On the other hand, by the time Li Qianxue arrived at the company, it was late. The routine company meeting had concluded. Without her, the vice director present, Su Chenghui, had handled every matter very well.
In the meantime, Su Peizhen had given her a call, telling her that she wanted to have lunch together.
After ending the call, Li Qianxue instructed her personal assistant to make reservations for lunch. The venue she had chosen was Su Peizhen’s favorite restaurant.
When the personal assistant entered the company, she had also brought the gift box along with her. After making reservations the way Li Qianxue had instructed her, she placed the gift box on the work desk.
“Director Li, this…”
“Throw it away.” Li Qianxue behaved as if she had just noticed the gift box. She gave the order without lifting her head.
Her voice was extremely icy, and her tone was very firm. The personal assistant stared at the gift box and felt that it was a pity to throw it away.
However, she still picked up the gift box. “I’ll be throwing it away then.”
“Discard it. Remember to get rid of it.”
The personal assistant nodded and left the room with the gift box in her hand.
…
Li Qianxue gazed at Su Peizhen, who was sitting opposite her in the restaurant. The injury on her face was not clearly visible after she had treated it the day before.
Su Peizhen had majored in business management. She was also participating in the recent partnership with Tianyu Group.
“Mother, you were absent during this morning’s company meeting. Where did you go? You didn’t pick up my calls.”
Su Peizhen asked her question casually, yet Li Qianxue’s reaction to it was a blank stare.
“Mother, what’s wrong with you?”
“It’s nothing. Wasn’t your father there to conduct the meeting?”
“You’re the one to say.” Su Peizhen was actually a little displeased with Su Chenghui. However, it was just a tiny displeasure. At this moment, she had more important things to talk to her mother about as she sat opposite her.
“I told Father to settle the score with that woman for me, and to my surprise, he actually refused. I was flabbergasted and extremely furious.”
Li Qianxue gazed at Su Peizhen and her brows furrowed. “Oh? Your father actually refused to do it?”
“That’s right. Not only did he refuse, but he also went on to tell me that there isn’t a need now to settle any scores with them. He also said that we are in a partnership with the Huo family now and it will not look good for us if we offend Huo Jinyao.”
“Who is Huo Jinyao?” At this thought, Su Peizhen also felt somewhat annoyed. “He is merely a well-known person who had relocated here from Rong City. Why should we be afraid of him?”
“Your father’s words make sense.” The fact that Li Qianxue did not pursue the matter with Su Qingsang any further earlier today was also due to her consideration of Huo Jinyao being in the picture.
“Mother, why do you echo Father’s words?”
Su Peizhen was increasingly infuriated. She glared at Li Qianxue scornfully; a look of defiance spread over her face.
“Peizhen,” Li Qianxue looked into Su Peizhen’s eyes. “At this moment, we have to look at the big picture and consider what’s best for our family. Just heed your father’s advice first.”
Su Peizhen looked unconvinced. However, when she recalled what Su Chenghui had said last that day, she actually relaxed a little.
“Forget about it. Of course, I’ll listen to Father. Father had said that he has already thought of a way to deal with that mother-daughter duo.”
“Is that so?” Li Qianxue picked up the glass of beverage in front of her and took a sip. She suddenly lifted her head to look at Su Peizhen. “You said that your father has thought of a way to deal with Su Qingsang and her mother already?”
“That’s right.” Su Peizhen did not understand why Li Qianxue’s demeanor had changed. However, she still repeated what Su Chenghui had said in the morning. “Look, my father has the responsibility to settle the score for me. You have to know that he has always preferred me to that illegitimate brat.”
Although Su Peizhen did not feel vindicated at that moment yet, her anger had considerably dissipated.
Moreover, Su Chenghui’s guarantee to her caused her to feel increasingly smug. No matter what, she believed Su Chenghui. He would live up to his promise of vindicating her.
She only needed to wait for Su Qingsang and Xiang Caiping to receive their dues and all would be good for her.
Li Qianxue gave a nod, but as she looked at Su Peizhen, she suddenly recalled what Su Qingsang had told her earlier today.
She had said, “Even if my mother loves my father again, she will never be with him, because she has acknowledged me as her daughter.”
“She got to know that my father had neglected and ignored me all these years. My mother’s heart aches for me. Let’s not consider the possibility of her getting back with my father because she only has hatred for him. She blames him for everything.”
“She can’t forgive my father, and she won’t even speak a word to him.”
Li Qianxue’s hand, which was holding the glass of beverage, froze for a moment. The fleeting thought of something being fishy, which she had before, once again reared its head.
The one whom Su Chenghui loved was Xiang Caiping. This was very clear to her.
However, all these years, he had treated Su Qingsang as indifferently as he could and disregarded her as much as was possible.
On the contrary, he treated Su Peizhen favorably; it was almost to the point where she was the apple of his eye and he reserved all his affection and love for her.
On the other hand, the behavior of favoring boys over girls that some people in Lin City exhibited was completely missing in him.
Putting the notion of favoring boys aside, Su Chenghui treated Su Peizhen more favorably than how he treated Su Yuxin. During the years of Su Peizhen’s education journey, she had lived at home.
However, what about Su Yuxin? He had been sent to a boarding school the moment he was in high school. He was only allowed back home once a week.
During that time, she had opposed that but failed to overthrow Su Chenghui’s reasoning of boys needing to toughen themselves.
However, how did Su Chenghui treat Su Qingsang? He had treated her even more coldly than Su Yuxin. Over the years, she had never seen Su Chenghui give Su Qingsang even a shadow of a smile.
Besides special occasions and festivals when he would ask Su Qingsang routine patronizing questions about how she was doing, he usually disregarded her presence the rest of the time.
If the person whom Su Chenghui loved was really Xiang Caiping, then the way he treated Su Qingsang was highly unnatural.
It was extremely strange, as that was not the attitude one would have towards one’s beloved woman’s daughter. It was instead the kind of attitude one would exhibit towards a complete stranger.
Why did Su Chenghui treat Su Qingsang this way?
“You have to know that he has always favored me the most.”
The words that Su Peizhen had said appeared in her mind at the same time. Yes, Su Peizhen was her father’s favorite daughter. Su Qingsang was apparently nothing to him.
However, thinking this way was completely illogical. Moreover, it also caused Li Qianxue, who had never once given this strange fact a serious thought, to have more and more suspicions.
This was abnormal. This was quite abnormal. There had to be a catch in all this.
If Su Chenghui treated Su Qingsang badly and Su Peizhen favorably, how could that make sense?
Logically speaking, it should have been the other way around. Why was that not the case?
“Mother?”
Since she had remained silent, Su Peizhen spoke to her to catch her attention.
Li Qianxue did not hear her. She was analyzing this matter she had suddenly thought of. What was fishy in all of this?
She could not figure it out at the moment, but Su Qingsang and Su Peizhen’s words were like broken records playing relentlessly in her head.
The strange sensation she had felt when something was odd once again overcame her.
In the midst of her utmost concentration, Li Qianxue seemed to have thought of a certain key point.
She was about to dissect this key point.
“Mother?” Su Peizhen called her louder than before. Li Qianxue had a shock.
“Peizhen?”
“Mother, are you alright?” Su Peizhen waved a hand in front of Li Qianxue as she spoke.
Li Qianxue immediately furrowed her brows. As she looked at Su Peizhen, she suddenly realized for the first time that her personality was a little too rash.
