Chapter 17: Zhou Beiming Wants to Move In with Her:

For several days, Zhou Beiming was nowhere to be seen.

Su Nian enjoyed the peace and quiet.

Aunt Zhang was a nice person, always smiling. Except for her poorly made brown sugar water, everything else she cooked was delicious.

Su Nian could only do basic housework. At first, whenever she tried to help, Aunt Zhang would stop her, but after a day, she just let her be.

The two got along comfortably and naturally.

Occasionally, Su Nian would catch glimpses of Grandma Qu in Aunt Zhang—both were cheerful and fond of chatting.

Sometimes Zhou Beiming would call her. Either to tell her to water the plants, or to ask her to go to the Zhou residence over the weekend to have a meal with the old master.

Daily trivialities made life bland like water, but it was also unexpectedly comfortable—not as hard as she had imagined.

One day, Su Nian was in the elevator using a ride-hailing app—her car was in the shop for maintenance.

Suddenly, someone called out, “Nian Nian, it’s really you. What are you doing here?”

Su Nian looked up. It was her cousin, Su Jin.

Su Jin was dating Gu Yincheng’s cousin, Gu Zeyuan, and often flaunted that in front of Su Nian.

Su Nian casually replied, “Just some errands.”

Her expression was calm as always, so Su Jin couldn’t read her thoughts.

Su Jin stared at her with a sinister smile.

The Su Fu Group had been built from the ground up by Su Haiping and Zhang Mengyue—it had nothing to do with their side of the family.

Her father said that the company had recently turned the tide because Su Haiping sold Su Nian to a senior executive at Boyao Technology. Looks like it was true.

The executives at Boyao were a bunch of old geezers. Su Nian really could stoop that low.

Su Jin said with fake concern, “What kind of errand? Coming all the way here early in the morning? You didn’t go home last night, did you?”

Su Nian knew Su Jin would mock her.

Her situation with Zhou Beiming wasn’t exactly honorable. Only her father and Qin Xiu knew about it.

She casually made up an excuse, “Came to see a friend.”

Su Jin’s gaze dropped to the thermal food container in Su Nian’s hand. “Bringing food to your friend?”

Su Nian went along with it. “Yes.”

Now Su Jin was certain Su Nian was delivering meals to some executive she was sleeping with.

Pretending to be a well-behaved girl, but really no better than a prostitute.

Su Nian used to outshine her in every way, and she had always felt bitter about it.

She even once opened Su Nian’s gift to Gu Yincheng in front of everyone and read her love letter out loud to humiliate her.

Now Su Nian was serving some old man while she, Su Jin, was marrying into a prestigious family.

Their futures would be worlds apart.

Su Jin looked down on Su Nian even more now. “You’ve got quite an appetite—eating anything that comes your way. But as a girl, you’d better learn to keep clean. Don’t end up so rotten no one wants you.”

Su Nian ignored her sarcasm and didn’t respond.

The elevator dinged and opened on the ground floor.

Standing at the entrance was Gu Zeyuan, Su Jin’s fiancé.

He had been classmates with Su Nian.

He used to have a crush on her, but unfortunately, while he had feelings for her, she only had eyes for her studies.

He was surprised to see her. “Su Nian? What are you doing here?”

Su Jin walked out of the elevator first and hooked her arm around Gu Zeyuan’s. “Obviously, she came to see her man.”

She tiptoed and whispered something in Gu Zeyuan’s ear.

He gave Su Nian a once-over. She looked delicate and clean.

He smirked. “Really didn’t expect that.”

Su Nian could guess what Su Jin had told him.

She didn’t care what others thought. She waved lightly, “Jin-jie, I’ll get going.”

Gu Zeyuan spoke up, “You’re headed to A University, right? I’m going that way too. You can ride with me.”

His gaze turned from contempt to desire.

Su Jin’s face soured. “Didn’t you say you were going to the golf course today? Why are you suddenly going to A University?”

Gu Zeyuan replied, “President Zhou is out of town and won’t be back until next week. No point going today.”

Su Jin and Gu Zeyuan had met through a blind date.

He wasn’t really into her, just thought she was a suitable match, so he agreed to marry her.

Su Jin already lacked a sense of security. “Then I’ll come along to A University. I’m free anyway.”

But Gu Zeyuan handed her a credit card. “Babe, go shopping first. I’m going to follow up on a project with Yincheng-ge. It’s not a pleasure trip—I won’t have time to keep you company.”

Hearing that, Su Jin didn’t insist. “Okay.”

She knew the two were former classmates.

Su Nian had chased after Gu Yincheng, but when he didn’t like her back, she turned to sleeping with Boyao’s geezers. Of course she’d be eyeing Gu Zeyuan now too.

Still worried, Su Jin called her mother after parting ways and told her about running into Su Nian today.

Her mother said, “Wan’an Apartments aren’t for ordinary people. Jinjin, don’t try to show off in front of Su Nian. If she says something about you to those men, we can’t afford the trouble.”

Su Jin was unconvinced. “She’s just some used good. How is she better than me?”

Her mother despised Su Nian too—especially because when the two old Su family elders passed away, they left their property to Su Nian.

Later, the property was demolished and yielded millions, all of which Su Nian’s parents took to start Su Fu. The company then grew into a conglomerate.

Naturally, her relatives were jealous.

Su Jin’s mother sneered, “That cheap little wretch—how could she ever be better than my precious daughter? She’s just leftover trash. Now she’s just being recycled. I heard Qin Xiu wants to marry her off to the second son of the Liu family. He’s autistic—basically a fool. Once Boyao’s geezers get tired of her, she’ll be stuck as a retard’s wife. If she dares go after Zeyuan again, teach her a good lesson.”

Su Jin’s smile turned cruel. “Who knows how many men that trash has slept with. That poor fool is going to be wearing a crown of green.”

The mother and daughter laughed viciously.

Meanwhile, outside the elevator, Gu Zeyuan was about to take Su Nian to his car.

But Su Nian didn’t follow. “I already got a car. I’ll go on my own.”

Gu Zeyuan sneered. “Still pretending to be high and mighty? You didn’t want me back then, chasing after Yincheng-ge. Now you’re nothing but a used shoe—no need to keep acting aloof.”

Su Nian frowned. She hadn’t expected someone once so refined to speak so crudely.

Not wanting to engage, she headed for the exit.

Gu Zeyuan blocked her. “Come on, how much do you charge per night? I can afford it.”

Su Nian stepped around him. “My car is here. Don’t waste my time.”

She was the soft-spoken type and didn’t want to argue.

Gu Zeyuan still wanted to hassle her, but his phone rang.

It was Gu Yincheng.

He had no choice but to answer, watching helplessly as the prize slipped through his fingers.

Su Nian walked quickly and found her ride at the roadside, got in, and shut the door.

Her phone dinged.

It was Zhou Beiming.

—Why didn’t you have Aunt Zhang arrange a car for you?

Su Nian gripped her phone. So Gu Zeyuan lived in this building too. If she stayed here, she would inevitably keep running into those two.

She took a deep breath and replied:

—I don’t feel comfortable living here. Can I go back to my own apartment?

She waited a long time, but there was no reply.

Was he angry?

She was about to say “Never mind.”

Then Zhou Beiming sent a message:

—Okay, I’ll move in with you.