Chapter 213: Wearing It Playfully

Lin Shutong's heart leapt to her throat.

Ji Lao: "What do you mean 'we'? What does our Ji Family need him to manage?"

A mere office manager, still trying to boss him around?

Lin Shutong let out a sigh of relief.

Thank goodness, her grandfather didn't suspect her pregnancy.

Ji Lao had her examine the lawyer's letter date: "In two days, if you can't come up with this money, Jiang Lai's lawyer will file suit! 111.8 million—tell me, where are you going to get that much to repay?"

Lin Shutong was stunned by the shouting, and tears welled up instantly.

"Grandpa, you've never been this fierce with me."

She felt utterly wronged.

"What good does crying do?"

This time her grandfather was truly angry, offering no comfort.

"Jiang Lai didn't just send me a lawyer's letter; she sent one to Ah Xun too. She and Ah Xun are divorced, but this debt must be repaid by both of us together."

"Then you don't want to pay it back?" Ji Lao retorted, his gaze toward his granddaughter full of disappointed hope.

"If the ten-day deadline passes and you two still can't pay, Jiang Lai's lawyer will sue immediately. Do you know who Zhong Poqian is?"

"He's been hot lately, famous for specializing in divorce cases—recovering marital property falls under divorce disputes. You've kicked against an iron plate with Shen Xun, don't you realize!"

He hadn't expected Jiang Lai could even retain Zhong Poqian; other lawyers he could influence with connections and pressure, but Zhong Poqian is different—he's money‑hungry, loves the spotlight, and the tougher the case and opponent, the harder he fights, as if collecting battle medals for himself.

Such a person can be called terrifying.

Where on earth did Jiang Lai find these oddballs?

One Ke Zhongyu, one Zhong Poqian…

Just thinking about it gave Ji Lao a heart attack.

"Go see Jiang Lai right now with Shen Xun and settle this privately."

Lin Shutong parted her lips slightly; it wasn't a question of whether to negotiate, but that she couldn't pay—she couldn't even afford half of the 100 million.

Isn't there any way she wouldn't have to repay it?

Can't Shen Xun just take care of it all?

She's carrying his child!

"Grandpa…"

"Just go tomorrow!" Ji Lao didn't give Lin Shutong a chance to object, "If you don't handle this private settlement after negotiations, you're no longer my granddaughter, Ji Xiu cheng's granddaughter!"

How could that be acceptable!

Lin Shutong was terrified.

Without her grandfather's backing, what's the difference between her and those expendable pawns anyone can manipulate?

"I'll go, I'll go tomorrow." She agreed first, whatever the case.

Seeing she was also scared, Ji Lao eased his expression a bit.

Seeing that, Lin Shutong said it was getting late and she should head back, otherwise staying overnight might reveal her premarital pregnancy.

Actually home wasn't any better; her parents didn't blame her outright, but they wanted her to decide quickly—either marry Shen Xun or terminate the pregnancy.

"What's there to go back to?" Ji Lao wouldn't let her leave, "Tomorrow morning I'll have the driver take you to see Jiang Lai to discuss this. No matter what you do—even if you beg her—we can't let it go to litigation."

"Beg her?" How could that be possible!

How could she possibly go beg Jiang Lai!

Lin Shutong stiffened her neck and stayed silent; Ji Lao saw her reluctance and said sternly, "If we reach litigation, I'll cultivate someone else instead."

Meaning he would abandon her and no longer pave her way.

Lin Shutong shouted in terror, "Grandpa!"

"Figure it out yourself." Ji Lao tossed off that remark and left the study.

…

Airport.

Ke Zhongyu's first act after landing was to open his phone and see Secretary Guan's message.

【President Ke! Today is Dr. Jiang's birthday; you land at 10:10, leaving one hour fifty minutes to prepare a birthday gift.】

【Option 1: Give money】

【Option 2: Give yourself】

【Option 3: Give money and yourself】

He had even recalled a message midway.

