It was almost eleven when the three of them arrived at the venue.
They found several researchers from the research team being interviewed by reporters.
It seemed this really was big news. Even reporters from the most authoritative media outlets had come to cover it.
“Little Sis, your brother and the others have made a huge contribution. That means our family should be out of danger now, right?”
It was only natural for her sister-in-law, who also came from a politically troubled family background, to worry about the family.
But the reason the Lin family would later be raided was precisely because Lin Shu’s father and brother had made significant contributions, which had made others jealous and led to them being reported.
Lin Shu really wanted to find the person responsible, but she had something more important to deal with right now.
She could only put that matter aside for the time being.
There were many soldiers at the banquet.
Lin Shu asked about it, but Jiang Jie wasn’t entirely sure either.
“Maybe some important people are attending, or perhaps they’re cooperating with the military. Doesn’t your brother occasionally go to military bases for meetings too?”
When it was almost time for the banquet to begin, Jiang Jie greeted her husband before finding their assigned seats.
As soon as they sat down, Lin Shu noticed that the empty seat beside her was Shen Huai’s.
“My brother really knows how to waste resources. Shen Huai probably doesn’t even have time to come, yet they wasted a seat on him.”
Jiang Jie took a look and realized that it really was Shen Huai’s seat.
“If they didn’t reserve a seat for him, wouldn’t that mean they didn’t consider Shen Huai one of their own? What if he actually had time to come? If he doesn’t show up, then so be it. You can just eat his share.”
After the director of the research institute gave a speech, dish after dish was brought out.
Just looking at the spread, it was obvious that they had spent a lot of money. Each table had thirteen dishes, along with candies and pastries.
Lin Shu’s father and brother had never disclosed the details of their research to their family, but judging by the food on the table, it was clear that their work was no ordinary matter.
More than three hundred people had been invited to the banquet hall. It was practically extravagant.
It had been a long time since Lin Shu had attended a proper banquet, so she ate a little more than usual that day. She didn’t stop until she was completely stuffed.
The moment she put down her chopsticks, someone took the empty seat beside her.
She turned her head and saw Shen Huai.
Meng Fan was standing behind him.
“I’m sorry, Sister-in-law. I was impulsive yesterday. I’ve already gone to his workplace to apologize to him, and I even wrote an apology letter.”
Lin Shu said nothing.
If an apology were enough, then what would they need the police for?
None of this could make up for the emotional harm done to her and Cui Shu.
This had been an insult to their dignity. How could it possibly be resolved with a single apology letter?
Lin Shu didn’t turn around. She simply crossed her arms and ignored Shen Huai as well.
Qin Xiao was eating at another table. She had already heard from her husband that night about what had happened the previous day.
It had all been a misunderstanding.
Now, seeing her husband being given the cold shoulder, she stood up and wanted to go over, but Wu Ting grabbed her.
“Sister-in-law, don’t go over there and flatter her. She doesn’t even understand what kind of background she comes from, yet she dares to put on airs in front of soldiers who protect our country.”
Qin Xiao thought what she said made some sense, but she still got up and walked over.
“Sister-in-law, please don’t be angry anymore. My husband, Meng Fan, only meant well. He just ended up doing something wrong.”
In just that short while, Jiang Jie had already found out what had happened the previous day.
She hurriedly explained to them, “Oh, I’m really sorry. Those two are genuinely just good friends. If there really were some kind of romantic relationship between them, then, putting it bluntly, brother-in-law, you wouldn’t have anything to worry about. Let me think… They’ve known each other for more than twenty years. They played together when they were still running around in split-crotch pants. Later, after Cui Shu’s father rose through the ranks, they had to be more careful about appearances, so they didn’t interact much anymore.”
Jiang Jie openly explained the situation to everyone.
Her seemingly casual explanation also made Meng Fan look rather foolish.
“I’m sorry, Sister-in-law. I was too narrow-minded.”
Jiang Jie was good at handling social situations, so she stepped in as a mediator to smooth things over.
