The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 169. Little Sister-in-law Saves Life (Fourth Update)

Chapter 169: 169. Little Sister-in-law Saves Life (Fourth Update)

Shen Xitong was in a good mood today, thinking of going upstairs to see Chu Yunrong when she ran into Sister-in-law Song. Sister-in-law Song’s expression was cold and, while respectful, it lacked the heartfelt affection shown towards Shen Qinglan.

Shen Xitong curled her lip—it was just a servant, after all.

She went upstairs, and Chu Yunrong’s room door was tightly closed. Shen Xitong knocked but received no response; she called out again, "Mom, are you there?"

Chu Yunrong was drinking porridge, which despite its sweetness, tasted unbearably bitter in her mouth. She hadn’t expected that Shen Qinglan would know she liked lotus seed porridge and had asked Sister-in-law Song to prepare it for her.

Chu Yunrong had heard the knock at the door and knew from the sound that it was Shen Xitong. In the past, she would have gotten up to open the door immediately, but today, for the first time, she pretended not to hear.

Only after Shen Xitong called out again did Chu Yunrong respond without getting up, "Tongtong, mom is a little tired, I’ll rest for a while."

Shen Xitong’s expression shifted slightly, and she gradually released her hold on the doorknob, obediently replying, "Okay, mom, you rest first."

Chu Yunrong slowly sipped the porridge, scenes in her mind in disarray: one moment it was Shen Qinglan’s sweet laughter from her childhood; another was when Shen Xitong first arrived at the Shen Family, clinging to her leg, carefully saying, "Your daughter is gone, from now on let me be your daughter, okay? I’ll be an obedient daughter, one that will never leave you." Then it was the image of Shen Qinglan returning to the Shen Family, her gaze cold, unfamiliar, and distant, instinctively defensive toward her approach.

Chu Yunrong’s vision blurred again. Her hand slackened, and the spoon dropped to the ground, breaking into several pieces.

Several drops of porridge splattered on the floor.

With a vacant expression, she squatted down, trying to pick up the fragments, but ended up cutting her hand.

She clutched her chest, sitting on the ground, seemingly in discomfort. After a while, she stood up, took her phone, and called Aqian.

"Aqian, I’ve lost the most precious thing." Her voice, tinged with the sound of tears, was hoarse.

**

After sending Old Sir Fu back to the Fu Family, Shen Qinglan left. Just as she drove out of the estate, she tried calling Jin Enxi but couldn’t get through. She went to Shangya Garden and didn’t see Jin Enxi there either, although all her things were still in her room.

Unable to find Jin Enxi, Shen Qinglan wasn’t concerned—for someone with Jin Enxi’s abilities, even if trouble arose, it wouldn’t be at her expense.

Originally, she wanted Jin Enxi’s help to find out the identity of the woman impersonating Leng Qingqiu. Initially, when Jin Enxi offered to investigate, Shen Qinglan had felt it unnecessary. However, now, she considered it essential to look into this woman.

She was certain now that this woman’s target was herself. Could it be that she knew she was Leng Qingqiu? The thought barely surfaced before Shen Qinglan dismissed it—if that woman truly knew her identity as Leng Qingqiu, her demeanor would not be so calm when facing her.

The woman’s gaze when she saw her held more curiosity than anything else. Curiosity about what? Shen Qinglan suddenly thought of a possibility and her expression changed.

No, it couldn’t be possible. Those who knew back then were all dead, and the few who were alive were trustworthy—there was no way anyone else knew about her past identity.

Moreover, Jin Enxi had said that even someone more skilled than her would not be able to recover the destroyed archives.

With Jin Enxi absent, Shen Qinglan called Daniel, learning that he hadn’t returned yet, "Daniel, did you tell anyone else about the timing of our art exhibition?"

Shen Qinglan suddenly asked.

"I informed the planning company, I’m abroad right now and can’t make it back, someone has to start preparing for the exhibition, right? What’s wrong, Qinglan, is something up?"

Shen Qinglan relaxed a bit, "No, just asking. When will you be back?"

"In a few more days. The results of the competition will be out tomorrow, and after the award ceremony, I’ll return. Qinglan, are you sure you won’t attend the ceremony? It’s your award, it’d be strange for me to accept it on your behalf," Daniel sounded hesitant and seemed to want to persuade Shen Qinglan to attend personally.