Ke Zhong stared at the eight characters "Today is Dr. Jiang's birthday," turned to Secretary Qian and said, "Today is Jiang Lai's birthday; there are still one hour forty-six minutes until her birthday ends."

Secretary Qian quickly grasped her boss's need: how to give Dr. Jiang a surprise or birthday present in such a short time.

"President Ke, with your wealth and resources, you could pull off any surprise or gift for Dr. Jiang within an hour, but I think you'd worry about scaring her."

Ke Zhongyu's steps paused slightly; he gave her another look: "Continue."

"What exactly to give—President Ke, you should decide what's meaningful." Secretary Qian pondered, "For reference, you could treat Shen Xun, president of Star Universe Technology, as a negative example."

That was exactly what Ms. Nian had said.

Ke Zhongyu grunted, an idea forming in his mind.

Exiting the VIP passage, Assistant Zhou was already waiting; he opened the car door, President Ke took the back seat, and Secretary Qian sat in the front passenger.

Without President Ke saying so, Assistant Zhou knew they were headed to Nanshan Villa No. 9.

Ke Zhongyu gazed at the snow outside the window and asked about the evening's social engagements.

Assistant Zhou didn't follow up; he wasn't clear on the details, but on the way to the airport he had already phoned Secretary Guan to get the full story.

He knew President Ke would certainly inquire.

Assistant Zhou relayed:

President Shen forced Miss Jiang to hold his arm, and Miss Jiang told him to behave.

Miss Jiang introduced herself to Si nuo de suo lun as Jiang Lai, not anyone's wife.

President Shen blamed Miss Jiang for not calling him President Shen, and Miss Jiang called him her ex-husband.

President Shen wanted to teach Miss Jiang to dance, and Miss Jiang said he was dirty.

President Shen wanted to use the crowd's commotion to get close to Miss Jiang, and Miss Jiang told him to first produce 118,000,000 yuan in research funds.

President Shen again used Ping'an to detain people, and Miss Jiang left gracefully.

Ke Zhongyu's brows would furrow at times and relax at times; overall, his brows relaxed more, because Jiang Lai not only spoke up, but also didn't fall into Shen Xun's trap.

The car stopped at the entrance of Nanshan Shu Jiuhao.

Ke Zhongyu got out of the car, without an umbrella, striding forward amidst the dancing snowflakes.

The door had a crack; he raised his hand and lightly knocked once, and from inside came the voices of Mo Yi and his younger sister.

"Is the Young Master back?"

"It must be my older brother returning!"

He pushed the door open, and everyone looked toward him, including the two dogs lying on the carpet.

When Jiang Lai turned her head, her face was speckled with white cream, a dab on the left cheek and a dab on the right cheek.

They seemed to have finished dinner and were now eating cake.

A four-inch blueberry mousse cake.

It was very small.

On the white plate there was also a small piece.

Ke Zhongyu walked over.

As the man drew near, Jiang Lai sensed a chill blowing toward her, with a few tiny snowflakes clinging to her hair and shoulders.

She lifted the small cake from the plate: "Yours, Ke Zhongyu."

"Did you leave this for me?" the man said in a light voice, his brows deep, reaching out to take it.

Jiang Lai nodded lightly.

Mo Yi said from the side, "When Miss Jiang divided the cake, she cut four portions, specially saving one for the Young Master."

Ke Zhongying nodded vigorously.

Ke Zhongyu dipped his finger in a bit of cream and lightly touched it to Jiang Lai's nose tip.

Jiang Lai blinked in surprise.

"Happy birthday." As the words fell, an antique bronze filigree key necklace dropped from Ke Zhongyu's hand in front of Jiang Lai's face, a pigeon's-blood ruby set in the center of the key.

"It's a birthday gift; it can't open doors, but the gem in the middle is still worth some money."

"Just wear it for fun."

Ke Zhongying stared intently and saw that the key seemed to bear the Ke clan's totem.