Chapter 268: Shen Xun Trapped in Place, Jiang Lai Already Moving Forward

Shen Xun didn't think much of it — perhaps it wasn't that it didn't hurt, but that the pain of his mouth ulcers could no longer compare to the sorrow in his heart.

He had indeed been very stressed lately.

Mother Shen looked at her son, who had lost a lot of weight recently, and a flash of heartache crossed her eyes as she asked him, "Have you sorted things out with Lin Shutong and Jiang Lai?"

Mother Shen was about to have surgery, and the whole family was keeping from her everything that had happened recently.

Shen Xun nodded: "It's sorted. Lin Shutong isn't keeping the baby, and Jiang Lai and I…"

His voice paused slightly: "We can't go back."

But he wouldn't give up.

If he couldn't return to the past, he'd look to the present and the future.

Mother Shen frowned: "Since you don't plan to be with Jiang Lai anymore, why didn't you want that child either?"

Shen Xun: "I never planned not to be with Jiang Lai. The thing is, Jiang Lai doesn't plan to be with me."

Mother Shen: "She has a man."

Shen Xun thought of how Jiang Lai had several times looked toward Ke Zhongyu sitting in the gallery at the trial — the two of them seemed to share some kind of unspoken understanding.

Earlier at Chi Family Medical Clinic, Ke Zhongyu had said Jiang Lai was his girlfriend — it seemed that was true.

But he didn't want to answer his mother's question, and instead said, "In the past, I wronged Jiang Lai, and I wronged you and Father too. From now on, I'll make it up little by little."

Mother Shen was astonished — she hadn't expected her son to actually admit he had wronged his parents.

Sometimes all parents want is for their child to bow their head; a bow is enough.

"Speaking of which, it's all because of that bitch Lin Shutong, tricking you. Keep your eyes open from now on."

"Mm." Shen Xun offered no rebuttal whatsoever.

Mother Shen couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, and looked at her daughter. Shen Xi had been very obedient to her father and brother lately — she knew the family's income all came from her father and brother, and whether her future life would be good or bad depended entirely on the two of them. She silently shook her head, indicating she knew nothing.

Father Shen spoke up: "Stop asking. What matters now is resting well — the surgery is soon."

Mother Shen was particularly afraid of death, so she didn't ask further, but the mention of surgery still worried her, and she asked her husband and son: "Is this doctor really skilled?"

Shen Xun: "A student trained by President Chi."

Mother Shen: "A student is still a student — surely they can't compare to the teacher."

Shen Xun knew his mother was still hoping President Chi would perform the surgery. He wanted that too, but they couldn't get him to come, and her illness hadn't reached the point where only President Chi would do.

"President Chi has no availability — if he did, it wouldn't be until next year. Brain tumor surgery is best treated early; the later it gets, the higher the risk."

Mother Shen quickly agreed — if it got worse the longer she delayed, she'd have no way to survive.

Mother Shen's surgery lasted nearly five hours. The Shen family stood, sat, and paced outside the operating room doors — the longer the surgery light stayed on, the more anxiety showed on all their faces.

Shen Xun could no longer withstand any further blow.

He'd lost his high-paying job, lost his devoted wife, the family had fallen on hard times, his former beloved turned out to be someone addicted to a life of debauchery, and all his devotion had been repaid with deception.

If something happened to his mother now, he would truly collapse in an instant.

Shen Xi valued money over her parents most of the time, but at critical moments she worried about her parents' health just the same — so when she learned that her father and brother had sold her dowry, she only cried bitterly, without flying into a rage or getting angry.

She paced, asking her father from time to time how long the surgery would take, and asking her brother every now and then why they still hadn't come out.

Shen Xi's words laid bare the unspoken worry that father and son shared.

They didn't know how long it would take either, but the doctor had said the probability of success was very high.

This was, after all, A City's most renowned Hexin Yiyuan.

Top-tier medical equipment from home and abroad, outstanding doctors everywhere.

About five hours passed. The Shen family had endured the agonizing wait from morning to afternoon, and finally the operating room light went out.

