After crying for a long while, Zhou Suisui finally began to calm down.
Her nose was straight and pert, the tip flushed red. Crystalline tears still clung to her long lashes, and her eyes were swollen from crying for so long.
She sniffed, roughly wiped her face with the back of her hand, and looked up at Zhou Sui'an.
The afterglow of the setting sun streamed in through the open window, bathing the siblings in its light. The dim attic was filled with a gentle radiance, as if a layer of orange warmth had been painted over them both.
“Brother, from now on, let’s live well together.”
Zhou Suisui looked at him and spoke with great seriousness. “Whatever happens, we’ll face it together… Promise me that from now on, you won’t try to tough it out all by yourself.”
“All right.”
Zhou Sui'an nodded firmly.
The gloom that had weighed on his heart for seventeen years had finally begun to lift.
A long-lost ease appeared on his handsome face.
He reached out and ruffled his sister’s soft hair. His hoarse voice softened as well.
“From now on, I’ll never grovel after anyone again. I won’t do those foolish things and end up causing consequences that can never be undone.”
In the past, Suisui had always been too obedient. She had constantly worried about her brother and tried to understand him. Even though she disliked the way he associated with Su Wan, she had yielded time and time again.
Recently, however, she had completely changed her attitude toward his relationship with Su Wan. She had become unyielding.
More than once, his sister had told him that Su Wan would be the death of him.
He hadn’t paid much attention to it before, but Su Wan’s recent behavior had indeed forced him to be cautious.
At the same time, his sister had given him plenty to think about.
She really had become sensible. She had grown up.
He used to look forward to the day she would grow up as quickly as possible, but now… she truly had grown up and matured, and he found himself beginning to worry instead.
Now that his sister had grown up, did that mean she would be getting married soon?
After a brief pause, he changed his tone and said gently, his brows furrowing, “But Suisui… I can stop groveling after people, but you can’t become Jiang Zongyan’s doormat either. How could the Zhou family's little princess throw herself at that peacock of a man?”
“???”
Throw herself at him?
Zhou Suisui had still been feeling sad and upset, but now she was completely dumbfounded.
She was throwing herself at Jiang Zongyan?
She was only using him…
If anything, he was the one who had helped her again and again, comforted her, given her limited-edition dresses, and even gifted her eight priceless pink diamonds.
If they really had to call it throwing herself at someone… all she had done was cook him a meal with her own hands.
At the thought of this, Zhou Suisui pursed her lips, and a clear trace of guilt flashed through her eyes.
Her gaze darted about as she spoke vaguely. “Brother, let’s talk about this later. I’m still young.”
Little did she know that, in Zhou Sui'an’s eyes, her evasive manner simply meant that she was unwilling and reluctant to let Jiang Zongyan go.
He frowned and said earnestly, “Listen to me. That man is hiding a lot beneath the surface. He’s not a good person.”
His sister had seen through everything so clearly when it came to him and Su Wan.
So why did she become so stubborn when it came to herself?
Zhou Sui'an didn’t insist that his future brother-in-law be wealthy. After all, he had enough money to support his sister for the rest of her life. The only requirement he had for that man was that he treat his sister well.
Clearly, a man like Jiang Zongyan would only ever have women fawning over him.
Have him fawn over a woman?
Ha. That would happen only when the sun rose in the west.
“…”
Hearing her brother speak about Jiang Zongyan that way, Zhou Suisui pressed her lips together.
Her luminous eyes were dazed.
She wanted to tell him, Brother Yan is a good person. How could Su Wan possibly compare to him? There’s nothing wrong with him.
But when she saw the worry in her brother’s eyes, she ultimately couldn’t bear to make him worry any more. She gave a light nod.
At that moment, the man in question had no idea that he was about to lose his position as the person she intended to use.
He was busy traveling abroad to hand over work and planned to shift the focus of his operations to Tang City.
Even though he would only be gone for three days, the thought of not being by Zhou Suisui’s side during that time still left him uneasy.
Before leaving, Jiang Zongyan sent Zhou Sui'an a text message.
Are you going to deal with that woman or not? If you can’t handle it, I can do it for you.
His arrogance was palpable even through the screen.
Zhou Sui'an opened the message, and his brows immediately drew together into a deep frown.
I’ll handle it myself. The Zhou family’s affairs are none of your concern.
He replied swiftly, his expression grim.
Jiang Zongyan sneered.
Don’t go soft on her again. I’m warning you—if you let Suisui suffer even the slightest grievance, I’ll deal with you too.
Zhou Sui'an stared at the message, his teeth aching with anger.
Whose sister was Suisui, anyway?
He gripped his phone tightly, feeling thoroughly upset.
This was bad.
Why had this man suddenly become so concerned about Suisui?
Not long ago, he had still been ignoring her.
A very ominous feeling welled up inside Zhou Sui'an.
It seemed that from now on, he would have to keep a close eye on Suisui. He absolutely couldn’t let Jiang Zongyan find an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.
—
Meanwhile, Su Wan had already been driven into a corner.
Every one of her endorsement deals had been terminated. The production team had cut all her scenes, and even several commercial appearances that had already been negotiated had fallen through.
She had become a complete pariah, hated and condemned by everyone.
Her appearances had been canceled, the production had terminated her contract, and even her manager, Wang Zhen, had turned against her.
“I really must have been blind. Back then, I chose to represent you because of your looks, even though there were so many talented people and such good opportunities available. And now look what happened—you ruined everything!”
“What do you mean? Is everything that happened entirely my fault?”
Su Wan was extremely indignant.
Now that she had fallen on hard times, even the company was taking advantage of her misfortune.
“You really are beyond saving. You’re impossible to bring up.”
Wang Zhen withdrew her contemptuous gaze and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
Su Wan collapsed onto the floor, her face filled with resentment.
She had originally thought that after meeting that person, she would finally be able to change her fate and rise above her circumstances.
She had never expected that it would all come to nothing, and that she would once again end up hated and condemned by everyone.
She would never forget that day—
The sky had been drizzling.
The cold raindrops had struck her body, chilling her all the way to her heart.
Her aunt and uncle’s wife had thrown her out again.
If she couldn’t get some money, she wouldn’t even be able to pay next month’s rent.
She had to attend the production’s audition. She had to seize this opportunity. She had to buy a dress. She had to become a big star.
Just when she had reached the end of her rope, a black Maybach slowly pulled over by the side of the road.
Her eyes lit up instantly.
She had seen this model online. Its price after taxes and fees was over eight million yuan.
A powerful sense of resentment surged through her. Heaven was simply too unfair. Some people could drive luxury cars worth millions, while she could barely afford to eat!
Anyone who could afford a car like that had to be incredibly wealthy, right?
Her heart began to pound. Then, a bold idea suddenly took shape.
As long as she could get money, as long as she could live a good life, she was willing to do anything.
She smoothed her disheveled hair, summoned her courage, and walked over to the Maybach. Then she gently tapped on the window.
“Hello, sir…” she said, arranging a sweet smile on her face.
The window slowly lowered.
She had already prepared an entire speech.
But the moment she saw who was inside the car, the smile on her face instantly froze.
