Lin Ting sneered coldly.
Truly Jiang Yu—heartless enough!
In the chilly wind, Jiang Yu’s warning to Lin Ting grew even colder and fiercer:
“Lin Ting, don’t push me. When the time comes, I really won’t show any mercy.”
Every time he looked at Lin Ting, his chest tightened with suffocation.
Just a few days ago, she had pretended to be gravely ill in the hospital, yet today she was wearing beautiful makeup.
Where was the sickness? It was all an act, all a performance.
“Lin Ting, I’m warning you for the last time—don’t set your sights on Jiang Shuchen. Otherwise, you really won’t have a place to stand in Pengcheng.”
“How does Mr. Jiang plan to make me lose my footing? Make me disappear from Pengcheng?”
Lin Ting didn’t want to say another word.
She got on her electric scooter without even glancing at Jiang Yu. “Don’t worry. At most, in another two months, you won’t see me anymore. I won’t be in your way then.”
The hatred in Jiang Yu’s eyes deepened. “Don’t bring up cancer again. Your pity-seeking tactics won’t work on me anymore. I won’t feel sorry for someone as despicable and shameless as you.”
No matter how strong Lin Ting was, her eyes still brimmed with painful tears at this moment.
She glanced at Jiang Yu mockingly and snorted. “I never once thought of seeking Mr. Jiang’s pity. If I could start over, I’d rather have never met you.”
With that, she rode off swiftly on her electric scooter into the cold wind.
The figure on the scooter was clearly thin and frail, yet her back was straight, proud and stubborn.
Jiang Yu, watching her straight back from behind, felt a deep ache in his heart.
“Lin Ting, what right do you have to say such things?”
“I’m the one who never wanted to know you. You have no right to say that.”
Jiang Shuchen was right.
The deeper the love, the sharper the hatred.
That was why every time he saw Lin Ting, he felt such pain, such resentment.
…
In the afternoon, Lin Ting went to the kindergarten to pick up Youzi.
As she was about to head home, Jiang Shuchen stepped out of a car and approached the mother and daughter.
At that moment, the smile on Jiang Shuchen’s face froze, turning awkward and uncomfortable.
“Shu Chen?”
Jiang Shuchen felt conflicted.
But after all, he was Xia Jingshu’s husband.
He handed Lin Ting a business card. “Xiao Ting, if you need anything in the future, you can contact my assistant.”
Lin Ting understood. “Shu Chen, it’s my fault for causing trouble and making Jing Shu misunderstand. Don’t worry, I won’t ask for your help again.”
With that, she tactfully deleted Jiang Shuchen’s number.
Jiang Shuchen tried to stop her but was too late. “Xiao Ting, that’s not what I meant…”
Slap!
Before either Lin Ting or Jiang Shuchen could react, someone rushed forward and slapped Lin Ting across the face.
Just as Lin Ting was about to be hit a second time, Jiang Shuchen immediately grabbed the raised, slender, pale arm.
“Xia Jingshu, that’s going too far!”
Jiang Shuchen gripped Xia Jingshu’s delicate wrist.
Xia Jingshu’s eyes reddened. “Fine, Jiang Shuchen! For this bitch Lin Ting, you’re going to hit me?”
“You were the one who hit someone first,” Jiang Shuchen retorted angrily, shoving Xia Jingshu away.
Then, full of guilt, he looked at Lin Ting. “Xiao Ting, are you okay?”
Lin Ting covered her stinging cheek and shook her head. “I’m fine, Shu Chen. I’m sorry for causing you trouble. I’ll take Youzi and leave now.”
“Lin Ting, don’t even think about leaving!” Xia Jingshu rushed forward to block her way.
“You shameless vixen who specializes in seducing men! I used to treat you like a sister, but now that Zhou Ziheng is in prison and Jiang Yu has dumped you, you come running to seduce my husband. Have you no shame? Today, I’m going to make a scene and let everyone see just how cheap and seductive a woman like you, reeking of fox scent, really is!”
Jiang Shuchen pulled her back from behind, gripping her tightly and refusing to let go. “Xia Jingshu, have you had enough?”
This roar finally silenced Xia Jingshu.
Tears of grievance fell like broken strings, one after another.
“Fine, Jiang Shuchen! For the sake of a vixen, you dare to yell at me like this?”
“When I almost died giving birth to your child, you never raised your voice at me. And now, for some seductive fox, you treat me like this?”
“Jiang Shuchen, you bastard! I’ll fight you!”
Slap!
This was the first time Jiang Shuchen had ever laid a hand on Xia Jingshu.
He had completely lost his composure.
The moment the slap landed, Jiang Shuchen was filled with regret and guilt.
He had sworn to treat Xia Jingshu well for the rest of his life—never to raise a hand against her, not even to raise his voice at her.
Xia Jingshu finally fell silent. Perhaps after six years of marriage, always being cherished and pampered, this sudden slap had stunned her—and awakened her.
All the distrust, grievances, and pain transformed into the endless stream of tears in Xia Jingshu’s eyes.
Then, she roared in despair, “Jiang Shuchen, I want a divorce!”
