Chapter 38

Translator: Lordbluefire

Chu Cichen’s eyelashes trembled slightly. He didn’t answer this question but said, “She’s no longer around.”

No longer around...

Shen Ruojing could hear unwillingness to part, reminiscence, and a hint of nostalgia in just these three words.

She shouldn’t have asked too much.

Chu Cichen used a photo to prove that her so-called past was fake.

She clenched her fists tightly and thought of how she had pestered him during this period. She lowered her peach blossom eyes and said indifferently, “I’m sorry, but I didn’t lie to you about the photo.”

“I know.” Chu Cichen looked at her. “Although I don’t understand why such a misunderstanding happened, I think you must have been deceived.”

It would be simple for Shen Ruojing to move into the Chu Family and gain a raise in status if that was what she wanted. She only needed to use the three children to achieve her goal. There was no need for her to lie to him.

He also recalled how the woman’s anger yesterday didn’t seem to be an act.

So Chu Cichen chose to believe her.

He continued, “Miss Shen, can we talk about the three children now?”

The sadness in Shen Ruojing’s heart dissipated. She narrowed her peach blossom eyes and said warily, “I won’t give up the custody of the three children. If the Chu family really wants to bring this to court with me, I’ll push for it all the way to the end!”

Wealthy families would definitely not leave their children outside.

Seeing her like this, Chu Cichen admired her even more.

Back then, Lin Wanru had brought Chu Yu to the Chu Family and then abandoned him without any hesitation in exchange for the Lin Family’s wealth. The Shen Ruojing today seemed more like how a mother should act.

Chu Cichen was silent for a moment before saying, “I won’t file a lawsuit.”

That would break the hearts of the three children.

When he looked up again, he thought of how Shen Ruojing had been mocked because of the children all these years. He spoke again.

“Consider what I said yesterday. If you’re willing, you can bring the children along to move in with the Chu Family. Other than the title of Mrs. Chu, I can give you anything you want. I believe you can also raise your head and not be criticized by others.”

He lowered his eyes. “Don’t worry, I won’t remarry again in this life, so you don’t have to worry that the children will have a stepmother.”

(So that’s what he meant by letting me move in with the Chu Family…)n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

At this thought, Shen Ruojing interrupted him. “No need.”

Chu Cichen frowned.

Previously, she had said that she liked him and wanted to live together with him. Now that she knew that he wasn’t her boyfriend, she immediately refused to move in to live with the Chu Family?

This woman was really heartless.

For some reason, he suddenly felt a little uncomfortable.

Shen Ruojing looked at him and said, “The children can take turns to stay with either of us. There’s no need for us to force ourselves to live together. As for what happened five years ago, I’ll investigate it myself further. Goodbye.”

After saying that, she got out of the car and left without any hesitation.

Chu Cichen looked at Shen Ruojing’s back view. For some reason, he felt that this feeling was so familiar, just like that person back then…

But how could that be possible?

She was already dead, right in front of his eyes. She had died in an explosion and not even her corpse remained.

–

Shen Ruojing got out of the car with extremely complicated feelings.

She didn’t understand why that person wasn’t Chu Cichen even though they were the same person.

She was certain that the matter with the photo was definitely not a coincidence.

So did that mean that someone had set her up behind her back?

But if it wasn’t him, who was the person she had met with every week?

Or rather, did such a person really exist?

Could she have imagined everything herself?

Shen Ruojing rubbed her temples and suddenly took out her phone to call Ye Lu. Her sweet voice sounded again. “Baby, what’s wrong? Do you miss me?”

Shen Ruojing said, “Arrange a health examination for me.”

“Are you feeling unwell somewhere? I’m really worried~” Ye Lu spoke nervously.

Shen Ruojing: “... I want to see if there’s a problem with my brain.”

Ye Lu subconsciously felt worried. “It couldn’t be a side effect from that explosion, could it? But didn’t we do a checkup back then? ... I’ll make arrangements for you right away. I’ll get my father to do a checkup for you!”

Ye Lu was a part of the medical system, and her father was a renowned neurosurgeon.

Shen Ruojing replied with a ‘hmm’ and then hung up the call.

A minute later, Ye Lu sent a WeChat message to her. [Come over to my place at 2 p.m.]

After that, Shen Ruojing put her phone in her pocket and walked back slowly.

She had just reached the door when she heard Matriarch Shen’s voice ringing out from the living room.

“I didn’t expect our Jingjing to be blessed with such a rich life. That’s Chu Cichen, the head of the Chu Family! Qianhui, I knew that her face would be useful!”

Jing Zhen: “... Of course. She takes after me!”

“Since our Jingjing has given birth to three children for the Chu Family, then did they say what compensation they’ll give you guys? We can skip the betrothal gifts and stuff like that. The Chu Corporation has recently started a real estate project. Get them to work together with our company!”

Shen Qianhui: “Mother, that won’t do. The Chu Family has already signed a contract with another company for that project!”

“So what? You’re Chu Cichen’s mother-in-law now. Shouldn’t the Chu Family give us some soup to drink when they get to eat meat? Are you too embarrassed to bring this up? Isn’t Chu Yu staying at your house now? Get him to go talk to Matriarch Chu. This matter will definitely succeed!”

When Shen Ruojing walked in, she saw Shen Qianhui’s expression darken. “Mother, I definitely don’t agree with this! We mustn’t make use of the children! How would Jingjing be able to hold her head up in the future?”

Matriarch Shen sneered. “Is she able to raise her head now? Putting aside the fact that she has yet to return to the Shen Family, even if she was still the eldest young miss of the Shen Family, would she be worthy of the Chu Family? Shen Qianhui, I know you have your pride, but it’s useless to have pride in business!”

Shen Qianhui was so angry that her chest heaved. “Mother, this isn’t business! Both parties must be equal in a marriage!”

Matriarch Shen said arrogantly, “Equal? So far, only Z Corporation can say that they are equals in front of the Chu Family. Shen Qianhui, didn’t the Shen Family raise her so that we can benefit from the political marriage she can bring us? If she doesn’t give us anything, then you guys can forget about returning to the Shen Family. Without returning to the Shen Family, you guys won’t even be considered commoners, and all the more you won’t be able to be a match for the Chu Family!”

Shen Qianhui looked at her with disappointment. She suddenly realized something and said, “Mother, I thought we weren’t part of the Shen Family ever since a long time ago?”

When Jing Zhen heard his wife’s words, he immediately became excited.

His wife had finally come to her senses!

He said arrogantly, “That’s right, old woman. Didn’t the Shen Family sever ties with our family? You can leave now!”

Matriarch Shen didn’t expect to hear such replies to her threatening words. She instantly flared up. “Alright, you’ve climbed up the social ladder now and don’t care for our Shen Family anymore, right? You want a clean break? Sure!”

“Shen Qianhui, think about it. How much did you spend from your birth until you went to university? There should be at least a million dollars. Return it to me now! Can you afford to do that? Everything that you own was given to you by the Shen Family! Return them all to me and we’d be considered to have made a clean break!”

Shen Qianhui looked at her in disbelief. She was so angry that her trembling body started to slowly straighten up...