She sat there for half an hour.
Su Ning prepared to leave. Not long after she stepped out the door, a few people tried to rush at her, but they were instantly pinned to the ground, their arms dislocated and their mouths gagged. She merely cast a casual glance at them.
They had no exploitation value.
She left.
Seeing her leave, Old Man Zhao and his family, who were left behind, widened their eyes. This was not what they had expected at all! Usually, when a big shot encountered such a commotion, they would at least stay to hear what they had to say, right?
Su Ning: Heh, no need.
In the car.
After waiting quietly for a few minutes, Shang Wenyun got into the car and softly explained the identities of Old Man Zhao and the others. Then, carefully choosing her words, she said:
"They said they came this time to beg for mercy."
"What?"
Su Ning found it unbelievable.
When had she ever dealt with these kinds of worthless things that wouldn't even yield a few bucks if squeezed dry? To lower her to their level was simply slander, pure slander!
"It's Young Master Chen." Fortunately, Shang Wenyun promptly explained that these people had been messed with by Su Chen. The son lost his job, and the old folks suffered a continuous streak of bad luck, either losing money or getting beaten up. Yet, to outsiders, it all looked like they brought it upon themselves.
It didn't seem to have the slightest connection to Su Chen.
"Hmm, he did well."
Su Ning casually tossed out this sentence, having absolutely no intention of upholding justice for Old Man Zhao and the others. With a wave of her hand, the car drove forward.
Her attitude needed no further explanation.
Behind them.
Su Chen's eyes looked slightly stunned before he slowly broke into a smile. Old Man Zhao and the others, however, were in disbelief. They had prepared a lot to say. For instance, they wanted to reveal that Su Chen had collaborated with women from the Eight Great Hutongs to secure the supply channels for bricks, tiles, and lime. Listen to how ruinous that would be to his reputation!
They had also thought about how to lament their family's pitiful state, claiming that Half-Immortal Su and his people were unforgiving, ruthlessly attacking their old neighbors just over a few words.
They were determined to make Su Ning feel disgusted.
But she just left?
She just walked away like that, without even the slightest desire to listen.
"Why?" Old Man Zhao's son clenched his fists. Pinned to the ground, he puffed up with anger like a frog: "Su Chen, don't think you're in the clear just because you escaped this time. Your dirty deeds will be discovered by Su Ning sooner or later, and when that time comes..."
"When that time comes, I will still be my older cousin's younger brother."
Su Chen cut him off. With his handsome and charming features, his smile was always captivating, not to mention he rarely smiled in the past, making it all the more rare.
"Bloodline is an unbreakable bond. It will never, ever change."
He emphasized and repeated, his tone laced with a smile.
Looking at his once arrogant and highly superior childhood friend now in such a sorry state, he patted the man's face with extreme contempt and said with a smile:
"What you should be worrying about right now is the fate of your entire family."
"Idiot."
...
In today's Peiping City.
Su Ning could be called the center of a storm of public opinion. Her every move was watched by countless eyes. Even wasting a little bit of food would draw severe verbal attacks, and the few major evil incidents that happened at the construction site certainly couldn't escape being targeted.
For a time.
The villains in the tabloids on the market gained new despicable traits like docking pay, bullying the weak, and favoring relatives over reason. Storytellers in the teahouses also spat everywhere as they passionately recounted these tales.
What didn't they dare to say?
What a joke. As native Peipingers who had lived at the foot of the imperial city for generations, they had even gossiped about the royal family of the previous dynasty. Would they be afraid of a newly rich bully like Su Ning?
Besides, these were the facts anyway.
Someone said disdainfully:
"If she dares to do it, she shouldn't be afraid of people talking. No matter how arrogant Su Ning is, she can't gag the mouths of the millions of people in Peiping."
Su Ning: ???
I never even thought about stopping them. Let them say whatever they want. The more they gossiped about her, the more rewards she got. It had directly formed a positive feedback loop... It was a great feeling to have rewards rolling into her pockets every day while doing absolutely nothing.
She felt so good that she couldn't help but sigh to the system:
This is the importance of laying a solid foundation. If it weren't for all my previous scheming, desperately ruining my reputation, and offending the newspaper industry, I wouldn't be where I am today.
She pondered for a moment.
Then she said generously:
Tell you what, we've been together for so long now, so I'll allow you to record these shortcut secrets. You can pass them on to your future systems, and it will definitely yield twice the result with half the effort... Aren't I good to you?
After saying this, she waited for the system's gratitude.
A long time passed.
Thank you so much, the Rich and Heartless System said sarcastically. However, let's skip the secrets. This operation is too high-end; it's not something ordinary people can use.
I'm afraid my future hosts would be scammed to death!
Its mockery was mixed with genuine sincerity.
Not just anyone could have Su Ning's courage, nor the thick skin to face the pointing fingers and scolding of thousands of people as if it were just a spring breeze brushing against their face. An ordinary person would have broken down in two days.
Alright then.
Su Ning spread her hands in regret. But in the very next second, using her offered goodwill as an excuse, she forcefully demanded benefits from the system—acting completely justified.
After she pestered it for a long time.
The system compromised.
It wasn't a big deal anyway; it just had to help Su Ning monitor the movement of the refugees, as well as the price fluctuations of grain and oil on the Beiping market.
...If you walk by the river often enough, your shoes are bound to get wet. This system will be caught one day. When that time comes, we will die together!
The system grumbled and cursed while it worked.
