Chapter 150: Since We’re Chasing Thrills, Let’s Go All the Way – 4

Everyone was stunned by Gu Lian’s sudden turn of events—everyone except Yu Liuxue, who was practically ecstatic as she stared at her, just short of leaping over to plant a kiss on her cheek. Gu Tianyou was the first to recover. His handsome brows furrowed tightly as he scolded sternly, “Xiao Lian, don’t be reckless!”

Gu Lian had always listened to her brother, but today, seeing how love had clouded his judgment, the divine image she had of him shattered with a loud crack. Since they were young, their parents and grandparents had taught them: fulfill your role, shoulder your responsibilities, and carry out your duties. As the heir of the Gu Family, her brother should have been thinking about the family as a whole. But now, he was disregarding Grandfather’s well-meaning plans and throwing the Gu Family’s arrangements into chaos for the sake of a Fox Spirit. Completely foolish!

Gu Lian shot Su Fufu a cold, mocking glare. “How am I being reckless? So it’s fine for you to set fires as a government official, but I can’t even light a lamp as a commoner?”

“Big Brother, you can throw away your fiancée in a fit of rage for a beauty, but I’m not allowed to fall in love freely? Isn’t Su Ying single again now?”

The more Gu Tianyou disapproved of her and Su Ying, the more determined she was to bend her own orientation if she had to just to be with Su Ying—and she was going to make sure everyone knew it!

Soon, Su Fufu and Cheng Susu also snapped out of their daze. The mother and daughter exchanged a glance, immediately understanding each other’s thoughts. Su Fufu quickly withdrew her hand and sat weakly on the sofa, her tone downcast. “Brother Tianyou, don’t act on impulse. You and Sister are a match made in heaven. It’s my fault for always letting Sister misunderstand our relationship and causing you trouble.”

After speaking, she looked at Yu Liuxue with tearful eyes. “Sister, please don’t misunderstand. I’ve always only seen Brother Tianyou as my real brother…”

Gu Lian nearly gagged. She clenched her fists tightly to stop herself from hurling her high heel at her. Just as her disgust peaked, Yu Liuxue immediately jumped in to argue with Su Fufu.

“Fine, Su Fufu, you’d better remember what you just said. If you ever date or marry Tianyou in the future, then you two are committing incest as siblings!”

Su Fufu was shocked. That’s not what she meant at all!

Gu Lian turned her head in surprise. She hadn’t expected Su Ying to react so quickly. Why did people say she was a useless heiress again? Yu Liuxue, seeing the reaction, immediately wagged her metaphorical tail and cozied up to Gu Lian. “If she bullies you, that means she’s bullying me. Don’t worry, if anyone dares mess with you again, I’ll have your back.”

“Enough!” Su Zhenchuan finally spoke. He was nearly fifty, with a few strands of white at his temples. His stern gaze landed on Yu Liuxue. “Su Ying, she’s your sister. Watch your words!”

Gu Lian let out a cold laugh. “The older sister treats the younger one like a sister, but the younger one sees herself as the sister-in-law.”

Now it wasn’t just Su Zhenchuan—Cheng Susu’s expression also darkened. She assumed the posture of a matriarch and spoke with poise. “Miss Gu, have we offended you in some way? Surely you wouldn’t come to our home to cause a scene for no reason?”

“If word of this gets out, I’m afraid your own reputation won’t look too good either.”

Cheng Susu thought she had made herself perfectly clear, but to her surprise, Gu Lian pulled over a chair and sat down casually. “If everyone else has no shame, then one more person like me won’t make a difference.”

She smiled faintly, then looked at Su Fufu. “Right?”

Su Fufu bit her lower lip in grievance and looked helplessly at Gu Tianyou. He sat on the sofa with his fingers interlaced, eyes dark as he glanced at Yu Liuxue. “Su Ying, whatever was between us ends here.”

Yu Liuxue didn’t even hesitate. “Got it, Brother-in-law!”

