Chapter 29: Just Trash

A man only shows possessiveness toward the person he likes—this answer left Lin Shutong thoroughly satisfied, beaming with joy.

"Then it looks like I'll have to go alone."

"It's fine, Sister Shutong, once we're inside I'll give my brother back to you. I won't disturb you two." Shen Xi looked delighted, the pain on her face no longer noticeable.

Lin Shutong smiled and said, "Then you'd better remember to give him back to me."

Such a short sentence, yet it plucked at Shen Xun's heartstrings.

Seeing this, Shen's father and Mother Shen found an excuse to return to their room to sleep, and Shen Xi also ran off, leaving the space for the two of them.

The moment the door closed, Shen Xi picked up her phone again and secretly photographed the two sitting side by side in the living room through the crack in the door.

Lin Shutong noticed Shen Xi taking secret photos and suddenly blinked. "Ah Xun, it seems like something got in my eye."

"Let me look." Shen Xun turned sideways, leaned close, and was about to blow on her eye.

Lin Shutong tilted her head up and kissed him on the lips.

Click.

Shen Xi got the shot.

Shen Xi was beside herself with excitement—Sister Shutong was destined to be her sister-in-law! Now she just had to wait for Jiang Lai to step aside!

She opened her chat with Jiang Lai and immediately sent the photo over.

【Jiang Lai, the person my brother likes is Sister Shutong. Be sensible and divorce my brother.】

In the living room, Shen Xun was stunned for a moment by the kiss, a flash of panic in his eyes as he glanced around.

Only the two of them were in the living room at home.

"Shutong..."

He wanted to say that they should be a bit more restrained in a place like this—it wouldn't be good if others saw.

Lin Shutong batted her eyes. "Is it not okay? Ah Xun, you like me, and I like you too."

Shen Xun frowned slightly. "It's not that you can't."

"Then that's fine." Lin Shutong didn't push her luck any further, moving slightly farther from him. "Ah Xun, I'm sleepy. Take me to the room."

"Okay." Shen Xun stood up.

Lin Shutong reached out her hand. "I'm dizzy, hold on to me."

Shen Xun walked her to the guest room. Lin Shutong looked at the room next door. "Auntie said you stay next door."

"Mm, call me if you need anything." Shen Xun stood at the doorway without going in.

Lin Shutong didn't leave either. "I need something right now. I want to take a shower—can you find me some clothes to change into?"

"Wait a moment." Shen Xun went to his own room and rummaged through the wardrobe for clothes. Aside from his own shirts, there was only Jiang Lai's white T-shirt and hot pants.

Jiang Lai loved wearing white T-shirts to sleep. Sometimes when she went strolling through the night market, she'd buy a whole bunch at once.

He had once advised Jiang Lai to buy some silk pajamas and nightgowns, but Jiang Lai always said those were too expensive and preferred buying cheap ones.

Perhaps her experience as an orphan made her subconsciously frugal.

But this also sometimes made him feel embarrassed.

Shen Xun let go of Jiang Lai's white T-shirt. Shutong had been raised in comfort and wouldn't wear cheap stuff like this. That left only his shirt.

There was an exquisite brooch on the shirt.

Shen Xun remembered that Jiang Lai had bought it.

All the big and small matters at home were managed by Jiang Lai, especially what he ate and wore. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were all coordinated, and clothes, shoes, and accessories were all matched up.

Just like this brooch on the collar.

The tie next to it had a tie clip too—both items costing several thousand.

Jiang Lai's ten-odd-yuan white T-shirt and hot pants were completely out of place with his clothes.

Shen Xun felt somewhat irritated, took a photo, and sent it to Jiang Lai.

【Can you buy some decent pajamas next time?】

Jiang Lai: 【Okay.】

Shen Xun: 【I'm throwing these out.】

Jiang Lai: 【Go ahead.】

Since Jiang Lai agreed, he took them all off and tossed them into the trash can.

Knock knock.

Lin Shutong stood at the door knocking, then walked in. "Ah Xun, why does it take so long to find a nightgown?"

She walked unsteadily.

Shen Xun, afraid she might fall, went up to support her.

