How truly pitiful.
Su Ning sighed, but short-term pain was better than long-term suffering. At least she had avoided the worst possible ending. Now, she could turn her pain into resentment and direct it at the damn second male lead, the Zhao family, and even that Zhao Xuewen.
Then it wouldn't be so painful.
She pitifully gave Shang Wenyun time to grieve and did not disturb her.
The system held back again and again, but couldn't help complaining silently in its heart.
Crocodile tears—
She clearly could have chosen a gentler approach, it would just take more time... And even so, why didn't she tell her that the Zhao family was also unaware?
That everything was done by her husband, keeping it a secret from everyone?
Of course, the system wouldn't ask.
It could guess that Su Ning definitely had ample reasons and could list out one, two, three, four, five, six... reasons. By then, it absolutely wouldn't be able to win the debate, because the effect was truly remarkable.
For example, right now.
"Miss Su, thank you."
Shang Wenyun calmed down and immediately expressed her gratitude to Su Ning. Even though she was so hateful that she was going crazy, she didn't take her anger out on Su Ning.
Instead, she felt deep gratitude.
Regardless of whether this unfathomable Miss Su did it for her own amusement or something else, the result was that she stopped herself from continuing to raise someone else's child like a fool!
Being more realistic, if she wanted to take revenge, a lone woman with a daughter couldn't shake the Zhao family. She might even face retaliation.
Only Su Ning could protect her.
Perhaps she could even... Shang Wenyun lowered her eyes. It was too early to say these things. She knew herself well; a mere private tutor teaching English had no value to Miss Su.
"Although you may not need it, I will do everything in my power to repay you."
Others didn't pay much attention to this sentence when they heard it.
After all, besides being pitiful, Shang Wenyun.
It really couldn't be seen what value she had that Miss Su needed. Oh, she might be more loyal, but the loyalty of a useless person was worthless most of the time.
Except for Lin Sen.
He looked up and took a deep look at Shang Wenyun, then looked at the young miss, just catching her fleeting smile, and sighed slightly in his heart.
For his highly competitive career.
Su Ning took in Shang Wenyun. She continued to teach the Su family English, but she also had other tasks, such as assisting Zhenzhu in starting correspondence with Anderson.
For instance, the job of dealing with some foreigners in Beiping was also handed over to her. After all, there is a specialization in every profession, and this was what Shang Wenyun did abroad.
Su Ning could also be slightly relieved.
Relationships needed to be maintained.
But foreigners' salons really often went on until the early hours of the morning, requiring constant dancing and drinking. In terms of communication, her current English level could handle it, but her mind was very tense.
It was very tiring.
"I will do my best," Shang Wenyun promised. Her previously dead eyes seemed to have a glimmer of light again, just as Assistant Lin, her senior, had thought.
She also felt that Su Ning would choose her.
Besides luck, it was probably because Su Ning had a similar female assistant abroad before... Thinking of this, the pressure was immense.
"Mhm."
Su Ning nodded nonchalantly. Bestowing a favor on Shang Wenyun and taking her in as a trusted hand was just a casual move. If she really had good working ability, that was great; if not, it was fine too.
Anyway, on her side, the capable rose and the mediocre fell.
And now Shang Wenyun had an even more important role for her—
"What are you going to do about the Zhao family?"
Hearing the words "Zhao family," Shang Wenyun uncontrollably flared up with anger. She took a deep breath to forcefully suppress it and said calmly, "They probably don't know that I've discovered Zhao Xuewen's identity yet. I also ask Miss Su to help keep it a secret."
In the past, the Zhao family was in the open, and she was in the dark.
From now on, it would be the other way around!
Su Ning didn't care what Shang Wenyun wanted to do. The more ruthlessly she struck, the better. Bringing out the madness from the original novel, the Zhao family also had quite a few plot characters... She could win effortlessly and get rewards again.
She only gave a faint reminder:
"By the way, I don't want my employee to be involved in a scandal of killing a child. Do you remember?"
Zhao Xuewen was a top-tier plot character. How many rewards had been squeezed out of him so far? At least wait until she squeezed him dry and he lost his value before he could leave.
"I'll remember."
Shang Wenyun smiled gently.
...
Meanwhile, at the Zhao family.
Old Madam Zhao complained of a headache as soon as she got home and fell ill in bed. She had high seniority and many descendants, so the room was soon crowded with people coming to visit.
There were too many people, and the inner room was only so big.
Zhao Xuewen was pushed around.
Finally, he was pushed all the way to the threshold, and even then, someone found him an eyesore. A certain uncle looked at him with dissatisfaction, "The room is full of your elders. How can you be so ill-mannered? You don't even know how to greet people!"
"Those raised outside are just no good!"
Zhao Xuewen opened his mouth.
He wanted to say that he had greeted them earlier, but no one responded, so... his voice gradually became much softer, and the room was so noisy that he wasn't heard.
