The black Mercedes-Benz stopped in front of Su Muqiu. Sun Ziyi got out of the car and hugged Su Muqiu briefly. Her puzzled gaze then fell on Xiao Zhan, and she frowned, "Muqiu, is he the husband you just got engaged to?"
"Yes."
Su Muqiu nodded.
Sun Ziyi scrutinized Xiao Zhan for a moment, her expression betraying disdain and contempt. However, in front of Su Muqiu, she forced a smile and said, "He's got a sturdy build, broad shoulders, and a strong waist. Not bad. I heard about what happened at the engagement party. He stood up for you and Mengmeng, so I guess he's a man of courage and responsibility..."
"Thanks for the compliment."
Xiao Zhan accepted it without hesitation.
"Ha!"
Sun Ziyi rolled her eyes, her disdain even more evident. She thought to herself, I'm just trying to comfort Muqiu, can't you tell? Idiot! She shifted her gaze away from Xiao Zhan and explained, "This morning, I was planning to attend your engagement party, but Shaohui happened to be free and asked me out for lunch, so I got delayed. I hope you don't mind?"
"No, I don't."
Su Muqiu shook her head.
"Look, this is the gift Shaohui gave me. Isn't it beautiful?"
Sun Ziyi pointed to the Cartier pendant around her neck, boasting, "I checked online, and this pendant is worth 150,000."
"So expensive?"
Su Muqiu was a bit surprised. She examined it closely and praised, "It's really pretty. It matches your skin tone perfectly. With this dress, you look like a little fairy who descended to the mortal world."
"You have good taste, no wonder you're my bestie!" Sun Ziyi was even more pleased.
Xiao Zhan, however, shook his head silently.
Sun Ziyi's features were delicate, but compared to Su Muqiu, they were not in the same league. Moreover, her heavy makeup was overwhelming. She wore a red dress with an open neckline, revealing a hint of cleavage, and as she spoke to Su Muqiu, she deliberately swayed her hips, exuding a mix of sensuality and flirtation.
A little fairy?
Such deceitful words, it's amazing Su Muqiu could say them.
Calling her a little vixen would be more accurate!
"Ziyi."
Suddenly, the driver's side door opened, and Chen Shaohui, who had been sitting in the car making a call, stepped out. He walked straight to Sun Ziyi and Su Muqiu, extending his hand to Su Muqiu with a gentlemanly smile, "Miss Su, a pleasure to meet you."
"Hello."
Su Muqiu shook his hand politely.
Although Chen Shaohui hid it well, his gaze towards Su Muqiu was filled with admiration and a hint of desire.
"Muqiu, let me introduce you."
Sun Ziyi, oblivious, turned and wrapped her arm around Chen Shaohui's, pressing her chest against his arm, displaying an intimate demeanor, "My prince charming, Chen Shaohui, the young master of the South City Chen Family, General Manager of Brilliance Pictures, one of the top ten outstanding youths in Quancheng, and a member of the Provincial Martial Arts Association, as well as the Vice President of the Municipal Martial Arts Association..."
"Impressive."
Even Su Muqiu had to admit that Chen Shaohui was indeed exceptional. She sincerely wished, "You're lucky to find such a good man. As your bestie, I'm truly happy for you. I hope you two have a long and happy life together."
"Of course!"
Sun Ziyi smiled smugly, then changed the subject, "But, Muqiu, don't be too upset. It's just an engagement, after all. You haven't registered at the civil affairs bureau. Shaohui has many friends. If there's a chance, I'll introduce you to them. Maybe one of them is your prince charming."
Her voice was loud, with no intention of sparing Xiao Zhan's feelings.
Chen Shaohui, throughout, hadn't spared Xiao Zhan a glance, treating him as if he were invisible. He continued with Sun Ziyi's words, "To be honest, our company has a project to collaborate with the Su Group. I'm here today to have lunch with Ziyi and accompany my dad to discuss the cooperation details with President Su. My dad should still be at the Su Group now..."
"Oh?"
Su Muqiu was taken aback.
Chen Shaohui smiled, "I heard the engagement was your grandfather's idea. If Miss Su has any reservations and wants to break off the engagement, perhaps I can help."
"Yes, yes."
Sun Ziyi nodded, "No matter how much your grandfather favors your cousin, he has to give the Chen Family some face. As long as Shaohui puts in a good word for you in front of your grandfather, I'm sure he can change his mind."
"Then, I'll introduce Shaohui's friends to you, and see who dares to bully you!"
