Su Xiaobai quickly adjusted her mindset and, when she saw Fang Cheng, she gave a slight smile at the corner of her lips. It wasn't exactly warm, but just polite enough to maintain a respectful distance. Even Fang Cheng didn't notice anything unusual.
In fact, Su Bai and Fang Cheng's usual way of interacting never gave off a romantic vibe. If one had to describe it with four words, it would be "respecting each other like guests." Both of them were the type to keep their feelings to themselves, and their personalities were calm and steady. Neither of them was particularly proactive. The exchange between them felt more like a series of formal gift exchanges, and such similar temperaments made it hard for sparks of love to fly.
Su Xiaobai had no complaints about Su Bai's personality. At least Su Bai was cautious and serious in her work, a career-oriented woman who lived independently and didn't rely entirely on a man. Su Xiaobai respected that about her.
When Fang Cheng got out of the car, Su Xiaobai's gaze immediately locked onto the brand-new, glossy black Audi he was driving. Even the license plate was identical. She was certain now—she hadn't been wrong about the person earlier.
"Let's get in the car first," Fang Cheng said without much fuss, showing a gentlemanly demeanor as he opened the passenger-side door for her, then returned to his side of the car.
As Su Xiaobai got into the car and buckled her seatbelt, her mind was in turmoil.
This was the first time she had ever been alone with Fang Cheng. Although she didn't particularly like him, Su Bai had always been the one interacting with Fang Cheng in daily life. As for Su Xiaobai, the alternate personality, she had always been suppressed by the dominant persona and rarely had the opportunity to come out. There was no chance for her to be in such close proximity to Fang Cheng until now.
While Fang Cheng was driving, Su Xiaobai pretended to scroll through her phone, but in reality, she was glancing at him from time to time. Fortunately, Fang Cheng was focused on the road and didn't notice her subtle movements.
Up close, Su Xiaobai couldn't deny that Fang Cheng was quite good-looking. At least, he was the type of man who was impressive enough to show off to others.
If he truly loved Su Bai, Su Xiaobai wouldn't have had any objections. But after two years of observing their relationship, she could tell that this man didn't really love Su Bai. It was more like he was completing a "political mission."
Su Xiaobai couldn't understand why Su Bai was willing to make such a sacrifice for someone like him. Given Su Bai's qualities, there was no way she couldn't find someone who would be completely devoted to her. Yet, she still chose to be with Fang Cheng.
Unbeknownst to her, her small sigh caught Fang Cheng's attention. He couldn't help but ask, "Why the sigh? Is something bothering you at work?"
Su Xiaobai was startled, quickly stabilizing her breathing. She forced a smile and replied, "Maybe I'm just a bit tired today."
"Work is important, but you should also take care of yourself," Fang Cheng said, his tone feigning concern.
Su Xiaobai nodded slightly but didn't say anything else. She was afraid that speaking too much might lead to mistakes. She still didn't fully understand Fang Cheng, and she was worried that she might accidentally reveal something she shouldn't.
Halfway through the drive, Fang Cheng stopped the car and mentioned that he needed to pick something up. He got out of the car and walked straight into a high-end-looking smoke and alcohol specialty shop ahead.
The moment he left, Su Xiaobai slumped back in the seat with a sense of relief, her body going limp as the tension in her nerves eased.
But just a moment later, something seemed to cross her mind. With a sudden movement, she sat up straight, sniffing the air and looking around, as if searching for something. After a while, she finally looked down, searching with intent.
When she looked up again, she was holding a long, fine strand of hair in her hand. It wasn't hers—Su Bai's hair was black and curly, but this hair was a pale reddish color. It was unmistakably from someone else.
"Red? Has that woman dyed her hair? Looks like she's some young girl, or maybe a second-tier model. Tsk tsk, typical, all men are the same, they like the fresh and young ones." Su Xiaobai sneered to herself.
Just as she finished speaking, she saw Fang Cheng approaching with two bags of items. Su Xiaobai's body stiffened, and she quickly dropped the strand of hair, sitting up straight as if nothing had happened.
Fang Cheng placed the two bags in the backseat before sitting back down.
"Bought some alcohol?" Su Xiaobai asked.
"We're having dinner at your place today. I know your father likes alcohol, so I ordered two bottles of Maotai this morning."
"Let me see." Su Xiaobai turned and grabbed one of the bags, inspecting it for a moment. Her brows furrowed.
"Isn't this a bit too extravagant? You know my dad doesn't like it when people send over expensive things." Though Su Xiaobai wasn't particularly knowledgeable about alcohol, there was a whole wall in their home dedicated to liquor. Most of it had been brought back by her brother, Su Miao, and each bottle was a rare and expensive item. Especially in the Baijiu section, there was even a Maotai bottle shaped like the Temple of Heaven, which was said to cost six figures just for the bottle. Initially, this made Su Laozi furious, but he couldn't stop his son from indulging in such things.
Because of her brother, Su Xiaobai had picked up a bit of knowledge about alcohol over the years.
The two bottles of Maotai Fang Cheng had chosen weren't in the thousands, but they surely cost several hundred. While Su Lingfeng, her father, did enjoy drinking a little, he mostly preferred Maotai in the few hundred-yuan range. It wasn't that the Su family couldn't afford more expensive alcohol, but when Su Laozi was in office, he advocated for anti-corruption and simplicity. During festivals, if anyone sent over expensive liquor or cigarettes, he would have them kicked out.
So, Su Xiaobai still felt a little uneasy about the alcohol Fang Cheng had brought.
"It wasn't too expensive. The shop owner is a friend of mine, and he sold it to me for half the price," Fang Cheng reassured her.
"Well, that's good." Su Xiaobai responded curtly and didn't want to talk any further. She and Fang Cheng didn't have much to talk about anyway, so she decided to stay silent. The familiar "respecting each other like guests" mode continued.
