Su Shu spoke slowly and clearly, each word resounding with conviction. Finishing what she had to say, she reached down to pick up the handbag that had fallen to the ground, then walked away without a backward glance.
In everyone's eyes, Su Shu was just a timid little lamb—sweet and docile, with no opinions of her own.
But she had never really needed to have opinions. As a second-generation heiress, her life had been simple and straightforward: her father had always taken care of everything. Even though her parents divorced when she was young, her father's love was unwavering and abundant.
That clueless Zhai Gang was only successful because she once fancied him, prompting her father to pull connections and help their small stand grow all the way to a listed company.
And now, barely half a month after the incident, that whole pack of ingrates couldn't wait to turn on her.
Su Shu sat in the park across from her house, a bottle of mineral water in her hand. Her mind was in a fog. For days now, she'd been forcing herself to stay calm and analyze the situation, hoping to find a chance to see her father.
Her phone rang repeatedly. She stared at the screen flashing Zhai Gang's name, unmoving. Then, when it lit up again, she was about to hang up, but saw it was a call from Lin Xiao.
"Hey! Su Su! Canceling the wedding—wasn't that a bit rash?"
"It's because of your dad's situation, right? Don't act on impulse. The Zhai family could at least help pull some strings. Cutting ties with them now does you no favors!"
Lin Xiao's tirade only made Su Shu more confused. "What's going on…?"
"He sent private messages to a bunch of our friends saying he was calling off the wedding at your request. You… didn't know?"
Su Shu felt her stomach churn. She hadn't eaten properly for days and could feel her stomach about to give out.
"I didn't know…" she replied, her voice flat, though her hand trembled around her phone.
"What? So you guys didn't even talk? He just went and posted it?" Lin Xiao practically shouted, her words almost blowing out the phone speaker. "Where are you? I'm gonna come get you, and we'll go smash up his place together!"
After a brief silence, Su Shu looked up at the sky—there was hardly any moonlight, everything a dull gray. She knew bad luck often came in waves, but she never expected it to come crashing down on her like this.
"I have to go to his place. The engagement can end, but not unilaterally."
Twenty minutes later, Su Shu arrived at the gate of the Zhai family's villa. Lin Xiao's purple sports car was already parked there, waiting. The moment she spotted Su Shu, she jumped out of the car and sprinted over.
"Don't worry, Su Su. As soon as I get in there, I'm gonna beat the crap out of him! That'll teach him to post that shameless message and make him take it down!" Su Shu glanced at Lin Xiao—she really was riled up. She had apparently left in such a hurry that she was still wearing her pajamas, her short hair a bit of a mess—looking entirely out of place next to her fancy ride.
Su Shu managed a faint smile at the corner of her mouth but said nothing. She punched in the gate code and walked in.
"Hey, Zhai! If you're any kind of man, get out here! Have you lost your mind or what?" Lin Xiao stormed into the living room, spitting curses.
It was quite lively inside. The whole Zhai family was gathered, and seated on the sofa in the back, next to Zhai Gang, was a woman with long, wavy hair. Upon seeing Su Shu and Lin Xiao burst in, the woman didn't look the least bit surprised. In fact, she narrowed her eyes and smiled.
Su Shu's sixth sense told her there was more to their relationship.
She walked over slowly and took a good look at this woman—around the same age as she was, wearing an expensive-looking white dress. Her waist-length hair was styled into a soft French wave. She had a gentle manner, smiling with crescent-moon eyes.
Su Shu was stunned. She recognized her from Zhai Gang's high school graduation photo, though the woman now appeared more mature, with none of that girlish innocence left.
Mr. Zhai (Zhai Gang's father) clearly hadn't expected Su Shu to show up unannounced. He seemed momentarily embarrassed. Then, after a second, his expression turned to thinly veiled blame. Without a word, he turned around, presenting Su Shu with a cold profile.
Mrs. Zhai, worried that Su Shu might cause trouble, plastered on a fake smile and motioned for her to sit. "There, there, dear. Why come at this hour…?"
Su Shu ignored her, heading straight for the curly-haired woman in the corner. "So you've got a guest. Aren't you going to introduce us? Hello, I'm Zhai Gang's girlfriend."
Zhai Gang rushed forward and yanked Su Shu by the arm so hard she nearly lost her balance.
"Don't make a scene…" he muttered under his breath, clearly annoyed. "We've already talked this through. What are you doing?"
"I know you, Su Shu." The woman waved her hand, indicating for Zhai Gang to let go. She walked forward a few steps, her stiletto heels clacking sharply on the floor. Extending her hand calmly, she said, "But let me correct one thing: you're his ex-girlfriend. Hi, I'm Bai Lin—Zhai Gang's fiancée."
"You son of a—!" Lin Xiao, who hadn't said a word since entering, suddenly lunged forward. She grabbed the coffee cup she was holding and slammed it down on top of Zhai Gang's head.