Chapter 98: Don't Want Shen Linyan Anymore Then I'll Take Him [Word Count Fulfilled, Three-in-One]

Clicking into it, she saw that just ten minutes ago, An Ling's personal account had posted a new update.

[You don't want Shen Linyan anymore? Then I'll take him~]

Attached below the update was a photo—it was a brand-new marriage certificate.

And the date on the marriage certificate was exactly today.

At this, the internet completely exploded.

[Good heavens, what does this mean? One second the illegitimate child scandal breaks out, and the next he remarries his ex-wife.]

[Wait, what kind of plot twist is this? I don't get it.]

[Looking at An Ling's words, why does it feel like the Shen family doesn't want Shen Linyan anymore?]

[What a plot twist, hahahaha.]

[Why does this give off the vibe of a domineering ex-wife loving fiercely?]

The comment section grew increasingly sidetracked, to the point where people even forgot to discuss Shen Linyan's status as an illegitimate child.

An Ling couldn't help but chuckle out loud.

It wasn't a waste of her effort dragging Shen Linyan to the Civil Affairs Bureau first thing in the morning.

It was just that since both she and Shen Linyan had things to do, they hurried back to their respective companies right after getting the certificate.

She put her phone back into her pocket and rested her chin on her hand while watching the monitor. Suddenly, the sound of her colleagues chatting rose behind her.

"Did you guys see the news? The former chairman of the Shen Group was exposed as an illegitimate child, and he went bankrupt."

Her movements paused slightly, but the voices by her ear continued.

"I saw it, it's all over the trending searches. Wasn't it just revealed that he remarried his ex-wife?"

"It's so shocking. This is my first time following gossip outside the entertainment circle, and it's super exciting."

"I remember Shen Fuyuan is going to Shen Linyan's house for a shoot this afternoon, right? Do you think we'll see the people involved? And that An family heiress—if she makes an appearance, our show's ratings will definitely skyrocket once it airs."

"We probably can't film them, right? I remember they said we were only allowed to film the house."

Hearing this, one of the colleagues suddenly took off his headphones. "Chairman Shen went bankrupt? No way! He's a pretty nice guy. Last time we went to the Shen house to set up the cameras, we almost bumped into him, and he even gave us bread. How could this happen?"

Saying that, he turned to look at An Ling.

"An Ling seemed to have run into him, and you were the one who got the bread, right?"

Caught off guard by her name being called, An Ling froze for a second. "Yes."

That colleague laughed, "We even said at the time that Ah Leng's name is the same as that ex-wife's name. If An Ling hadn't said last time that she didn't have a boyfriend yet, we would have guessed that An Ling was her."

An Ling, the ex-wife in question: "..."

She indeed didn't have a boyfriend at the time.

She just had an ex-husband.

Not knowing how to answer, she could only smile.

Then she quietly changed the subject. "It's almost noon. I'll order the boxed lunches. Is the same place as last time okay?"

Her colleagues' attention was instantly diverted.

"Sure, sure. The stir-fried pork with garlic sprouts from last time was delicious."

"Their beer-braised duck is also really good."

An Ling smiled and pulled her phone out of her pocket. "I'll ask the boss for today's menu first."

Smack— A crisp sound came from the floor.

Just as she opened WeChat, a colleague's voice suddenly reached her ears.

"An Ling, is this thing on the floor yours?"

Thing?

She subconsciously looked down, and when she caught a glimpse of that familiar little red booklet, her eyelids twitched violently.

Damn it! She forgot this was still in her pocket!

After getting it in the morning, she was in such a hurry to rush back to the company that she had just casually stuffed it into her pocket.

Seeing her colleague about to help pick it up, her heart skipped a beat. She quickly bent down and snatched the booklet back before her colleague could reach it.

Looking up, she locked eyes with her colleague.

The other person stared at her blankly.

Fortunately, the marriage certificate had landed face down, and An Ling maintained a calm expression.

She let out a few dry laughs. Just as she was about to stuff the thing back into her pocket, she remembered something, and halfway there, she silently slipped it into her bag instead.

"Thanks, it's a newly bought notebook. It was quite expensive."

Her colleague didn't seem to notice anything amiss and nodded.

"Yeah, I really don't understand prices nowadays. I was scrolling through videos before, and some journaling notebooks are really expensive. One can sell for thousands of yuan."

"...Yeah."

