Chapter 171: Just How Much Can Lu Ye Endure?

On the way back, Lu Ye let Xie Yuan go ahead first, making himself the driver. Naturally, Jiang Sui took the passenger seat beside him, while Xuan Xuan rested in the back. Jiang Sui glanced back and saw that Xuan Xuan had already fallen asleep, probably exhausted.

“My dad is quite stubborn. You don’t have to take some of his words to heart,” Lu Ye said as he drove. “He’s never been very pleasant when he speaks.”

Jiang Sui’s lips curved slightly. “Your dad does speak harshly.”

Lu Ye chuckled softly, offering no rebuttal.

“Though he doesn’t have the face of a kindly man, he’s not a spiteful villain either. But he is an old-fashioned, stubborn man, hardly open-minded,” Jiang Sui added. If he were more enlightened, he wouldn’t have avoided meeting Xuan Xuan’s family for so many years over her parents’ situation. Clearly, he’s a hot-tempered old man who has been holding onto a grudge all this time.

“Why haven’t I seen your mother?” Jiang Sui suddenly asked.

Lu Ye’s hand on the wheel paused briefly; his gaze darkened. “She passed away when I was very young. Killed by a hostile enemy family.”

Jiang Sui was momentarily stunned, then apologized softly, “I’m sorry.”

Lu Ye frowned. “No need to say that.”

Hearing this, Jiang Sui felt a little awkward—she was never one to pry into others’ wounds. Yet it made sense that Lu Ye’s father was so peculiar in temperament. Loneliness and loss are often reasons that harden a person’s nature.

“But I thought you’d have a big fight with him,” Lu Ye raised the corner of his mouth.

Jiang Sui raised an eyebrow. “What’s there to argue about? Just seeing how he looked at Xuan Xuan, you can tell he cares for her. Just don’t know why he stayed away for so long. It’s definitely a love that skips a generation. Besides, he can’t win an argument against me anyway—what’s the point?”

Lu Ye’s lips pressed together, and his eyes softened with a gentle warmth.

Jiang Sui sensed that the old man must be carrying some deep-seated grievances, but since it was someone else’s family matter, she wouldn’t interfere. Some wounds are not easily healed in a short time. Everyone’s desires and wishes are different.

***

It was already evening. Since Xuan Xuan’s school ended, the city outside the car windows was aglow with neon lights. Passing through a commercial district, Jiang Sui suddenly noticed several LED advertisement screens on nearby buildings displaying her own promotional materials—posters for the drama she recently starred in, “Palace Farewell,” some beautiful photos of herself, and snippets of inspirational words she had spoken.

Jiang Sui was puzzled; she didn’t recall Shi Heng arranging these promotions. Could it be the fans’ doing? Such a grand gesture must have cost a fortune.

She glanced sideways and saw that behind the LED screens stood a shopping mall building prominently marked with the “Baby” logo—Shen family’s children’s mall. Could it be… the Shen family?

A soft warmth stirred in Jiang Sui’s heart. She took out her phone and opened WeChat, which she hadn’t checked in days. At the top of her unread messages were greetings from her mother, the Shen brothers, and Uncle Shen.

She smiled suddenly.

“What’s wrong?” Lu Ye’s magnetic voice blended with the light music playing in the car.

For some reason, Jiang Sui blurted out, “Lu Ye, if one day I’m dying and you have to give me your kidney to save me, would you be willing?”

She turned to look at him, that radiant and striking face filled with curiosity and a playful smile—not quite angelic nor demonic, but like a bewitching fairy, unknowingly captivating.

Lu Ye was speechless.

He gently pulled the car over to the curb, then looked at her deeply. “Why would you die?”

Jiang Sui smiled. “Just a hypothetical.”

Lu Ye kept his gaze fixed on her, silent.

***

His intense, penetrating eyes slowly dimmed the smile on Jiang Sui’s lips.

“I would,” he said.

Though he didn’t answer immediately, there was no hesitation or thought in his reply.

He continued, “But if it’s truly a matter of saving your life, I think such a price is far too small.”

Jiang Sui was momentarily taken aback by his words. A breeze brushed her hair against her cheek and lips, her eyes sparkling faintly. Whether genuine or not, hearing this made her feel quite pleased.

It wasn’t until they neared home that Lu Ye finally asked the question he had been holding back all day.

“That young man driving the Maserati—do you know him?”

Jiang Sui was speechless. Asking about something that happened in the afternoon only now? How patient could Lu Ye be?

“If I told you it was my ride-hailing car, would you believe me?”

Lu Ye replied, “I’m just waiting to hear your story.”

Jiang Sui remained silent.

In the end, whether Lu Ye believed the Maserati story or not, Jiang Sui didn’t bother to explain—it fizzled out. After all, she had nothing to hide. She conducted herself with integrity and had never tangled in any romantic affairs.

After wrapping up her filming, just as she planned to take a brief rest, she was immediately invited to join another esports program—apparently personally requested by a top team.