Chapter 307: He Only Wants to Win Jiang Lai's Favor

While waiting for the inspection report, Ke Zhongyu messaged Assistant Zhou, then headed again to G Province K City to secretly investigate the truth of Gu Sen abandoning politics for business back then, and also brought up Secretary Zhao, whom Director Tang had mentioned, to see how much of their past collaboration could be uncovered.

He wasn't sure what relationship Jiang Lai and Gu Sen actually had, and he disliked this ambiguous speculation and suspicion, so he had to investigate; eliminating even one wrong answer would increase his chances of winning.

Jiang Lai saw he was busy and said, "Just waiting for a report; I'll send you the result when it comes out."

"It's not official business, just handling some private matters." Ke Zhongyu looked at her, and images of Gu Sen's youth kept flashing in his mind, then he said again, "Tonight I'm going to have dinner with Uncle Gu; Chongying told me you've met."

Jiang Lai nodded: "We've met, at the Eden Garden; Uncle Gu didn't reserve ahead, so we shared a table."

"No reservation? Sharing a table?" Ke Zhongyu's expression froze slightly; these two phrases could never appear from anyone in the Ke family, nor from anyone with status and an assistant.

That sounded like a premeditated chance encounter.

Uncle Gu's attention toward Jiang Lai was indeed too high.

"What's your impression of him?"

Jiang Lai recalled the scene of that day's meal and used one word: "affable."

"Affable." Ke Zhongyu whispered the word, then didn't ask further.

Ping'an's inspection report came out.

Nothing serious.

Jiang Lai breathed a sigh of relief and took Ping'an back.

Ke Zhongyu personally drove them to Number Ten Courtyard on Yanping Road, and his gaze lingered on Jiang Lai as he left.

Jiang Lai felt a flush of heat under his gaze.

Ke Zhongyu took out a gift and handed it to her: "Ms. Nian brought these pastries back from B City for you."

Jiang Lai hesitated a moment, then reached out to take it: "Please thank your mother for me."

Ke Zhongyu: "Maybe one day she'll thank you instead."

Jiang Lai: "Huh?"

Ke Zhongyu: "Hasn't my father already thanked you once?"

The time Jiang Lai accompanied Ke Zhongyu to the Ke family's old residence for dinner as his girlfriend, Uncle Ke had thanked her for "taking on this disaster."

Jiang Lai: "……"

Her amber eyes flickered.

Without waiting for her to say anything, Ke Zhongyu drove off.

Watching the departing Hongqi Car Car Car car, Jiang Lai fell into thought, and Ping'an asked, "Sister, do you like it?"

Jiang Lai thought he was referring to the car, shook her head and said, "Sister hasn't gotten her license yet, so she can't buy a car; let's go up—tonight a very lively and cute sister will come over for dinner, and you haven't met her."

"Mm-hmm." Ping'an nodded obediently.

At mealtime, Ke Zhongying arrived, holding a gift—a palm-sized smart pig robot.

"Although it's my experimental version, it's enough to keep Ping'an company; it's loaded with lots of life encyclopedia, can talk with Ping'an, so let it be Ping'an's playmate—it doesn't have a name yet, Ping'an can pick one herself."

Ke Zhongying naturally exudes an approachable charm; the somewhat shy Ping'an, after a few words from her, gradually let down her guard, and under Ke Zhongying's step-by-step guidance, gave the robot a name.

"Piggy."

Ke Zhongying: "……"

She remained silent for a long time, then asked him, "Did you learn this from Sister Jiang Lai? Naming, that is."

Ping'an looked at Jiang Lai and nodded.

Jiang Lai smiled faintly, snapped a photo of the two of them crouched on the carpet playing with the robot, and sent it to Ke Zhongyu.

Ke Zhongyu gave a silent chuckle.

He also raised his hand to take a photo of the dining table and sent it to Jiang Lai.

【Are we about to eat?】

【And you?】

After seeing the photo, Jiang Lai's attention fell on the left hand in the picture, with prominent veins and distinct knuckles.

