Can't i keep her here for one night?" The old lady's tone grew even more displeased.
"Okay, okay, if Mom wants to keep her, how could I object? I'll be going now," Su Mingyuan said, trying to smooth things over.
The old lady waved him off impatiently. "Go on, go."
Left with no choice, Su Mingyuan took Su Nuo and left the ancestral house.
After they were gone, Su Jin quietly followed the old lady back to her room.
"You have something to say, don't you?" The old lady had noticed Su Jin hesitating earlier, so she invited her in for a private conversation.
Su Jin nodded and carefully took out the broken piece of railing. She handed it over and said, "Grandma, take a look. I found this by the pool."
The break in the railing was clean—clearly the result of deliberate sabotage.
It was obvious: someone wanted the old lady to fall into the pond and suffer an accident.
Though the old lady's heart was filled with turmoil, her expression remained calm. It was as if she had expected this. "It seems they're running out of patience," she said coldly.
Su Jin was awed by her composure. This was truly someone who had weathered countless storms.
"Grandma, do you know who it was?" Su Jin asked softly.
The old lady's eyes were sharp and knowing. There were only a few people in the Su family who eagerly awaited her death. But she didn't name names. Instead, she simply said, "I'm relieved to see that you're becoming more vigilant."
She had always worried that once she was gone, Su Jin—helpless and unsupported—would be left to face a cruel and lonely fate. Now, though, a trace of reassurance entered her heart.
Now, she was truly pleased to see Su Jin maturing step by step.
"Just now, I checked the surveillance footage," Su Jin said calmly. "But I found that one of the cameras blacked out for ten minutes."
She then shared her full deduction. "Only someone within the household could have accessed the monitoring room. During the birthday banquet, most people were helping out in the front yard. But the surveillance room is in the basement at the back of the house. To reach it, one has to pass from the front yard through to the backyard."
She paused briefly, then added, "I didn't notice any unfamiliar faces during that time. So, I concluded that someone stationed in the surveillance room tampered with the footage—and likely with the railing too."
The old lady looked at Su Jin with deep appreciation in her eyes. A faint smile appeared on her face as she said, "Go on."
After listening to her for a while. "You're absolutely right," the old lady said with satisfaction, her heart swelling with pride at Su Jin's sharp analysis.
She turned stern and ordered, "Housekeeper, bring the security guard from the monitoring room here immediately. No one is allowed to leave until we get to the bottom of this."
Knowing the old lady was truly furious, the housekeeper moved quickly. Not long after, the security guard from the monitoring room was brought into the living room.
The old lady sat on the sofa, her expression grim and imposing. Su Jin stood quietly at her side.
The security guard, seeing the tense atmosphere, went weak in the knees. He stood frozen in place, trembling, not even daring to lift his head.
However, there were supposed to be three security guards—yet only two stood before them.
"Old lady, the new boy is missing," the housekeeper stepped forward and reported apologetically.
The old lady's expression darkened. "Missing?"
So the culprit had escaped.
After Su Jin gave a brief description, they confirmed that the one who fled was Zhou Tao, a newcomer who had only been working at the Su residence for only six month's.
It was clear now—he had been deliberately planted.
"Grandma, should we call the police?" Su Jin asked. Though she already knew in her heart it would be useless.
After all, it had only been classified as a minor accident—not attempted murder.
The old lady shook her head. "Forget it. He's already gone. Calling the police now won't change anything."
The housekeeper and Mrs. Li both lowered their heads and said apologetically, "This was our negligence."
"The other party clearly planned this carefully. It's hard to guard against such things," the old lady said instead of punishing them, her tone calm and reassuring.
Hearing this, both the housekeeper and Mrs. Li felt even more ashamed.
"I've already tightened security around the residence. Please don't worry, old lady," the housekeeper added.
After such a long and eventful day, the old lady was clearly exhausted. She nodded and said, "Let Jin stay here for the night. She'll go to the Fu residence tomorrow. Get some rest early."
