Su Nanyin outwardly appeared gentle, charming, and easy to bully, but her resilience was stronger than most men's.
For the sake of her mission, she did not care how many people she killed.
She did not care about being slandered, about being pointed at by a thousand fingers, about dying, or about the Miao family coveting her second daughter.
She did not even care if, one day, she would truly wear the heavy wooden shackles!
But she did care—
About how those she considered her own treated her.
The dissatisfaction of the northwestern Gao family and other allied affluent families led to her increasingly severe insomnia.
Grandma Zhao's plea, "Su Nanyin, please let the child go," was like a knife that ruthlessly pierced her heart.
He Lan Tingmei, whom she and Manager Zhao had secretly observed and highly regarded, cast a contemptuous glance before she left, reopening the scar that Grandma Zhao had just soothed!
She always smiled on the surface, but her heart ached to the point of near suffocation.
Only when she arrived in Manager Zhao's study did Su Nanyin feel like a child who had wandered too long in the dark night, finally finding her father.
All her strength dissolved into nothingness the moment the study door was closed.
She just wanted to throw herself into her father's arms and cry her heart out, to alleviate the pain and injustice she felt.
Of course, she did not cry her heart out.
Manager Zhao, sitting behind his desk and watching Su Nanyin, who sat quietly in her chair, her expression still calm and collected, yet with tears gushing out like a fountain, remained still.
At this moment.
Manager Zhao could truly feel Su Nanyin's inner grievance and pain.
However, he did not comfort her.
He simply sat there silently with her, watching her cry.
A few minutes later.
Su Nanyin wiped her eyes with a tissue.
As she folded the tissue and placed it in her pocket, there was no longer any trace of grievance or pain in her eyes.
There wasn't even a mark left by freely flowing tears!
The moment she put down the tissue, she transformed back into the Deputy General Manager Su, embodying nobility, sexiness, gentleness, beauty, deep cunning, complete capability, decisive ruthlessness, and an unyielding spirit!
"Drink some water to replenish your fluids."
Manager Zhao pushed the teacup towards her and said with a smile.
Su Nanyin nodded, picked up the teacup, and took a light sip. "Good tea. Manager Zhao, I've visited your home several times before, and you never offered me this kind of tea. Yet, you're offering it now. It seems you were already prepared for me to throw a tantrum and cry in front of you, needing your comfort."
Manager Zhao did not deny it.
He merely smiled and asked, "Am I being too realistic?"
Su Nanyin replied, "It is precisely because you are realistic that you are grounded. You can understand the hardships of the common people and empathize with the grievances and pain in this subordinate's heart."
"This subordinate?"
Manager Zhao raised an eyebrow. "Su Nanyin, do you really consider me a superior official from the feudal era? From now on, if you dare to call yourself a subordinate again, you'll have to kneel when we meet."
Su Nanyin pouted dismissively, then said, "You've heard about my visit to the Miao family for New Year's greetings, haven't you?"
She didn't explain why she felt wronged enough to only dare cry in front of Manager Zhao.
Manager Zhao also didn't ask.
Firstly, he understood Su Nanyin's grievances and pain.
Secondly—
If Su Nanyin couldn't even bear these grievances and pains, then she wouldn't be a qualified Deputy General Manager of the Dark Blade, able to stand in the sun in Li Wujiang's stead and attract the attention of all enemies!
"The Miao family has deliberately spread the news that you have agreed to marry Shen Yun to Miao Desheng. It's hard not to know about it."
Manager Zhao nodded and said blandly, "The Miao family is courting death."
The Miao family is courting death!
This was precisely why Su Nanyin decided that before taking drastic action against the Miao family, she had to pay Manager Zhao a New Year's visit.
She wanted to seek Manager Zhao's consent and strongest support first.
Of course.
If Manager Zhao disagreed, she would still create a bloodbath at the Miao family on the first day of the Lunar New Year!
At worst, she would commit suicide to atone afterward and bear all the responsibility herself.
Manager Zhao's attitude was clearly supportive.
Su Nanyin's eyes lit up immediately, and she asked, "Do you need to report this to your superiors?"
Manager Zhao frowned and asked coldly, "What? In the eyes of you, Deputy General Manager Su, am I, the person surnamed Zhao, just a bureaucratic official who grabs credit but shirks responsibility?"
Su Nanyin quickly stood up.
She bowed and feigned an apology, "This subordinate dares not."
Manager Zhao rolled his eyes and changed the subject. "What's that little rascal's intention now?"
Su Nanyin sat down and replied truthfully, "Even I believe what many outsiders say, that he's been infatuated with my beauty. Whatever I ask him to do, he'll do it."
"You flatter yourself."
Manager Zhao snorted coldly. "Do you really think I don't understand that little rascal? Hmph, he appears to be as unable to resist beauty as his grandfather and father. In reality, his inner red line is more untouchable than anyone's."
"You know this clearly, yet you ask. Aren't you deliberately putting me in an awkward position?"
Su Nanyin shrugged and replied truthfully, "The rascal is willing to conspire with me because of his male pride. He doesn't want me, a mere woman, to bear the pressure caused by him. But I dare guarantee that if I were to truly fall for him, he would slap me so hard I wouldn't know north from south."
"Haha, well said. After all, he is Li Nanfang's grandson and Li Xiao's son."
Manager Zhao laughed heartily, then shifted the topic. "Tell me more about that 'Four Phoenixes Circling the Beam' that Shen Huiteng mentioned to you. Heh heh, Old Du is too inconsiderate. He didn't tell me about such things! I'll see how I'll tease him when I meet him next."
