Chapter 144: The Toyed-With Goddaughter (19)
Su Mingxiu hated seeing a spirited young person’s pride broken by love. Even though Yu Nian had yielded to Yu Wanru’s command, she still wanted to help her up.
Her dark eyes fixed on Yu Wanru, her voice calm and cold. “Does humiliating a child’s dignity make you happy? She’s willing to kneel because she’s grateful—”
“My family saved your life. My parents never asked for anything in return. Before they died, they entrusted me to you, asking you to take care of me. But judging from the outcome of this marriage, your way of repaying kindness is… unique. I won’t argue with you about anything else. For saving your life, kneel down and kowtow to my parents, and we’ll consider the debt settled. How about that?”
Yu Wanru, who had initially ignored her, now turned to Su Mingxiu, her face twitching with anger.
She wanted to lash out at this ungrateful woman, to list everything she had given her.
But the thought of airing their dirty laundry in public, of discussing their failed marriage, was too humiliating.
“What, is a CEO’s dignity more valuable than a child’s?”
Su Mingxiu pressed, her calm tone, unlike the original owner’s usual hysterics, even more compelling.
Only someone with unshakeable confidence could challenge authority like this.
But what did Su Mingxiu have to be confident about?
Thinking about Su Mingxiu’s frivolous spending habits, Yu Wanru’s expression hardened. “Don’t push it. I tolerated you before because of my gratitude to your family. Su Mingxiu, if you don’t know your place, I’ll make sure you learn it, every single day.”
A blatant threat.
Su Mingxiu, surprised by this, raised an eyebrow. “So, are you going to kowtow or not, Ms. Yu?”
Yu Nian, kneeling, her gaze shifting between them, finally realized how inappropriate her feelings were.
She could do nothing for this love, even trying was a sin.
“It’s my fault—”
She straightened up slightly, no longer letting Su Mingxiu hold her, her voice hoarse with suppressed emotions as she looked at Yu Wanru.
“Mom, I was wrong, it has nothing to do with her.”
Su Mingxiu could have forced her up, but she knew it was pointless. Hearing Yu Nian’s words, she felt a pang of sadness.
She knelt down, her hands cupping Yu Nian’s face, her voice firm and clear: “You did nothing wrong.”
“If you’re afraid of her threats, don’t be. She can’t hurt me.”
“Stand up.”
In countless worlds, regardless of her initial intentions towards the protagonist, Su Mingxiu had always protected and nurtured them, shielding them from harm.
This was the child she had cared for so many times, how could she bear to see Yu Wanru break her spirit?
Hearing her boastful words, Yu Wanru scoffed. “Don’t overestimate yourself.”
She had tolerated Su Mingxiu out of gratitude, but no more.
She knew Su Mingxiu was only after Yu Nian’s money. If she had used other methods, perhaps Yu Wanru could have tolerated it. But corrupting her child like this, she would never forgive.
Continuing this argument would only make them a laughingstock. She turned to leave, then, seeing Yu Nian still kneeling, she looked back. “Aren’t you coming? Do you want to watch me have her removed from the show?”
Yu Nian closed her eyes, then stood up, her light-colored eyes meeting Su Mingxiu’s, their gazes intertwined like invisible threads.
But in the end, she suppressed her emotions and turned to follow Yu Wanru.
She was afraid that any hesitation, any lingering affection, would only make things harder for Su Mingxiu.
Just as she was about to leave the courtyard, a calm voice came from behind, stopping her.
“Yu Nian, she’s not your real mother.”
“If you come with me, I can guarantee you a better life than with her.”
Yu Nian paused, but Yu Wanru, already in the car, rolled down the window, her gaze a final warning.
Yu Nian didn’t turn back.
In the courtyard of the House of Elegance…
The director and producer, feeling the pressure from the investor, and considering Su Mingxiu’s popularity, were torn. Wanda Group’s investment was substantial, but Su Mingxiu was a ratings magnet.
Several brands had already expressed interest in sponsoring the show, but they weren’t sure if the advertising revenue could offset the loss of Wanda’s investment.
Before they could reach a decision, Su Mingxiu approached them.
“What?”
“You want to leave the show?”
They were stunned. They were still trying to protect her from the investor’s pressure, and she was already giving up?
Su Mingxiu knew what they were thinking. She was confident that she could generate enough buzz to make this season even more successful than the first.
But… it was too slow.
And even if she became famous, it would only mean returning to the entertainment industry, a world where connections and capital were everything. She had no skills, and she had already offended a major investor. The road to stardom was long and arduous.
She didn’t have time.
She let them assume whatever reason they wanted, offering no explanation. She had Sheng Qian review the contract, and they quickly reached an agreement on the penalty for breaching it.
Soon…
The other contestants learned about her departure. Shao Chen, who had only seen the scene in the courtyard from the living room, unable to hear their conversation, looked at Su Mingxiu strangely. As Su Mingxiu was packing, she entered the room and asked: “What’s your relationship with Ms. Yu…?”
Then, realizing how nosy she sounded, she quickly added: “I mean, is there anything I can do to help?”
Su Mingxiu, looking at the watch box on the bed, said suddenly: “Yes.”
She went to the closet, took out the Hermès box, and handed it to Shao Chen.
Before Shao Chen could speak, she said, her voice firm and unwavering: “If you really want to help me, take back this gift. I can’t accept such an expensive gift without having earned it.”
“Anything else?” Shao Chen asked, her gaze intense.