Gu Tianyou: “…@#￥%”

Cheng Susu’s brows furrowed tightly. From beginning to end, her goal had been to drive Su Ying out of the Su Family, ideally marrying her off to some faraway place. Then she could spend a bit of money to grease the wheels at Su Ying’s in-laws, and they would treat Su Ying however she wanted. Ten or twenty years later, Su Ying would be an old, worn-out housewife, while she and Fufu would still be radiant and noble. Only then would she feel she had truly defeated Xi Mu.

Even though Xi Mu was already dead, her daughter was still alive and well in the Su Family, so the game wasn’t over yet.

Cheng Susu had planned it all out perfectly—what she hadn’t expected was for Gu Lian to pick up the discarded Su Ying without hesitation. Gu Lian might be just a girl, but she was far more favored in the Gu Family than Gu Tianyou. She was the only girl in three generations of the Gu Family, and even Gu Tianyou sometimes had to give way to her. If Su Ying broke off her engagement with Gu Tianyou only to marry Gu Lian and enter the Gu Family that way, wouldn’t all of Cheng Susu’s plans fall apart?

Fufu was supposed to marry Tianyou and become the future matriarch of the Gu Family. But now Su Ying might marry Gu Lian and become the beloved wife of the Gu Family’s precious daughter. Wouldn’t that mean Fufu would have to scheme against Su Ying every day, fighting tooth and nail for control of the Gu Family’s assets?

Cheng Susu gave a gentle smile. “Yingying, don’t be impulsive. How about I find you an even better marriage in the future?”

Yu Liuxue immediately leaned in close to Gu Lian’s ear. “Baby, she’s looking down on you.”

Gu Lian’s brows shot up. “You old woman who clawed your way up like a Fox Spirit, who are you looking down on? You think your nouveau riche Su Family has the right to sneer at the foundation my ancestors built with blood and sweat?!”

Cheng Susu’s face turned red and green. She took a deep breath, barely holding onto her matriarchal composure. “Miss Gu, you misunderstand. That’s not what I meant.”

Just then, Yu Liuxue leaned in again like a scheming minister and whispered, “Then she must think I’m not good enough for you. She thinks your taste is bad. She’s mocking your choice.”

Gu Lian exploded again. “I’ll marry whoever I damn well please! What are you, the neighborhood committee auntie? Why do you care so much? You should worry more about the stench of cheap perfume coming off your own daughter!”

Yu Liuxue was beyond satisfied with Gu Lian. This hot-tempered, no-holds-barred princess was like a divine weapon—point her in a direction and she struck without mercy. As she saw Su Fufu gearing up for another performance, Yu Liuxue quickly squeezed out two tears and said tearfully, “The Su Family is so big, and yet it can’t even make room for someone as small as me. If that’s the case, then I’ll just…”

“No!” Gu Lian turned around. “You’re staying right here in the Su Family until I come with a grand wedding procession to marry you properly!”

She sneered. “Let’s see who dares say you don’t belong here.”

Now even Su Zhenchuan’s face darkened. Though the Su Family had only risen to prominence in recent years, they were far from just some upstart clan. They certainly weren’t a place where some little girl could throw her weight around. Just as he was about to lose his temper, Cheng Susu quickly grabbed his hand and gave him a look: Gu Tianyou is still here. Let’s not embarrass ourselves.

After a pause, Cheng Susu cautiously glanced at Gu Lian, her face full of wariness: once they were gone, there would be time to deal with Su Ying behind closed doors.

Su Zhenchuan understood and smiled. “Su Ying is my daughter. Of course she’ll live in her own home.”

Gu Lian knew these people were up to no good, so she crossed her legs and asked Gu Tianyou, “Big Brother, when are you planning to come home?”

Su Fufu instinctively reached out and grabbed him. Gu Tianyou turned his head and gently patted her on the head before saying, “I’ll explain everything to Grandpa. You go back first.”

Yu Liuxue blinked, immediately catching on and putting it into practice. She quickly grabbed Gu Lian’s hand and said pitifully, “Xiao Lian, don’t go, okay? Without you by my side, I feel so unsafe. I keep thinking someone’s out to get me.”

