The family dinner that Su Qiao's father insisted they all attended was scheduled for 6.30 pm. By 6, the servants were already bustling about and preparing the dining room for the formal meal. This included setting up the silver-plated candelabras on the table, as well as folding the pristine white napkins.
Su Yongshen sat on a couch in the living area with an arm around his beautiful new wife, Bai Lixian. She was the woman of his dreams and he'd finally managed to marry her. Bai Lixian was his classmate in university and both of them had been in true love. But Bai Lixian came from a normal middle-class family and his parents hadn't approved of the match.
It hadn't been long before they had arranged his engagement to He Shi, the daughter of his father's business partner. To inherit his father's company, Su Yongshen had caved in to his parents demands. And out of fear of He Shi's influential parents, he had hidden his relationship with Bai Lixian very carefully.
But after He Shi passed away from cancer, Su Yongshen was finally free to live his life the way he wanted.
He sank back into the plush cushions with a satisfied sigh, pulling Bai Lixian against his chest with a fond smile.
"Meixin still isn't back yet?" he asked.
"Mm, she's probably had an exciting first day," Bai Lixian murmured, stroking his chest lovingly. "Being an actress has always been her dream, just like Qiaoqiao…"
At the mention of Su Qiao, Su Yongshen frowned. "She has other responsibilities though, I understand that she wants to pursue her interests, but she knows she needs to help out in the office sooner or later…"
He was so distracted by his concerns that he didn't notice Bai Lixian stiffening a little in his embrace.
"She's still a young girl," Bai Lixian said with a soothing laugh. "There will be plenty of time for her to grow up. And if she still wants to be an actress when she's older, who knows, maybe by then we would have another addition to the family…" she reached down abashedly to pull his hand against her belly, successfully distracting Su Yongshen from the topic of the company's inheritance.
"Sir, Madam, Young Mistress Bai and Mr Lin have arrived."
Su Yongshen and Bai Lixian exchanged glances. Lin Zizhou gave Bai Meixin a lift again? Su Yongshen had asked him for the favour earlier that morning because he'd entrusted his precious second daughter with DFE and wanted to help Bai Meixin network with the CEO as quickly as possible. But he hadn't expected Lin Zizhou to be this solicitous.
"Mum, Dad." Bai Meixin strolled into the living area. Beneath the warm glow of the extravagant chandelier, she was radiant in a white lace midi and matching beret. Her happy smile softened their hearts and Su Yongshen stood up to pull her into a hug. Over her shoulder, he nodded his thanks to Li Zizhou, who stood watching them from the doorway.
"Zizhou, are you joining us today?" Bai Lixian asked warmly. She had risen too, to call for a servant to provide their surprise guest with drinks. Su Qiao hadn't said anything about additional guests so she had assumed that they wouldn't be having extra company. But now…she gave Lin Zizhou a considering side-glance.
Was he watching her daughter? How interesting.
"Sir, Madam, dinner is ready. Would you like it to be served now?"
Su Yongshen chuckled and walked over to Lin Zizhou to pat him on the shoulder. He was pleased to be able to catch such a fine future son-in-law. Although Lin Zizhou wasn't as powerful as his older brother, he was still a considerable catch. And far more orthodox than the complicated Lin Zixun.
"Zizhou, why don't you accompany me to the cellar to choose a bottle of wine? The theme tonight is seafood…"
"Oh? Is Big Brother Zizhou staying for dinner?"
A voice rang out from the foyer. Everyone looked up and gaped.
It was Bai Lixian who was found her voice first.
"Welcome home, Qiaoqiao," she said pleasantly. "Is this your styling for a new movie?" She couldn't think of any reason why Su Qiao would completely change her image otherwise.
Instead of the angelic vibe, she'd spent years cultivating, Su Qiao was currently donning a black Prada satin halterneck crop top that showed off the milky skin of her slender arm and toned belly. This was paired with elegant slacks and her hair, which had always been long and straight, now framed her face in elegant bombshell waves.
She'd gone from pretty princess to a glamorous queen in just a couple of hours, and everyone reeled from the shock. It wasn't just her looks that had changed. Even her personality had hardened, arrogant boredom evident in the languid way she carried herself like she was a cut above the rest, including everyone in the manor with her at the moment.
There was no denying, though, that the new look suited her better. Her cold double-lidded phoenix eyes had been inherited from her mother, who had the same air of aloofness about her whenever she didn't smile.
