A wild, arrogant smile curled upon Su Wanwan's lips. A trace of enchanting allure blossomed on her face, yet her jet-black eyes were chillingly cold. The intoxicating blend of innocence and seduction radiated a deadly beauty. Ye Nan was momentarily captivated.
Su Wanwan spoke with a languid tone."The collaboration with Boss Gao—wasn't it you who handed it to me? And you who insisted I negotiate?""We are all adults here; should we not be accountable for our own decisions?""Every investment carries risks. If you cannot bear them, then why even run a company? Better to shut it down early."
Su Nian clenched her teeth, unwilling, and shook Ye Nan's arm twice."Brother Nan..."
Ye Nan's face flushed red then paled in embarrassment at Su Wanwan's words, but he could only grit his teeth and swallow his humiliation in silence.
Back in the office, Su Nian's face was flushed with indignation."Brother Nan, sister has gone too far! Just listen to what she said!"
Ye Nan slammed his palm hard against the table, producing a sharp bang that made Su Nian shudder."How can you still defend her?""If you hadn't taken it upon yourself to bring in Mr. Gao!""Why else would my company suffer such heavy losses?"
Tears welled in Su Nian's eyes, her voice laden with grievance."I'm... sorry.""I just saw how much you resented the partnership with Boss Gao, so I wanted to help..." Ye Nan rubbed his temples irritably, slumping helplessly in his chair."Enough. Stop talking. You should go home now."
Su Nian fled in tears. Why... why did she have to scold her because of Su Wanwan?
After work, as Su Wanwan exited the company, she spotted an ostentatiously dazzling Bugatti Veyron parked at the entrance. Someone inside waved at her."Want to grab dinner together?"
Su Wanwan responded with a question instead of an answer:"Not going to call me 'bro'?"
Fu Ziyang chuckled awkwardly and opened the car door. Su Wanwan got in and fastened her seatbelt. They headed to a Japanese restaurant, but Su Wanwan showed little interest in the food, barely touching it.
Fu Ziyang blinked in confusion."Don't you like this place? Aren't girls usually fond of Japanese cuisine?"
Su Wanwan was blunt."What do you want by inviting me here?"
Fu Ziyang scratched his head, his pride slightly wounded. At school, girls scrambled eagerly for his attention. Sharing a meal with him was a badge of honor bragged about for days. Yet this was the first time someone treated him with such indifference. Sigh.
"Well... I heard a piano maestro is performing in West City these days.""I managed to get two tickets and wanted to see if you'd like to go..."
In the past, Fu Ziyang wouldn't have cared at all about such things. Even hearing about them would barely register.
"No, I'm busy that day." Su Wanwan declined without hesitation.
A flicker of hurt crossed Fu Ziyang's face—these tickets were hard-won, costing him considerable effort and resources."Ah... alright then..."
He lowered his head dejectedly and said no more. Su Wanwan, however, was quite content to enjoy her quiet meal, even insisting on paying the bill herself afterward.
Fu Ziyang was stunned when she reached for the check."Why are you paying? I invited you, and you're a girl—why be so polite to me?"
"I'm your sister-in-law. Taking care of you is my duty."
That remark rooted Fu Ziyang to the spot, his lips pouting in helpless frustration as he bowed his head. Su Wanwan had already left.
Passing a pastry shop, she bought some limited-edition sweets favored by Song Hui and took them back to the Su residence. Upon entering, the sound of piano music floated down from upstairs.
"Stepmom." Su Wanwan placed the pastries on the table. Song Hui was delighted to see her and busied herself serving tea and fruit."No need to trouble yourself—I'm just here to grab something and leave."
A flicker of disappointment crossed Song Hui's eyes, but she nodded gently."Alright. Your father's not back yet.""Mm." Su Wanwan climbed upstairs straight to her room, grabbed a few folders, and left.
Passing Su Nian's door, she overheard her sugary, coquettish laughter."Thanks for the tip, Brother Long~ Nian Nian thanks you so much!""Just killing time today, thought I'd play a few tunes to relax.""My new drama? Yeah, I'm working on it!""As for variety shows, no plans yet."
Su Nian's phone was propped atop her piano, reflecting her image, while numerous comments scrolled rapidly below. Su Wanwan was long accustomed to this scene. Su Nian streamed almost weekly, and Brother Long was her devoted fan.
"To thank Brother Long for his tip, I'll play him a piece. Brother Long, anything you want to hear?""Or... should I choose one myself?"
Brother Long: [Up to you.]
Su Nian coyly tapped her red lips, feigning innocence, flipping through some sheet music before smiling lightly."Then I'll decide myself."
The chat exploded with praise:"Nian Nian is just too cute! Muah!""Brother Long is so boss! Why not pick 'Good Fortune'? Haha!""One stream a week isn't enough! More often, please!"
After scanning the scores twice, Su Nian placed her hands on the keys. Soon, elegant piano melodies filled the room. When she finished, the chat erupted with applause.
"Thanks for your support, everyone!" Su Nian said proudly.
At that moment, Su Wanwan spoke, her clear voice striking like a sharp slap."This is such a simple beginner's piece, and you managed to miss five notes? How did you even pass your Level Ten piano exam?"
Su Nian startled, glancing incredulously at Su Wanwan leaning in the doorway. Why was she here? Had it not been for the live stream, Su Nian would have given her a scowl.
Softening her voice like a delicate lamb, Su Nian murmured,"I've played this piece many times—there's no way I missed notes. You must have misheard.""Besides, you've never studied piano..."
She spoke with no hint of doubt. Her stream barely had over ten thousand viewers. Apart from Brother Long's generous tips, most contributors were poor, clearly unable to appreciate such refined music. Su Nian was convinced that even if she had erred, no one would notice.
Sure enough, the chat went wild:"What nonsense is this from someone who can't play?""Annoying when amateurs criticize professionals!""Who's this? Why does Nian Nian call her 'sister'?"
Though Su Nian didn't look back, she could imagine her fans fiercely defending her.
With a sly smirk, she arched an eyebrow and challenged,"If you say I missed notes, why don't you demonstrate?""So your 'younger sister' can learn properly."