For the first time, An Ling wished the filming would end quickly so everyone would stop discussing Shen Linyan.

During the lunch break, An Ling found a moment to check her phone.

She didn't know if the Shen family had bought internet trolls, but a lot of different voices started appearing in the comment section.

[Remarrying at a time like this, is the An family even trying to piggyback off this kind of heat?]

[It was previously exposed that An Ling was chasing Lu Jingshen, and now she's remarrying Shen Linyan. Are we sure this isn't just to grab attention?]

[Remarrying Shen Linyan at this time, it's hard to say if she isn't trying to get some blackmail material on the Shen Group out of Shen Linyan's mouth.]

[According to insider leaks, An Ling and Shen Linyan's relationship was very average before. It was just an arranged marriage, not the kind of relationship where they would remarry just to help each other out. There's most likely another motive. Shen Linyan is pretty miserable too; getting kicked out and then being used by his ex-wife to gain traffic. How do you know Shen Linyan wasn't forced?]

Insider?

Was there anyone who understood her and Shen Linyan's relationship better than they did?

An Ling clicked open this comment and found it was just a burner account.

These words sounded so real that some people had already believed them, though others didn't.

[For those of you doubting their relationship, didn't you see the photo of Mr. and Mrs. Shen holding hands back then?]

[Thanks for the reminder. I found it online, it's true love. An Ling's account has only made three posts: one was an identity verification when she first registered, and the other two are both related to her husband.]

An Ling didn't take these words to heart. Anyway, she had long discovered that some people's mindsets were just hard to change.

Even when she posted that photo of them holding hands before, some people still didn't believe in the feelings between her and Shen Linyan.

Just like how her brother didn't believe Shen Linyan was a good person.

...

After returning home that evening, An Ling was just about to open the door and go in.

Suddenly, a man's voice sounded behind her.

"An Ling, I've realized you really are the speedy type. Fast to divorce, and fast to remarry."

Having this happen suddenly in the middle of the night scared An Ling so much she almost screamed. "Brother, why don't you make any sound when you walk! You scared me to death! Are Mom and Dad asleep?"

An Zhou, wearing pajamas and leaning against the wall, wagged his index finger. "Don't change the subject. We're talking about serious matters. You just agreed yesterday and went to remarry today? I thought a certain someone wouldn't be coming back today and would be going home with her husband instead."

An Ling ignored his teasing. "Shen Linyan has cameras in his house, so I won't move in for the time being."

She had already told Shen Linyan that she planned to move back after the show ended.

Hearing this, An Zhou frowned. "Then why did you remarry so quickly? What's the difference between this and not being remarried?"

"Didn't you see what they're saying online? Remarrying is obviously to shut their mouths and suppress the illegitimate child scandal."

An Ling was so tired she didn't even have the energy to chat. She opened her bedroom door. "Alright, I'm exhausted. Brother, you should go back to your room too."

Closing the bedroom door, An Ling lay down on her bed.

She thought for a moment, then got up and took her phone out of her bag.

She hadn't chatted much with Shen Linyan today. She had originally planned to chat with him after coming back at night, but she didn't expect to be busy until so late.

A dozen minutes ago, the man had sent her a message.

[Are you home yet?]

An Ling: [I'm here. I'll take a shower in a bit.]

Shen Linyan: [Okay, rest early, Madam.]

Looking at the screen, An Ling blinked.

"It seems like there really is no difference..."

Was it because this was how they interacted before?

Getting the marriage certificate was a rushed affair, and they immediately threw themselves back into work right after.

She originally wanted to have lunch with Shen Linyan, but her colleagues were all there, so she couldn't easily slip away.

It wasn't quite like the remarriage she had imagined.

Yet she couldn't quite put her finger on how it was different.

After a few seconds of silence, An Ling sighed. Just as she was about to turn off her screen, a message suddenly popped up from him.

Shen Linyan: [I have to go abroad tomorrow.]

Seeing this message, she paused.

She immediately sat up in bed.

An Ling: [For how many days?]

Shen Linyan: [I'm not exactly sure, probably four days.]

She typed and deleted words in the chat box. In the end, she didn't ask for the reason. Her eyes lowered, and she pursed her lips tightly.

Who said there was no difference? On the first day of their remarriage, her husband was going on a business trip.

An Ling: [Okay.]

Shen Linyan: [Can I see you, my wife?]

An Ling was stunned for a moment and checked the time.

