Shu Yan, however, was dismissive of what she said. "Gu Susu is not only not on our level, she's a bottom-feeder. She can't afford to rent in that area. The only reason you'd rent to her cheaply is if you were bewitched. And she just wants to cling to Tianyi! Don't forget, she's also my love rival. To expect me to find her good qualities is a pipe dream!"
Huo Jin felt she couldn't get through to Shu Yan and had long found being her best friend exhausting. She didn't want to continue the conversation.
"Don't interfere in my affairs. After you marry Qin Tianyi, focus on your own marriage and don't mess it up again." Huo Jin waved the invitation in her hand. "I'm hosting today, and I can't leave them for too long. I'm going in."
"Huo Jin..."
"I'll attend your wedding. As friends, I wish you happiness." Huo Jin said, then turned and returned to the private room without looking back.
...
After Huo Jin pushed Shu Yan out, Gu Susu asked, "Senior Brother, is the apartment I'm renting really Huo Jin's? Did she intend to rent it to me cheaply?"
Chang Qingchuan hummed in affirmation. "When I was helping you find a place near Little Star Kindergarten, Huo Jin found out. She said she had a vacant apartment in that area and wasn't planning to rent it out for profit. I thought it was perfect, but I was afraid you'd overthink it, so I had the agent sign the contract directly with you. Huo Jin was being kind, you won't blame her, will you?"
"I'm grateful to her, how could I blame her?" Gu Susu thought that Ya Nan was right; there were no apartments that cheap in that area. It turned out Chang Qingchuan and Huo Jin had been helping her behind the scenes. She was nothing but touched.
She didn't mind what Shu Yan had said earlier. After all, she and Shu Yan had even exchanged blows, so she didn't care what harsh words Shu Yan had to say.
However, some of Shu Yan's words had hit a nerve with men, mentioning being a kept man, being low-class... She was afraid this might affect Chang Qingchuan's feelings for Huo Jin.
"Love knows no class. You and Huo Jin love each other, you don't rely on her, and you have your own career..."
"Susu, I understand. You don't need to comfort me," Chang Qingchuan said with a smile. "I will work hard to gain the approval of her family and not make things difficult for her."
At this moment, Huo Jin returned to the private room from outside. She glanced at Chang Qingchuan, afraid he might be angry, and said to Susu, "Shu Yan is just like that, she speaks without thinking. Don't take it to heart."
Gu Susu said indifferently, "I know. I won't pay attention to what she says. I'm very grateful that you rented that apartment to me, but I should still pay you rent at the normal market price."
Huo Jin quickly walked to her side and said, "That apartment has been vacant all along. I never thought of earning rent from it. As long as you can live there and help me maintain it, I'll be at ease. What are you talking about rent for? Besides, talking about rent means you don't consider me a friend."
"You can't say that." Gu Susu felt that rent was a small matter. After all, she was also Chang Qingchuan's friend. Knowing she was taking advantage of Huo Jin and continuing to do so, she was afraid it would make things difficult for Chang Qingchuan in front of Huo Jin's family and friends. "It would be better if we signed a new lease agreement."
Huo Jin resolutely slapped the invitation in her hand onto the table. "I said it's not necessary, so it's not necessary..."
Gu Susu inadvertently glanced at the name on the bright red invitation and stopped listening to Huo Jin. She reached out and picked up the invitation, asking, "Whose invitation is this?"
"Shu Yan and Qin... Qin Tianyi's. She actually came today to give me the invitation." Huo Jin thought of the relationship between Gu Susu and Qin Tianyi and felt she had been careless to leave the invitation lying around so casually.
"May I see it?" Gu Susu said as she opened the invitation. A glaring wedding photo on it pierced her heart like a knife.
But she still tried her best to conceal it, asking with a smile, "Huo Jin, will you be Shu Yan's bridesmaid that day?"
"I don't want to be a bridesmaid anymore. I heard that if you're a bridesmaid too many times, you won't get married." As she spoke, she looked at Chang Qingchuan again and found him looking at his phone with a cool expression, silent since she returned.
He was still angry, sulking.
Gu Susu really couldn't face the invitation any longer. She immediately closed it and put it down, saying, "No, you will definitely get married, and you'll marry very well."
Huo Jin, afraid she might feel upset, changed the subject and asked, "By the way, Susu, is the mysterious rich man who attended the awards ceremony with you your new boyfriend?"
"Ah, no, no, just a good friend." Gu Susu quickly explained, "We were in the orphanage together before, and then we separated. We only met again by chance recently."
Huo Jin said with envy, "So you're childhood sweethearts? Why are you still just friends? Is he married, or does he already have a girlfriend?"
Gu Susu smiled and didn't answer her. She said, "We've almost finished eating. I should go back. You and Senior Brother continue your world of two. I won't be a third wheel."
Seeing that Chang Qingchuan's expression was off, she thought he might have something to say to Huo Jin alone, so she wisely took her leave.
...
After leaving the restaurant, Gu Susu didn't take a taxi. She just wanted to walk along the road.
Walking alone on the cold street, she couldn't help but let out a long sigh. Looking up at the sky, she wished she could shout out the pent-up feelings in her heart.
She had long been prepared for Qin Tianyi to eventually marry Shu Yan, but seeing their wedding invitation still made her heart ache and feel blocked.
When she went to pick up Little Star, Qin Tianyi treated her that way. She should hate him, but why couldn't she? Hating him, disliking him, and having no lingering feelings for him was the choice she should make now.
At this moment, she wanted to video call Little Star. Seeing the child would make her feel less troubled.
As she picked up her phone to message Chen Ma, she passed a parked car. The car door suddenly opened, and a hand suddenly reached out from inside, pulling her in.
In her panic, she was about to cry for help, but when she felt the warmth and breath of the person pulling her into the car, she already knew who it was.
Qin Tianyi's breath rushed towards her. Gu Susu was pressed onto his lap, his hand gripping her waist.
Gu Susu wanted to get out of the car but couldn't break free. Instead, she seemed to be wriggling wantonly in his arms.
In the streetlights outside the car window, Gu Susu saw his gaze becoming deeper and deeper, emitting a dangerous signal. Her heart panicked, and she dared not move again. She said softly, "Let me out."
Qin Tianyi ignored her words, tossed her aside, and said to Xiao Lin, who was sitting in the driver's seat, "Drive."
Gu Susu sat up properly. Thinking of the humiliation she suffered last time, she deliberately kept her distance from him and asked, "Where are you taking me?"
Qin Tianyi didn't answer her and sneered, "I didn't expect your social skills to be so strong. You now frequent high-end places, have a rich boyfriend, and the Huo family's daughter as a good friend. I underestimated you. Haven't you looked in the mirror? Do you think you're worthy of this status?"