Watching Xia Jingshu speed away in her pink sports car, Jiang Shuchen quickly got into his own car and chased after her.
Lin Ting watched as the two luxury cars sped off into the distance.
Her heart grew even heavier with guilt.
Perhaps she should never have returned to Pengcheng.
…
The next day.
News about the third-largest shareholder of Linjiang Pharmaceutical Group being suspected of marital infidelity, with his marriage in constant crisis, shot to the top of the trending searches within half a day.
Jiang Yu spent a great deal of effort to have the trending topic removed.
The three major shareholders of Linjiang Pharmaceutical Group were: Jiang Yu, Jiang Shuchen, and Lin Ting’s father, Lin Jianguo.
Jiang Yu, who had studied medicine, oversaw pharmaceutical research and development.
Jiang Shuchen was responsible for managing the group.
Lin Jianguo had retired from active management and now served as a shareholder, enjoying his retirement at home.
That day, Jiang Yu returned from the pharmaceutical laboratory in the suburbs to the group’s headquarters in the city.
He kicked open the door to Jiang Shuchen’s office.
Inside, Jiang Shuchen was leaning back in his chair, rubbing his temples wearily.
Seeing Jiang Yu, Jiang Shuchen opened his eyes and gave him a faint glance. “Why didn’t you knock before coming in?”
Jiang Yu closed the door and walked over, answering with something completely unrelated. “With the infidelity scandal causing such an uproar, you seem quite relaxed.”
A stack of photos was slammed onto Jiang Shuchen’s desk.
Jiang Shuchen didn’t even glance at them. “Jing Shu doesn’t trust me, and now you don’t either?”
It wasn’t that Jiang Yu didn’t trust Jiang Shuchen.
It was that he didn’t trust Lin Ting.
He sat on Jiang Shuchen’s desk, crossing his long, straight legs.
From his slightly elevated position, he looked down at Jiang Shuchen, who was still leaning back in his chair.
“You know how indifferent Zhou Ziheng is to women.”
“If Lin Ting hadn’t used some trick to seduce him, Zhou Ziheng would never have touched a woman who belonged to me.”
He, Zhou Ziheng, and Jiang Shuchen had once been the closest of brothers.
Even though Zhou Ziheng was the illegitimate son of the rival Zhou family, he had never been at odds with Jiang Yu.
It was Lin Ting who had turned brothers against each other.
Jiang Yu’s face darkened. “Jiang Shuchen, Lin Ting won’t give up until she gets the research secrets. Wake up and cut all ties with that woman. I don’t want us to become enemies too.”
He only had this one brother left.
Hah!
Jiang Shuchen sneered coldly.
Xia Jingshu was simple-minded, only seeing the surface of things and never thinking deeply—that was one thing. But Jiang Yu didn’t trust him either. “Lin Ting and I are completely innocent.”
Even if every man in the world cheated, Jiang Shuchen would never cheat. No matter what seductress or temptress tried to lure him, he wouldn’t fall for it. Besides, Lin Ting had never harbored any improper thoughts toward him. She was clearly pitiable—she wasn’t some seductress.
Jiang Shuchen stood up, about to leave.
Jiang Yu also rose, blocking his way. “This time, the PR department handled your marriage crisis. But if you and Lin Ting really cause any trouble next time…”
“Jiang Yu!” Jiang Shuchen’s expression turned cold.
The word “distrust” hung between the two brothers, widening the distance between them.
Jiang Shuchen said angrily, “Five years ago, everyone accused Zhou Ziheng and Lin Ting of colluding and having an affair, and you believed it. Now, with Xia Jingshu making a scene, you’re going to believe it again, aren’t you? Both Zhou Ziheng and I are your closest brothers. Lin Ting was once the woman you loved most. Have you ever considered that this might be a scheme by our rivals to drive a wedge between us?”
Jiang Yu had thought about it, but… “…”
Filled with pain and resentment, he felt his youth had been utterly wasted. “Lin Ting isn’t the woman I loved most. She doesn’t deserve it.”
Jiang Shuchen no longer knew how to persuade him to be rational. One incident after another was just too suspicious.
He let out a long sigh. “Jiang Yu, you have no idea how difficult it has been for Lin Ting since she was released from prison, raising a child with hearing loss all on her own.”
With that, he turned to leave.
Jiang Yu called out from behind him, “Jiang Shuchen, be rational. Don’t be fooled by the pitiful act she puts on. To get the research secrets of Linjiang Pharmaceuticals, you, with your soft and kind heart, are her only way in. Can’t you see that clearly?”
Jiang Shuchen turned back. “Ah Yu, ever since the incident with Xiao Ting and Zhou Ziheng came to light, you’ve changed. Love and hatred have clouded your judgment. I hardly recognize you anymore. I hope that after you marry Lin Weiwei, you’ll truly find happiness, not marry her out of spite or gratitude.”
After Jiang Shuchen left, Jiang Yu, seething with anger, kicked the table in front of him hard.
Who said he wasn’t happy? He was clearly happy with Lin Weiwei.
So why did his chest feel so suffocating and painful?