Just as Su Su approached, she heard Fan Jing’an say to Gu Shao, “I had nothing to do today, so I brought Siyu out to play. What a coincidence, you are here too.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Gu Shao saw Su Su and Ning Ke approaching, and turned toward Su Su.
Fan Jing’an followed his gaze. When she saw who it was, her expression stiffened.
This was her stepfather’s biological daughter, raised with endless care, so vibrant and radiant that her presence alone was striking.
Fan Jing’an quickly put on a smile and greeted her, “Su Su, you came with Gu Shao? I only saw him earlier and thought he brought the child alone.”
Su Su and Ning Ke had been sitting in her blind spot, so she had only just noticed them.
She knew Ning Ke.
Standing together, the two women seemed to form their own world.
No, it was the four of them, Gu Shao and Bai Xinyan included, who belonged to the same world. She felt like an outsider, and an out-of-place one at that.
Su Su moved closer to Gu Shao. He instinctively reached out his hand.
The moment he did, he felt a bit of regret. They had rarely gone out together before, and even when they did, Su Su seldom acted close to him. Recently they had become more intimate at home, but that did not necessarily mean she would behave the same outside. If she rejected him now, in front of so many people, it would be embarrassing.
The embarrassment was not the real issue, it would simply feel unpleasant.
Only when he saw her slender hand reach out and intertwine their fingers did a faint smile appear on his lips.
It was subtle, but the tenderness in his eyes was unmistakable.
Especially to Fan Jing’an, who stood not far away. She averted her gaze, realizing that this was how Gu Shao and Su Su interacted now.
Even knowing they had no future, the sight still felt like a thorn in her throat.
Yet she recalled what she had seen earlier in Gu Shao’s office, the way he had held the woman in his arms so protectively. He could not possibly have no feelings for that woman.
Perhaps what he showed to this stepsister now was only for appearances.
Gu Shao… was he like those men who toyed with others?
Well, he was still young, not yet the man he would become twenty years later.
…
Su Su deliberately leaned against Gu Shao, taking his hand and playing with it.
Leaning against his warm body was far more comfortable than leaning against a pillar.
“Miss Fan, what brings you here?” Su Su asked, pretending not to know that Fan Jing’an had come to S City. After all, during that awkward encounter before, Fan Jing’an had not seen that it was Su Su beneath Gu Shao.
As expected, Fan Jing’an replied, “Oh right, I have not told you yet. I moved to S City two months ago and am working here now.”
However, Fan Jing’an felt somewhat awkward. Su Su addressed her as “Miss Fan,” not by her name or as “sister,” and she did not quite know how to respond to that form of address.
……
Wait, something was not right. Su Su stared at Gu Shao’s long fingers with a faint smile. The first time she ran into Fan Jing’an, she did not know she had transmigrated, so she did not find it strange that Fan Jing’an had come to S City. But now she knew, and she also knew that from Fan Siyu’s childhood until she entered the entertainment industry, Fan Jing’an had always been working at the Su Group.
“Where are you staying now?” Su Su asked.
Fan Jing’an replied, “Before coming here, I bought a house in this neighborhood. It has not been fully set up yet, so I have not moved in. Right now I am renting an apartment nearby, but I will move in soon. Then we will be close to each other, and since Siyu and Zai Zai are the same age, they can play together.” She smiled, lowered her head to stroke Siyu’s hair, and her gaze subtly swept past Ning Ke beside Su Su.
Su Su was startled. Her grip unconsciously tightened, and Gu Shao felt a brief sting in his ring finger. Not understanding why, he wrapped his hand around hers.
“You bought a house here?” Su Su asked again, uncertain. If Fan Jing’an had bought a place here, would she not be living here long term? That was not how it happened in the book. If Fan Siyu grew up here, would Ningyue and Zai Zai still meet her for the first time in a nightclub?
Even more ridiculous, the property prices here were insanely high. How many years had she even worked to afford a house here?
Hmph, how much money had that cheap father of hers given her?
Fan Jing’an nodded.
Irritated, Su Su did not bother being polite and asked directly, “Miss Fan, did you pay in full? What was the transaction price?”
Fan Jing’an felt embarrassed. Without Su Yi’s money, she could not possibly afford a villa here. She had not expected Su Su to press her in public. If Su Yi were her biological father, saying he bought it would not be an issue, others might even envy her. But he was only her stepfather.
