Chapter 51: Serious Part 2

Xu Qingqing’s expression flickered. Of course she had—right from the start, she hadn’t approved of their relationship. Her consent was temporary; she wanted Jiang Ruoning to back off. So she took her to high-end restaurants, exposed her to elite life, to make her see the gap between her and Shi Sui wasn’t bridged by “like.” They came from different worlds—cloud and mud. She’d only taint Shi Sui.

But Jiang Ruoning played dumb, spotting the intent yet pretending otherwise. In front of all those elites, she twisted the cheap hem of her pants to bits, then grinned to Shi Sui later. “Auntie showed me the big leagues today. I met so many people.”

To Shi Sui, she feigned, “Auntie is so nice to me.”

Shi Sui knew what she meant, chatting lightly on the surface while her eyes burned with anger. Shi Sui had always been obedient, never looking at her like that. Shi Sui had changed—proximity to Jiang Ruoning turned her into someone else.

She had to fix it.

Xu Qingqing met Jiang Ruoning’s gaze. “So what if I did?”

Jiang Ruoning nodded. “Did I break up with Shi Sui after hearing those words back then?”

Xu Qingqing’s face darkened.

Jiang Ruoning’s nonchalance continued. “So if I didn’t leave her over that then, why would you think I’d leave her now over the same words?”

Xu Qingqing sneered. “I thought after six years, you’d at least have some shame. I overestimated you.”

“It’s not overestimating me,” Jiang Ruoning said. “It’s you overestimating yourself—overestimating your place in other people’s hearts.”

If those words came from Jiang Qin, she’d be hurt, maybe even break up with Shi Sui. But from Xu Qingqing? Why should she care?

Xu Qingqing understood her subtext. Her fingertips dug deeply into her palm, leaving heavy marks. “So, no matter what, you won’t break up with her?”

Jiang Ruoning replied calmly, “Correct.”

Xu Qingqing’s voice was like an ice pick. “Even if it destroys her?”

Jiang Ruoning leaned back against the sofa chair, her hands resting on her knees. Her posture wasn’t exactly upright, but it wasn’t rude either. Throughout their entire conversation that day, Xu Qingqing’s emotions had been unusually stable. Several times, Jiang Ruoning thought she might explode in rage, but she never saw her lose her temper. Her gaze was piercing, her words sharp. Today’s Xu Qingqing seemed like she had come to negotiate, with Shi Sui merely a bargaining chip she wanted to win.

Jiang Ruoning said, “The one destroying her is you, not me.”

Xu Qingqing’s eyes burned intensely.

Jiang Ruoning met her gaze steadily. “From the beginning, what you wanted was an obedient puppet, not a living person. So when Shi Sui deviated from the path you envisioned, you didn’t think to pave the road for her or let her see the scenery she wanted. Instead, you wanted to cut off her path, forcing her to follow the one you laid out. Why did you even give birth to her? You don’t respect her at all. Bringing her into the world would only make her hate you.”

Outside the door, Shi Sui stood there, one hand on the doorknob. She hadn’t slept well all night, and her face was pale. She had rushed straight from home, arriving in a hurry. When she reached the door, she stopped. Through the half-open gap, she heard the conversation inside.

Jiang Nuan stood not far away, frowning as she watched Shi Sui not go in. She spotted Lin Wei about to approach and grabbed Lin Wei’s arm. Lin Wei let out a sharp scream and shoved her fiercely. Jiang Nuan’s arms were like iron clamps. She staggered slightly from the push but still held on tightly to Lin Wei’s arm. Lin Wei, at the end of her patience, glared with eyes full of fire. “Let go!”

She gnashed her teeth, her gaze filled with hatred, as if she wanted to swallow Jiang Nuan whole.

Jiang Nuan met her eyes and finally released her hand. As she saw Lin Wei lift her foot to leave, she said, “If you go in and cause trouble now, I’ll kiss you right in front of your aunt.”

Lin Wei swung back with a slap, but this time Jiang Nuan caught her wrist. Then, Jiang Nuan pulled her hand over and slowly rubbed it against her own cheek. Lin Wei wore an expression like she had just eaten shit. Completely driven mad this time, her piercing scream shattered the surroundings and broke the quiet of the lounge.

Jiang Ruoning turned her head. Shi Sui pushed the door open and walked in. The two exchanged a glance. Shi Sui walked to her side, sat down, and ignored the oppressive gaze Xu Qingqing directed at her.

Xu Qingqing watched as she picked up Jiang Ruoning’s cup and took a sip. The corner of her mouth twitched, and the last trace of warmth vanished from her eyes. She crossed her arms. Shi Sui said to Jiang Ruoning, “You go back first.”

Jiang Ruoning looked at her pale profile, wanting to say something, but in the end, she clenched her teeth, lowered her head, and left.

Soon, only Xu Qingqing and Shi Sui remained in the lounge. Jiang Ruoning thoughtfully closed the door behind her. Outside, Lin Wei’s shouting abruptly stopped, as if something had muffled it. Xu Qingqing looked at Shi Sui. “Is that what you think too?”

Shi Sui looked up.

Xu Qingqing asked her, “Do you think I don’t love you?”

Shi Sui responded to her words, lifting her head. “I know you love me.” Xu Qingqing’s expression softened slightly. Shi Sui continued, “But you love yourself more.”

Xu Qingqing frowned.

Shi Sui said, “From childhood to now, I’ve never envied anyone. It was always others envying me—saying our family was rich, that I lived like a young miss, that I had a great mom. I knew everything I had was given by you, so I wanted to give it back. I studied desperately, wanting to be the best child in your eyes. When others praised me, you were especially happy, and I was happy too back then. Later, I figured it out: you weren’t happy because of me, but because of the praise. If I weren’t so outstanding, you wouldn’t love me as much.”

