Chapter 284: Help Lin Shutong, and You're on Your Own

The two went in together, and Gu Yinxue praised her: "Elders all prefer younger women to be a bit ladylike. Dressed just right, you'll leave a good impression on my father."

Lin Shutong only half-believed her, and in her hesitation, pulled her aside and said bluntly: "Gu Yinxue, what exactly are you thinking? Did you really not tell Gu Zhiyan about my situation in court?"

Gu Yinxue knew Lin Shutong wasn't stupid — otherwise, how could she have led Shen Xun around by the nose? And past feelings didn't work every time.

Since Lin Shutong wanted to put her cards on the table, she could play along a little.

"I mentioned it vaguely. Didn't I tell you? We have a common enemy. My brother has never liked Ke Zhongyu. Even if I dealt with Jiang Lai, there's still my brother's hurdle in between. I'm hoping you can help me. Most importantly, who else does my brother like as much as you? Pining for two or three years, refusing every blind date."

Knowing that you were the other woman with Shen Xun, he didn't even despise you — he even listened to your few words and said Shen Xun had deceived you.

When men fall for someone, they're even more terrifying than women — like regressing back into the womb.

Lin Shutong actually believed Gu Yinxue's last few words. She knew all about Gu Zhiyan's secret crush on her.

She asked: "Gu Zhiyan is also a lawyer. Didn't he go ask Meng Lü?"

Gu Yinxue: "Meng Lü is very busy."

Meng Lü was someone she hired, not someone her brother hired — how could he be made to talk just by her brother asking a couple of questions?

She had sealed his lips.

Lin Shutong: "You're genuinely willing to set me up with your brother?"

Faced with this question, Gu Yinxue thought of the brother who had grown up alongside her, the brother who had cared for her in every possible way, and hesitated.

She didn't answer, but instead raised her wrist to check her watch: "Let's talk about the rest later. Don't keep the elders waiting."

Lin Shutong followed her upstairs.

Already seated at the dining table were Gu Zhiyan and two elders — one with a kindly face, the other slightly stern.

Gu Zhiyan stood to greet her and pulled out the chair beside him for her to sit.

Gu Sen saw this but said nothing, instead signaling the hotel that they could begin serving.

Lin Shutong had Gu Zhiyan on one side and Gu Yinxue on the other. Gu Yinxue reminded her in a low voice: "Our family has a lot of rules. Remember to use the serving chopsticks."

The Gu family's rules on this were strict, but there was no need to give such a pointed reminder at a restaurant dinner table — most people knew to use serving chopsticks. But Gu Yinxue wasn't taking any chances.

When she had seen those densely packed photos during the trial, she had wondered whether Lin Shutong had picked up any bad habits abroad, or whether she had some health issue. Better to be cautious.

Speaking of which, Gu Yinxue glanced at her brother again, pressed her lips together, and ultimately said nothing.

But in her mind, she was already thinking that everyone in the family should get their physical exams earlier this year — no need to wait until after the New Year like every other year.

Hopefully Lin Shutong had some limit to her recklessness.

Hopefully her brother hadn't become so desperate that he'd pounce the moment Lin Shutong bared a shoulder.

Gu Yinxue silently prayed in her heart.

After Lin Shutong respectfully greeted everyone, Gu Sen was the first to ask how she and Gu Zhiyan had met.

Gu Zhiyan wanted to speak, but Gu Sen stopped him with a casual glance.

Lin Shutong knew that facing an elder like this, she could only answer honestly — absolutely no embellishments.

This was not Shen Xun's parents.

"At a banquet, I saw someone put something in Zhi Yan's drink. I originally didn't want to get involved, but Zhi Yan is a citizen of Hua — you have to help a fellow countryman."

Gu Hui: "Miss Lin, before deciding to intervene, did you not know Zhi Yan's identity?"

Gu Zhiyan: "Uncle Hui."

Gu Hui: "Just a simple question. Miss Lin, don't overthink it. If I've been presumptuous, I apologize."

