The maids at the entrance of the dining room stood frozen in shock, each one holding a tray bearing smoky hot chive scallops, delicately plated by the chef. They didn't dare to enter. Young Mistress Su hadn't bothered lowering her voice while speaking and now they were afraid that they might lose their jobs if the master and madam took offence at them for overhearing their family troubles by accident.
"You've gone too far, Qiao."
It was Lin Zizhou who spoke, his voice cold as ever and gaze dispassionate as he regarded her with an innate sense of superiority like he was talking down to a disobedient child.
Su Qiao felt a pang in her heart that she forced herself to ignore. She'd thought that she was completely over him by now, especially after how thoroughly he'd betrayed her in her previous life. She hadn't hesitated to block him on WeChat either or to throw his engagement ring aside. She didn't regret choosing this new route.
But she still couldn't get over how unfair it was. She refused to reconcile herself with being 'not good enough' for this selfish, arrogant Second Young Master Lin. What about Su Qiao hadn't been enough for him? She'd behaved herself beautifully, listened to his whims, and given him enough personal space. She knew that his friends were envious of their relationship, calling them the 'Couple of the Century'.
Why was Lin Zizhou still not satisfied?
And if he hadn't been, why the hell did he have to come and attract her attention in the first place?
After dating him, Su Qiao had slowly lost herself in suiting his needs that she'd nearly forgotten that he'd been the one to chase her first.
Whatever. She wasn't so delusional now that she would believe he did it out of love. No, he'd been gunning for an alliance with her father all this while. Too bad then. Su Qiao wasn't going to be his little puppet anymore.
"What's the matter, Big Brother Lin?" she asked, taking in the furious, strangled expressions of her dysfunctional family with relish. "Did I say something wrong?"
"You shouldn't falsely accuse Ms Bai and me of something we haven't done," Lin Zizhou said, his tone brooking no nonsense. "Ms Bai is your sister—"
"Stepsister," Su Qiao interrupts with a saccharine smile. "The head of the Su Family only has one blood-related child…on the register anyway."
The tension in the room skyrocketed.
"Shut up!" Su Yongshen seethed, slamming his hand on the table and pointing an accusatory finger at Su Qiao. "Are you happy now?" he was so angry that he was spluttering, face an apoplectic purple, and Su Qiao marvelled that she'd ever found this old man intimidating ever. "You've single-handedly ruined this gathering—"
"How kind of you to notice, Pa, I am actually quite happy about that." Su Qiao stood up from her seat. "And since I appear to be putting everyone off their meal, I'll graciously make my exit now and you can continue gathering together without me."
She gave Lin Zizhou a flippant wave. "I don't need to say it out loud, you know best whether you have or have not done me wrong. Anyway, whatever it is, I'm sick of acting like your pet dog, Lin Zizhou, you can find another toy puppy to lick your wounds for you." She jabbed a manicured thumb at Bai Meixin, who was, unsurprisingly, tearing up again. "That one over there looks promising."
"Big Sister," Bai Meixin said, her words trembling. But there was a flash of righteous determination in her gaze. "I think you should apologise to Big Brother Lin and Father. You—" She bit her lip and looked down at the table, chest heaving like she was struggling to muster the courage to stand up for what she believed in.
Su Qiao watched her in amusement. "For what? For accusing them of infidelity?" She let out a delighted giggle. "My sweet little sister, just because he hasn't fucked you yet doesn't mean he isn't cheating on me already."
She walked up to Bai Meixin to pat her cheek condescendingly, laughing again when Bai Meixin flinched away from her. "Don't worry," she cooed in reassuring tones but the words spilling from her crimson lips were cruel, chosen carefully to slice into everyone at the table. "From the moment I saw the both of you in the lifts this morning, there was nothing more between Lin Zizhou and me. You're free to throw yourself at him, it'll work, I promise, just use the skills your mother imparted to you, she's the real deal—"
A hand yanked on her arm violently and by reflex, she grabbed onto the nearest item on the table and smashed it into her assailant's face. The slap that would have landed on her face missed by inches as her father stumbled backwards in shock.
"Uncle!" Su Qiao heard Lin Zizhou shout, along with Bai Lixian's fretful, "Darling!" She rounded on Su Qiao. "How could you hurt your father?!"
