Chapter 285: How Much More Is Needed?

Gu Yinxue stood at the hotel window, looking down over the street.

Her brother Gu Zhiyan personally opened the passenger door for Lin Shutong, shielding her head as he helped her into the car, closed the door, walked around the front, and sat in the driver's seat.

Only her father runs the Gu family's business; although the Gu family has more than just the Gu clan company, the Gu clan company still represents the Gu family, so they must keep a low profile outwardly, and even her brother's car is worth only around one million.

But in the future, they probably won't even be able to afford a car worth around one million.

Father's intention tonight could not be clearer; if Brother insists on helping Lin Shutong, then he will have to make it on his own.

Stripped of the Gu family's prestige and resources, what does her dear brother have left?

Just the bit of money in her own account? Surely tonight it will end up in Lin Shutong's pocket.

Or just the freedom she wants? The same kind of freedom as hers?

She would rather not have such freedom; instead she wants the Gu family's boost, the Gu family's connections, and the Gu family's endless supply of resources.

Indeed, what is obtained is not cherished; she does not want to cherish this freedom before her, and her brother does not want to cherish the heavy responsibility entrusted to him.

Gu Yinxue lowered her eyes slightly, concealing her thoughts.

The car by the roadside started up; Gu Zhiyan learned that Lin Shutong was going to the hospital to tend to Ji Lao, so he stopped midway, bought a get-well gift, and headed over.

Lin Shutong looked at the gift in his hand; even if bought roadside, the gift is light but the sentiment weighty, and more importantly, Gu Zhiyan personally accompanied her.

Her presence and his personal accompaniment—both are indispensable.

Yuan Shu Technology will not be visited for now.

She also had no intention of going; she merely mentioned it to let her grandfather understand she was not good-for-nothing, that she should not be abandoned, and that as long as the current predicament is resolved, she remains a promising prospect.

As long as her grandfather is willing to continue cultivating her, his resources and connections will thereafter be hers.

Gu Zhiyan noticed her looking at him and asked, puzzled: "What's wrong?"

Lin Shutong said sadly: "Zhi Yan, you shouldn't have gone along with your father's words at dinner tonight; I'm fine, you don't need to do this for me. As a matter of fact, I am where I am today because of my own choices; I must take responsibility for my mistaken choices, not drag you into it—I can handle it myself."

Gu Zhiyan is different from Shen Xun; you can't deal with him by pretending to be weak.

Gu Zhiyan admires her self-reliance and strength.

Moreover, Gu Zhiyan more or less knows about her affair with Shen Xun; she cannot push all the blame onto Shen Xun—that would be too fake.

"Recognizing a mistake and correcting it is the greatest good." Gu Zhiyan glanced at her: "You bear your responsibility; I also cannot let you be crushed all at once. Rest assured, I am not being expelled from the family, so I can still act without restraint and do what I want."

Lin Shutong frowned: "Your father and they are strict with you because they value you and want to cultivate you."

Gu Zhiyan: "The Gu family has too many children."

Lin Shutong: "But your branch isn't just you and your sister, is it?"

Gu Zhiyan nodded: "They've cultivated Yin Xue quite well."

Lin Shutong almost rolled her eyes; a thirty‑year‑old still indulging in the youthful dream of 'for freedom's sake, cast aside everything.'

"But…" she turned sideways, "I really don't want you to suffer because of me."

"Don't worry." Gu Zhiyan said no more, then, after arriving at the hospital, he carried the gift and went with Lin Shutong to the ward.

Ji Lao saw the Eldest Son of the Gu Family come in person, slightly startled; he also hadn't expected his granddaughter to be in such a state, yet the Eldest Son of the Gu Family remained steadfast.

He does have some ability.

After a brief exchange, Gu Zhiyan did not linger; when leaving, Ji Lao specially asked Lin Shutong to see him off.

Lin Shutong saw Gu Zhiyan to the roadside, saying gratefully: "Zhi Yan, thank you for coming to see my grandfather."

"It is proper for juniors to visit elders." Gu Zhiyan took out his card and handed it over: "This is my own money, unrelated to the Gu family; take it with peace of mind and first settle your immediate problem."

Lin Shutong looked at the card in his hand, her eyes suddenly reddening: "Zhi Yan, don't do this."

Gu Zhiyan couldn't bear to see her upset; he took her hand and forced the card into her palm: "If you feel uneasy about it, just treat it as a loan from me—you can repay me later."

Lin Shutong: "……"

She knew Gu Zhiyan didn't really expect repayment, but since he said that, if she didn't repay it, wouldn't that contradict her earlier stance?

Lin Shutong dared not say she would repay, and also feared Gu Zhiyan would really remember it, so she could only feel aggrieved.

Gu Zhiyan added: "Not much—only nine million."

Lin Shutong: "…………"

The esteemed Eldest Son of the Gu Family has only over nine million in his card.

Indeed, it's not much.

But having something is better than nothing.

Even nine million can't solve her urgent need.

Especially since she had already received word from her parents that Jiang Lai had taken fifty million, without promising not to apply to the court for compulsory execution, she still lacks seventy million!

Shen Xun can't be counted on anymore—three thousand a month is useless.

Gu Zhiyan's nine million, plus Lu Hongyuan's five million, plus various others chipping in around four million, plus what she already had, totals at most twenty million.

There is still fifty million short.

Still have to rely on her grandfather.

Her grandfather can definitely come up with this sum.

Lin Shutong returned to the ward; Ji Lao lay on the hospital bed, watching his granddaughter, dressed up, still with lowered brows.

"Did you see them off?"

Lin Shutong lifted her gaze, a faint smile appearing: "They've left, Grandpa—are you ready to sleep? I'll get a towel."

Ji Lao nodded: "Mm."

Lin Shutong entered the bathroom, took down the towel hanging on the wall, turned on the tap, waited for hot water, then wetted the towel, wrung it out, and brought it out to hand to Ji Lao.

Ji Lao reached out to take the towel and wiped his face.

As he handed the towel over, he asked: "How much more is needed?"

Lin Shutong froze instantly, stammering: "What?"

Ji Lao repeated in a composed tone: "How much more is still needed?"

Lin Shutong opened her mouth, almost blurting out fifty million, but she barely managed to hold back.

No.

Can't say that.

It's peaceful.

She opened her mouth again after closing it, saying: "I need to calculate first to know."

Ji Lao frowned: "An approximate figure."

Lin Shutong insisted: "Grandfather, wait for me to calculate."

She really sat down to calculate, and after ten minutes the figure she came up with was: "49,820,000.6".

It has both fractions and whole numbers.

This both proves she is at the end of her rope, and proves that I myself don't want to take even a cent more; as long as this debt is settled, that's fine.

Ji Lao listened to this number, his brows furrowed tighter, and he felt somewhat uneasy.

"How many days left?"

"Less than a week." Lin Shutong fidgeted with her fingers, head lowered, looking exactly like a child who has done something wrong.

Ji Lao gazed at her for a while, as if giving himself a pep talk.

This is the granddaughter I raised.

This is the child I painstakingly nurtured.

Although her behavior is so deplorable, although she has several times made me so angry I almost had a heart attack, causing me to lose face, still……still I cannot bear to see her truly fall into the abyss.

Or, let's lend a hand.

This is the last time.