However, he didn't get a chance to say it.
Because other members of the Zhao family also couldn't stand him. In a large family, people were used to fighting for resources, and Zhao Xuewen, a fatherless orphan, had won Old Madam Zhao's favor.
That was very much an eyesore.
"Exactly. It's one thing to be ill-mannered, but how did your face get beaten up like this... Did you get into a fight with someone?"
"I was wondering why the old madam suddenly fell ill. It turns out it's because of this worthless grandson. If you ask me, isn't his mother still around? Why bring him back?"
"...Disgraceful..."
Zhao Xuewen kept his head down, his fists clenched tightly, and the injuries on his face began to ache.
"Alright, stop talking."
Old Madam Zhao, who was wearing a headband and looked sickly on the bed, finally spoke up to stop them. She beckoned for Zhao Xuewen to come over and lovingly stroked his face. "Your mother was too ruthless. She beat her own son like this for a Su Ning."
She then asked the servants to bring some ointment.
As the cool ointment was applied to his swollen and painful skin, Zhao Xuewen felt somewhat moved. His grandmother still loved him. As for those five hundred yuan... there must be another reason.
Thinking of his mother, his lips pressed even tighter.
Even if his mother came to apologize, he wouldn't easily go back!
As for Su Ning, he felt nothing but hatred.
On this side, Old Madam Zhao had weakly explained today's events to her descendants, though details like feigning a fainting spell were naturally omitted.
"What? Mother, you offended Su Ning!"
Someone turned pale with fright.
Stomping their feet repeatedly, they even disregarded hierarchy and directly complained that Old Madam Zhao was muddled. Of all people to provoke, she provoked that female demon. Even the Japanese who stood in her way met violent ends.
Such a lawless person.
Why provoke her!
"Alright, Third Brother, calm down." It was Old Madam Zhao's eldest son, Eldest Zhao, who remained steady. "Although Su Ning is ruthless, our Zhao family is not made of clay either. As long as we stay steady, what can she do to us without reason?"
Hearing this, the others also calmed down.
"This Su Ning doesn't know how to respect the elderly. The old madam is so old; ordinary people would show her some deference, but she humiliated her like this."
"If word gets out, it will ruin her reputation."
Eldest Zhao said confidently, "I don't believe she would dare to let her own clansmen replace the positions of our family's descendants. Does she still think Mayor Chen is in a position where he needs to ask her for favors?"
The others also laughed.
Right, putting themselves in her shoes.
When Mayor Chen's position was unstable and he needed Su Ning's money to smooth things over, he naturally granted her every request. Now that he was fully in charge of the situation, things were different.
Su Ning's usefulness had diminished.
Conversely, a family like their Zhao family, with its deep roots and extensive in-laws, was exactly who he should be trying to win over now. If Mayor Chen had any sense, he would never abandon them in favor of Su Ning.
Not to mention how self-righteously Su Ning ordered him around.
Hmph, did she not know the ancient wisdom of hiding the bow when the birds are gone, and slaughtering the donkey once the grinding is done!
Just at that moment, a group of people suddenly rushed in from outside. They were the younger generation of the Zhao family who worked in the government. Every single one of them looked panicked and lost, and the gazes they directed at Old Madam Zhao were filled with extreme resentment.
Old Madam, why did you have to provoke Su Ning?
We have all been fired!
Before Old Madam Zhao could even react, the slap in the face arrived with blistering speed. Eldest Zhao's face turned beet red, as if he had literally been slapped across the cheek from afar.
His voice squeezed out from between his gritted teeth.
That guy Chen, has he completely lost his mind?
...
Chen Huaiqian certainly hadn't lost his mind. He was perfectly clear-headed. It was just that the Zhao family really wasn't as important as they believed themselves to be. Priding themselves on playing it safe simply meant they hadn't taken a side.
Which meant they weren't his people.
People like that were meant to be purged anyway.
With a great battle approaching, he had to ensure that the municipal government was firmly within his absolute control.
Now I am just worried about the caliber of Miss Su's clansmen, and whether they can actually handle these positions, the Secretary-General said with some concern.
I believe in her.
Chen Huaiqian smiled. If they cannot do it, the worst-case scenario is that we just keep them on the payroll for nothing. We can simply add a few more deputies to handle the actual work.
The Secretary-General gave him a very strange look.
Weren't useless nepotism hires the exact type of people he despised the most?
That is not important. The messenger Miss Su sent just now also gave me another piece of news. The production line for the fertilizer plant has already landed ashore.
Chen Huaiqian's expression grew solemn.
So fast!
The Secretary-General cried out in shock. Didn't you tell Miss Su to take it slow? We haven't even had time to arrange reliable personnel to escort it. What if it gets intercepted along the way?
She said she has everything under control.
His voice sounded utterly helpless.
