Chapter 330: Seven Reasons to Be Together

Ke Zhongyu carried the cold orchid out and gently set it on the coffee table; the stem still stood gracefully upright, and the bud remained tender.

"Why hasn't it bloomed yet?"

"I looked it up—it needs a little more time." Jiang Lai gazed at the cold orchid before her, liking it more the more she looked at it. "Ke Zhongyu, I watch it every night before I go to sleep."

She had only mentioned something she considered perfectly ordinary when her chin was suddenly caught—not too hard, not too lightly—by Ke Zhongyu, who gently turned her face toward him.

Face to face.

Ke Zhongyu's fingers shifted, as if pinching a soft, bouncy, warm figurine.

He pinched just once, then kissed her under her puzzled gaze.

A kiss that caught her completely off guard.

A kiss like a fine pebble dropping onto the surface of water—seemingly stirring no violent waves, yet rippling outward in ring after ring.

Jiang Lai felt as though the soft warmth that had just brushed against her now pressed directly onto her lips.

Her heart went thump-thump several times.

Ke Zhongyu watched her slightly unpracticed response, an unbearable itch rising in his heart.

There was still a child at home, and that child had just called him brother-in-law—he had better rein himself in.

Ke Zhongyu took out his phone and snapped a photo.

Jiang Lai saw his action and couldn't help saying, "I take photos too—every morning when I wake up."

Ke Zhongyu: "You like it that much?"

Jiang Lai looked at him with clean eyes: "Mm."

After admiring the orchid, Ke Zhongyu stood up to leave; if he didn't leave now, he feared his own greed would frighten Jiang Lai.

Recalling the contents of that sheet of paper, Jiang Lai had made a great effort to take this step toward him.

Ke Zhongyu: "I'm going back to the old residence tonight."

Jiang Lai stood at the door and nodded.

Ke Zhongyu: "No need to see me out."

He closed the door himself to keep Jiang Lai from watching him go downstairs, but overlooked that she could still see from the window.

Reaching his car, he only subconsciously wanted to glance toward Jiang Lai's home, yet he spotted Jiang Lai on the balcony.

Jiang Lai waved at him.

Ke Zhongyu's body stilled, even more reluctant to leave.

Jiang Lai kept tugging at his heart, again and again, without even realizing it.

Whenever he felt the delicacy of Jiang Lai's inner heart, Ke Zhongyu couldn't help but feel grateful that he had seized the opportunity, and couldn't help wanting to curse Shen Xun as a beast.

A Lai was clearly this good.

Ke Zhongyu sent Jiang Lai a message telling her to go back inside so she wouldn't catch cold.

Jiang Lai replied okay, but didn't move.

Left with no choice, Ke Zhongyu tentatively typed a line: 【I can't leave if you don't go in—I'll be standing in the cold wind the whole time】

Jiang Lai indeed went inside.

Compared to a brief parting, she cared more about his health.

Ke Zhongyu no longer dared to underestimate Jiang Lai's quiet, unspoken fondness; his heart actually felt a little sore, and the smile between his brows and eyes hadn't faded even by the time he returned to the old residence.

The whole family was sitting on the sofa, somewhat surprised by Ke Zhongyu's sudden return.

Ke Fu: "How were the follow-up results?"

Ke Zhongyu: "Fine."

He looked at his parents and younger sister: "How was your dinner?"

Ke Zhongying waved her hand: "Don't even mention it—Song Nvshi couldn't go two or three sentences without bringing you up, without bringing up the generations-old friendship between the Nian Family and the Gu family. You didn't need to guess her intentions at all."

She paused. "But it was fine—Mom and Dad played deaf and dumb, and Song Nvshi had no way in."

Ke Zhongyu looked at his parents with gratitude.

Ms. Nian patted her son's arm, gesturing for him to sit down, and checked the wounds on his hands and forehead; the injuries were already gradually healing, and only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.

She brought up a matter: "Your Fourth Uncle, Fourth Aunt, and younger cousin are back. They already know about your injury and originally planned to visit you at Nanshan Villa. Since you came back tonight, they've surely found out by now, and barring anything unexpected, they'll come over tomorrow."

