Su Jin supported his arm. “Grandpa, are you alright? What happened?”
Seeing him like this, she sensed it wasn’t a small matter.
Su Tingyun waved his hand. “I’m fine. It’s all from a long, long time ago.
Actually, I had two younger brothers. You know, one of them died in the war.
The other… he was gone when he was very young.
He was playing hide-and-seek with one of the household servants near the artificial hill and accidentally triggered a mechanism that led into a hidden passage.
He must have hit his head inside and lost consciousness.
People searched outside for a long time but couldn’t find him.
They thought he was hiding on purpose. Time passed, and the servant couldn’t find him and panicked.
They told my grandfather, who was managing the household at the time.
Grandpa spent the whole night searching but found nothing. Later, thinking he might still be inside the hill, he went into the secret passage himself.
Sure enough, he found him inside. His breathing was very weak. Many doctors were called, but… they still couldn’t save him.
Grandpa then ordered everything inside the passage to be removed and had the hill leveled.”
As he spoke, his eyes welled up with tears.
Su Jin hadn’t expected the matter to be like this.
“All right, let’s not dwell on this. Xiao Jin, finish collecting these items and then we’ll leave.”
Su Jin looked at the twenty or so chests in front of her—filled with gold, silver, jewels, and porcelain—and emptied them all into her space with a flick of her hand.
While moving them, she asked Su Tingyun, “Grandpa, putting all of this into my space… aren’t you worried something might happen?”
Su Tingyun had thought about it. With so many valuables, if anything went missing, it would be a huge loss. But he vaguely remembered that their ancestors said only a person with destiny could unlock the secret of the Dragon-Patterned Jade Pendant.
Over the years, no one had discovered any secret, so he had given it to Su Jin early on.
He explained this to her as they worked.
Hearing this, Su Jin frowned. According to the book, Hong Xiuxiu could also open it—so does that mean anyone who bleeds can become the owner? Otherwise, a morally corrupt person like her wouldn’t qualify as someone with destiny.
Once everything was collected, the grandfather and granddaughter returned the same way. Su Jin carried a small jewelry box from the little house and placed its contents into her space.
She also took some family correspondence from the space and returned it there.
Everything had to be done properly—no loose ends to give others leverage. After all, they might be staying here for a while.
Before they reached the old house’s gate, Zhao Fuyuan was already there, scowling.
When Su Jin noticed him, he also saw her and rushed over, deliberately raising his voice, pointing at her nose as he shouted, “Su Jin, you’ve gone too far!
I never expected you to be such a ruthless person.
That’s your biological father, your sister, your brother—you heartlessly had them all taken away!
You poisonous woman, the Revolutionary Committee… is that even a place for people?
You better clarify with them upstairs that this was all a misunderstanding and release them.
And when Xiuxiu is released, you must apologize to her, or I will never forgive you! Don’t even think about marrying me!”
Hearing him, Su Jin felt sick. Who gave this man the right to speak? Her eyes turned icy as she glanced at Zhao Fuyuan. “Comrade Zhao, your audacity is truly remarkable.
If I remind you that Hong Jianguo embezzled state property and behaved improperly—and all of this is solidly documented—what exactly do you mean by telling me to get him released?
Do you think the state made a mistake?”
Zhao Fuyuan’s face instantly changed. He couldn’t respond to that—if anyone found out, he’d be in trouble. “Y-you…
And Xiuxiu… why did you have her taken? She’s your sister. How can your heart be so cruel?”
Su Jin let out a cold laugh. How hadn’t she realized his character sooner? Had she known, she would have cut ties long ago instead of letting him strut in front of her.
“Hong Xiuxiu is the illegitimate child of Hong Jianguo and Zhou Yuehong. The organization will investigate properly.
What right do you have to defend her here? Your fiancé? Her partner? Something else?
I heard from Hong Xiuxiu that you two were… compatible. Seems like that might actually be true.”
Zhao Fuyuan’s face turned red and pale by turns. Seeing the neighbors pointing at him, his expression darkened and twisted. “Su Jin, you are vicious.
You’re a poisonous woman. You’ll never marry in this life.”
Su Tingyun’s face darkened instantly. He began cursing Zhao Fuyuan loudly, “Shut up, you rotten-hearted wretch, how dare you bark here.
Ungrateful wretch, bastard, worse than an animal! Spoiled from a young age, meddling in relationships, entangled with that Hong Xiuxiu, and still have the audacity to curse at my door?
Ungrateful wretch! I treated you so well before—thinking back now, I might as well have fed a dog instead.”
The neighbors’ chatter grew louder, all mocking Zhao Fuyuan.
He panicked, cold sweat on his forehead, his lips trembling. “N-nonsense! I didn’t! I didn’t…”
Su Jin sneered. “Didn’t? Who was it then, in the little grove by the hospital, cuddling with Hong Xiuxiu? Surely many saw you then.”
Hearing this, Zhao Fuyuan stepped back sharply, his face pale as death.
“Come on, Grandpa, let’s go home. Don’t waste time arguing with a dog. Dogs don’t understand human speech.”
She supported Su Tingyun and returned to the old house, having Wang Guihua close the door.
Zhao Fuyuan stood dumbfounded in place.
The neighbors all scolded him. “I told you! I saw them kiss. And he dared to say it was too far away, that I misjudged, and threatened to report me if I said anything. Shameless! He meddled in relationships and doesn’t want people to speak!”
“I saw it too. He was unusually close to Hong Xiuxiu.”
“Pfft, truly shameless. Constantly claiming he had a child engagement with Su Jin, claiming to be her fiancé, yet involved with Hong Xiuxiu.”
“Don’t say that. Su Jin already clarified—they have no engagement, no connection. Probably Zhao Fuyuan, wanting to be an in-law like Hong Jianguo, spread rumors to get the family wealth.”
“Exactly! Shameless. Ungrateful wretch. The Su family treated him so well, and yet…”
Amid the torrent of scolding, Zhao Fuyuan felt like digging a hole to hide.
It was over. Completely over.
Panicked, he fled, wondering what he should do next.