Gentle to the Bone - Chapter 2

It was New Year’s Eve, just half a month had passed since the night they first met.

That day, Shen Yansheng took care of her mother in the hospital as usual. She bought a bunch of flowers and placed them on the cabinet beside the hospital bed, hoping to make her mother feel better when she saw the flowers.

Mom understands her intentions, but she also feels sorry. Mother Shen said,”You are working hard to make money, and shouldn’t waste it like this.”

She sat by the bed, held her mother’s hand, and said with a smile, “It’s New Year’s Eve today. Buying a bunch of vibrant flowers, which indicates that everything will be fine in the new year.”

Mother Shen heard her daughter’s words, She couldn’t help feel hurt, she looked at the cold winter outside the window, burst into tears, and murmured, “I don’t know if your father is living well in there. He is most afraid of the cold. When winter comes, his whole body feels sore.”

Her eyes were red, but she didn’t dare to cry for fear that her mother would be more sad seeing her cry.

She held her mother’s hand tightly and said with a smile, “I went to see my father a few days ago and gave him winter clothes. Dad is in good health. He is just worried about you.”

She looked at the tears on her mother’s face and couldn’t smile anymore, she wiped off her mother’s tears while saying distressedly: “Mom, you have to take good care of your body. If dad know that you are so sick, I don’t know how distressed he would be. You know, Dad loves you the most.”

Zhou Xiuyun thought of her husband and couldn’t help crying even more fiercely.

Shen Yansheng hugged her mother in distress, caressed her back lightly, and comforted: “Mom, don’t worry, there will be a way, the matter will definitely be resolved.”

Although Shen Yansheng at this time did not know how it will be resolved in the end.

It was after seven o’clock in the evening when she received a call from Lu Jingce. She was sitting by the bed, preparing to watch the New Year’s Eve party with her mother.

The phone vibrated beside the bed, she picked it up and saw a strange call, and answered it without thinking much.

There was some noise on the other end of the phone, but it became quiet after a while, followed by a slightly low male voice, “Do you have time tonight?”

Shen Yansheng was stunned when she heard the words, she didn’t hear his voice for a while, and asked subconsciously, “Who are you?” The other end of the phone was silent for a few seconds, then came a low sneer, “Miss Shen is really a noble person. Forgetting things, didn’t you say you wanted to invite me to dinner half a month ago?”

Shen Yansheng suddenly reacted when she heard the words, and hurriedly said, “No, no, I remember, I didn’t hear your voice for a while.”

Lu Jingce laughed lowly. Hearing this, he didn’t bother with her, but just asked: “So do you have time tonight? Have a meal with me?”

Shen Yansheng was a little embarrassed when she heard this, she hesitated, “Now?”

Lu Jingce asked, “What? Is it not convenient?”

It’s not inconvenient, but it’s New Year’s Eve tonight, if she goes out to eat with Lu Jingce, her mother will be alone in the hospital.

But Lu Jingce helped her out of the siege before, she owed him a favor, and she couldn’t say anything to refuse at this moment.

Seeing her daughter’s embarrassed expression, Zhou Xiuyun asked in a low voice, “What’s the matter? Did a friend ask you to go out to dinner? Go, anyway, I can’t watch TV for too long, I fell asleep in a while.”

Shen Yansheng hesitated for a while, but finally agreed to Lu Jingce and asked him, “Where to meet?”

Lu Jingce said, “Wait for me at the hospital, I’ll come and pick you up.”

After hanging up the phone, Zhou Xiuyun asked curiously, “Is it Shi Yu?”

Shen Yansheng smiled , said: “No. It’s another friend, you don’t know them.”

She got up and packed her things while talking, and said to her mother: “Mom, then I’ll go have a meal and be back in a while, if you’re sleepy just go to sleep, don’t wait for me.”

Zhou Xiuyun nodded and said, “I know, go ahead, celebrate the New Year today, have a good time.”

Shen Yansheng tried her best to smile at her mother, nodded “um”.

But how could she be so happy? The family matter has not been resolved, her father is still in the detention center, and her mother is sick again. The medical bills and foreign debts weighed on her almost out of breath.

She herself doesn’t know how long she can hold on, when the string in her heart will be completely broken.

When she came out of the hospital, there was a lively scene outside.

Shen Yansheng was standing on the side of the road carrying her bag, and the night sky above her head kept bursting with colorful fireworks.