It was already eleven o'clock.

[Now? Are you coming to find me? Or should I go find you?]

Immediately after, the man's message popped up again.

Shen Linyan: [I'm at your door.]

Her eyes widened, and she immediately opened her door and went downstairs.

Pushing open the main gate, the porch light was on. The night air carried a chill, and she saw a tall, straight figure standing in front of the door.

The man was wearing a black cashmere coat, boasting long legs and broad shoulders, exuding a noble aura. Underneath was a perfectly ironed suit. The shadows from the streetlamp outlined his deep-set features. His clear, dark eyes looked at her, as if his gentleness was melting into the deep night.

An Ling stood frozen, watching him walk toward her step by step.

The man took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. He pulled her into his embrace, cradling the back of her head with his palm, and lowered his head to gently kiss the top of her hair.

"Don't be mad at me, okay?"

His warm breath brushed against her ear. His voice was magnetic, like vibrating strings. The coat still held his lingering body heat, enveloping her in a reassuring scent that drove away the cold night wind.

Yet, An Ling didn't know what emotions she was feeling.

In truth, even if Shen Linyan didn't go abroad, she had to keep an eye on the program's progress these next few days and wouldn't have time to accompany him anyway.

But this feeling was different.

It was a bit like what An Zhou had said: whether they remarried or not, it seemed about the same.

She pursed her lips and gripped the man's clothes tightly. "Shen Linyan, but today is the first day of our remarriage..."

"I know, baby."

Shen Linyan cupped her face, lowering his head to kiss her again and again. "I'll handle everything and come back soon. I'll tell you everything when I return, okay?"

An Ling looked at him and slowly nodded.

"Okay."

After a moment of silence, she suddenly looked up. "Do you have money to spend abroad?"

The man was taken aback. His chest vibrated slightly as he let out a low chuckle, his thumb gently rubbing her earlobe.

"No. Is my wife going to give me some?"

An Ling answered without hesitation, "Yes."

Expenses abroad were high, and she couldn't let Shen Linyan go hungry.

Seeing her serious expression, Shen Linyan smiled and kissed her eyes. "Alright, then I'll make sure to bring a gift back for my wife."

"Are you going to buy me a gift with my own money?"

"Do you not like that?"

"I like it, but please be frugal. Our quality of life isn't what it used to be, Mr. Shen," An Ling said dryly.

Laughter spilled from the man's lips. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lowered his voice near her ear, "Then can I buy something cheap, Madam?"

An Ling nodded in approval. "You can."

Under the silent night sky, the figures of the man and woman were stretched long by the streetlamp.

Darkness enveloped their surroundings, but a warm, dim halo of light lingered around them.

...

After Shen Linyan went abroad, An Ling basically left early and returned late.

She spent her days at the company and her nights at home, constantly keeping an eye on the monitors and other matters. She was so busy her feet barely touched the ground.

Furthermore, due to the time difference, it was hard for her and Shen Linyan to speak much during the day.

It wasn't until the final recording ended that the entire studio finally relaxed.

Nan Zhechuan leaned back in his chair and turned to look at her. "An Ling, are you going to the dinner party tonight? After copying the footage, Mr. Chen said we should all grab a meal together to celebrate the end of the recording."

An Ling was packing up her things and shook her head upon hearing this.

"No, I have family matters to attend to tonight. I've already told Mr. Chen."

Tonight was a dinner with the Qin family. She had to go to the restaurant, and An Zhou would be coming to pick her up shortly.

Since it was a dinner between the two families, An Zhou had dressed up meticulously today. He wore a crisp dark blue suit, and his hair was slicked back, revealing a smooth forehead. It gave him an elite vibe, and when he wasn't speaking, he actually exuded a somewhat mature and steady aura.

As soon as An Ling got into the car, he couldn't wait to show off his outfit.

"How is it? Your brother looks handsome today, right?"

"You look like a human."

"Say something nice."

"That'll cost extra."

"..."

An Ling's ears finally got a moment of peace. Just as she was about to take out her phone to see what message Shen Linyan had left her,

An Zhou's voice sounded from beside her again.

"By the way, there's been quite a lot of turmoil in the Shen Corporation these past few days."

She paused her movements and looked up, only to see An Zhou smiling happily. "Shen Linyan was in charge of several projects before. After he left, all those projects fell through. Who knows how much money they've lost."

