Chapter 251: One Can Be Open and Upright

Even though Gu Yinxue said that, Lin Shutong felt no joy at all; deep down she knew she couldn't win the lawsuit, and hired a lawyer only to reduce the repayment amount.

So she was still short on money.

Lin Shutong's gaze fell on Gu Zhiyan's face.

Gu Zhiyan sensed her looking at him and asked softly, "What's wrong?"

Lin Shutong shook her head lightly and said to the siblings, "Thank you for believing in me, and thank you for being willing to help. Jiang Lai now holds a high position, and Chief Ke is by her side; I am…"

She lowered her eyes and whispered, "I can only lose to her."

Gu Zhiyan furrowed his brow, "Has Ke Zhongyu been involved all along?"

Lin Shutong nodded, "The lawyers around Jiang Lai were hired by Chief Ke."

Gu Zhiyan turned his head to glance at his sister, fearing she was upset.

Gu Yinxue curled her lip into a smile, "When I last visited Ms. Nian, Ke Zhongyu had already taken Jiang Lai to meet the parents; their relationship seemed fine."

"I told him he's not worth it." Gu Zhiyan felt both for his sister and worried about Lin Shutong's health and what lay ahead, asking what Meng Lü said; he planned to meet Meng Lü.

The investment contract consisted of only one picture; he hadn't seen the full content and kept feeling something was off.

Lin Shutong hurriedly said, "No need, Zhi Yan."

Gu Yinxue glanced at Lin Shutong, then at Gu Zhiyan, "Brother, just leave this to Lawyer Meng. Since you have free time, stay longer in the hospital with Shutong. She just lost a child because of Shen Xun; I've been busy these two days, and Fu Family's shoot is about to start."

Gu Zhiyan nodded, "Alright, take care of your rest, don't overexert yourself, and wherever you go, remember to bring medicine on you."

"I understand." Gu Yinxue gave her brother a brief hug, then at the bedside said to Lin Shutong, "If you need anything, just call my brother; I think he'll be happy to help."

Lin Shutong looked up, "Thank you, Yin Xue."

Gu Yinxue replied, "Friends don't need to say that."

She left the ward.

As she exited the hospital, she called Lawyer Meng and instructed, "No matter how bad or complicated Lin Shutong's situation gets, do everything possible to lessen her damage, especially to her reputation; that's very important to me."

If Lin Shutong's name is tarnished, not only would being with her brother be a problem, even being a simple friend would draw scolding from the elders in the family.

Moreover, on this return to B City, her father's question made her uneasy.

"What about A City makes you two siblings so concerned? You're both back, yet you rush over again."

Obviously her father didn't fully believe it was work‑related.

It was even clearer on her brother's side; last time he used the Gu family's connections to help Ji Lao and Lin Shutong, and their father and uncle knew. But his brother was no longer a rash youth in his twenties; some matters must be let go, so they didn't press further.

Gu Yinxue went to the Fu Family.

Seeing Fu Youqing again, Fu Youqing noticed her complexion was off and, before she could ask whether Fu Youqing had contacted the artist, Fu Youqing asked her a question.

"Did you just come back from G Province?"

Gu Yinxue slightly twisted her lip, "B City, I went home to see my parents."

Fu Youqing asked, "Did the promo shoot finish that fast? Less than ten days, shuttling between G Province, B City, and A City."

Gu Yinxue replied, "It's not done yet; I'll go again when I have time."

"Is it to shoot the promo or to see where Jiang Lai grew up?" After all, she's a Gu family heiress, so Fu Youqing phrased it gently, avoiding the word "investigate."

Gu Yinxue couldn't hide it and openly admitted, "Both, I guess. I really want to know what's special about the woman Ke Zhongyu likes; they say to understand a person you must first know her past."

Fu Youqing gave her seven words, "You may be open and upright."

The two stood in the corridor, giving off a vibe of a capitalist heiress confronting another; the other staff barely dared to pass by.

Gu Yinxue said calmly, "Come to think of it, Ms. Nian once had Ke Zhongyu try to get in touch with you, and now Ke Zhongyu is with Jiang Lai; Star Universe Technology lost a top general, which seems also because Jiang Lai wouldn't let go."

"So?" Fu Youqing's scrutinizing gaze measured her from head to toe, "I'm not interested in chewing on a hard bone like Chief Ke. As for Shen Xun's matter, he's brought it on himself; if we keep him around in this state, Star Universe Technology's future would truly be worrisome."

Gu Yinxue replied, "Director Gu is right; my mind wasn't clear."

Their conversation ended there, and Fu Youqing watched her enter the conference room, her gaze deepening.

Gu Yinxue was inscrutable; she seemed sincere, yet it was hard to tell how much was genuine.

She was more scheming than Gu Zhiyan, and more like a Gu family member than Gu Zhiyan.

Before entering the conference room, Fu Youqing messaged her brother, asking him to forward Jiang Lai's contact info to her.

Her brother didn't reply.

She then went to find Chi Ce.

Chi Ce replied instantly, saying he needed the person's consent first; Fu Youqing had no objection.

Immediately after, Chi Ce sent a photo—a picture of her brother receiving oxygen.

Fu Youqing: "Are you in G Province?"

Chi Ce: "There's a little patient here."

Fu Youqing: "Why is Youlin suffering such altitude sickness? Check him; if needed, give medicine. Had we known his reaction, we wouldn't have sent him. If it's hopeless, bring him back early."

Chi Ce: "It's fine; besides me, Fuli Yuan now has other doctors."

Chi Ce: "Miss Fu, why did you think of needing Miss Jiang's contact?"

Fu Youqing: "Matters between girls, you don't need to mind."

She set her phone down, entered the conference room, and after the meeting, when she picked up the phone, Chi Ce had already, with Jiang Lai's consent, sent over a friend's business card.

She added Jiang Lai.

On the other side, her brother also gave her a card with the same name and avatar; Fu Youqing had already added it, didn't click further, and instead called her brother to ask about his health.

Fu Youlin was already adapting, feeling okay; he hadn't expected the altitude sickness to be so severe, but he remained optimistic and thought the trip was worthwhile.

The siblings hung up; Fu Youqing saw Jiang Lai had accepted her friend request and sent a "Hello" sticker.

Jiang Lai replied in text, "Hello, Miss Fu."

Fu Youqing: "Dr. Jiang, you're polite. I added you to discuss something; you remember the matter my brother told you last time, right?"

Jiang Lai looked at Fu Youqing's incoming messages, puzzled, just typed "What is it" when a string of replies started popping up.

It turns out to be Gu Yinxue's matter.

She replied: 【I met her at the Fuli Yuan, she indeed went to investigate me】

Fu Youqing: 【You know, that's fine; in the future, when you deal with Gu Yinxue, keep your wits about you】

Jiang Lai had always had a good impression of the Fu siblings, and replied to Fu Youqing with: 【Thank you】

Fu Youqing: 【Don't mention it; just don't hang yourself on a tree named Ke Zhongyu, there are plenty of men out there—for example, my brother is not bad, sunny and handsome, young and energetic】

Jiang Lai understood; Fu Youqing wanted to match her with Fu Youlin, and also thought she and Ke Zhongyu were still "boyfriend and girlfriend".

She did not reply immediately.

Fu Youqing sent another picture and said: 【I think you should want to see this】