She looked up at the sky, and for the first time she felt so small, so small that a huge wave hit her and she couldn’t get up again.

She stood on the side of the road in a daze, and after an unknown amount of time, she heard a whistle and raised her head, only to find that Lu Jingce had parked the car in front of her.

Only then did she realize that, stepped forward and opened the co-pilot’s door. After getting in the car, she smiled at Lu Jingce and asked, “What do you want to eat?”

Lu Jingce glanced at her, smiled, and merged the car into the traffic again. He said, “You really plan to invite me to dinner?”

Shen Yansheng was stunned when she heard the words, “didn’t you say…”

Lu Jingce said, “There is a dinner party tonight, and I need a female companion.”

Shen Yansheng was a little surprised when she heard the words. Looking at Lu Jingce, she couldn’t help but ask, “Why did you look for me?”

Lu Jingce glanced at her casually while driving, and said, “Don’t you owe me a favor?”

Shen Yansheng: “…”

Said It is a dinner party, in fact, it is a gathering of friends for New year.

Lu Jingce went last, and when he arrived, the dishes were all ready. As soon as Xie Rin saw Lu Jingce coming in, he said, “I said you should just wait until we’ve finished eating. Usually, it’s okay. “

Lu Jingce handed the suit jacket in his hand to the waiter next to him, and said lightly, “Do you think everyone is busy as you?”

Xie Rin choked, and wanted to say something else, when he suddenly noticed Shen Yansheng, who came in with Lu jingce.

He was so surprised that his eyes almost popped out, and thought he saw wrong.

Brother Lu, who has never been close to women, actually has a day when women will appear around him.

Not only Xie Rin, everyone present was surprised, but when it came to Lu Jingce’s private life, no one dared to ask.

Xie Rin wanted to ask, he’s mouth was open, but Lu Jingce swept over with a glance, and stopped the conversation abruptly.

Xie Rin and Lu Jingce have known each other for so many years, and he has always been clear about his behavior.

Everyone saw that Lu Jingce did not intend to introduce the woman around him, and naturally they would not regard Shen Yansheng as Lu Jingce’s girlfriend. After all, in this circle, it is not uncommon for a rich and powerful man to suddenly have a woman beside him.

As for the name, there is no need to inquire, it may be replaced one day.

Shen Yansheng didn’t care what others thought of her, after all, she owed Lu Jingce a favor, and he asked her to accompany him to a meal, so she came.

What’s more, from the moment she sat down, her attention fell on the man opposite.

And the reason why she noticed the man on the opposite side was not because he was handsome or for any other reason.

It was because she knew that man, and he was in charge of her father’s case.

After her father was under the control of the police, she had tried to find this man and wanted to ask him for help. The result was of course bad, the other party refused to see her at all, let alone help.

All night, Shen Yansheng stared at the man across from her as if possessed.

Her unabashed naked gaze naturally caught the attention of everyone present. Everyone looked at Lu Jingce and saw that Lu Jingce didn’t eat much all night. He was leaning lazily in the back of his chair, playing with a lighter in his hand. He didn’t smile, and no one knew what he was thinking. .

Xie Rin was the person who knew Lu Jingce best, and he thought that this woman was so courageous. In front of his brother Lu, she dared to stare at another man so blatantly.

And the most nervous person in the audience was Gu Xu, who was stared at by Shen Yansheng.

He was so nervous that cold sweat broke out on his back, wondering if this woman wanted to kill him.

He admitted that he was pretty good-looking, but sister, you are Lu Jingce’s woman, even he don’t have the guts to covet Lu Jingce’s woman.

Can you stop hurting him?

Gu Xu was so nervous that his forehead was sweating. He subconsciously raised his hand and wiped it. Who knew that Lu Jingce looked at him with a smile, “Would you like to turn on the air conditioner?”

Gu Xu repeatedly waved his hand, “No, no, no. , what kind of air-conditioning is on in the winter.”

Besides, he was almost frozen to death by the cold air from Lu Jingce’s body.

