159: Chapter 159: You Still Have a Daughter 159: Chapter 159: You Still Have a Daughter “That stinky girl, she actually didn’t leave a single penny at home!”
“It’s all because of you, this burden.
If it weren’t for you clinging to my daughter, I would have sold her for a good price long ago!”
Su He had just stepped inside, not even reaching the room, when she heard a shrill scolding voice coming from inside.
She frowned and walked to the entrance of the room.
There stood a plainly dressed woman by the bed, pointing at the child curled up on it.
The moment Su He appeared, Sang Yuxuan saw her.
She had not been crying, but as soon as she saw Su He, she started to shed tears.
“Wuu…
Aunt Su…”
Upon seeing her cry, Chen Jinmeng grew even more furious: “Dead girl, what are you crying about…”
She picked up the small bedside lamp, ready to smash it over, but just as she lifted her hand, it was grabbed from behind, leaving it frozen mid-air.
Chen Jinmeng was stunned, turning her head to meet Su He’s eyes, cold as if soaked in ice water, causing her to tense up instantly, with her hairs standing on end.
Su He was unfazed, snatching the bedside lamp from her hand, tugging lightly to pull her away.
Chen Jinmeng almost lost her balance, but thankfully the door was behind her, preventing her from falling to the ground.
“Hey, who are you?” she yelled at Su He.
Su He ignored her and turned to look at Sang Yuxuan who was weeping profusely, slightly leaning forward to pick her up.
“There, there, no more crying, Aunt Su will take you to find Mommy in a bit.”
Su He held her, gently patting her back and softly coaxing.
Tears pooled in Sang Yuxuan’s eyes; she sniffled and nodded at Su He.
Then she wrapped her arms around Su He’s neck, resting on her shoulder.
Su He, carrying her, headed to the door, not even wanting to glance at Chen Jinmeng.
She could guess that this woman was Sang Luo’s gambling-addicted birth mother.
When Chen Jinmeng saw her leaving, she immediately reached out to stop her, declaring sternly, “Who are you?
Where do you think you’re taking my granddaughter?
Let me tell you, this is breaking and entering, and I can call the cops on you.”
Su He’s cold gaze narrowed as she glanced at her, commanding coldly, “Move aside.”
For an instant, Chen Jinmeng was struck by her aura, dumbfounded.
But when she noticed the ring on Su He’s finger and the watch on her wrist, her eyes gleamed—those were very valuable items.
Plus, Su He looked like a wealthy person, and she was sure her judgment was not mistaken.
“I won’t move,” she said defiantly.
“Who knows if you’re a human trafficker?
Put my granddaughter down, and we can talk this out, or else I will call the police.”
Sang Yuxuan, hearing this, tightened her grip on Su He’s neck and shook her small head on her shoulder, muttering softly, “I don’t want to go with grandma.”
Su He patted her back to soothe her.
Then, with a chilling look in her eyes, she glared at Chen Jinmeng blocking their path, her voice cold as broken ice, “What if I say I won’t let her go?”
Chen Jinmeng’s eyes flickered, saying, “That’s easy, just leave your ring and watch.”
Upon hearing this, Su He immediately understood—this was an extortion attempt.
However, her eyes really were toxic enough to see the value.
This ring, unique in the world, its worth unspeakable, and the watch, even more so, valued at millions.
She wasn’t eligible to speak for Sang Luo, but extortion was out of the question.
She curled the corner of her mouth, half-smiling, “Then please do call the police, let them deal with it.
By the way, there has been a thief in this house; let the police come and investigate who came to steal.”
Her gaze rose to the messy living room outside.
Chen Jinmeng was stunned, not expecting this woman to play so unpredictably.
Calling the police, naturally, was not something she would do.
Su He looked down, seeing her standing still, and smiled, “Auntie, are you afraid to call?
Or is it your phone’s out of credit?
Should I call for you?”
With that, she carried Sang Yuxuan with one hand and reached into her pocket with the other, ready to pull out her phone.
Seeing her take out the phone, a flash of panic crossed Chen Jinmeng’s eyes, and she quickly interjected, “Wait, don’t call.”
…
Su He, carrying Sang Yuxuan, left the rental apartment.
Chen Jinmeng sneaked behind them, watching as they got into a luxury car by the roadside.
“Sang Luo that dead girl, when did she meet such a wealthy friend.”
She grumbled under her breath, cursing softly.
Once the car was gone, she turned and made a phone call.
However, despite the long ringing, no one answered.
Meanwhile, Su He took Sang Yuxuan back to Moon Gift Villa.
She had also called Sang Luo, but no one picked up, so she sent a text message, and by the way, relayed to her the situation at her home.
Su Yimo had just taken Paomian back from the old house not long ago when he heard the sound of a car returning outside, he and Paomian ran out to greet them.
