It was not until she heard the person on the bed snoring that Su Tang finally came to her senses completely.
She was indeed vain and wanted to marry Lu Huai.
She wanted to marry into a wealthy family and live a life free from worries about food and clothing.
She was greedy for Lu Huai’s gentleness, loved money, and did not want to struggle through life while constantly having to read other people’s moods.
Was that really so wrong?
Even if it was, there were plenty of people in this world who were far worse than her. How could it possibly be her who deserved to be drowned?
She lowered her head and glanced at the date displayed on her phone.
July 10, Friday, 10:20 p.m.
Thank goodness. She had not done anything foolish yet. There was still time to change everything.
Suppressing the fear rising from the depths of her heart, Su Tang quickly steadied her breathing.
She could not stay here any longer.
If she continued scheming against Lu Huai, she would only end up dead.
“Bzzzt…”
The moment she stepped outside, the phone in her hand suddenly vibrated.
The words “Mom” flashed across the screen, and Su Tang’s gaze immediately turned cold.
As soon as she answered, a woman’s self-righteous voice came from the other end.
“Tangtang! Your brother is still short two hundred thousand yuan for his tuition at the international school. Think of something…”
This was the third time Xia Juying had asked her for money in her younger brother’s name since remarrying and having a son with another man.
Su Tang knew that it had not been easy for her mother to establish herself in the Wu family, and she had devoted almost all her energy to her stepfather and younger brother.
Thinking back over the past few years, her stepfather, Wu Wei, had actually treated her quite well. On the few occasions she had gone to the Wu family home, they had always welcomed her with smiles.
She still had a favorable impression of this stepfather.
It was only in the past two years that his business had failed, leaving him with a large amount of debt, and the Wu family’s life had consequently become difficult.
The first two times Xia Juying had asked her for money, the amounts had not been large.
She had complained to Lu Huai, and the problem had been resolved quickly.
But now…
A bitter smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
“I don’t have any money.” Su Tang refused bluntly.
Xia Juying immediately became displeased. “What did you say? You’re his older sister, so you should think about your brother! If you won’t help him, who will?
“You’re living comfortably in the Lu family. Are you really going to stand by and watch your brother have no money to go to school?”
Ever since her younger brother had been born, he had always come first.
She was the older sister, an outsider, someone who could be sacrificed at any time and used as a tool to support her younger brother.
In the past, thinking of their family ties, she had been softhearted and willing to compromise.
But now, she only wanted to live for herself.
Su Tang’s voice was cold. “I said I don’t have any money.”
Xia Juying raised her voice.
“Who are you trying to fool? The Lu family is the richest family in the capital. You have such a good relationship with the Lu family’s second young master. Even a little money he lets slip through his fingers would be enough to pay for your brother’s entire education!”
Su Tang laughed in exasperation. “Miss Xia, don’t forget that I just graduated. I’m living under someone else’s roof and haven’t even found a job yet. It’s not as if I’ve suddenly become rich.
“In all these ten years, how many times have you actually cared about me?
“You know that I have a good relationship with him, so you’ve come asking me for money again and again. He gave it to you the first two times, but he can’t keep doing it every single time, can he?
“Do I really have to teach you that three times is enough?”
“How dare you talk to me like that?”
Xia Juying cursed angrily. “You ungrateful brat! Now that you’ve made it, you refuse to help your own family and only care about enjoying yourself. Have you no conscience?”
Wu Wei, who was beside his wife, took the phone from her.
“Tangtang, just take pity on your brother. The Wu family is counting on him to make something of himself in the future…”
Su Tang replied, “If you don’t have the money, you can send him to a public school.
“Whether he goes to school or not is a matter for you, his parents, to decide. It has nothing to do with me.
“From now on, I won’t interfere in your lives at all.”
Upon hearing this, Xia Juying exploded with rage. She snatched the phone back and shrieked, “Su Tang, you’ve really gone too far…”
Before the furious cursing on the other end could continue, Su Tang hung up.
