Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
âLetâs go.â Su Chenghui didnât seem to notice the anger on her face. âMayor Li is going to speak in a while.â
Li Qianxue forced a smile and looked at the umbrella on his head. âYou also know Iâm going on stage?â
Su Chenghui put away the umbrella and handed it to his assistant. âOf course. After all, Iâm going on stage too, right?â
Li Qianxue glanced at him coldly and took the opportunity to go up to the stage. Su Chenghui held her hand from behind and said softly, âThe road isnât easy to walk. Let me help you.â
âThereâs no need.â Li Qianxue pulled her hand back discreetly. âDonât touch me, and naturally Iâll walk well.â
âQianxue...â Su Chenghui was a little helpless, but Li Qianxue was already walking very fast.
It wasnât her first time attending the groundbreaking ceremony. After so many years, how could the Li Corporation not have done many projects? She really didnât need Su Chenghui.
One after the other, the two of them went up to the simple platform made of wood. The red carpet was all laid out on the stage.
Li Junsheng and Wang Tao stood in the middle. After the two of them went up the stage, they stood on both sides of Li Junsheng. Everything that happened next was done according to the procedure.
Li Junsheng spoke first on behalf of the city leaders, then President Zhou, and finally, it was Li Qianxueâs turn.
She had the draft that Yang Rong had prepared for her a few days ago, but her memory had always been good. Such a scene was nothing to her.
The sun was a little high. She was wearing a rose-red suit, which was neither ostentatious nor grand. It was also in line with the festive occasion needed for the opening of the business today.
She first thanked the city leaders for their support for the work of the Li Corporation. Then, she thanked the Tianyu Group for their role in this matter, as well as the results of the cooperation between the two companies in many aspects.
Finally, she talked about the concept of City Star, an all-AI residential area.
It was a long story, but it was short. Her speech was only five minutes long. There were countless cameras facing her from below the stage. She was already used to such an occasion.
After one round of speech, it was time to cut the ribbon. Su Chenghui, who had been standing on the other side of Li Junsheng just now, actually walked to her side at this time.
The etiquette lady carried a golden plate and a pair of red silk scissors on the stage. Su Chenghui stood beside her and turned his head to look at her.
This scene was really familiar. The two of them stood together, cutting the ribbon and laying the foundation for the project. Who knew how many times it had happened?
Li Qianxue ignored the overly heated gazes of the people around her. She placed all her attention in front of her.
A stranger. From now on, Su Chenghui was just a stranger.
She thought about Su Qingsangâs words that day for a long time. She thought that she didnât want to be entangled with Su Chenghui for the rest of her life.
So what if she tortured Su Chenghui every day? If she tortured him, wouldnât she become like him?
She didnât want to.
She didnât need to throw away her bottom line for a man who wasnât worth it.
That night was Old Master Dongâs birthday banquet. Li Qianxue went as a representative of the Li family. In the past, for such banquets, Su Yuxin attending was enough.
She personally came to give Old Master Dong face.
This morning, the Li Corporationâs groundbreaking ceremony was on TV. Not only was it on TV, but the Li Corporation had also placed advertisements on the internet and on all the major print media.
When she entered, many people congratulated her.
Li Qianxue chatted with those people, but this wasnâ her home ground after all, so after chatting for a while, she picked a corner and sat down.
A message popped up on her phone. She was in a Wechat group with Su Qingsang and Su Yuxin.
Su Qingsang would occasionally post photos and videos of the twins. Li Qianxueâs biggest hobby after work was to look at the photos Su Qingsang posted.
The twins had been together for more than three months, and they could already roll around.
Nian Nian was slower, and she didnât have enough strength. She tried hard to roll her body on the bed, but she could only roll her body sideways. She would need help to roll her body over completely.
The photos were of two people lying on the bed, and a video was sent over after a while.
Huo Jinyao supported Xiang Xiangâs tiny body and tried hard to roll him over. The little guy was talking in a language that adults couldnât understand. He looked very funny and cute.
âSo cute.ân/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
The voice that suddenly sounded was very familiar. Li Qianxue quickly dropped her phone and looked up at the person.
She shouldnât be surprised. If she could come, naturally Su Chenghui could come too.
She was going to stand up and leave, but when she thought of the things that she suddenly thought of in the morning, she sat there calmly.