Gu Lian froze for a moment, then glanced warily at Cheng Susu. Finally, she said slowly, “You don’t mind having one more person in the house, do you?”

Cheng Susu: “?”

Gu Lian smiled faintly. “We’re all going to be one family soon anyway. Since none of you mind my brother, then adding me to the household shouldn’t be a problem, right? I’m not picky about where I live. Your home is… acceptable. It’s just that the garden is a bit small—smaller than my walk-in closet.”

Cheng Susu: “……”

Gu Lian, that lunatic, insisted on staying in the house. No matter what Cheng Susu said, she couldn’t get her to leave. In the end, she had no choice but to darken her expression and order the servants to prepare another room. Su Fufu nearly bit through her own lip. She had gone through so much trouble to trick Gu Tianyou into staying at her house, and now Gu Lian was throwing a tantrum?

Gu Lian had never gotten along with Su Fufu. As long as she saw Su Fufu unhappy, she felt satisfied. So she instinctively reached out to hold Yu Liuxue’s hand. But the moment she realized what she was doing, she quickly pulled away and warned her with a blank expression, “We’re just using each other. Don’t push your luck.”

Yu Liuxue hadn’t expected this elegant heiress to be so ruthless and cold-hearted, using people and tossing them aside. Her eyes welled up with tears as she lowered her head and whispered, “I understand.”

Gu Lian was momentarily flustered. She began to wonder if she’d been too harsh and hurt her feelings. After all, Su Ying had just been publicly rejected by her own brother. In the eyes of outsiders, she was a pitiful heiress who’d been cast aside. Gu Lian’s gaze flickered slightly. In the end, she awkwardly redirected her frustration toward Su Fufu. “Aren’t you going to show me around your house?”

Su Fufu instinctively looked at Cheng Susu. After seeing her nod, she forced a weak smile and said to Gu Tianyou, “Brother Tianyou, you go ahead with your work. I’ll be right back.”

Gu Tianyou did have a video conference to attend. He nodded and reminded her, “Be careful.”

Su Fufu smiled, her eyes full of affection as she looked at him. “Okay.”

Seeing the deep bond between the siblings made Gu Lian feel irritated again. She urged, “Hurry up.”

Su Fufu had no choice but to get up. Yu Liuxue thought for a moment, then followed along. Gu Lian was clearly here to stir up trouble. She looked at the flower-filled area with disdain and sneered, “Your house is really small. This sorry little place isn’t even as big as my study.”

A few minutes later, Gu Lian stood in front of the outdoor pool with a fake smile. “You call this tiny puddle a luxury pool? It’s not even half the size of my piano room.”

A few more minutes passed. She stood silently in front of the golf course, her contempt plain to see. “Finally, something halfway decent. I guess it’s about the same size as the little garden in front of my room.”

Su Fufu’s face turned ashen.

Wasn’t she just deliberately putting her down? Who did she think she was looking down on? Just wait—once I marry Gu Tianyou, Gu Lian will have to call me sister-in-law whether she likes it or not.

After comforting herself with that thought, Su Fufu’s expression improved slightly. But then Gu Lian turned back with another fake smile and said, “Are all the things in your house this shameless?”

Yu Liuxue and Su Fufu instinctively followed her pale fingertip. On a green leaf in front of them, two mosquitoes were tail-to-tail, mating. Su Fufu couldn’t take it anymore. “Miss Gu, I don’t know what exactly you’re trying to do. If you’re upset because I took Brother Tianyou, just say it. There’s no need to insult me in such a roundabout way.”

“I’m a girl too. I’m fragile too. I have pride.”

Gu Lian instinctively wanted to snap back—like the whole world has pride except you—but Yu Liuxue quickly tugged on her arm, then lowered her head and pitifully said, “Fufu, I’ve already given up Gu Tianyou to you. What more do you want? Are you trying to take Xiao Lian from me too?”

