Chapter 297: Chapter 173: The Conflict Begins

"Qingqing, did you ask Lin Shen to pick you up?"

"Yeah."

Gu Wanqing nodded, her expression a picture of innocence.

"What’s wrong, sis? Is that a problem?"

"You know perfectly well that we broke up. Why are you still in contact with him?"

Gu Wanting’s brow furrowed, but Gu Wanqing replied with an air of innocence.

"Because when I reached out to Brother Shen, I didn’t know you two had broken up yet. I thought things were great between you."

’She didn’t know we’d broken up?’

Gu Wanting thought it over carefully.

She had told Gu Wanqing about her breakup with Lin Shen after she got back from Paris.

That had been on the last day of Qingqing’s visit to her in Modu.

If she had already contacted Lin Shen before then, it meant the one who had shown Qingqing around Modu...

Was Lin Shen!?

The realization sent Gu Wanting’s heart pounding wildly, like a stone tossed into a calm lake.

A strange panic seized her. She grabbed Gu Wanqing’s shoulders, looked her straight in the eye, and demanded in a tense voice,

"Qingqing, tell me, what is your relationship with Lin Shen?"

"He’s like my big brother, and I’m his little sister."

Gu Wanqing tilted her head, looking puzzled.

"Why are you asking that, sis?"

"I..."

Gu Wanting stammered, at a loss for words. Just then, Gu Zhiyuan’s voice called out from nearby.

"Qingqing, Tingting, hurry up! If you two keep dawdling, the school will close its gates."

"Coming!"

Gu Wanqing took Gu Wanting’s hand with a small smile.

"Let’s go, sis."

"..."

Looking at her younger sister’s sweet smile, Gu Wanting felt there was something wrong with her.

’How could I possibly suspect Qingqing and Lin Shen of anything!’

Gu Wanting quickly shook her head to clear it of such unpleasant thoughts and hurried with Gu Wanqing to catch up with the others.

When the group arrived at the parking lot and saw Lin Shen’s Jaguar XFL, Gu Wanqing’s face lit up in pleasant surprise.

"Wow! What a great-looking car! Brother Shen, when did you buy this?"

"A little over a month ago."

Lin Shen smiled, his words laced with meaning.

"I was in a bad mood back then, so I decided to treat myself to a car. After all, it won’t abandon me for no reason."

"..."

Faced with Lin Shen’s pointed sarcasm, Gu Wanting averted her eyes and said nothing. Beside her, however, Cheng Yue looked utterly disdainful and muttered under his breath,

"What’s so great about a lousy Jaguar? I drive a Mercedes E-Class!"

"How much did it cost, Brother Shen?"

"Not much. Around 400,000."

Lin Shen’s casual remark was enough to shatter Cheng Yue’s composure.

Huh?

’Jaguars are that expensive?’

Gu Wanting’s eyes also widened in astonishment.

’Lin Shen bought a car worth 400,000 right after breaking up with me?’

’Why?’

’If he had this kind of money, why was he so stingy with me back then?’

’He’s obviously doing this on purpose!’

Gu Wanting’s heart filled with indignation and resentment, but it was too late for any of that now.

"Let’s get in."

Lin Shen invited Gu Zhiyuan, Chen Hui, and Gu Wanqing into his car, while Gu Wanting got into Cheng Yue’s Mercedes E-Class.

Cheng Yue felt that coming here today had been a complete and utter loss.

’He’d originally planned to make a good impression on Gu Wanting’s parents, but Lin Shen had completely stolen the show!’

’Is this guy nuts?!’

’He and Tingting aren’t even together anymore, so why is he here crashing the party?!’

’Could he be trying to get back together with Tingting?’

A sense of panic gripped Cheng Yue. He stole a glance at Gu Wanting in the passenger seat, then asked tentatively,

"Tingting, you haven’t been in contact with Lin Shen, have you?"

"Are you doubting me?"

Gu Wanting stared at Cheng Yue coldly, making him run a hand through his hair in frustration.

"How can I not? We’ve been dating for two months, and you still won’t do *that* with me. But you lived with Lin Shen for three years and even wore some kind of sexy uniform for him. I don’t get that kind of treatment..."