Mother Shen's surgery was very successful, but follow-up treatment had to keep pace — not a single course could be skipped.

A private hospital also meant steep costs, and the doctor's words were a reminder to them: have the treatment funds ready.

The Shen family nodded repeatedly.

They couldn't visit yet — the three of them could only watch from afar outside the observation room.

Father Shen looked at his son: "You heard it just now — follow-up treatment has to keep pace, and there are many places that'll need money. Don't let yourself be bewitched by Lin Shutong again and take your mother's treatment fees and our whole family's living expenses away."

Shen Xun nodded: "I won't."

"As for the child…" Father Shen's voice paused, "our Shen Family simply had no fate with this child. Don't take all the blame onto yourself. Lin Shutong rarely speaks a word of truth and is a master of putting on an act — don't believe what she says anymore. Don't be a fool, or you'll end up a second Jiang Lai."

His father's last sentence suddenly shattered Shen Xun.

Shen Xun quickly said he was going to the restroom, but actually wanted to hide there to smoke. However, smoking was prohibited in the hospital, so he could only clamp the cigarette between his lips, flicking the lighter in his hand again and again — the flame on the lighter flickered on and off, off and on, illuminating his bloodshot eyes.

Tears fell silently.

He tossed the cigarette into the trash can, and as he put down the lighter he pulled out his phone, wanting to tell Jiang Lai that his mother's surgery was very successful.

This kind of joy should be shared with Jiang Lai.

But Jiang Lai had long since blocked him.

Shen Xun switched to the alt account he'd disguised as Fu Youlin, typing and deleting words on the screen, and finally sent one message.

【Shen Xun's mother had surgery today. The surgery was very successful.】

Jiang Lai looked at it, having no idea what to reply — why was Fu Youlin telling her this?

Whether Mother Shen's surgery was successful or not had nothing to do with her.

Shen Xun never received a message from Jiang Lai, so he could only tap into her Moments — blank, visible for only three days.

Even the post announcing their divorce was gone. He had thoroughly and completely become a past that Jiang Lai refused to mention.

Shen Xun swiped down, swiped up, over and over on Jiang Lai's Moments, as if doing so could refresh some news from her.

Repeating again and again, again and again with no response.

He never tired of it.

As if he were trapped here.

And Jiang Lai had already walked forward; at this moment she was practicing the questions for Subject One, and doing practice questions was her strength.

Jiang Lai is the small-town exam-driller that people talk about.

As for Subject Two, Ke Zhongyu will personally teach her, at the newly planned open-air parking lot of the Ke Clan, where a black Maybach is parked.

Ke Zhongyu leaned slightly against the car body, saw Jiang Lai walking over, lifted his gaze, and straightened his posture.

"Here."

Jiang Lai walked over and took a look.

Eh, this is one of Ke Zhongyu's vehicles.

"You're using a Maybach to practice driving?" Jiang Lai fell into silence.

Ke Zhongyu patted the car body and said in a light voice: "The car is meant to be driven."

Seeing Jiang Lai hesitant, he raised his hand to glance at his wristwatch: "Our time is precious to each other; we only have one hour each day."

Jiang Lai got into the car neatly and swiftly.

Facing the steering wheel ahead, she didn't dare to put her hands on it.

Ke Zhongyu: "Today we'll first teach the basics."

Jiang Lai: "I've already watched videos on the basics—adjusting the seat, recognizing the gears—I want to try first, then you can correct me."

Ke Zhongyu: "Okay."

Jiang Lai first adjusted the seat; as she pressed down, the whole seat tilted back, and she, leaning against the seat, also tilted back with it.

Ke Zhongyu, with quick eyes and hands, grabbed her wrist, pulling her back.

Jiang Lai felt a sudden quickening of her heartbeat.

She was about to raise her hand to pat her own chest when she realized Ke Zhongyu was holding her wrist, the area where he gripped feeling hot.

She stared blankly at Ke Zhongyu.

Ke Zhongyu: "Did I scare you?"

Jiang Lai's eyes flickered, and she shook her head.

She pulled her hand back.

After a moment, her heartbeat was still a bit fast.