She looked up with tears in her eyes. “Fufu, do you really like taking everything that’s mine?”

Before Gu Lian could react, Gu Tianyou walked over with a blank expression. Su Fufu immediately turned around, red-eyed, and softly called out, “Brother Tianyou…”

Gu Tianyou frowned. “What happened?”

Yu Liuxue seized the moment and quickly said, “Fufu, Gu Tianyou is already yours. Please don’t try to take Xiao Lian from me too. I’m begging you. We truly love each other.”

Su Fufu nearly shattered her teeth from clenching them. Truly love each other? Do you think I’m a three-year-old? Who’s even trying to steal Gu Lian? What’s the point of marrying Gu Lian? The Gu Family still belongs to Brother Tianyou.

Gu Tianyou looked over suspiciously. Su Fufu hurriedly explained, flustered, “You misunderstood, Sister. I didn’t mean it like that.”

As she spoke, her eyes turned helplessly toward Gu Tianyou. He immediately pulled her into his arms. “You should go back to your room and rest.”

With that, he led her away. Gu Lian was so angry she stomped her foot. Yu Liuxue immediately stepped in like a scheming minister, whispering in Gu Lian’s ear, “Brother Tianyou ignored me again because of Su Fufu.” She let out a soft sigh and said gloomily, “I’ve lost count of how many times this has happened.”

Gu Lian felt even worse. Her mood, already sour, took a turn for the worse.

She and Gu Tianyou were the only children in the family. Since childhood, Gu Tianyou had been taught to prioritize the family above all else. And because she was a rare daughter, she had always been treated like a precious treasure—Gu Tianyou included. He had practically spoiled her to the heavens.

She had never been so blatantly ignored by her own brother.

A strange bitterness welled up in her heart, making her hatred for Su Fufu deepen even more.

Yu Liuxue’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she sighed deliberately. “I think our family is the only one in the entire upper class where the younger sister has to call someone else ‘sister-in-law’…”

Gu Lian immediately snorted coldly. “Marry my brother? She’s not that lucky! Not just anyone can be the matriarch of the Gu Family!”

Even though she was a girl, she had always been taught to be independent and strong, to put the family’s honor above all else. Yu Liuxue looked at her gently and gave a small smile. Gu Lian turned to her, confused. “What are you smiling at?”

“I was just thinking… if you were older than Gu Tianyou, maybe you wouldn’t be in such a passive position.” Yu Liuxue’s expression was pure and innocent. “Isn’t Gu Tianyou acting so high and mighty just because he’s the heir? If he lost that status, I doubt Su Fufu would still be able to stir up any trouble.”

Then she asked deliberately, “Miss Gu, I know it’s a bit disrespectful to your parents, but… are you sure your family really doesn’t have any other children?”

Gu Lian didn’t even hesitate. “My parents love each other deeply. There’s no way they’d cheat!”

Yu Liuxue smiled and dropped the topic. “Miss Gu, are you thirsty? My father has a bottle of vintage ’82 Lafite. Want to try it together?”

Gu Lian declined and then left the Su residence.

She sat in the car, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. Although Su Ying’s words had been said out of spite, they weren’t without reason. Her Big Brother’s recent actions were clearly no longer befitting of a qualified heir. Right now, the entire Gu Family had only two children—her Big Brother and herself. If he lost his status as the heir, then she…

Gu Lian instinctively clenched her fists. In the past, she had a good relationship with her Big Brother, so she had never even dreamed of inheriting the family estate. But now, her brother was completely bewitched by that Fox Spirit, and both Grandpa and Dad were furious and disappointed with his behavior. If she could seize this opportunity…

Gu Lian couldn’t help but close her eyes and take a deep breath. When she opened them again, her gaze was filled with determination.

As long as she could stop Su Fufu from marrying into the Gu Family, she was willing to do anything… No, even if her Big Brother were just an ordinary Gu Family child, so what if Su Fufu married him? By then, the entire Gu Family would be under her control. Su Fufu’s food, clothing, housing, and spending money would all be in her hands. Gu Lian didn’t believe that, under her watchful eye, Su Fufu could stir up any real trouble.

