Shu Yi'an knew about this past, which is why she was so surprised and angry when she heard the name. "How did you get in touch? What... exactly happened between you?" Looking at the mess on the bed, Shu Yi'an asked almost haltingly.
What else is there to ask? Shu Yi'an is a married woman with experience, so why would Su Ying need to explain anything to her?
Perhaps it was Shu Yi'an's arrival that gave Su Ying courage. She calmed herself down, took a thick bathrobe from the side, wrapped herself up tightly, leaned against the windowsill, and lit a cigarette.
“Actually, he had been trying to contact me for the past few years while I was working, but I always refused. I only heard from other people that his family had gone bankrupt and that he was not doing well.”
“Until the day before you left on your business trip, he asked to meet me again to apologize. He was very sincere. I thought that so much time had passed, and he probably really realized that he had made a mistake. It wouldn't be a big deal to have a meal together. So I went there after I saw you off.”
"And it really was just like he said, there were flowers to apologize, red wine and candles. He was much more mature than I remembered. We drank quite a bit that night...we..." Su Ying took a deep drag on her cigarette, not wanting to continue.
"I'm such a fucking scumbag. I only found out his true intentions yesterday when he used my photos to blackmail me. He demanded 500,000 yuan from me. I said I didn't have any, and before I could even finish, he got angry and tied me up with some thick rope he somehow got... and even used candles... Yang Ke is a fucking scumbag!!!"
Seeing Su Ying on the verge of collapse, Shu Yi'an rushed forward and hugged her to comfort her. Even Shu Yi'an herself trembled slightly after hearing Su Ying's story. She tentatively glanced at the pale-faced Su Ying, "Did he say how he's going to handle the photos?"
"I told you," Su Ying closed her eyes sadly, "One million. If he can't come up with it by tomorrow, he'll make it public."
“But even if Yi’an takes the money, he would never give me the photos. Yesterday I had a vague feeling that he was a drug addict.”
"These people will do anything to get drugs!! If I take the first payment, there will be a second, a third..."
Shu Yi'an was a very clean person. She never thought that such a thing would happen to someone close to her or her friends. Or perhaps, four years of university had protected her too well. She got married before she even had a chance to experience the wickedness of human nature in society. In the outside world, with the halo of the name Chu Mu surrounding her, she was even less likely to feel such a dark side.
So when this happened, Ms. Shu's first thought was to find the police, who are public servants.
"Let's call the police. Su Ying, let's call the police."
Su Ying sniffed, a little scared. "Call the police? Is that okay? Yang Ke is a really despicable person. What if he finds out? Will he retaliate against me?"
"We can't worry about that now. It's better than you looking like this." Shu Yi'an threw away the cut rope in her hand and pulled Su Ying up from the window. "Get up and pull yourself together. Take a shower and we'll go to the hospital for a check-up, and then we'll call the police."
Su Ying sat on the windowsill for a long time, struggling with her thoughts. "Then I might as well pack some things and go back to the apartment I used to rent. I don't want to live here anymore."
After what happened, who would want to continue living here?
By the time Su Ying had calmed down and composed herself, it was already noon.
Upon arriving at the underground parking garage, Su Ying wearily took out her car keys to start the engine, but was stopped by Shu Yi'an's slender, pale hand. "Let me drive."
Su Ying looked at her in surprise, "Your knee injury is so serious, let me do it."
As she spoke, Shu Yi'an opened the driver's side door and got in, a barely perceptible wry smile in her eyes. "I can dance now, so driving is no problem for me."
As the car slowly drove away from the residential area, not far from Su Ying's apartment building, three disheveled-looking young men each stubbed out their cigarettes.
"Brother Yang, it seems that little slut has found some help. Will they call the police?" One of the shorter men looked warily in the direction the car had gone.
The man called Brother Yang was clearly the leader of the three. He stroked his chin thoughtfully for a while. "That's a friend of hers, but she seems to have some substance. Let's just go all in. Anyway, if that woman wants to break ties with me, I don't care if there are one more people."
At this point, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call Yang Ke ruthless. His family had fallen on hard times, and the once high-and-mighty rich young master had suddenly become a waiter who was ridiculed and looked down upon by everyone. Once he came into contact with something that could drive him crazy in an unfamiliar place, he was almost on the verge of going to hell.
