Tianyi patted her shoulder, telling her not to dwell on it.
Susu stood up and smiled, tugging at his bathrobe. "I'm fine. Yifeng can do as he pleases and won't insist on them visiting us often."
Tianyi embraced her. "Didn't you say you wanted to see Zhan Jiayi recently? I happen to have something for you to give her."
"What?" Susu asked curiously.
Tianyi released her and pulled her to the cabinet. He took out a check and said, "Give this to her. Our group recently acquired the Xie family's glass factory. This is what she is owed."
Susu glanced at the amount, which was five hundred thousand, and put it away. "Okay."
"The funds for our acquisition were used by the bank to clear the Xie family's debts. This is a sum I and An Jing contributed separately, hoping to help her through this difficult time."
Susu quickly asked, "Is Zhan Jiayi having a hard time lately?"
"It's said she used almost all her personal assets to cover the Xie family's debts. She should be in a difficult financial situation," Tianyi said. "We agreed to cooperate on the last matter, but we didn't help her much. The glass factory is worth far more than the public realizes, and we owe it to her for this deal."
"Okay, I understand. Don't worry, I'll definitely deliver it to her."
As she spoke, Susu hugged him tightly, feeling quite touched.
Although Tianyi was cold on the outside, he was actually warm-hearted. It was just that having spent years in an environment of deceit and manipulation, his self-protection mechanisms were stronger.
"This money is a thank you to Zhan Jiayi. What are you getting so emotional about?" Tianyi said with a smile, kissing the top of her head.
Susu nestled against him and murmured, "You're a good person."
"I don't want to be a good person," he said, pushing her onto the bed and kissing her uncontrollably.
It had been a while since they had been intimate since her miscarriage.
Susu responded to him involuntarily, and the two of them ignited.
As things became heated, Susu suddenly froze and pushed him away. "Honey, the condoms?"
Tianyi pressed down on her, cupped her face, and kissed her. "We won't need condoms anymore."
"But you said..."
"I've had a vasectomy."
Susu was completely stunned. She sat up and looked at him seriously.
"Honey, are you joking? You must be kidding."
Tianyi sat up as well and said, "I'm not joking, it's true."
"How could you do something so big without discussing it with me? If anything, I should have been the one..."
Tianyi pounced on her again and said, "I don't like using condoms, and I don't want any more children. Your health isn't good, and pregnancy is too dangerous for you. Three children are enough."
Susu hugged him. "Actually, if I recover my health, I can still have another..."
"Let's forget it. I don't want to worry about you taking risks anymore," he said, sealing her lips tightly to stop her from rambling.
...
Nearly a month later, when Susu saw Zhan Jiayi again, she could hardly believe it. Zhan Jiayi looked like a completely different person.
She appeared at least ten years older, and most importantly, her eyes lacked any sparkle, looking hollow.
"What's wrong?" Susu asked worriedly. "Are your injuries still not healed?"
"I'm fine," Zhan Jiayi forced a smile and asked, "Is there something you wanted to see me about today?"
"Nothing much, I just wanted to see you. I know about the Xie family's situation. Are you alright?"
Zhan Jiayi gave a bitter smile. "What's not to be alright about? I've realized everything now. It's all my own doing. If I hadn't tried to reach the sky in a single bound, and instead lived a good life based on my own abilities, I wouldn't be like this now, nor would I have harmed the person who truly loved me."
Susu didn't know what to say. She had advised her before, but Zhan Jiayi hadn't listened at all.
Now she finally understood, and hoped it wasn't too late.
Susu took the check from her bag and handed it to her. "This is from Tianyi. He said it's for acquiring the Xie family's glass factory, and this is what you're owed."
Zhan Jiayi looked at the check but didn't reach for it.
She had lost all interest in money now, having completely lost her direction in life.
"Tell Mr. Qin not to bother. If Ao Xiang hadn't acquired it, the glass factory would have been abandoned anyway. I just did him a small favor by selling it to him."
Susu directly pushed the check into her hand. "Take it. This was a task Tianyi gave me, and I must complete it. Even if you don't need it, what about your family's future?"
Zhan Jiayi no longer refused. "Then please thank Mr. Qin on my behalf."
"If you're feeling down, go travel and clear your head. Don't dwell on things that can't be undone," Susu advised her. "You're about my age, still young..."
"But you already have three children, and I have nothing. I'm not young anymore either," Zhan Jiayi said dejectedly.
Susu didn't know how to cheer her up. She enthusiastically opened a travel app on her phone and said, "Look, this place is quite beautiful. Go there for a while. I'll sign you up."
Zhan Jiayi quickly waved her hand. "I don't want to travel. Susu, don't worry, I'll take care of myself and my family..."
"If you don't like it here, I can find another destination for you. Why not take your parents along? Let the elders relax too," Susu suggested.
Zhan Jiayi's mood lifted slightly from Susu's persistence. "Okay, you don't need to sign me up. I'll arrange it after I discuss it with my parents."
Susu put away her phone. "Then don't stay cooped up at home. Go out more. You'll realize that even the biggest setbacks and blows are nothing. The road ahead is still long. When you look back when you're old, it will just be a small ripple."
"Yes, thank you. I feel much better."
Susu looked at her seriously. "I believe in you. You can start over with your own abilities!"
Zhan Jiayi nodded, feeling a touch of emotion.
Would she give up or start anew? She didn't really know. However, before meeting Susu, her mind was filled with self-abandonment. But now, she realized that she had another choice.
But she was so, so tired, wounded all over. Could she really start over?
...
Huangfu Sisong listened to his subordinates' report, somewhat puzzled as to why Ao Xiang would acquire that glass factory. Was it merely to help Zhan Jiayi repay the Xie family's debts?
Was that Qin Tianyi truly a great benefactor?
But in his opinion, Qin Tianyi was an absolutely cold-blooded businessman who wouldn't do anything without profit.
Regardless of Qin Tianyi's reasons for acquiring a loss-making factory, he intended to make Qin Tianyi pay.
How could their Huangfu family allow themselves to be schemed against like this, causing his second brother to be unable to work in the group and the group's market value to evaporate by hundreds of millions.
He commanded, "Have people continue to monitor the developments regarding the acquisition of the glass factory. And have you found the person I asked for?"