Gu Lian furrowed her brow. “Su Ying doesn’t seem as brainless as the rumors say.”

She didn’t know whether Su Ying had said those things to her on purpose, but she remembered this favor.

After successfully turning Gu Lian to her side, Yu Liuxue leisurely carried Su Zhenchuan’s bottle of Lafite into the room, then began seducing Cheng Susu.

To play this move well, she had even bought a new SIM card to register a fresh WeChat account, then began madly reposting all kinds of investment motivational content. She teamed up with Pei Yiling, who was undergoing training, to craft the image of a seasoned, successful investor. Once everything was in place, she took the initiative to add Cheng Susu on WeChat.

Perhaps Cheng Susu was too busy to notice, or maybe she simply didn’t care for small fry like this, but she hadn’t accepted the friend request.

Yu Liuxue wasn’t in a rush. She turned around and added Su Fufu instead, with the note: Wedding Sponsorship Inquiry.

Su Fufu accepted the request quickly, but didn’t initiate a conversation. So Yu Liuxue set the phone aside for the time being.

During this period, rumors had started to spread that Su Ying had been dumped by Gu Tianyou. Gu Tianyou would never gossip about his own affairs, and neither Cheng Susu nor Su Zhenchuan would stoop to discussing the younger generation’s drama—especially something so disgraceful. As for Gu Lian, there was no way she’d openly admit to taking over her brother’s position. So it was obvious who was behind the leaks: Su Fufu.

The wealthy ladies often gossiped about this over tea and mahjong¹.

“I knew that Su Ying wouldn’t come to a good end. She used such despicable means to climb up. Of course she’d be discarded sooner or later.”

“Exactly. Her reputation is in tatters now. Who would dare marry her in the future? You better keep an eye on your son. If he gets caught in her trap, you won’t even have the face to face your ancestors.”

“Of course. But who knows what desperate tricks Su Ying might pull? She might even climb into some man’s bed. Don’t just watch your sons—keep an eye on your husbands too.”

Gu Lian had come along with her best friend to pick something up from her friend’s mother. As soon as she stepped through the door, she heard them slandering Su Ying like this. She frowned slightly. Su Ying wasn’t exactly ugly, and she had the elderly couple from the Xi Family backing her. No matter how desperate she got, she wouldn’t stoop so low as to go after their greasy, pot-bellied old husbands, right?

Besides, when she was with my brother, she already had plenty of other suitors. Why would she be worried about getting married?

But then, Gu Lian suddenly recalled a memory she had tried hard to forget—that moment when she had stood in front of her own Big Brother and Su Ying’s parents, boldly declaring that she wanted to marry Su Ying!

Her face instantly turned deathly pale. Was it still too late to take it back?

Even though she had lied about liking a man, she was completely, absolutely straight! And Su Ying was so flirtatious that even her incredibly capable Big Brother had been cheated on. If she really married her, wouldn’t she be green from head to toe? She’d become the Hulk!

Gu Lian’s face turned ashen.

When her best friend came back with the item and saw her expression, she asked with concern, “Lianlian, what’s wrong? Don’t tell me it’s true—Su Fufu is really going to marry Brother Tianyou?!”

Gu Lian rolled her eyes irritably. “Yeah. My brother dumped Su Ying right in front of me and said he’s going to marry Su Fufu.”

Her friend stumbled in shock. “I don’t approve of this marriage!”

“If Brother Tianyou dares to marry her, I’ll bring a hundred people to crash the wedding and kidnap him!”

Gu Lian smiled faintly. “You have my full support.”

These words also reached Yu Liuxue’s ears, but she didn’t care. Pei Yiling had already completed all the foundational courses, and under the guidance of both her teacher and Yu Liuxue, she had successfully integrated into the top-tier social circles as a wealthy, overseas-educated heiress. To make Pei Yiling’s identity watertight, Yu Liuxue had spared no expense in establishing a company under her name. With help from her mother’s friends, the company was already up and running smoothly.