It was only at this time that Shen Yansheng came back to her senses and realized that she seemed to have lost her way. She lowered her head and silently poked at the contents of the bowl, thinking about how to find Gu Xu for help in a while. She was a little lost, until a shrimp was put in the bowl, and she heard Lu Jingce say, “Do you want to eat air?” She raised her head to look at Lu Jingce, but Lu Jingce was already talking about business with the friend next to him. After finally making it to the end of the dinner, Shen Yansheng wanted to find a chance to talk to Gu Xu, but when Gu Xu saw her, it was like seeing a flood of beasts and kept avoiding her. So much so that when she came to the poker game, she was unable to speak to Gu Xu. And because it was New Year’s Eve tonight, all the men brought women with them. At the poker game, Shen Yansheng was pulled to the mahjong table by several women. She couldn’t resist playing a few laps, and saw Gu Xu go outside in the middle of the game. , She quickly got up and said, “Go on, I’ll go to the bathroom.

Lu Jingce didn’t go to the poker table tonight, when Shen Yansheng followed Gu Xu out, he was leaning against the window smoking a cigarette. Looking at Shen Yansheng’s back through the gray smoke in front of his eyes, his expression was light, but no one couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

Shen Yansheng followed Gu Xu all the way to the bathroom. She stood outside and waited anxiously until Gu Xu came out of the bathroom. She hurried forward, but before she could speak, Gu Xu took a step back in fright, “Sister, please forgive me. Okay? You’re the woman brought by Brother Lu, isn’t it inappropriate for you to stare at me all night?”

He still didn’t say the second half, you’re not afraid of death, but I am!

Shen Yansheng was stunned when she heard the words, and then realized that the other party must have misunderstood, and explained: “You misunderstood, Mr. Gu.”

She made it clear why she came, and said, “Mr. Gu, I am Shen Yansheng, Shen Haihua’s daughter.”

Hearing this, Gu Xu couldn’t help but be startled, but then he reacted and asked, “So you’re staring at me all night because of your father?”

Shen Yansheng nodded and said, “I found you half a month ago. , I want to ask you for help, my father’s case…”

Speaking of this, Gu Xu suddenly remembered. Half a month ago, he took over Shen Haihua’s case. One afternoon, the gatekeeper of the community called to say that there was a lady surnamed Shen who wanted to see him. He guessed at the time that it was Shen Haihua’s daughter, and directly asked the guard to send the person away.

He didn’t expect to meet at a dinner like this tonight.

Knowing Shen Yansheng’s intention at this moment, he also regained his seriousness and said, “Miss Shen, it’s not that I won’t help you. I also act according to the law, and I really can’t help your father’s affairs.”

“But—” Shen Yansheng replied When she wanted to say something else, she saw Gu Xu suddenly raised her head, looked behind her, and smiled, “Brother Lu.”

Shen Yansheng turned her head back subconsciously when she heard the words, her eyes still red staring just into Lu Jingce’s eyes.

Seeing Lu Jingce coming, Gu Xu quickly withdrew and said, “I’ll go back first, you two talk slowly.”

After speaking, he rubbed oil on the soles of his feet and quickly disappeared.

Shen Yansheng watched Gu Xu’s figure disappear into the corridor, and for a moment only felt that the last hope was gone. The tight string in her heart was about to break, and Lu Jingce stood opposite and looked at her quietly, looking at her eyes that were red from holding back tears, after a while, he finally said, ” You beg him about your father’s business. What’s the use?”

Shen Yansheng still had tears in her eyes, she looked at Lu Jingce and asked tentatively, “Do you have a solution?”

Lu Jingce looked at her deeply, his dark eyes were like well water in a deep pool, bottomless. .

After a long time, he took out a pack of cigarettes from his trousers pocket, twisted one out and bit it between his teeth, lowered his head and flicked the lighter to light the cigarette.

Shen Yansheng stood quietly in front of Lu Jingce. She watched Lu Jingce smoke for a while, but finally couldn’t help it, and asked again, “Lu Jingce, can you do anything right?”

Lu Jingce looked up at her from the gray smoke silently. After a while, he finally spoke, “Your father’s problem is debt and unfinished business. As long as you have money, you can solve it.”

Shen Yansheng’s eyes suddenly lit up as she looked at him. “Lu Jingce, can you help me?”

The gray smoke rose between his fingers, and Lu Jingce looked at Shen Yansheng through the smoke. There was a faint smile in his eyes, which seemed to be joking, but also serious, and asked her, “Help you for nothing?”

Lu Jingce still looked at her, with a smile in his eyes, and said, “I’m not doing charity work, Shen Yansheng, if you want me to help, you always have to exchange something with me.”