Undeniably, Sun Ziyi had Su Muqiu's best interests at heart.
However, Su Muqiu glanced at Xiao Zhan, hesitated for a moment, and shook her head, "Forget it. Everyone has their own fate. I don't have your kind of luck. As long as Mengmeng is by my side and can grow up carefree, I'm content."
"But..."
"It's getting late, let's go."
Sun Ziyi wanted to persuade her further, but Su Muqiu didn't give her the chance. After all, saying these things in front of Xiao Zhan was too cruel for him.
Xiao Zhan didn't take those words to heart.
Given his status, being despised and looked down upon was normal. If Sun Ziyi tried to matchmake him with Su Muqiu, that would truly be insane.
What caught his attention was Chen Shaohui's identity!
The young master of the South City Chen Family?
General Manager of Brilliance Pictures?
What a coincidence.
Enemies meet on a narrow road!
Xiao Zhan remembered clearly, five years ago, he and his mother returned to Quancheng to visit relatives. Due to the prestige of the Capital Xiao Family, many local families in Quancheng welcomed them with open arms, hosting banquets to entertain them, hoping to establish a connection with the Capital Xiao Family.
Xiao Zhan's mother's family was in South City, and their connections were also there, so the families in South City were particularly attentive.
The night Xiao Zhan got into trouble, it was because he drank a few too many at a banquet, became disoriented, and was then carried into a hotel room, where he ended up with Su Muqiu in a daze.
Three family heads attended that banquet: the Zhang Family, the Liu Family, and the Chen Family.
And the head of the Chen Family, Chen Zhonghe, was Chen Shaohui's father!
Today was the first time Xiao Zhan and Chen Shaohui met. Initially, they didn't know each other, but in South City, the only prominent Chen family was Chen Zhonghe's. Brilliance Pictures' predecessor, Xiangjun Media, was actually Xiao Zhan's mother's family business!
The name "Xiangjun" was derived from Xiao Zhan's parents, Miao Xiangzhu and Xiao Pojun, each contributing a character!
Xiao Zhan was framed at the banquet, thrown into prison! His mother, Miao Xiangzhu, returned to the Capital, knelt in front of the Xiao Family's gate for three days and nights, and died from her injuries! The business that originally belonged to the Miao Family now became the Chen Family's company!
Who would believe that the Chen Family wasn't secretly colluding with the Xiao Family?!
"I wonder how Grandma and Grandpa are doing now. Mother's tragic death, the business taken away, they're old, these five years must have been hard for them..."
Xiao Zhan sat in the Mercedes, glancing at Chen Shaohui, who was driving, an icy, bone-chilling aura emanating from him unconsciously, "Looks like I need to visit South City soon. If the Chen Family was truly involved in the conspiracy back then, they will pay in blood!"
Ruiding Mall, sixth floor.
When women shop, it's usually for clothes, shoes, and cosmetics.
Su Muqiu and Sun Ziyi walked ahead, browsing store after store. They hadn't found anything suitable in the first five or six stores until they entered a women's clothing brand store. There, hanging in the center of the store, was a white dress that made Su Muqiu stop in her tracks.
"So beautiful..."
She reached out to touch the white dress, her eyes sparkling, clearly enamored with it.
Her self-muttering was quiet, but it didn't escape Xiao Zhan's ears.
So, Xiao Zhan caught up to her and smiled, "If you like it, then buy it."
"No way."
Su Muqiu glared at Xiao Zhan, pointing at the price tag and shaking her head, "Look, it's 28,800 for one piece, too expensive. I can't afford it right now."
Su Jiancheng was disabled, Liu Hongxiu retired, Su Xiaomeng was still young, and the daily expenses of the family of four relied entirely on Su Muqiu. She worked at the Su Group, and her salary wasn't high. Now, having been kicked out of the Su Group by Su Wenchao, she was unemployed, and despite saying she'd find another job, the psychological pressure was immense.
She had to scrimp and save, sacrificing her own needs.
Where would she find extra money to buy such high-end clothes?
"It's okay, I'll buy it for you."
Xiao Zhan's heart stirred, feeling even more sympathy for Su Muqiu. Earlier, Sun Ziyi had bought quite a few things, but Su Muqiu, under the pretense of "not liking them," left empty-handed.
He took out his bank card, ready to pay, but just then, a sales assistant in the store walked over and brusquely pushed Su Muqiu's hand away from the white dress, saying coldly, "If you're not buying, don't touch it. Can you afford to pay if you dirty it?"