Spending a stepfather’s money to live lavishly, and having it exposed in front of others, whether Ning Ke and her husband or Gu Shao, she did not want to be looked down on.
But Su Su pressed on, “What is it? Is there something inconvenient to say?”
Ning Ke sensed something and sided with Su Su, smiling as she said, “What is there to hide? Our house was bought by Bai Xinyan before marriage…” She casually mentioned the price at the time. Back then, Bai Xinyan had been in the spotlight, and even their wedding house price had made the news.
Fan Jing’an’s face flushed. In their eyes, she must look like an ugly duckling among swans. But so what? What Su Su had now, she also had, and what Su Su did not have in the future, she would.
She stroked Fan Siyu’s head and said, “Dad said Siyu is still young, and it is not safe for me to raise her alone. Since you all live here and the security is good, he bought a place here for me.”
In the original host’s memory, Fan Jing’an had been unwilling to call Su Yi “Dad,” yet now she had changed so quickly.
Su Su wrapped her arms around Gu Shao’s waist, leaned her head against his chest, and smiled, “You really have no restraint spending my dad’s money. Looks like I need to give him a call.”
Fan Jing’an quickly replied, “I tried to refuse, but Dad was worried about Siyu’s safety, especially since I have to work during the day.”
Hearing such shameless words made Su Su even less inclined to hold back. “Do you even believe that yourself? Dad is worried about Siyu? What does Siyu have to do with him? Do not treat everyone like fools.”
Fan Jing’an pulled Fan Siyu closer. “…I know you resent me and my mother, but can you not say such things in front of the child?”
Ning Ke, hearing all this, was surprised and turned to Su Su, “Are you two sisters?”
“No, my dad just remarried her mom.”
She shrugged at Ning Ke. “Anyway, I stopped using my dad’s money when I was in college.” In truth, her mother had given her generous living expenses every month, and if it was not enough, she would extort Gu Hao.
Ning Ke added, “Same here.” She had become financially independent early, and Bai Xinyan would never let her go hungry, so she had not relied on her family after adulthood.
Fan Jing’an clenched her fists. Were they mocking her for living off elders, and not even her own parents? It was outright ridicule.
As she stood in silence, Fan Siyu suddenly looked up and called, “Mom.”
Su Su also looked down and saw her tugging at Fan Jing’an’s leg, trying to go to the sandpit.
Fan Jing’an had long wanted to leave and used the opportunity. “Siyu wants to play in the sand, I will take her there first.”
Before she had gone far, she heard Su Su say in a soft, gentle voice to Gu Shao, “Honey, I am not in a good mood right now. I do not want to stay here anymore. Can we take Zai Zai and go home?”
The tone was completely different from the arrogance she had shown earlier.
Gu Shao smiled and said, “Alright.”
Hearing his voice, Fan Jing’an recalled the impatience in his tone when he spoke to her that day. She bit her lip subtly, resentment flashing in her eyes.
Gu Shao went to pick up Zai Zai, while Bai Xinyan, at his wife’s urging, followed to pick up Bai Ningyue.
By the time Fan Jing’an bought a ticket for Fan Siyu and sent her into the play area, both boys had already left.
……
They said they would leave, but Zai Zai and Bai Ningyue insisted on playing more, and Qu Qingwei had wandered off with Wan Wan to chat with other women, so they could not go yet.
Su Su said she was thirsty and asked Gu Shao to buy water.
Ning Ke was still processing the gossip and urged Bai Xinyan to go as well.
After the two men left, they let the children play in another area, then Ning Ke leaned closer and asked, “What was that about just now?”
“Well, she is my stepsister, though I do not acknowledge any relation.”
“You seem to really dislike her.”
“My dad had an affair with her mother back then, and she always acts fake. Who would like someone like that?”
“What? Aunt Qu is so nice, your dad…” Ning Ke said in disbelief.
Su Su sighed, “He… it is complicated.”
Seeing her mood drop, Ning Ke changed the subject. “If Bai Xinyan ever cheated on me, I would break his third leg!”
Su Su said, “That is too lenient. If Gu Shao dared to do that, I would break all three of his legs!”
They exchanged a look and burst into fierce laughter.
Gu Shao and Bai Xinyan, who had just returned with water and overheard everything, fell silent. Their feelings were complicated. It seemed they were brothers in misfortune and should show each other more sympathy.