Su Mingxiu smiled faintly. “No.”
A few minutes later…
Shao Chen took back her gift.
Su Mingxiu and Yu Nian left Heartthrob one after the other. Since the first episode hadn’t aired yet, their departure coincided with its release. The program team, to appease the investor, had to find new contestants.
And because of this incident, they also cancelled the live stream format, reverting to the pre-recorded format of the first season, adding stricter clauses to the contracts to prevent similar situations.
The viewers, disappointed by the cancellation of the live stream, flocked to online forums, seeking explanations, various rumors circulating.
When the first episode finally aired, without Su Mingxiu, the viewers flooded the official website, demanding answers. The program team issued two brief statements, announcing the termination of their collaboration with @Su Mingxiu and Yu Nian. And Yu Nian, it turned out, didn’t even have a social media account.
The incident generated much discussion, but that’s a story for another time.
At Pearl Manor…
Yu Nian, upon returning, was confined to her room by Yu Wanru, ordered to write a sincere apology letter and denied any food until she did.
Midnight…
The window in Yu Nian’s room was open, a cool breeze hinting at the approaching autumn.
She held a pen, her mind blank, filled with memories of Su Mingxiu.
Strangely, the memories of Su Mingxiu at the manor were hazy, distant.
But the image of Su Mingxiu at the school gate, in her red Ferrari, was vivid, as if it had happened yesterday.
She hadn’t considered the moral implications at first, only her own feelings. Initially, she had thought Su Mingxiu was pitiful, deserving of her company.
Then, at some point, her feelings had changed.
And now, after Yu Wanru’s reaction, she finally realized how absurd it was to like Su Mingxiu.
Why couldn’t she care for someone her mother had discarded?
Yu Nian, her stomach growling, sat at her desk, unable to write the apology letter, her suppressed emotions growing stronger with the cool breeze.
She took her water bottle, intending to go downstairs, and opened the door, finding a maid waiting outside.
They looked at each other, and Yu Nian, seeing the maid’s helplessness, didn’t want to make things difficult for her. She returned to her room, paced around, then looked out the window.
Ten minutes later…
The housekeeper alerted Yu Wanru, who was working in her study.
Yu Wanru walked through the crowd and, looking at Yu Nian standing on the lawn, her knees and sleeves stained with grass, scoffed. “What, are you planning to elope with her?”
Yu Nian didn’t answer. Although she had only wanted some water, she had also been thinking about Su Mingxiu, wondering if she was okay.
“You’ve grown bold, haven’t you? For a money-grubbing, shameless woman, you’re willing to throw away your future, your education, everything, just to be with her?”
As she spoke, Yu Wanru had someone bring a file from her study. A moment later, a folder was tossed onto the grass before Yu Nian.
“Since you’re so shameless, so willing to disregard all morals to be with this woman, as your guardian, I have a duty to show you what kind of person she is, so you won’t regret it later.”
“Open it and see how two-faced and greedy your ex-stepmother is.”
Yu Nian looked at the folder.
Logic told her that it contained things she didn’t want to see. But her emotions urged her, telling her that it was about Su Mingxiu, whether she believed it or not was one thing, but whether she wanted to see it… even if it was just pictures, was another.
After a long moment…
With the servants discreetly distancing themselves, Yu Nian finally picked up the folder, slowly untying the string, and found a thick stack of photos inside.
The first one showed Su Mingxiu with heavy makeup, her red lips like fire, a cigarette between them, the glowing tip… being lit by a man’s lighter, the flame reflected in Su Mingxiu’s eyes.
She didn’t recognize the man.
But judging from his clothes and accessories, he was clearly wealthy.
Yu Nian looked at Su Mingxiu in the photo, her dark eyes sparkling with an indescribable allure, and for a moment, she wanted to be that cigarette.
… So Su Mingxiu smokes, I never knew.
Just like… I didn’t know she could dance. Had Su Mingxiu danced for others too, in those moments I hadn’t seen?
Yu Nian hadn’t wanted to look further, afraid of the jealousy she would feel, but now, as if wanting confirmation, she flipped through the photos, one after another, but she didn’t find any pictures of Su Mingxiu in a dance costume.
She felt both relieved and disappointed.
Yu Wanru, observing her expression, seemingly thinking it wasn’t enough, tossed another stack of papers onto the grass, Su Mingxiu’s bank statements from during their marriage, showing regular deposits of tens of thousands of yuan from various sources.
Yu Nian, holding these documents, suddenly wanted to confront Su Mingxiu, to ask for an explanation.
She wouldn’t jump to conclusions and insult Su Mingxiu like before.
But she still wanted to hear Su Mingxiu’s side of the story.
Just then, Yu Wanru spoke again. “If you leave this house today, I’ll cancel all your cards. Let’s see if she still wants you when you’re penniless.”
Yu Nian’s grip on the folder tightened.
She lowered her eyes and defended Su Mingxiu softly. “She’s not like that.” Not as greedy as you say.
But…
Yu Nian suddenly realized that without her family name, what could she offer Su Mingxiu? She hadn’t even finished university.
Even her promise to take care of Su Mingxiu seemed like a joke now.
She wasn’t afraid of hardship, but she was afraid… of not being able to offer Su Mingxiu anything.
“I don’t care what kind of person she is—” Yu Wanru said sharply.
“From now on, if you see her again, I’ll disown you. I’ll pretend I never raised you. Even after I die, you’re not allowed to visit my grave.”
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