Chapter 54: Smelly

At this moment, Jiang Lai and her friends, having finished eating, walked over laughing, and the Shen family also came over after finishing their meal.

Seeing Jiang Lai, Mother Shen had no pleasant expression: "Jiang Lai, when you meet us, why don't you even say hello? How rude."

Jiang Lai knew she was looking for trouble; seeing her not picking a fight made her feel uneasy all over.

"I don't want to disturb your family meal."

"Jiang Lai, what do you mean 'your family'?" Shen Xun, displeased, said, "I'll explain tonight's matter when we get back."

"Shutong is still here; he can't just say it was Shutong who booked it, calling the whole family to dinner—he doesn't know."

This would embarrass Shutong.

The restaurant is full of prominent people.

"Also, speak properly to your parents; don't hold a grudge." Shen Xun lectured her again.

"Mrs. Ke, Jiang Lai has always been rude, even at home; she's not good at serving her husband and parents-in-law, let alone looking after her sister-in-law. Earlier, she didn't even keep my little Xi from causing a car accident, and she neither visited her sister-in-law in the hospital nor offered any money—she's a miser."

She wanted Mrs. Ke to see Jiang Lai's true colors, not to think that wearing nice clothes makes someone a good person.

"If Jiang Lai leaves her son, she will never find anyone better than him."

"Madam," Ms. Nian said with a smile, "Although I don't know what you mean by saying these things, I want to say that in our Ke family, we don't need to serve parents-in-law or even our own husbands; we have maids."

"Her sister-in-law doesn't need looking after either; that's my and her husband's responsibility, and also her own responsibility."

"As for guarding wealth, if someone earns money, someone must guard it; being able to hold onto wealth is the true ability."

"Also, just call me Ms. Nian; our family doesn't follow the custom of taking the husband's surname, preferring people with a sense of self."

Mother Shen, embarrassed, flushed a liver-colored hue.

Ellie laughed beside them: "President Shen watches his wife being humiliated by his parents and sister without saying a word; be careful—if he loses her one day, it'll be too late to regret."

Shen Xun's fingers twitched slightly.

He looked toward Jiang Lai.

Jiang Lai won't leave him; these four years they haven't shared a room, yet she has remained dutifully by his side.

"Jiang Lai, I'll wait for you downstairs." Shen Xun politely nodded to Ms. Nian and led his family into the elevator.

Inside the elevator, Shen Xun looked at Lin Shutong.

"You called Mom and Dad and little Xi together today—why didn't you tell me? We all came to eat, yet you didn't bring Jiang Lai; what will she think? How am I to explain this to her?"

"I..." Lin Shutong felt extremely wronged, the corners of her eyes reddening.

Father Shen immediately interjected: "This is Shutong being sensible; Jiang Lai never thought of celebrating for you."

"Jiang Lai doesn't know; if she knew, she would do the same." As soon as Shen Xun finished speaking, Lin Shutong's tears fell.

"It's my fault for not being thorough."

The elevator doors opened, and Lin Shutong stepped out.

The Shen family gestured for Shen Xun to go after her.

Shen Xun watched Lin Shutong's retreating back, a flicker of heartache in his eyes.

This time, however, he didn't move his feet.

"I'll wait for Jiang Lai to come down and explain to her."

"What are you waiting for Jiang Lai for? She doesn't need your explanation!" Mother Shen, seeing Lin Shutong hail a cab and about to get in, hurriedly pushed her son to chase after her.

Shen Xun turned to his mother: "Mom, I was just about to say—can't you stop finding fault with Jiang Lai every time? These years I've been busy with work; your food, clothing, housing, and transportation have all been managed by Jiang Lai, and she's done a great job."

Mother Shen stopped pushing him, and facing her son's blame, she immediately retorted: "It's not all her doing—didn't you spend money to hire a maid? You're helping her so much; don't you know she's already going to…"

Father Shen glared at her.

Shen Xun: "Already going to do what with me?"

Mother Shen immediately changed her tone: "She's already going to give you a green hat!"

Shen Xun's face darkened: "She won't."

No one knows Jiang Lai's love for him better than he does.

"How do you know she won't?" Mother Shen, each time hearing her son defend Jiang Lai, feels her anger flare up, and she asks, "What could she be doing behind your back that she could tell you?"

"She won't hide anything from me." Shen Xun firmly answered his mother again.

Mother Shen, blazing with anger: "You're completely under her spell! I ask you, you defend Jiang Lai so much—what are you going to do about Shutong?"

"She's a pure, respectable girl with good family background and looks, always by your side—would you really let others call her a mistress?"

"Mom, how can you say that about Shutong?" Shen Xi pouted, "Originally, it was my brother and Shutong who were a pair; Jiang Lai just barged in."

As Jiang Lai and the others exited the elevator, they happened to overhear.

The moment Shen Xun saw her, he called out: "Jiang Lai…"

Shen Xi turned back, unafraid of Jiang Lai hearing: "Was I wrong to say that? If it weren't for Shutong studying abroad, Jiang Lai wouldn't have swooped in—would my brother's wife even be up for grabs?"

Jiang Lai looked at Ms. Nian: "Auntie, Chongying, sorry, you should go back first; I still have some matters to attend to."

Jiang Lai first saw them off in the car, then returned and walked up to the Shen family.

She didn't look at Shen Xun, but immediately fixed her gaze on Shen Xi: "Shen Xi, if you want Lin Shutong to be your sister-in-law, have your brother divorce me—it's far more useful than your shouting outside."

Shen Xun's eyes widened slightly—Jiang Lai wants a divorce?

Impossible.

"You think I don't want my brother to divorce you? I've been dreaming of it!" Shen Xi retorted, about to speak, but Shen Xun scolded her.

"Shut up, little Xi." Shen Xun said seriously, "I won't divorce Jiang Lai, and you'd better not entertain such thoughts."

"Mom, Dad, take little Xi home; I'm going back with Jiang Lai." He reached out to pull Jiang Lai, but she dodged.

He knew Jiang Lai was angry because the family dinner tonight left her out, so he patiently coaxed: "It'scold—get in the car first, and I'll explain later, okay?"

"I'm going back to my master's wife." Jiang Lai lifted her gaze to him, "We're going different ways."

Shen Xun disliked her resistance, his face stern as he forcibly pulled her away.

Jiang Lai wanted to break free. He simply grabbed her and held her.

Father Shen and Mother Shen exchanged a glance; their son really couldn't let go of Jiang Lai.

But Jiang Lai really wasn't worthy to be the Shen family's daughter-in-law.

And Shen Xi, watching this, was about to burst with anger—when will she finally be able to change sisters-in-law?!

Suddenly, an idea struck her.

Would catching Jiang Lai in bed make her brother divorce?

……

Shen Xun placed Jiang Lai in the passenger seat, personally buckled her seatbelt; as he leaned in, he smelled the fragrance from her hair, and his Adam's apple twitched slightly.

Whether intentional or not, he wanted to get a bit closer.

Jiang Lai's hairs stood on end, she turned her head away: 'Smelly.'

A cheating man is like a toothbrush used to scrub a toilet, giving off a foul stench.

Shen Xun's gaze darkened, he suddenly seized her chin: 'What do you mean?'

Actually, his heart fluttered slightly, fearing that Jiang Lai would find out he had slept with Lin Shutong while drunk.

He dared not imagine the consequences if Jiang Lai found out.

"I just finished eating." Jiang Lai looked away, "I haven't brushed my teeth."

"I don't mind." Shen Xun made a move to kiss her.

Jiang Lai covered her mouth with her palm: "I mind."