“It’s not necessarily a bad thing. Consider it a lesson for Little Sister. Given our family’s current situation, we really should be more careful and avoid unnecessary suspicion. All right, you two should go back and finish your meal.”
Qin Xiao pulled her husband away.
On the way back, she muttered under her breath, “What kind of person is she? She really doesn’t know how to appreciate kindness. If it weren’t for her sister-in-law knowing how to handle things…”
Remembering what Wu Ting had said earlier, Qin Xiao knew she could even write an anonymous report and have Lin Shu sent away.
“Stop talking. She’s Brother Huai’s wife, after all. I really was in the wrong. Let’s eat.”
Qin Xiao was still unwilling to accept it, but she could only sit down and continue eating.
Meanwhile, Jiang Jie switched seats with her son and quietly said something to Lin Shu.
Lin Shu reluctantly said, “I’m sorry. I was wrong. You’re the bigger person, so please forgive me.”
Anyone could tell that the girl had absolutely no intention of sincerely apologizing. Her tone was perfunctory, and she didn’t even look at the person she was apologizing to.
Shen Huai leaned slightly toward her.
“This time, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have doubted you. Tell me, what do I need to do for you to forgive me?”
Lin Shu said nothing.
She simply didn’t want to pay attention to this man.
If he were genuinely sorry, why would he need to ask her what he should do?
Even Jiang Jie couldn’t stand watching anymore. Shen Huai was normally a man of few words, yet beside his little sister-in-law, he kept saying one thing after another, only to receive not even a response from her.
“We’re done eating. Let’s go home.”
Lin Shu stood up and walked straight ahead.
“Look at her. That decadent capitalist attitude is practically written all over her. Brother Shen Huai has already apologized to her, yet she’s still making a scene. Disgusting. Brother Shen Huai is such a good man. I really don’t know if he’s lost his mind to have gotten involved with her.”
Two women happened to say this as Lin Shu passed by the entrance.
Lin Shu understood belatedly.
So that was why.
One moment she called him “Brother Shen Huai,” the next she was interfering in a married couple’s quarrel and throwing accusations at her for no reason.
It turned out she was doing all this over a man.
How pathetic.
And she was supposedly the daughter of a high-ranking commander? Apparently, she wasn’t anything special after all.
“Excuse me, please move.”
Lin Shu reached out and pushed the two women apart.
The two women, who had been talking behind her back, were completely stunned when the person herself suddenly appeared in front of them.
After Lin Shu had walked some distance away, Wu Ting finally complained in a low voice, “There’s plenty of room on the road. You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
She received no response.
She got the same treatment Shen Huai had received.
Just as she finished speaking, Shen Huai quickly walked past the two of them.
Apparently, he had just gone to report something to his superior and had waited a while before coming out to catch up.
“Do you think she heard what we were saying?”
Although Qin Xiao had been listening to Wu Ting, she felt somewhat uneasy herself.
“What are you afraid of? What we said was the truth. If she reacts, that just means she has a guilty conscience.”
“If she dares to report us, I’ll report her first. She’s someone with a problematic class background. How could she possibly fight against us?”
At this point, Qin Xiao hurriedly stopped her from saying anything more.
“Xiaoting, stop. Even if we can’t stand the way she behaves, she’s Brother Shen Huai’s wife. If you report her, Brother Shen Huai will be implicated too.”
Wu Ting knew that was exactly why she had only been talking.
If those two hadn’t actually registered their marriage, she would have reported that shameless woman a long time ago.
“I know, Sister-in-law. I won’t. It’s just a pity about Brother Shen Huai…”
Qin Xiao forced a smile and didn’t dare to respond.
It seemed Wu Ting still had feelings for Shen Huai.
Further down the road, Shen Huai turned a corner and immediately noticed Lin Shu leaning against the roadside railing.
Her little face looked pale, and she retched several times.
For a moment, countless possibilities flashed through Shen Huai’s mind.
He ran toward her excitedly, while at the same time feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt.
It was all because he hadn’t taken good enough care of her health.
“A-Shu, are you pregnant?”