Chapter 369: My Daughter-in-Law Has Such a Bitter Fate

Jiang Lai returned to the hotel, packed her suitcase, and temporarily stayed at Ke Zhongyu's place. Ke Zhongyu was called back by a phone call from the Nian Family; he had his sister stay behind to keep Jiang Lai company while he went back himself.

Nian Jingchuan had stepped forward to muzzle the outside world on behalf of the Gu Family, but he couldn't muzzle the mouths inside the family. He also wanted to use this matter to get his parents to relent on his nephew's marriage to Gu Yinxue. Whether Gu Yinxue was real or fake didn't matter—Jiang Lai was a member of the Gu Family, a daughter Gu Sen had acknowledged with his own mouth.

But the two elders had a sticking point: a legitimate daughter and an illegitimate daughter were two different things. Call them old fogeys if you will, but an illegitimate daughter was absolutely out of the question.

"Impossible." Nian Jingchuan didn't think she could be illegitimate: "Gu Sen has had the same personality from childhood to adulthood—once he decides something is something, that's that. Even if the thing has flaws, as long as he likes it, he treasures it all the same."

Ms. Nian nodded—that was true enough.

Nian Jingchuan: "Since Jiang Lai is a daughter of the Gu Family, doesn't that settle the matter? Just turn a blind eye and let it pass. Don't make the whole family drift apart."

From the corner of his eye he instinctively glanced toward his sister—he was mostly urging his parents not to hurt Zhaoning's heart anymore. When the Nian and Ke Families had arranged the marriage back then, the whole family had wronged Zhaoning.

Zhaoning was so young then.

The two elders pursed their lips, neither nodding nor shaking their heads.

The old lady asked, "Did Zhongyu propose?"

Ke Yue: "Not yet. They haven't been together long."

The old lady: "Then there's no rush. Let them date for now."

Nian Zhaoning instantly understood the two elders' meaning—they wanted to wait for the situation on the Gu Family's side, to see whether Jiang Lai would return to the Gu Family.

"Let them date for now" didn't necessarily mean approval. Nian Zhaoning had heard this line plenty of times. Most wealthy wives who turned a blind eye to their sons' affairs would say exactly this.

The more blatant version was: play all you want, just listen to the family in the end.

Nian Zhaoning had a sharp mind. She knew the two elders were taking a step back; all she needed to do was take a step back too and not object. Knowing her son's nature, as long as Jiang Lai was willing, her son would definitely marry Jiang Lai.

Only it felt as though a breath had been pent up inside her—one that had been held for twenty or thirty years, never once acknowledged.

What her parents couldn't do, she had to do after becoming a parent herself.

She had to acknowledge her own son's feelings.

"Dad, Mom, Zhongyu told me that the person he wants to marry is Jiang Lai, only Jiang Lai. Not only do I accept it, I support it."

The whole family looked toward Nian Zhaoning. She met each person's gaze with utter composure.

"Mom." Ke Zhongyu had just come back.

Nian Zhaoning turned with a smile: "You're back. Are Jiang Lai and your sister together?"

Ke Zhongyu gave an "Mm." He didn't sit on the sofa but stood behind his parents, greeting the people across from him: "Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle, Aunt."

The tall, broad-shouldered man standing there was like a towering mountain no human force could move. Coupled with that cold, sharp-featured face, he didn't need to do or say anything—a single glance, a single form of address carried a heavy, oppressive weight.

And precisely because of that form of address and his status, his intimidating presence was actually reined in considerably. If the fetters of blood ties were set aside, the oppressive force would likely be even stronger.

Even Nian Jingchuan couldn't help holding his breath for a moment, silently thinking that if this kid had followed him into the military back then, he would absolutely be a peerlessly sharp blade for the nation by now.

The two elders had come through hailstorms of bullets, so they didn't mind their grandson having this kind of mettle to directly stand up to his elders.

The old man asked casually: "What's the situation between your girlfriend and the Gu Family?"

Ke Zhongyu: "She's not going back to the Gu Family. I'm going to marry her."

The old man fell silent for a moment: "Going back to the Gu Family would be good for her, and good for you two as well."

