CHAPTER 32: CHAPTER 32: BAI YUEGUANG’S STAND-IN

"Grandma, please let me go, I’ve told you everything I know. If my big brother won’t answer the phone, there’s nothing I can do."

Shen An never thought that because of a little Jiang Lai, he would almost end up homeless.

After barely managing to fool his brother into leaving, he turned around and saw Grandma Shen with the same angry expression.

The old lady stared coldly at Shen An and asked sternly.

"How long has that Jiang Lai been with your big brother?"

"H-half a year maybe..."

"What did your big brother want you to do?"

"He didn’t ask me to do anything. I just planned to go out for a walk. Grandma, you should go back to sleep, your eldest grandson will be fine."

Your younger grandson is doomed.

At such a critical moment, Shen An had some sense of discernment.

Although Grandma has significant influence in this house, the real decision-maker is still Big Brother, after all, he controls the entire group.

So Shen An decided to side with his big brother, trying his best to avoid the fate of being sent to South Africa.

Grandma Shen seemed to notice something and sighed.

"Go tell your brother, he can play however he wants outside, but this family needs a respectable mistress. He knows better than I do what implications are behind this. Alright, go."

Shen An, as if pardoned, quickly escaped.

He ran while calling Jiang Lai and sent messages on all her social media accounts.

Without exception, Jiang Lai blocked him on all platforms.

"Damn it!!"

What the hell is this woman up to?!

Doesn’t she have any sense of her own identity?

With no other options, he even dug up Jiang Lai’s Instagram account and discovered that she had emptied it except for one post celebrating her own birthday.

The post included a photo of her holding a cake.

Staring at the background behind the cake for a long time, Shen An keenly noticed that the sea in the background was none other than the sea behind Xuhui Center. There was only one cake shop in the Xuhui Center, expensive and not tasty, catering specifically to those fake socialites with too much time on their hands, which matched Jiang Lai’s style.

After finding the cake shop, Shen An quickly obtained Jiang Lai’s membership information.

If she bought a cake, it had to be delivered home, right? If it’s not a villa, then it’s another residence Jiang Lai has in Jiang City.

As expected, the delivery address was a small apartment in the center of Jiang City.

"I’m such a genius."

Shen An went to the location, and after confirming that a light was on in the apartment on the relevant floor, he quickly called his big brother.

"Brother, it’s this address, come over."

Ten minutes later, Shen Liao arrived, driving a brand-new Cadillac he had never seen before.

"Bro, when did you buy a car like this?"

Shen Liao gave him a cold look and ignored him, heading straight inside. When he tried to use the elevator, he realized he couldn’t go up without a keycard.

"Wait, Bro, I’ll get the property manager to help us get up."

When Shen An returned with the property manager, he found that Shen Liao was no longer in the hallway. He paused, then hurriedly opened the emergency exit; as expected, he heard hurried footsteps from inside.

"Shit!"

Damn Jiang Lai, what’s she done to mesmerize him? He couldn’t even wait?!

——

"Shen Liao is here; he’s outside your door."

Inside, Jiang Lai was putting on a face mask. Hearing Little Buding’s words, she thought for a moment and then nonchalantly nodded.

"Let him be."

Luckily, the original owner was wise enough not to spend all her money on luxury goods and had bought this tiny, just over twenty-square-foot apartment; otherwise, she’d really have to stay in a hotel tonight.

Meanwhile, knocking sounded at the door.

Jiang Lai turned on the video intercom and looked at the man standing outside, a mocking smile on her face.

"Ah, men are pathetic."

Little Buding couldn’t help but shiver at Jiang Lai’s smile; he’d never seen Jiang Lai show such an expression, so cold and detached as if the man outside had nothing to do with her at all.

"You don’t have to treat him this way, you know. He could help your career, and your relationship meter is almost full anyway."

Besides, Shen Liao seemed utterly devoted to Jiang Lai. As long as she capitalized on that, her career path would flourish.

Looking at it now, the mission progress was already at seventy percent. Once the overall progress reached eighty-five percent, the mission would be considered complete; it was the first world, after all, giving Jiang Lai some room for growth.

Little Buding was already very satisfied.

So it didn’t understand why Jiang Lai was acting this way.

The knocking on the door repeated a few times and then paused. Ten minutes later, it resumed in a rhythmic pattern, audible inside but not loud enough to disturb the neighbors.

Jiang Lai leisurely washed her face, then stood in front of the sink, looking at this beautiful yet unfamiliar face in the mirror, a smile pulling at her lips.

What a pretty young girl, living or dying for a man.

Without warning, Jiang Lai submerged her face in the sink filled with water; as time passed, the sting of the water in her eyes made Jiang Lai even more alert.

Once she’d calculated enough time had passed, she lifted her head, wiped her face dry, and saw the tear-filled, bloodshot eyes in the mirror as planned, so fragile and desperate, coupled with that smile—a strange beauty in the whole face.

"Wow, you’re despicable."

Little Buding timely expressed its exclamation.

Jiang Lai ignored him, walked barefoot to the door, and opened it.

In the instant their eyes met, she saw the regret and heartache in the man’s eyes, filled with tenderness and love, regret and guilt almost overflowing.

Before Jiang Lai could speak, Shen Liao stepped forward and embraced her tightly.

Unlike his previous domineering ways, he was now gentle, restrained, and tender, with a patience rarely seen. Even his fingertips cautiously caressed Jiang Lai’s neck, love palpable in his breath.

"I’m sorry."

Jiang Lai stayed silent, letting him hold her.

Shen Liao’s body trembled slightly; he wasn’t good with words, but now had so many things he wanted to say.

"Jiang Lai, you’re the only woman in my life; it’s like this now and will always be."

Simple words, but they made Jiang Lai frown deeply as she listened.

Where he couldn’t see, her eyes were cold. When Shen Liao released her, her gaze filled with sadness.

The man’s hand trembled as he caressed her.

"Jiang Lai, it was Grandma’s 80th birthday that day. Bringing you into the spotlight then would only have hurt you. Believe me, I’ll arrange a grand wedding for you soon."

Jiang Lai listened in silence.