Chapter 37: Ex-Husband

Wang Ruohua reached out to wipe Jiang Lai's tears, her own eyes reddening as well.

"Old Cui always loves to act serious, rigid and proper with everyone, but his heart is actually the softest."

"I'm telling you this not to make you cry, but to tell you that even after going through a failed marriage, you shouldn't lose your sensitivity to feelings. If a person loses their sensitivity to feelings, there's no difference between them and a walking corpse."

"You have to be like the experiments you've repeated a thousand times—even if you fail, you still have the courage to start over."

Jiang Lai nodded with red eyes.

"Never mind, go ahead and cry. It's good to get it out—you can't cry tonight, or you'll wake up puffy tomorrow." Wang Ruohua pinched her face, then pulled a long face. "You've gotten so thin I can barely pinch you. You need to eat more."

Jiang Lai broke into a smile through her tears.

"Get a good night's sleep tonight. Tomorrow a stylist will come to the house to do your makeup and styling, then you'll go to the cocktail party." Wang Ruohua smiled and called her, "Dr. Jiang."

Jiang Lai called back to her: "Professor Wang."

"Come to think of it, once this project's bidding is over, you'll have an assigned apartment and an assigned position—you'll be a professor yourself, however junior." Wang Ruohua reminded her. "Starting today, take care of your appearance. You're young and you're not even wearing pretty dresses or high heels or anything—do you plan to wear Zuli Jian?"

Jiang Lai nodded: "I know, shi mu."

"At least now you know to change your phone and dye your hair a different color." Wang Ruohua encouraged her. "Keep it up."

The next day.

Jiang Lai woke up at six as usual, but this time not to make breakfast—instead to get herself ready. She still wore her ordinary clothes, but put on very, very light makeup, and looked more refreshed.

When she arrived at Ke Clan, Ke Zhongyu and the others weren't on this side. The vast office had only her. She finished organizing her routine materials, then went online to assist Assistant Zhou and the others with their work.

Uncle Deng sent her a message saying the stylist had arrived at the house. She asked for leave, clocked out, and headed back.

She changed into the dress her shi mu had given her, sat before the vanity and let the stylist fuss over her, and once the fussing was done, the makeup began.

Halfway through the makeup, Shen Xun called.

"At work?"

"What is it?" Jiang Lai didn't answer directly.

"I can't take you to tonight's cocktail party after all. Next time, okay?"

He'd already decided and yet still pretended to ask her—okay?

Jiang Lai said: "It's fine."

"I knew you'd be the most understanding." Shen Xun laughed and hung up.

Only then did Jiang Lai look at herself in the mirror, startled. She blinked.

"False eyelashes?"

"No, they're your own. Just a light brush and they're curved and curled." The makeup artist smiled. "Your nose is so straight, your lip shape is beautiful, and the most crucial thing is your head shape—such an outstanding skull, such a perfect head!"

Jiang Lai: "…"

This was probably a compliment.

She said thank you.

"You're welcome, you're welcome. Doing makeup for a beauty is a pleasure."

The makeup artist gave her a low ponytail updo, put in prescription colored contacts, added pearl earrings and a pearl necklace, and finally gloves and high heels.

"I saw you have a pair of nude high heels—you can wear those!"

Jiang Lai turned to look. The shoe box lay quietly there, printed with the brand logo, labeled with the size and color.

"The company issued them."

"???" The makeup artist's brain buzzed, and she said in shock, "What company is this generous? I want to apply!"

In the four years Jiang Lai was with Shen Xun, she had never paid attention to women's luxury goods, though after Shen Xun's promotion, she had learned a bit about men's luxury goods.

"These cost tens of thousands, and they're not necessarily in stock."

Jiang Lai's eyes widened slightly, thinking that President Ke was indeed good to his employees.

"Have you worn high heels before?"

"Rarely."

Jiang Lai decided to try them first. At first they didn't feel too tiring, but before she even reached the cocktail party venue, the balls of her feet were already starting to hurt a little.

"Miss Jiang Lai, we've arrived." Uncle Deng, the butler, personally got out to open the door for her and handed her a small embroidered clutch.

Jiang Lai, who was used to large bags, said: "This seems like it can only fit a phone."

Uncle Deng smiled and said: "It's just an accessory. I'll wait outside until Miss Jiang Lai is finished."

"Thank you for your trouble, Uncle Deng."

"You're welcome." Uncle Deng drove the car forward. One car after another pulled up. Jiang Lai picked up her phone and asked Professor Cheng and Xiao Qian where they were.

Xiao Qian called: "Shi jie, where are you? Professor Cheng and I are right at the entrance."

"I'm at the entrance too."

"The main entrance?"

"Yes, the main entrance."

"That can't be right, how come I don't see you?" Xiao Qian looked around and around—how could you not find someone in a place this size?

Jiang Lai watched helplessly as Xiao Qian walked back and forth in front of her twice.

"…"

"Xiao Qian," she called out after hanging up the phone.

Xiao Qian was standing just a little ways beside her, phone pressed to her ear, saying: "I'm at the main entrance, shi jie! I didn't see you, but did you just see a cool, elegant great beauty? Hehe, I didn't dare look too long, afraid she'd think I was being creepy, hehe, but I stood next to her and smelled this fragrance on her—I don't know what perfume, but it smelled so good!"

Jiang Lai: "…Xiao Qian, it's me."

Xiao Qian turned her head, and the moment she met eyes with the cool, elegant great beauty she'd just described, after seeing the other's face clearly, her eyes nearly popped out.

"Shi-shi-shi…" She stuttered several times. "Shi jie!"

Jiang Lai hadn't expected such a big reaction from her, and said calmly: "It's me."

"Ahhhh!" Xiao Qian ran over excitedly, dragging Professor Cheng along, "Professor Cheng, look, look, who is this?"

Professor Cheng approached and saw clearly it was Jiang Lai.

Jiang Lai in formal wear, with makeup?

He doubted his vision, took off his glasses, wiped them, and put them back on.

"Jiang Lai!" Professor Cheng jumped in surprise.

Jiang Lai slightly embarrassed: "Not good-looking?"

Xiao Qian's eyes lit up, she nodded repeatedly saying, "Looks good, looks good!"

About to drool.

She had always thought the senior sister was a beauty embryo, just didn't like dressing up.

"I'm relieved," Professor Cheng said with a smile, "Young people should dress up, so let's go in."

"Okay." Jiang Lai nodded, lightly lifted her skirt, just as she stepped onto the steps, behind her came Shen Xi's surprised "Wow."

"Wow! Brother, this place is too grand, I definitely have to take lots and lots of photos tonight, get the photos for the next few days' social media ready."

Shen Xun's companion is Shen Xi? That surprised Jiang Lai a bit.

At the research institute, besides Professor Cheng knowing her relationship with Shen Xun, no one else did, so Xiao Qian looked puzzled as to why the senior sister had stopped.

Shen Xun behind her said: "Don't rush, wait for the others."

"I know, brother, you're waiting for Shutong sister." Shen Xi said with a smile, "Shutong sister messaged that it's still ten or so minutes; why don't you take me in first, brother? Then come out to pick up Shutong sister, and we'll go in arm in arm—who knows how many people will envy us!"

"You and Shutong sister are a perfect match of talent and beauty, a golden couple; as for that other guy… forget it." Shen Xi, upon mentioning it, looked displeased.

Xiao Qian knew Lin Shutong, glanced back at the Shen siblings, and muttered softly: "Could this be Expert Lin's boyfriend?"

Professor Cheng beside them went blank, took a moment to recover, lowered his voice and asked: "Is Lin Shutong related to your… your ex-husband?"