Chapter 206: The Young Madam Is Long Gone, and You’re Still Digging Here

Lu Shijing took the metal detector and examined it. All the little gadgets in Gu Shengsheng’s bag were quite handy.

Then he said, "It’s not broken. It must have detected something with metallic elements under the ground here."

Gu Shengsheng grew curious as well. ’The metal detector is reacting so strongly. Could it be a gold mine... or some other kind of mineral deposit?’

Gu Shengsheng walked in a small circle with the detector and found that the signal was strongest right where she had dropped her bag earlier.

Lu Shijing stood to the side, marking the locations for her.

Then Lu Shijing said, "There must be something down there. We could use a hoe to dig a bit and see what it is."

Gu Shengsheng said, "Let’s go to the grave first. We can come back to dig later. We shouldn’t keep Grandma waiting."

"Okay."

Lu Shijing then said, "I’ll help you out over here. You go on to the grave."

He spoke in a barely audible voice, pretending to be nonchalant, but he really didn’t want to see his own tombstone.

Even though there was no photo on it and Gu Shengsheng wouldn’t recognize it, it still felt incredibly inauspicious for Lu Shijing to look at his own grave.

Gu Shengsheng looked at him as if she could see right through him. "Mr. Ryan, are you trying to get out of it?"

"I’m not." He fell in step behind her, and the two walked on in silence.

The cemetery was quiet and serene. Gu Shengsheng and Lu Shijing walked toward where Grandma was waiting.

When they reached the tombstone, Lu Shijing paused. He then sighed and lit an incense stick for himself.

’In four years, I’ve clawed my way up from nothing and experienced the sting of my family’s betrayal.’

’Getting to where I am now is a new beginning, in a way.’

’I hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow.’

While he was offering the incense, Gu Shengsheng and Grandma watched from the side.

Grandma said, "Shengsheng, sometimes you can’t judge a person by their outward appearance or your own fixed ideas. You have to look into your heart."

Gu Shengsheng couldn’t tell if Grandma knew the truth or not, but she nodded anyway. "I know, Grandma."

"Shengsheng, no matter what you decide, Grandma will support you." She sighed to herself. ’This boy is just too foolish.’

’He has zero experience with romance, and he’s so stubborn. How is he supposed to win a wife over like this?’

Grandma was truly worried. ’I’ve tied them together with a red string of fate made of steel rebar, and this boy still can’t seize the opportunity.’

’What can I do?’

’I’ll just have to wait and see.’

After Lu Shijing finished paying respects at his own grave, he went over to walk with Shengsheng.

He said, "Shall we go take a look at that spot now?"

"Okay." Gu Shengsheng nodded.

After borrowing two hoes from the Tomb Guardian, Gu Shengsheng saw his pet monkey and then noticed Grandma’s sheepish smile.

She instantly understood what was going on.

’Grandma is so mischievous,’ she thought with resigned amusement.

Grandma scurried away. "I’ll go wait for you two in the car!"

"No, no, no, I’m not waiting! I’m heading home first. You two take your time."

"Okay." Gu Shengsheng waved to her. Once Grandma was gone, Gu Shengsheng and Lu Shijing returned to the spot they had marked.

The two of them worked together, digging into the earth. But Lu Shijing was just now noticing that Gu Shengsheng’s mood seemed a little off today.

So, he asked, "What’s wrong with you today?"

Gu Shengsheng looked at his confused expression. ’He’s only just now noticing I’m angry?’

"It’s nothing. The wind is just strong, and it’s a little cold," she said dismissively.

’Cold?’ Lu Shijing looked around, then zipped his jacket up to his chin. "I’m fine. I dressed warmly today."

Gu Shengsheng was speechless. "..." Although she hadn’t expected him to offer her his jacket, seeing his complete lack of emotional intelligence just made her even more inexplicably angry.

Then Gu Shengsheng said, "Mr. Ryan, you should probably contact me less in the future. We’re not that close, and all these ’chance encounters’ can’t possibly be coincidences."

Hearing her words meant to push him away, Lu Shijing asked, "What do you mean?"

"It means exactly what I said," Gu Shengsheng replied.

’If he’s going to address our marital status tomorrow, then I’ll just pretend I have no idea what’s going on.’

’But today, I’ve said what I needed to say.’

Gu Shengsheng continued, "Thank you for your help in the past, Mr. Ryan."

He couldn’t stand to hear such distant words.

"Are you saying we can’t even be considered friends?"

"Yes." Gu Shengsheng nodded. "We’ll cooperate when necessary. As for the favors I owe you, I’ll be sure to repay them in full."

As if keeping a ledger, she took out a small notebook to show him.

"Mr. Ryan, this is the split from our previous Bitcoin collaboration. And for the people you hired to help me in Anxi, I’ve calculated the cost..."

Before she could finish, Lu Shijing snatched the notebook and threw it on the ground. "There’s no need for that."

Then, he lowered his head and silently resumed digging.

Gu Shengsheng was speechless. "..."

The atmosphere had grown too tense. She had no intention of digging anymore, so she simply turned and walked away.

Lu Shijing didn’t chase after her. Instead, he called Grandma. "Grandma, wait for Shengsheng and go with her."

The old woman asked, "You’re not coming?"

"No, I’m going to finish the job at hand." He knew chasing after her now would only add fuel to the fire, so he decided against it.

He’d just quietly finish what she had wanted to do.

Gu Shengsheng was also silent on the way back. She’d thought handling these matters would be simple—wasn’t it just a matter of settling accounts?

’I never thought my heart would be in such a mess.’

Grandma noticed, too. "Shengsheng, why don’t you go get some rest? I’ll call you tomorrow."

"Okay."

***

Lu Shijing did indeed dig all night. He unearthed a small box, though he didn’t know what else might lie beneath it.

He didn’t open the box, planning to give it directly to Shengsheng.

It was Lin Kai who eventually went to pick him up. He saw his boss dressed in a suit, his features cold and stern, but his expression was like that of a pouting child.

He had intended to liven up the mood with a joke. "Hey, Boss! You’re out here scaring people pretty late. Anyone who didn’t know better would think the Young Madam had dumped you! Haha... Boss, you look like a lovesick fool moping out here in the dirt!"

"Haha..." The laugh died in his throat. Lin Kai was on the receiving end of a deadly glare.

That ’if looks could kill’ glare truly terrified him.

He swallowed hard and scratched his head. "Uh... did I come to pick you up at a bad time?"

"But, Boss, the press conference for the Lu Group acquisition is tomorrow. You still need to prepare your materials tonight."

Lin Kai, playing the part of a double agent, was ecstatic. ’The day has finally come!’

Lu Shijing’s expression was flat. "Is the exclusive interview ready?"

"Yes, it’s all set. There will be a part where you explain everything to the Young Madam. And a romantic gift."

"But... are you sure the Young Madam will show up?"

He wasn’t sure if he was just being stubborn, or if he was being stubborn about Gu Shengsheng in particular. "She promised," he said. "She’ll be there."

"So, Boss... are you going to keep digging here?" Lin Kai found his boss’s behavior very strange.