Everyone turned at the sound.
A woman in a light purple gown approached.
Su Xingnuo recognized her. Seeing her arrogant demeanor, she uttered a few words: “Su Tingting.”
Years ago, Su Xingnuo’s father had inherited the Su family fortune, while her uncle, Su Xingde, only received a small portion and was dissatisfied.
Since then, Su Xingnuo’s family had little contact with Su Xingde’s side. Su Tingting was Su Xingde’s daughter—her cousin.
Su Tingting held a glass of champagne, tilting her head with an air of superiority, as if no one around her mattered.
She looked at Su Xingnuo with sarcasm.
“Su Xingnuo, didn’t expect to see you here. After the Su family went bankrupt, you have nothing. Did you get in here with your body?”
She laughed haughtily after speaking.
The crowd laughed along, eager to see how Su Tingting would humiliate Su Xingnuo.
Ji Wei knew Su Tingting and, learning they were cousins, was not surprised—though it seemed they were not on good terms.
“Miss Tingting is right. Someone like Su Xingnuo could never know Miss Liu.”
“Exactly.”
Su Tingting affirmed it, believing that even if the Su family hadn’t gone bankrupt, Su Xingnuo could never meet the Liu heiress. The gap between their families was immense.
Ji Wei looked at Su Xingnuo with disdain.
“Miss Tingting testified. Why are you still pretending? Your nerve is incredible.”
Su Xingnuo swirled the juice in her glass lightly and said,
“I’ll say it again—I am very familiar with Miss Liu. Very familiar.”
“Talk is cheap. If you want us to believe you, bring Miss Liu here. Otherwise, I want you kneeling at the hotel entrance apologizing to me.”
She had tried for days to invite Miss Liu herself without success.
Su Xingnuo, wanting to prove her wrong, didn’t mind making things more embarrassing.
The surrounding people sneered. They were waiting for Su Xingnuo to be humiliated.
“Exactly. Someone like her doesn’t belong at this banquet; she should be kicked out.”
Su Xingnuo furrowed her brow. Let her pose as the Liu heiress—Ji Wei didn’t deserve that.
Her silence seemed like guilt to Ji Wei, who raised her voice.
“If you don’t dare, admit you don’t know Miss Liu. Stop pretending.”
“True enough,” Su Tingting added, raising her chin.
“If you really can bring Miss Liu here, I’ll crawl from here to the hotel entrance and act like a dog.”
Su Xingnuo smirked internally, noting how desperate these women were to meet Miss Liu.
“So eager to see Miss Liu?”
She lightly squeezed her glass, her tone calm.
“Su Tingting, still so overbearing after all these years. Understandable though—Su Xingde was doted on late in life, naturally forming this superior attitude toward everyone.”
Su Tingting snapped.
“Su Xingnuo, you still think you’re the Su family’s lady?”
Her tone turned mocking.
“Fortunes change. Now, the most prominent Su family in Gang City is my father’s doing. Your family should have perished in that fire.”
“Careful!”
Having been slapped earlier, Ji Wei quickly warned Su Tingting as Su Xingnuo raised her hand.
Su Tingting reacted swiftly, stepping back to maintain a safe distance.
She smirked, but just as she opened her mouth, Su Xingnuo splashed the juice in her hand onto her face. It ran down her hair, cheeks, and gown.
The surrounding people stepped back, wary of their own expensive outfits.
Su Tingting nearly jumped in shock. She didn’t dare wipe her face for fear of smudging her makeup, exposing her bare face and embarrassment.
Pointing at Su Xingnuo, she screamed,
“How dare you splash me!”
Remembering her own glass, she flung it toward Su Xingnuo.
Su Xingnuo raised her hand to block—but a tall figure appeared. The expected splash missed her, landing instead on the man’s suit back.
Su Xingnuo stared in disbelief.
Her eldest brother?
Liu Yancheng glanced at her, giving a subtle look.
He turned to face Su Tingting, his expression dark.
Su Tingting froze, recognizing the familiar face.
Suddenly, someone whispered, covering their mouth,
“That’s Liu Yancheng, the eldest son of the Liu family!”
Immediately, people reacted.
“So handsome! Why is he here?”
Su Tingting was stunned for several seconds, then whispered dazedly,
“You’re Brother Yancheng…”
Tears welled in her eyes. Years ago, the Liu family had moved next door to the Su family. They had been neighbors.
At the time, the Liu family hid their identity. Su Tingting’s father didn’t get along with them, so interactions were limited.
When the Liu family moved away, Su Tingting realized her feelings for Liu Yancheng, but contact was impossible afterward.
As a child, Liu Yancheng had the same cold expression as now. Just that face alone had captivated Su Tingting’s heart.
Over the years, she had never dated anyone else, keeping him as her standard. No one else could meet her expectations.
The crowd wondered why Su Tingting was crying.
Even seeing the Liu eldest son wouldn’t normally provoke tears.
With juice and tears mixed, her face was a mess.
She still called him “Brother Yancheng,” which looked grotesque to onlookers.
Su Tingting stepped forward.
“I’m sorry, Brother Yancheng. I didn’t mean it.”
She tried to wipe him off.
“Stop.”
Liu Yancheng’s voice was icy, sharp as ice, halting her immediately.
“Don’t you recognize me? Brother Yancheng… when we were children—”
“Shut up.”
His cold gaze gripped her heart like an invisible hand.
Faced with such indifference, Su Tingting finally restrained herself, saying nothing further.
People around began interacting with Liu Yancheng.
“Liu Shao, let me take you upstairs to change.”
Others tried to get closer.
“Su Tingting was careless. Can she even afford to replace your suit?”
Su Tingting bit her lip, unable to respond.
Ji Wei also tried to curry favor.
This was Liu Shao, eldest son of Gang City’s wealthiest family. Marrying him would be like becoming a phoenix on a branch.
Before she could speak, Liu Yancheng’s cold voice rang out.
“I heard that some people were willing to crawl from here to the hotel entrance just to see my sister.”