Su Rou looked at Li Xuemei, putting on the air of someone who had her sister's best interests at heart.
Li Xuemei found it reasonable. "Rou'er makes a good point. Let's wait until Su Xi wins her award before holding the wedding."
Shen Xian thought it over and agreed—after all, the marriage certificate was already in hand, so Su Xi was now a daughter-in-law of the Zhou family.
A wedding was just a formality.
"Since our in-laws have spoken, then it's settled. We'll wait for Xi'er to bring back a big award, and then we'll welcome her into the Zhou family with great fanfare."
"But since the children already have their marriage certificate and are in the honeymoon phase of their new marriage, wouldn't it be a shame for them to live apart and not see each other every day? How about this—Xi'er moves into the Zhou residence."
Li Xuemei hesitated. "Isn't living together before the wedding a bit inappropriate?"
Shen Xian was open-minded and laughed as she reassured her. "What era are we living in? It's perfectly normal for young people in love to live together. Besides, Xi'er and Jingming already have their marriage certificate—that's a legally protected relationship. Who would dare gossip about that?"
Su Xi hugged Zhou Jingming tightly and whispered coquettishly, "Husband, you want me to move in too, right?"
Her doe eyes sparkled, but the hand wrapped around his neck was viciously pinching his flesh.
Zhou Jingming winced in pain—both annoyed and amused.
But even so, he didn't want Su Xi to stay in the Su household any longer.
"It's settled then."
With his final word, Li Xuemei had no more reason to object.
Su Xi packed up all her belongings, which filled just one suitcase.
Zhou Jingming reached out to take it, his gaze darkening once more.
As they left, Shen Xian linked arms affectionately with Su Xi, chatting and laughing as if the two of them were mother and daughter by blood.
Su Rou watched the three of them disappear through the doorway, her eyes reddening with grievance. "Mom, Xi'er has found her home now… what about me?"
Last night, she had deliberately set up Su Xi, hoping to ruin her reputation. Who would have thought Su Xi would end up marrying Zhou Jingming and turning the crisis around?
Instead, Su Rou had been outmaneuvered herself. Now the news was all over her scandal, and if she couldn't resolve it, the career she had worked so hard to build would be destroyed overnight.
She cried and wiped her tears, softening Li Xuemei's heart. "No matter how much it costs, Mom will find a way to suppress this scandal. I won't let your career be affected."
"I've let you down, Mom, and made you worry so much. Now that Xi'er has married into the Zhou family, with the Zhous backing her, her career is sure to soar. Mom, do you think I'm useless?" Su Rou continued wiping her tears, looking so obedient and pitiful that it tugged at the heartstrings.
Li Xuemei wiped her tears and comforted her. "How could I ever think that? You're my pride. Xi'er can't compare to you—she's too stubborn and rubs people the wrong way. She's not cut out for the entertainment industry."
"In Mom's eyes, this year's Oscar for Best Actress is definitely going to our Rou'er. When you surpass the reigning queen Xinglan and become the hottest star in the industry, Mom will get to enjoy the good life thanks to you."
Su Rou beamed at this and hooked her arm around Li Xuemei's, cooing, "I won't let you down, Mom."
Before the proposal visit to the Su family, Shen Xian had already had the servants completely redo Zhou Jingming's room—big red double-happiness characters pasted on the windows, and the bedding replaced with a brand-new wedding set.
The moment Su Xi stepped inside and saw the room bathed in red, she got a serious shock.
It was decked out like a wedding chamber on the night of consummation.
On the bedside table sat a photo of her and Zhou Jingming from their childhood.
Su Xi picked it up and looked at it. In the photo, she was a child with two little buns on her head—adorable and full of babyish charm. Everyone who saw her praised how pretty she was.
Yet standing next to Zhou Jingming, she was still completely overshadowed. That darn man was ethereally handsome now, but as a child, he'd been even more delicate and refined.
It was no wonder she'd played pranks on him as a kid, dressing him up like a doll.
The truth was, Zhou Jingming was just too good-looking.
Shen Xian walked in with a smile, and when she saw Su Xi holding the photo, she couldn't stop praising. "I've kept this photo for nearly twenty years, Auntie Shen has. Look at our Xi'er—you've been beautiful from childhood to now."
"Not at all. Auntie Shen is the beautiful one. You were already a stunning beauty when you were young. The men chasing after you could have lined up all the way to the Great Wall."
Actually, you could tell just from Zhou Jingming—his looks had been inherited from Shen Xian.
Phoenix eyes, starry gaze, perfectly proportioned features, bearing an elegance and refinement most men lacked. His skin was fair and spotless—many women couldn't even compare to him.
