Chapter 562: Chapter 562: One Dares to Speak, One Dares to Believe
Lin Jingshen said, “I meant it when I said I wanted to marry you, but there is one thing—if you go to prison, I won’t be able to marry you.”
“The Lin family can accept you as a woman with no background from the countryside, but we cannot accept someone with a criminal record,” Lin Jingshen continued. “On this point, logically speaking, no family would willingly accept such a person if given the choice.”
“However, you threatened us first, and the Lin family won’t easily be manipulated,” Lin Jingshen said. “The Lin family will never accept such threats; otherwise, wouldn’t it turn us into a laughingstock?”
“Therefore, suing you is also a warning to you,” Lin Jingshen said. “Make a choice. Otherwise, I’ll sue you and your mother both.”
“Your mother took fifty thousand yuan from us, which means ten years in prison,” Lin Jingshen stated. “You took ten thousand yuan, which could land you three to ten years in prison.”
“Don’t even mention a few years. Even if it’s just a month, or even a couple of days, I think you wouldn’t want to experience that,” Lin Jingshen added.
Lu Youzhen gritted her teeth and asked, “What exactly are you trying to say?”
“So I’m giving you an option. You can have your mother take full responsibility for the crime. The hundred thousand yuan the Lin family transferred into your account—you just say it was actually your mother who took it, she just used your account to receive the money, but all of it was with her.”
“It’s better for one person to go to prison than both of you,” Lin Jingshen urged. “After all, whether it’s fifty thousand or sixty thousand, it’s the same prison term. If she serves the full sentence, it could save you.”
“You won’t need to go to prison and you can marry me,” Lin Jingshen said. “What do you think?”
What did Lu Youzhen think?
She thought it was wonderful.
As long as she didn’t have to go to prison, that was enough.
Lin Jingshen had finally said something useful.
At this moment, probably only Ge Guifen felt it was not good.
Ge Guifen was panicking.
Initially, she thought that both she and Lu Youzhen were in trouble. Although panicked, she felt somewhat reassured that Lu Youzhen was with her.
But now, listening to Lin Jingshen, why was it that only she was going to suffer in the end?
Ge Guifen shrieked, “No way!”
“I… I’ll return the money to you!” Ge Guifen shrieked. “If I return it, there won’t be a problem!”
“Return it? Where do you have the money to return?” Lin Jingshen scoffed coldly. “That fifty thousand yuan, you’ve already spent it on a house, even if you wanted to sell it immediately, it’s not something that can be done right away.”
“The fifty thousand yuan Lu Youzhen gets monthly, you’ve also spent quite a bit, right?” Lin Jingshen continued. “Besides, this issue can’t be resolved just by returning the money.”
“What you need to consider now is whether or not you want to take the entire blame yourself,” Lin Jingshen said.
He turned to Lu Youzhen, “I’ve said all I wanted to say. Do you have anything else to say?”
Lu Youzhen shook her head silently, confused and unable to think of anything else to say.
“Alright,” Lin Jingshen stood up. “Then you go back and think carefully about how to choose, and let me know as soon as possible. Otherwise, when it really comes to trial, it will be difficult to handle.”
Lu Youzhen pursed her lips and gave no reply.
Lin Jingshen left the room first.
Lu Youzhen then picked up her phone, switched to hand-held mode, and told Ge Guifen, “Mom, I’ll talk when I get home.”
“Okay,” Ge Guifen replied listlessly.
Because the situation was very disadvantageous for her.
She knew that Lu Youzhen didn’t say it, but she would definitely choose to sacrifice her.
Putting emotions aside, sacrificing only her was evidently the most cost-effective method.
But she didn’t want to go to prison either.
Especially for ten years.
It felt like her life was over.
Lu Youzhen hung up the phone and hailed a taxi to go home.
Ge Guifen, anxious and uneasy at home, was afraid Lu Youzhen would really sacrifice her, so she hurriedly called Lu Youbang to come back.
At least then she would have Lu Youbang on her side, speaking up for her.
Lu Youbang returned quickly.
Lu Youzhen met Lu Youbang downstairs.
Seeing Lu Youzhen, Lu Youbang nodded and entered the door with her.
“Mom told you?” Otherwise, Lu Youbang wouldn’t have come back at this time.
“She mentioned some,” Lu Youbang said.
Ge Guifen was a complete mess right now, terrified that Lu Youzhen would sacrifice her.
Thus, on the drive back, Lu Youbang listened as Ge Guifen talked about this issue non-stop.
Ge Guifen even sought Lu Youbang’s advice on what to do if Lu Youzhen really decided to sacrifice her.
She pleaded with Lu Youbang not to abandon her.
Lu Youbang kept reassuring Ge Guifen until he got off the car, saw Lu Youzhen, and quickly told Ge Guifen that he had reached and would talk later.
Upon entering the elevator with Lu Youzhen, Lu Youbang then said, “I’m on your side.”
Lu Youzhen looked at him, surprised, “Mom definitely didn’t tell you this on the phone.”
“Of course, Mom wants me to be on her side,” Lu Youbang said. “But what good does that do? Supporting her means both of you would end up in prison.”
“Sacrificing just her at least keeps you safe.” Besides this, Lu Youbang also knew that if Lu Youzhen married Lin Jingshen, she would be a young madam of the Lin family.
She would have even more advantages in her hands.
He now showed goodwill to Lu Youzhen, letting Lu Youzhen remember his kindness.
After Lu Youzhen married Lin Jingshen, she could then do him favors.
If he stood by Ge Guifen as he said, and both Ge Guifen and Lu Youzhen ended up in prison.
Then he would be left outside alone, unable to fend for himself.
For him, it was obviously not a beneficial situation.
So no matter how you looked at it, letting Ge Guifen go to prison alone was better.
Lu Youbang displayed sincerity, looking intently at Lu Youzhen, “Youzhen, no matter what, you are my sister, and I certainly have your best interests at heart.”
“I want to consider Mom’s situation too, it’s indeed best if none of our family gets into trouble. But given the current circumstances, saving whoever can be saved is the priority,” Lu Youbang explained.
Lu Youzhen nodded, feeling a faint touch of emotion.
“I just hope when you see Mom later, you won’t change your mind,” Lu Youzhen thought for a moment then promised, “As long as I’m safe, once I marry into the Lin family, you’ll definitely have your share of the benefits.”
“Then, whether you want to join Lin’s as a top executive or start your own company, either is possible,” Lu Youzhen promised.
She didn’t even consider whether Lin Zhenghao would agree to such a promise.
But Lu Youbang actually believed what Lu Youzhen said.
One dared to promise; the other dared to believe.
“Okay,” Lu Youbang nodded. “Don’t worry, I am definitely on your side.”
Having discussed everything, they reached their floor.
As they exited the elevator, Ge Guifen, hearing the noise at the door, quickly opened it to wait.