The autumn air was growing crisp, and the setting sun cast wavering shadows across the courtyard, lighting up Su Shu's figure in a flickering silhouette that made her appear even more fragile.
"Ms. Su, the documents have been delivered. Starting today, this house is officially seized." The man in a suit standing beside her handed her a file folder and then added, "Please take a look and sign. You can still take away any essential personal belongings."
She took the pen and paper, raising her tear-stained face to look at him. "When can I see my father?"
She was barely in her early twenties and had been happily preparing for her wedding. It was only natural she couldn't accept such a sudden upheaval. A hint of pity flashed across the man's eyes, but he dodged her question. "A lot of people died in this incident—he'll definitely be held responsible. You should prepare yourself."
Looking down at the property-seizure document in her hand, she wiped her tears away as her phone rang.
"Where are you?"
That familiar voice was all it took. Su Shu could no longer hold herself together. She crouched down, sobbing uncontrollably. Her pampered life had come to an abrupt end the moment there was a massive food-poisoning incident at Hongyi High School.
Wrapping her arms around herself, her shoulders trembled as she struggled to control her emotions. "Zhai Gang, I'm at the estate. They came to seize the house today."
Everyone claimed that her father's company had substituted cheap yet toxic industrial materials for food ingredients to make more profit, thus causing the tragedy. She desperately wanted to ask her father face to face if it was true. Yet, more than half a month had passed, and wave after wave of media reporters had come seeking interviews, twisting the facts in sensational headlines. She hadn't even been able to see her father once.
Victims' families had shown up to protest with banners and hurled insults at her. Some even sent scary dolls in the middle of the night to harass her. In the end, she had no choice but to sneak away to stay at Zhai Gang's home.
She had met Zhai Gang when she was fifteen. At the time, she'd been harassed by a group of troublemakers, and he had dragged her away to safety. Having always lived a peaceful and sheltered life, she found the boy standing before her incredibly intriguing.
Later, they went overseas to study together. Upon returning to the country, they started planning their wedding. But right at this critical moment, Su Shu's father got into serious trouble.
The first to receive the news was Zhai Gang's father. As a business partner, he hired the most expensive lawyer to get advice, only to be told that this time it was likely hopeless: the family assets wouldn't be saved, and Su Shu's father would almost certainly face prison.
Not long after, Zhai Gang's father spoke privately with Su Shu. On the surface, he was gentle and full of concern, but his every word and gesture hinted that she should give up the marriage. As a businessman, personal feelings took a back seat; profit and minimizing losses came first. Since the wedding hadn't officially taken place, there was still time to back out without too much damage.
Before she could respond, people from the prosecutor's office asked her to return to her family's old residence.
Night was falling. The glow of a car's headlights swept across the yard, and Su Shu rubbed her eyes to see that it was indeed Zhai Gang.
He wasn't exactly the most handsome man, but he was tall at six feet one, with fair skin and an air of gentlemanly grace that always made him stand out.
Striding over, he caught the stumbling Su Shu in his arms and gently ruffled her hair. "Did my dad talk to you?" His voice was soft and reassuring, just like before, calming her nerves.
Burying her head in his shoulder, Su Shu nodded. "What do you think?"
"I would never betray you, Su Su." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, the warmth of his affection soothing her momentarily.
But after a brief pause, he added, "Still, our family has been dragged into this, too. You know we're stuck with over three hundred million yuan in debt, and the funds aren't circulating well."
Su Shu sensed a troubling implication in his words, though she still found it difficult to believe her own suspicions. She gently pushed away from his embrace and stood up straight. "What are you trying to say?"
Her unblinking stare made him uncomfortable. He cleared his throat and finally said, "Su Su, this isn't your fault, but our family is innocent too. If we go ahead with the wedding, not only will we fail to recover what's owed to us, but we'll end up complicating the debts—"
"Zhai Gang." A gust of the autumn wind made Su Shu shiver as she hugged her own shoulders and looked her beloved in the eyes.
"My father introduced all your family's business partners to you. The facts aren't even clear yet, and you're already in such a hurry to cut ties?"
He gazed at her in disbelief. In his memory, Su Shu was always gentle and sweet. She had never so much as raised her voice, let alone spoken to him so harshly.
"What more is there to figure out? The case has been handed over to the prosecutor's office. Isn't it obvious that your father caused all this by being—"
"Shut up!" Su Shu hurled her handbag at him, its metal detailing leaving a scratch on the side of his face.
Pressing a hand to the wound, he stared at her in shock, as though he no longer recognized the girl before him.
Su Shu hung her head low, her expression unreadable. When she finally spoke, her voice was unsettlingly quiet.
"If you want to cut ties, fine. But until everything about my dad is settled, you'd better keep your mouth shut."
Her gaze sharpened. "People shouldn't forget where they came from. Don't you forget how you and your dad made your first pot of gold."