Chapter 559 - You Displeased Me
Chapter 559: You Displeased Me
Su Qingsang and Su Peizhen looked less like sisters than enemies.
Liu Tongjia looked at Su Qingsang. Then she turned her gaze on Su Peizhen and studied her carefully this time.
Before coming to visit, Su Peizhen had asked Huo Yifan some questions about the Huo family.
Huo Yifan had given her some information on Huo Mingguang, Huo Mingliang, Huo Mingmei, and their families.
He hadn’t gone into much detail however. For example, he neglected to mention to Su Peizhen that Liu Tongjia disliked Su Qingsang.
Su Peizhen figured that out regardless. She observed Liu Tongjia and Su Qingsang’s interactions from the moment that she’d entered the house.
By now, she not only knew that Liu Tongjia didn’t like Su Qingsang, she was also almost certain that Nian Chunya didn’t like her.
For the first time since stepping into the house, she smiled in genuine amusement.
‘Su Qingsang, do you think it’s easy to be the daughter-in-law of a wealthy family?’ she thought to herself. ‘You are far too naïve.’
The elders remained quiet, and the younger ones were all thinking about different things.
As the family dinner began, there was a strange, tense atmosphere.
Su Peizhen knew that Old Master Huo was the true decision-maker of the family.
She avoided mentioning a word about her true parentage after she had sat down. Instead, she started an engaging conversation between herself and Old Master Huo to break the ice.
Although Old Master Huo liked Su Qingsang, it didn’t mean he was unmoved by Su Peizhen’s situation.
The two of them had switched places. Su Peizhen had been a princess in her family. Then, without warning, she had become the illegitimate daughter.
Not many could cope with a change of that magnitude. Su Peizhen had shown her discontent to a slight degree at first, but after that she never mentioned it again. In Old Master Huo’s eyes, her earlier display had been due to honest emotion.
After all, it was impossible for her to pretend that nothing had changed.
She also knew that it would be inappropriate for her to harp on it repeatedly. She’d managed to hold her tongue just fine.
Huo Yifan had been paying attention to Old Master Huo’s facial expressions this whole time. He was surprised by how Su Peizhen had been able to earn Old Master Huo’s favor and was proud of it.
‘See, Huo Jinyao, you’re not the only one who can pick a nice girl. I can do that too,’ he thought to himself.
Nian Chunya hadn’t thought much of Su Peizhen from the start. However, she eased her scornfulness toward her upon seeing that the girl was managing to earn Old Master Huo’s approbation at least for the time being.
Unlike the others, Huo Yiyang knew about Su Peizhen’s past. He was impressed by her admirable change in attitude.
His brother possessed a keen eye indeed. He had found himself a girl who turned out to be Su Qingsang’s sister.
The dinner had been particularly quiet with Su Qingsang, Huo Jinyao, and all the others watching Su Peizhen as she carried on talking to Old Master Huo.
Su Peizhen had lived with Old Master Li since she was a baby. It was child’s play for her to earn the favor of an elder.
At first, Old Master Huo had only pitied the girl. Over the course of the dinner however, his empathy for her grew much stronger.
It grew dark as the dinner drew to an end. Instead of rushing to leave, Su Peizhen invited Old Master Huo to play a game of chess with her.
“I often used to play chess with my grandpa,” she explained.
Su Qingsang sat beside Huo Jinyao and they watched Su Peizhen as she played against Old Master Huo. Su Peizhen was an accomplished player. Soon after the game had started, Old Master Huo began to take it seriously.
He started to approve of Su Peizhen even more.
Sensing Old Master Huo’s change of attitude toward Su Peizhen, Su Qingsang was not quite jealous but she did grow introspective.
Li Qianxue truly loved Su Peizhen. Although she had spoiled the girl, she did her best to raise her to have all the hallmarks of a society lady.
The girl had learned music, art, chess-playing. She had been coached in interpersonal interactions and business practices. These were all the lessons that Su Qingsang had missed out on, and there was no way for her to catch up.
Li Qianxue had raised Su Peizhen into such a woman with dedication over a period of twenty years. However, Su Peizhen had turned out to be an ungrateful daughter.
Su Qingsang had experienced several complicated and unfamiliar emotions that lingered on even after they left the family house and got into the car.
They decided to take their leave early while Su Peizhen continued her game of chess with Old Master Huo.
“Are you unhappy?” Huo Jinyao asked Su Qingsang.
He had noticed her pensive expression immediately. “Do you not like the idea of Su Peizhen joining the family?”
Su Peizhen had gotten a lot of attention that day. She had played chess with Old Master Huo, losing the first round, playing to a draw in the second round. In the third round she had actually won. That accomplishment had undoubtedly elevated her in the esteem of Old Master Huo.
“Qingsang, don’t worry. Nothing bad will happen, even if she were really to get together with Huo Yifan.”
Huo Jinyao was Old Master Huo’s favorite grandson, not Huo Yifan. As long as he was still in the family Huo Yifan would never be able to surpass him, and Su Peizhen would consequently never be able to rise above Su Qingsang.
That night was the first time that Su Peizhen had met their family. Old Master Huo had treated her and Huo Yifan politely. That was reasonable.
“That’s not what I’m worried about.”
