Chapter 246: Compassion
Seeing the surprise on Xu Youyou’s face, Shen Wenxing smiled and asked, “You didn’t expect me to be like this, did you?”
Xu Youyou shook her head and said, “Aunt Shen, I have eyes and a brain. I know that to understand someone, it’s not about listening to what others say about them, nor is it about how they describe themselves.”
Shen Wenxing asked, “Then what do you think of me?”
Xu Youyou replied in a matter-of-fact tone, “I think you’re a good person. Even if there are some rumors out there, there must be some misunderstandings involved.”
“Moreover, no bad person would ever claim to be a good person. Since you’ve put this matter out in the open, whether right or wrong, you probably have no regrets about it.”
Shen Wenxing’s eyes softened, and she said, “You’re a smart girl. I really don’t regret it. If I had to choose again, I would still make the same choice.”
Xu Youyou continued, “A dishonorable process might be for a more glorious result.”
Shen Wenxing nodded lightly and said, “My mentor is someone who holds grudges. He’s always thought of me as an academic thief.”
“Do you think the shooting incident was orchestrated by your mentor?” Xu Youyou asked.
Shen Wenxing’s gaze was determined. “No one else but him. He’s always been very protective of his academic achievements, and he never shares key technologies with foreign students. I was an exception.”
Xu Youyou couldn’t help but feel curious and asked, “Aunt Shen, how did you persuade him back then?”
Shen Wenxing said, “He had no choice but to teach me everything he knew because among all his students, only I was able to learn the achievements he was most proud of.”
Xu Youyou felt a sense of admiration. No matter what caused the split between Shen Wenxing and her mentor, at least she had earned the opportunity to learn through her own abilities.
Shen Wenxing didn’t mention the price she had to pay to learn these skills, and Xu Youyou politely refrained from asking further.
Shen Juan’an’s injury wasn’t life-threatening, and with the professional team Lu Jingyao had hired, the surgery was very successful.
When Shen Juan’an was wheeled out of the operating room, he was even able to smile and greet everyone.
The attending doctor exclaimed in astonishment, “You Chinese men are truly courageous. He refused anesthesia and just endured the pain.”
Lu Jingyao, who had always subtly viewed Shen Juan’an as a rival, also showed admiration upon hearing this.
“No wonder he’s the king of soldiers,” Xu Youyou murmured to herself.
After the incident, the tech exchange conference couldn’t continue, but the small auction remained unaffected.
Before attending the auction, Xu Youyou had made several calls to Xie Ran and discussed the tech collaboration with Shen Wenxing twice. Afterward, the technical cooperation was finalized.
“Boss, as they say, a name brings its shadow. While Mrs. Shen didn’t specifically mention the technical details, several companies in China that have worked with her have made a fortune thanks to her,” Xie Ran reassured Xu Youyou.
Xu Youyou wasn’t concerned about making money. What bothered her was that this cooperation seemed unusually smooth, as though Shen Wenxing—or rather, the force behind her—wanted to use her for something.
Xu Youyou had a feeling she was just a pawn in someone else’s scheme, but since there was money to be made, she overlooked this minor discomfort.
Three days after the surgery, although Shen Juan’an hadn’t fully recovered, he was always a person of strong will and insisted on returning to China despite his injury.
Originally, Xu Youyou had planned to invite the Shen family to attend the small auction together, but seeing their urgency, she could only regretfully go with Lu Jingyao instead.
The venue for this small auction was a private estate owned by an earl. It was Xu Youyou’s first time entering such a historic, culturally rich classical manor, and she couldn’t help but glance around a few times.
However, no matter how beautiful or unique the house was, after a while, it all seemed the same.
The house didn’t surprise Xu Youyou as much as running into a “familiar face” did in a foreign country.
Gu Xueying was wearing a black, form-fitting long dress, smiling as she accompanied a young man.
The man seemed strangely familiar.
Chai Wei.
Xu Youyou had once met him in the capital, and he was reportedly the heir to Xingzuan.
Xu Youyou hadn’t expected Gu Xueying to be mixed up with him. Thinking about it, it seemed like Gu Xueying hadn’t fully completed her postpartum recovery yet?
She had lost such a large child and couldn’t even finish her confinement, yet she came to cold, damp England?
As an outsider, Xu Youyou couldn’t help but furrow her brows. In her past life, Gu Xueying had been the pampered princess of the Gu family. After her miscarriage, she had stayed in bed for two months, receiving all the care and love from her family.
How was it that in this life, she suddenly became so relentless? Didn’t she value herself at all?
Xu Youyou simply couldn’t understand Gu Xueying’s reasoning.
Gu Xueying, however, was surprised for a moment when she saw them from a distance, but quickly changed her expression to a polite smile.
“Mr. Lu, Miss Xu, are you here for any specific collectibles at this small auction?” Gu Xueying asked graciously.
Xu Youyou was a little uncomfortable with her behavior but still nodded politely and said, “I’m just here to have a look. I’m not sure if I’ll make a bid.”
Gu Xueying didn’t press further.
It was Chai Wei, however, who couldn’t help but glance at Xu Youyou several times. Xu Youyou was simply too dazzling today.
Although Gu Xueying was also beautiful, she had a faint look of exhaustion, like a rose on the verge of withering, completely unlike Xu Youyou, who radiated vitality.
Lu Jingyao frowned and looked at Chai Wei, his gaze filled with warning. Only then did Chai Wei reluctantly avert his gaze.
“You don’t like alcohol, but this grape juice is great. It tastes even better with some ice,” Chai Wei said, as he presumptuously handed a glass of iced grape juice to Gu Xueying.
Xu Youyou watched this scene and immediately frowned, unable to stop herself from speaking up, “Girls should drink less ice-cold drinks.”
She didn’t want to be unkind. Even though she didn’t like Gu Xueying, she couldn’t bear to see her, still recovering from her miscarriage, drinking ice-cold water in the early spring weather.
But Gu Xueying merely glanced at Xu Youyou before taking the iced grape juice with ease and taking a sip.
Seeing this, Xu Youyou stopped urging her.
[Ding, the treasure hunt task has been activated. Please complete the detection task by the end of today. Failure to do so will result in penalties.]
Xu Youyou felt that the system was becoming increasingly unpredictable, with task deadlines seemingly arbitrary.
Looking at the golden needle pointing toward the manor’s interior, Xu Youyou was certain that the detection target was a certain item at the small auction.
