Chapter 217: My Brother Is a Bun

Shen Xun said, "Jiang Lai won't file a lawsuit in court anytime soon."

"What do you mean?" Lin Shutong was taken aback.

Had Shen Xun sorted out Jiang Lai?

Did Jiang Lai love Shen Xun that much? She could part with over a hundred million—if it were her, she couldn't do it.

Shen Xun didn't dare tell her about his own despicable methods, and only said, "In any case, Jiang Lai won't for now, but you need to pay back the money before Jiang Lai takes any further action. Hurry up and sell your car and house in the next couple of days."

"What do you mean 'won't for now'?"

"Don't ask." Shen Xun was getting a bit irritated from being questioned. "Just do as I say. After you've sold everything, we'll discuss how much is still short."

Knowing that Jiang Lai wouldn't file a lawsuit for now, Lin Shutong's anxious heart got a temporary reprieve.

Though she wasn't happy about selling her house and car, she agreed verbally for the time being.

In her heart, she was also relieved that she could report back to her grandfather today.

Before everything was settled, Shen Xun didn't want Lin Shutong coming to look for him.

Especially since he was working with Snow during this period—if Mr. Soren saw Lin Shutong clinging to him, who knew what he'd think.

Lin Shutong had no choice but to agree.

After leaving, she called her grandfather and said, "Grandfather, A-Xun and I have already negotiated with Jiang Lai. She won't file a lawsuit for now."

"How long is 'for now'?" said Ji Lao. "Can't explain it over the phone. Come back and talk."

The next second, he hung up.

Lin Shutong's plan to hide back at her own home had failed again.

If she continued staying at the Ji Family, her grandfather would definitely find out she was pregnant.

Her heart, which had just barely relaxed, was in her throat again.

The driver didn't listen to her instructions at all and headed straight for the Ji Family.

……

Cui Zhai.

Before Jiang Lai and her shifu's wife had lunch, Mo Yi called to say she'd ordered a cake to be delivered over.

Jiang Lai crunched through the snow to the door and saw a tall, handsome guy in a black uniform. After confirming the information, he brought out a square white box with a low-key, refined brand logo hot-stamped on the box and ribbon.

There was even a brief handover ceremony, and he left after the handover was complete.

Jiang Lai carried the cake inside. Her shifu's wife didn't even ask, but said directly, "Ordered by the Young Master of the Ke Family?"

Jiang Lai said, "It was Mo Yi."

Her shifu's wife: "Isn't that the nanny the Ke Family Young Master sent over to take care of you? Mo Yi's meaning is also the Ke Family Young Master's meaning. You two have gotten quite close."

Jiang Lai lowered her eyes, thought of the key pendant hanging on her chest, and said, "We're friends."

Her shifu's wife smiled: "What are you so nervous about? I think he treats you pretty well."

Jiang Lai: "You used to say Shen Xun treated me pretty well too."

Her shifu's wife: "Don't mention that jinx. Go eat."

Jiang Lai smiled: "Okay."

After lunch, Jiang Lai received the flight information sent by Secretary Guan.

A four o'clock afternoon flight, direct from A City to G Province took three hours, and a hotel had been booked for her as well.

Jiang Lai replied that there was no need to book a hotel. Once she arrived at the provincial capital of G Province, she still had to take a half-hour high-speed train, then catch a cab to Fuli Yuan. She'd arrive that evening.

Secretary Guan hadn't expected it to be this complicated and was about to offer to buy the high-speed train ticket, but Jiang Lai had already bought it.

Getting to the airport would take some time too. Jiang Lai finished the cake with her shifu's wife, then went back to pack her luggage. When Mo Yi learned she was going back to G Province, she kept reminding her to eat well and dress warmly, and worried she wouldn't remember, even wanted to go along with her.

Jiang Lai promised her she'd definitely eat well and dress warmly, and only then did Mo Yi feel a bit reassured.

Ke Chongying hugged her and pretended to cry: "Wahhhhh, when you're gone, what'll I do if my brother bullies me? He never has a nice word to say. Only you can make him shut up and act like a decent human being."

Jiang Lai: "Does your brother know you slander him like this behind his back?"

Ke Chongying giggled: "He knows."

Jiang Lai said, "I need to go. I'm worried about missing the flight."

"Okay." Ke Chongying stood at the door saying bye-bye, looking like a little yellow daylily left behind at home, her face full of pity.

Mo Yi was amused: "Miss, if Ms. Nian and the sir saw you like this, their hearts would probably break."

"Those two wouldn't break at all. My dad wishes he could be in his own little world with my mom every day." Ke Chongying actually didn't quite understand. "Mo Yi, you've been with the Ke Family for so many years, and my dad and mom have been married for so many years—how are they still so lovey-dovey?"

"Because Ms. Nian and the sir didn't marry because they had a foundation of feelings."

"Then what was it?"

Mo Yi said, "A marriage alliance. The relationship between Ms. Nian and the sir has it all—marriage first, love later, and running off with a bun in the oven."

"Wh-what!" Ke Chongying stammered. She'd never known. She only knew that for as long as she could remember, her parents had been very much in love.

Mo Yi nodded: "Mm, the Young Master is that bun."

Ke Chongying: "That's so explosive!"

Mo Yi knew she wanted to ask, but it wasn't her place to say, so she quickly waved her hands: "Don't ask me, don't ask me."

They didn't dare discuss their employers' affairs too much.

Ke Chongying wouldn't let it go: "Then tell me about the bun. How old was my brother—this 'bun'—when he recognized his dad?"

