Chapter 195: Beyond One

It was already late, past dinner time, and everyone was still here discussing the lawyer's letter and the lawsuit. Jiang Lai said, "I'll treat you all to dinner. Does anyone have any dietary restrictions?"

Ke Zhongyu looked at her and said, "Let's eat out."

Jiang Lai nodded.

Indeed.

Cooking back there would be too troublesome and would leave everyone hungry; Assistant Zhou should have rushed back to the company as soon as he landed at the airport.

Ke Zhongyu also happened to worry that she would have to cook herself, which would be too hard.

Ke Zhongyu gave a hum and said, "You know my restrictions."

Jiang Lai nodded; she had investigated this through Ke Zhongying.

Ke Zhongyu: "Watch them."

With that remark, Zhong Poqian and Assistant Zhou felt free to say they had no restrictions.

Jiang Lai recalled the local private restaurant where Master Shen celebrated his birthday last time; the setting was tranquil and the food tasted excellent.

So she made a reservation there.

Jiang Lai got into Ke Zhongyu's car.

Assistant Zhou, who usually rides with the boss, tactfully took Zhong Poqian's car, calling it a matter of not leaving Zhong Lü alone.

On the way to the restaurant, Ke Zhongying called Jiang Lai.

"Sister Jiang Lai, the old man said my thesis is approved!"

Jiang Lai could picture her excited expression and gave a faint smile, "Have you had dinner yet?"

"Not yet," Ke Zhongying said, patting her stomach, "I'm actually hungry too, let's go find food."

"Then come to my place to look for it." Jiang Lai said after hanging up, sending her the location and mentioning who would be there.

All of them are acquaintances.

Ke Zhongying arrived quickly in a low‑key Hongqi Car Car Car Car; Ke Zhongyu saw the car and asked, "Why did you think of driving this?"

Ke Zhongying chuckled, "Because I'm Sister Jiang Lai's most loyal servant!"

The ever‑busy Ke Chief didn't understand internet memes and didn't see the connection between the Hongqi Car Car Car Car and Jiang Lai.

Seeing Ke Zhongying's smug face, it was clear she was hiding some secret from him.

He looked at Jiang Lai; Ke Zhongying quickly pulled her away, saying as they walked, "Don't tell my brother about this car, or he'll come steal it!"

Jiang Lai: "?"

Ke Zhongying: "Anyway, my brother mustn't know; I have to outdo my brother!"

Jiang Lai turned her head again and asked, "Outdo him in what?"

Ke Zhongying: "Obviously, the status in your heart."

Jiang Lai couldn't help but smile, "No one can match your place in my heart."

"Really? Really?" Ke Zhongying pressed her head against Jiang Lai's shoulder again, like a coquettish kitten.

Ke Zhongyu walked behind, his face so dark it seemed it could drip water.

Zhong Poqian and Assistant Zhou, who were at the back, exchanged a glance and silently lowered their presence.

Jiang Lai's reserved private room was on the second floor; the group went up and happened to meet the Fu siblings and the Gu Zhiyan siblings emerging from the adjacent room, as well as Li Dan.

Gu Zhiyan needed to return to B City and worried about leaving his sister alone here; Lin Shutong had recently been confined by his family and wasn't allowed to go out.

He wanted to ask Li Dan to look after his sister, but Li Dan, a grown man and a playboy, wasn't suitable for accompanying her shopping, so he thought of the Fu family's eldest daughter.

The Fu family's eldest daughter worked in the Fu Brand Department, and her brother had just taken a shoot as a brand ambassador for Fu, so the two were bound to cross paths.

Fu Youqing received Gu Zhiyan's invitation and wondered whether her own ears were faulty or Gu Zhiyan's mind.

She didn't have much of a relationship with Gu Zhiyan; on a cruise before, she had even scolded him over Lin Shutong's matter.

But her father said the invitation must be accepted, and she didn't want to go alone, so she dragged her brother along.

When they arrived, they found Li Dan there, and Gu Yinxue as well.

