Standing so close, Su Su had risen onto her toes, then quickly withdrew. Her hair swayed in the air, brushing lightly across Gu Shao’s collarbone. He felt a ticklish sensation and couldn’t help reaching up to touch it.
Looking down at her face, he saw her fair skin flushed pink, her eyes bright, yet her expression seemed to be holding something back.
That look made his heart itch as well.
Gu Shao glanced at Ning Ke. In an instant, her expression shifted from amused anticipation to concern and faint reproach, concerned that Su Su had grievances she wouldn’t voice, and blaming Gu Shao for neglect.
The change was so quick he didn’t fully notice it, but he did feel that something was off.
Su Su began, “Gu Shao, I…”
“Oh, Gu Shao, you’re back so early!”
Just then, Qu Qingwei came out holding Zai Zai with one hand and Ningyue with the other, leading the two little boys out of the room. Her question interrupted Su Su just as she had mustered the courage to speak.
Inside, Su Su was practically wailing, though her face remained calm.
Zai Zai, seeing his father, immediately broke free and ran over to hug his leg.
Gu Shao glanced down at him, patted his head, but didn’t respond.
He simply acknowledged Qu Qingwei with a quiet “Mm.”
Qu Qingwei noticed Su Su’s flushed face. “What’s wrong? Why are you so red? Is it too hot outside? Come sit down, all three of you.”
That only made Su Su more embarrassed. She awkwardly touched her face. “Am I?”
Why did her mother always have to point out the obvious?
They all sat in the living room. Gu Shao poured water for the three women. When he placed a glass in front of Ning Ke, she quickly accepted it and said thank you.
Gu Shao sat beside Su Su. His little boy climbed onto him. Before Gu Shao could even take a sip, the child grabbed at his hand, almost trying to stick his whole head into the cup.
Gu Shao lifted him onto his lap, supported him with one arm, and helped him drink.
Seeing this, Ning Ke said, “Gu Shao really dotes on his child. My Bai Xinyan isn’t close to Ningyue at all, and Ningyue doesn’t cling to him either. But Zai Zai seems very attached to you.”
A faint smile curved at the corner of Gu Shao’s lips, and his eyes softened with amusement.
Su Su, however, criticized him, “You should learn from Bai Xinyan. Look at how he raises his child compared to you. You’ve already spoiled Gu Zai.”
With the crisis temporarily over, Su Su relaxed and became a little arrogant again.
Gu Shao only needed to hear “learn from Bai Xinyan” for his head to start throbbing.
He could not stand hearing Su Su praise Bai Xinyan. Clearly, last time he hadn’t “taught her a lesson” enough.
Gu Shao cast her a seemingly casual glance.
Su Su froze.
Hold it in, stop running your mouth. These three people here are all powerful, except for her mother. The other two could easily toy with her.
Better not provoke them.
Qu Qingwei had no idea about the undercurrent between the three of them. She set her cup down and said, “I’m going out to buy something. You all stay here and keep an eye on Zai Zai.”
But the moment she left, Zai Zai followed her like a little tail. He loved going out.
In the end, she had no choice but to take him along.
Ning Ke called out to Ningyue, “Ningyue, we’re not going, okay? Mommy will take you home later.”
…
Not long after Qu Qingwei left, Ning Ke was also preparing to take Ningyue home when the intercom rang.
Someone had come.
The housekeeper went to open the door. The three of them stepped out and looked toward the entrance.
When the guest was led in, all three frowned slightly.
The housekeeper smiled at Su Su. “This lady says she’s your sister, so I brought her in.”
It was Fan Jing’an again.
The moment Su Su saw her, her expression turned cold.
Fan Jing’an’s gaze swept from Su Su to Gu Shao, then to Ning Ke in the distance, before finally settling back on Su Su with a smile.
Su Su sat down. “Auntie, don’t you know I’m my parents’ only child? Where did this ‘sister’ come from? Next time, make sure to ask clearly before letting someone in.”
“Oh… I…” The housekeeper knew Su Su wasn’t targeting her, but she had never seen her so hostile toward someone. Realizing she had brought in someone unwelcome, she hesitated. “Then… should I ask her to leave?”
Fan Jing’an didn’t look as embarrassed as she had last time, even though Su Su was still rude and dismissive.
She smiled. “Whether you admit it or not, legally I am your sister. If you have objections, you should take it up with Dad.”
Before Su Su could respond, Ning Ke clicked her tongue.