"There aren't any comfortable pajamas here. Wear my shirt." Shen Xun handed the shirt over.

Lin Shutong reached out to take it and saw the clothes and pants in the trash can—clearly ones Jiang Lai wore.

"What's this?"

"Just trash."

"Actually, these could be put to secondary use. For example, you could put them at the front door as a mat, or by the bathroom door as a mat too, and use them to wipe your feet or mop the floor along the way, then throw them in the trash can once they're dirty." Lin Shutong's eyes flickered slightly.

Rather than talking about clothes, it was more like using objects as a metaphor for a person—referring to Jiang Lai.

Shen Xun looked at the clothes in the trash can. "Forget it, too much trouble."

Lin Shutong didn't say anything more. She took the shirt, returned with Shen Xun supporting her, and then closed the door.

She absolutely couldn't do anything like having an affair with Shen Xun at the Shen Family home—otherwise it would make her seem frivolous and cheap. Wouldn't the Shen family then think she was easy to manipulate?

……

Jiang Lai lay on the bed, looking at the messages Shen Xun had sent her. Her clothes had been thrown away.

Perfect—she hadn't planned to return to the Shen Family anyway.

She went back to look at the photos Shen Xi had sent, the phone's brightness illuminating her blank face.

But what does just sitting together and kissing even count as?

She and Shen Xun's bed still had traces of fluids on it, and there was even a pair of lace panties underneath.

Jiang Lai went back to her chat history with Shen Xun again, scrolling up little by little—the number of times they'd spoken in the past half-month was pitifully few.

Scrolling further back, the daily chat records all revolved around what to eat today and what to wear.

Shen Xun would reply: 【Thanks, wifey.】

Throughout the entire chat history, that line appeared the most; looking back now, it was also the most ironic.

Under the harsh glare of the phone's light, Jiang Lai's eyes stung a little. She turned off the phone and went to sleep.

Just like before, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep, and woke up again the next day at her biological clock's appointed time.

Jiang Lai went to the kitchen and bumped right into the nanny who had come to make breakfast.

The mistress liked peace and quiet; aside from Butler Deng, everyone else in the villa only came at scheduled times to do their work.

"Miss Jiang Lai, are you hungry? What would you like to eat? I'll make it."

"It's fine, I'll do it myself." Jiang Lai planned to make steamed buns—to her as a child growing up at Fuli Yuan, steamed buns were better even than dragon liver and phoenix gall.

Because dragon liver and phoenix gall were things she could never eat.

An hour and a half later, ten steamed buns bigger than her fists came fresh out of the steamer.

The nanny looked shocked as she watched Miss Jiang Lai just grab one and take huge bites, even urging her to eat too.

The ones Jiang Lai always made for Shen Xun were xiaolongbao—small and elegant to eat.

But she liked big steamed buns—practical and filling.

She left some for the mistress and Butler Deng, and took the remaining six to Ke Clan, placing one on Xu Rong's desk.

Xu Rong picked up the bun and asked, "Whose family makes buns this big? Are they fully cooked? One bite and it's all filling… delicious! Where did you buy them?"

"I made them." Jiang Lai had put no small effort into Shen Xun's stomach—some secret recipes she'd spent real money and plenty of time learning.

Xu Rong looked at the buns in her bag.

Jiang Lai gave her another one.

Four left.

Secretary Cen got one, Secretary Guan got one, Assistant Zhou got one, and she ate one more herself.

Every bun she'd made this morning now had an owner.

Assistant Zhou and the other two were also surprised by the buns she'd made. As they were eating with great relish, the late-arriving President Ke asked, "What smells so good?"

Assistant Zhou: "Steamed buns handmade by Secretary Jiang—generous filling, thin skin, and the fresh meat and juices are very fragrant."

"Really?" Ke Zhongyu looked at the single remaining bun in Jiang Lai's clear bag. "Let me have a taste."

Jiang Lai, quick-eyed and nimble-handed, pulled it out and took a bite.

"President Ke, there are no more."

With a bun in her mouth, her words came out muffled.

Ke Zhongyu: "…"