Ke Zhongyu nodded and looked at his father: "What position does Ke Chi want now that he's back?"

Ke Fu knew he couldn't hide it from his son: "Yuntu."

As soon as the words fell, Ke Zhongying's breathing went light.

Yuntu International Trade was the largest foreign trade subsidiary under the Ke Clan.

His cousin's family intended to directly monopolize control over the Ke Clan's overseas trade.

Their father hadn't specified the position, which meant they wanted the seat of general manager of Yuntu International.

Ke Zhongyu dropped two words lightly: "In your dreams."

"If Ke Chi wants a decision-making position at Yuntu International, let him show his ability and negotiate with me himself."

Ke Zhongying nodded repeatedly.

Ke Fu and Ms. Nian said nothing this time. The Ke Clan had many subsidiaries under it; according to the will from back then, the eldest and second sisters both held shares but did not directly participate in company management. The fourth brother's family also held shares, but their involvement in management was left ambiguous, and their son had gone abroad to accompany him for his studies as soon as he came of age.

Whether the study-accompaniment was real or fake drew much speculation, but returning this time with the intent to seize control of the Ke Clan's foreign trade made it a foregone conclusion that the study-accompaniment was a cover.

Ke Zhongyu stood up and looked at his parents and younger sister: "Eight o'clock tomorrow morning—breakfast together."

In reality, the Ke Family ate breakfast around seven; saying eight was naturally because of Ke Zhongying, that lazybones who couldn't get out of bed.

Ke Zhongying knew this perfectly well too, and pouted: "Eight is still so early."

Ke Zhongyu shot her a cold glance: "Can't get up?"

Ke Zhongying immediately changed her tune: "Getting up, getting up, getting up!"

Ke Zhongyu returned to his room.

Ke Zhongying immediately turned her head and told her parents: "Something's up! Definitely something's up! My brother actually wants us all to have breakfast together!"

Ke Fu and Ms. Nian smiled, and they were quite looking forward to tomorrow morning.

The next day at 7:55, Ke Fu and Ms. Nian, fully dressed, went downstairs to the restaurant.

Ke Zhongying rubbed her eyes and yawned, noticing her brother wasn't in the restaurant; she put her hands on her hips and said: "Where is he? We're all here, except him!"

"Making a fuss first thing in the morning."

Her older brother's voice came from behind; Ke Zhongying turned her head and saw her brother in formal attire but wearing an apron? Serious-looking but wearing oven mitts?

Four bowls of rice noodles, four cups of hot milk, four boiled eggs, and a basket of meat buns were just placed on the table by her brother, lively and spry.

Ke Zhongying's eyes blinked repeatedly.

The servant helping in the kitchen said: "These were all made personally by the Young Master."

Ke Zhongying: "Killing father, mother, and sister to usurp the throne?"

Ke Zhongyu gave her a cold look: "Is it still necessary to usurp?"

Ke Zhongying: "Oh, you've been in power for eight years."

Ms. Nian picked up a soft, hot bun with her chopsticks: "Is this to win us over?"

Ke Zhongyu took off his apron and oven mitts; the servant reached out to take them, and he sat down: "Thank you."

Ms. Nian: "Oh?"

Ke Zhongying parroted: "Oh?"

Ke Fu turned his head; not joining in seemed a bit out of place, so he uttered: "Huh?"

Ke Zhongyu looked at them: "I'm already together with Jiang Lai."

The three of them: "We already know."

The three of them: "We have no objections."

In unison.

Ke Zhongyu continued: "Her agreeing to be with me is half thanks to you."

Ke Zhongying gave a dismissive "pfft", extremely pleased: "I know, I know; you don't need to say it—Jiang Lai likes me so much."

Ke Zhongyu: "Hmm."

It was rare that her older brother wasn't jealous; Ke Zhongying froze for a moment.

Ke Zhongyu recalled what he'd glimpsed the previous night: "Jiang Lai made a list; among the seven reasons for being together, each of you accounts for one, and the family atmosphere accounts for another—four out of seven."

If any of you slipped up, Jiang Lai would probably hesitate.

Ke Zhongyu solemnly said: "Thank goodness you're here."