Chapter 15 Grievance

A woman’s voice came from the phone, “Have you received your commission recently? Send me some money.”

“I transferred thirty thousand to you just last month, why do you need money again?” Su Yu’s tone was somewhat impatient.

Su Pinglan was playing mahjong. Hearing Su Yu’s impatient tone, she stopped playing and smiled at the people around her, “Wait for me, I need to take a call.”

The traffic light turned green, and Su Yu gently released the brake, the car moving slowly.

“Why are you playing mahjong again?” Su Yu frowned.

Su Pinglan stood on the balcony, looking out the window, speaking sarcastically, “If I’m not playing mahjong, what else would I be doing? Hurry up and transfer a few more tens of thousands to me. You earn so much every month, can’t you spare some for your mother?”

Su Yu was getting impatient and her tone became harsh, “I don’t have money. Stop asking for tens of thousands all the time. Figure it out yourself this month!”

Hearing Su Yu’s response, Su Pinglan became displeased, “I don’t care, transfer fifty thousand to me quickly!”

“I said I don’t have money!”

“If you don’t transfer, your brother’s living expenses for this month will be in jeopardy,” Su Pinglan threatened.

Su Yu gritted her teeth and raised her voice, “If I don’t have it, I don’t have it. You can go ask that man for it. I won’t give you anything this time.”

Su Yu was visibly getting angry, but Su Pinglan wasn’t afraid and continued, “I’m your mother no matter what. Can you bear to see me in need? And your brother…”

“Enough!”

Su Yu couldn’t bear it anymore and interrupted Su Pinglan, shouting.

She was so angry that she almost rear-ended the car in front of her.

Su Pinglan was stunned for a moment, then cursed a few words and hung up the phone.

This call from Su Pinglan made Su Yu’s mood instantly sour. She angrily gripped the steering wheel, as if venting her anger in this way.

How could she have such a mother, so unreasonable.

Su Yu took out a cigarette from her bag, bit it between her lips, lit it, took a deep drag, exhaled smoke rings, dissipating some of her frustration.

A passing car honked, and a man inside whistled at her, “Beauty, smoking isn’t good for you.”

Su Yu glanced at the man in the car, ignored him, stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray, turned on the left signal, stepped on the gas, overtook the car, and drove away.

“This beauty is quite spirited,” the man watched Su Yu driving away and smiled to himself.

…

Back at the apartment, Su Yu kicked off her high heels, threw her bag on the sofa, and collapsed onto it.

She didn’t even turn on the lights.

Because of Su Pinglan, her mood became even more stifled, making her feel uncomfortable.

When Su Yu was twelve, Su Pinglan divorced her alcoholic father. Su Pinglan raised her and her brother alone. After high school, she mostly stayed at school and worked part-time to pay for her tuition and living expenses.

She secretly gave the money Su Pinglan gave her to her brother Su Jinhang. Su Jinhang was always well-behaved. When Su Yu was beaten in the past, Su Jinhang would always rush to protect her, so Su Yu had always cared for him.

However, at some point, Su Pinglan became more and more addicted to playing mahjong. She had a growing gambling addiction, but she was bad at it and almost always lost money. Every time she lost money, she would take out her anger on Su Yu.

Su Yu often ended up being physically abused by her.

After graduation, Su Yu almost never went back to her hometown. She stayed in Haicheng, even during the Chinese New Year, she didn’t want to go back.

She didn’t want to face Su Pinglan.

Su Yu sat up, took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from her bag, lit another cigarette, and took a deep drag.

She smoked too eagerly, which made her cough from the intense smoke. Tears welled up in her eyes, and Su Yu quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand. Using the dim moonlight, she stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray.

For a moment, she couldn’t tell if the tears were from the smoke or from her heart.

Everyone thought she was strong, but she knew how fragile she really was.

Su Yu took a deep breath, calmed her emotions, then got up to turn on the lights.

She opened the fridge, took out two cans of beer, opened one, sat on the living room sofa, and started drinking.

One can of beer quickly emptied, and she grabbed the other, chugging it down.

The alcohol spread from her throat to her stomach.

As the second can was almost finished, she picked up another, gulping it down.

The alcohol flowed from her throat to her stomach.

Su Yu’s eyes felt a bit sour, warm liquid trickled down her cheeks, dropping onto the back of her hand.

At that moment, she suddenly felt so wronged, wishing she could find someone to hold her and cry.

Su Yu clenched the beer can tightly in her hand, squeezing it so hard that her knuckles turned white.

It seemed like she had made a decision. Without a word, she picked up her phone and dialed Shen Yan’s number.

The phone rang for a long time without anyone answering.

Su Yu gripped the phone tightly, took a deep breath.

She dialed the number again.

Once again, there was no answer.

Su Yu bitterly smiled, placed the phone on the coffee table, closed her eyes, and leaned back on the sofa.

Well, she and Shen Yan had no relationship, why should he answer her call.

Su Yu buried her face in her knees.

She wanted to cry, but found herself unable to shed tears now.

At a bar.

Shen Yan was drinking with Gu Bei and the others, rolling dice, having a great time. He didn’t notice the phone on the table lighting up.

Shen Jiahe had just returned to the country today and insisted on going to the bar to play, even specifically calling in the group chat, demanding that they all come out to accompany her.

Ye Yifei was also called by Shen Jiahe. At first, Ye Yifei didn’t want to come, but when she heard that Shen Yan was going, she quickly changed her clothes and hurried over.

Ye Yifei, one meter sixty-seven, slim figure, wearing a short skirt, showing off her long and fair legs. She wore a pair of black pointed high heels. She had a somewhat innocent look, with a head of shiny black hair, a small melon seed face, fair skin, a high nose, and pink lips coated with lip gloss.

In this way, Ye Yifei sat there, like a delicate and eye-catching grass, quite eye-catching.

Jiang Chuan saw Ye Yifei sitting quietly there, looking a bit shy, couldn’t help but tease her, “Miss Ye, are you planning to just sit quietly in the bar?”

To be honest, he found people who came to bars to act quiet quite annoying.

Ye Yifei raised her head, her pink lips slightly open, “N-no, I’m afraid I’ll play poorly, and you’ll find me annoying.”

Upon hearing Ye Yifei’s response, Gu Bei didn’t waste any words. He placed another set of dice in front of her, a cigarette hanging from his mouth, giving off a rebellious vibe, “Come on, stop talking, we don’t mind. Let’s start.”