After Bankruptcy, the Billionaire Asked Me to Marry Him!
Chapter 317 God Above

Chapter 317: Chapter 317 God Above

"What did you say?"

At nine o’clock as the sun rose, Lin Kerou, dressed impeccably and smiling gently, was stopped at the gates of the Fu Mansion by the old butler.

"Ms. Lin, I apologize, but Old Mrs. Fu is taking a nap and won’t wake up anytime soon. Besides, she has already instructed that she won’t be seeing visitors for the next few days. Please go back."

The old butler said matter-of-factly.

She knew her actions back then had angered Fu Yanci and caused Old Mrs. Fu to harbor resentment toward her. Yet, having traveled thousands of miles to return, how could she give up so easily?

"Uncle Ning, then... can I just take a glance at Xiao Bao? Don’t worry; I swear I won’t reveal myself to him before Yanci gives the nod. Really, I guarantee!"

Lin Kerou spoke sincerely.

"Then I really can’t help you."

The old butler shrugged leisurely, "The young master has gone out to play, and I don’t know when he’ll return. You’re his mother, aren’t you? You rushed back all the way for his birthday, yet don’t even have his phone number? Well, I definitely won’t tell you!"

Ignoring how Lin Kerou’s expression changed again and again, the old butler turned and left.

Just as the door was about to close, the old butler stuck his head back out.

Lin Kerou’s face lit up with hope.

Only to hear the old butler say, "Don’t knock again! If you do, I’ll call the police. And if it ends up at the station, it won’t look good!"

BAM!

Lin Kerou’s face turned from pale to dark, her eyes barely suppressing their fury.

Staring blankly at the door for a long moment, Lin Kerou took a deep breath. As she walked out, she dialed a number, "Aunt Yun, it’s Kerou. I’m back."

In the downtown coffee shop, Du Yunshuang arrived to find Lin Kerou sipping leisurely on a cup of coffee.

After three years, the once haggard and desolate Ms. Lin of the Lin Family had transformed back into the elegant, refined image of a lady.

Looking closely, it was almost impossible to tell she had ever borne a child.

"Kerou, when you were in the Fu Family, Aunt Yun was probably the one who treated you best in the entire household, wasn’t she?"

Du Yunshuang cut straight to the chase, "Today, with the heavens above us, let’s be honest. Is Xiao Bao really your child with Mingzhen, or with Yanci?"

The entirety of Imperial City, including most in the Fu Family, believed Xiao Bao was the posthumous son of Fu Mingzhen, born to an unknown mother.

Yet, only Fu Jingzhong and Du Yunshuang had once heard an ambiguous remark from Lin Kerou.

Because of that remark, over the years, whenever there was movement within the Fu Family, Lin Kerou—despite being overseas—would always be the first to know.

Still, as one of the very few privy to the truth, in countless midnight dreams, Fu Jingzhong and Du Yunshuang felt uneasy, fearing they had misinterpreted.

Or worse, that they had been outsmarted by Lin Kerou.

The flicker in her lowered gaze was quickly replaced by a painful expression too deep to reveal. Lin Kerou spoke softly, "Aunt Yun, as a woman, would I ever lie about something as serious as my virtue?"

"I know, saying this, you’ll most certainly doubt my words. But surely you must have investigated already. Since you did, you should know I’m not lying."

Du Yunshuang’s face revealed an awkward expression.

Indeed, she and her husband had investigated.

The day Lin Kerou referred to was the Fu Group’s celebration gala.

Both Fu Mingzhen and Fu Yanci were staying in the hotel that night, directly across from each other.

The exact moment Lin Kerou followed Fu Yanci into his hotel room was lost amid a short circuit that caused a blackout across floors—unfortunately, no security footage captured it.

But the next morning, Lin Kerou undeniably walked out of Fu Yanci’s room.

In the surveillance footage, Lin Kerou, with tear-stained cheeks, exited the room and went straight down the elevator.

Not long after, the door opened, and Fu Yanci stepped out.

Meanwhile, Fu Mingzhen was staying in the adjacent room.

Fu Yanci returned to the Fu Group.