“Paomian, it’s Mommy’s car~”
Su Yimo watched Su He’s car driving into the garage, cheerfully talking to the little Paomian standing excitedly wagging its little tail at his feet.
Paomian seemed to understand, barking twice symbolically.
Then, Su Yimo saw his own mommy carrying a little sister out of the garage.
“Eh, it’s little sister Xuanxuan~”
The little guy trotted over.
Seeing him, Su He put down Sang Yuxuan.
Su Yimo was very happy to see her, “Xuanxuan, long time no see.”
Indeed, they hadn’t seen each other for a long time.
Sang Yuxuan was also happy to see him, lifting her little face with two dimples revealing a sweet and extremely cute smile.
“Su Yimo, long time no see.”
The little girl’s childish voice was still very accurate.
Hearing her own son taking advantage of Xuanxuan, Su He felt quite helpless.
She looked down at the little one and said, “Baby, Xuanxuan is older than you by a month, how can you call her little sister?
Huh?”
Upon hearing this, Sang Yuxuan raised her little head and politely said to Su He, “Aunt Su, it’s okay.”
After listening to this, Su Yimo liked this cute little sister even more.
He looked at Sang Yuxuan with a smile, his childish voice ringing out, “Don’t worry, Xuanxuan, I will definitely protect you in the future.”
Su He watched as he puffed out his little chest, a picture of grandiose declarations, and couldn’t help but laugh.
Indeed, he had the makings of a big brother.
…
On the other side.
Sang Luo was accompanying Su Zhimian at a meeting in the next city over, negotiating a project.
Originally, this had nothing to do with her; her presence wouldn’t affect the progress of the project.
But the man insisted on bringing her along, and with her little strength, she couldn’t win against him, so she resigned herself to come along.
Su Zhimian noticed that she had been distracted for the past hour.
As soon as the negotiations were over and the other party had left, she immediately took out her phone.
When she saw the message from Su He, her heart, which had been in her throat, finally settled back down.
But then she frowned upon reading that Su He had encountered her mother.
She knew that whenever Chen Jinmeng went to her home, it meant no good—nothing but money matters.
However, as long as her daughter was fine.
“Secretary Sang, what are you looking at?”
A deep voice resounded from behind her, startling her into quickly turning off her phone screen.
The man moved forward a few steps, pressing close behind her.
She was very sensitive and felt the heat approaching.
She immediately turned around, retreating two steps.
Su Zhimian gazed at her panic-stricken retreat, his handsome face darkening instantaneously, his deep-set eyes seeming to be stained with millennium-old ink, exuding an oppressing chill.
The man squinted his dangerous eyes coldly at her, his thin lips hooked slightly, “What guilty conscience?
Or have you been flirting with someone behind my back?”
When his last sentence reached Sang Luo’s ears, she was somewhat surprised and puzzled, feeling as if her heart had been fiercely pricked by something.
Ever since she left the Su Family old house that day, he had been making unpleasant, sarcastic remarks.
Was it because she had refused him, refused to marry him?
But he wasn’t such a petty person, was he?
She bit her lip, her almond-shaped eyes glaring at him with full confidence, “Mr.
Su, I’m single.
Even if I wanted to date someone, that wouldn’t be illegal, right?”
The man looked at her, let out a light chuckle, his profound black eyes concealing a dark and obscure smile.
“Right, it’s not illegal.
So feel free to date, I want to see how many you can succeed with.”
His voice was low and gentle but laced with danger and warning.
Sang Luo naturally understood the warning in his words.
But at this moment, there was a little devil stirring in her heart, and she didn’t want to just play along and let him have his way.
So, she lifted her chin, looking at him: “I’ll date if I want to date; you’re not my dad, what do you care so much?”
After saying that, she saw him briefly stunned, then his handsome face instantly darkened, and without hesitation, she turned and left the conference room.
Su Zhimian: “…”
He watched the woman fleeing in panic, a trace of amusement in his expression.
On the way back, Sang Luo made an excuse to leave first.
The work was already done, and there was no need for her to stay.
Su Zhimian didn’t force her to stay, letting her go as she wished.
In the car, the assistant at the driver’s seat glanced at the rearview mirror and saw the man leaning back in the seat, pinching the bridge of his nose, his face tired.
With 365 days a year, there were only a few days he actually rested; how could he not be tired?
On a big weekend, he still had to represent the branch office for a partnership discussion.
In fact, today’s project cooperation didn’t require the president himself to take action, but he insisted on coming himself, and even brought along Secretary Sang.
Moreover, lately, the president had been staying at the Yue City branch, it’s almost as if he was moving the Beijing headquarters here.
Anyway, ever since the president hired Secretary Sang, something has been off.
Sang Luo was the only female in the president’s office.
Recently, he had also noticed a pattern, and Secretary Sang was very likely to become their future boss’s wife.
