Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Perhaps Jiang Shixu Would Make a Wonderful Partner After the meal, Jiang Shixu and Ruan Chutang went downstairs to the underground garage. Ruan Chutang walked over to the blue Bentley. Jiang Shixu suddenly asked, "How does this car drive?" Chu Tang pressed her lips together and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I drove it last night. It's great. Thank you, Shixu-ge." "Then I'll be on my way?" Ruan Chutang raised the keys in her hand, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh right, Shixu-ge, I have a gift for you too. I should have given it to you when we met last night, but I forgot." "Hm? What gift?" "It's in my suitcase at the hotel. I'll give it to you when I come back." Jiang Shixu pulled open the driver's side door. "I'll go with you. I'll drive." "Ah?" Chu Tang was stunned for a moment, then quickly recovered. "We can go together, but let me drive. You should rest." Jiang Shixu had flown all the way from Jiangcheng to see her last night, and this morning he'd driven twenty kilometers round trip to buy her breakfast. He must be exhausted now. She didn't want to trouble him further. "Alright then." There was a smile in Jiang Shixu's eyes—his Tangtang was worried about him. He quietly circled around to the passenger side, opened the door, and sat down. "I'll gladly oblige." On the highway, the two of them chatted. "Is the hearing you have today open to observers?" Jiang Shixu asked. "Yes, it is. It's a contract dispute case—no trade secrets involved. Do you want to sit in?" "Hm, may I?" Jiang Shixu's voice was soft, carrying a hint of barely perceptible carefulness. "I've never seen you in court before." "Of course." Ruan Chutang thought that since they were already engaged, it would be good for them to learn more about each other. "Did you bring your ID? You'll need to show it and fill out an application form to get an observer's pass." "I did." He'd needed it for boarding the flight last night, so he'd brought it along. Today, since he'd planned to observe the hearing, he'd looked up in advance that an ID was required and had kept it on him. "Great. I'll take you there in a bit." "Mm." Ruan Chutang focused on driving and couldn't see the tenderness brimming in Jiang Shixu's eyes, or how gentle his gaze was as it rested on her. The car sped along the highway as silence stretched between them. After a long while, Ruan Chutang suddenly asked, "Shixu-ge, why did you agree to the marriage alliance with my family?" She'd wanted to ask this question for three years. The Jiang family wielded immense power in Jiangcheng—they were no ordinary wealthy clan. Jiang Shixu's grandfather held a high position in politics, and his mother came from an official family as well. By all logic, his future wife should have been the daughter of a powerful and influential family. So why would he agree to an alliance with her family? The Ruan family was indeed a prominent clan in Jiangcheng, but in the end, they were merely a merchant family. They couldn't compare to the Jiang family's political influence. The alliance was, in a sense, marrying up. Chu Tang had grown up in a wealthy household, steeped in these matters from a young age. She understood the rules of marriage alliances among great families very well. He clearly had so many better options. Jiang Shixu's eyes were deep. It was a long moment before he replied, "Actually, by my generation, I no longer need a marriage alliance to consolidate the family's position." The answer was ambiguous, and Chu Tang didn't quite understand. "Then why didn't you choose to marry a woman you love?" Jiang Shixu's voice was low. "If I didn't want to, no one could force me." Hearing this, Chu Tang's breath momentarily lost its rhythm. She forced herself not to read too deeply into it—if she thought about it any more, her heart would be thrown into chaos. She suddenly felt that Jiang Shixu was quite skilled at charming people. Had he dated many girlfriends before, and thus gained plenty of experience in winning a woman over? Ever since she'd agreed to the engagement, she'd felt how thoughtful Jiang Shixu was, how he attended to every little detail. If this continued, she was afraid she might actually fall for him. ... Soon, it was time for the hearing. During the courtroom debate, Ruan Chutang was eloquent and sharp-tongued, her thinking clear and her logic meticulous. She always managed to gain the upper hand in arguments, her incisive questions striking at the heart of the matter, repeatedly putting opposing counsel on the defensive. Jiang Shixu sat in the observer's seats, watching the spirited young woman on the floor. A swell of pride rose in his chest, and admiration and affection surged in his eyes. His Tangtang was truly outstanding. After the hearing concluded, Jiang Shixu handed her a bottle of water. "Have a drink." "Thanks." Chu Tang took it and had a couple of sips. "The verdict will be announced at a later date, but the chances of winning are very high." "Tangtang, during your argument just now, your eyes were radiant, your gaze firm and powerful. I couldn't help but be drawn to you." Hearing this, Ruan Chutang smiled a little sheepishly. "Really? I felt like I became a different person during the hearing too." "You did wonderfully." Jiang Shixu praised her sincerely. "One day, you'll definitely be a top-tier lawyer renowned in the industry." Chu Tang smiled brightly. "I'll take your word for it." Then, suddenly, she thought of Gu Zechuan again. In their three years of dating, he'd never once cared about her work, let alone come to observe a hearing. All he knew was that the modest salary she earned each month wasn't even enough to cover one dinner or one round of drinks with his friends. Not only did he not care about her career, he didn't respect her efforts and ambition either. Once before, she had won a case with a claim amount of over five million and received a substantial attorney's fee. She excitedly shared her joy with Gu Zechuan, but he poured cold water on her. She remembered Gu Zechuan curling his lips at the time, saying with utter disdain, "Any contract at our company is worth tens of millions. You're taking on a small case with a five-million claim? Chutang, tell me, what can you do with that little money you earn from exhausting yourself in court? Why don't you quit? I'll support you." From then on, she never shared anything about work with Gu Zechuan again. Perhaps he did have some genuine affection for her, but what he liked was only her face and figure. He didn't understand her. Their relationship was nothing but eating, drinking, and having fun—they could never achieve a resonance of souls. At this moment, for the first time, Ruan Chutang felt from the bottom of her heart that perhaps Jiang Shixu would be a wonderful partner. The two walked out of the courthouse, and Jiang Shixu received a call from his assistant. After hanging up, Jiang Shixu said to Ruan Chutang with a grave expression, "That glass of milk was laced with laxatives—a heavy dose." A cold glint flashed in Ruan Chutang's eyes. "Just as I thought." "Do you need me to handle it for you?" Chutang shook her head. "No need. I've noted this debt. I'll settle it slowly when the time comes." Chen Wan must have known she had court today and deliberately sabotaged her. Although they had the lab report on the milk, there was no evidence proving Chen Wan was the one who drugged it, so calling the police wouldn't do much good. Since it was a personal grudge, it was best settled privately. ... After the hearing, Ruan Chutang took Jiang Shixu around the area for a few days of fun. They went to eat the spicy rice noodles Ruan Chutang had been craving. Jiang Shixu couldn't handle spice well—he was drenched in sweat from the heat but still insisted on finishing the entire bowl. They went to tourist attractions to take photos, soaking in the breathtaking natural scenery, and visited cultural sites, absorbing the influence of history and heritage. There was no denying it—those few days with Jiang Shixu were more fulfilling and joyful than the three years she had spent with Gu Zechuan. ... Chen Wan was hospitalized for five days, and Gu Zechuan stayed by her side the whole time. During those five days, Gu Zechuan couldn't stop checking his phone, hoping for a text or call from Ruan Chutang. Yet, aside from messages from his pack of friends calling him out to play, his phone only buzzed with work-related messages and calls. Not a single word from Ruan Chutang. Gu Zechuan couldn't hold back any longer. He opened his messages and sent one. [Are you done throwing your tantrum?] Jiang Shixu was holding Ruan Chutang's phone to take a photo of her when he caught sight of the message out of nowhere. His eyes darkened.