Chapter 352: The Mystery Gradually Becomes Clear

Ke Zhongyu immediately called Zhong Poqian and asked, "In which month was the legal amendment to the crime of abandonment made that year?"

Zhong Poqian: "Passed in September, implemented in October."

Ke Zhongyu: "Understood."

He hung up the phone, looked at his parents whose faces showed puzzlement, and laid out everything he knew: "Zhong Poqian said that in September of that year, the state amended the crime of abandonment. The text of the provision didn't change, but the chapter it belonged to did. The crime of abandonment was elevated from the original family ethics crimes to crimes against personal safety. It was implemented in October. In November, Uncle Gu Hai finished his written exam. In December, A Lai was born. The same month, Uncle Gu Sen left politics for business. From January to March of the following year was Uncle Gu Hai's political vetting stage. In April, Uncle Gu Hai started his job."

Once Ke Zhongyu laid out the timeline, the mystery that had persisted all along began to become clear.

Ke Yue and Ms. Nian's expressions changed abruptly.

Ke Zhongyu's expression grew even more solemn.

Ke Zhongying lowered her head in distress and murmured softly, "How could it be like this."

Ms. Nian parted her lips: "If this is true, it would be too painful for Jiang Lai."

Ke Zhongyu: "Mm."

Her family abandoned her.

The person she once loved deceived her.

Ke Zhongyu couldn't describe the feeling in his heart. Silence spread over the family's heads.

Ke Zhongyu spoke again: "This is all speculation. I still need a definitive paternity test."

Ke Yue: "If our inference is completely correct, the Gu family won't agree. This matter should be an unspoken secret of the Gu family. Even Uncle Gu Sen has no say in the Gu family's affairs, let alone you."

Ms. Nian: "Don't take the initiative to tell Jiang Lai unless she asks you herself."

Ke Zhongyu gave an "Mm"—anyone could hear the suppression in his voice.

"So annoying!" Ke Zhongying took out her frustration on the sofa cushion, tossing it onto the floor. "So annoying, so annoying! How could they just abandon her, how could they just abandon her! I'm not going to the Gu family's for New Year greetings this year! I'm sick, I've gone mute! My leg is broken!"

Ms. Nian was helpless: "Who talks about themselves like that."

Ke Zhongying: "Didn't my brother used to say exactly that?"

When faced with Fu Daxiaojie's invitation to dance, he said his leg was broken. When faced with Gu Yinxue's invitation to enjoy the scenery, he said he was blind.

Ke Zhongyu cast a cool glance at his younger sister.

Ke Yue looked at his son: "Setting a bad example for your sister."

Ke Zhongyu didn't refute.

"Wait, since Sister Jiang Lai has a high probability of being Uncle Gu's child, then what about Gu Yinxue?" Ke Zhongying suddenly thought of this. "Gu Yinxue doesn't look like Uncle Gu or Aunt Gu at all."

Ms. Nian mentioned: "A paternity test was done. Back then, it was the paternity test that silenced everyone and protected Gu Yinxue's childhood."

Ke Zhongying: "So?"

Ke Yue: "It means it was the Gu family's intention."

Ke Zhongying grew even angrier: "I'm going upstairs to sleep!"

The family watched her storm upstairs. Ke Zhongyu reminded: "Don't say anything careless in front of her."

"I know!!!" Ke Zhongying stomped up the stairs with thump-thump-thump sounds, clearly furious.

Her father's remark just now about it being the Gu family's intention, and his earlier remark that even Uncle Gu Sen couldn't manage the Gu family's affairs—these outsiders had even less ability to intervene.

Even if they knew something, they could only hold it in.

They also had to consider the friendship between the Nian and Gu families, and the friendship between the Nian and Ke families.

A single careless word could poke a massive hole for the Gu family. How could they be so willful?

She couldn't.

Her brother even more so.

The interests of the three families were intertwined too deeply, with generations of relationships right there for all to see.

She could throw a tantrum in front of the Gu family elders, and everyone would just say she was immature and let it pass. But her brother was different. Her brother was the head of the household, the decision-maker. He couldn't be willful at all on important matters.

Since that was the case, she would be angry on her brother's behalf. If the sky really fell, her brother would hold it up for her.