Xu Qingqing seemed not to understand. “What’s wrong with that?”

“There’s a problem, Mom,” Shi Sui said. “The problem is, you don’t love me—you love an outstanding example. That example could be me, or Lin Wei, or anyone else.”

Xu Qingqing refused to listen. “I don’t want anyone else.”

How could anyone else compare to Shi Sui?

Seeing Xu Qingqing unmoved, Shi Sui didn’t know whether to cry or laugh. She said nothing, stood up. Xu Qingqing’s gaze followed her movements. Shi Sui said, “Mom, do you know why I came back to Fuli and created the Less brand?”

Xu Qingqing curled her lips. “Isn’t it because of Jiang Ruoning…”

“Not because of her.” Shi Sui rudely interrupted her, something she never would have done before. Xu Qingqing’s expression soured. Shi Sui said, “Because of you.”

Xu Qingqing clearly hadn’t expected that answer. “Me?”

Shi Sui said, “Because I wanted you to know what it feels like to gradually lose control over the things you’ve always gripped tightly in your hand.”

Xu Qingqing looked at her in disbelief, as if seeing Shi Sui for the first time. Suddenly, she sneered. “So you’re just doing this to go against me, that’s why you went after Jiang Ruoning?”

Shi Sui said, “Because I like her.”

Xu Qingqing’s expression twisted for a moment before quickly returning to normal. She said coldly, “What if your ‘like’ leaves you both with nothing?”

Shi Sui spread her hands. “I already have nothing.”

Xu Qingqing asked her, “Then you can watch Jiang Ruoning end up with nothing too?”

Shi Sui forced a smile, but there was no mirth in her eyes, making her look cool and detached—somewhat similar to Xu Qingqing. Shi Sui said, “Mom, you used that trick six years ago.”

Xu Qingqing’s face darkened completely.

Shi Sui ignored her and left the lounge. When she opened the door, Lin Wei was standing right there. Shi Sui saw her flushed face and teary eyes—perhaps from anger at Jiang Nuan—and lowered her head as she left.

After Shi Sui departed, Lin Wei entered the lounge.

Xu Qingqing still sat primly on the sofa. Seeing Lin Wei come in, she took a shallow sip of her coffee and asked, “How are things between you and Jiang Nuan?”

Lin Wei’s heart jolted, thinking Xu Qingqing had seen through her. She immediately denied it. “We have no relationship.”

Xu Qingqing said, “Can you get along well with her?”

Lin Wei met her eyes and sensed the madness and turbulent waves beneath her calm demeanor. She nodded. “Yes, I can.”

Xu Qingqing finished her coffee.

Shi Sui left the lounge, and Jiang Nuan followed her. “Jiang Ruoning’s stylist hasn’t arrived yet.”

Both guessed it was probably because of Xu Qingqing.

Shi Sui said, “Take her to changing room number two.”

Jiang Nuan nodded and immediately walked ahead to the changing room to inform Jiang Ruoning. Jiang Ruoning was being grilled by Wu Jie—first about her relationship with Shi Sui, then about her ties to Fuli. Jiang Ruoning beckoned with her finger. Wu Jie leaned in close, and Jiang Ruoning covered her mouth as she whispered in Wu Jie’s ear, “We’re friends with benefits.”

Wu Jie choked on her saliva and coughed repeatedly. Seeing she had gone too far, Jiang Ruoning quickly patted her back and handed her a cup. Wu Jie took the cup, coughed again, and nearly spilled the water with her shaking hand. She waved it off, set the cup on the table, caught her breath, and looked at Jiang Ruoning.

Jiang Ruoning grinned innocently at her.

“You…” Wu Jie started to speak, but footsteps sounded behind her. She turned and saw Jiang Nuan.

Jiang Nuan walked straight to Jiang Ruoning, nodded to Wu Jie in greeting, then said to Jiang Ruoning, “Miss Jiang, President Shi wants you to go to changing room number two.”

Jiang Ruoning didn’t mind and got up to follow Jiang Nuan. Just as they were about to leave, Wu Jie grabbed her and pulled her behind herself protectively. She said to Jiang Nuan, “I’ll go too.”

Jiang Nuan was a bit stunned by her mother hen protecting her chick stance. She looked at Jiang Ruoning for a cue. Jiang Ruoning shook her head. Jiang Nuan had no choice. “Alright, this way.”

She led Wu Jie and Jiang Ruoning down the corridor to another changing room. It wasn’t as large as the previous one—about two-thirds the size—but the decor looked more exquisite, probably a private suite. Shi Sui sat on the sofa, her back to them, on the phone. Hearing them enter, she turned her head, gave instructions to the person on the line, and waved for Jiang Ruoning to sit at the vanity nearby. Jiang Ruoning looked around but saw no stylist.

Coming soon?

She muttered to herself but complied, plopping down at the vanity. Soon, Shi Sui hung up, stood, and walked over. Seeing Wu Jie staring at her strangely, she frowned slightly and said to Jiang Nuan, “Take Miss Wu for some tea.”

Wu Jie immediately replied, “Thank you, President Shi, but I’m not thirsty.”

Jiang Nuan scratched her head.

Shi Sui pursed her lips. “Then have Assistant Jiang take you for some afternoon tea.”

Wu Jie politely declined again. “Thank you, President Shi, but I’m not hungry.”

Jiang Nuan couldn’t stand it anymore. “Miss Wu…”

Wu Jie took a step toward Shi Sui and said, “President Shi, our Ruoning is a proper lady.”