Chapter 339: She needed quiet, so he gave her space

Jiang Lai said she wanted to be alone and quiet for a while.

Ke Zhongyu always respected her, nodded and said okay, then went out.

Before leaving, he turned back to glance at Jiang Lai sitting at the desk; the desk was spacious and large, making Jiang Lai look small, sitting there quietly, her eyes gazing toward the window.

As the door closed, Ke Zhongyu went downstairs and sat in the car, but did not leave.

He had always known that he had not truly entered Jiang Lai's inner world.

Jiang Lai merely agreed to give it a try with him.

Therefore, in this situation, forcibly staying would only leave her at a loss.

She needed quiet, so he gave her space.

Rather than truly occupying everything and leaving her no gap, adults need private space.

Jiang Lai didn't mean to blame Ke Zhongyu; she just couldn't yet fully open all her thoughts and past to him.

Most of the children at Fuli Yuan wanted to go find their biological parents, but how many actually succeeded? Most fates were to be adopted.

Moreover, the children in her cohort were mostly girls, and abandonment was common.

As a child she didn't know what abandonment was, once longed for parental affection, but after growing a bit and understanding the meaning of abandonment, she settled down.

Not holding hatred is good; what else is there to seek?

Many children came to Fuli Yuan over time; at first there were more girls, later more disabled, and everyone's hearts grew colder accordingly.

If being abandoned is fate, then not seeking out those heartless parents is the remaining dignity.

When Jiang Lai was in school she lacked the energy to think about searching; after graduating and marrying she had no time to search, as if this thought had never existed.

But this was merely her belief that it had never appeared.

When Ke Zhongyu mentioned that she resembled that Uncle Gu, she realized her longing to find kin had not disappeared—it was just buried deep.

Do you look like Uncle Gu?

If it were just that she resembled others, she might not think so much, but that Uncle Gu not only gave her an inexplicable sense of familiarity, he had worked in G Province for twenty-eight years, and Dean Mom knew him.

Too many coincidences.

So, is that Uncle Gu her father?

If not, she would feel a bit of loss—losing hope after thinking she had found relatives, only to come up empty.

If yes, she would also feel some anger—why did she end up in Fuli Yuan?

What is her true identity, then?

An illegitimate daughter?

Or had someone else taken her place?

Since everyone thinks she resembles that Uncle Gu, can't he notice himself?

They have met, eaten together, and chatted.

A nameless sadness spread in Jiang Lai's heart; she sat quietly at the desk for a long time, until the sky turned completely dark.

Mo Yi opened the door and turned on the light.

"Miss Jiang! What would you like to eat tonight?" Mo Yi, having already seen the Young Master downstairs, said the Young Master told her that Miss Jiang's mood wasn't great, but there was no need to over‑attend—just treat her as usual.

Hearing Mo Yi's lively voice, Jiang Lai came to, pursed her lips, and gave a faint smile: "Anything is fine, Mo Yi."

"I happen to have made a menu; Miss Jiang, please order tonight!" Mo Yi pulled a big, plump notebook from her bag.

Jiang Lai unexpectedly reached out to take it, flipped it open; dish names were written in marker, each dish had a photo underneath, and many stickers—lots of childlike drawings—were attached.

Mo Yi: "My little granddaughter drew it; we made this menu together."

Jiang Lai is always easily moved by children's drawings; her brows softened: "Mo Yi, how often do you go home?"

"We all live here; I go back every week, whether I was previously looking after the Young Master or now looking after Miss Jiang. When you two aren't around during the day and there isn't much work, I drive home." Mo Yi asked with a smile, "Miss Jiang, is there anything you'd like to eat?"

Jiang Lai saw Italian seafood soup, pineapple sweet and sour pork ribs, asparagus beef rolls… dishes she had once made for Ke Zhongyu.

She had thought to make these dishes because they were Ke Zhongyu's preference; in fact he liked them that day, but unfortunately she left abruptly because of Shen Xun, and when she returned Ke Zhongyu had already gone, leaving food in the fridge for her.

Jiang Lai ordered those dishes again, then went to look for her phone, only to discover it had been off at some point; she quickly found the charger and plugged it in, and at the moment she refreshed messages she realized she was waiting for a message from Ke Zhongyu.

Ke Zhongyu sent no message.

Jiang Lai felt upset.

She opened their chat window, started typing, wanting to ask if he had gone back, if he had eaten, and whether he was angry.

Before she could send it, a message from him popped up.

【Have you finished digesting?】

Jiang Lai blinked, curious how he seemed to have mind‑reading or X‑ray vision, knowing she was about to send a message.

She deleted what she had typed and typed again.

【I'm fine.】

【Are you home?】

【Have you eaten dinner?】

Before she could send the "are you angry?" line, Ke Zhongyu was already quoting her messages and replying one by one.

【Not arrived】

【Not eaten】

The next second a voice note popped up: "Digestion done—can we meet now?"

Jiang Lai froze; an answer rose in her heart, she strode toward the balcony, but under the dim streetlamp her parking spot was empty.

The Cullinan was still parked there.

Jiang Lai gripped her phone tightly and replied with a voice note: "Ke Zhongyu, I can't see you."

The next second.

Koulinan's car lights switched on; Ke Zhongyu stepped out with long legs, stood in the light at the front of the car, and the light stretched his shadow long.

He knew Jiang Lai was watching him from the balcony.

He looked up.

The balcony was empty.

Accompanied by a thudding of footsteps, the voice‑activated lights in the hallway all switched on; Jiang Lai ran out of the hallway, gazed at the man standing by the car, and slowed her steps as she walked over.

Ke Zhongyu also saw her.

Jiang Lai walked toward him, and he also walked toward Jiang Lai.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Lai flung herself into his embrace, tightly gripping his waist.

In an instant, time seemed to freeze, and heaven and earth fell silent.

"Did you see me?" the man's low, magnetic voice carried a hint of softness.

Jiang Lai: "I saw you—I've seen you all along."

Just as with their relationship, she had long seen Ke Zhongyu's kindness and affection toward her, but she dared not believe or even think about it, so she needed Ke Zhongyu to keep stepping forward, standing in the conspicuous light.

"You've been waiting for me in the car." Jiang Lai said in a statement tone, her cheek pressed against the man's chest, hearing his strong, powerful heartbeat, which grew faster and faster.

Ke Zhongyu came to his senses, slowly raised his arms to embrace Jiang Lai, and rested his chin on the top of her head.

He hummed, replying: "Afraid it'll be like this morning—you wanted to see me but had to wait over half an hour."

Jiang Lai's nose tingled with an indescribable feeling.

"Ke Zhongyu…" she called his name.

Ke Zhongyu held her tighter: "Every time you call me, you never tell me what you want."

Jiang Lai shook her head: "I don't know what I want."

"Since you don't know, I'll just give it to you myself." Ke Zhongyu loosened his hold on her.

When Jiang Lai thought Ke Zhongyu was going to kiss her, he produced a square box containing an elegant, delicate ladies' watch in understated silver.

It was worth over 1.5 million.

Jiang Lai blinked slightly: "There's no holiday—why suddenly give a gift?"

Ke Zhongyu: "Seeing you made me want to buy it for you; no holiday needed."