When they arrived at the gate of the Su family's house, Su Xiaobai saw her father, Su Lingfeng, standing in the yard from a distance. He was holding a pair of scissors and trimming the branches of his favorite five-needle pine.
"Good evening, Uncle Su," Fang Cheng said as he got out of the car, greeting the old man with his usual polite formality. His tone was courteous but not overly deferential.
Su Lingfeng had a good impression of Fang Cheng, his future son-in-law. Regardless of whether the Fang family and the Su family were a good match in terms of status, Fang Cheng's steady and cautious personality reminded Su Lingfeng of himself.
Su Lingfeng had certainly noticed the two bottles of Maotai Fang Cheng was holding, and Su Xiaobai didn't believe that her father couldn't see the value of the alcohol. However, Su Lingfeng didn't say anything, choosing to turn a blind eye instead.
Su Xiaobai was slightly surprised by her father's reaction and felt a little anxious. It seemed that Fang Cheng had already gained her father's approval.
The dinner went smoothly. Fang Cheng had a few small cups of alcohol with Su Lingfeng. The old man was getting on in years and couldn't drink too much, as his doctor had advised him to drink in moderation. Fang Cheng was aware of this, so he only had a symbolic drink to keep the old man company and make him happy.
After the meal, Su Lingfeng sat on the sofa with a cup of tea in hand. Fang Cheng and Su Xiaobai sat on either side, keeping him company.
Taking a sip of tea, Su Lingfeng finally got to the main point of why he had asked Fang Cheng to come today. "Fang Cheng, you and Su Bai have been together for two years now, right?"
"Yes, Uncle Su. Su Bai and I have been together for two years and three months." Unlike Su Xiaobai, who was nervous, Fang Cheng responded confidently, smoothly picking up the conversation.
Su Xiaobai had long suspected that the purpose of today's dinner wasn't just a simple meal, but she didn't expect her father to be so direct about asking. And it seemed Fang Cheng had come prepared.
"Well, the timing is right. A few days ago, I met with your parents, and we had a discussion about you two. After observing that you've been getting along well over the past two years, we think it's time to talk about marriage."
"Dad..." Su Xiaobai turned to her father with an embarrassed expression, but Su Lingfeng continued to smile, saying, "We're not rushing you, but we'd like to know your thoughts first."
Fang Cheng didn't rush to answer. Instead, he thought for about two or three minutes, glanced at Su Xiaobai, then nodded and said, "If Su Bai is willing, then it would be wonderful."
Su Xiaobai's heart sank to the deepest point, but she didn't dare show any signs of disappointment on her face. Her head started to feel numb, followed by a headache. She quickly stood up, muttered an apology, and rushed upstairs. Without caring about what Fang Cheng or her father thought, she ran to her room. As she went, she muttered to herself, barely audible, "Why did I wake up just now? Seriously!"
She barely made it inside her room before collapsing onto the bed. About ten minutes later, she sluggishly propped herself up, as if she had just woken from a nap.
After sitting up, she glanced at the clock on the desk opposite her. Seeing that she was still wearing her skirt, she immediately became alert. Just before heading out, she had seen Fang Cheng and her father sitting on the sofa downstairs.
Though she had no memory of returning home after work, Su Xiaobai had gotten used to it over the years. But seeing Fang Cheng there was a little surprising.
Could it be another version of herself with Fang Cheng?
Su Xiaobai didn't dare think too much about it and quickly composed herself before heading downstairs.
"White, what happened just now? Why did you rush upstairs?" Su Lingfeng asked, a bit puzzled.
"Dad, I… I…" Su Xiaobai was at a loss for words, trying to figure out how to respond.
Luckily, Fang Cheng came to her rescue. "Uncle Su, I think Su Bai might have been a little nervous. By the way, it's getting late, so I'll be heading out now. I'll come visit you another time."
Su Lingfeng nodded and didn't press her any further. He simply asked Su Xiaobai to see Fang Cheng off.
Su Xiaobai accompanied Fang Cheng outside, and only then did he speak up. "What your dad said just now, I have no objections. And my parents have been urging us to get married soon, but if you're not ready, I respect your decision, and we can wait a little longer."
Marriage?
Su Xiaobai was momentarily taken aback. She had never heard Fang Cheng bring it up before, but since he had already mentioned it, she didn't hesitate. She nodded lightly. "I don't mind. It's better to get married sooner, that way the elders won't worry. I just thought you didn't have that intention, so I never brought it up."
Fang Cheng smiled knowingly. "Well, let's set a date then. We can go to the Civil Affairs Bureau."
Back in her room, Su Xiaobai didn't rush to change clothes or investigate what had happened to her earlier. Instead, she opened a drawer with a familiar motion and took out a bottle of medicine. With a sense of urgency, she opened the bottle and poured out twice the usual dosage, swallowing it down. This was the last bottle, one she had hidden away earlier.
Right now, the timing was crucial. Su Xiaobai couldn't afford to let her other self interfere with "the main business." The only way to suppress her alternate personality was through medication.
Meanwhile, Su Miao was sitting in a private room, watching a surveillance video. A group of his underlings, including Qin Ming and Xiao Xiao, were with him, watching as well.
On the screen, a white Porsche was seen being harshly scraped by a black Audi. Su Miao picked up the remote and paused the video, slowing it down to get a better look at Fang Cheng's side profile. As the camera panned, the woman next to him came into clear view.
"Damn, that's Fang Cheng!" Xiao Xiao said, unable to even take a sip of his drink, his eyes wide in disbelief.
But what really stunned them was the next shot: in a corner, a woman walked out, her face full of surprise. It was none other than Su Xiaobai—though in Su Miao and his group's eyes, it was recognized as Su Bai.