"Okay, Grandma," Su Jin replied obediently.
Mrs. Li supported the old lady and helped her back to her room.
As Su Jin stood quietly, her thoughts drifted to her previous life. After the old lady's fall back then, she handed over all her power to Gu Xiangyun. But now, because of her actions, the future has shifted. Still, she couldn't help wondering—how much of what's to come will change?
Since Gu Xiangyun had no other choice, she might as well become a patient hunter—quietly waiting for her prey to step into the trap.
She believed the news of Su Jin being invited to the Fu residence would soon reach the ears of those who cared most.
As expected, the news of Su Jin securing an internship at the Fu Corporation quickly reached Su Nuo.
Tears streamed down her face as she cried to Gu Xiangyun, sobbing with a runny nose, "Mom, you have to think of something. I can't let her climb over my head!"
Su Jin's entry into the Fu family was seen by many as the beginning of something more—perhaps even her future marriage into the Fu household.
If an adopted daughter could find her way into the prestigious Fu family, how could Su Nuo possibly remain calm?
Gu Xiangyun was both furious and stunned. Not only had the person she planted failed to harm the old lady, but the whole affair had ended up propelling Su Jin forward. At this point, she was filled with bitter regret—her frustration practically eating her alive.
Various signs now showed that Su Jin was no longer the timid, yellow-haired girl who had once been easy to control.
She no longer endured silently. She no longer submitted. Instead, she had grown sharp claws—and was unafraid to use them.
Gu Xiangyun realized that she could no longer sit and wait for things to unfold. If she remained passive, she would lose—completely and humiliatingly.
"Nuo'er , don't worry. Mom won't let you suffer any injustice," Gu Xiangyun said with a cruel, venomous voice, her eyes filled with murderous intent.
"Mom, what are you going to do?" Su Nuo asked, her eyes full of anticipation.
Gu Xiangyun turned to look at her, gently patting her soft, fair cheek with a warm, doting smile. "Don't worry. Mommy will protect you. You don't need to know the details—just focus on being the perfect Miss Su. Leave the rest to me."
Hearing that, Su Nuo beamed with joy and leaned into Gu Xiangyun's arms, acting like a spoiled child. "Mom, I know you are the best!"
After Su Nuo left, Gu Xiangyun rose from her seat and changed into a sultry yet elegant outfit. She sprayed a hint of perfume along her neck, then made her way to Su Mingyuan's room carrying a tray of freshly brewed coffee.
Despite being nearly fifty, Gu Xiangyun was still remarkably well-maintained. Her skin was smooth and fair, her figure graceful and well-proportioned. More than that, she exuded an innate elegance and refined allure that few men could resist.
It never took much effort on her part—Su Mingyuan had long fallen into her gentle trap.
Ten minutes later, Su Mingyuan lay on the bed, breathing heavily, a satisfied expression on his face.
Gu Xiangyun lay beside him, her misty eyes half-lidded, hair tousled as she leaned in close. Though a fleeting trace of disgust flashed through her eyes, she masked it perfectly, speaking with tender affection as she leaned into him.
"Husband, you're just as energetic as you were in your youth," she cooed.
Though it was flattery, Su Mingyuan clearly enjoyed it. He glanced at her with a smirk, the corner of his mouth curling upward in amusement. "Really?" he teased. "Still not satisfied?"
When her intentions were exposed, Gu Xiangyun felt momentarily awkward and quickly changed the subject. "I heard that Xiao Jin was invited by the Fu family?"
Hearing this, Su Mingyuan instantly grasped most of what was going on.
He withdrew the hand resting beneath Gu Xiangyun's neck and asked coolly, "What are you trying to do?"
Noticing the subtle shift in his mood, Gu Xiangyun moved closer and began gently massaging his shoulder. "She's just an adopted daughter who loves being in the spotlight. What will people think about our own daughter if she's constantly being overshadowed?"
Su Mingyuan's expression darkened, his voice firm. "Since she bears the Su family name, can't she be allowed to get ahead."