Zhao Xuning replied seriously, "Okay."
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Xuning hung up the phone.
Without the slightest hesitation.
Xu Qingzhu slung her bag over her shoulder, wondering whether she should explain her words from that morning to Liang Shi when she got back that evening.
But then I realized he was already drunk, and I figured explaining wouldn't have made a difference.
There weren't many people in the office building at this hour. After Xu Qingzhu went out, she found her car, unlocked it, and the headlights flashed twice.
As she walked to the car and was about to get in, a tall man in a black suit approached and said respectfully, "Hello, Ms. Xu, our CEO, Mr. Su, would like to invite you to come in and have a chat."
Xu Qingzhu was taken aback: "President Su? Which President Su?"
The other person paused, hesitating about how to introduce themselves, when a deep voice rang out: "It's me."
Xu Qingzhu turned around and saw the face she had seen in the magazine before—Su Zhe.
He was slightly thinner in person than he appeared in the magazine, dressed in an elite style, with his hair meticulously combed up, showing that he was a handsome man in his youth.
His facial features didn't resemble Su Yao's very much, but Sheng Yu, whom he met that day, did look a little like him.
Xu Qingzhu pondered many questions in her mind, but the moment she met Su Zhe's gaze, she put on a professional fake smile and said, "Oh, it's President Su from Haiwei Jewelry."
Despite her young age, she was not lacking in presence and met Su Zhe's gaze without flinching, saying, "I've long admired your name."
"No need for formalities." Su Zhe got into the passenger seat. "Let's talk."
Xu Qingzhu hesitated for a moment, then got into the car as well.
In the silent car, Xu Qingzhu said coldly, "What do you want to talk to me about?"
Su Zhe didn't beat around the bush, "Do you want to acknowledge your relatives?"
"Whom do you recognize?" Xu Qingzhu asked.
Su Zhe chuckled and said bluntly, "I acknowledge the Su family."
Chapter 75
To be honest, Su Zhe's words had a great impact on Xu Qingzhu.
The moment Su Zhe appeared in front of her, many possibilities flashed through her mind.
—Why was she so aggressive towards Su Yao?
—Let her stay away from the Su family from now on.
—Or ask her what she actually knows.
But what I didn't expect was that he would ask so bluntly, "Are you going to reunite us as relatives?"
It's already concluded that she knows everything.
Xu Qingzhu was, after all, inexperienced in the ways of the world. Even with her best efforts to disguise herself, she was no match for someone who had been navigating the business world for decades.
While she remained silent, Su Zhe said again, "She lost her memory not long after giving birth to you."
Xu Qingzhu glanced sideways, staring intently at him, afraid of missing any subtle expression on his face.
But he remained calm throughout, not even bothering to lift his eyelids.
Even so, the imposing aura he exuded made people unconsciously tense up in this small space.
No one can stay relaxed in such an environment.
"Do you want to know about the past?" Su Zhe asked again.
Xu Qingzhu pursed her lips, paused, and asked in return, "Is it cruel?"
"Yes, for you." Su Zhe said frankly, without any intention of deceiving her.
Then came another long silence.
Su Zhe did not urge her, giving Xu Qingzhu enough time to think.
After a long silence, Xu Qingzhu looked at him and asked, "Why did you come to find me in person? Wasn't it to tell me the whole truth?"
Su Zhe shook his head: "I just came to ask for your opinion."
He turned his head to look at Xu Qingzhu, "If you want to acknowledge her, then leave the Sheng family and come back. If you don't want to acknowledge her, then pretend you don't know anything about this and never appear in front of her again."
It's obvious who she's referring to.
This was the best result Su Zhe could come up with after a night of deliberation.
If Xu Qingzhu appears in front of Su Yao frequently, Su Yao will inevitably regain her memories from back then.
That memory is too painful for her, and if Xu Qingzhu doesn't want to acknowledge Su Yao, reality will be cruel. Su Yao may be unable to accept it, suffer a mental breakdown, and revert to her state from many years ago.
Su Zhe didn't want to take that risk.