Only when Ke Zhongying's back disappeared on Erlou did the three of them withdraw their gazes.

Ms. Nian looked at her son: "You and Jiang Lai are already together. When Jiang Lai comes home for New Year this time, remember to prepare gifts for the elders in advance. Not just for Dean Tang, but also for Professor Wang. I expect that after the New Year when she returns, she'll also pay New Year visits to Shen Lao and Professor Cheng. Prepare those in advance too."

Ke Zhongyu: "I've already had the secretary preparing them."

Ms. Nian sighed: "Let's have a good New Year first."

Ke Zhongyu: "Mm."

……

Approaching New Year's Eve, Ji Lao's punishment came down.

The suspended sentence that Lin Shutong had wanted to fight for was secured by Ji Lao, but his reputation was already ruined in his later years, reduced to a state where everyone in academic circles wanted him gone.

That sum of money had already reached Jiang Lai's hands and couldn't be recovered. The Ji Family could only sell off their assets, reduced to the same state as the Lin family. But a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. The Ji Family's situation was ultimately not quite the same as the Lin family's.

The Ji Family's company still existed, and they still kept a small Western-style house.

When Ji Lao saw the light of day again, he was momentarily dazed. Not only could he barely open his eyes, he couldn't even stand steady.

He had aged considerably. His son, daughter-in-law, and grandson all came to pick him up, dabbing him with pomelo water. No one mentioned Lin Shutong's matter. It was an unspoken understanding—what was past was past. They were family, after all, and his son and daughter-in-law couldn't truly abandon their father.

Ji Lao was still alive, but his heart had died.

The reputation and status he had painstakingly built for years vanished overnight.

The successor he had devoted himself to cultivating was the chief culprit.

His heart had died, completely and utterly.

He became listless and despondent, no longer putting on the dignity of an elder, and no longer speaking much.

For a long time, the Ji Family remained in this lifeless state.

Ji Lao didn't inquire about any of Lin Shutong's circumstances, but his daughter-in-law thought it over and still told him: "Her sister and brother-in-law have returned to the northwest. All the property here has been sold off. Only a rented apartment remains, originally kept for Lin Shutong to live in. But since Lin Shutong was sentenced to three years in prison for attempted murder, she can't live there either. The apartment was returned as well. They most likely won't come back. To raise a daughter like that, and to cause you such suffering on top of it."

"Lawyer Gu secured visitation rights for Lin Shutong. Old man, you…"

"Not going." Ji Lao directly refused.

The daughter-in-law said "okay," and then said nothing else.

Lin Shutong, who was being reformed in prison, already knew about her grandfather's suspended sentence; a huge weight lifted from her heart, and she eagerly wanted to see her grandfather.

Lin Shutong found the person Gu Zhiyan had arranged; she said she wanted to apply to make a phone call to her grandfather, the call went through, but the other side kept not answering.

She refused to give up and kept calling; it was answered.

The person who answered the phone was her aunt.

"Aunt, is Grandpa still okay? How is he?"

"Thanks to you, I wasn't actually killed by you."

Lin Shutong's eyes instantly reddened: "Aunt, I didn't mean it, sorry, I just want to talk to Grandpa."

"Don't even think about it." The aunt's one sentence plunged her into hell: "Grandpa knows this call was from you; he kept seeing it and didn't answer; I also mentioned the prison visit, but halfway through he said he wouldn't go, so from now on don't call here again, don't come bother us."

The phone hung up.

Lin Shutong tears streamed down her face; that was her grandfather who always cared for her!

Her parents don't want her, her grandfather doesn't want her either.

Lin Shutong painfully looked at the person before her: "Zhi Yan? I want to see Zhi Yan; can you let him come see me? Although he has no blood relation with me, he's a lawyer, and lawyers can visit prison."

"Attorney Gu has returned to B City."

"He can come over anytime! I need him!"

"Attorney Gu is getting engaged after the New Year."

Lin Shutong jolted: Attorney Gu is getting engaged? With which woman? Then wouldn't he become the mistress again!

No, Attorney Gu and she haven't broken up yet, so she's not the mistress.

Jiang Lai is the mistress.

The woman engaged to Attorney Gu is also the mistress!