CHAPTER 31: CHAPTER 31: GRASSHOPPERS ON THE SAME ROPE FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS

"Jiayin." Pei Nianchen gazed intently into Gu Jiayin’s eyes, his tone noticeably heavy.

"Brother Nianchen, if we become family from now on, instead of lovers, I think perhaps both of us will feel a bit better."

Pei Nianchen’s eyes remained steadfast on Gu Jiayin’s face, his tone very firm, "I don’t mind, I only blame myself. In my heart, you are still the perfect Gu Jiayin you once were, the one I swore to protect for a lifetime."

He reached out and held her hands in his large palms, her hands were cold, while his were warm, "As for Qin Xueyao, give me some time, and I will take care of it."

Gu Jiayin suddenly laughed a bit woefully, "How will you handle it, like today’s news report, forcing her to have an abortion?"

She gently shook her head, "Yesterday, when I returned here and disrupted your wedding, I had a great sense of revenge. I didn’t want the Qin Family to be at ease, but if you were to kill your own child because of me, I would feel uneasy, and also fear that you might blame me in the future."

"All this is my own decision, it has nothing to do with you."

"Brother Nianchen, we both need to calm down."

Pei Nianchen held Gu Jiayin’s hand tighter, his piercing eyes becoming even darker, as if soaked in ink, "Your so-called calmness means us breaking up, and then letting me watch you become Sheng Qianchi’s woman?"

He suddenly spoke with a chilling and unwavering tone, "Jiayin, that’s impossible. You’re mine, I will never let go, no matter when."

"Today’s truth, although painful, has strengthened my determination to be with you because I finally feel that I am not completely unworthy of you. Let’s forget about the people from before and be together, okay?"

Gu Jiayin was still hesitant, "But Sheng Qianchi will not let it go easily."

"I’m a man, leave these things to me to handle."

...

The spring rain night was very quiet.

In the villa of the Sheng Family, Gu Shaohua sat alone on the living room sofa, personally making and savoring tea, the charm still present in her face but unable to hide her loneliness.

In such a large villa, she was the only mistress, without even a single person to talk to, loneliness followed her like a shadow.

Sheng Lanzhang was not in good health and had been living long-term in the Sheng Family’s private hospital for recuperation.

And since Sheng Qianchi took over the Sheng Family, he had never stayed at the old residence again, and he was even less like a son to her. He rarely contradicted her, but he also never obeyed her.

A servant respectfully walked in, "Madam, Qin Zhennan requests to see you."

Qin Zhennan?

Hearing this name, Gu Shaohua first frowned in disgust, but still instructed, "Let him in."

"Yes." The servant withdrew.

Gu Shaohua straightened her clothes, sitting upright, waiting for someone she disliked but couldn’t tear off the mask of.

"Mrs. Sheng, how have you been recently?"

Qin Zhennan walked into the living room with large strides, speaking polite words, but his demeanor was somewhat unrestrained, completely different from the humility and caution he showed in front of Sheng Qianchi.

Gu Shaohua hid her disgust in her heart, with a forced smile on her face, "What kind of wind blew Mr. Qin here today?"

Qin Zhennan walked to the sofa, sat down without invitation, and even arrogantly crossed his legs.

Gu Shaohua felt her face burning, waved her hand to dismiss all the servants, and then coldly chided, "Qin Zhennan, don’t put on airs in front of me! Believe it or not, if I get upset, I can make the Qin Family go bankrupt and disappear!"

Qin Zhennan lazily leaned back into the sofa, smiling indulgently, "If you dared, you wouldn’t have tolerated me for so many years."

Gu Shaohua, "..."

Indeed, she didn’t dare.

"Why have you come to see me so late?"

Qin Zhennan slowly sat up straight, poured himself a cup of tea, and took a light sip, "A smart person like Mrs. Sheng should be able to guess why I’m here, shouldn’t you?"

Gu Shaohua scoffed disdainfully, "Your daughter is useless, she can’t hold onto Sheng Qianchi. What can I do?"

Qin Zhennan, a bit embarrassed, raised a brow, Gu Shaohua’s slap indeed hit the mark, and he had no rebuttal.

Years ago, they plotted to create an opportunity and labeled Qin Yishu as Sheng Qianchi’s benefactor, even securing a betrothal. But after six years of being by Sheng Qianchi’s side, she hadn’t even held his hand, let alone slept with him. Truly useless.

However, he couldn’t allow Gu Jiayin to take the position rightfully belonging to Qin Yishu. As long as Gu Jiayin existed, she was a ticking time bomb ready to explode at any time.

Qin Zhennan sighed, "It’s true that Yishu doesn’t win Sheng Qianchi’s favor, I admit that, but I think you also wouldn’t want Gu Jiayin to take the position of Young Madam Sheng, right? If she enters the Sheng Family, your days wouldn’t be easy."

Gu Shaohua remained silent.

Indeed, Gu Jiayin cannot enter the Sheng Family, nor can she be Sheng Qianchi’s woman.

Qin Zhennan glanced at the silent Gu Shaohua, smiling confidently, "Now that Sheng Qianchi has broken off the engagement with Yishu for Gu Jiayin, I think both you and I are equally anxious. Don’t forget, you also played a part in the plot of sinking the mother and son’s ship years ago."

"Shut up!" Gu Shaohua angrily rebuked Qin Zhennan, also glancing warily toward the door, "Do you want someone to eavesdrop?"

Qin Zhennan also glanced warily toward the door, then sat up straight, "I’m just reminding you, we’re in the same boat. If I don’t have a good ending, don’t expect to have one either."

Gu Shaohua was so angry that her chest rose and fell and she spoke through clenched teeth, "You dare threaten me?"

"Does it count as a threat?" Qin Zhennan also lowered his voice, looking directly at Gu Shaohua, "Over twenty years ago, we were already grasshoppers on the same rope, neither of us can escape. Now we’re even more tied together by common interests, so you must make an effort. Gu Jiayin must not become Sheng Qianchi’s woman, and Yishu must marry into the Sheng Family."

Gu Shaohua took a long breath, leaning wearily into the sofa, "Do you think I haven’t tried? I approached Sheng Qianchi last night, but he doesn’t regard me as a mother at all and ignores my words completely."

Qin Zhennan, "If you can’t get through to Sheng Qianchi, you can work on Gu Jiayin."

...

The rain continued to pour, and the roads, which had dried during the day, were once again filled with water puddles.

A black, high-class bulletproof car, escorted by an off-road vehicle in front and behind, drove from the Licheng City Military District into the city.

In the car sat the highest-ranking commander of the military district, Pei Keqian.

He wore a dark green military uniform with a medal symbolizing the highest honor on his chest, the angular lines of his face taut and his perceptive eyes as sharp as a hawk’s.

He sat steadily on the car seat, imposing as a mountain.

This was a hero, surrounded by righteousness.

Suddenly, in front appeared a slightly lean, elegantly poised man, with an umbrella, standing in the middle of the road, evidently waiting for quite some time.

The car came to a stop, and Pei Keqian spoke majestically, "Who is it?"

The guard, "It’s Mo Jun, Sheng Qianchi’s personal assistant."