When Zhao Guoxiang heard this, anger immediately flared up.
“Su Su, be obedient! Don’t provoke me—I’m not discussing this with you!”
Looking at that gaze so strikingly similar to Su Mei’s, Zhao Guoxiang wanted nothing more than to slap her hard across the face.
But he knew he couldn’t be forceful right now. With Su Su’s spoiled young-lady temper, if he pushed too hard, there was no way she would sign.
He then sighed again and said in a helpless tone,
“Su Su, I know this is what your mother and grandfather left you, but the situation is really urgent now.”
“I didn’t want to worry you, but I have no choice but to say it now!”
“I’ve already received news—the authorities will begin taking action very soon.”
“Su Su, if you transfer the property to me now, and we also write a letter cutting family ties, then if an investigation really happens later, I’ll bear all the consequences myself. At least you’ll be completely innocent. Even if something goes wrong, it won’t implicate you!”
Mu Lanxin also looked worried as she chimed in, persuading her, “Su Su, I know you don’t like me, but your father has it hard, managing such a big family. He’s truly doing this for your own good. Try to be understanding of him.”
The couple spoke better than singers on stage, making it seem as if Su Su would be unreasonable, even the family’s sinner, if she didn’t agree.
Su Su sneered inwardly. If she hadn’t read the original novel’s plot, she might really have been fooled.
In the book, the scumbag father used exactly this kind of excuse to make the original owner obediently sign the property transfer agreement.
The original owner lived in constant fear afterward, even handing over the jewelry her mother had left her.
Zhao Guoxiang claimed he would hand them over to the state, but in reality, he sold everything off.
In the end, the jewelry fell into the hands of Mu Lanxin and her daughter, letting them steal the limelight.
When the Red Committee eventually came knocking at the Su family’s door, they had already fled to Hong Kong, continuing to enjoy wealth and luxury.
The pitiful original owner was left alone to endure all the storms for them.
Since that was the case, she would play along and let the scumbag father and stepmother taste the feeling of joy turning into nothing.
Su Su put on an expression of being both moved and ashamed.
“Dad, it’s not that I don’t want to sign, it’s just that…”
As she spoke, she deliberately paused. Sure enough, she saw all three of them look over at once.
“This is something my mother left me.”
“Tomorrow is her death anniversary. I was thinking of signing it after tomorrow—would that be okay?”
Zhao Guoxiang felt a bit irritated, vaguely sensing that something was off. But since she had already agreed to sign, waiting one more day didn’t seem like a big deal.
Mu Lanxin and Zhao Yiyi’s expressions turned extremely ugly.
They exchanged unwilling glances.
Mu Lanxin immediately stood up and served Su Su a bowl of seafood porridge.
“Here, Su Su, have some porridge.”
Seeing Su Su take it, she smiled gently again and persuaded, “If you ask me, you should sign it now. After all, time waits for no one.”
Bang!
Su Su suddenly slammed the bowl onto the ground with a sharp crash.
The scalding porridge splashed onto Mu Lanxin’s face.
She screamed and jumped back.
Zhao Yiyi’s eyes filled with tears as she cried weakly, “Sis, what are you doing?”
Su Su sneered. “I’m allergic to seafood, and she still served me this porridge. What kind of intentions does she have? Is she that eager to kill me so she can monopolize my dad and seize my mom’s property?!”
Su Su was actually allergic to seafood?
Zhao Yiyi was left speechless. She could only look to Zhao Guoxiang for help, hoping he would scold Su Su like before and lock her in confinement again.
Zhao Guoxiang sat in the main seat, his face dark. He frowned impatiently and, unusually, didn’t scold Su Su. Instead, he ordered Mu Lanxin, “How could you be so careless? Apologize to Su Su now!”
Mu Lanxin didn’t dare to refute him. Her hands clenched tightly, nails digging into her flesh, bringing sharp pain.
This little bitch was daring to act this way just because they needed something from her.
Just wait—once the papers were signed, she would definitely get revenge for this humiliation!
Mu Lanxin forced an ugly smile.
“Su Su, I’m sorry. Aunt Mu was careless.”
Su Su lifted her chin, her eyes full of disdain.
“If Aunt Mu has time, you should learn from Aunt Zhang. Don’t forget what your actual job is.”
With that, she turned around and left the dining table directly, ignoring the faint crying and arguments behind her.
After venting her anger, Su Su felt both physically and mentally refreshed—but she still had many things to do.
The most urgent task now was to quickly find where the scumbag father was hiding the Su family’s assets.
According to the book, the Su family had a deep foundation. Their legitimate businesses included cotton mills, shipyards, department stores, and many other industries.
These factories generated enormous profits every year, but ever since Su Mu’s death, the money and land deeds had been tightly held in Zhao Guoxiang’s hands.
If it weren’t for the fact that all the land deeds were in Su Su’s name, they probably would have been sold off long ago!
Zhao Guoxiang was unwilling to give up such a huge piece of fat meat. To obtain all the Su family’s assets, he waited until she had just come of age a few days ago, then impatiently tried to force her to sign the transfer agreement.
Since he planned to flee to Hong Kong, he would definitely gather all the money together and hide it in one concealed place, then transport it all to Hong Kong on the day of departure.
But the book never mentioned where the money was hidden.
Su Su’s eyes flickered as she suddenly thought of the butler, Uncle Wang, who had been standing by the staircase.
Right!
Uncle Wang must know.
He had worked for the Su family for thirty years and was familiar with every corner of the house.
In her memories, when Su Mu was alive, she had told the original owner that Uncle Wang was like family, and she could go to him with any problems.
When she was young, the original owner had been very close to Uncle Wang. But later, due to the scumbag father and stepmother’s instigation, she gradually distanced herself from him, treating him as just an ordinary butler.
Su Su immediately opened the door, intending to look for Uncle Wang.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she went downstairs, she saw Uncle Wang waiting for her.
Without saying a word, he led her out to the garden before speaking:
“Miss, I knew you were as smart as your mother. You’d definitely be able to see through their true faces. That way, your mother and grandfather can rest easy in heaven.”
Su Su’s heart was suddenly stirred. Toward the mother and grandfather she had never met, she felt an inexplicable sense of closeness and affection.
Since he was one of her own, Su Su didn’t beat around the bush and asked directly, “Uncle Wang, do you know where Zhao Guoxiang would hide all of the Su family’s assets?”
Uncle Wang thought for a moment, then said, “Zhao Guoxiang is always suspicious. He can only feel at ease when the assets are right under his nose. So I suspect he would hide them in a secret room inside his bedroom.”
Having gotten her answer, Su Su immediately formed a plan.
She remembered that during dinner, the scumbag father Zhao Guoxiang had mentioned that he would be going out tomorrow—most likely to contact buyers in advance so he could sell off the factories directly.
And every time Zhao Guoxiang wasn’t home, Mu Lanxin would invite other ladies from their circle to play mahjong.
Zhao Yiyi, on the other hand, would go to the department store to shop for clothes.
This was the perfect opportunity!