Su Chenghui looked at her in surprise. Today, Li Qianxue didnât seem to have that look of wanting to push him away, nor did she have that unconcealed disgust when she saw him.
Her expression could even be said to be peaceful. Su Chenghuiâs surprise only lasted for a few seconds. He quickly thought of the reason for her expression.
He glanced at her and sat down on the sofa next to her. His expression was somewhat cautious.
âTo think about it, Nian Nian is very cute, right?â Su Chenghui had gone to Rong City to see the two children before. The older they grew, the more delicate-featured they looked. They were very cute.
Li Qianxue glanced at him. Her lips moved, but she didnât say a word.
âThe last time I went to Rong City, the two little guys even smiled at me.â
Li Qianxue closed her eyes. When she heard this, she glanced at Su Chenghui.
âSu Chenghui.â
Su Chenghui was stunned when she suddenly opened her mouth. Li Qianxue curled her lips with a hint of mockery in her eyes. âWhen you go to Rong City, will you go to see Su Peizhen?â
Su Chenghui choked and looked at Li Qianxue.
Their eyes met. Su Chenghui looked at Li Qianxueâs eyes and lowered his eyes. âYes.â
âHow has she been recently?â Li Qianxue leaned forward and stared at Su Chenghuiâs face. âNo, or should I ask another question? Does she still hate me?â
After all, she was the one who announced that she had severed her relationship with Su Peizhen. With Su Peizhenâs personality, it should be difficult for her not to hate her, right?
Su Chenghui was silent for a few seconds. Just when Li Qianxue thought that he wouldnât answer, she heard his soft voice.
âShe is very good now. She doesnât hate anyone.â
âIs that so?â Li Qianxue didnât believe him.
âYou have to believe that she is actually a good child.â
Su Chenghuiâs words caused Li Qianxue to sneer. He looked up at her with a serious expression. âPeizhwn was raised by you. Even if she couldnât take it and took the wrong path, she was still raised by you. If you reject her, you are rejecting your own efforts.â
Li Qianxue looked at Su Chenghui deeply because of her words. âIs that so? But I have long denied all my efforts for so many years. After all, I spent more than 20 years raising two ingrates. If it wasnât a waste of my efforts, what else could it be?â
Su Chenghui was speechless, but Li Qianxue felt bored. She had just thought it through this morning. She wanted to treat Su Chenghui as a stranger. Since she wanted to treat him as a stranger, why would she say these things?
Just as she was about to leave, she heard Su Chenghuiâs extremely low and hoarse voice, âNo, itâs not.â
He was looking at her now with a burning gaze, âYour efforts werenât in vain. Peizhen asked me to tell you that sheâs sorry.â
âShe said that she knows that you donât need to and donât want to hear it. However, she does owe you an apology.â
Silence. Li Qianxue sat there without moving. It was very lively outside the banquet hall, but in Li Qianxueâs area, it was deathly silent.
Staring at Su Chenghui, she sat there expressionlessly.
Su Chenghui didnât avoid her gaze, and his voice was very soft. âPeizhen has indeed changed now. She even reduced her sentence for meritorious service. If you see her, you will know.â
Li Qianxueâs lips were tight and the back of her hand was a little pale.
She had raised Su Peizhen for more than 20 years. She had been carefully educated and nurtured since she was young. If Su Chenghui was the person who hurt her the most in this marriage, Su Peizhen was the second person. It wasnât that she did not give her a way out, nor did she not give her a choice.
She could have had a better way, but she chose the one that hurt her the most.
When she targeted Su Qingsang, not to mention that she had already recognized Su Qingsang, even if she didnât know Su Qingsangâs identity in the past, she wouldnât have agreed with her methods.
She taught Su Peizhen to see the big picture and be long-sighted. In the end, she put her mind on those dirty tricks.
Su Peizhen paid the price, but to her, she also lost a daughter. Even if this daughter wasnât born by her.
âWhat does it have to do with me? âLi Qianxueâs expression was very cold. âShe is no longer my daughter. I donât want to see her either.â
She had clearly said earlier that she wanted to treat Su Chenghui as a stranger, but his casual words had reminded her of those unpleasant things.
Even if she was the one who started it, it still made her uncomfortable. Li Qianxue couldnât sit still anymore. She stood up and turned to walk outside.
