Chapter 33: The Primary Wife's Confidence

Assistant Zhou saw the company's CEO's expression turn visibly grim after hearing Jiang Lai say it was a gift for someone.

"President Shen throws three million each month on other women, yet his own wife keeps using a cracked old phone." The man's cold voice was laced with mockery, especially the three words he spat at the end: "Mrs. Shen."

It looks like a curse.

Jiang Lai turned and left.

Ke Zhongyu watched her figure disappear at the office doorway, his fingers tightening slightly, and muttered under his breath, "Pathetic."

Assistant Zhou felt helpless.

No wonder the Ke Family worry that Ke Zhongyu has no suitors and start urging him to marry early, hoping to take advantage of his youth and good looks.

They've been urging him for three years, yet he hasn't even had a single rumor.

A wealthy heiress, faced with Ke Zhongyu's mouth, backs off; even a socialite lady forces herself to try, but ultimately can't endure.

In fact, Ke Zhongyu has become restrained with Secretary Jiang, at least he takes the initiative to show concern; whether it's the Ke Family's hotel, or giving support and gifts, it's unlike his usual behavior.

So he was shocked that Ke Zhongyu actually intends to poach someone's spouse.

……

Jiang Lai returned to the residential complex where she and Shen Xun had lived for four years, just as Lin Shutong was moving out; every piece of furniture, every garment, bag and shoe the moving company lifted could fill her and Shen Xun's home.

The moving crew was massive.

Lin Shutong warned, "Be careful, they're all expensive."

They turned their heads and met each other's gaze.

"Jiang Lai, you're back," Lin Shutong said with a smile, her proud red lips curling slightly, "I kept telling Shen Xun not to buy so many things for me, and now I'm stuck moving all day and still haven't finished—I'm exhausted."

"If you're tired, just throw them away," Jiang Lai, taller than Lin Shutong, watched as Lin Shutong, wearing ten‑centimeter heels, looked down at her from above.

"Don't you know there's a saying called a sweet burden?"

Lin Shutong, not seeing Jiang Lai's anger, grew more dissatisfied inside: "Shen Xun cares about me more than he cares about you; aren't you at all angry?"

Since ancient times, mistresses have liked to use a man's kindness toward them to provoke the primary wife, treating her anger as a trophy, as if only then can they feel they completely surpass the primary wife.

So Jiang Lai replied, "What do you know? This is the primary wife's confidence; a third party doesn't have it."

Lin Shutong's face flushed and then turned pale with anger.

"Jiang Lai, you're wrong; the one who isn't loved is the third party," she whispered into Jiang Lai's ear. "Do you know why I'm moving? Shen Xun bought me a large flat, while you still cling to this tiny place."

"I know," Jiang Lai retorted, "Does Shen Xun know you're flaunting this in front of his legal wife? Shen Xun is very proud."

All these years Shen Xun hasn't brought her into the public eye because he thinks she's embarrassing.

Infidelity within marriage is even less shameful.

How could Lin Shutong not know? Angrily heaving her chest again, she dropped a harsh line: "Shen Xun will divorce you."

"How nice," she said, this time not a curse.

Jiang Lai passed by Lin Shutong, unlocked the door with her fingerprint, and entered a home that looked as if a ghost had been there—things scattered messily, clothes draped over the sofa, socks strewn about.

Shen Xun had excelled academically since childhood; his parents placed the family's hopes on him, and as long as he focused on his studies, everything else would be taken care of.

But Shen Xun wasn't completely incapable of self‑care; otherwise she wouldn't have fallen for him back then. It was just that the house was cleaned by her every day, and Shen Xun never bothered to change, continuing to act like an aloof emperor.

Jiang Lai glanced around, suppressing her love of cleanliness, only pulling the sofa out for herself to sit, but as soon as she sat, she saw the coffee table cluttered with items and some stains.

She endured.

She couldn't help it; she had to do it herself.

She got up, went to the cloakroom, and tidied a few of her own clothes, daring not to take more for fear Shen Xun would suspect.

Shen Xun even enrolled her in a parenting class, clearly intending to trap her with a child; meanwhile Lin Shutong moved into a large flat, creating distance to facilitate an affair.

Shen Xun plans to eat what's in the bowl while eyeing what's in the pot.

She shifts a little, and she also wants to move her own nest.

After tidying up, the sound of a door opening came from the entrance.

Shen Xun returned.

He noticed the shoes at the doorway, realized Jiang Lai had obediently come back, and called toward the interior, "Honey?"

Jiang Lai pretended not to hear.

Until Shen Xun appeared in the cloakroom, leaning by the door and asking her, "Why do you keep not answering when I call you?"

"Is that so?" Jiang Lai casually picked up one of his suits, "I'm sorting the clothes."

"Hang up the one I brought back from the company as well; it has wrinkles that need ironing, and I'll wear it in a couple of days," Shen Xun naturally ordered her.

The class card hasn't arrived yet, so Jiang Lai could only hang the suit slowly.

From the next room, Shen Xun's command came again: "Honey, the sheets and duvet cover need changing too, must…"

The voice suddenly stopped.

Jiang Lai guessed he had lifted the quilt and seen a mark.

She walked over, "What's wrong?"

Shen Xun startled, quickly rolled the sheet into a ball, turned back and smiled at Jiang Lai, "It's fine; I thought since I'm already here, I'll change it as I go."

"Mm," Jiang Lai nodded, watching him toss the sheet into the washing machine, pour detergent, and start the wash, not even waiting for the duvet cover to be removed.

Shen Xun, with his back to Jiang Lai, secretly breathed a sigh of relief; when he turned his head, he saw Jiang Lai watching him, and his heart lifted again.

"What's wrong?" Shen Xun asked gently.

Jiang Lai took the opportunity to suggest, "Why don't we clean up the house together? I haven't been back for a few days, and I have no idea how you made it so messy."

"Even the flower pots on the windowsill have fallen over," she said, looking over.

Shen Xun also looked over, and the memory of that night suddenly rang in his mind—the moment Lin Shutong's hand had rested there, accidentally touching.

He tapped his temples twice and said, "I'll take care of the living room and bedroom; you handle the rest."

"Mm, thanks for your effort," Jiang Lai said meaningfully, "Only those two places are the messiest."

Shen Xun's breath caught. "There are only these two places in the house where anyone moves. You haven't been back for several days, so this happens. See, this house can't be without you."

Jiang Lai gave a faint smile without a word and continued to the dressing room.

In the living room, Shen Xun tidied up very carefully; they found a lipstick in the seam of the sofa, something Jiang Lai doesn't own at all.

They also found a pair of black lace panties under the bed, and were so frightened their face turned white.

These two items can't be thrown in the trash; Jiang Lai would see them when taking out the garbage, so they could only slip them into their own pocket.

Ding‑dong, ding‑dong…

Someone rang the doorbell; Jiang Lai walked over, opened the door, received four different boxes, and when she opened them, they contained course cards and paper course materials.

Shen Xun also came over and asked her, "What do you think of these courses?"

"Pretty good." Jiang Lai, in front of him, placed the cards and materials into her own bag, then sent an emoji to Ke Zhongying on her phone and turned the phone volume up.

In less than ten seconds, the phone rang.

But the caller ID showed it wasn't Ke Zhongying.