Chapter 162: Follow Me

Autumn.

At a residential building in Tianlin City.

A gentle breeze stirred, and with it, the yellowing leaves danced through the air.

Knock! Knock! Knock!!

“Here it comes, who is it?”

After three crisp and clear knocks, a woman dressed in a blue-and-white apron and black fleece-lined pants quickly stepped away from the kitchen and opened the door.

She paused in surprise when she saw the person standing outside.

“Junior schoolmate?”

“Yeah, senior, it’s me.”

Standing outside, Xu Yinsheng smiled softly at the woman before her, holding a bag of freshly bought apples and dressed in a down jacket.

Jin Xinnu invited Xu Yinsheng inside, closed the door, and poured her a cup of steaming hot tea.

The room was warmed by the heater.

Xu Yinsheng followed Jin Xinnu to sit on the sofa, placing the bag of apples on the table and accepting the tea.

Jin Xinnu’s home was arranged much the same as when they were in Binhai City—living room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and a balcony with small green plants.

The space was simple and bright, elegant without any gaudy extravagance, but comfortable and pleasing to the eye.

On the living room table, besides the fruit, there was a box of medicine—Xicom Xikang.

Xu Yinsheng glanced at it; it cost about 200,000 yuan per box and was known for its remarkable effects on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

She had visited Jin Xinnu’s home before, but that was in Binhai City.

Later, Jin Xinnu moved to Tianlin City due to her grandmother’s illness and work reasons, and the two lost touch.

While sipping the warm tea, Xu Yinsheng and Jin Xinnu made small talk.

Every serious conversation started with a bit of warming up and social pleasantries.

Don’t ask how a playboy like her knew so much about this—it was all gathered from public service exam prep materials on the way here.

“Xinner, who’s here?”

Suddenly, a kind but slightly aged female voice came from the bedroom.

An elderly woman emerged, leaning on a cane, her hair silver-white.

Her face was marked with deep wrinkles and furrows left by time.

Her steps were slow and careful, relying on the cane, but her cloudy, weathered eyes shone with loving warmth.

“Grandma, why are you out?”

Jin Xinnu hurried over and helped the old woman sit on the sofa.

“You just recovered from your illness; the doctor said you need proper rest now.”

“No big deal,” Granny Jin smiled and shook her head.

She waved her hand dismissively.

“It’s just a fall. My body’s still sturdy.”

“Grandma~”

Jin Xinnu called softly, sounding a bit spoiled.

“You’re so old; the doctor says you must take good care of yourself.”

“That’s true, Xinner, what you said is right.”

Granny Jin patted Jin Xinnu’s hand, her face full of love and indulgence, then glanced at Xu Yinsheng.

“Xinner, who is this?”

“Grandma, this is a colleague from my company and also my fellow graduate from the same school, studying finance as well.”

“So she’s Xinner’s colleague.”

“Hello, Granny Jin,” Xu Yinsheng greeted sweetly.

Jin Xinnu grew up in a broken family with indifferent parents and was raised solely by this grandmother, so the bond between the two was very close.

Xu Yinsheng had met Granny Jin once before but hadn’t left a good impression.

Back then, Xu Yinsheng was an unruly playboy, unlike the now well-behaved little victim who had been softened by Zhao Yicheng’s constant corrections.

“All good children,” Granny Jin exclaimed, holding Xu Yinsheng’s hand, smiling so broadly her face looked like a blooming chrysanthemum.

“Good kids, do you have someone you like? If not, do you want Granny to set you up?”

Xu Yinsheng’s smile stiffened.

Damn! Why did she instinctively think of Zhao Yicheng’s handsome yet infuriating face?

Jin Xinnu noticed Xu Yinsheng’s change and cleared her throat twice.

“Granny, she has a boyfriend.”

“Oh, you have someone you like? That’s good, that’s good. When will you get married?”

Granny Jin patted Xu Yinsheng’s hand, her eyes full of concern.

Xu Yinsheng nodded awkwardly.

“Not decided yet.”

Married? How could that be possible?!

Even if Xu Yinsheng became a fallen woman, even if she got pregnant—even if she got pregnant with twins—marriage was out of the question!!

“Xinner, you should learn from her and find a boyfriend soon,” Granny Jin said with a smiling face.

“That way, I can be at ease and stop worrying all day long.”

“Granny, I…”

“Don’t say that. I’m old and useless, just want to see my Xinner happy as soon as possible.”

Xu Yinsheng’s mouth twitched.

As expected, no one escapes the elder’s marriage pressure.

Knock knock!

Suddenly, a noise came from the kitchen.

“Oh no, my soup! Granny, you two keep chatting,” Jin Xinnu called out, rushing into the kitchen, leaving Xu Yinsheng and Granny Jin alone in the living room.

Xu Yinsheng could swear on her chest that Jin Xinnu did it on purpose.

To avoid marriage pressure, Xu Yinsheng started casual conversation with Granny Jin—talking about scenery, culture—anything but weddings and children.

The older generation valued marriage and offspring the most.

Unlike today’s freer atmosphere where “each generation has its own luck, if no children, I enjoy my own life.”

Fortunately, Xu Yinsheng had once been a playboy, and her smooth words were like honey, making Granny Jin laugh heartily.

When it was mealtime, Granny Jin insisted Xu Yinsheng stay for lunch, warmly welcoming her.

The meal was excellent: winter melon and pork rib soup, stir-fried shredded pork, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and to treat Xu Yinsheng specially, Jin Xinnu bought half a pound of braised beef.

After lunch, Xu Yinsheng prepared to get down to business.

Ignoring Granny Jin who was watching a Qiong Yao drama in the living room, she pulled Jin Xinnu into a room and got straight to the point.

“Senior, do you want to clear your name?”

“What?”

Jin Xinnu was taken aback.

She hadn’t followed Xu Yinsheng’s sudden leap in topic—just moments ago they were chatting casually, and now this?

A finance student thinking so erratically?

But then again, Jin Xinnu was also a finance student; her thinking shouldn’t be this erratic.

“Clearing your name means letting everyone know you didn’t do those things, that it was all someone framing you.

The Security Department just wanted a scapegoat to lighten their own burden.

I can guarantee the mole isn’t inside, but there are definitely ghosts in the department.

Now, I can help you catch that ghost and restore your innocence!”

Fearing Jin Xinnu might not understand, Xu Yinsheng emphasized her words.

Jin Xinnu remained silent.

Time passed slowly…

After a long while, she lifted her eyes to look at Xu Yinsheng and slowly said,

“Is this what President Zhao means?”

At that moment, Jin Xinnu thought of many things—

Company power struggles, President Zhao’s plan to centralize authority, the issue of taking sides, and many other problems.

Don’t think modern society is necessarily civilized; the once dark forest has merely turned into a steel forest.

To sit in a director position, one must have both ability and means—she certainly wasn’t a naive fool.