Gu Xiangyun's face twisted with fury. When had she ever realized that Su Jin could be so cunning and calculating?
Watching her mother and sister look so constipated with anger only made Su Jin feel more pleased. She walked back to her room with a light, cheerful step.
After she left, Su nuo frowned in frustration and turned to her mother. "Mom, are you really going to just let her go?"
"What else can I do?" Gu Xiangyun's expression was grim. "Didn't you see? Your father is relying on her now. I can't push too hard."
"Relying on her?" Su Nuo's eyes widened. "What could he possibly need from her?"
Gu Xiangyun stood, walked over to the sofa, and lowered her voice. "I overheard—it's something related to the company. It seems he asked her to design a jewellery sketch."
Su Nuo's face went pale the moment she heard it.
Su Jin… designing jewellery? And she hadn't heard a word about it until now? When did this happen?
....
Su Jin had actually completed the sketches for Su Mingyuan in just one night.
But instead of handing them over right away, she deliberately hid them.
On the day of the old lady's birthday banquet, the entire Su family dressed in their finest were about to drive in separate cars toward the ancestral estate.
As expected, Gu Xiangyun chose the best car with Su Nuo, while Su Jin was assigned to a car that was deliberately overlooked, far from the main group.
Just as she was about to get in, Gu Xiangyun stopped her coldly. "Go to my room and bring me my diamond ring."
Su Jin caught the flash of smug satisfaction in Su Nuo's eyes and immediately sensed something was wrong.
Still, she turned silently and walked toward Gu Xiangyun's room.
No sooner had she left than Gu Xiangyun pulled Su Jin's phone from her bag, located the voice recording, and deleted it without hesitation.
"You want to fight me? Still too green," she sneered coldly.
Su Nuo's eyes lit up, admiration practically written all over her face. "Mom, you're amazing."
A smug smile curved on Gu Xiangyun's lips. She raised a finger to her lips, signaling for silence. "Shh, just wait. There's a good show coming. She really thought she could threaten me with that recording? Ridiculous. Today, I'll make sure she understands who truly holds power in this family."
"Got it, Mom. I'll follow your lead," Su Nuo said with a pleased nod.
Both mother and daughter basked in the thrill of their supposed victory, unaware that every word they spoke had been overheard by Su Jin from behind the curtain.
Letting the fabric fall back into place, Su Jin calmly turned to Gu Xiangyun's jewelry box and opened it. As expected, it was empty.
She chuckled coldly. A trap. Just as she'd suspected.
Closing the box without a hint of emotion, Su Jin returned to the car as if nothing had happened.
"I didn't find the ring," she said plainly to Gu Xiangyun.
Gu Xiangyun feigned surprise and waved it off with mock generosity. "Oh? That's all right, just leave it."
In the car ahead, Su Mingyuan was growing impatient. He leaned forward and ordered the driver, "Go ask Madam if they are ready to leave."
Gu Xiangyun smoothed her hair, nodded gracefully, and said, "Alright, let's go."
The convoy of sleek cars pulled out and drove the Su family toward the ancestral estate.
Half an hour later, the vehicles rolled to a stop in front of a stately Chinese-style villa.
The residence was a harmonious blend of classical architecture and modern elegance, steeped in rich traditional charm. Every detail reflected the old lady's refined taste — from the surrounding rock gardens and koi-filled fountain pools to the cobblestone paths that evoked the serenity of a southern water town.
In celebration of the birthday, the courtyard was decorated in vibrant, festive decorations.
Inside, the old matriarch sat in the main hall, wearing a richly embroidered red dress and sipping health tea from a delicate porcelain cup. Her expression was calm and composed — until a servant approached and whispered a few words quietly into her ear.
The old lady's smile froze. Her brows knitted together.
"This Gu Xiangyun is getting more and more out of hand," she said coldly. "To pull such a vile stunt at Su Jin's university entrance banquet... she nearly dragged the entire Su family's name through the mud."