Mo Yi opened her mouth, closed it, then opened it again: "The sir was rather capable. He found the Young Master before he was even one year old, so the Young Master has no memory of being a 'bun.'"

Ke Chongying immediately laughed out loud and right away changed her brother's contact note to: My Brother Is a Bun.

……

Airport.

Jiang Lai hadn't looked at the flight information closely and headed straight for the check-in counter. The staff at the counter said she'd gone to the wrong one—she should go to the exclusive first-class check-in counter.

First class?

She was personally escorted over, and after checking in went through the VIP security lane, to the lounge, and boarded the plane ahead of everyone else.

Spacious seats, and dinner of her choice.

Jiang Lai looked at the menu handed to her and suddenly thought of what Mo Yi had said.

It's the same plane, the food can't be that different...

She suddenly realized that everyone around her seemed to be trying every way possible to get her and Ke Zhongyu to meet.

The flight attendant called out to her; she snapped back, ordered dinner, and went back to pretending to sleep.

After eating dinner on the plane, she pretended to sleep a while longer, and the plane was about to land.

Out of the airport, a gust of cold wind blew against her face.

G Province had no snow, but it was unusually cold.

She adjusted her scarf, pushed her suitcase to take the subway, went through ticket check at the high-speed rail station, arrived at K City at half past eight, then called a car on her phone to go to Fuli Yuan.

It was already past nine when she arrived at Fuli Yuan; the old man guarding the gate was taken aback to see her.

"Jiang Lai! Why did you come back all of a sudden! Dean Tang didn't say anything in advance either—oh quick, come in, come in, I'll call Dean Tang right now."

The old man spoke in dialect, and Jiang Lai replied in dialect too: "No need, I'll go over myself, you sit tight."

The wheels of the suitcase rumbled over the concrete ground; a light came on in a room that had already gone dark, a window opened, and a head poked out.

Jiang Lai looked up.

"Dean Mom."

Dean Tang rubbed her eyes, looked at the person under the streetlight—it really was Jiang Lai—and immediately threw on clothes and came down.

"I just heard a noise and was wondering if there was a thief in the middle of the night—didn't you say you'd come back for New Year's? Why come back early, and without a word—your hands must be red from the cold, warm them up first." Dean Tang opened her clothes and tucked Jiang Lai's hands under her arm.

Jiang Lai thought of when she was little and occasionally shared a bed with Dean Mom, each sleeping at one end, just so she could tuck her feet under Dean Mom's arm.

"I'm not cold, let's go up first, Dean Mom." Jiang Lai held her hand with one hand and dragged the suitcase up with the other.

Conditions at the orphanage were better now; everyone slept in wooden bunk beds, and Dean Mom was no exception, though she had a room to herself.

"You sleep on the top bunk tonight, and tomorrow I'll get a room ready for you—there are spare rooms now."

"Okay."

"Are you hungry? Have you eaten? If not, I'll go make you some rice noodles."

"Don't go to trouble, Dean Mom, I ate on the plane. Let me rest first."

"Good, good, good, you must be tired."

Jiang Lai lay on the top bunk and only then picked up her phone to check messages, replying one by one that she had arrived, and also sent her location to her shifu's wife and Uncle Deng.

After thinking it over, she sent it to Ke Zhongying too.

Ke Zhongying, having gotten first-hand intel, went to show off in front of her older brother again.

Showing off was one thing, but she wouldn't tell her brother the location without Sister Jiang Lai's permission.

Her brother couldn't even rank in her heart anymore.

Jiang Lai received a message from Ke Zhongyu.

【Arrived?】

Jiang Lai: 【Arrived】

Ke Zhongyu: 【Rest early】

Ke Zhongyu: 【If you need information support, tell Assistant Zhou directly in the group; if you need legal support, raise it with Zhong Poqian】

Ke Zhongyu: 【It's what they should do—they can't take your money for nothing】

Jiang Lai: 【Assistant Zhou didn't take my money】

Ke Zhongyu typed: He took mine.

Deleted it.

Ke Zhongyu: 【Handling the client's issues is also part of his job responsibilities】

This reason seemed fine at first glance, but on closer thought was a bit of a stretch.

Jiang Lai didn't say anything more, just replied: 【Good night】

Early the next morning.

Jiang Lai opened her eyes early, looked down—Dean Mom was already up, probably gone to take the little ones to breakfast.

She got ready and went to the cafeteria.

The little ones, from youngest to oldest, stood in an orderly line at the window, waiting for the cafeteria auntie's breakfast.

Today was a school day; the ones old enough were at school.

Just then an older child spotted Jiang Lai and shouted: "Sister A Lai!"

The other children all turned around and swarmed toward her; someone tripped midway.

Not pushed over, but because of a physical disability.

Jiang Lai was startled and hurried over; the other children also ran over, helped the fallen one up, and even dusted off her knees.

"Go line up and eat first, we'll talk after you finish eating."

"Okay!"

The children said in unison.

Dean Tang's eyes lit up when she saw Jiang Lai: "I didn't look closely last night—your complexion has gotten better, and you've put on a little weight, gotten even prettier. There's a saying that popularity nourishes a person; after the project succeeded, your whole self has brightened up."

"It's not popularity that nourishes a person," Jiang Lai explained. "It's the people around you and the energy field that nourish you."

She looked at the aunties serving food at the window wearing masks and noticed there was one more than last year, so she asked: "A new hire?"

"No, she's a photographer who came to our Fuli Yuan to shoot a promotional video, arrived a few days before you. I was just thinking of introducing you two—she said she came from A City."

"A photographer from A City?"

"Yes, surname Gu."