Xu Linchuan handed Su Qi a thermos, its lid tightly screwed, the aroma of the soup wafting out.
"Thank you, but I'm not hungry for now."
Su Qi didn't take it.
"It's not poisoned. I won't tell anyone else about your pregnancy."
Xu Linchuan's assurance sounded no different to Su Qi than a weasel promising not to eat chickens.
Xu Linchuan didn't insist. Seeing Su Qi refuse, he placed the thermos back and started the car.
Su Qi remained silent throughout the drive and didn't mention an address. To her surprise, Xu Linchuan navigated with practiced ease, taking her directly to the villa in Repulse Bay.
As the car stopped, Su Qi thanked him and pushed the door open to get out.
"Madam, you're back!"
Sister Wu, who was cooking, poked her head out from the kitchen.
"The master said you would be back tonight, I didn't expect it to be true."
Su Qi paused. "Sister Wu, didn't I say I was moving out? Why are you here?"
And why had she started calling her Madam?
Sister Wu merely smiled. "Madam, please wash your hands and wait for dinner."
Su Qi wasn't in the mood for dinner.
She went upstairs and found her neatly packed luggage had been put back into the walk-in closet.
Su Qi haphazardly repacked, grabbed her bag, and was about to leave.
Her phone vibrated; it was the landlord calling.
"I'm so sorry, Miss Su, this apartment has been bought, and I can't rent it to you anymore!"
Bought?!
"When did this happen? Why didn't you tell me?"
The landlord continued, "Oh, that gentleman was so generous, he gave me so much money. I didn't want to sell, but who can resist money? I'm so sorry, dear, you'll have to find another place."
The landlord's voice on the other end was practically cackling with glee.
*Click*, the call was disconnected.
Su Qi had no choice but to open the rental apartment app. To her dismay, as soon as she looked, she saw that surrounding property prices had increased in just a few days.
And not by a little.
Su Qi clutched her chest, nearly passing out.
This was far beyond her financial reach.
"Madam, come for dinner."
Su Qi smelled the aroma of dinner, and her stomach rumbled involuntarily.
She needed to eat before she had the strength.
Su Qi put down her bag and sat at the dining table. She picked up her chopsticks and ate several large bowls of rice.
Sister Wu couldn't hide her joy. "Eat more if it's good. It's rare for Madam to eat so much. You're too thin, and it worries both the master and me."
Huo Tingyun worried about her?
Su Qi gave a cold laugh and continued eating.
"Madam, the master seems to have changed recently. If Madam still has feelings for the master, you should try to salvage things."
Salvage?
Su Qi's hand, holding the chopsticks, trembled slightly.
She could no longer bear the consequences of this relationship.
Su Yan Ge, because of her willfulness, had lost half his life.
Now he lived like a walking corpse every day.
The once bright and cheerful Su Yan Ge had died that day because she had made the wrong choices.
"Sister Wu, I'm full."
Su Qi lost her appetite, put down her chopsticks, and stood up.
Sister Wu watched Su Qi's retreating back with a worried sigh.
It seemed that because of that incident, Madam still couldn't forgive the master.
Su Qi returned to her room, and her stomach immediately cramped.
Every time she thought of Su Yan Ge's disability, her insides felt as if they were being torn apart.
If she had known that her love for Huo Tingyun would lead to her childhood protector becoming disabled, she would have chosen death over marrying Huo Tingyun.
Su Qi took a few days off for hospitalization. When she returned to the company, her colleagues' attitudes had suddenly become enthusiastic.
As soon as she entered the company, colleagues surrounded her, asking about her well-being.
Su Qi was a little flattered. "I'm fine, you all go back to your work."
She returned to her desk and sat down.
Yang Tianhao sidled over, holding a cup of coffee. "You're finally back. All week, people at the company have been saying you might be a connection, possibly with even more influence than An Xin."
Su Qi found it both amusing and exasperating. "Do you think that's possible?"
"I think it's possible. On your first day of work, your entire outfit probably cost hundreds of thousands. You even went to the Huo family. Could you be some kind of relative of the Huo family?"
Yang Tianhao seemed to have discovered a new continent, amazed by his own deduction.
"I'm just an ordinary person, I have no relation to the Huo family."
Su Qi looked at the computer with a blank expression, typing on the keyboard.
She didn't want any connection to the Huo family.
Back when Old Master Huo was still alive, he was her closest family, and she was considered half a Huo.
Her continued marriage was only out of respect for Huo Qingrang.
Yang Tianhao clearly didn't believe her. "Come on, Xiao Su, what's your background? All the colleagues saw that day, they said you got into a limited edition Aston Martin!"
"A friend's rental car," Su Qi said dismissively.
Yang Tianhao recalled how familiar Su Qi had seemed when she was giving directions to the Huo family last time.
Besides, who rents a limited edition sports car?
It must be a Huo family member.
Perhaps Huo Tingyun's cousin or something?
After finishing his inquiries, Yang Tianhao went to the pantry to gossip with his colleagues.
Upon hearing this, the colleagues became even more enthusiastic towards Su Qi.
Su Qi felt uncomfortable. She picked up a document and delivered it to Huang Ying's office.
"Sister Ying, here's the file you wanted."
Huang Ying seemed to sense that something was amiss with Su Qi and said with a smile, "It seems you're not quite used to it yet. This world is like this; when you're doing well, everyone is close to you, and when you're not, everyone wants to avoid you. You'll get used to it."
Su Qi nodded. "Thank you for your guidance, Sister Ying."
"Alright, I've arranged a new job for you."
Just as Huang Ying finished speaking, the sound of high heels echoed from behind.
Huang Ying immediately stood up, her face beaming with smiles. "Why has Miss Xu come in person?"
"Sister Su Qi is my friend. Although I need her as an assistant, we still have a connection, so I came personally to tell Sister Su Qi." Xu Linyun took off her sunglasses.
Her entire attire was exquisite, with expensive luxury brands from head to toe.
Even the jeweled necklace around her neck and the diamond ring on her finger were worth more than an ordinary person could earn in several lifetimes.
"Sister Su Qi, has Sister Huang Ying told you?" Xu Linyun asked Su Qi with a smile.
Su Qi couldn't find any trace of calculation on Xu Linyun's face.
Despite being a double award-winning actress, Xu Linyun was also seen by the audience as the 'National Little Sister.'
Her smile was sweet, energetic, and cute.
She had great appeal with the audience.
Although supported by Huo Tingyun, Xu Linyun herself was very capable. In the past three years in the entertainment industry, she had earned a fortune.
"Xiao Su, what are your thoughts?"
Thoughts?
She was just a worker, what thoughts could she have?
Su Qi remained composed and smiled gently. "I am deeply honored."
Xu Linyun seemed a little surprised, her eyes widening in delight. She then stepped forward and took Su Qi's hand. "Really? Really? That's wonderful, Sister Su Qi, I'm so happy."
In truth, she harbored no animosity towards Su Qi.