Even Pei Yiling’s younger brother, Pei Ronghua, had been given a position in the company.

Pei Yiling was so touched she didn’t know what to say. Yu Liuxue, however, just smiled mysteriously. “Don’t let me down tonight.”

Pei Yiling immediately nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ll introduce your identity to Madam Su.”

Yu Liuxue gave a satisfied smile. “I’m counting on you.”

“Oh right, no matter what happens later, don’t panic.”

Pei Yiling didn’t quite understand.

Naturally, Su Fufu would be attending such a major event. She was waiting for the perfect moment to announce her engagement to Gu Tianyou in front of everyone. Cheng Susu and Su Zhenchuan were also eager to let the whole world know that their family was about to secure a prestigious marriage. As for Su Ying, who had been rejected? They had long since cast her aside.

That’s why Su Zhenchuan had come up with a flimsy excuse to host tonight’s banquet—to officially announce the engagement.

Gu Tianyou had been staying at the Su residence, and Gu Lian had shamelessly moved in as well. So even though Su Zhenchuan and Cheng Susu wanted to warn Yu Liuxue, they hadn’t found the right opportunity. But since Yu Liuxue had been behaving herself lately, they didn’t pay her much attention. They figured that even if Su Ying tried to stir up trouble tonight, with Gu Tianyou protecting Fufu, Su Ying would only end up embarrassing herself.

They might even take this chance to kick Su Ying out of the family for good.

One by one, the guests arrived. Catching Yu Liuxue’s signal, Pei Yiling stepped gracefully into the crowd. With the resources Yu Liuxue had given her, it didn’t take long for her to strike up conversations and blend in.

Cheng Susu, who had come out earlier to greet the guests, soon noticed this unfamiliar face. She turned to her friend beside her. “Do you know who she is?”

Her friend shook her head. “No idea. I heard people saying she’s a recently returned heiress.”

Cheng Susu narrowed her eyes. “From which family?”

“The Pei Family,” the friend replied after thinking for a moment. “She said her ancestors emigrated early on, so they’ve been based overseas. She recently returned to expand their business. Someone looked into it—she really does have a sizable company under her name.”

Cheng Susu nodded. Her friend took the hint and immediately walked over to Pei Yiling. “Miss Pei, hello. Nice to meet you. Sorry to bother you.”

Pei Yiling gave a gentle smile and responded with elegant poise, “Hello.”

Su Fufu soon made her appearance as well, but Gu Tianyou was not by her side. Yu Liuxue and Su Fufu exchanged a glance, and the System immediately recalled an old saying—”We’re both thousand-year-old fox spirits, so why are you trying to play Liaozhai tricks on me?”

It deeply suspected that whether the Host could complete this mission would depend entirely on which of the two—Host or heroine—could out-flirt the other.

Su Fufu looked especially radiant today. Her bright eyes and pearly teeth, her complexion like peach blossoms—one glance and it was obvious something good was about to happen to her. Those who had heard the gossip couldn’t help looking toward Yu Liuxue with a gloating curiosity. Yu Liuxue did her best to look like a miserable frog, her face full of gloom.

“Big Sister.” Su Fufu walked up to her. Yu Liuxue quickly glanced at the props beside her: red wine, desserts, and a knife and fork. After scanning them, she looked up, her troubled expression falling into the eyes of the crowd.

No one knew whether Miss Su was unwell today, but her pale face was one thing—her lips were also devoid of color, making her look heartbreakingly fragile.

At that moment, Pei Yiling, who stood among the crowd, softly asked, “Why does Miss Su look like she’s sick?”

Someone immediately offered an eager explanation. “She was dumped. She’s been so heartbroken she hasn’t eaten or slept, that’s why she looks like this.”

That person had originally wanted to add a “serves her right,” but Pei Yiling frowned and asked, “So who is the person who broke off the engagement with her seeing now?”