Su Qingsang shook her head saying, “Grandpa can go and meet with his friends and great-granduncle when he feels lonely. Still, he always wishes that we would go and visit him more often. He likes Su Peizhen and I’m happy for him.”
“But today, she…”
“There’s no need to rush to set everything straight tonight. I know what she wants. She would like nothing more than to ruin my reputation and my father’s. She hates our father now. But I can’t just let her ruin his reputation.”
“What made me uncomfortable was her treatment of my grandpa and my mother.”
Su Peizhen had done well, which was a credit to her upbringing and Li Qianxue.
Su Qingsang had witnessed the effort which Li Qianxue had put into raising Su Peizhen. She used to be jealous of Su Peizhen for it.
Su Peizhen couldn’t possibly have become who she was now, and so easily earn Old Master Huo’s favor without the whole-hearted nurturing of Su Chenghui and Li Qianxue.
The Li Family had raised her to be a capable woman, but she abandoned them after learning about her true parentage.
“My mother spent twenty years raising her. My mom is so angry at my father, but she still kept the truth hidden in order to protect Si Peizhen’s dignity and reputation. My mom still loves her and sees her as her daughter. Su Peizhen clearly doesn’t feel the same way about their relationship.”
That was the reason that Su Qingsang hadn’t argued with Su Peizhen earlier.
Both Li Qianxue and Su Chenghui still loved Su Peizhen.
If there was a quarrel between herself and Su Peizhen, it would be their parents that would be hurt by it in the end. Ultimately, Su Qingsang didn’t want Xiang Caiping to get hurt.
“You are just too kind,” Huo Jinyao didn’t agree with Su Qingsang, but he couldn’t criticize her for making that choice. “I assume you realized that she picked Huo Yifan because of you.”
“I am aware.” How could Su Qingsang not know that? “Still, I won’t do anything until she makes a move.”
Huo Jinyao shook his head. He had once given thought about finding out what Su Peizhen had been up to. But back then, Su Peizhen had been in Lin City, a whole city away. For that reason, he had not gone further than considering it.
Now, she had come to Rong City and was obviously targeting Su Qingsang. He had every reason to do something about that.
“All I know is that the one who strikes first gains the advantage.”
“Mom wouldn’t be happy if I did that.” Glancing at him, Su Qingsang said, “My parents still love Su Peizhen and Aunty Xiang…”
She didn’t need to finish her sentence. Huo Jinyao understood what she wasn’t saying. He looked at her and gently hugged her.
“Don’t worry. I won’t let her hurt you.”
“Relax. I won’t give her the opportunity.”
Huo Jinyao nodded. He had made up his mind. He would find an opportunity to tell Yang Wenchang to keep an eye on Su Peizhen. He suspected that she may still have something up her sleeves.
Now that she had hooked up with Huo Yifan, the two of them together could certainly spell future trouble.
He wasn’t concerned that Old Master Huo might choose to take their side. Neither was he bothered by the possibility of Su Peizhen actually marrying into the Huo Family.
What he did worry about was whether Su Peizhen had some other, more sinister agenda. Being with Huo Yifan and becoming a member of the Huo Family would definitely give her more opportunities to get within range of Su Qingsang.
She would be able to do a lot of damage if she got close enough.
Huo Jinyao did not want to see that happen.
…
After leaving the family house, Huo Yifan didn’t drive Su Peizhen home as she had requested. Instead, he parked the car outside his own apartment.
Su Peizhen waited, making no move to get out of the car.
“Mr. Huo, what are you doing?”
Huo Yifan squinted at her in silence.
After the chess games, Su Peizhen had stayed a while longer chatting with Old Master Huo. She and Huo Yifan had not left the family house until Old Master Huo appeared to be delighted with her.
Huo Yifan’s apartment was far from Xiang Caiping’s place. Sitting in the car, Su Peizhen looked at Huo Yifan, keeping the smile from her face.
The warmth, attentiveness, and innocence shown to Old Master Huo all but vanished.
She leaned toward Huo Yifan ever so slightly, turning her face to his as she brushed her long, wavy hair behind her ear.
“Mr. Huo, are you not happy with my performance today?”
“How could that be?” Huo Yifan put an arm around Su Peizhen’s waist with ease, gave her a meaningful look, and continued, “I am so happy with it.”
“Really? How come I can’t tell?”
Huo Yifan looked into her eyes and bit her lip, not too hard, but not overly gentle either.
“Did you enjoy using me?”
“Mr. Huo, what are you talking about? Why made you think that I was using you?”
The light in the car was dim. Su Peizhen was biting her vivid red lip slightly, a uniquely charming vision.
“You never told me that you were Su Qingsang’s sister.”
“You never asked,” Su Peizhen raised her eyebrows. She said with a faint smile, “Besides, you’ve been using me as well, haven’t you?”
When it came to earning Old Master Huo’s favor, the two of them had been using each other, so neither of them had the right to be angry.
“Woman, you displeased me.”
He had indeed brought her to his family dinner willingly. However, when he’d made that decision, he hadn’t known that she was Su Qingsang’s sister or that she had insinuated herself into his life for her own purpose.
Huo Yifan liked being in control, and that control had slipped from his grasp from the moment Su Peizhen had stepped into the house and into his family.