“President, shall we take you straight home?” Deng Jian looked into the rearview mirror at the man and asked.
The man’s deep voice rose, “Go home.”
But in the next second, Su Zhimian, as if remembering something, changed the topic and said, “Let’s go to Moon Gift Villa.”
Deng Jian responded, “Yes, President.”
Then he changed the route.
An hour and a half later.
Moon Gift Villa.
Su He and Jiang Yan were sitting in the living room when Uncle Zhong walked in.
Uncle Zhong said, “Young Madam, there’s a Ms.
Sang at the door looking for you.”
Before Su He could speak, Sang Yuxuan playing behind them immediately jumped up, her sweet and tender little voice filling the top of the living room, “My mom’s here.”
She then ran toward the door.
Su He quickly stood up and followed.
Before long, the three of them came back together.
Sang Luo, upon seeing the man sitting in the living room, was somewhat reserved, after all, Jiang Yan’s presence was really too imposing.
Jiang Yan saw her and nodded slightly, a gesture of greeting.
This woman was not only close to his wife but might also become the wife of his brother-in-law, so he couldn’t neglect her.
Perhaps seeing her a bit embarrassed, he stood up and said, “You talk, I’ll go to the study to handle some things.”
He looked at Su He as he spoke.
Su He nodded and said with a smile, “Hmm, I’ll call you for dinner later.”
After Jiang Yan left, Sang Luo’s face visibly relaxed, the tension and restraint significantly lessened.
“Susu, I really want to thank you today,” Sang Luo said to Su He with a face full of gratitude.
In truth, in Yue City, she didn’t have many good friends.
Su He gestured for her to sit down.
“It’s nothing.
Besides, I am Xuanxuan’s aunt, so Sister Sang Luo, you don’t need to be so formal with me,” Su He slowly said as she poured her a glass of water.
Sang Luo took the glass and sipped a little.
She had never imagined that she would get to know Su He by such a random chance.
Su He glanced at the two children playing on the carpet.
For the first time, she felt that her son could actually enjoy the toys he had previously found childish, apparently, Xuanxuan’s charm was quite great.
Then she asked, “Sister Sang Luo, how are things going with my brother?”
Sang Luo hesitantly said, “I turned your brother down.”
Su He was not surprised by this answer.
Although she hadn’t known Sang Luo for long, she appeared gentle on the surface but was actually a resilient person with her own principles.
Otherwise, after so many years of not only raising her daughter but also taking care of a gambling-addicted mother, she couldn’t have gotten through without a strong heart.
“Is it because of your mother?” Su He asked.
Sang Luo gave a small smile, a hint of inferiority flashing in her eyes, “It’s just that he and I, we really aren’t suitable.”
If Chen Jinmeng knew about Su Zhimian’s existence, she couldn’t imagine what kind of chaotic scene it would be.
She didn’t have any reason to let the Su Family get tainted by this stain.
Watching her, Su He shifted her gaze and said, “Have you ever thought about getting your mother to quit gambling?”
Speaking of Chen Jinmeng, Sang Luo’s face was full of disappointment, “It’s no use, she’s been in and out of the police station so many times, even being threatened and intimidated she still acts this way, stuck in her ways.”
“But if you don’t give her money, she won’t have money to gamble with, so where does her gambling money come from?” Su He asked.
Even if people on the outside lend her money once or twice, they’ll know she can’t pay it back, so there definitely won’t be anyone willing to lend to her after that.
Speaking of this, Sang Luo was also puzzled.
“I don’t know who’s giving it to her.”
Without Su He mentioning it, she hadn’t noticed anything wrong.
Mainly because she had given up any hope for Chen Jinmeng, so she didn’t want to involve herself in her affairs any longer.
“…”
At that moment, a tall figure walked in from the hallway.
As soon as Su Zhimian walked in, he saw a familiar figure sitting on the couch; he hadn’t expected to see her here.
Sang Luo was facing away from him, so she didn’t see him come in, but Su He did.
Su He’s eyes twitched, this situation…
it was like a chaotic scene.
“Brother, what brings you here?” Su He coughed lightly and called out to the approaching man.
Hearing this, Sang Luo’s pupils shrank slightly, her body stiffening as she turned around to meet the man’s dark, ink-like eyes.
Su Zhimian, with one hand in his pocket, stood before the coffee table, looking down at her commandingly.
“So, Secretary Sang is here, I thought Secretary Sang left in a hurry for a date,” the man said in a low voice laced with a tinge of teasing, his lips curling towards Sang Luo.
On hearing this, Su He raised her eyebrows slightly – when did her brother learn to speak with such a sarcastic tone?
Sang Luo pressed her lips together, not wanting to engage with him.
What made her nervous now was Sang Yuxuan still playing right behind her.
