Jiang Yuli listened quietly, his gaze fixed on her crimson lips.
They looked very kissable.
He wondered if Shen Qiao had kissed them before.
They had dated for a year, so he probably had.
As Jiang Yuli remained silent, Su Lingyu’s voice unconsciously softened. “You understand my concerns now, don’t you, Uncle?”
“Isn’t it unfair to sentence me to death without giving me a chance?” Jiang Yuli’s thumb stroked her wrist. “I’m not asking for official status immediately. Let’s try things out first.”
Su Lingyu blinked. “How do we try?”
“Treat me the same way you treated Shen Qiao. Try to become dependent on me and see if I find it annoying.”
How could he ever find her annoying?
He had spent nearly eighteen years abroad.
It was less like studying abroad and more like exile.
His aloof, restrained, and indifferent demeanor had been forced upon him.
The clingy spirit that Shen Qiao disdained was exactly what he had always dreamed of.
And it wouldn’t work with anyone else—he only wanted Su Lingyu.
Su Lingyu deflated. “You’ll definitely get annoyed… Shen Qiao called me a pervert. You can imagine how clingy I am…”
“I happen to like challenges.”
Jiang Yuli was such a pervert too.
Su Lingyu found it difficult to depend on others. Her relationship with Shen Qiao had only worked because they were childhood friends.
She fell silent.
Jiang Yuli leaned close to her ear, his voice low and seductive. “Trying won’t cost you anything. If we end up together, Shen Qiao will have to call you ‘Auntie’ every time he sees you. That would piss him off to death.”
“Deal! Let’s give it a try!”
She absolutely—absolutely—wasn’t doing this just to hear Shen Qiao call her Auntie!
It was only because Jiang Yuli was so handsome.
“Then I can start pursuing you.”
Huh? He was going to pursue her?
“Developing feelings and me pursuing you aren’t mutually exclusive.” Jiang Yuli wanted to win the beauty’s heart as soon as possible.
Su Lingyu’s ears turned red, and she nodded shyly.
By the time Su Lingyu returned home, her elderly parents had already gone to bed.
Her brother Su Huainan and sister-in-law Lu Xiang were still waiting for her on the sofa.
“Good evening, Brother, Sister-in-law!”
Su Huainan had already received Fu Chun’s message, but his sister seemed to be in good spirits.
“Fu Chun said you two aren’t compatible. I’ll introduce you to someone else tomorrow.”
“No need!” Su Lingyu refused instantly.
But she didn’t dare tell her brother about her agreement with Jiang Yuli.
After all, Jiang Yuli’s image as cold and unfeeling was deeply ingrained.
Who would believe that Jiang Yuli was willing to try things with a “clingy spirit” and “annoying pest” like her?
Even she was somewhat suspicious of his motives.
“Brother, I just went through a breakup. I’m not ready to jump into another relationship so soon. Let’s talk about it later and just go with the flow.” Su Lingyu cheerfully turned to go upstairs. “I’m so tired, I’m heading up now. Good night, Brother and Sister-in-law.”
The couple’s eyes followed her until she disappeared at the top of the stairs, then they looked at each other.
“Darling, Xiao Yu seems quite happy,” Lu Xiang said, stroking her pregnant belly. “Do you think she got back together with Shen Qiao?”
“I’ll ask her tomorrow.” Su Huainan helped his wife stand up.
They had waited up precisely because they were worried about Su Lingyu’s blind date.
“Darling, you really can’t judge a book by its cover. I never thought Shen Qiao would look down on our Xiao Yu,” Lu Xiang said with clear dissatisfaction in her voice.
“They grew up together since childhood. Knowing Xiaoyu has Separation Anxiety Disorder, he still came back alone. How outrageous. Hasn’t he apologized to Xiaoyu?”
The couple slowly walked toward their room. Lu Xiang was six months pregnant, moving cautiously with measured steps.
Su Huainan’s eyes darkened slightly: “Probably not.”
At least Su Lingyu hadn’t mentioned it.
She would send him dozens of messages a day – she definitely wouldn’t keep such a thing to herself.
“You men,” Lu Xiang pushed Su Huainan away with mild reproach, “once the novelty wears off, you start finding it annoying.”
Su Huainan spread his hands helplessly: “Honey, if you’re talking about Shen Qiao, just talk about Shen Qiao. Don’t drag me into this! I’m a good man! Otherwise why would you have married me?”
“Walk slower, be careful.” He quickly moved to support her again.
“I can walk by myself!” Lu Xiang pushed him away once more, her tone serious. “You need to handle this matter quickly. I don’t want to see Xiaoyu being treated unfairly.”
“I know, I know.” Su Huainan responded repeatedly.
The next day.
Hundred Rivers Tower.
Sunlight streamed into the vice president’s office, bright and spacious.
Shen Qiao sat at his desk, surrounded by numerous documents, yet his gaze remained fixed on the message Su Lingyu had sent on his phone:
[Break up!!!!!]
He hadn’t seen it until the next morning, six hours after it was sent.
He hadn’t replied.
Since he’d decided to give her the cold shoulder, he had to see it through. Su Lingyu wouldn’t actually break up with him.
They were childhood sweethearts, and besides, not just anyone could make her dependent. Her Separation Anxiety Disorder hadn’t improved all these years – she would eventually come back to him on her own, begging.
Knock knock knock.
After the knocking, Hu Kexin entered looking anxious.
“President Shen, something bad has happened!”
Shen Qiao casually placed his phone on the desk: “What is it?”
“Our intelligent robot project was originally receiving technical support from the Su Corporation, but we just received word that they’ve unilaterally canceled the cooperation!”
Su Corporation – Su Lingyu’s family company.
Shen Qiao immediately stood up: “Don’t panic. It must be Su Lingyu complaining to her brother. I’ll go to the Su Corporation right now.”
Su Corporation.
The secretary led Shen Qiao to the reception room.
“President Shen, President Su is still in a meeting. Please wait a moment.”
“Alright.”
Shen Qiao stood in the reception room, his eyes returning to his phone screen.
Before, Su Lingyu would send what felt like a hundred messages a day, asking where he was, what he was doing, if he missed her, if they could meet.
But the most recent message was still her “break up” declaration.
This time during her tantrum, she could actually resist sending messages?
He’d have to look at Su Lingyu in a new light.
Some improvement – not as clingy as before.
Shen Qiao’s finger moved, deleting Su Lingyu’s glaring “Break up!!!!!” from the chat history.
He’d deal with Su Huainan first, then go find Su Lingyu.
At least for now, he couldn’t give Su Huainan any leverage.
Everyone knew Su Huainan was famously a devoted older brother – Su Lingyu’s words were like imperial decrees to him.
An hour later, Hu Kexin went to the reception room door to look around. The hallway was almost empty, everyone busy with their own work. She returned to the reception room disgruntled.
“President Shen, they’re clearly giving us the cold shoulder on purpose! They haven’t even offered us water.” This was really too much.
Shen Qiao kept a calm expression: “It’s fine, we’ll wait a bit longer.” The two families had always had good relations, and Su Huainan wouldn’t easily abandon a profitable opportunity. This was probably just a temporary stance.
After a while longer, the reception room door finally opened.
Su Huainan had just finished the meeting, his sharp and decisive aura not yet reined in, with lingering anger from the discussion still etched between his brows.
“President Su, our collaboration has been going so well—why cancel it so abruptly?” Hu Kexin stepped forward urgently, voicing her question first.
Su Huainan’s icy gaze swept over her as he uttered only two words:
“Get out.”