Gu Zhiyan wanted her and Li Dan to look after Gu Yinxue, and even set aside the previous cruise scolding; Gu Zhiyan truly cared for his sister.

Just after finishing the meal and leaving the private room, they ran into the Ke siblings and Jiang Lai.

"Chief Ke, Jiang Lai," Fu Youqing greeted first.

Fu Youlin widened his eyes and shouted, "Jiang Lai! You're eating here too, dining this late?"

An unabashed concern.

Jiang Lai nodded, "Just finished."

Fu Youlin murmured discontentedly, "The Ke family is too demanding."

Jiang Lai: "I was busy with my own personal matters."

With that explanation, Fu Youlin had nothing more to say.

Jiang Lai noticed Gu Yinxue once again appraising her, a gaze unlike a photographer's assessment of a favored model.

She glanced at Gu Yinxue.

Gu Yinxue gave a slight smile, "Nice to see you again, Jiang Lai."

Jiang Lai called her Miss Gu, and Ke Zhongying also smiled and greeted her; then the two walked hand‑in‑hand into the private room.

Ke Zhongyu followed closely, his gaze steady, giving no one a look, including the warmly greeting Gu Yinxue.

Once again a warm face met a cold shoulder; Gu Zhiyan's expression grew increasingly grim.

Gu Yinxue smiled and said it was fine, watching as two subordinates followed behind Ke Zhongyu, and they all went inside.

Fu Youqing asked puzzledly, "Youlin, was the other man behind Chief Ke just now Zhong Poqian?"

She had heard of Zhong Poqian's full name.

Gu Zhiyan had also heard of him—a renowned elite lawyer known for divorce cases—but had never met him.

Ke Zhongyu is still unmarried, and sees a lawyer handling a divorce case? Could it be Jiang Lai.

Gu Zhiyan squinted.

"Brother, what's wrong?" Gu Yinxue keenly sensed that her brother was looking at Jiang Lai, which made her heart thump.

Gu Zhiyan: "Jiang Lai and Shen Xun have already finalized their divorce; why still need a lawyer? Miss Fu, do you know?"

Fu Youqing didn't know.

But she seemed to have guessed.

No way… are the Fu Family that unlucky?

"Li Dan, Lawyer Gu, Miss Gu, I'm heading back first; contact me by phone anytime." Fu Youqing grabbed her younger brother's arm and walked forward, while Fu Youlin's eyes still fixed on the private room Jiang Lai entered.

The private room's door closed.

In the hallway remained Gu Zhiyan and his sister and Li Dan; the three naturally also had to leave.

Gu Zhiyan is now heading to the airport.

Li Dan and Gu Yinxue were to see him off; in the car, Li Dan said: "Don't worry, Yin Xue, I'll take good care of you; if you have any matter, just call me immediately."

"I know." Gu Yinxue was absent‑minded; she wanted to ask her brother whether Jiang Lai looked a bit like their father, but didn't dare to speak.

Gu Zhiyan, seeing her expression, mistakenly thought it was because of Ke Zhongyu and urged her: "Ke Zhongyu isn't a good match; didn't you also say Ke Zhongyu and Jiang Lai are together?"

Li Dan slowly widened his eyes: "Chief Ke and Jiang Lai are together? Who said that? When did that happen?"

It's practically big news!

If it spreads, everyone in A City's elite circle would be shocked!

Gu Yinxue, without the mind to answer Li Dan, continued to ask Gu Zhiyan: "Brother, what do you think of Jiang Lai as a person?"

Gu Zhiyan coldly replied with four words: "Presumptuous."

He thought his sister was doubting that she couldn't match Jiang Lai, and said very seriously and affirmatively: "Although I don't approve of you liking Ke Zhongyu, Jiang Lai definitely can't compare to you; if Ke Zhongyu likes her and not you, that's Ke Zhongyu's own loss."

"Pick an orphan with no background, and still not the Gu family."

"Jiang Lai is an orphan?" Gu Yinxue only knew she was from G Province, and didn't know she was an orphan.

Gu Zhiyan: "She is an orphan, so what?"

Gu Yinxue's heart suddenly tightened.