Su Su turned to her. “What is it, Ning Ke?” She knew Ning Ke could be brutally sharp when she wanted, and she didn’t mind using her to provoke this self-proclaimed “sister.”
Ning Ke said, “People say like father, like child. Miss Fan behaves like this, I wonder what kind of person your mother is.”
Sorry, she was firmly on Aunt Qu’s side. Even if it meant insulting Fan Jing’an’s mother, she didn’t care.
Fan Jing’an’s face darkened, but for certain reasons, she didn’t want to provoke Ning Ke.
Su Su turned her head aside and smiled.
No matter what, she couldn’t understand why Fan Jing’an kept coming here to humiliate herself.
Su Su said, “Does coming here to get attention make you happy?”
Fan Jing’an had already taken so much from her father that didn’t belong to her. Su Su had been generous enough not to argue about it. Unfortunately, some people simply lacked self-awareness.
Fan Jing’an clenched her fist slightly and glanced at Gu Shao from the corner of her eye. One more year, she told herself. She only needed to endure this annoying woman for one more year.
But why should she endure her at all?
Looking at Su Su, she said, “Dad said you’re just a bit willful but still well-mannered. Is this what you call manners?”
She couldn’t imagine how Gu Shao had put up with this woman for three years.
Gu Shao hadn’t intended to get involved. This was Su Su’s family matter. But he couldn’t tolerate personal attacks like that. He himself had never spoken so harshly to Su Su.
“Fan—”
Su Su cut him off. “Gu Shao, don’t respond to her. Let me handle this mess myself.”
Since Su Su said so, Gu Shao stayed silent. Still, this woman really was something. Last time she had barged into his office without knocking, ruining his moment. Now she was insulting his wife. What kind of person behaved like this?
Fan Jing’an snapped, “Did I offend you or owe you something? Haven’t you learned basic respect?”
Su Su stood up and pointed at her clothes, shoes, and bag. “If you say you owe me nothing, then take off everything you’re wearing. Everything you got from my father originally belonged to me.”
Even if she said that in front of Su Yi, he wouldn’t deny it. When she was very young, he had held her and said, everything he had belonged to Su Su. He meant it.
Even after divorcing Qu Qingwei, Su Su was still his only bloodline.
And Fan Jing’an still had the nerve to ask what she owed. Just a clown benefiting from the situation.
Fan Jing’an retorted, “In all these years, have you ever gone back to visit Dad? Don’t forget who’s been taking care of him now. And it’s not like I forced him to give me anything. If you’re dissatisfied, why take it out on me? Isn’t that unfair?”
Ning Ke scoffed, “If this is what an innocent person looks like, dressed in luxury, I wonder how you lived before Su Su’s father supported you.”
Su Su added, “I’d like to know exactly how you’ve been taking care of him. Why would he even need filial piety from someone unrelated to him?”
Not to mention Su Yi was always busy, and he wasn’t even fifty yet. Did he really need someone to take care of him already?
What kind of “filial piety” justified taking so much from him?
Realizing she couldn’t win against the two of them, Fan Jing’an said directly, “I came here to see Aunt Qu. Please let me meet her.”
“Get out,” Su Su pointed at the door.
Coming here to disgust her wasn’t enough, now she wanted to see her mother too? Who did she think she was?
Fan Jing’an turned to Gu Shao, her tone slightly pleading. “Gu Shao, could you please call Aunt Qu? I really have something important to discuss with her.”
She believed Gu Shao was far more rational than Su Su and wouldn’t be impossible to reason with.
Moreover, during the argument, she had carefully avoided using rude language, unlike Su Su. She wanted to leave a better impression on him. Anyone with eyes could see Su Su’s aggressiveness, while she appeared patient and enduring.
People rarely blame someone who silently endures, except someone like Su Su, who knew nothing of such matters.
Gu Shao indeed remained rational. He didn’t assume Fan Jing’an had come just to humiliate herself. He had been waiting for her to state her purpose.
So the key question was, why had she come to see Qu Qingwei?
He said, “If there’s something, you can tell Su Su and me as well.”
Su Su snapped, “I don’t care what nonsense you have to say. I’m not listening. Get out.”
Gu Shao paused. Fine, he could investigate it later.
He had the housekeeper escort Fan Jing’an out.
After holding it in for a moment, Su Su couldn’t anymore and immediately called her father.
After a few rings, the call connected. Su Yi’s voice came through, and Su Su suddenly recalled the last time she had seen him.