Chapter 29: There’s Only One Truth!
"Don't worry, big brother. I know my limits while the contract lasts."
Shen Xi bit her lip, looking all sad and pitiful on the outside, but deep down, she was scoffing.
Even without Gu Hanling saying a word, she would never get too close to another man.
Once the contract was over, she'd take her payment, travel the world, and forget about his so-called Gu family reputation.
Gu Hanling looked at Shen Xi’s expression and felt a slight pang of guilt. He couldn't help but wonder if Shi Jingyan had something wrong with his eyesight.
He had seen Lin Yueyue before, and compared to Shen Xi now, there was simply no competition.
With a quiet sigh, Gu Hanling spoke in a calm tone, "Sit here and wait. I have something for you."
After saying that, he stepped into the home elevator and went up to his bedroom on the third floor.
Shen Xi figured he was going to shower and change.
She was a bit curious about what he wanted to give her, but at the same time, she had her suspicions.
“Is he trying to sell me something again? Hmph, I’m definitely not taking it this time.”
Before coming back, she had treated Shen Zekai to an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet at a five-star hotel, 8,888 per person. In just one meal, the two of them had spent what used to be three months of her past life’s salary. But now that her wallet was full, she didn’t feel bad at all.
When it came to buffets, she still stuck to her past-life philosophy: Eat until you get your money’s worth.
The only problem was that she had eaten too much. Dragging her stuffed body, she plopped onto the living room sofa.
Summer had already begun, and the villa’s central AC was running full blast. In her past life as a man, she would’ve cranked the temperature down to freezing. But now, in a woman’s body, she found herself more sensitive to the cold.
Still, this smaller body had its perks. For instance, right now, she could curl up completely in the soft, warm sofa.
Bored while waiting, she pulled out her phone and started scrolling through short videos.
By the time Gu Hanling finished his shower and came downstairs, he found Shen Xi curled up on the couch like a little cat, fast asleep.
A few strands of hair had fallen over her forehead, framing her delicate face. Her already youthful and pure appearance looked even more soft and innocent in sleep.
Her dress was slightly wrinkled, the hem a little messy, exposing long, fair legs with no restraint.
Gu Hanling’s breath hitched for a second. His sharp eyes narrowed, showing a fleeting trace of admiration before rationality took over.
Shaking his head with a sigh, he walked over quietly and bent down slightly. His gaze lingered on her sleeping face.
The usually lively little bunny was finally sitting still for once. At this close distance, a faint, sweet, and fresh scent drifted into his nose.
Reaching out slowly, he pinched the edge of her dress, intending to pull it down and cover up what she had unknowingly exposed.
At that moment, her eyelashes fluttered, and she suddenly opened her eyes.
Their eyes met.
Shen Xi blinked. When she saw Gu Hanling’s sharp face so close, her gaze instinctively dropped, right to where his hand was.
With lightning-fast reflexes, she raised her hand and slapped at him.
Slap!
Gu Hanling easily caught her wrist, looking completely unfazed, as if she was just playfully hitting at him.
"Men really are all the same. Even someone like you, big brother, is no exception."
Shen Xi glared at him, her beautiful eyes burning with anger. Her flushed cheeks made her look both furious and… oddly cute.
Gu Hanling chuckled lightly, letting go of her hand and taking a step back.
Then, he pulled out a document folder he had prepared earlier and handed it to her.
Shen Xi’s attention was instantly drawn to it.
Seeing that the seal on the folder had already been torn open, clearly it had been opened, she frowned slightly and looked at him suspiciously.
"What is this?"
Gu Hanling lifted his chin slightly, signaling her to open it herself.
Shen Xi hesitated for a moment before taking the envelope. She pulled out a stack of documents and photos.
As she read through the files, her eyes widened with shock, her face full of surprise. But soon, that shock turned into sheer joy.
The documents contained solid proof. Evidence that Jiang Bailang had embezzled funds from his own company and lost everything gambling overseas. He was now buried in enormous debt.
There were also records of his conversations with insiders from the insurance industry. But the most ridiculous thing? A receipt for an online purchase of a one-carat moissanite ring.
Shen Xi immediately recalled Su Kexin’s fate in the original novel.
In the story, Keke had gone searching for Shen Xi, who had been trafficked abroad. She ended up stowing away on a cruise ship but was lost at sea, never to be found again.
As a reader with an omniscient perspective, Shen Xi knew the truth: the male lead, Shi Jingyan, had dealt with her in secret to protect Lin Yueyue from being targeted by the original villainess’s lackeys. The novel only mentioned it briefly, but it was clear.
Now, looking at these documents and connecting them with the novel’s plot, two words came to her mind. Insurance fraud!
Keke was sweet and adorable, but she came from an ordinary family. There was no way a wealthy second-generation heir from the restaurant industry would fall head over heels for her and propose so quickly.
It was all a setup.
Jiang Bailang planned to marry Keke, take out high-value insurance policies in her name, and then, without anyone suspecting a thing, cause an ‘accident’ where she fell overboard and drowned in the ocean.
What a ruthless man!
Without Gu Hanling’s documents, Keke would have still met her tragic fate, just like in the original story.
"Big brother, is this real?"
Shen Xi lifted her gaze, eyes curved with joy, her smile overflowing with happiness.
Gu Hanling, seeing her bright smile, couldn’t help but let his lips curve up slightly as well. He gave a small nod.
In the next second, a flash of white rushed into his arms.
A delicate, fresh fragrance filled his senses as her soft figure pressed against him. Even through his thin clothes, he could feel her warmth.
This was the first time Shen Xi had ever hugged Gu Hanling willingly. Not as part of some act, but for real.
Normally, if a woman threw herself at him like this, he would push her away without hesitation.
But in that brief moment, it was as if an invisible thread connected them, allowing them to understand each other’s emotions.
Gu Hanling could tell, this hug wasn’t about desire. It was pure gratitude.
Originally, he had only given her the documents so that the ‘clueless’ Shen Xi would be more cautious of bad people. He hadn’t expected her to be so emotional about it.
Then, reality hit her.
Shen Xi suddenly remembered, she was a woman now. In her past life, whenever she was excited about something, she would hug her brothers in celebration. But now… it felt way too intimate.
Awkwardly, she pulled away and cleared her throat.
"Um… Big brother, thank you. This information is really important to me."
Strangely, Gu Hanling frowned slightly, let out a small cough, and looked away.
Sensing that something was off, Shen Xi glanced down, and instantly froze.
Her dress strap had slipped down at some point, slightly revealing her fair, ample chest.
Her face turned beet red, all the way to the tips of her ears. She hurriedly pulled up the strap and stammered,
"Big brother! D-Don’t misunderstand! I wasn’t trying to seduce you! You know I only love Jingyan! This was an accident!"
She was speechless at herself. Lately, she had been using this excuse way too often…
At those words, Gu Hanling’s smile disappeared. His expression turned cold, and his tone grew distant.
"Do as you please."