At the sound of that voice, Ersi and Er’an froze, their faces draining of color.
Su Liuyue, however, merely raised an eyebrow and turned toward the crowd hastily entering her courtyard. Her lips curved ever so slightly as she stood and offered a slow, formal bow. “Daughter greets Father and Mother. Weren’t you entertaining the honored guests from the Zheng family? What brings you to my humble courtyard?”
The middle-aged couple glaring at her were none other than her father, Su Weili, and her stepmother, Madam Guo.
Seeing her unrepentant demeanor, Su Weili’s anger flared. He jabbed a finger at her and snapped, “Su Liuyue! You knew the Zheng family’s esteemed guests were coming today. You should be grateful that they didn’t catch your lowly maid! This marriage alliance with the Zhengs determines whether our Su family can secure a foothold in the new regime. If you ruin this again, even ten worthless lives wouldn’t be enough to pay for it!”
“Thankfully, Rou’er is close friends with Thirteenth Miss Zheng and begged her to intercede on our behalf. Otherwise, the Zhengs wouldn’t have forgiven us so easily!”
“They’ve agreed to continue the marriage alliance—but they absolutely refuse to accept you, this disgrace, into their family. Rou’er is well-read, gentle, and considerate. She’s met with Madam Tao of the Zhengs’ second branch several times, and Madam Tao is quite fond of her. She’s willing to let Rou’er marry into the Zheng family in your place.”
“This fortunate outcome is all thanks to Rou’er. As her elder sister, you ought to kneel and thank her!”
Su Weili’s square face and thick brows might have made for a dignified appearance, but his features were now twisted with rage, giving him a rather comical look.
Still, considering he’d risen from humble origins to become a central figure in the new government within just a decade, and managed to secure a marriage alliance with the powerful Zhengs amid fierce competition—he was clearly no fool.
Su Liuyue studied him silently.
Men like this were either ruthlessly cunning—or just plain ruthless.
Beside him, a striking young woman in a pale yellow jacket and lilac pleated skirt tugged at his sleeve and spoke gently, “Father, please don’t be so harsh. Elder Sister didn’t mean to cause trouble…”
Su Liuyue arched a brow and turned to the girl, her lips curling into a mocking smile. Wasn’t this the very half-sister—Su Rou—who had egged the original owner into despising her fiancé, ultimately leading to the public scandal?
At first, Su Liuyue hadn’t understood why Su Rou would sabotage the engagement. In such a volatile time, marrying into the Zheng family benefited the entire Su household—including Su Rou.
But now it was clear: this was the outcome she’d been angling for all along. Still, one thing remained unclear—what gave Su Rou the confidence to pull this off? Wasn’t she afraid of dragging the entire Su family into ruin?
Su Weili, hearing Su Rou’s plea, grew even angrier. He flung her hand away and sneered, “Rou’er, don’t defend this disgrace! After the foolish stunt she pulled, nearly ruining our family, I wish she had actually hanged herself that day!”
Ersi and Er’an turned pale. Master’s words were far too cruel.
Madam Guo simply stared coldly at Su Liuyue, saying nothing.
Su Liuyue’s gaze swept slowly across the faces before her. Then, in a voice tinged with hoarseness, she spoke: “Father is right. I did cause trouble before, and I’m glad things have been resolved. But Fourth Sister is a concubine’s daughter. The Zhengs are a prestigious family—surely they care about matching status. Are they truly not concerned about her background?”
She paused, then looked at Su Rou, whose face had suddenly changed, and added with feigned innocence, “Oh, I didn’t mean to imply Fourth Sister’s background is unworthy. Please don’t misunderstand.”
Su Rou clenched her handkerchief tightly. That wretch! She was clearly saying it to spite her! She’d come back from the brink of death with a whole new arsenal of passive-aggressive barbs!
Su Weili blinked, caught off guard by the remark. He snapped impatiently,
“What are you prattling on about? Aside from you, only Xue’er is a legitimate daughter, and she’s just turned fourteen—not even of age yet!”
“Fortunately, the Zhengs are honorable. They’ve promised to uphold the alliance and won’t go back on their word. Madam Tao likes Rou’er, and you should be grateful she’s capable—unlike you, who only brings disaster!”
Su Liuxue, born of Madam Guo, was a year younger than the original Su Liuyue.
Su Liuyue’s eyes flickered.
Su Weili’s gaze had turned evasive as he spoke—clear signs of guilt.
Guilt over what? Most people wouldn’t notice such subtle cues. But Su Liuyue had once been a criminal psychologist. She saw it instantly. Her lips curved faintly. “Is that so? Then the Zhengs are truly generous. Sixth Sister may not be of age, but she’s only a year away. If they truly wanted her to marry in my place, surely they could wait. Yet they specifically requested Fourth Sister. Madam Tao must be especially fond of her.”
She lingered meaningfully on the word “requested.”
Su Weili’s nose twitched slightly, and he barked, “Enough! Who cares what the Zhengs think? You caused this catastrophe! They only forgave us because you were so ashamed you tried to hang yourself—and because Thirteenth Miss pleaded on our behalf. If you’d truly angered them, do you think your worthless life would’ve been enough to make amends?!”
People often experience itchy noses when nervous or lying.
Su Weili’s reaction was textbook. Back when she trained rookie officers in psychological profiling, she’d have used this as a perfect example.
Su Liuyue suddenly smiled, her almond eyes glinting with cold amusement. “Father is right. My life is worthless to everyone. But perhaps I was too traumatized. Since waking up, I can’t recall anything about the day I tried to hang myself. I vaguely remember drinking tea in my room, feeling dizzy, and then falling asleep.”
Su Rou couldn’t stand her tone any longer. Her face showed concern, but her eyes were full of disdain. “Elder Sister, are you still confused from waking up? How could you fall asleep and then hang yourself? Are you suggesting someone harmed you?”
“Rou’er!” Su Weili abruptly cut her off, glaring at Su Liuyue with suspicion. “Your sister is right. You’ve just recovered—your mind isn’t clear. That’s why your memory is fuzzy. Let the past stay in the past. I’ve already ordered you to remain confined to your room for the next half-month to reflect. Think carefully about what you should and shouldn’t do. If anything like today happens again, I won’t be so lenient!”