Poison was the most important reason why Yang Ke did such a despicable thing to Su Ying. He originally thought she would obediently hand over 500,000 yuan to settle the debt, but he didn't expect her to have such a fierce personality.
The three of them, as if on cue, brightened up and nodded in unison. "Let's do it that way!"
Author's Note: Universe-chan is really full of energy...
What follows is a mix of melodrama and heartwarming moments, a symphony of conflict and passion.
Tune in tomorrow night at 8 PM!
Chapter 23
Chu Mu followed Chu Zhoutong out of the Bellevue Palace, the two of them standing out conspicuously in the large crowd. While waiting for the driver, Chu Zhoutong tapped on the button of Chu Mu's suit, a hint of satisfaction on his sharp face. "The commander is very satisfied with you. You've passed the final hurdle here. You can step down and hand over your post at the garrison today, but your position in the division remains unchanged; you'll be switching jobs with Liu Feng."
Chu Mu knew that Chu Zhou had gone to great lengths for him, and expressed his deep gratitude. "I'll handle the handover this afternoon, and go back to see Liu Feng tomorrow."
Chu Zhoutong raised an eyebrow in surprise, "So soon?"
As the car slowly approached, Chu Mu calmly opened the back door for Chu Zhoutong, a hint of self-deprecation creeping onto his composed face. "Just like you, I'm eager to go home."
The secretary stood behind Chu Mu, watching the group of celebrities he usually only saw on TV leave. He scratched his head in confusion and asked, "Boss, where are you going?"
Chu Mu lowered his eyes, carefully removed the badge from his suit lapel, and weighed it in his hand. "Back to the capital."
Go back to the capital to find a wife.
Shu Yi'an, who was in Beijing accompanying Su Ying, suddenly sneezed in the hospital corridor.
Chu Mu was efficient; upon returning to the embassy at noon, he convened a meeting to announce the new personnel orders. In the blink of an eye, his secretary had already tidied up all his personal belongings in his office. Faced with such a major news event, all the embassy staff were stunned, as if struck by an earthquake. Several newly assigned female colleagues, in particular, were heartbroken looking at the man sitting calmly at the head of the meeting room.
After all, not everyone has the opportunity to work with an elite boss who comes from a good family, is highly capable, and has good looks. I finally passed the test and selection process and went through all the hardships to get to this great guy, but now he's being transferred. What bad luck!
"That's all for now. I hope everyone can cooperate with the new ambassador to complete the work. Thank you all for your support over the past two years." Chu Mu bowed slightly to the group of people with solemn expressions, then stood up and left.
Tao Yunjia stood outside the conference room, her hands icy cold as she listened to the unfolding events inside, feeling a despair that threatened to drown her. Chu Mu had just emerged from the conference room, and she followed him. She no longer cared about superiors or subordinates; all Tao Yunjia could think about at that moment was his impending departure.
"Are you crazy??? Chu Mu, is it worth it for you to do this? Do you feel good about it? Do you feel a sense of accomplishment in hurting me like this?!"
Chu Mu walked out as if he hadn't heard anything, his gaze fixed straight ahead without any emotion, even his voice remained as calm and composed as ever. "Ms. Tao, our working relationship ended the moment we met. As for a personal relationship... it seems we never had one. So please stop with your accusatory tone."
Tao Yunjia grabbed Chu Mu's hand as he opened the car door, tears welling in her eyes. "Why... Chu Mu... tell me why... do you know how much I've suffered here? Do you know how much effort I've put in to be with you, to be able to breathe the air beside you? Chu Mu, dare you say you don't love me even a little bit anymore?!"
Upon hearing her words, Chu Mu almost coldly withdrew his hand, his handsome eyes filled with pity. "Then what about the three years I waited for you?"
"Tao Yunjia, you can't keep using my past and your past to blackmail my present. You just can't get rid of this habit."
"What about Shu Yi'an?" Tao Yunjia asked suddenly, her eyes red, as she watched the person turn away and get into the car. "Didn't she use that to blackmail you? If you hadn't known she lost her parents, would you have left here?!"