Su Qiao's heart pounded in its cage but she didn't let her anxiousness show. She hadn't anticipated her father losing such complete control of his temper that he would attack her physically. But this also wasn't an era where Confucianism reigned anymore. Yes, it was still important to respect elders and have filial piety but it wasn't mindless anymore. If Su Qiao were to reveal the truth behind Bai Meixin's birth to the media, it was hard to say whose side the internet's peanut gallery would take.
"Is he fit to be a father? Are you sure he hasn't treated me unfairly...or my mother?" she asked calmly, watching in satisfaction as Bai Lixian blanched. "You know why I'm saying this. If you don't want me to tell the world at large, leave me the fuck alone, thank you very much."
She didn't want to talk to them anymore. This was going to be the last night that she stayed in this manor for a long time, she'd already made the necessary arrangements. But her bedroom had been designed for her by her beloved mother so she was going to return one day after kicking them all out.
On the way out of the dining room, she came across the trembling maids.
"I love oysters," she remarked, tranquil like she wasn't at the centre of the storm that had brewed just minutes ago. She reached for a piece on the closest plate, using her fingers to pinch it and toss it into her mouth without decorum. It was lukewarm by now because of the delay but the texture was still perfect.
"Tell Uncle Xi that his cooking is impeccable as always," she said, before turning and giving the anxious old caretaker, Auntie Zhang, a warm hug.
"Young Mistress," Auntie Zhang mumbled, the wrinkles in her brow deepening. Su Qiao stared at her with genuine love and reliance. After her mother's death, Auntie Zhang was her only real family member now.
"Don't worry about me," Su Qiao said. She wanted to ask Auntie Zhang to go and work for her instead, to support her through her retirement life, but her future was still uncertain for now. Once it stabilised, she would make the offer. "I'll call you regularly, Auntie. Take care, okay?"
"You too, Young Mistress." Auntie Zhang's voice was choked with sobs. "I—I knew this would happen ever since the master brought home that—" She shook her head.
Su Qiao suddenly wondered whether Auntie Zhang had known about the ugly rumours that plagued Su Qiao last time round. She'd been there, trying to stop the master from throwing Su Qiao out of the house, her salt and pepper hair almost completely white by then from the stress of caring for this broken family.
But had she heard about all that had happened after? About Su Qiao being reduced to working odd jobs while attempting to get roles that even newbie actresses wouldn't be enthusiastic about? About Su Qiao supposedly whoring herself out as the 'industry bicycle' to try and make a living?
It was cowardly but she was glad that she would never know. She didn't want to think about how hard Auntie Zhang's compassionate heart would break at that.
Her row of cars was still lined up neatly in her personal garage. Su Qiao sighed. She was reluctant to be parted with them but unfortunately, only had two arms and legs so she could only take one along with her.
And she wasn't putting it past her father to sell the rest out of spite.
She settled on a Bugatti Veyron in the end, the white grand sport roadster that always reminded her a bit of a cute bunny when the roof was down. It was probably her favourite, although this was the first time she'd had to choose.
Or rather, this was the first time in a while she'd even had cars to choose from.
She was about to hop in and dash off before her father could come back to his senses and chase her out here to murder her, but something ostentatious in her peripheral vision caught her attention.
Ah yes. The flamingo pink Lamborghini that Lin Zizhou had given her for her birthday last year. She'd adored it then, just like she'd loved him, but now that they were over, it was nothing more than an eyesore.
And one that she was very bitter about because, in her previous life, the keys to this car had wound up in Bai Meixin's hands.
Su Qiao was willing to discard Lin Zizhou for Bai Meixin if she wanted leftovers but this car was hers. Her asset, her property. She was the registered owner on its papers and it shouldn't have been given to Bai Meixin without her permission.
Su Qiao didn't like this car either but she didn't want Bai Meixin having it either.
And Bai Meixin was going to have to learn that if Su Qiao didn't want her to have something, then she couldn't touch it.
She looked at the neat stack of newspapers in a corner of the garage, that the servants must have stacked here in wait for the recycling van that only came about once a week for collection.
She rummaged in her purse and pulled out a lighter. She didn't smoke but Lin Zizhou did and she'd always kept one on hand just to make sure he wouldn't be left without a cigarette if and when he craved it.
A dangerous idea sprang to mind. Well then. This should be fun.