"Su He? What is she doing here!" Madam Su exclaimed in disbelief upon seeing Su He beside Manager Qiao.
So all her previous sentiments were in vain!
The VIP Manager Qiao was waiting for was not them, but Su He!
The impact of this realization was almost unbearable for Madam Su.
As Su He entered the hall, she also saw Madam Su and her daughter, her steps faltering slightly.
"Miss Su, please follow me to the VIP room on the third floor." Manager Qiao had received strict instructions to provide excellent service to this particular guest and ensure she wouldn't be disturbed by other patrons.
Su He nodded and was about to leave when Madam Su called out to her, "Su He, are you not going to greet me when you see me?"
"Madam Su," Su He obliged, calling out as requested.
Madam Su choked with anger. "You..."
"Sister, long time no see..." Su Anan, standing beside her, called out weakly, instantly embodying a 'green tea' persona.
Her timid voice made it seem as if Su He had bullied her.
Su He turned away in annoyance and said to Manager Qiao, "I'm a bit pressed for time, let's start with the pampering."
Lu Yanbei hated tardiness, and she dared not keep him waiting.
"Certainly. Miss Su, this way, please." Manager Qiao, sensing the tension between them, led Su He towards the elevator.
"Mom, does Sister not like me..." Su Anan bit her lower lip, her eyes welling up with feigned grievance.
Seeing this, Madam Su immediately yelled at Su He, "Su He, you stop right there! Are you deaf? Didn't you hear your sister talking to you?"
Su He took a deep breath and retorted, "I only have brothers and an elder sister, and a younger brother. When did I get a sister?"
Madam Su's anger flared even more. "You! You dare talk back to an elder? Do you still have any respect for me as your mother!"
"Madam Su, we've only met a handful of times. Please don't put on airs of seniority in front of me." Su He's expression clearly stated her unfamiliarity with them.
Madam Su clutched her chest, almost spitting blood from anger. "Su He, how could you become like this! Yes, I accidentally lost you back then, and you suffered a lot, but... I am your biological mother after all! Speaking to me in such a tone is like stabbing me in the heart!"
Calming down now, Madam Su shifted from scolding to playing the victim. "Ever since I lost you, I've been unable to eat or sleep properly. I even placed ads on television to search for you..."
"I never thought you harbored such great hatred towards me..."
Beauty Pavilion was doing good business, with people coming and going at this hour. Many onlookers couldn't help but cast sympathetic glances at Madam Su upon hearing her words.
"Is that Madam Su's biological daughter? How impolite, talking to her own mother like that!"
"Yes! If it were me, I would have slapped her long ago!"
"To be treated like this by her own daughter, Madam Su is truly pitiful!"
Su He rolled her eyes subtly.
'Keep acting. You all keep acting.'
Su He suddenly stopped rushing and stood with her arms crossed, waiting for Madam Su's next move. "Mm, please continue. If you have any other grievances, feel free to air them all at once."
Madam Su faltered, surprised that Su He hadn't lashed out in anger. This put her in an awkward position.
"I'm not blaming you, Mother..."
Seeing Madam Su losing ground, Su Anan naturally stepped in to salvage the situation. "Sister, you've misunderstood Mother..."
"No, I wouldn't dare accept that title of 'Sister'," Su He waved her hand dismissively, looking utterly disgusted.
Su Anan, a master of acting, lowered her head, appearing unwilling to argue.
This made onlookers believe Su He was the one lacking manners, further increasing their sympathy for Su Anan, the adopted daughter.
"I can't believe the legitimate daughter of the Su family is so rude! No wonder Young Master Lu couldn't stand her and divorced her in a hurry, kicking her out of the Lu family!"
"Ah, so she's that Su family eldest daughter who was divorced by the Lu family?"
"What eldest daughter? I think she's just a wild child, not as well-bred as that adopted daughter!"
"It's understandable, I heard she grew up in the slums..."
Whispers spread among the surrounding crowd, who now clearly sided with Madam Su and Su Anan.
Su Anan lowered her gaze, feeling quite smug.
People always sympathize with the weaker party; this tactic never failed.
Facing the murmurs and pointed fingers, Su He remained composed, completely unfazed. Frankly, their comments were rather mild. Compared to the sharp-tongued Zhao Yafen, these were nothing.
However, Manager Qiao's expression shifted.
Su He was a VIP designated for special treatment by the higher-ups. If she were to be wronged here, the blame would fall upon her, and she couldn't afford that. Thus, she stepped forward to rescue Su He, saying, "Miss Su, the professional styling team will be here shortly, we really must make haste."
Manager Qiao's attitude immediately made everyone sense something was amiss.
As a manager in a high-end establishment like Beauty Pavilion, she was naturally adept at handling social situations. Logically, Madam Su, being a regular and Su He's mother, should have been treated with more courtesy. Yet, Manager Qiao had consistently sided with Su He, showing her utmost respect.
This quickly implied that Su He's status was above Madam Su's!
Instantly, the gossips vanished without a trace, and no one dared to utter another word.
Su He was also quite surprised.
She hadn't expected Manager Qiao to be so polite, even showing a hint of fawning.
Indeed, having powerful backing made a difference!
Su He gracefully entered the elevator, basking in the star-like treatment. In contrast, Madam Su and Su Anan looked like clowns, utterly overshadowed by Su He's aura, creating an extremely awkward scene.
Madam Su was so angry she wanted to confront Su He again but was intercepted by a staff member.
"Madam Su, the room you booked is on the other side."
Madam Su, in her fury, couldn't heed the advice. "Why can Su He go up there and I can't?"
The staff member, maintaining professional composure, smiled and said, "Miss Su holds our Beauty Pavilion's black card."
Compared to that, Madam Su's entry-level membership card was insignificant.
Even Madam Su, despite her lack of sharp wit, understood the implication now.
Her face flushed and paled, wishing she could disappear into a crack in the ground.
This was a perfect example of seeking humiliation.
Madam Su harbored immense hatred. "If I had known she would turn out like this, I shouldn't have given birth to her!"
Su Anan was consumed by jealousy, but she still pretended to be unconcerned and comforted Madam Su. "Mother, Su He dislikes me... If Sister is not coming home because of this, then I'll move out..."
"She's clearly the one being unreasonable!" Madam Su gritted her teeth. "Anan, you've tolerated her so much, and she's still being aggressive. Forget it, thinking about her makes me angry. Let's go for a spa. We must look beautiful for the Lu Corporation's anniversary banquet tonight!"
Su Anan nodded obediently.
Before leaving, she glanced back towards the elevator, thinking to herself: 'Su He is so eager for skincare, could it be... she's also attending the Lu Corporation's anniversary banquet?'
'Didn't she divorce Lu Jingyang? Why can she still attend the Lu Corporation's banquet?'
'Perhaps she hasn't given up and wants to cling to the Lu family?'