that's the only reason I didn't have to look at other people's faces."

Shen Xun: "I said before, all the money I earn will be given to you."

"A-Xun, thank you." Lin Shutong leaned down and kissed him on the lips.

Shen Xun's pupils constricted slightly, and he pulled her into his arms and began to kiss her back.

Kissing and kissing, the two of them fell onto the sofa.

The next morning.

Shen Xun opened his eyes with a headache, and before he could figure out the current situation, he habitually opened his mouth to say: "Wife, I'm sorry, I got drunk again."

"Sleep a little longer." A voice sounded from beside him.

It wasn't Jiang Lai.

Shen Xun stiffened all over, turned his head to look, and saw Lin Shutong's serene sleeping face right before his eyes.

He sobered up instantly.

He sat up.

The sudden movement woke Lin Shutong; Lin Shutong rubbed her eyes, covered her body with the quilt, and sat up as well.

"What's wrong, A-Xun?"

Shen Xun swallowed a mouthful of saliva: "We... we last night?"

"Mm." Lin Shutong nodded, "You were drunk last night, and I couldn't push you away."

Shen Xun rolled out of bed and reached up to wipe his face, seemingly unable to face such a situation.

He had slept with Lin Shutong in the bed he shared with Jiang Lai.

"I'm going to take a shower."

After he finished his cold shower and came out, Lin Shutong was already dressed, the hickey on her neck clearly visible.

Lin Shutong looked at him, her face slightly flushed: "A-Xun, you were too... last night, like you hadn't had it in many years."

After she finished speaking, she came over and hugged him.

Shen Xun looked down at Lin Shutong, the woman he had been thinking about for years, and hugged her gently.

"I haven't done it with Jiang Lai."

"I know." Lin Shutong hugged him tighter, "A-Xun, I know you've always had me in your heart, and I've always had you in mine, only you."

She tilted her head up and kissed the corner of his lips.

A smile finally appeared on Shen Xun's face.

He soon thought of something, and his smile stiffened again.

"Did Jiang Lai come back last night?"

Lin Shutong didn't like hearing that name, so she hugged him tighter, as if afraid he would run away.

"She didn't come back; I don't know where she went."

Shen Xun suddenly pulled her hands away and walked to the living room to search for his phone; surprisingly, there wasn't a single call or message.

Good.

Very good.

He was so angry that the fingers gripping the phone deformed.

"A-Xun, are you worried about Jiang Lai?"

"Worried about her?" Shen Xun's face was cold, "She can go wherever she wants. She has nowhere else to go in A City; it's either the orphanage or her teacher's wife's place."

"A-Xun, have you fallen for Jiang Lai?" Lin Shutong walked up to him, grievance in her eyes.

Shen Xun's breathing paused slightly, and he replied to her: "Don't think nonsense; I married her only because she is suitable to be a wife, nothing more."

He reached out and pulled Lin Shutong into his arms.

Lin Shutong stroked his chest with one hand: "Then will you divorce Jiang Lai?"

Shen Xun hesitated.

Lin Shutong's fingers tightened slightly, "I'm joking, A-Xun; I just need you to have me in your heart."

"How could I not have you in my heart?" Shen Xun caught her fingers and pressed them to his lips to kiss them, "About the divorce, let me consider it."

"You know Jiang Lai's situation; she only has a degree from a prestigious university but no good job, and she struggles even to support herself. A couple for a day, a hundred days of grace; I can't easily abandon her."

Lin Shutong's gaze was resentful, but she said: "I know A-Xun isn't that kind of person; I won't mention this again in the future."

"Are you angry?" Shen Xun looked at her gently.

Lin Shutong shook her head: "It was me who let you down first."

"There's no need to say such things between us." Shen Xun turned his head and asked, "Are you hungry? I'll cook you some tangyuan."

Lin Shutong nodded.

He opened the refrigerator and searched for a long time but couldn't find any.

These things were always managed by Jiang Lai; only Jiang Lai knew what was in the house and where it was kept.

Thinking of Jiang Lai, a flash of irritation crossed Shen Xun's eyes.

"Forget it, let's go out to eat."

Lin Shutong wasn't surprised and smiled as she took his arm: "Okay."

"Shutong, you shouldn't live here for the time being."

"Why?" Lin Shutong's smile froze, "Do you want me to stay away from you?"

"No." Shen Xun said, "The apartment in this complex is average; I'll buy you a large flat."

Lin Shutong's eyes curved: "Okay, thank you, A-Xun."

The two passed by a taxi, neither noticing Jiang Lai inside.

She just wanted to come back to change her clothes.

And she heard her husband, whom she hadn't completely divorced yet, wanting to give Lin Shutong a large flat.