Shen Qingqing glanced at Gao Jian, who showed no unusual signs, and said to Gao Xu, "Axu, could you do me a favor and get me a glass of juice?"
Gao Xu readily agreed, "Of course."
As soon as he left, Shen Qingqing turned to Gao Jian, "Speak, did something happen?"
Gao Jian blinked, "What are you talking about? Nothing happened. I've been doing well lately, my family treats me very well, and my relationship with my brother..."
Shen Qingqing remained silent, her gaze fixed on him.
Gao Jian couldn't continue himself. He felt as if his inner thoughts were being seen through by her look, making his attempt to lie seem utterly foolish.
He scratched his head, "How can you see everything? You can't hide anything from you. I thought I was acting pretty well!"
Shen Qingqing chuckled, "Perhaps it's because we're so familiar now, and I understand you quite well."
"I don't know how to put it."
Gao Jian was clearly troubled.
Shen Qingqing hummed, "Let me guess. The only two things that could be bothering you this much are: first, your current project has run into problems, or second, your father is having issues."
Gao Jian looked at her with a hint of alarm, "You can guess that too!"
Shen Qingqing chuckled, "It's not hard to guess. Tell me first, which aspect is the problem?"
"It's my father," Gao Jian slowly exhaled. "He wants me to return to the company to help him. Although I'm not very willing, I decided to cooperate with him to lure Madam Gao out."
However, he had no interest in the company's affairs. He decided to finish his current project and leave the company. Everything was going smoothly, but then his father suddenly changed his attitude.
"He's made many harsh demands on my current project, things I can't do," Gao Jian had no prior experience in finance and was already struggling with this project, with limited connections.
Moreover, to let everyone know he wasn't an incompetent rich second generation who got in through connections, he had stated from the beginning that he wouldn't use his father's network.
As a result, he found himself in a difficult position with this project.
Shen Qingqing mused, "If he were just making these harsh demands, it would be understandable. Perhaps he simply wants you to become more outstanding."
"If it were only that, I wouldn't be this bothered," Gao Jian wasn't someone who couldn't endure hardship. "What's truly strange is his recent attitude towards me – sometimes distant, sometimes close, sometimes cold, sometimes warm. At times, I feel like he's a loving father, and at others, like a detached observer."
He covered his face with his hands, his voice muffled.
"Most importantly, the way he looks at me, it's like he's appraising me, or perhaps suspecting me, but I don't understand what he could be suspicious of?"
Shen Qingqing's heart skipped a beat, "When did this change begin?"
"After I was discharged from the hospital."
"After being discharged..." Shen Qingqing suddenly thought of something, "Had he met Madam Gao before that?"
"Yes," Gao Jian blinked. "Are you suggesting... that his change in attitude towards me is related to Madam Gao?"
"I'm just speculating. We'll have to go and see Madam Gao to know for sure."
Gao Jian's face turned cold, "If this woman is truly the one behind it, I will never forgive her this time."
"Don't worry, I'll investigate for you."
Shen Qingqing patted his shoulder. She had her reasons for not letting Gao Jian go with her. If Madam Gao saw him, she would likely only offer sarcastic remarks and say nothing else.
Gao Jian understood this, "Alright, I'll wait for your news."
Shen Qingqing had already anticipated that Madam Gao wouldn't easily reveal the truth, but after meeting her, she realized how uncooperative she truly was.
Her first words were dripping with sarcasm, "Miss Shen, are you here to visit a defeated opponent?"
Shen Qingqing replied calmly, "I'm here today just to ask you one thing."
Madam Gao didn't take the bait, "Unfortunately, you want to ask, but I don't want to answer. I advise you not to waste your time and energy on me."
She paused, then said with venom,
"Because I won't tell you anything."
Shen Qingqing narrowed her eyes, "It seems that staying here for a few days hasn't completely reformed you. Ten years might have been too short."
Madam Gao sneered, "Don't try to scare me. The verdict has been passed, and even if you wanted to pull strings, it's impossible now. Recently, has Gao Yong's attitude towards Gao Jian been very strange?"
Shen Qingqing raised an eyebrow, "So it was you causing trouble."
"You're wrongly accusing me," Madam Gao displayed a triumphant smile. "I haven't done anything. I'm just a pitiful prisoner who was framed and is now incarcerated. I had one last meeting with my husband and talked about our past, reminiscing about our former happiness. That's all."
Past events...
"What exactly did you say?" Shen Qingqing's voice suddenly turned cold.
Madam Gao was delighted to see her change expression, "Want to know? I won't tell you. You figure it out yourselves. I bet even if you go ask Gao Yong, he won't tell you."
"Then we'll see." Since she couldn't get anything out of her anyway, Shen Qingqing was too lazy to waste more time with her. She looked at her coldly, "Let's see if your reach is longer from inside, or if I'm more skilled."
"Then let's wait and see!"
Madam Gao's face instantly contorted into a grimace.
Shen Qingqing snorted, turned, and left. She relayed the matter to Gao Jian upon her return.
Gao Jian wasn't surprised, "I knew she wouldn't say anything."
"What do you plan to do next then?"
"The project I'm working on is nearing its end. I want to come back to your side." Gao Jian still preferred being with Shen Qingqing.
Mainly, he liked the work atmosphere there.
"Of course, I have no problem with that. But will your father be willing to let you go?"
Gao Jian said, "I'll try."
He returned home and told his father about it. He expected to have to argue extensively, but to his surprise, his father readily agreed.
"If you want to go, then go. Your heart isn't here, and keeping you here is useless."
Gao Jian felt his father's words were somewhat loaded, but regardless, his father's agreement was a good thing. The next day, he went to work at Shen's.
Lü Shu and Ke Lin were quite surprised to see him, "Why are you here?"
"I'm here to work."
Lü Shu grumbled, "Didn't you go to work at your father's company? How can you still look down on our enterprise?"
Gao Jian rubbed his nose, "I was forced to go home. But this is the place I always wanted to come to the most."
"I hope this time you won't run off halfway through your work!"
"Definitely not!"
"Your father actually agreed to let you come back," Shen Qingqing's voice came from behind him.
"I'm not quite sure either," Gao Jian scratched his head, looking puzzled. "But no matter what, it's a good thing that he's letting me come back."
Shen Qingqing didn't think so.
Gao Yong letting Gao Jian leave was truly strange. What exactly had Madam Gao said?
Could it be...
What Madam Gao and Gao Yong discussed must have been something extremely serious, perhaps something that could shake Gao Yong's feelings for Gao Jian.