If in a moment she runs out and calls out ‘Mom,’ that would be the end of it.
All she could do was look at Su He with pleading eyes.
And Su He received the message.
Su He inwardly sighed.
She wanted to help her brother, but she couldn’t sway Sang Luo’s thoughts.
She stood up and said, “You guys go ahead and talk.
The little one accidentally got a bump yesterday, I’ll take him to change the dressing.”
With that, she walked around the sofa, gesturing to Su Yimo, “Baby, come here, go upstairs with mommy.
Xuanxuan, you come too, let’s all go up.”
Su Zhimian subconsciously looked towards the children, but Sang Luo stood up immediately, blocking the view and drawing his gaze back.
She stuttered a bit, “Um, I have something to tell you.”
Su Zhimian narrowed his eyes, a hint of teasing playfulness hidden within.
Sang Luo edited several drafts in her heart, momentarily unsure what to say—she had nothing she wanted to discuss with him.
Su He took the two children and headed straight upstairs, Su Zhimian’s peripheral vision only catching a glimpse of a little girl’s silhouette, her black hair tied into two small braids.
Second-floor toy room.
Su Yimo, looking up with his little head, asked his mother, “Mommy, when did I bump myself?
I didn’t even notice it.”
Su He smiled, “Oh, mommy might have remembered wrong, mommy meant to talk about Paomian.”
Su Yimo: “…”
Su He squatted down, looked at Xuanxuan, and said, “Xuanxuan, Aunt Su has something to tell you.
If you see your mommy later, you should call her Aunt Sang, and not call her mommy, okay?”
Sang Yuxuan blinked her bright, shiny starry eyes, her fair little face filled with curiosity, asking in a soft, milky voice, “Why, Aunt Su?”
Why indeed?
This question stumped Su He.
She glanced at her son, and Su Baobao instantly understood.
Su Baobao grinned, whispered something into Sang Yuxuan’s ear, and she immediately understood, then nodded in agreement, “Xuanxuan got it.”
Su He: “…”
Just like that, it’s settled?
Su Baobao looked at his mommy, blinking smugly.
Afterward, she stayed with the two children in the toy room for a while.
Seeing Xuanxuan absorbed in a comic book, she quietly asked her son, “Baby, what exactly did you tell Xuanxuan?”
The little guy stood up, leant close to her ear, and murmured, “I said, the uncle downstairs is Aunt Sang’s boss, and Aunt Sang’s boss doesn’t know she has a child.
If he finds out, he will fire Aunt Sang.”
“The truth is, Xuanxuan really cares about Aunt Sang’s job.
Sometimes, to avoid disturbing Aunt Sang at work, she stays at home by herself,” the little fellow added under his breath.
Su He was somewhat taken aback upon hearing this.
She didn’t know what to say; glancing at Xuanxuan, a touch of pity emerged in her eyes—for a child of only four years old to understand so much.
Sometimes, children who are too sensible don’t get the sweets.
Downstairs.
Sang Luo hemmed and hawed for a long time without uttering a complete sentence.
The man’s face darkened like the bottom of a pot.
She didn’t need to look up to feel it.
“Um, Mr.
Su, I have something to deal with tomorrow and would like to ask for a day off.”
In the end, that was the best she could do.
Far from helping, it only made the man’s expression darken further.
…
Six o’clock in the afternoon.
The atmosphere at the dinner table was actually quite harmonious.
Aside from Sang Luo’s anxiousness, everyone else seemed at ease.
Su Zhimian looked at the little girl sitting with Su Yimo, scrutinizing her for a few seconds with narrowed eyes.
Then, he looked up at Su He and said, “How come I didn’t know you had another daughter?”
Su He’s forehead twitched: “…”
Sang Luo bowed her head, focused on eating her meal, though her body muscles were tensed.
The main reason for Su Zhimian’s misunderstanding was the resemblance of some of Sang Yuxuan’s facial features to Su He.
Xiaxia had also misunderstood before.
Su He responded calmly, “This is Xixi’s classmate, she came over to play today.”
Su Zhimian pondered for a moment before giving a light and indifferent “Oh,” no further questions.
Seeing that he didn’t probe any further, Sang Luo’s tight nerves gradually relaxed.
After dinner, the two grown men sat on the sofa, talking about business.
Being businessmen, that naturally became the topic of discussion.
However, Su Zhimian suddenly looked at Jiang Yan and commented, “Are you sure that little girl is not Su He’s spawn?”
He thought she looked more and more like Su He.
But at the time Su He had Su Baobao, he was present, and indeed there was only one child.
But now, another child so similar to her had appeared, about the same age as Su Baobao.
Could it be that something was overlooked at the time?
Jiang Yan: “…”
Jiang Yan’s deep black eyes gazed into the distance, and he said slowly, “But my wife doesn’t have dimples, neither do I.”