Su Mingyuan nodded with satisfaction. In his mind, this Su Jin could never grow smart. See? Give her a little sweet talk and some petty benefits, and she'd still obey like before.
"By the way," he added with an air of command, "your grandmother's birthday is in a few days. After her birthday banquet, you can move out and find a place."
It was clearly not a request.
In her past life, Su Jin had been cautious and timid within the Su household—easy to suppress, and bullied by all.
The only person who ever truly showed her kindness was the old madam. But after the old lady broke her leg, Su Jin lost her only shield.
And the timing had been no coincidence.
With the old master passing away long ago and the old lady bedridden and powerless, Gu Xiangyun had taken over the reins of the household.
From that point on, Su Jin's life had grown unbearable.
She clearly remembered—the day her grandmother broke her leg had been during her birthday celebration.
"I understand. I'll stay until then," Su Jin replied calmly.
But as she said it, a dull ache welled in her chest at the thought of the old lady. Her pain smoothed over all the sharpness in her voice.
Su Mingyuan misunderstood her silence as hesitation over Gu Xiangyun and didn't think much of it.
Walking out of Su Mingyuan's study, Su Jin paused under the dim corridor light. Gazing at the familiar plants and trees, her heart grew heavier with each step.
She didn't want to stay in this house for even another minute. It was like a nest of poisonous snakes—scheming in every corner, with malice hidden behind every smile. Even the air here felt suffocating.
She had to move out. The sooner, the better.
---
Three days later, Su Nuo was discharged from the hospital and returned home.
When she heard that Su Jin was going to move out, she was overjoyed for a moment. But when she found out that Su Mingyuan had given Su Jin $1,000 in living expenses, she nearly gritted her teeth to dust.
"She really thinks she can leave the Su family just like that?" Su Nuo sneered coldly. "Wishful thinking."
In her mind, Su Jin would be crawling back in tears the moment she ran out of money. And honestly, she couldn't wait to see her looking haggard and humiliated in the streets.
Gu Xiangyun shared the same thought—but unlike the naive and petty Su Nuo, her instincts were sharper. Something about Su Jin's recent change unsettled her.
That once timid and obedient girl now had a sharpness in her tone and a calm defiance in her eyes. She was no longer easy to control.
"Mom, what are you thinking about?" Su Nuo asked, leaning on her mother with a soft, spoiled voice.
Gu Xiangyun snapped back to reality and gave Su Nuo a doting smile. She gently patted her daughter's face. "It's nothing," she said softly.
Seeing the redness and swelling still lingering on Su Nuo's cheek, a flicker of guilt crossed her eyes. She sighed. "Nuo Nuo, you've been wronged. It's my fault—I failed to protect you."
At the mention of this, Su Nuo's eyes flashed with resentment. "It's all that bastard's fault. If it weren't for her, how would we have ended up like this?"
Gu Xiangyun's expression darkened. She hated Su Jin just as much. A mere adopted daughter, yet she dared to disobey her—dared to stand tall and talk back? Unforgivable.
"Don't worry," Gu Xiangyun said coldly. "I won't let you suffer for nothing. She's just a little orphan girl. One trap, and she'll be begging for mercy."
Su Nuo's eyes lit up with delight. "Mom, do you have a plan to deal with her?"
"The day after tomorrow is your grandmother's birthday," Gu Xiangyun said meaningfully, a sly smile curving on her lips. "What do you think would happen if Su Jin made a mistake at the birthday banquet?"
Su Nuo's expression twisted with excitement. "Grandma has always been strict and fair. She doesn't tolerate the slightest stain. If Su Jin messes up at the banquet, Grandma will definitely be furious and—" She trailed off, already giggling with glee, as if she could see Su Jin being humiliated and punished by the old lady.
Su Nuo's smile faded, and a look of confusion crossed her face. " But Mom, what's going on with Grandma? She knows that Su Jin isn't really part of the Su family, so why let her go to university? Why waste all that effort on her?"
Gu Xiangyun's expression turned grim, the same question having plagued her for years.
Su Jin had always been timid and obedient, not someone who seemed destined for greatness. In her eyes, Su Jin was just a convenient tool—nothing more.
But the old lady had insisted on raising her well, going out of her way to ensure she received a good education. She had paid for her to attend university, take piano lessons, and even learn painting.
Gu Xiangyun had once confronted the old matriarch about it, but all she received was a calm response: "One child is already being raised—why not raise the other too? We don't want the world saying the Su family mistreats its adopted daughter."
At the time, Gu Xiangyun accepted that explanation. But now, the more she thought about it, the more something felt off.
There was something strange about it all—something she hadn't noticed before.