Su 'Skinflint' Ning let it go in one ear and out the other, good-naturedly smoothing the system's feathers. Suddenly, her gaze focused. The progress of her reward task had imperceptibly crept forward a tiny bit—
Could it be... the system counted too?
She secretly found it amusing.
But she didn't say it out loud, acting as if nothing happened to divert the system's attention—otherwise, what if it flew into a rage out of humiliation and quit?
Soon, the data was sorted out.
As Su Ning expected, a large number of refugees were migrating toward Beiping, and the prices of grain and oil were showing a straight upward trend, nearly tripling in just two short months!
These profiteers are truly inhuman! Su Ning was filled with righteous indignation, declaring that she must sanction them and stand up for the common people. She would start by making an example out of someone.
This example had already been chosen.
It was you, the Zhao Family Rice Shop!
......
Meanwhile.
The atmosphere in the Zhao family was very strange. Mixed within the gloomy clouds was the excitement of getting rich. In Old Madam Zhao's courtyard, the mood was filled with much more joy and happiness.
Because her son was alive!
Come, Mother, drink your medicine slowly.
Zhao Hao sat by the bed, feeding medicine spoonful by spoonful to the weak Old Madam Zhao on the bed. After every mouthful, he considerately used a handkerchief to wipe her mouth.
He was very focused and attentive.
Anyone who saw this would have to say the child was filial. Old Madam Zhao was also very moved, but the medicine was too bitter; feeding it slowly was worse than just gulping it all down at once.
He finally finished feeding her.
Zhao Hao handed the medicine bowl to a maidservant standing nearby and politely thanked her, saying it was a trouble.
The maidservant lowered her head shyly.
She hurried out.
I've trained this girl since she was little. She's pretty, docile, and knows how to serve people. If you like her, she is qualified to be your concubine, Old Madam Zhao said with a smile, patting her son's hand.
What concubine?
Zhao Hao said helplessly, his eyes filled with tenderness:
"I already have Wenyun as my wife, and I have a son and a daughter. Why should I delay the marriage prospects of a young girl? Please don't say such things anymore, it will only cause misunderstandings."
"Alright, alright, Mother understands."
Of course he couldn't take a concubine right now. The family still had to beg that bitch surnamed Shang. Wait until the crisis was over, and she would show Shang Wenyun what she was made of!
At this thought.
Old Madam Zhao felt in exceptionally high spirits. Leaning her head back against the soft pillow, she grasped Zhao Hao's hand and said with heartache, "My poor son, suffering such a terrible ordeal. It's all because of that bitch Shang Wenyun. She was born with misfortune and bad luck, and she dragged you down with her..."
"Mother, what does this have to do with Wenyun? It hasn't been easy for her either."
Zhao Hao quickly stopped her.
As for arguing back?
This was his mother. How could a son speak of his birth mother's faults? Fortunately, Wenyun wasn't here. Otherwise, hearing these words would only make the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law even worse.
"What's wrong with what I said?" Old Madam Zhao grew even more agitated, glaring fiercely. "She's been married into this family for so many years, yet she has never served her parents-in-law. As for children, she only gave birth to a little brat of a girl, and the son is a bastard!"
"Xuewen is not a bastard."
Unexpectedly, this sentence sent Zhao Hao into a furious rage. He stood up angrily, his trembling finger pointing at Old Madam Zhao, before he indignantly lowered it.
He paced around the bed several times before finally calming down.
"Wenyun doesn't know about this. I've told you, for the sake of the family, you can't keep bringing it up. If it slips out one day, the situation will be out of control!"
He thought for a moment and tried a different approach.
Sure enough—
"Mother understands. I won't speak carelessly anymore," Old Madam Zhao said begrudgingly. The thought of having loved that bastard like her own flesh and blood left a lump of stifled anger in her chest.
Unable to hold back, she added:
"The bas... Is Xuewen really not your child? Don't worry, even if his biological mother is from a brothel, Mother will accept her for your sake."
"He is not."
Zhao Hao felt a bitter pang in his heart.
"Then why are you raising him?" Raising him as if he were his own flesh and blood, Old Madam Zhao couldn't understand. Her son was kind-hearted, yes, but being this kind-hearted about such a matter was simply too much.
"Please don't ask anymore."
"Anyway, Xuewen has been surnamed Zhao since birth. He is my son, and it will stay that way. Even if Wenyun and I have another child, it won't shake his position as the eldest young master of the Zhao family!"
Zhao Hao's tone was firm and resolute.
Then, his voice softened.
"Tomorrow, I will go talk to Wenyun and plead with her. She will listen to me. The family won't have to worry about Su Ning targeting us anymore, alright?"
After a moment.
"How can a mother ever win against her son? Oh, you." Old Madam Zhao sighed, tacitly agreeing, but then reminded him, "Talk to your wife properly. Su Ning is not someone to be trifled with. If there's a chance, it's best to cut ties and get out early."
"I will."
It really wasn't good. He supported women working, but Su Ning...
How many days had it been since he returned to Beiping?
From what he had heard and seen, everyone harbored deep resentment towards her. Various deeds also showed that she was wicked rather than kind. As the saying goes, he who lies with dogs will rise with fleas.
Wenyun shouldn't stay there.
She would be corrupted.
The atmosphere between mother and son eased considerably. Old Madam Zhao was smiling cheerfully, just about to impart to him some methods for taming women, when the maid from earlier suddenly burst in, panicking.
"This is bad! The rice shop has been raided!"