"That little bit of benefit." Ke Zhongyu couldn't care less. Besides, "The Gu Family doesn't genuinely want to claim her. She's not going back."

The old lady: "The Gu Family's affairs are for the Gu Family to handle themselves. It's not our place to worry about it for now. Have you had dinner?"

Ke Zhongyu nodded: "I've eaten."

The old lady: "Stay here for the night, then. You'll be leaving again tomorrow."

But Ke Zhongyu said: "Not necessarily."

That depended on Jiang Lai's wishes.

Still, he agreed to stay over at his grandparents' place. After making sure the elders had nothing else, he returned to his room.

The old lady watched her grandson's back and couldn't help asking her daughter and son-in-law: "Hasn't he always been rather disobedient?"

Ke Yue chuckled: "It's not the same. He's put a rope around his own neck and handed the other end to Jiang Lai. He'll leave when Jiang Lai says to leave; if she doesn't say it, he's in no hurry."

The old man muttered: "Never saw him date anyone before, either. How's he so good at it?"

Nian Zhaoning glanced at her husband: "Genetics, probably."

Ke Yue didn't deny it: "That's what happens when you meet the one your heart wants—you grab on and don't let go."

In truth, his relationship with his wife had been a bit tense these past couple of days. Even though she had opened the door that night and spoken to him, telling him to go back to his own room and sleep, he still felt guilty about the arranged marriage.

The two elders turned in early. Having seen their grandson and heard his stance, they supported each other back to their room to rest.

Only then did Cui Moyuan speak: "This Gu Family matter probably can't be brought out into the open."

Nian Zhaoning: "Exactly because it can't be brought out into the open, because there's no way to give people an explanation—that's why Zhongyu's expression was so grim."

Cui Moyuan: "If this child Jiang Lai were ordinary and didn't care about kinship, the matter would just pass. She'd walk her own path and live a stable life. But this child has so much going for her—the Gu Family will definitely claim her. It's just a question of how."

Nian Jingchuan clicked his tongue: "Hard to claim her. No reason makes it easy. Don't forget there's another one of unknown authenticity still out there—and she's a sickly thing, back in the hospital again."

Cui Moyuan thought of Gu Yinxue: "With an illness like hers, if she hadn't been raised in the well-off Gu Family, she probably wouldn't have survived childhood, let alone grown up this happily."

Nian Zhaoning listened to her brother and sister-in-law, frowning: "My daughter-in-law has such a bitter fate."

She nudged her husband beside her with her elbow. "Think of a way to give her a billion. Giving cash directly—she definitely won't take it."

Nian Jingchuan & Cui Moyuan: "..."

Nian Jingchuan looked at his sister: "Could you be any more extravagant?"

Nian Zhaoning: "My situation isn't the same as yours. I married into the Ke Family—I'm a wealthy wife."

Nian Jingchuan gave her a thumbs up. There was no refuting that.

Ke Yue: "Project investment."

Nian Zhaoning: "That has to wait until she has her own project."

Ke Yue: "Didn't she choose A Da?"

Nian Zhaoning: "I actually forgot about that. I'm falling down on the job."

Cui Moyuan took a sip of water, smiled and asked, "Why are you so fond of that little girl?"

Nian Zhaoning countered, "Do you think Chongyu talks too much?"

Cui Moyuan shook her head. "He never liked talking since he was little, and whenever he does speak, he always says something offensive."

Nian Jingchuan said, "It feels like my throat is loaded with a poison gas canister."

Cui Moyuan asked, "What? The little girl enjoys talking? You can always get him to speak?"

Ke Yue: "No."

Nian Zhaoning said proudly, "It's not that Jiang Lai gets him to talk; it's that he gets Jiang Lai to talk. If Jiang Lai doesn't speak, he can still make himself angry, then cheer himself up, and keep talking to Jiang Lai—it's especially amusing."

She hadn't managed to do it, but Jiang Lai did.

Her son's life has always revolved around the family and the company; it's rare for it to revolve around a person.

How rare, how interesting.

How can one spend life always leading such a monotonous and boring existence?