"No need, you can represent me completely." Fu Hengyi would be back in a few days, and she didn’t want to leave home at this time.

Daniel sounded disappointed, "Qinglan, you’re not going to regret this, right? I’m telling you, your work will definitely win an award."

Shen Qinglan offered a faint smile; she had more important things to tend to.

If Daniel knew the ’more important thing’ Shen Qinglan was referring to was welcoming Mr. Fu back home, he probably would have been more than speechless.

After ending the call with Daniel, Shen Qinglan returned directly to Jiangxin Garden. Knowing that Fu Hengyi would be back in a few days, her mood was quite good. She was cleaning when suddenly her mobile phone started ringing frantically. Shen Qinglan glanced at the screen, it was Gu Yang.

"I’m Shen Qinglan."

"Little sister-in-law, save me!" came Gu Yang’s squeal through the phone, sounding almost like a pig being slaughtered.

Shen Qinglan’s gaze shifted slightly, "Where are you?"

Gu Yang looked around at the burly men surrounding him and said pitifully, "Jile."

Shen Qinglan’s gaze darkened. Jile was the largest underground casino in Beijing. How had Gu Yang ended up there? Listening to the noisy background, it seemed Gu Yang was being held captive.

"Half an hour. I’ll be right there." Shen Qinglan hung up after speaking and grabbed her car keys before heading out the door.

After Gu Yang hung up the phone, none of the pitiful look from before could be seen on his face. His expression was quite arrogant, "My sister-in-law is coming right away, so you’d better not cry then."

The burly men surrounding him didn’t step aside, and he remained encircled in the middle. Gu Yang wasn’t scared though. If it really came down to a fight, he might not be able to beat so many men, but escaping would be no problem. And if you asked him why he didn’t run away—if he could—Gu Yang, the Young Master, glared. Who was he? He was the second son of the Gu Family Corporation. How could he possibly do something as craven as running away?

Through the gaps between the burly men, Gu Yang’s eyes were fixed on a young man at the gambling table, his gaze fierce, "Zhao Yan, you dare to scheme against me like this. Wait until my sister-in-law arrives. I’ll make sure you lose even your pants."

The youth known as Zhao Yan was unconcerned. He was Zhao San’s elder brother, the eldest son of the Zhao Family, although he had little to do with the Zhao Group. Having been rebellious from a young age, he had left home early to fend for himself. By sheer coincidence, he had joined the Shi Gang and even made a name for himself. The Jile Casino was a property of the Shi Gang, and now it was under his management.

He didn’t usually cross paths with Gu Yang, but a few months ago, Gu Yang, in alliance with Shen Qinglan, had humiliated his brother Zhao San. He happened to be out of Beijing for the past few months and only recently returned, learning of the event. Naturally, he was furious.

He might have left home early, but he cherished his only brother dearly. Learning that his brother had been humiliated, he couldn’t just let it go. Despite knowing Gu Yang and Shen Qinglan’s identities, Shi Gang had a reputation on the streets and he wasn’t afraid. Besides, he had no intention of taking Gu Yang’s life.

He set a trap for Gu Yang, who walked right into it, losing several tens of millions in one night. Despite his extravagant show the last time, when he casually staked fifty million, that was actually all of his private wealth. But this time, his loss was far beyond that sum. Even if he put forth all his assets, it wouldn’t fill the hole he’d dug.

If his family found out he gambled, he figured his mother would be the first to fly back from abroad to break his legs.

Gu Yang wasn’t foolish; he knew he’d been set up. But against the Shi Gang, he was helpless. In desperation, he’d called Shen Qinglan. She seemed to be the best person he could think of. Shen Qinglan’s skills were something he’d witnessed; escaping would surely be easy for her. And it appeared she knew some people from the Shi Gang.

When Shen Qinglan arrived, she saw Gu Yang sitting on the sofa, with his legs crossed and jiggling, looking anything but the pitiful being he claimed to be over the phone.

Her gaze paused on the other occupants of the private room, especially the youth in the middle. She swiftly disregarded the surrounding strong men and thugs.

There was a woman snuggled in the lap of the young man, voluptuous and scantily clad, with a generous décolletage. The young man’s hands lingered on her waist, occasionally pinching her buttocks, eliciting coquettish laughter from the woman.

Seeing Shen Qinglan, Gu Yang quickly put his legs down and ran to her with a beaming face, standing respectfully in front of her, "Little sister-in-law, you’ve finally come."