Shen Xian covered her mouth and giggled, pulling Su Xi to sit on the bed. "Once you step through the Zhou family door, you're a Zhou. From now on, if there's anything you need, just say the word. We're family—no need to stand on ceremony. And if Jingming ever gives you trouble, I'll help you set him straight."
Su Xi nodded.
Ever since Su Rou had gone missing, she'd felt no warmth from home at all.
Su Rou had taken up all of her family's affection.
While all she got was daily scolding and punishment.
But Shen Xian was different—she treated Su Xi like her own daughter. Back in the day, if she'd ever caught Li Xuemei punishing her, she would step in and speak up on Su Xi's behalf.
She'd bought her good food, clothes, and toys.
But all of those things were burned to ashes by Su Rou on the very first day she returned.
Back then, she'd been weak and let the Su family push her around. But now, she was no longer that little girl from years ago. If the Su family thought they could scheme against her—
Dream on!
Shen Xian suddenly remembered that she hadn't seen Zhou Jingming since they'd come home. Just as a servant was bringing up Su Xi's luggage, she asked casually, "Where's Jingming?"
"The young master said he had business to attend to and wouldn't be home for lunch."
Shen Xian frowned and instructed, "Call him. Tell him he'd better be home by six o'clock tonight, or he can forget about coming back at all."
Afraid that Su Xi might be upset, she took her hand and patted it gently. "When he gets back, I'll give him a piece of my mind—utterly disgraceful!"
Su Xi thought it was perfectly normal.
Zhou Jingming had a strong taste for fun. It'd be a miracle if he could stand being reined in.
Shen Xian still had things to do, so she didn't linger in the room. She told Su Xi to rest well, then closed the door behind her as she left.
Su Xi lay down on the bed, hoping to catch some sleep. Last night, Zhou Jingming had left her whole body aching—every bone sore and throbbing, nearly falling apart.
She'd barely closed her eyes when her agent called.
"Good lord, you actually slept with Zhou Jingming? That man's been flitting through a thousand flowers every single day—even a duck's cleaner than he is. Are you trying to donate money to the hospital out of pity?"
Honestly, no one had a sharper tongue than Hua Qing.
And it was precisely that tongue that had cost her quite a few gigs.
If she'd been strapped for cash, with just Sister Hua's help, she'd have gone hungry two out of every three days.
"My scandals were flying all over the place—a whole month of PR couldn't bury them. But the moment the marriage news got out, poof, all gone. Shouldn't you be praising me for that?"
"Praising you for what? Being pretty and capable? Sacrificing your looks for clout?"
"Drop that last part!" Su Xi rolled over in bed and drawled lazily, "This year's Oscar for Best Actress—I've got it in the bag!"
Just recently, Su Xi had auditioned and landed the female lead role in a new film by a well-known director.
Su Rou had stumbled into trouble today, and it just so happened that she had walked right into Su Xi's crosshairs.
Su Xi was full of confidence: "Once that drama starts filming, your Sister Xi will definitely help you rake in a fortune!"
On the other end of the line, the agent's voice suddenly paused.
"Su Xi, the female lead of that drama might be replaced."
"Who?!" Su Xi shot up from the bed in an instant.
"It's… Su Rou."
The agent didn't want to stab her in the heart either, but the facts were right there—what use was denial?
Not long after Su Rou returned to the Su family, she announced her intention to enter the entertainment industry.
To support Su Rou's rise, Li Xuemei spent enormous sums to help her build connections. From then on, Su Rou's life was like cheating—she monopolized all the premium resources, and within a few months climbed to the top to become a top star.
And Su Xi?
Self-reliant, struggling and hustling for so many years, she was still stuck in the D-list, plagued by scandals.
"I ran into your husband at the company. My colleagues all say your husband invested in that film just to make Su Rou the female lead."
"Why don't you just swallow your pride and apologize to her? Let's call it quits."
"There are plenty of small projects in this circle that don't clash with hers. We can make a living, no problem."
"…"
Swallow her pride?
Su Xi curled her lips in a cold sneer.
She hadn't expected Li Xuemei to be so capable—the trending topic had only just started, and it was already suppressed so quickly?
Looks like the Su family had poured in another hefty sum this time.
To support Su Rou's success, Li Xuemei really wasn't afraid of bankrupting the family.
And Su Rou, that woman, was hardly keeping a low profile—forgetting the pain once the wound healed, popping back up right after just clearing her name.
"She doesn't deserve it!"
Su Xi hung up the phone, immediately changed her clothes, and stormed off to the company.