Su Xi left the man's embrace, calmly straightening her disheveled clothes.
Zhou Jingming held a phone in one hand and took out a cigarette with the other, lighting it. His roguish, dissolute demeanor was unrestrained. "Something up?"
"I missed you, can't I even call you?" the woman cooed.
Zhou Jingming glanced at Su Xi, a flicker of emotion passing through his eyes. "You called at a bad time."
"Why?"
The man smiled teasingly. "The wife's come to check up on me. Inconvenient."
Su Xi smiled.
The dog of a man played around, going for the body, not the heart.
But he sure had a way with sweet talk.
Soon, Zhou Jingming hung up and strolled over, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "Tonight's our wedding night. I've had a surprise sent to you."
"Thank you, hubby." Su Xi had already tidied herself up and stepped out of the man's embrace.
After opening the door, she turned back and shot the man a flirtatious look. "Auntie Shen wants you home early for dinner. Don't forget."
As soon as she stepped out, she received a call from Li Xuemei and let out a cold laugh.
Su Rou had no other skills, but she was first-rate at tattling.
Li Xuemei was already calling to demand an explanation.
Su Xi couldn't be bothered and declined the call.
But Li Xuemei wouldn't let it go, calling again and again. Annoyed, Su Xi answered with a dark expression. "Hello."
Hearing Su Xi's voice, Li Xuemei immediately started scolding. "Su Xi, you've really grown bold, huh? Hitting your sister at the company and humiliating her in front of everyone—do you even consider yourself part of the Su family?"
Su Xi sneered silently.
Li Xuemei threatened, "Get home right now."
"I'm busy. No time."
Li Xuemei's voice rose several notches. "Don't think marrying into the Zhou family makes you a Zhou. You've got Su blood in your veins—you'll always be a Su. If you don't come back, I'll go to the Zhou family to find you."
"Am I really your biological daughter?" Su Xi's face was expressionless, her voice cold and thin.
They were both Su family daughters, yet she and Su Rou were treated like polar opposites.
With just one word from Su Rou, Li Xuemei never listened to her explanations—it was always her fault.
If she had Su blood in her veins, why was she treated no differently from an outsider in front of the Su family?
Li Xuemei paused for a few seconds, somewhat lacking in confidence. "What nonsense are you spouting?"
Su Xi stood in the wind, which lifted her long hair, a few strands tangling around her jade-like neck. She still bore marks from their recent intimacy, giving her a breathtaking beauty.
"All these years, have you ever treated me like your own daughter?" Su Xi's eyes were cold.
Ever since Su Rou went missing, she—at just six years old—had been like a child without a mother, bullied by everyone.
For all these years, she had climbed to where she was now through her own efforts.
Li Xuemei had never shown her any care. She had a family, yet lived worse than an orphan.
Now using blood ties to guilt-trip her—how ridiculous was that!
"Back then, if it weren't for you, Rou'er wouldn't have gotten lost and trafficked. You made a mistake and still have the nerve to question me. Su Xi, how did I raise such an ungrateful wretch like you?"
She was the ungrateful wretch?
Su Xi laughed out loud.
Facing the blazing sun, her face was covered in a layer of frost. "Since I'm an ungrateful wretch, then just pretend you never gave birth to me!"
She hung up, cutting off Li Xuemei's scolding from the receiver.
The moment she turned around, she ran right into Hua Qing, who was walking toward her.
"Su Xi, are you okay?" Hua Qing approached, seeing her eyes reddened by the wind, and assumed she was sad and upset, so she came over to comfort her.
Su Xi shook her head. "These people aren't worth my sadness."
"You're right, they're not worth it."
Hua Qing hugged her.
A strange odor wafted into her nose, and she frowned. "You just got mounted by Zhou Jingming, and you reek of it this much."
Su Xi was speechless.
She couldn't help but laugh through her tears.
Thankfully Zhou Jingming wasn't there, or he'd have skinned Sister Hua alive.
She turned off her phone and stepped into the elevator.
With Li Xuemei's temper, she'd definitely not let it go, and Su Xi had no time to deal with them.
Sister Hua thought back to what had just happened and clicked her tongue. "But honestly, Zhou Jingming may be a playboy, but he's reliable when it counts. You didn't see the way he protected you. If I didn't know his true nature, I'd have thought you two were a loving couple."
Su Xi lowered her eyes toward the lounge, a slight curve forming at the corner of her lips.
Having grown up together, she knew he wasn't bad at heart.
Otherwise…
She wouldn't have just slept with him once and dragged him into marriage.
There were some things she needed someone to shield her from.
The elevator quickly reached the first floor. Su Xi stepped out, then suddenly remembered something and paused. "Today I hit Su Rou and Zhou Li. They wouldn't dare pull anything in front of me, but I can't rule out them making things difficult for you. Be careful at the company from now on. If someone yells at you, give it right back. If someone hits you, hit them back hard. I've got your back."
Hua Qing: "…I don't dare."
"Usually you're all talk, running your mouth off, but when it counts you're this cowardly? Sister Hua, can we have some backbone?"
"No, backbone means paying compensation, and we don't have the capital." Hua Qing didn't want to be a coward either.
Su Xi had no fame and was constantly trending for the wrong reasons. As for her, she was an unknown manager.
Su Xi was straightforward and outspoken, and she'd offended quite a few people over the years. If even she became arrogant and reckless, this duo really would have to team up and beg for coins on an overpass.
Su Xi turned and walked over, patting her on the shoulder. "It's fine, I've got your back."
"Sure, I'll wait for you to rise up. We'll learn from Su Rou and go to a bar to order eighteen male models. I want to feel a male model's abs too."
Hua Qing had a dreamy look on her face.
Su Xi laughed. "Just wait, I'll definitely make your wish come true."
But Hua Qing didn't take it to heart. She knew Su Xi's situation better than anyone—over the years, she'd earned less than she'd lost in compensation.
Who told Su Xi to have a black-hole reputation and a flashy personality?
As long as she didn't cause trouble, that was enough. Hua Qing really didn't dare hope Su Xi would make her money.
…
Li Xuemei indeed showed up at the Zhou family home.
Su Xi had just left Fengxing Media when she received a call from Shen Xian.
"Don't be afraid. You're a daughter-in-law of our Zhou family now. No one can bully you. Even if that person is your own family, if they want to touch you, they'll have to ask the Zhou family first."
Shen Xian comforted her over the phone, and her tone of protecting her to the end moved Su Xi.
"Thank you, Auntie Shen. I'm heading back now."
She got in the car, stepped on the gas, and sped toward the Zhou family villa.
At the Zhou family home.
Shen Xian finished her call and returned to sit on the sofa.
Li Xuemei immediately seized the opportunity to ask, "That child Xi'er is really too much. She won't even answer her phone. I had no choice but to come here. Ah Xian, did she say when she'll be back?"
Li Xuemei had a belly full of anger but didn't dare show it in front of Shen Xian.
Shen Xian protected Su Xi. If she were to interfere in this matter, she would still teach that dead girl a lesson the same way.
Shen Xian picked up the flower tea and took a sip, her demeanor calm and elegant. "She's already on her way back."
She knew clearly why Li Xuemei had come—it was about Su Rou again.
There were some matters she had previously found inconvenient to interfere in, but now her status was different, and there was no need to be polite. "Xuemei, I watched Xi'er grow up. As for her character, I ask myself if I know it no less than you do."
"She is clever and kind, and treats people with sincerity and courtesy. Unless someone provoked her first, with her temperament, it's impossible that she would hit anyone."