Chapter 71: Have you forgotten what kind of person Shen Linyan is

It was no exaggeration to say that from the moment he walked in, Shen Linyan had his head down, looking at his phone.

At first, he was just checking the time, seeming a bit absent-minded when he spoke.

But once a certain time hit, the man immediately opened his phone, completely ignoring them.

Right after his divorce, Shen Linyan had indeed gone through a phase like this.

But back then, it was completely different from now; every time he came out, he would just drink in silence.

The group instantly guessed who this was definitely about.

Liang Chen remembered hearing a little nurse say that An Ling had come back later that day, and his gaze instantly grew meaningful.

He stayed quiet, waiting for the other two to lose their patience first.

Sure enough, Wang Yihong was the first who couldn't hold back.

"Did you and An Ling... make up?"

The man shot him an indifferent sidelong glance. "We never fought."

"Alright, alright."

Those two had an amicable divorce.

Wang Yihong rephrased his question. "Then did you guys remarry?"

They hadn't heard anything about it; otherwise, Shen Linyan definitely would have told them.

Hearing this, the man paused. The slight upward curve of his lips flattened, and he picked up his wine glass, saying faintly, "No."

Seeing this, Gu Xiaochi crossed his legs, rested his elbow on the back of his chair, covered his mouth with his hand, and whispered to Liang Chen beside him.

"What's the situation?"

Looking at Shen Linyan's demeanor, one would think An Ling had actually remarried him.

But previously, Shen Fuyuan had told him that when those two ate together, they pretended to be strangers, and after the meal, Shen Linyan even deliberately used a phone call as an excuse to go out and hide.

Liang Chen guessed roughly what was going on. After thinking for a moment, he asked Shen Linyan, "Did you and An Ling successfully become friends?"

During their chat at the hospital last time, wasn't this exactly what Shen Linyan wanted? To use the guise of a friend to gradually occupy An Ling's life and gain her companionship.

Hearing this, the man opposite him stopped his movements and slowly lowered the wine glass from his lips.

He slowly lowered his eyes, his long legs crossed, exuding a pampered and noble aura in his every gesture. His pitch-black eyes quietly stared at the red wine in his glass, his fingertips rubbing against the crystal, and his thin lips parted slightly.

"There's no time for me to be her friend. She doesn't want to have any contact with me anymore."

If he tried to be just friends, An Ling would reject him.

He could tell.

When An Ling came to find him yesterday, it was to completely end their relationship.

This was out of Liang Chen's expectations, and he blurted out subconsciously, "Then how are you actually still in touch with An Ling now?"

Shen Linyan still didn't even know how to love someone; he himself had said he was learning how to love.

An Ling wanted to end it all, and he could still salvage this?

The man didn't answer. He just unhurriedly lifted his eyelids and cast a glance at them, his eyes as calm as an ancient well.

"Did we come here today just to talk about this?"

His tone betrayed no emotion, but it clearly carried a hint of impatience.

"..."

He really had absolutely zero patience!

The other three instantly changed the subject.

"Alright, where were we?"

"I think it was about Damian wanting to expand into the domestic market."

"Oh, right, right, right."

Gu Xiaochi stroked his chin and looked at Shen Linyan. "You should know about this too, right? I heard he's also coming to the country to hold a bidding conference. With him coming, a lot of investors are keeping a close eye on it."

Shen Linyan put down his wine glass and gave a soft "Mm." "I know, but the Shen Group won't be participating."

Liang Chen was a bit surprised. "You're not letting the Shen Group participate?"

As a medical family, it was really difficult for his family to win the bid, but his dad still wanted to go, hoping to get a piece of the pie just in case. It showed just how important this bidding conference was.

Liang Chen thought about it for a moment, and then instantly understood. "Oh, that younger brother of yours is going to participate, right?"

Generally speaking, as a well-known corporation, if the Shen Group participated in this bidding conference, they would inevitably win.

This was a massive project. Mother Shen naturally couldn't let Shen Linyan handle it; she had to pave the way for her precious youngest son no matter what.

He raised an eyebrow at the man opposite him. "Then this bidding conference looks like it'll be very interesting."

After all, since Shen Linyan said the Shen Group couldn't participate, Lu Jingshen's hopes of winning the bid looked slim.

Shen Linyan didn't deny it. He looked down at the time.

He stood up, his long fingers unhurriedly buttoning his suit jacket, and said in a faint voice, "I have a meeting later. I'm leaving."

After the man left, Wang Yihong quickly leaned over.

"Liang Chen, Liang Chen, what did you mean by that 'friends' thing you just mentioned to Shen Linyan? Why didn't I understand his answer?"

Hearing this, Liang Chen slowly leaned back.

"Someone's true nature is exposed, that's all. Did you forget what kind of person Shen Linyan is?"

He had said back at the hospital that Shen Linyan went through so much trouble just to have An Ling accompany him to see a doctor, claiming he only wanted her companionship.

This obviously didn't really fit the man's style.

Looking at it now, mere companionship was clearly no longer enough to satisfy him.

If he could put in the effort to get An Ling to stay by his side, putting in a little effort to make her stay wouldn't be hard for Shen Linyan either.

-

It was already nine o'clock at night by the time she finished working overtime with her colleagues. An Ling's eyes were sore from staring, and she subsequently took An Zhou's car back.

After going upstairs, she was so tired she flopped straight onto the bed with a thud.

"I'm exhausted."

Why was going to work so tiring? Why did she choose to work in the first place?

Was it too late to regret it now?

The soft blanket was too comfortable. An Ling yawned, but just as she closed her eyes, something flashed through her mind, and her drowsiness suddenly vanished.

Wait...

She had promised Shen Linyan they would have a phone call tonight!

An Ling immediately opened her eyes, rubbed them, rolled over, pulled her phone out of her bag, and checked the time.

9:30 PM.

Should she still call at this hour? It was already so late.

She lay on her stomach on the bed, her soft hair scattered across the covers. Tilting her head to look at the screen, her fair fingertips tapped lightly as she sent the man a message.

[I just got home, do you still want to call? 。◕‿◕。]

A reply came quickly from the other side.

Shen Linyan: [Can we call? 。◕‿◕。]

An Ling burst into a giggle, her eyes curving into crescents as she changed her posture to reply.

[Sure, wait for me to put my earphones on.]

She put on her earphones and dialed the call, but before the other side could pick up, there was a sudden knock on her bedroom door.

Knock, knock, knock—

Mother An's voice rang out from outside the door.

"Lingling, are you asleep?"

Her movements paused, and she got up to open the door.

"Mom? You're not asleep yet?"

Outside the door, Mother An was in her pajamas, looking at her with a smile.

"Mom wants to talk to you about something, will it disturb your rest?"

An Ling hesitated and stepped aside. "No, Mom, come in first."

She walked behind her mother, glancing down to see that the call had already connected.

Just as she was about to hang up and explain to Shen Linyan later, she heard Mother An suddenly speak up from in front of her:

"Mom mainly wanted to talk about the blind date arrangements for you and your brother."