As soon as Su Chen left the hospital, he received a call from Su Ying.
Due to a sudden drop in temperature, her flight was delayed, and she only learned about Su He's injury after landing. Worried, she asked, "Which hospital is Su Su in? I'll go there now."
"Don't you need to adjust to the time difference?" Su Chen treated his younger siblings equally.
Su Ying hailed a taxi. "In our line of work, we're flying all the time. When has our biological clock ever been normal? Stop the nonsense and give me the address."
"With Lu Yanbei there, I doubt he'll let anyone get close easily," Su Chen said, exhaling a smoke ring towards the window.
Su Ying's brow furrowed in displeasure. "Is he too overbearing? We're Su Su's family after all!"
"He doesn't care about that," Su Chen mumbled. "I just don't want you to suffer for no reason."
Su Ying was a smart woman and quickly sensed something was amiss. "You didn't run into trouble with Lu Yanbei, did you? That's why you're advising me not to go? That's not like the CEO Su I know!"
Su Ying teased him without reservation.
"I just don't want Su Su to worry," Su Chen flicked the ash from his cigarette, his brow furrowed. "Her condition isn't very optimistic right now... the doctor said there was a blood clot in her head. Although it's been surgically cleared, there will definitely be sequelae later."
"I plan to take her to the best neurological hospital abroad after some time," Su Chen said with utmost seriousness, appearing to be entirely considerate of Su He.
Su Ying didn't suspect anything.
After all, the siblings had grown up together and shared an extraordinary bond. Su He, being the youngest, was doted on by everyone.
"Okay! I'll tell Su Su your decision when I see her the other day."
"It must be in private. Lu Yanbei is watching closely and won't allow Su Su to disappear from his sight," Su Chen earnestly instructed.
Su Ying found him being so fussy a bit uncharacteristic. "You care so much about Su Su's affairs, anyone would think you were her father!"
Su Chen continued his self-deprecating joke, oblivious to the fleeting helplessness in Su He's eyes.
He was five years older than Su He; there shouldn't be such a big generation gap, right?
After the siblings ended their call, Su Ying's car slowly drove into the city. "Driver, take me to St. Love Hospital."
*
"CEO Su, where to next? Back to the company or home?" the driver asked diligently.
Su Chen hesitated for a moment and then gave the address of Jiang Xiaoxiao's rented apartment.
He still had a knot of anger in his chest; he wouldn't be able to live normally without venting it.
"Who is it this late at night?" Jiang Xiaoxiao thought it was a delivery person when she heard the knock. Upon opening the door, she was surprised to see Su Chen. Her relaxed expression instantly vanished. "CEO Su, what brings you here?"
Jiang Xiaoxiao was wearing a slip dress and smelled faintly of body wash, indicating she had already showered.
This realization stirred something within Su Chen.
Jiang Xiaoxiao was not just his benefactor; they had also, by a twist of fate, had a night together. At that time, Su Chen, learning that Su He was in a relationship, had gotten drunk and mistaken Jiang Xiaoxiao for Su He.
After that one night, the situation became extremely awkward.
For a long time, Su Chen refused to see her, even showing disdain. He felt that if it weren't for her, he wouldn't have acted so recklessly while drunk and done something he regretted towards Su He.
Jiang Xiaoxiao was the one who suffered, but he knew her heart belonged elsewhere, so he deliberately avoided the issue.
Firstly, Su He was her best friend, and it was rather inappropriate to sleep with her best friend's brother. Secondly, she knew Su Chen had no affection for her, and it was better to let go sooner than to cling on.
In any case, the outcome would be the same.
Since that absurd night, the two had deliberately avoided each other, rarely meeting. But Su Chen's sudden visit today, coupled with his hostile gaze, as if he were about to fire her, made her feel very scared.
"I'll get you a glass of water," Jiang Xiaoxiao turned to leave.
Su Chen grabbed her by her delicate chin. "Because of you, I almost lost the most precious person in my life... Were you deliberately provoking me before? Do you want to replace her?"
Jiang Xiaoxiao's chin hurt, and she tried to explain, "CEO Su, I didn't!"
"You're not satisfied with asking me for help, you even went to Lu Yanbei? You know he's the person I hate the most, how dare you go to him!" Su Chen was in a fit of rage and was ruthless.
Jiang Xiaoxiao's chin was already red from his grip, and her legs felt weak, clearly terrified.
"Dressed like this intentionally, did you already guess I would come to settle accounts? Trying to use beauty to get past this? I'm telling you, it's not that easy!"
"I didn't!" Jiang Xiaoxiao's tears welled up uncontrollably as she listened to these humiliating words.
Then came the sound of clothes tearing.
"Since you're so eager to climb into my bed, I'll grant your wish!" Su Chen was blinded by anger and had no idea what he was doing. He dragged the semi-naked Jiang Xiaoxiao into the bedroom and began a series of punishments.
He felt that Jiang Xiaoxiao owed him!
Why didn't she call more times? Why did she seek help from Lu Yanbei? All of this became Jiang Xiaoxiao's fault.
Jiang Xiaoxiao resisted and screamed, but neither could awaken the man who had lost his mind. She could only let him vent on her. After an unknown amount of time, the room finally fell silent.
After venting his physical energy, Su Chen lit a cigarette.
He looked at the woman curled up beside him, her body covered in bruises that couldn't be hidden. It was evident how brutally he had acted.
Su Chen closed his eyes, disliking this loss of control.
"Tell me, how much do you want?" He took a puff of his cigarette, treating this as a business transaction.
Jiang Xiaoxiao felt even more humiliated.
"No need," she replied softly.
"I don't want to rehash this later," Su Chen impatiently flicked the ash.
Jiang Xiaoxiao felt as if she had been run over by a truck and couldn't move. Yet, she stubbornly got up and limped towards the bathroom door. "I'll clean up the marks on my body, CEO Su doesn't need to worry."
Su Chen knitted his sharp brows, momentarily unsure how to respond.
Having navigated the business world for many years and seen all sorts of underhanded tactics, he assumed Jiang Xiaoxiao was using a feigned retreat to advance her position and seek more benefits. "I'll give you a sum of money and a house. You'll move abroad to settle down as soon as possible. Each month, I'll have my secretary transfer living expenses to you. These terms are already very generous. I hope you won't be ungrateful."
Jiang Xiaoxiao, with her back to the room, had tears streaming down her face.