Chapter 39: Who Brought You Here

"She came..."

"She didn't come." The words were interrupted by Professor Cheng.

Xiao Qian didn't quite understand, but she had always been on her senior sister's side, and immediately corrected herself: "What do you mean 'came'? My senior sister is a total homebody, and she doesn't like this kind of place anyway."

Lin Shutong said softly, "I see."

A flash of disdain flickered in her eyes.

A dullard who only knew how to bury her head in experiments—she didn't even show up to such a high-end reception. What a waste of an invitation.

It was just as well she didn't come; her coming would only make a lot of things hard for her to say openly.

It was a pity her grandfather refused to tell her what this Dr. Jiang looked like, and wouldn't say anything more, leaving her passive for the twenty days since she returned.

She was just about to leave when Professor Cheng suddenly asked, "Expert Lin, are you in a relationship?"

Lin Shutong froze for a moment.

She didn't answer yes or no, but instead asked back, "Professor Cheng, why do you ask so suddenly?"

"We just heard President Shen of Star Universe Technology mention you."

Xiao Qian nodded.

Lin Shutong couldn't help but smile shyly, nodding, "Yes, but my family doesn't know yet. I hope you, Professor Cheng, and Assistant Xiao Qian can keep it a secret for me."

Professor Cheng's heart sank.

Xiao Qian nodded and asked curiously, "Expert Lin, how long have you and President Shen been together? That's President Shen of Star Universe Technology, you know."

Professor Cheng listened quietly.

"Ah Xun and I have known each other since college—it's been seven or eight years now. If I hadn't gone abroad four years ago, we'd definitely be married by now. But it's fine, we'll be getting married soon too." Lin Shutong's face was full of anticipation. "When the time comes, you must come."

Xiao Qian said with a smile, "Okay."

Professor Cheng nodded a beat too slow, then asked again, "So when did you get back together? After you returned to the country?"

Lin Shutong suddenly found Professor Cheng a bit strange—how could a man in his forties or fifties be so gossipy.

But she still answered.

"Not exactly after I returned. Actually, even when I was abroad, he contacted me often, and occasionally flew over to see me." Lin Shutong smiled with a face full of sweetness.

Xiao Qian was a little envious.

Professor Cheng swayed, and Xiao Qian hurriedly reached out to help her sit down.

Lin Shutong asked with concern, "Professor Cheng, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine." Professor Cheng's face was full of worry. "At my age, it's easy to feel unwell. You young people go busy yourselves."

Just then someone called Lin Shutong from over there, so Lin Shutong went over.

The person calling Lin Shutong was none other than Shen Xun's good buddy, Xie Yongsi.

"With a beauty like you dressed up like this today, isn't our Brother Xun going to be completely smitten?"

"Who wants to smitten him. I dress to please myself."

Xie Yongsi smiled, "You came here with Brother Xun? How come I don't see him anywhere."

Lin Shutong pouted, "He's busy. He can't spare time for me."

Xie Yongsi: "Brother Xun would forget anyone before he'd forget you. He must have something important."

Lin Shutong was all smiles.

Professor Cheng watched from afar; the moment she thought about how much Jiang Lai had worried over Shen Xun these past four years, she felt it wasn't worth it.

Xiao Qian found a piece of chocolate, "Professor Cheng, do you have low blood sugar? Have a piece of this."

Professor Cheng took the chocolate and instructed Xiao Qian, "Don't go looking for Jiang Lai tonight, understand?"

"Huh?" Xiao Qian didn't understand, "Why? But without my senior sister, how am I supposed to—on my own—what do I do?"

Professor Cheng glared at her, "Am I dead?"

"No! Professor Cheng, you're definitely going to be meeting one person after another later, talking to one person after another."

"Just follow me. Isn't it nice to have me take you to meet some seniors? It's settled then."

Xiao Qian could only resignedly follow along, and then was instructed once more not to go looking for her senior sister—even if she saw her, she couldn't acknowledge her.

So much so that she walked right past her senior sister and left under her senior sister's puzzled gaze.