Everyone online was saying that Shen Linyan would face retribution for abandoning the Shen Corporation.

But in reality, it was the Shen Corporation that was in danger without Shen Linyan.

She didn't know what Shen Linyan had been busy with lately. Could his trip abroad be related to the Shen Corporation's affairs?

The car stopped at a red light.

An Zhou glanced at her and suddenly asked, "An Ling, did Shen Linyan tell you about that matter?"

An Ling was taken aback. "What matter?"

"I knew it. You've been so busy lately, it seems you don't know. I'll tell you, but you can't reveal that I was the one who said it."

An Zhou tapped the steering wheel and said slowly, "Dad secretly told me yesterday. They added a condition for Shen Linyan's remarriage to you: he has to have his own company."

But under the current circumstances, this was practically a fantasy.

Shen Linyan had just resigned from the Shen Corporation. Even if he started a company, who would dare to collaborate with him? They would definitely be targeted by the Shen Corporation.

Even when he heard this condition at the time, he felt it was making things way too difficult for him.

But Dad said Shen Linyan had agreed to it.

No wonder they were so relieved. So there was such a condition. If he really managed to pull it off, who wouldn't feel reassured?

An Ling had never heard of this. She sat blankly in her seat, seemingly unable to process it.

"...A company?"

An Zhou shrugged. "But you've already remarried Shen Linyan. That guy must be thrilled. This condition will probably just be fulfilled slowly over time."

An Ling didn't say anything, just looked thoughtfully at her phone.

After getting out of the car and arriving at the restaurant, they met up with the Qin family.

An Ling finally met the legendary Miss Qin. The woman was beautiful, carrying a uniquely aloof and elegant aura.

Seeing her, the woman's eyes showed a hint of surprise before her lips curved into a gentle smile. "Hello, I'm Qin You."

An Ling also smiled, her eyes curving as she shook her hand. "Hello, I'm An Ling."

Halfway through the meal, An Ling went out to use the restroom. Just as she walked around the corner, she heard a man's voice.

"Why did you decide to get married? During our blind date, Miss Qin didn't seem too satisfied with me, did she?"

This familiar voice clearly belonged to An Zhou.

An Ling paused her steps. She struggled between listening to gossip and moral condemnation for a mere 0.01 seconds before standing behind the wall and quietly pricking up her ears.

Qin You's voice followed: "I'm quite satisfied. President An and I are both just lacking a marriage partner. There's nothing wrong with this."

An Zhou's expression was strange. "No, but... I have no feelings for you. Can you really stand that?"

Qin You stared at him, frowned, and suddenly grabbed his collar. Tilting her head up, she kissed him, her tone already carrying a hint of impatience.

"It's just a marriage of convenience. I'm fine with it. How can a grown man like you be even more coy than a woman?"

An Zhou, who was caught off guard by the kiss: ???

An Ling, who witnessed all of this: !˶╹ꇴ╹˶!!

Even after the three of them returned to the private room, An Ling caught a glimpse of An Zhou's dumbfounded expression out of the corner of her eye and pursed her lips, trying hard to hold back her laughter.

After dinner, the two families finally decided to let the two youngsters interact for a period of time first. There was no rush for the wedding.

To give them a chance to be alone, Mother An asked An Zhou to take Qin You home.

Seeing the car leave, Mother An turned to look at An Ling. "Lingling, you can ride back with your dad and me."

An Ling had her hand on the car door handle. Just as she was about to open it, she paused.

She pulled her hand back. "Mom, you guys go back first. I have some things to handle at the company, so I won't go back with you."

Perhaps because An Ling had indeed been very busy these past few days, Mother An didn't ask further upon hearing this. She simply nodded and got into the car.

Watching the car drive out of sight, An Ling took out her phone to call a ride-hailing car.

...

"Beep—"

The front door was pushed open from the outside.

The light from the hallway outside shone into the living room as An Ling walked in and closed the door behind her.

The living room curtains were drawn open, letting the moonlight shine through the floor-to-ceiling windows. A dim yellow floor lamp was lit next to the sofa, and the hallway lights were also on. It was probably Aunt Cheng who was afraid that Huihui would be scared staying here alone.

Her colleagues had already dismantled the equipment in the living room, and Aunt Cheng had cleaned it again, restoring everything to its original state.

Suddenly, a milky "meow" echoed in the air.