Su Qiao was smiling now but it wasn't a friendly one. She folded her arms and leaned against the door frame. Pulling out her phone from her pocket, she scrolled through her WeChat messages.
"Where is it, let me see…ah yes." She cleared her throat. "Big Brother Zizhou, didn't you have work tonight?" she asked with false concern. "Right here, you specifically said that 'you're busy this week' even though I pleaded with you multiple times to accompany me tonight. Are you sure you don't have somewhere else to be? You might be free enough to be my sister's chauffeur but please don't let our paltry family dinner keep you from your important business."
A pin-drop silence spread throughout the room.
"SU QIAO!" her father roared after he finally regained his senses. "How dare you speak to Zizhou like that! Apologise!"
Su Qiao blinked. "For what? For speaking the truth?" She looked at Lin Zizhou, whose eyes were narrowed dangerously at her.
"I think we need to talk, Qiao," he said. He kept his tone even but Su Qiao didn't miss the flicker of annoyance on his face.
"Sure," she said sweetly. "But let's do it over the dinner table, shall we? Poor Auntie Zheng has been waiting for us to take our seats for ages." Auntie Zheng was the housekeeper and one of the few people in the family that genuinely doted on Su Qiao. Eager to see her again, Su Qiao turned on her heel smartly and led the way out, not paying any mind to her father's aggravation.
Bai Meixin's brow furrowed and her eyes shone with unshed tears. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, her voice melodious like a starling's despite her sadness. "It's my fault, if Big Brother Lin hadn't sent me to work and back, Big Sister wouldn't be uncomfortable…"
Su Yongshen frowned in disapproval at Su Qiao, especially when he saw that her outfit was a bareback that was only held together at the waist by a giant ribbon. "It's not your fault," he said brusquely. "I don't know what's gotten into that girl, she's never acted up like this before. And what on earth is she wearing? It's so inappropriate!"
"Darling," Bai Lixian placed a comforting hand on his arm. "Let's not keep the servants waiting, no need to give them a reason to gossip about us. We can discuss matters with Qiaoqiao later, I'm sure that she will understand her mistakes, she's always been a good girl."
The dining room was already lit and laid out for this small family banquet. Su Yongshen took his customary place at the head of the table, with his wife seated at the other end. As the only guest, it was customary for Lin Zizhou to take the right-hand seat next to his future father-in-law. But unlike normal, Su Qiao purposely went and sat on Bai Lixian's right, instead of across from Lin Zizhou as was expected of his fiancee.
Everyone looked at her. Su Yongshen's face had turned a splotchy, livid red.
"Su. Qiao." Su Yongshen's words were gritted out as he used every last ounce of patience not to yell at her again. "Stop behaving so childishly. What is wrong with you today?"
She shrugged, uncaring of all the pairs of eyes glued to her. "It's the first family meal we're all having together," was her flippant reply. "I'm worried that if I look up from my meal and see his face, I'd lose all appetite."
A loud, grating noise ensued when Lin Zizhou stood up abruptly, the feet of his chair dragging across the marble underfoot.
Bai Meixin covered her mouth as a tear trickled down one glowing cheek. "Big Sister," she mumbled, looking thoroughly miserable with guilt. "I'm sorry that I caused you to misunderstand, but please don't let your jealousy come in between you and Big Brother Lin, I really didn't mean to—"
"Wait, wait, wait. Little Sister. You're improvising the script again." Su Qiao cocked her head and gave Bai Meixin a cheerful smile. "Who said anything about being jealous? I'm being magnanimous. Since the seat across from your Big Brother Lin is now empty, why don't you take the chance to fill it up?"
Bai Meixin's mouth widened in surprise. "W-what are you implying?!" she cried out. "Big Sister, I really don't have any intentions of that sort, please don't falsely accuse me, I—I know that Big Brother Lin is your fiance—"
She cut herself off when a diamond ring rolled over on the tabletop to land in front of her. Su Qiao had slipped it off her finger and tossed it there like it was nothing more than cheap costume jewellery.
"Oh, is that what's stopping you? It's fine then. From…" She checked her watch. "From 7:13 pm tonight, Mr Lin is officially no longer engaged to me. Congratulations, Little Sister, you can make your moves now without feeling like the homewrecker you actually are."