"Xiao Qian?" Jiang Lai saw Xiao Qian turn her head, pursing her lips as she looked at her, looking very aggrieved.

What was wrong?

"Sister Jiang Lai, who were you calling just now?" Ke Chongying brought over two glasses of champagne and handed one to her.

Jiang Lai said, "I don't drink."

Ke Chongying sat back down beside her, "Just hold it. You don't have to actually drink."

Jiang Lai was amused by her, "Aren't you going to network?"

"But I don't want to leave you here all alone." Ke Chongying felt that whether she met the big shots or not was no longer important—she could just beg Old Zhao when she got back, and he'd definitely take her along.

And beg her brother to find someone to introduce her, and that would be that.

She was Ke Chongying—she had plenty of channels to meet big shots. But leaving Sister Jiang Lai here all alone would make her feel guilty.

"That little head of yours thinks about a lot all day." Jiang Lai tilted her chin up slightly, "Go ahead. I'll be right here."

Ke Chongying still shook her head.

Jiang Lai found she couldn't out-stubborn her.

To keep Ke Chongying from sitting here with her being bored the whole time, she got up and walked into the crowd.

But she didn't know anyone.

As they walked, Ke Chongying kept grabbing food, and didn't forget to feed some to Jiang Lai.

The two of them were completely out of place at the entire reception; wherever they passed, they always drew some people's attention, who felt the two of them simply lowered the tone of the event.

"Who on earth let someone like this in? No matter how expensive the clothes, they can't hide the petty air about her."

Lin Shutong heard this and followed the gaze over.

At the first glance she saw Ke Chongying, and was just about to go over and greet her, when she saw the woman who turned her head — bearing a face she recognized yet didn't dare to acknowledge.

"You know her?" Xie Yongsi asked in confusion.

Lin Shutong turned her head to look at him. "Don't you find her familiar? The one wearing the lace gown."

Xie Yongsi shook his head. "I don't."

He hadn't recognized her.

Lin Shutong also somewhat doubted her own eyes — how could Jiang Lai possibly dress like this? And come to this kind of place? With whom?

Suddenly realizing that Shen Xun had not been waiting for her at the entrance as planned, Lin Shutong's expression faltered.

She said to Xie Yongsi, "Take another look."

"Isn't she just a beauty?" Xie Yongsi truly hadn't recognized her at all.

Lin Shutong's tone grew slightly urgent. "Jiang Lai."

"Who?" Xie Yongsi reacted after a beat. "You mean Brother Xun's…?"

He didn't dare utter the word "wife" in front of Lin Shutong.

Lin Shutong nodded. "Does she look like her or not?"

"Now that you mention it, she does look a bit like her, but how could that be possible?" Xie Yongsi shook his head. "Impossible — how could she have the ability to get in here, not to mention an outfit like that, unless…"

Unless Brother Xun had brought her.

Lin Shutong knew what he was going to say and decided to go over herself to see whether it really was Jiang Lai.

Actually, seeing Ke Chongying made her even more certain.

Xie Yongsi quickly brought his female companion along to follow, wanting to know what was going on.

Had Brother Xun lost his mind? Bringing his wife to hover in front of his white moonlight.

Lin Shutong walked over in her high heels — click, click, click. "Jiang Lai?"

Jiang Lai turned her head.

An exquisitely beautiful face presented itself before Lin Shutong.

Xie Yongsi, having drawn close and confirmed that the woman was Jiang Lai, slowly widened his eyes, his mouth gaping wide enough to fit an egg.

Was this still Brother Xun's drab, dowdy wife?

How could she be this beautiful!

A striking flower like Lin Shutong was instantly rendered vulgar before Jiang Lai's cool, otherworldly elegance.

Lin Shutong was also thoroughly shocked.

"Why are you here?"

"Who brought you here?"

Two questions in a row laid bare her urgency and worry before Jiang Lai.

Jiang Lai's gaze flickered slightly as she met Lin Shutong's eyes. "Who else could it be?"