She didn't know what to say, remaining silent for a long time before finally saying, "Auntie, Mr. Jin and I haven't even..."
"I know," Mrs. Jin interrupted. "You two haven't confirmed your relationship yet, but Xiao Xi has already made up his mind about you."
Su Ding was speechless.
Mrs. Jin glanced at her and continued, "I hope you'll be sensible and know when to retreat. The Jin family might not be a powerful clan, but you should know the consequences of going against us."
It had been a long time since anyone had spoken to Su Ding in such a manner.
The feeling of her dignity being trampled underfoot, of being treated as less than human, made her face instantly turn cold.
"Mrs. Jin, if the position of the Jin family's matriarch is simply about using power to oppress ordinary citizens, then I wouldn't want it even if it were given to me for free," Su Ding said coldly.
Mrs. Jin's expression changed, and her gaze towards Su Ding held a hint of assessment.
Su Ding met her gaze fearlessly. "I suggest you leave. Please."
Being ordered out by Su Ding made Mrs. Jin's face fall.
She picked up her exquisite handbag and stood up. As she reached the doorway, she said indifferently, "Since Miss Su is so full of her own opinions, then I'm sure you wouldn't do anything to separate a mother and child, would you? Shao Lin is the daughter-in-law I've chosen. Remember that."
With a bang, the door closed.
Su Ding's eyes widened in an instant, her heart pounding wildly.
What did that last sentence mean?
Could it be that Xiao Xi was Shao Lin's child?
Was that why Jin Ye had found it difficult to mention Shao Lin's existence? Was that why Shao Lin had held the title of Jin Ye's fiancée for so many years?
But why didn't they get married? Why didn't Xiao Xi know about this?
She had so many questions, and her heart gradually grew cold.
That evening, Su Ding lay alone on the hospital bed.
Xiao Rui had already been taken home by Xiao Yuan to be looked after. Occasionally, when she was busy, she would ask Xiao Yuan to take Xiao Rui back, just to avoid worrying her.
She closed her eyes, and her mind buzzed.
On one side was the look of anger on her father's face after learning the truth. On the other was the thought of Jin Xiao Xi turning hostile towards her after discovering Shao Lin was his biological mother.
Jin Ye's mother had made her stance clear: she would not allow Su Ding and Jin Ye to be together.
Therefore, they had no future.
Should she continue?
Su Ding tightly closed her eyes, feeling as though there was no place for her in the world.
At that moment, the door was kicked open.
Shao Lin walked in slowly, her high heels clicking, her expression grim. "Su Ding, what do you have to fight me with?"
Su Ding glanced at her coldly. "Did you do it?"
She had already found it strange that there was a needle inside the costume. She had initially thought it was Su Qing Mu's revenge, but now it seemed someone had orchestrated it.
Shao Lin sneered. "I don't know what you're talking about."
She cast a meaningful glance at Su Ding's bandaged knee. "I advise you to be careful in the future. A woman with a child, what would happen if something were to happen to either of you?"
Su Ding instantly understood her meaning.
Her heart sank. Shao Lin was implying that she would harm Xiao Rui.
She clenched her fists. "Shao Lin, how dare you?"
Shao Lin smiled. "We'll see."
Su Ding stared at her coldly, then suddenly burst out laughing. "Then we'll see. Once Wang Mei Lan's affair is exposed, I don't think Mrs. Jin will agree to you marrying into the Jin family, will she?"
"Su Ding?!" Shao Lin looked at her in shock. "You! How do you know?"
This was a private family matter for the Shao family. Her father had only discovered the disgraceful affair through her mother's phone and hadn't publicized it.
Su Ding had never returned home, and her father had never mentioned her, so how could she possibly know about this?
Su Ding's eyes curved, her smile as cold as ice. "I know a lot of things. All I know is, don't cross my bottom line, and I won't cross yours."
Shao Lin looked at Su Ding before her.
She felt a pang of fear.
What had Su Ding experienced over these years to be completely fearless of her? She seemed to have become more mysterious and powerful.
That child was her bottom line. If she touched it, Su Ding would expose her mother's affair.
Mrs. Jin, who always cared about her reputation, would be greatly disappointed in her.
No, she couldn't take that risk.