That hand had touched her head, embraced her waist, and held her hand.

It was a warm hand; you could feel its heat through clothing, a constant stream of warmth.

"What are you looking at, so dazed?" Ke Zhongying walked over.

Jiang Lai didn't deliberately guard against it, and naturally showed her a glance at the current chat log.

Ke Zhongying said, "You two look like you're dating; has my brother caught you? No way—if he had, shouldn't he have gone crazy first?"

Crazy?

Jiang Lai felt Ke Zhongying's words were exaggerated.

But……

Have you guys dated?

Their conversation looks like they've dated?

Jiang Lai put away her phone: "No."

Ke Zhongying: "I know you haven't; my brother hasn't gone crazy yet."

Jiang Lai: "……"

She didn't reply to Ke Zhongyu's message again.

Ke Zhongyu stared at the chat interface that showed no response for a while, then turned and sent a message to Ke Zhongying.

【Has Jiang Lai eaten?】

Ke Zhongying: "【She's eating, my brother, you've already kissed her—why did you suddenly stop? Where's your offensive!】"

Ke Zhongyu: "【Kid, step aside】"

After breaking through that layer of window paper, Jiang Lai said she couldn't give him an answer.

He didn't directly refuse; the subtext was hesitation and weighing.

Ke Zhongyu suddenly felt as if the partner were conducting due diligence on him, every step demanding extreme care; this was the most cautious he had been in twenty‑eight years.

He cannot let go, nor can he lose.

So he cannot afford to lose.

What Ke Zhongyu most wants to win is Jiang Lai's favor.

Jiang Lai is the person he felt at first sight, confirmed his liking for, and decided to pursue—not a casual start, but a reckless process.

"Zhongyu, who are you chatting with?" Gu Sen suddenly asked, his eyes devoid of blame, merely curious.

Ke Zhongyu's eyes flickered slightly, and he replied, "Jiang Lai."

As he spoke Jiang Lai's name, his gaze locked onto Gu Sen's facial expression, catching only a hint of kindness.

Gu Sen has always been kind to his juniors.

"Oh, so she's your sweetheart."

"Hmm." Ke Zhongyu asked, "Uncle Gu, have you met Jiang Lai?"

"Yes." Gu Sen said, "I ran into her and Chongying by chance at the Eden Garden restaurant, where they were having a meal."

People's words can deceive, but they also hide many truths—for instance, when speaking, people subconsciously place those they are familiar with and care about first.

Uncle Gu's familiar person should be Chongying, yet he put Jiang Lai ahead, even using not a name but the pronoun "her."

Ke Zhongyu bluntly said, "Uncle Gu cares a lot about Jiang Lai—have you investigated?"

Gu Sen froze slightly.

No wonder this kid joined the Ke Clan at nineteen, became famous in a single battle at twenty, and at twenty‑one Ke Yue dared to entrust him with the entire family estate.

Indeed, he is the outstanding among the emperor's favored sons.

Really, I don't know how many times stronger he is than that kid of his family.

Gu Sen nodded: "You three boys are all concerned about her; as an elder, wanting to know something about this child is not strange."

Ke Zhongyu: "How much have you investigated, Uncle Gu? Twenty‑eight years ago, on a heavy snow day, A Lai was wrapped in a blue baby blanket meant for a boy, left on the roadside; if Dean Tang and her mother had arrived two steps later, A Lai would have frozen to death that snowy night."

Thinking of that scene, his voice uncontrollably grew colder.

Gu Sen across from him stiffened.

Ke Yue spoke up to stop him: "Zhongyu, how can you speak to an elder in that tone?"

Ms. Nian then said to Gu Sen: "Sorry, the kid got a bit worked up."

"It's fine." Gu Sen looked at Ke Zhongyu, without blame, his smile carrying a hint of guilty pallor, and he repeated, "It's really fine."

Almost in that moment, Ke Zhongyu confirmed that there was some connection between Gu Sen and Jiang Lai.