Of course, if Xu Qingzhu wants to admit it, then it's a different version.
He will clean up the mess at the Sheng family's place and do his best to reunite Su Yao and her daughter.
After all, Su Yao's memories were starting to falter.
"Is this a black-and-white multiple-choice question?" Xu Qingzhu asked.
Su Zhe nodded, "That's true for now."
“Then I…” Xu Qingzhu was about to suggest a third possibility, but Su Zhe immediately denied it, “You can’t have it all. It was destined many years ago that you can only choose one, it’s a dead end.”
Xu Qingzhu sat there, head bowed in thought, when her phone screen suddenly lit up.
It was a message from Liang Shi.
He must have been drunk; the message he sent even included emoticons.
[Teacher Xu, are you home? ^=^]
Xu Qingzhu smiled silently and replied casually: 【Not here.】
Then, facing the pressure from Su Zhe, she inexplicably felt more confident this time.
“Then I need to hear about what happened more than 20 years ago before I can make a judgment,” Xu Qingzhu said. “I hope you can tell the story as objectively as possible.”
Su Zhe chuckled, "Are you ready?"
Xu Qingzhu nodded gently.
//
On her way home from the company, Xu Qingzhu forced herself to stay alert while driving, not daring to relax for a moment.
She waited until the car entered the villa's yard, then turned off the engine and slumped over the steering wheel, feeling that her back was completely soaked and her legs were weak and powerless.
Su Zhe tried his best to suppress his emotions when talking about those things from back then, but his eyes reddened as he spoke.
He didn't even insult her grandparents; just as Xu Qingzhu had requested, he tried his best to be objective in recounting what happened back then.
Xu Qingzhu followed his words back to twenty-three years ago.
They returned to the period that caused Su Yao the most pain.
If Xu Qingzhu hadn't met Su Yao yet, this story might not hold much weight for her.
At most, her sympathy might overflow, and she might comment, "How pitiful."
But she met Su Yao twice.
Once I watched her from afar, and another time I confronted her.
It was just a one-woman show for her.
After all, Su Yao has amnesia and remembers nothing.
After listening to Su Zhe's words, she suddenly regretted not appearing in front of Su Yao.
This way, she can pretend she knows nothing and continue living her life on the same track.
But now...
Xu Qingzhu was completely caught in a dilemma.
Meanwhile, Liang Shi, who had been driven back to the villa by a designated driver, was sitting crookedly on the sofa, staring intently at his phone.
Ten minutes ago, she sent a message to Xu Qingzhu, but had not received a reply.
She asked Xu Qingzhu: "Do you think I'm too indecisive?"
No reply!
But the previous one was replied to instantly!
Liang Shi sat there, feeling dizzy and his head ached.
She pressed her temples, trying to relieve the pain, but all she heard was that familiar mechanical voice in her mind.
[Ding dong! Congratulations, host, for completing the hidden mission: Find Xu Qingzhu's biological parents!]
Liang Shi: "?"
What are you saying?
She was completely confused.
The system continued broadcasting: [Reward received: One million yuan. Additionally, if the host completes the task within fifteen days, an extra two hundred thousand yuan will be awarded, for a total of one million two hundred thousand yuan. This reward will be deposited into your account within ten minutes. Please check your account!]
[PS: Xiao Tong found it unbelievable, so he checked the host's luck attribute and found it was 3S! Is this the joy of being a lucky player?]
[P.S.: This task has an additional reward: if you can help Xu Qingzhu reunite with her parents, you will receive an extra 500,000 yuan. Of course, Xu Qingzhu currently does not have a father.]
[P.S.: I also really want to experience the joy of winning without lifting a finger! Having someone else complete the tasks for you without you having to do anything is just too awesome!]
[P.S.: Congratulations, host, on obtaining a new title: Lucky Salted Fish!]
Liang Shi: "..."
She was stunned for a long time until the words "lucky salted fish" appeared, and Liang Shi slowly came to his senses: "What's the use of this title?"
System: [This was simply a title assigned to you by the administrator; it's not very useful, but it does summarize your status in this task quite well! Are you satisfied?]