She put her bag on the sofa, walked over, and opened a cat treat. Squatting in front of the cat bed, she rubbed its head and softened her voice.

"Did you miss Mommy after not seeing her for a few days?"

Shen Fuyuan really had a knack for raising cats. After just a few days of not seeing it, Huihui had noticeably gotten a bit chubbier.

Huihui ate the cat treat, rubbing its little head against her palm and purring in its throat, seemingly responding to her.

After feeding the cat treat, she rubbed its head again and then stood up to walk toward her room. Just as she was about to open the door, her gaze caught the room next door, and she blinked.

She had never been to Shen Linyan's room. Every time, it was Shen Linyan who came to her room.

It should be fine to go in and take a look, right?

Shen Linyan wouldn't be angry, would he?

But Shen Linyan had gone to her room.

Besides, they were husband and wife now. Looking at his room was no big deal.

While brainwashing herself, An Ling shuffled over to his bedroom door with small steps, her hand hesitantly resting on the doorknob.

"Creak—"

The door opened a crack. Through the light from the hallway, the furnishings in the room came into view. It had the same layout as her room.

The color scheme of the man's room was mainly light luxury gray and white. It was spotlessly clean, with a dark gray carpet on the floor. A computer and books were placed on the table in front of the sofa, and a pair of glasses lay beside them.

Shen Linyan actually wore glasses!?

After a few seconds of internal struggle, An Ling stepped into the room, picked up the glasses, and examined them.

They were probably anti-blue light. Her eyes had been sore from looking at materials these past few days, so she had also bought a pair of these anti-blue light glasses.

An Ling originally just intended to take a look, but as she looked, she ended up lying on the bed. The quilt carried a faint, clean cedar scent, exactly like the smell on Shen Linyan.

Lying on the edge of the bed, she swung her legs and took out her phone.

She wondered when Shen Linyan would be back. They had agreed on four days, so he should be back soon.

It was noon in London right now, so Shen Linyan shouldn't be busy.

She thought for a moment and sent a message.

[When are you coming back? The show finished filming today, and the cameras at home have been taken down.]

Just as An Ling sat up, her phone suddenly buzzed.

Shen Linyan: [Is my wife working overtime today?]

An Ling: [No need. I'm eating out with my family tonight, and taking the chance to meet my brother's future marriage partner.]

Thinking of what she had seen, she couldn't help but let out a laugh.

It was too amazing. Her brother was actually forcefully kissed by someone else one day.

Shen Linyan: [Have you finished eating and gone home now?]

An Ling: [No, I'm outside. Do you want to guess where? ^^]

Hehe, Shen Linyan would definitely never guess that she was in his bedroom.

However, before she could even type out the message, she saw a sentence from the other side.

Shen Linyan: [Are you hanging out with friends? I'll come pick you up later.]

Pick her up?

An Ling typed in confusion: [Aren't you abroad?]

Shen Linyan: [I'm back. Giving my wife a surprise ^^]

The moment she received the message, An Ling heard a familiar "Beep—" from the front door.

Immediately following was the sound of suitcase wheels rolling.

The man's familiar deep voice rang out.

"Huihui, get down from the sofa."

An Ling's eyes widened: ????

She stood up in a daze, looking down at the message, and then at the bed she had messed up by lying on it.

"..."

Was this a surprise?

Then she had also prepared a surprise for Shen Linyan.

An Ling's face stiffened slightly. She silently reached out to smooth out the wrinkled quilt and put the glasses back in their original place.

What do I do, what do I do!

Casually entering someone else's room was one thing, but randomly lying on their bed! Previously, Shen Linyan would always ask her before entering her room.

Hearing the sound of the suitcase outside the door getting closer and closer, An Ling's expression became even more rigid. Her eyes darted around in panic, inexplicably feeling a guilty conscience like a thief.

The sound of the door opening rang out, and she subconsciously hid in the adjacent bathroom.

"Click—"

Seeing the lights turn on in the room, An Ling's expression froze.

Wait? Why did she seem so much like she was having an illicit affair?

Forget it, whatever.

It was only getting more and more awkward now.

Once Shen Linyan left, she would immediately leave too, pretending nothing had ever happened.

An Ling squatted on the ground and sent a message to Shen Linyan.

[Then come pick me up right away (⑉••⑉) I'm at the mall.]

Unexpectedly, a message suddenly came from the other side.

[Wife, want to have a phone call?]

An Ling: ? Right now??