Su Nanyin picked up her teacup and took another sip of water.
She began to recount the story to Manager Zhao in the most concise terms.
At the same time, at the Miao family—
Shortly after Su Nanyin left, the eleven patriarchs of the affluent families who had gathered at the Miao family were all astonished to learn that Li Qianfan and Su Nanyin had gone to visit Manager Zhao arm in arm.
She had clearly completely submitted to the feet of the eleven affluent families!
But after turning around, how could she and that little beast be openly flirting together under broad daylight and in full view of everyone?
"This must be because that little beast couldn't resist Su Nanyin's beauty and, disregarding the scorn of thousands, even sacrificed his empire (Longxu) to be with her."
The Lin family patriarch's words held much weight.
They were echoed by the Shen family patriarch and all the other patriarchs.
"Even—"
The Huang family patriarch said sinisterly, "The little beast's desire is not just for that viperous woman. After all, she has three younger, equally beautiful daughters. The viperous woman might have made the most despicable promise: that the four beauties of the Su family could all be captured by him. Only then would the little beast willingly be at her beck and call, without reservation."
The solemn Shen family patriarch and others nodded slowly once more.
Originally.
The little beast was already entangled with Su Nanyin, and the news of Du Yaoyao about to move into Li Family Village was no secret.
From the viperous woman's perspective, it was: "Since I've already disregarded shame and am now a woman of his, along with Du Yaoyao, then what's the harm in also offering Su Maomao and Shen Chongchong to him? The difference is only between a hundred steps and fifty steps."
Upon realizing that Su Nanyin thought and intended to do exactly this, Miao Desheng, standing behind Old Miao, clenched his fists tightly.
His eyeballs even began to redden.
This was because after he figured out what was happening, the image of the little Guanyin, who was supposed to marry him, being wantonly ruined by the little beast flashed in his mind!
As the saying goes, the hatred of a father's murder is matched only by the resentment of a wife stolen!
No matter how spineless a man, when his wife is stolen, he will become a tyrant capable of destroying the entire world.
Moreover, Miao Desheng was hardly spineless.
"Little beast, you dare steal my wife! I will not rest until we are dead!"
Miao Desheng's fingernails were almost digging into his palms as he roared furiously in his heart.
Miao Lao Er, standing beside him behind Old Miao, however, had a smile on his lips.
The previous night, in his eagerness to obtain the little Guanyin, he had even suggested that Old Miao personally intervene, yet it did not change Old Miao's original intention to bestow the little Guanyin to Miao Desheng.
This had greatly displeased Miao Lao Er.
Especially when Su Nanyin brought her two daughters to the Miao family for New Year's greetings, and he saw up close how beautiful the little Guanyin was with her snow-white skin, Miao Lao Er felt as if his heart was being stabbed when he thought that she would only be toyed with by a pockmarked man in the future.
Now.
If I can't have her, then no one else will!
The Miao brothers' complex inner thoughts were naturally unknown to the eleven patriarchs of the affluent families.
After an hour of free-flowing "scorn,"
A patriarch suddenly asked, "Everyone. Since the viperous woman and the little beast have disregarded all ethics and morals and are determined to collude, will the viperous woman make a fuss about the Miao family patriarch bestowing the little Guanyin to Shengzi?"
Heh heh—
The Miao family patriarch immediately let out a cold laugh. "For Miao Xindong to withdraw and the little Guanyin to marry Shengzi is merely a reasonable adjustment of our Miao family's internal resources. It's best if she cooperates, otherwise, so be it. Does she still not allow our Miao family to make internal adjustments? What right do the viperous woman and the little beast have to make a fuss about this matter?"
Before he finished speaking.
The Shen family patriarch nodded. "The Miao family patriarch is absolutely correct. Both the treacherous viperous woman who breaks her word and the licentious little beast have no reason or face to come to the Miao family again."
Miao Desheng, standing behind Old Miao, suddenly gritted his teeth and said, "I, on the contrary, hope that the viperous woman and the little beast will come to my Miao family! At that time, I will definitely let them know what it means to be devoid of ethics and morality!"
Miao Desheng—
Finally unable to bear the pain of "stolen wife resentment," he interjected without authorization.
The Miao family patriarch frowned and said in a low voice, "You scoundrel! Isn't it just a woman? Does it warrant such a loss of composure? As the saying goes, why should a true man lack a wife? For the sake of a mere courtesan, you cannot maintain your composure. How will you lead the Miao family to a more brilliant future in the future?"
Miao Desheng lowered his head but did not admit fault.
In this regard.
The Shen family patriarch and others all chuckled—
Everyone could understand the feelings of the fair-skinned and beautiful little Guanyin's owner after she was stolen.
"Since the viperous woman does not wish to take the broad path I've planned for her."
The Shen family patriarch, having no intention of meddling in the Miao family's internal affairs, promptly changed the subject. "Then we must carefully negotiate and change our original plan. We must make both her and the little beast objects of universal condemnation. Make it so that they can never establish themselves in the capital or under the sun again. After the viperous woman steps down, how we will vie for that position is the most important thing."
Others nodded in agreement.
Approaching noon, at half-past eleven.
Li Qianfan and Su Nanyin bid farewell to Manager Zhao and, just as they had arrived, walked out of the courtyard arm in arm.
They arrived at the car.
Su Nanyin looked at the warm sun outside the car window and asked, "Are Li Santiao and the others in place?"