Chapter 265: A qualified ex-husband should be as good as dead

Tonight, too many people are destined to stay awake.

Gu Yinxue fears her father will run into Jiang Lai, while Gu Zhiyan worries that Lin Shutong cannot bear the consequences of losing the lawsuit.

Lin Shutong sat outside Ji Lao's door for half the night, yet still could not step inside.

Moreover, the sum of 120 million, along with the cars, houses, and jewelry, awaits her repayment.

Fifteen days.

Only fifteen days!

Lin Shutong spent the night sleepless, scrambling to piece together funds, even considering asking Lu Hongyuan for an advance on research fees—but Lu Hongyuan, an old slickster, would never give her; the previous five million had already been the utmost he could do.

Indeed, many people transferred money to her, but it was merely a drop in the bucket; that astronomical figure was like a leaky tub that could never be filled.

Lin Shutong once broke down to the point of wanting to go mad in the hospital, but the hospital forbids noise.

Shen Xun ignored her and switched off his phone.

A man who hadn't smoked in four years stood by the hospital's trash can, smoking half the night and breathing in the cold wind, his hands numb from the freeze and his eyes red from the blast.

Amid the swirling smoke, he coughed a few times, his stomach aching from the coughing.

Until the early morning, he made a trip to Nanshan Villa Number Eleven, washed up and brushed his teeth, then went to the gate of Nanshan Villa Number Nine.

Two dogs lay in the yard's den; at the slightest movement they sprang up, and upon smelling a familiar scent they bared their fangs.

Shen Xun stopped in his tracks, his gaze fixed on this ordinary three-story villa, every room dim and gloomy.

But he knew that at six o'clock, the room where Jiang Lai stayed would surely light up a lamp, regardless of spring, summer, autumn, or winter—it was always the same.

Shen Xun waited quietly, hoping to see which room's light would turn on at six.

Yet he had miscalculated.

At six, the entire villa remained asleep.

At six fifty, the light that came on was actually on the first floor—a floor the villa's owner never occupied.

That was not Jiang Lai.

Had Jiang Lai moved out?

Shen Xun felt a surge of panic, yet the two dogs were still there—would Jiang Lai really move out without taking them?

Not until seven-thirty did Shen Xun see a light come on in a second-floor room.

That was Jiang Lai.

Jiang Lai actually got up at seven-thirty.

Indeed, Jiang Lai no longer needs to rise to make breakfast; she has a maid.

The more Shen Xun thought about it, the worse he felt.

As he saw the courtyard gate about to open, he quickly darted to the side, afraid of being seen and driven away.

He only wanted to come and see Jiang Lai.

Mo Yi opened the gate, then turned back inside, while Shen Xun continued to stand at the doorway, peeking at Jiang Lai's life.

"Miss Jiang is up; breakfast is ready."

"Okay, thank you, Mo Yi."

"You're welcome, you're welcome—I'm getting paid for this."

"Mo Yi, come over quickly."

"Coming, coming—Miss Jiang, you don't need to wait for me."

"It's fine; the more people eating breakfast, the better."

"Then from now on, have the Young Master come over to eat together."

Shen Xun listened to the muffled conversation and could picture Jiang Lai saying those words—though she didn't smile much, when she spoke she always looked at the person, her eyes clear.

The maid's "Young Master" referred to Ke Zhongyu, but he didn't hear Jiang Lai's reply afterward.

In fact, while Jiang Lai sat in her chair, she nodded slightly and let out a short "mn" from her nose.

Mo Yi blinked, then said happily, "Miss Jiang, you agreed?"

Jiang Lai lowered her eyes, sipping her porridge, nodded again, and before Mo Yi could tell Ke Zhongyu, she added, "Dinner too."

"All right!" Mo Yi's eyes crinkled into a smile.

Jiang Lai: "I'll be moving in a little over a week."

Such opportunities don't come often.

