The Su Family old and young left dispiritedly.
Qiao Ying glanced at Huo Chengdong, who was watching intently from the sofa.
Sensing her gaze, Huo Chengdong looked over. He had just chugged some Coke and was so startled by Qiao Ying's expression that he let out a loud burp.
Qiao Ying frowned.
Huo Chengdong immediately wailed, "Sister Ying, I was wrong! Go ahead and hit me! Hit me hard!"
Annoying.
Qiao Ying went downstairs.
Seeing that Qiao Ying didn't hold it against him, Huo Chengdong livened up again and chased after her, asking, "Sister Ying, you're not your parents' biological daughter?"
That didn't seem quite right.
"You're not a Su by birth? You're that dead Eldest Young Master Su's? Is that for real? They weren't just acting out a story earlier, were they?"
"Sister Ying, why do I feel like there's something so mystical about you?"
He hadn't even fully processed that Qin Han business yet, and now there was this Su family stuff, which was just as farfetched.
"The Su family publicly claims that Su Yu died from illness. From what you just said, it was that old madam who killed him? And your birth mom too?"
"Damn! If I'd known that old madam was so nasty, I wouldn't have let her in earlier." Huo Chengdong had only allowed the old woman inside because she was elderly, never expecting her to be so malicious.
"I always thought Old Madam Su was grief-stricken from losing her son, that's why she was so devout to Buddha. Didn't expect she was the one who drove them to their deaths."
"Some Buddhist devotion - more like she's racked by guilt from all the evil she's done."
"You definitely shouldn't go back with them, Sister Ying. That Su family is full of wicked people. I hear even that Su Yu who died was quite formidable, yet she still managed to drive him to death."
Qiao Ying sat down on the sofa.
Huo Chengdong moved closer and asked carefully, "Sister Ying, are you upset?"
Qiao Ying couldn't be bothered to respond to him.
Upset? Resentful? Neither.
Huo Chengdong began spontaneously comforting Qiao Ying, saying the Su family wasn't worth it, that one wasn't worth it either, and if she lacked fatherly or motherly love, his parents would be happy to take her in as a goddaughter and even pay to adopt her.
After Qiao Ying's disdainful look made it clear she was not at all upset, he shamelessly pleaded, "Sister Ying, take me for a drive, 'kay?"
The Su family was still steeped in grief.
Old Madam Su was simultaneously filled with regret and urging her two sons to somehow bring Qiao Ying back no matter what.
Watching Grandma's endless tears and Mother following suit wiping her own eyes, Su Lingwei felt annoyed.
Standing for hours had long left Su Lingwei tired and hungry.
But her whole family's thoughts were occupied with Qiao Ying, not even bothering to prepare a meal. As someone who was always doted on in the family, Su Lingwei felt extremely unbalanced.
Su Cheng comforted Mother, "Mom, we can't rush this. We have to take it slowly."
Su Zhan added, "Mom, it's our fault wronging the child. We need to see this from her perspective and not force her."
Learning her Eldest Uncle and the woman Eldest Uncle cared for had died by Grandma's hand, Su Qingyu thought - if it were her, she wouldn't be willing to just come back either.
Su Lingwei complained, "That's right, Grandma. No need to rush. And the paternity test hasn't even been done yet. It's easier to invite a god than to send one away. Even if she really is Eldest Uncle's daughter, Eldest Uncle was upright. As for that Qiao Ying, who knows how she turned out, growing up in the boondocks. We should at least investigate her background clearly before bringing her into the family - otherwise she might end up embarrassing us."
If Qiao Ying joined the family, what would become of her own status here?
Even if Qiao Ying didn't threaten her doting treatment, Su Lingwei refused to allow Qiao Ying through the Su family gates or get any share of their assets.
She found the sight of Qiao Ying grating.
Su Lingwei's mother scolded, "Lingwei! How could you say that?"
Su Cheng angrily admonished, "Whether she is your Eldest Uncle's daughter or not, you shouldn't be saying things like this."
Her family members began criticizing her one after another.
Feeling wronged, Su Lingwei argued, "But I didn't say anything wrong! That Qiao Ying was shifty from the start. Remember at the auction when she spitefully drove up bids and claimed at Lin Yuxuan she was the boss? Mom, you were there too. Her adoptive parents are so poor yet she goes to places like that and lives in such a nice villa. Don't you find that questionable? Who knows what underhanded skills she's picked up all these years out there. As businesspeople, our Su family should be more prudent. Grandma even kneeled to her yet she still spoke so hurtfully."
Su Qingyu said softly, "The villa could have been Principal Zhang's reward for her."
Or it might have been rented to her with that hundred million bet...
When Eldest Uncle passed away, Su Qingyu had only been around five and didn't remember much. But what little she did - kind Eldest Uncle had always treated her well. With Father frequently away on business, it was Eldest Uncle who accompanied her.
She had even gone with Eldest Uncle to see a psychologist.
Plus Eldest Uncle was so handsome...
Su Cheng, furious: "You - go back to your room and reflect!"
Indignant, Su Lingwei stormed upstairs.
In the days that followed, the Su family stopped coming around to bother her, giving Qiao Ying some peace and quiet.
The last couple days there was light rain, the perfect weather to appreciate Capital University's landscape.
Yet a post titled "Qiao Ying Gets Liposuction and Plastic Surgery" suddenly exploded on the Capital University forums like lightning striking the ground, splashing everywhere.
"No way, this is the famed school beauty Qiao Ying? Can't be. How did she get so fat? Liposuction and plastic surgery? Is it really that scary?"
"Wow, her grades used to be so bad? Who can tell me how she suddenly rose to prominence? And she gave the school heartthrob love letters before? Whoever made this post sure knows a lot."
"That's her old high school uniform, right? Her features do look sort of similar, but she looks so unnatural here. Must be photoshopped!"
"Your esteemed female academic deity is a plastic surgery freak, haha!"
"Damn, she used to look like this? Let me go barf real quick."
"I think I've seen video interviews of her after taking the college entrance exam - she did look kind of chubby then. So could this be her photo from before the exam? That's just... um..."
"Speechless. So what if she was fat? Did that offend you? Did she eat your family's food? Do fat people not deserve to live?"
"Which master posted these pics? There's so many of them. Is this considered doxxing? Illegal, no? Careful or Lawyer Cheng will throw you in jail."
"Calling Lawyer Cheng! Don't break up my CP!"
"Knew she wasn't as simple as she looked. Rumors of her being a mistress have been around for ages but no one believed them."
Right after the liposuction and plastic surgery talks began swirling, claims that Qiao Ying was a mistress to an old man swiftly followed. It had already been whispered among small circles of people and was now broadcasted far and wide by those who cared little for consequences.
"A mistress to an old man? I want to eat this gossip!"
"Sounds true. Back then there were even photos. Several classmates saw Qiao Ying get out of a luxury car."
"Forget the nice car. The license plate was the real kicker. All zeros - either filthy rich or highly ranked official."
"I can believe the plastic surgery and lipo claims, but a mistress? No way. Huo the Young Master is loaded enough, she could just date him straight up if she wanted money."
"Agreed. Plus there's Lawyer Cheng. Sure Cheng Jinyan isn't as prestigious as Huo's background, but he owns a huge law firm himself with considerable net worth."
"I don't believe her, but I believe Lawyer Cheng. An upright man like Cheng Jinyan wouldn't be friends with shady people."
Already quite the attention magnet on campus, news of such astounding developments regarding famed academic genius Qiao Ying, the model student of Capital University, undoubtedly caused shockwaves of immense influence.
