Su Wan looked at Zhao Mengxue with a heartbroken expression. “Mengxue! Did you tell your brother that my family is rich? You borrowed so much money from me before and took so many things without ever paying me back. Did you take me for a sucker?”
Zhao Mengxue felt the gazes around her. The police station lobby was crowded with people coming and going, and Su Wan’s words were like placing her over an open flame.
She was used to winning sympathy with tears, and Su Wan had always been easy to fool. She had thought that as long as she hugged her and cried a bit, Su Wan would soften and stop pursuing responsibility.
Who would have thought her brother would say something like that? It was utterly humiliating.
Zhao Mengxue’s face burned red. Over the years, she had followed Su Wan to high-end places and, through Su Wan’s connections, even obtained a respectable job.
She had essentially lived a good life—her clothes and appearance always stood out, and she was used to the admiring looks of others.
At this moment, she felt as if she had gone back to before she met Su Wan—wearing patched clothes, with dull yellow hair, and people looking at her with pity.
No—now those looks were even worse than pity. They carried contempt and disdain, like knives stabbing into her proud heart.
And her own mother was kneeling on the ground, crying and begging for her son, even asking her to plead with Su Wan not to pursue her brother’s crime!
Mother Zhao clung to Su Wan’s leg as if it were the last lifeline. The police stepped forward to pull her away, but she refused to let go.
“Wanwan, you used to love Auntie’s cooking the most. You and Mengxue are such good friends—how can you just watch her brother go to prison?”
Su Wan’s earlier words had taken effect. A middle-aged woman who had watched the entire scene couldn’t help speaking up. Her voice wasn’t loud, but it was enough for everyone to hear.
“Tsk tsk, this is really shameless. Her own son ran to someone else’s house to steal, and she still has the nerve to ask them not to pursue it.”
“Exactly. That girl doesn’t sound like a good one either—instigating her brother to commit a crime, borrowing money and not repaying it. Shameless!”
Zhao Mengxue’s body stiffened. She lowered her head, tears falling one by one—not out of regret, but out of grievance and resentment.
She hated Zhao Chengren for doing things sloppily and getting caught by Su Wan, dragging her down and making her a laughingstock.
She hated her mother for embarrassing herself and angering everyone.
But the one she hated most was Su Wan. How could Su Wan be so lucky? If her brother hadn’t been caught last night—if he had gone into Su Wan’s room and slept with her—
She would have had to swallow her grievances in silence and obediently marry her brother!
Then she wouldn’t be standing here now, being mocked by everyone!
It was all Su Wan’s fault! All because of Su Wan!
Mother Zhao was still wailing. The police lost their patience and shouted at her several times before she finally stopped crying.
But her eyes remained fixed on Su Wan, filled with pleading.
Su Wan collected her money and prepared to leave.
Seeing Su Wan about to go, Mother Zhao completely panicked. “Wanwan! Wanwan, please let my son go!”
Liu Yingzhuo couldn’t stand it anymore. He stood up and shouted angrily, “Your son committed forced entry and theft! The amount involved is huge—do you think this can just be brushed off so easily?”
Mother Zhao froze for a few seconds, then said, “Hasn’t the money already been returned? What more do you want? As long as Wanwan doesn’t pursue it, won’t it be fine?”
Liu Yingzhuo snorted coldly. “Just because you say it’s fine, it’s fine? Do you think theft is a trivial matter?”
This time, Zhao Chengren had really run into the muzzle of a gun. Theft was being cracked down on very strictly now, and he had even brought people with him. As the ringleader, his case was of a completely different nature.
The amount involved was large as well, so sentencing would be at the maximum level.
When she learned that her son might have to serve ten years in prison, Mother Zhao fainted on the spot.
Zhao Mengxue had someone carry Mother Zhao back home. Her father only rushed back at this time. When Father Zhao learned that his son might go to prison, he panicked as well.
He had only this one son. If he went to prison, he might not even be able to find a wife in the future—how could that be acceptable? Wouldn’t the Zhao family line be cut off?
“Su Wan? Isn’t that Su Wan Snow’s friend? Go beg her and ask her not to pursue it, won’t that solve everything?” Father Zhao glared at Zhao Mengxue.
Thinking of Su Wan today, Zhao Mengxue felt that Su Wan didn’t seem as easy to talk to as before. Even if she went to plead, Su Wan might not let Zhao Chengren off.
“How could it be that easy? Big brother broke into someone else’s house to steal. Do you really think it’s possible for her not to pursue it?” Zhao Mengxue was speechless at her parents’ thinking—how could they see this matter so simply?
“Anyway, I don’t care what method you use. My Chengren cannot go to prison! Whether you beg or make a scene, you must get this matter resolved for me!” Father Zhao sat down and said coldly.
Zhao Mengxue stared at her father in disbelief. “Dad! Am I even your biological daughter?”
Father Zhao didn’t care. “Did you hear me clearly? If you don’t settle this, then don’t come back to live at home again.”
Zhao Mengxue’s expression completely darkened. This was her family—like leeches that only knew how to suck her dry.
She really wanted to stop caring altogether, but she couldn’t yet. Zhao Mengxue gently stroked her abdomen, her expression dark and unreadable.
That morning, when Sister Wu arrived and saw that the door to the villa had been pried open, she was terrified.
Su Wan told her what had happened the night before and asked her to call someone to change the locks.
After returning from the police station, Su Wan didn’t rest. She went straight to the underground gambling den to settle the remaining payment.
She also mentioned Zhao Chengren’s arrest. Scar Brother’s mouth twitched—he had known that the young miss wouldn’t pull such a stunt without a reason.
But he hadn’t expected it to be to send Zhao Chengren to prison. Now that Zhao Chengren was locked up, it was possible he might expose the underground gambling den.
“Miss Su, this wasn’t very ethical of you. What if Zhao Chengren confesses about us?” Scar Brother said.
Su Wan glanced at him lightly. “The money I gave you is enough for you to move somewhere else and start over, isn’t it? Besides, you were probably about to change locations anyway, right?”
She remembered that in her previous life, not long after Zhao Chengren was beaten, Scar Brother changed locations. Underground gambling dens never stayed in one place too long, or they’d be caught.
Scar Brother smiled. He hadn’t expected the young miss to understand their line of work so well. He had originally planned to scare her a bit.
“Scar Brother, do you know any reliable private detectives?” Su Wan asked again. She seemed very certain that he did, staring at him without blinking. “If you introduce me to a reliable detective, I’ll give you another referral fee.”
Scar Brother stroked his chin. “I do know one, actually. But what do you need a detective for?”
Su Wan smiled faintly. “That’s none of Scar Brother’s concern. Just give me the address. I’ll go talk to him myself.”
Scar Brother spread his hands. He was actually quite handsome, but a scar running from his temple to the corner of his eye ruined his original looks.
Scar Brother wrote down an address for her. Su Wan took out a stack of money, placed it on the table, and walked out of the room.
After Su Wan left, one of his men couldn’t help asking, “Scar Brother, won’t that Zhao Chengren kid expose this place?”
Scar Brother picked up the money Su Wan had left on the table and brought it to his nose, inhaling lightly. “Move immediately.”
Su Wan followed the address and found the detective. “I need you to help me with something—”