"What happened?" Shen Qinglan asked, her brow slightly furrowing.

When she walked in, Zhao Yan had immediately looked towards her. Although he had always known that Lady Shen was beautiful, seeing her in person surpassed the image he’d seen in photos.

His gaze circled Shen Qinglan before withdrawing. As stunning as the ice queen before him was, she wasn’t his type.

"So you’re Shen Qinglan?" Zhao Yan asked, though he knew the answer full well.

"I am."

"He," pointing at Gu Yang, "owes me eighty million. How do you plan to repay it?"

Shen Qinglan’s expression remained cool. Hearing the figure of eighty million, she showed no reaction, just quietly looking at Zhao Yan, "How do you think it should be repaid?"

If this man was really after the money, he could simply let Gu Yang go. Given Gu Yang’s status, the debt would inevitably be paid. Yet he had kept the person hostage, which clearly indicated money wasn’t his goal. So, it had to be something else—perhaps someone.

She turned to Gu Yang as if to ask, "How did you manage to offend him?"

Gu Yang’s face fell as he mouthed a reply, "Zhao San."

A flash of confusion crossed Shen Qinglan’s handsome eyes. Zhao San, who?

"Lin Hao, racing," Gu Yang reminded again.

Shen Qinglan understood; it was because of this matter. So, this young man was related to Zhao San?

Zhao Yan didn’t beat around the bush. "Zhao Qing is my younger brother. You’ve bullied my brother, and as his elder, I can’t just stand by and watch him be bullied for nothing."

Zhao Qing was Zhao San, given the nickname because he was third in the Zhao Family ranking.

"So what now?" Shen Qinglan’s expression remained unchanged.

Zhao Yan acknowledged her courage internally, nodding to himself. No wonder his younger brother had been bullied; it wasn’t unjustified.

"Do you want to fight?" Shen Qinglan glanced at the few brawny men around and asked. If it was a fight, it wasn’t out of the question.

Zhao Yan choked on his reply, "I never fight with women." If this got out, how could he ever face anyone again?

"Let’s do it this way. Since you beat up my brother, it can’t be for nothing. This is a casino; we’ll settle it with a wager. If you lose, you’ll kneel and kowtow three times to me, then pay back the 80 million he owes. We’ll call it even then. If I lose, I won’t take a cent of the 80 million, and you can leave right away."

"No way," Gu Yang jumped in before Shen Qinglan could say anything. This was a casino, Zhao Yan was in charge here, and of course, his gambling skills were unquestionable. His little sister-in-law might be good at counting cards, having won against Han Yi, but this was a different matter.

If they lost today, the money was the least of his concerns; at worst, he would be in for a scolding from his mother. But if his little sister-in-law suffered any humiliation... Gu Yang shivered at the thought, deeply regretting getting Shen Qinglan involved in this mess.

Zhao Yan eyed Gu Yang with a cold gleam in his eyes. This was his territory, and it wasn’t up to them to choose.

Shen Qinglan, on the other hand, had a clear grasp of the situation. A fleeting smile crossed her eyes, vanishing as quickly as it appeared.

"How do you want to gamble?" Shen Qinglan’s clear voice rang out.

"Little sister-in-law!" Gu Yang raised his voice.

Shen Qinglan glanced over at him indifferently, and Gu Yang instantly fell silent.

A triumphant smile spread across Zhao Yan’s face. He waved his hand grandly, "I won’t make it hard for you. Let’s do the simplest thing: bet on the high and low. Whoever rolls the smallest, loses."

"Agreed," Shen Qinglan nodded, holding up a finger, "but, I want to add a condition."

Zhao Yan frowned slightly, "What now, wanting to back out at the last minute?"

"No, I want to raise the stakes."

"Oh?" Zhao Yan seemed intrigued, "What stakes? Tell me."

"If I win, forget the 80 million, steer clear of us in the future, and give us another 80 million."

Zhao Yan thought it over, "Agreed."

"And..." Shen Qinglan continued.

Zhao Yan narrowed his eyes, "Hey, don’t push it too far."

Ignoring Zhao Yan’s fierce look, Shen Qinglan went on, "One round decides the winner."

Zhao Yan had expected Shen Qinglan to haggle further, but her request was for something he also didn’t like dilly-dallying, a swift resolution suited him, "Fine, one round decides it all."