Fu Mingzhen headed straight to the airport to handle an overseas Fu Family project.

Two months later, Fu Mingzhen died in a car crash on his way to catch a plane at Miami Airport.

When the tragic news reached home, Lin Kerou fainted.

Upon regaining consciousness, she learned she was two months pregnant.

Then came the matter of Fu Mingzhen’s parents begging Lin Kerou to give birth to the child.

An entire timeline, including surveillance from that night at the hotel, was combed through and scrutinized countless times by Du Yunshuang and Fu Jingzhong.

What more, Xiao Bao’s face was practically a carbon copy of Fu Yanci’s childhood appearance.

Even if Lin Kerou’s words weren’t delivered with unwavering determination, they now felt like a weight off Du Yunshuang’s mind. She exhaled quietly, taking advantage of sipping her coffee.

Her eyes flickering subtly, Lin Kerou sighed, "What’s going on with Ye Li? Isn’t she Zhou Hecchen’s fiancée? How did she suddenly end up married to Yanci?"

"Who knows..."

The mention of Ye Li brought forth memories of the time she spoke back against Du Yunshuang during a gathering at the Fu Family—protected by Fu Yanci, who retorted coldly in her defense.

Initially planning to confront her during Lunar New Year, thinking the presence of the Fu Family’s elders would compel even Ye Li, the new Mrs. Fu, to show some respect—Du Yunshuang had come prepared.

Unexpectedly, Ye Li showed up briefly at the lunch table on New Year’s Eve, barely exchanged a word, then left.

At the family banquet later that evening.

During the ancestral worship at the Fu Family shrine on the first day of New Year.

She never appeared again.

Though the absence wasn’t without question.

The younger generation kept their silence, but among the Fu elders, a few expressed their dissatisfaction.

An elder’s sharp inquiry targeted Fu Yanci, saying that as a newlywed, Ye Li should show up for family gatherings and ancestral rites, and her absence was inappropriate.

To this, Fu Yanci smirked coldly, "If Third Uncle isn’t satisfied with the year-end dividends, I can call Finance to re-calculate them. But don’t vent your frustrations over Ye Li not showing up—if you’re upset, take it out on me!"

Another elder, subtle in their approach, remarked, "After all, we are family. But aside from appearing for the wedding certificate and briefly during Mid-Autumn Festival, if this continues, we might not even recognize her in passing."

Fu Yanci responded with deadpan disregard, as if daring them to say he didn’t care, nearly writing "You don’t deserve it" on his face. This left the elder fuming.

Some believed Fu Yanci was using the opportunity to push back against the elders, warning them not to ruin a good occasion.

Others speculated he was wholeheartedly protecting Ye Li.

But Fu Yanci, deep and inscrutable since childhood, never let anyone see through his thoughts.

Gradually, people stopped guessing.

After all, everyone’s future was tied to Fu Yanci’s success. As long as he continued thriving and ensured the year-end dividends were generous, that was enough.

Whether he truly favored Ye Li or maintained appearances didn’t matter—let him do as he wished.

"Whether he truly likes her, only he knows. But from what we outsiders can see, he seems to be quite protective of Ye Li."

Du Yunshuang said discontentedly.

"And her relationship with Xiao Bao—is it really as good as you say?"

Lin Kerou asked skeptically.

At this, even Du Yunshuang was impressed, "Whether sincerely for the child or to perform for Yanci, the woman jumped into Bing Lake in the dead of winter without hesitation. Kerou..."

Lowering her voice, Du Yunshuang added, "This matter—very few in the Fu Family know of it. Don’t tell anyone I said it."

Lin Kerou’s gaze froze.

If it was truly as everyone claimed—that Ye Li jumped into Bing Lake to save Xiao Bao.

Then that’d be a good thing—why keep it hidden?

Or perhaps, from beginning to end, it was all a staged performance for Fu Yanci to see?

In her mind, scenes of a lively and cheerful young girl clinging to Zhou Hecchen like a little bird played.

Overlapping now with the cold, detached, stunning face she had seen in the front seat of the Maybach last night.

Staring at the darkness thickening outside the window, Lin Kerou’s eyes grew colder with each passing moment.