Chapter 259: I Have Two Mothers

Jiang Lai and Ke Zhongyu embraced in the middle of the crowd, Ke Zhongyu's palm lightly resting on her back, Jiang Lai's hands slightly lifted, not knowing where to place them.

Everyone was watching, but their expressions varied.

Ke Zhongying took out a phone, quietly snapped a photo of the two, fearing others would notice, so it was blurry, yet the blur gave a strong atmosphere, especially since they wore matching white shirts, differing only in size—one large, one small.

One had an aristocratic temperament, the other was cool and quiet.

Miss Fu slightly clicked her tongue, Chi Ce uttered a questioning syllable, and Miss Fu stubbornly thought: "I always feel that a cool, great beauty should be paired with a little sunshine of the mortal world."

Chi Ce let out a mute laugh, helplessly said: "Then let the cold‑noodle King of Hell and the mortal little sunshine each rely on their own abilities."

Wang Ruohua and Butler Deng exchanged a glance, their expressions somewhat complex, yet they said nothing, focusing more on the victory Jiang Lai had secured for herself.

After signing, Shen Xun hurriedly stepped forward to chase Jiang Lai, and the moment he looked up he saw the embracing pair, especially Ke Zhongyu's cold and provocative gaze staring straight at him.

Shen Xun's foot paused, stopping on one step, staring blankly at the two.

The two separated.

Jiang Lai saw Ke Zhongyu's eyes flicker, looked away, and just then saw Shen Xun walking up.

This was a hallway; Jiang Lai said to the people beside her, "Let's talk after we go out."

The crowd escorted Jiang Lai out, especially Ke Zhongying and Xiao Qian, each holding one hand, chatting and laughing.

Ke Zhongyu walked to the very end; his stature was tall, completely covering Jiang Lai who was ahead.

Shen Xun knew Jiang Lai was right ahead, but he couldn't see a single edge of her clothing.

Just a short dozen steps, a dozen paces, yet it felt so distant, leaving him unable to catch up.

In the courtroom, people had mostly left; Shen's father stared at Shen Xun.

Shen Xun walked toward his father, lowered his eyes and gave himself a hard slap: "Dad, I'm sorry."

He had not acted according to his father's wishes, had not defended himself, and had not gotten the judge to reject Jiang Lai's claim that he shouldn't share the property.

Shen's father looked at his flushed face, his voice cold: "Do you know your mother still needs surgery! How much for the operation and treatment! How can you let Jiang Lai take all the money? Even if you only give her a tenth, that's nearly twenty million; even a one percent is two million!"

Shen Xun, hoarsely, said: "I owe her."

Shen's father: "What about your parents!"

Shen Xun looked up at his father: "Mother's operation and subsequent treatment costs are almost settled, no need to worry."

Shen's father: "The operation and treatment costs are covered, but our house and car are gone, what about our food, clothing, shelter, and transport?"

Shen Xun: "Nanshan Shu Jiuhao I have already paid a full year's rent, so at least for this year we won't be without a place to stay; the rest… I'll find a way."

Shen's father, seeing his son shoulder all the responsibility, felt both angry and pained, flicked his sleeve and said: "Enough, let's discuss it at home."

The two exited the courtroom; the sky remained gloomy, yet Jiang Lai and the others standing beside the cars at the courthouse entrance wore smiles that cut through the dark clouds like sunlight.

Shen Xun stared in a daze.

The next second, Jiang Lai's profile was again blocked by Ke Zhongyu's tall, slender figure.

At the same time, Ke Zhongyu turned his head, his cold gaze filled with intense aggression, like a beast guarding its food.

Shen Xun's heart startled.

From beginning to end he could never meet Ke Zhongyu's aggressively piercing eyes, just as vassals dare not look directly at the emperor.

Jiang Lai did not notice Shen Xun's gaze, just as Uncle Deng said, from now on a rebirth.

In her rebirth, without Shen Xun, her brain automatically ignores anything about Shen Xun.

Jiang Lai was pulled aside by the senior mistress and listened attentively to her teachings.

"Even Master Shen knows about your court case; he's very concerned about you. Later, give him a call, let him know, so the stone in his heart can settle."

"Also, many people came to accompany you today; after the trial ends with a complete victory, you must treat everyone to a meal, understand?" Wang Ruohua always remembered that in the letter her husband left her, it said Jiang Lai was orphaned and alone, having only ever known to bury herself in study; people said studying makes one foolish, and sometimes it truly was, so no one taught Jiang Lai the so‑called ways of the world.

One day as a teacher, forever as a father; one day as a teacher's wife, forever as a mother—since they are teachers, they must treat Jiang Lai as their own child.

"Butler Deng has already booked a restaurant; regardless of how many can make it, even if only one friend, they must go. Those who can't attend can buy small gifts—price doesn't matter, it's the thought that counts. Relationships are built through such give‑and‑take, gradually forming deep friendship."

"Deng and I are of our age, so we won't go; otherwise you young people would be too restrained," Wang Ruohua patted Jiang Lai's arm, "Got it?"

Jiang Lai gratefully said, "Thank you, senior mistress."

Wang Ruohua smiled knowingly: "Family—no need to say much; we just hope you are safe and happy. Rest assured, the restaurant bill wasn't paid for you; you pay yourself."

Jiang Lai nodded, embraced the senior mistress again, eyes brimming with tears, and said, "Senior mistress, on this trip back to G Province, Dean Mom told me how she found me back then and raised me. I always thought I was an orphan with no parents; I think that belief may have been wrong."

"In fact I have two mothers; you raised and nurtured me one after the other."

Wang Ruohua and her husband devoted their lives to scholarship, childless, and when they reached old age they suddenly gained a daughter like Jiang Lai, which comforted the latter part of their lives.

"Your friends are still waiting for you, go." Wang Ruohua patted her back and let go.

Butler Deng opened the car door, and she stepped inside.

As the window rolled down, everyone standing beside Jiang Lai waved politely at her.

The car slowly moved forward, the window closing again.

Wang Ruohua sighed to Butler Deng, "If Old Cui could see this scene, he would be so delighted deep in his heart."

Back then, Old Cui would mutter about Jiang Lai in front of her: "That little girl seems to be missing a nerve in her brain, never fitting in, never dating or socializing; her circle of friends is as clean as a freshly formatted drive. I fear that when I'm gone, I'll never see the day she interacts normally with people and gathers a crowd of friends."

"She spends every day stuck in the lab as a competition king; everyone else writing papers ends up bald and questioning life, scratching their heads to cobble together academic trash. She, however, churns out papers like wholesale goods, directly depriving me, as her mentor, of the joy of guiding greatness and berating academic rubbish!"

The more Wang Ruohua thought about it, the funnier it seemed; she told Butler Deng, who also laughed with his eyes squinting.

Jiang Lai watched the senior mistress's car disappear into the distant traffic, then turned to everyone and said, "Thank you all for being with me today; I'd like to treat you to lunch."

The crowd had no objections.

Ke Zhongyu slightly frowned; he alone had no time.

In the afternoon he had to receive elders for his parents, and in the evening he had to dine with the elders.

That elder was Gu Zhiyan and Gu Yinxue's father, Gu Sen.