The construction at Yanping Road Number Ten Courtyard is finished; she just needs to find time to go over and confirm it.

She'll go after work today.

She told Mo Yi about it; dinner will likely be later, and if Ke Zhongyu comes home first, he doesn't need to wait for her.

Mo Yi nodded to show she understood, then told their Young Master, "Miss Jiang's dinner will be later today; if you're hungry, Young Master, grab something to tide yourself over."

When Ke Zhongyu saw that message, he had just gotten into his car, intending to pick up Jiang Lai for work.

He asked Mo Yi what Jiang Lai was going to do; knowing she was headed to Yanping Road to inspect the house, Ke Zhongyu's eyes shifted and he told the driver, "After dropping off Jiang Lai, go take care of something at the old residence."

The driver nodded.

As the car approached Villa Number Nine, the driver spotted Shen Xun and said to Ke Zhongyu in the back seat,

The car stopped, Jiang Lai had gathered her things and came out, and the three collided head-on.

Ke Zhongyu usually waits in the car for Jiang Lai to come up, but this time he actually got out, his icy gaze sweeping over Shen Xun.

How unlucky.

"Jiang Lai, good morning," Shen Xun greeted hoarsely, as if they had only just met.

Jiang Lai gave him only a glance, offered no reply, and bowed her head into the car.

Ke Zhongyu, as always, walked behind Jiang Lai, his tall, slender frame shielding her completely.

Shen Xun hurriedly said: "Jiang Lai, I—I was wrong before. I don't dare hope we can return to the past, nor do I dare hope you'll forgive me, but… can you please not ignore me?"

Whether it was his pleading tone or his remorseful appearance, he looked very pitiful.

Jiang Lai glanced back at him: "You're no longer in my life, Shen Xun."

Ke Zhongyu: "A qualified ex‑husband should be as quiet as a dead person."

Shen Xun's eyes were bloodshot.

"Jiang Lai."

He shouted her name in anguish, receiving no reply.

As the car drove away, Shen Xun shouted loudly, "Jiang Lai!"

With that shout, tears also came out.

The driver watched the shrinking figure in the rearview mirror, as if he too let out a hoarse cry.

Ke Zhongyu furrowed his brows tightly.

He suddenly spoke: "Jiang Lai, can a broken mirror be made whole again?"

Beneath his calm voice lay a hint of unease.

After all, four years of feelings.

He envied those damned four years.

Jiang Lai understood his implication and replied: "If someone pieces together a broken mirror bit by bit, the mirror will become whole again."

Ke Zhongyu's breath caught.

Jiang Lai: "But a glued‑together mirror always has cracks; the cracks won't reflect my true self. I don't know whether others like the beauty of a repaired mirror, but I don't, and I don't want to lose sight of myself again."

Ke Zhongyu suddenly exhaled, and his previously tense body gradually relaxed.

"A shattered mirror isn't worth picking up; you can just buy a new one."

Jiang Lai quietly gazed at him, after a long while shifted her gaze, gave an "hmm," and said nothing more.

The two entered Ke Clan together; after passing through the first‑floor lobby they went their separate ways, Jiang Lai heading to the underground lab and Ke Zhongyu to the CEO's office.

Around noon, Chi Ce appeared in Ke Clan's CEO office; Zhong Poqian was also there.

"What a coincidence? Zhong Lü."

"Good afternoon, Doctor Chi."

Chi Ce sat on the sofa, began recounting what he had heard at Fuli Yuan, emphasizing: "Miss Jiang was abandoned wrapped in a baby boy's blanket—was it son preference?"

"Abandoned?" Zhong Poqian asked, "Doctor Jiang, exactly which year were you picked up?"

Ke Zhongyu stated Jiang Lai's registered birth year and month.

Zhong Poqian exclaimed, "That year?"

Ke Zhongyu: "How so?"

Zhong Poqian: "Nothing much, just recalling that year our country amended the laws on abandonment."