After hanging up the phone, Su Ding gazed at the azure sky, suddenly feeling adrift.
Wang Meilan's reputation was ruined, and Shao Zhenggang's career had collapsed. Her revenge plans were essentially complete, yet she felt no joy.
Next was Shao Lin.
Su Ding took a deep breath, the image of Jin Xiaoxi flashing in her mind, a flicker of reluctance crossing her heart.
But she had no choice.
At that moment, a deep voice suddenly sounded behind her, "Su Ding."
Her body paused. She turned around and smiled, "Mr. Jin, what guidance do you have?"
Seeing her perfunctory, formulaic smile, Jin Ye's heart sank. He suppressed his displeasure and said, "Let's talk."
Su Ding raised an eyebrow. Was he here to question her?
After sitting down at the restaurant, Jin Ye cut to the chase. "I received word that you leaked Mrs. Shao's affairs to the media, and Shao Group will soon be yours. I want to know, what exactly is your grievance with Shao Lin?"
Su Ding sneered. As expected, he was here to defend Shao Lin.
She tapped the table lightly with her slender fingers and said slowly, "She and I are half-sisters. Mr. Jin must have investigated this."
Jin Ye nodded.
"Wang Meilan intruded into my family. My mother was literally angered to death by their family, and I was driven out of my home..."
Su Ding stated calmly, "I stayed abroad for five years. After returning to the country, because of you, Shao Lin kidnapped my child, and their whereabouts are currently unknown."
"If it were you, what would you do?"
Su Ding only told Jin Ye a few of the events, but it was enough to explain their enmity.
Jin Ye's brows furrowed tightly. "Then what happens next? What will you do?"
Su Ding looked up at him and said firmly, "Shao Lin and I, only one can survive."
Jin Ye remained silent for a long time, ultimately not defending Shao Lin.
"Do you know how to make someone despair?" he asked deeply.
Su Ding was slightly stunned and chuckled, "What do you mean?"
How could she not know the taste of despair? Her future hope was brutally extinguished, leaving her with nothing to live for and nothing to fear in death.
"Possess what she desires," Jin Ye said concisely.
Su Ding savored it for a few seconds and smiled, "You mean yourself."
Jin Ye offered no comment.
"To be honest, it's not that I haven't considered it," Su Ding said. "It's just..."
"Just what?" Jin Ye asked.
Su Ding remained silent, but in her heart, she knew she had true feelings for Jin Ye and didn't want to entangle them with that sordid past...
She smiled, "It's nothing."
Jin Ye frowned. "Speak."
Su Ding looked at the handsome, cold face before her, her heart feeling even more heavy. The sweet memories made her eyes sting.
She quickly lowered her head, took a sip of her drink, and held back the tears that were about to fall.
"Let's get married."
Two household registration books were placed on the table, one belonging to Su Ding, the other to Jin Ye.
Su Ding's eyes widened, and she scrutinized Jin Ye with a peculiar gaze. "You..."
"My goal is simple. I don't mind you using me to get revenge on Shao Lin," Jin Ye said frankly.
Su Ding narrowed her eyes. Was he serious about marriage when he'd mentioned it before?
"Why?" she asked, not understanding why Jin Ye would do this.
They merely had mutual feelings, but it hadn't escalated to this extent, had it?
"You know why," Jin Ye said with no expression on his face, making it impossible to discern his thoughts.
However, Su Ding frowned. "Mr. Jin, don't joke. Your parents won't agree. Aren't you afraid of any loss of life?"
"I will handle all of this."
After Jin Ye finished speaking, seeing that Su Ding still didn't respond, he added another dose of reassurance.
"Our marriage will be announced to the media. You will be the legitimate Mrs. Jin, and you will never see Shao Lin again, nor will you have to worry about Xiaoxi knowing his origins..."
Su Ding's heart was greatly shaken. The meaning of these words was clear.
The position that Shao Lin had spent five years with Jin Ye for, without obtaining, would now be hers. Even Shao Lin's own son would affectionately call her Mommy in the future. And Shao Lin's beloved Jin Ye would be her legal husband.
Shao Lin would be furious if she saw this in the media.
How arrogant and conceited Shao Lin had been when she threw the bank card at her on the ground in the hospital, she would now hate Su Ding to the bone facing this situation.
And no matter how much Shao Lin hated her, she could do nothing.
Because Jin Ye had guaranteed that Shao Lin would never appear before her again...
"As for Xiao Rui, I received news from the police today that the remains of the missing girl have been found. Your DNA was compared, and there was no relation. The family has also come to claim the body."
Jin Ye said, "In other words, Su Xiaorui is not dead."