The other party replied with a sullen tone, “Who else? Her younger sister, Su Fufu.”

Pei Yiling’s lips curved faintly. “The younger sister stole her big sister’s fiancé?”

“Well, not exactly. Su Ying used some tricks to get into Gu Tianyou’s bed, and then the media caught them. That’s why they had to get engaged. But the truth is, Gu Tianyou has always liked her younger sister. That’s why Su Ying couldn’t stand seeing Su Fufu doing well and kept trying to frame her. Last year, Su Ying pushed her sister down the stairs, almost ruining her face. And half a year ago, she pushed her into water more than once…”

Pei Yiling didn’t believe for a second that Yu Liuxue was that kind of person. She pressed her lips together. “But is there any evidence proving Miss Su did all that?”

“Su Ying clearly knew Gu Tianyou was her big sister’s man, yet she still got entangled with him. Wasn’t she planning to steal him from the start? Su Ying is just a selfish, ruthless person who’ll do anything to get what she wants.”

The other person fell silent. “…” You have connections, so you must be right.

Pei Yiling’s words reached Gu Lian’s ears. She instinctively glanced at Pei Yiling—didn’t recognize her, so she ignored her.

Yu Liuxue’s desolate expression fell into Su Fufu’s eyes, and she couldn’t help feeling a surge of satisfaction. She smiled slightly. “Big Sister, why are you here alone? Where’s Miss Gu? Didn’t she come with you?”

Gu Lian was just about to walk over when someone softly called her. She turned and saw it was the woman who had just been speaking. She frowned. “What is it?”

Yu Liuxue’s eyes reddened slightly, but her face was full of stubbornness and defiance. “None of your damn business.”

“Don’t think you can have Gu Tianyou! Su Fufu, I’m telling you, as long as I’m around, you can forget about marrying him! I’ll make sure everyone sees your true colors!”

The more agitated she became, the more delighted Su Fufu felt. It was as if she had finally defeated Su Ying and become the ultimate winner. Su Fufu couldn’t help but laugh softly. “Big Sister, you’ve misunderstood me. I never wanted to fight you for anything.”

“It’s just that you’re too disappointing, too unlikable.”

She leaned in close to Yu Liuxue. “If only you were a little more capable. I actually think it’s still a bit early to go public with Brother Tianyou.”

Yu Liuxue understood exactly what she meant. She still wanted to use Su Ying to stir up trouble so that Gu Tianyou would feel sorry for her and grow to hate Su Ying completely. Only then would her place in Gu Tianyou’s heart be secure. Right now, Su Fufu and Gu Tianyou’s relationship wasn’t solid enough. Going public too soon would indeed be unwise.

Yu Liuxue instantly exploded with rage. “You shameless bitch!”

Su Fufu curled her lips in satisfaction. This was exactly the reaction she wanted. She immediately put on a pitiful face and backed away. “Big Sister, calm down. Let me explain. It’s not what you think.”

Su Fufu’s voice drew attention, and people began to gather around, trying to mediate. “Don’t fight, you two. Whatever it is, sit down and talk it out. You’re sisters—what problem can’t be resolved?”

Gu Lian also noticed the conflict between Yu Liuxue and Su Fufu. She immediately left Pei Yiling behind and rushed over.

Yu Liuxue, overwhelmed with emotion, raised her hand and slapped Su Fufu across the face. Then, her face twisted with fury, she grabbed Su Fufu’s hair. Su Fufu cried out in pain, her tearful voice tugging at the hearts of the nearby men. Just as people were about to step in and break up the fight, Su Fufu pretended to accidentally knock over a wine glass. She deliberately pressed her palm onto the broken shards. Blood instantly streamed from her hand, making the men ache with sympathy.

Su Fufu’s plan had worked. She shoved Yu Liuxue aside without hesitation and turned to run into Gu Tianyou’s arms, ready to cry to him.

Clang—

A loud crash rang out behind them. The sound of a table and glass bottles shattering made everyone flinch instinctively.