Gu Yang was visibly anxious, but facing Shen Qinglan’s calm demeanor, his heart remarkably settled down.

Zhao Yan took out three dice, "You can check them first, so you won’t accuse me of cheating."

Shen Qinglan held the three dice in her hand, and as soon as she touched them, she knew Zhao Yan hadn’t tampered with them, "Let’s begin."

"You’re the guest, I can let you roll first," Zhao Yan said, placing a dice cup on the table.

"No need, you go first."

Zhao Yan just assumed that Shen Qinglan didn’t know how to play, sneering inwardly. A young lady is still a young lady, even if she appears composed on the surface, she’d show her nervousness once the game actually started.

He didn’t waste any more words, tossing the dice into the cup, and with a flick of his wrist, the cup spun rapidly in his hand.

The dice cup seemed so obedient in Zhao Yan’s hands, flipping in all directions, his face wearing a smile, his hands constantly moving, a look of satisfaction flashing in his eyes as he watched the fine sweat on Gu Yang’s forehead.

Shen Qinglan’s face remained expressionless, which Zhao Yan didn’t care about - she was just feigning composure, he’d seen plenty of such people before.

Gu Yang watched Zhao Yan’s vigorous shaking of the dice cup, his palms sweating with nervousness. He glanced at Shen Qinglan and, seeing her still calm, felt slightly reassured.

She actually has some talent, Shen Qinglan thought indifferently, but after all, it seemed like underestimating the opponent, not being careful enough.

With a loud ’bang’, the dice cup landed on the table, and Zhao Yan didn’t tease them, opening the cup to reveal three dice piled up, the topmost showing a steady "1". No trace of surprise appeared on Zhao Yan’s face, as if he had anticipated this outcome.

"Hahaha, it’s your turn now," Zhao Yan laughed as if he didn’t see the instantly distressed look on Gu Yang’s face.

Shen Qinglan showed no reaction to the situation, still with her cool and detached demeanor. As she was about to touch the dice cup, Gu Yang stopped her.

"Little sister-in-law."

"Don’t you trust me?" Shen Qinglan countered.

It’s not about trust at all, for goodness’ sake. Gu Yang wanted to yell out; Zhao Yan had rolled a "1", so what could be lower than a "1"? At best, it would be a draw; winning against Zhao Yan was simply impossible.

But facing Shen Qinglan’s cold gaze, Gu Yang unconsciously let go of her hand. The scene felt vaguely familiar, reminiscent of the race she had been in, where it seemed that a crushing defeat was certain, but the final outcome turned out to be unexpected. Would she create a miracle this time?

Gu Yang began to harbor a flicker of hope.

Her delicate hand grasped the dice cup and gently shook it. Unlike Zhao Yan’s juggling-like showiness, Shen Qinglan’s movement seemed somewhat nonchalant, devoid of any flamboyance.

It appeared more like the performance of someone trying their hand at dice for the first time.

Zhao Yan wore a told-you-so expression.

Shen Qinglan gently moved the dice cup, the crisp sound of dice hitting against each other reaching the ears of everyone present, tapping rhythmically like a heartbeat, exuding a strange allure.

Zhao Yan and Gu Yang’s eyes were drawn involuntarily to those slender hands. She quickened her pace, and the frequency of the clatter between the dice cup and the dice increased. Just as a glimmer of joy appeared on Gu Yang’s face, Shen Qinglan slammed the cup down on the table with a ’bang’.

Gu Yang was stupefied, that’s it... it’s over just like that?

"Didn’t you want to shake it a bit more?" Zhao Yan raised an eyebrow, wondering whether she was really confident enough to win or if she knew it was impossible and was simply throwing in the towel.

Zhao Yan guessed the latter was more likely; Shen Qinglan was just a lady of high society, he believed she could possibly know how to play dice, but he didn’t buy that she had better skills than him.

"Open it," Zhao Yan said.

Shen Qinglan’s slender hand touched the dice cup as if to unveil its contents when Gu Yang grasped her hand, "You know, little sister-in-law..."

Shen Qinglan gave him a reassuring look, and Gu Yang let go, thinking alright, if it’s death, then so be it. A true man can bend and stretch; today was his downfall, but it was nothing serious. With his and his little sister-in-law’s abilities, being unable to fight these people was never a worry.