She also blocked her stepfather’s and younger brother’s numbers.
At last, there was peace.
She had nothing left, neither family affection nor love.
Su Tang smiled, and for the first time in her life, the smile felt completely free. It was as though she had finally released all the gloom that had weighed on her for more than twenty years.
Her entire body felt weak, so she leaned against the wall and slowly made her way toward her room.
However, just as she turned the corner at the end of the corridor, she ran into someone.
Under the corridor light stood a tall, slender figure.
The man wore an extremely simple black lounge shirt that accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist.
His features were deep and striking, his expression cold and restrained.
There was an aloof, oppressive air about him that came from someone who had occupied a position of power for many years.
Su Tang did not know how long he had been standing there, nor how much he had heard.
At that moment, the man’s dark eyes rested on her without a trace of expression.
An invisible pressure enveloped Su Tang.
Her heart gave a violent jolt, and the fear from the dream she had just experienced surged over her once again.
After ten years of developing the instinct to be obedient, she quickly suppressed the panic and fear in her eyes.
Bracing herself, she walked toward him.
She put on an innocent, harmless smile, her voice soft and sweet.
“Brother Lu Zheng, you’re back.”
The corridor was quiet beneath the gentle light.
Su Tang stood where the light and shadows met, a pale-colored long dress outlining her perfect figure and making her fair skin and delicate features appear even more striking.
Only, her eyes, which usually resembled those of a timid little deer, were now veiled with a layer of mist.
Lu Zheng looked at her and did not miss the brief flash of panic in the girl’s eyes.
What he had not expected was that she would quickly return to her usual docile, ingratiating demeanor.
Interesting!
Lu Zheng pressed his thin lips together. “I happened to have some free time these two days, so I came back to spend some time with Grandma.”
After a pause, he suddenly asked, “You just came out of his room?”
Thinking of the nightmare from earlier, Su Tang’s heart tightened.
She nodded, then quickly shook her head and stammered, “Yes, Huai… Brother Huai got drunk and fell asleep. I’m tired too, so I was about to go back to my room and rest.”
The moment she finished speaking, she almost fled.
She had only taken two steps when the man’s cold voice suddenly sounded behind her.
“Wait.”
Su Tang froze in place, her spine turning cold.
She slowly turned around and forced a smile. “Brother Lu Zheng, is there something else?”
Lu Zheng took a long stride forward and stopped in front of her, looking down at her from his superior height.
His gaze settled on her pale face, deep and unreadable.
When Su Tang looked up, she happened to meet a pair of pitch-black eyes.
Those long, narrow eyes were far too clear and piercing.
It was as though they could see through every disguise she wore and expose every little scheme and greedy thought hidden in her heart.
Fear swept over her again, and even her palms began to sweat.
The next second, the man’s large, well-defined hand reached into his pocket and took out an exquisite black luxury gift box.
Su Tang lowered her eyes to it. The intricate pattern on the box alone made it obvious that it was extremely expensive.
Lu Zheng held the gift box out to her and said flatly, “Take it.”
Su Tang was stunned, looking up at him in confusion.
“This… is this for me?”
Lu Zheng nodded.
Su Tang hesitated before reaching out to take it. When she opened the box, she found a wristwatch resting against the pure white lining.
Tiny diamonds glittered across the watch face, understated yet luxurious.
In the past, Su Tang would definitely have accepted it with a beaming smile and said a few sweet words in return.
Although she had always thought Lu Zheng was cold and aloof, not as gentle and easy to get along with as Lu Huai, she would still soften her voice and sweetly call him “Brother Lu Zheng” whenever they met.
She understood the principle that when you lived under someone else’s roof, you had to be mindful of the favors you received.
But now, she was a little afraid.
This man, whom she had called “Brother Lu Zheng” for years and who seemed so cold and distant, was someone who could take her life with ease.
Looking at the watch in her hand, she could not help feeling a little regretful.
She might love money, but she knew perfectly well which was more important, money or her life.
“It’s too expensive. I can’t accept it.”