Su Chenghui stood up, then followed behind her.
Li Qianxue greeted Old Master Dong and said that she had something to do at the last minute, so she left first. With Li Qianxueâs status, Old Master Dong was already very happy that she could come. He was very polite and asked her to do her own things. He also asked his son to send Li Qianxue off.
Li Qianxue refused. When Old Master Dong saw Su Chenghui behind her, he revealed a smile.
Li Qianxue didnât see that smiling face. If she did, she would probably be even gloomier.
The night breeze was cool. There wasnât a single star in the sky. It was clear that the sun was still shining brightly in the morning, but at this moment, dark clouds were gathering. It looked like there would be a rain at night.
The humidity in the air made the annoyance in Li Qianxueâs heart not only not disappear, but also increase.
Especially when she knew that Su Chenghui was following behind her, her footsteps became faster and faster.
She looked at the parking lot at the other end of the hotel, where Xiao Zhao parked his car. She could have called him to drive over, but now she would rather walk by herself and calm down.
When she was about to cross the road, the car in front drove quite fast.
âQianxue?â
Su Chenghui, who was behind her, rushed forward at this time and pulled her back.
The impact made Li Qianxueâs body crash into Su Chenghuiâs arms. He hugged her and took two big steps back before he stabilized his body.
âBe careful.â
Li Qianxue was thinking about something and indeed didnât notice it. Now that she had reacted, she reached out and pushed Su Chenghui.
âSu Chenghui, stay away from me.â
If he hadnât followed behind her, she wouldnât have thought of walking faster.
âQianxue...â
âStop.â Li Qianxue took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. âWhat do you want to say?â
âDo you want me to forgive Su Peizhen? Or do you want me to forgive you?â
âQianxue, I didnât mean that.â
âI donât care what you meantâ
Li Qianxue thought of her previous plan. She had always avoided talking about it in the past. She thought that as long as she stayed away from Su Chenghui, it would be fine. But now, she wanted to make things clear with him.
âSu Chenghui, I just want to tell you. What youâre doing now is useless to me. Itâs useless.â
âFirst of all, I hate you. I hate you very much. The best I can do is not to take revenge on you, but I canât not hate you. I donât want to forgive you or Su Peizhen. Second of all, Qingsang and Yuxin have grown up. They donât need your fatherly love anymore. I donât need your compensation, and neither do my two children. So why do you need to say anything about compensation?â
âFinally, if you really feel guilty, if you really feel that youâve let me down, and Su Peizhen really feels that sheâs let me down, then all you two can do is to stay away from us. Understand?â
Su Chenghui saw that she was about to turn around and leave, so he went forward and grabbed her arm. He was panicking, and suddenly understood that Li Qianxue suddenly wanted to draw a line between them.
âQianxue, you know very well that this is impossible. Yuxin and Qingsang are both my children. How can I distance myself?â
âYou still have Su Peizhen, while I only have Qingsang and Yuxin.â Li Qianxue refused. âI donât want to stop you from accepting two children, but from what you said just now, you clearly made a choice. The same choice as twenty years ago. In that case, what do I have to say to you?â
âI donât.â Su Chenghui held her shoulder. âYou canât wrong me like this. I never thought like that, and I never made such a choice.â
âYou didnât? Then why did you tell me just now that Peizhen is a good child? If she is a good child, then what are my two children?â
âI didnât mean that. I just wanted to tell you that Peizhen has really changed. Moreover, youâve raised her for so long, you should know her character.â
âYeah, Iâve raised her for so long, but I couldnât see through her. Itâs like how I thought you were an honest person before, but what about your character? What about it?â
âQianxue, itâs not fair to me for you to treat me like this. I was just impulsive back then, and I regretted it afterward.â
This was the first time Su Chenghui had pour out his heart in front of her. âI was a little angry at that time, but afterward, I regretted it. I really regretted it.â
Not only did he regret it because of the divorce with Li Qianxue, but in the past 20 years, as long as he thought about, day and night, there was no time that he didnât regret it.
At first, it was impulsive, but later, he couldnât explain it clearly. When he wanted to say it, he couldnât say it anymore.
He couldnât explain these things to Li Qianxue. He also couldnât tell her that he had long given up on revenge.
It was only because of his ridiculous self-esteem that he couldnât open his mouth.