Lin Shutong shook her head: "No, I'm not overthinking. At the time I didn't know Zhi Yan's identity either. I only learned he was a lawyer after being introduced later, and it wasn't until over a year had passed that I found out he was the eldest young master of the Gu family of B City."

She spoke in a soft, gentle tone on the surface, but cold sweat was already forming in her heart. Even though everything she said was the truth, she couldn't withstand the elders' round-robin questioning — especially when Gu Zhiyan's father suddenly came out with a line.

"Miss Lin, do you often attend celebrity dinner parties abroad?"

Lin Shutong's first reaction was to look at Gu Yinxue. Gu Yinxue calmly ate her food, catching her reaction only from the corner of her eye, and cursed inwardly.

Idiot.

Such a big reaction — afraid others won't see the flaw on your end?

Faced with the unmoved Gu Yinxue, Lin Shutong belatedly realized she had overreacted, and forced herself to say: "I have attended a few."

Gu Sen smiled: "Miss Lin, cultivated by old master Ji Lao, and well-versed in the ways of the world — no wonder my son has fallen so deeply for you. Even after hearing you were entangled in lawsuits, he still decided to lend you a hand."

"I don't have any objections."

As soon as these words came out, everyone present froze and looked at Gu Sen — especially Gu Zhiyan and Lin Shutong.

Gu Zhiyan asked: "Dad, really?"

Gu Sen looked at his son: "Of course it's true. That's money you earned yourself. You can handle it however you want. Same principle as investing — whether you gain or lose, it's all yours. It has nothing to do with the Gu family."

The last sentence made Gu Zhiyan's expression tighten.

Gu Yinxue also set down her chopsticks, her breathing slowing.

Gu Sen continued unhurriedly: "I know you've spent all these years trying to push back against the Gu family's decisions, wanting to stand on your own two feet. I suddenly think that's a good thing. At thirty, one should stand on one's own. We have indeed kept too tight a rein on you. It's time to let you truly be self-reliant."

At this point, if Lin Shutong still hadn't understood, she'd have failed her twenty-eight years of living.

Uncle Gu's words amounted to saying that as long as Gu Zhiyan helped her, the Gu family would wash their hands of Gu Zhiyan from now on — no resources, left to fend for himself.

Is something wrong with them?

She'd thought she was about to latch onto someone big, but in reality it was another one who'd been cast aside.

Gu Zhiyan's expression was somewhat strained.

Lin Shutong was the first to speak: "Uncle Gu, I think you've misunderstood. Zhi Yan and I are just friends. I have indeed run into some difficulties lately, but I don't — I don't need Zhi Yan's help."

Her voice caught slightly.

Her heart was bleeding.

Even setting aside the Gu family, Gu Zhiyan must have earned plenty over the years. The money he could give her should be quite substantial.

"Miss Lin, you've misunderstood," Gu Hui explained. "Zhi Yan's father doesn't mean it that way. He's been seriously thinking lately that perhaps he should give Zhi Yan some personal space of his own, rather than always wanting him to shoulder a share of the Gu family's responsibilities."

As for helping Miss Lin with money, we have no objections; helping others is what we should do, helping friends is even more so, especially since Miss Lin is Zhiyan's benefactor. However, Zhiyan cannot use money related to the Gu clan; this involves a broader scope and isn't easy to handle. Our Gu family isn't just businesspeople.

Some things are best left unsaid.

Gu Zhiyan nods: "I understand, I will only use money I earned myself."

Gu Sen nods: "No problem, I'll talk to your mother about that; you just handle your own affairs."

A seemingly harmonious dinner.

After returning to the room, Gu Hui asks: "Isn't it a bit too harsh to screw over Zhiyan?"

Actually, it's not entirely a trap; tonight I invited Lin Shutong over to say those things to her face, just thinking that without the Gu family's halo, Zhiyan wouldn't have Lin Shutong screw him over to death, and it wouldn't involve the Gu family.

Gu Sen said helplessly: "His life has been too smooth; he needs someone to temper him. Cut off Zhiyan's resources in all aspects, freeze the card the family gave him. Since he's always longed for freedom, let him see what the freedom he chose really is."