Yu Liuxue had fallen, hair disheveled, into a pile of broken glass. Her neck, arms, thighs, and calves—every bit of exposed skin—were covered in cuts of all sizes, blood seeping from every wound. The sight was horrifying.

Su Fufu’s heart skipped a beat. She instinctively glanced at the shallow cut on her own palm, which suddenly seemed laughably minor. Her face went pale. “…?”

How could this happen?! How did it turn out like this?

Yu Liuxue raised her head in a daze, her red lips slightly parted. Blood streamed from a gash on her forehead where it had struck the table corner, quickly dyeing half her face crimson. Several women screamed in fright.

Tears welled up in Yu Liuxue’s eyes and spilled over in the blink of an eye. Her lips trembled as she choked back sobs and asked in a soft voice, “Fufu, why did you push me?”

Su Fufu instinctively took a step back, shaking her head in fear. “I didn’t. I didn’t push you. You fell on your own…”

Gu Lian had watched Yu Liuxue collapse into the glass shards with her own eyes. Her mind went blank, and she rushed forward with all her strength. “Su Fufu, you vicious woman, what the hell are you trying to do?!”

“You already stole my brother. Isn’t that enough? Because of you, she got dumped by him. Her reputation is in ruins, everyone looks down on her, and now you’re humiliating her in front of everyone? Do you even see her as the Su Family’s legitimate daughter? Is this the kind of heartless snake the Su Family’s Fox Spirit raised?!”

Su Fufu quickly turned around, weak and aggrieved, and tried to explain to Gu Tianyou. “Brother Tianyou, I didn’t. I really didn’t push her. She fell on her own.”

Gu Tianyou took her hand. Su Fufu immediately felt safe again and leaned into his arms.

Gu Tianyou’s expression was calm. “Fights always come with accidents.”

Gu Lian was nearly shaking with rage. This was clearly Su Fufu deliberately hurting Su Ying just to compete for affection and humiliate her! Why didn’t you call it an accident back when Su Fufu fell into the water? Gu Lian’s heart turned ice cold. She never imagined, not even in her worst dreams, that her Big Brother would be so bewitched by someone like Su Fufu that he’d lose all sense of reason.

Su Fufu is a person, but Su Ying isn’t?

Thinking of how Su Ying had cried and poured her heart out in the car that day, Gu Lian immediately helped Yu Liuxue up with a blank expression. She looked straight at Su Fufu, her tone firm and unwavering. “Apologize.”

Yu Liuxue quickly leaned against Gu Lian’s shoulder. “Xiao Lian, I’m fine. She’s my little sister, after all.”

Su Fufu: “……” This scene felt all too familiar.

Yu Liuxue’s burning tears kept falling, mixing with the blood and dripping onto her clothes. A perfectly good dress was instantly stained with blotches of red. She forced a helpless smile. “I’m the older sister. I should give way to my little sister.”

“Mom and Dad always taught me that I should yield to my little sister in everything, because she’s still young and doesn’t understand.”

Gu Lian was so furious she could barely breathe. She shot a cold glance at Gu Tianyou, then her icy gaze landed on Su Fufu. “Right now. Immediately. I want you to apologize to,” she enunciated each word, “my fiancée.”

Gu Tianyou instantly frowned. “Xiao Lian! Don’t be ridiculous!”

Gu Lian let out a cold laugh, then slowly curled her red lips into a mocking smile. “And what if I insist?”

“Su Ying is my person. There’s no way I’ll let her get shoved down and injured like this by Su Fufu and not even get a single apology in return.” Gu Lian lifted her chin. “Big Brother, are you really going to turn against your own sister over a Fox Spirit?”

“If so, then from this day forward, we are enemies.”

Translator’s Notes

• So it’s fine for you to set fires as a government official, but I can’t even light a lamp as a commoner?: A famous Chinese proverb (只许州官放火，不许百姓点灯) meaning that those in power are allowed to do whatever they want, while common people are restricted; a reference to hypocrisy and double standards.