Chapter 313: Let the mastermind pay the price

In mid‑January, the fact that Ji Lao was investigated gradually became known to outsiders.

Shen Xun is already working at Xie Corp as a market department manager; although no one calls him President Shen any more, they do address him as Manager Shen, but the old‑brand company that focuses on daily necessities, whether in scale or standards, cannot compare with the emerging tech industry.

Moreover, it is a family business with serious nepotism.

Having just joined Xie Corp, he still finds it hard to adapt, because here personal connections matter more than work ability.

Xie Corp internally refuses to innovate; compared with peers, its products' market is bleak, and Shen Xun feels he has taken on a rotten mess.

But thinking of President Lu of Yuan Shu Technology, who not only forces him to operate in a grey area but also has a disgusting relationship with Lin Shutong, Xie Corp is already a decent fallback for him.

After entering Xie Corp, Shen Xun is busy sorting internal problems while also visiting his mother in the hospital and occasionally soothing his sister, who constantly threatens to quit.

He also has to watch his diet, take medication on schedule, and work out to boost immunity.

His daily schedule is packed to the point of being airtight, so naturally he cannot keep an ear out for anything beyond the office.

Besides using a secondary account each day to scroll through Jiang Lai's Moments, there is nothing else.

Yet whenever he feels exhausted, he glances at it, even if there is nothing there.

Ji Lao's incident was reported to the company by Xie Yongsi.

Since Shen Xun started, Xie Yongsi has been running to his own company every two or three days; most of the time, when he sees him, he says straight: "Manager Shen is in the office."

Xie Yongsi walked into Shen Xun's office and immediately dropped this bomb: "Ji Lao is under investigation; the Ji family, the Lin family, and all of Ji Lao's disciples have all been investigated, because Ji Lao casually gave Lin Shutong seventy million."

What the seventy million was for is obvious.

When Shen Xun hears the name Lin Shutong, only disgust remains in his eyes.

He says nothing.

Xie Yongsi spins his chair, pondering: "Who reported it? A rival? Someone who hates Lin Shutong? Or Jiang Lai? The first to get the money must have been Jiang Lai, right?"

Hearing Jiang Lai's name, Shen Xun finally lifts his gaze.

Xie Yongsi: "You also think it's Jiang Lai?"

Shen Xun frowns: "Also?"

Xie Yongsi: "Anyone who knows the situation of the three of you would find it hard not to suspect Jiang Lai reported it, right?"

Shen Xun is silent for a moment, says nothing.

"Yongsi, if you're free, could you keep a closer eye on Lin Shutong's side?"

"No way," Xie Yongsi frowns, "You still haven't let her go? She's got Gu Zhiyan, that big‑hearted fool, by her side."

Shen Xun corrects: "I'm afraid she'll act against Jiang Lai."

Xie Yongsi sighs with relief: "I thought you'd developed Stockholm syndrome; good, good, I'm a bit better than Li Shao."

"What's wrong with Li Shao?"

"Li Dan and Gu Zhiyan were practically inseparable, but lately they've been cold to each other, all because of Lin Shutong." Xie Yongsi sneers, "That woman is pretty formidable."

She can break up a married couple and still tear apart a brotherly bond.

"I mentioned Lin Shutong's illness early on; Li Dan surely told Gu Zhiyan. Although Li Dan kept quiet to preserve Gu Zhiyan's face, I could see from Li Dan's expression—wanting to curse but holding back—that Gu Zhiyan didn't believe it, and they even argued, otherwise it wouldn't be like this."

"Lin Shutong, a deep‑rooted troublemaker."

Shen Xun cannot deny it.

Xie Yongsi asks: "Do you really intend to pay her three thousand every month? Isn't that cheap for her?"

Shen Xun: "The child's matter is my fault."

Xie Yongsi is speechless; never mind, let's drop this thread.

"I'll have someone keep tabs on Lin Shutong for you; I heard you've been very busy lately—are you really that busy?"

Shen Xun, unwilling to bring up Lin Shutong, earnestly asks: "What exactly is your view of Xie Corp?"

"What view?" Xie Yongsi initially doesn't get it, then sits upright, staring at Shen Xun, "What do you mean?"

"Xie Corp should upgrade and transform."

"I can place you in that position."

Xie Yongsi swallows, and undeniably, he brought Shen Xun to Xie Corp: first, to give his brother a way out; second, if he could lend a hand, even if he can't beat the elder brother at home, at least he can ensure there's someone he trusts within the family business.

"Shen brother, I…"

Xie Yongsi hesitates only half a second, then asks him: "What do you want?"

Shen Xun wants to reappear before Jiang Lai with an entirely new identity, not just a low‑level manager.

After all, Ke Zhongyu is right there.

Although Xie Yongsi is excited, he subconsciously swallows again, thinking, "Bro, Xie Corp fighting the Ke Clan? Us fighting Ke Zhongyu? Isn't that a bit over‑ambitious?"

……

Lin Shutong herself is also under investigation.

The money came from her grandfather, but she truly doesn't know where it originated.

Aside from crying injustice, she cannot produce any effective evidence; even her very existence and her earlier entry into the Self‑developed Chip Project Team have revived a matter that had been settled, and it may become one of her grandfather's pieces of evidence.

Lin Shutong dares not say another word.

In that courtroom, Jiang Lai pressed her, seizing the loophole in her speech.

Those examiners are even sharper than Jiang Lai.

When Lin Shutong left the interrogation room, the first thing she did was call Gu Zhiyan; the Gu family is the most powerful clan around her.

However, Gu Zhiyan did not answer.

She called Gu Yinxue, asking whether Gu Zhiyan had encountered any trouble; he did not pick up.

Gu Yinxue said on the phone: "Shutong, this time my brother probably can't help you."

"Why?" Lin Shutong hurriedly replied, "Wasn't it always possible before? Why not now?"

"Before, my brother leveraged the Gu family's connections; when he dined with my father last time, didn't you hear my father's words? My brother can no longer use the Gu network; he goes looking for people, others will meet him because he's still a Gu, but they'll also tell my father, and my father can't let the Gu family be linked to your grandfather's affair."

Lin Shutong is truly afraid now; she said anxiously, "I can avoid being with Zhi Yan."

Gu Yinxue in B City is speechless; the Gu family doesn't take Lin Shutong seriously, just treating her as a page his brother casually flipped open—if they want to look, they can glance a bit more, as long as it doesn't involve the Gu family.

"It's not about whether you are or aren't with my brother; my brother already chose you long ago, so now he is powerless; my brother stood up to the elders in the family for you, and he's still kneeling in the ancestral hall."

"Aside from being able to get you a lawyer, there's really nothing else I can do."

Lin Shutong's heart is like dead ashes.

"I've paid a little attention to this matter; if the report is true, Ji Lao will almost certainly not escape, what you're doing now seems futile, but if you're willing to do it, go ahead—at least you'll be at peace with your conscience."

"If it were me, I'd lean toward making the culprit pay the price."