"Yan, Brother Yan, you're serious?" Gu Yuheng took a deep breath, the first to react.
"Do I look like someone who jokes?" Lu Yanbei retorted.
The three shook their heads in unison.
Indeed, Lu Yanbei was always serious and never joked. Moreover, judging by how intimately he held Su He's slender waist, he genuinely didn't dislike her.
In the past, if any woman lunged into his arms, not only would he not give them a pleasant look, but he would also react rationally out of aversion.
Yet, when he held Su He, it was extremely natural, without any discomfort.
Perhaps, this was the reason he chose Su He?
"Lu Yanbei..." Su He felt both shy and ashamed, her face flushing to the point of bleeding.
He, how could he do this!
Was it fun to tease her like this in front of so many people?
Lu Yanbei caught sight of her eyes, on the verge of tears, and slowly released her.
Su He immediately stood up, picked up her bag, and was about to leave.
Lu Yanbei got up and chased after her, grabbing her hand. "Wait a moment."
After speaking, Lu Yanbei turned to Gu Yuheng and the others. "What are you standing around for? Call out to her."
Gu Yuheng looked at the other two, and they looked back at each other. Finally, they braced themselves and spoke in unison.
"Sister-in-law!"
"Hello, Sister-in-law!"
Su He didn't respond, wriggled free from Lu Yanbei's grasp, and hurried out.
Did Lu Yanbei seem to have been rejected?
For a moment, the room became eerily quiet.
"Ahem... Sister-in-law is indeed shy," Gu Yuheng generously covered for Lu Yanbei. "Come, let's continue playing cards."
Lu Yanbei rubbed his fingers and slowly returned to his seat. "In the future, be more accommodating towards her."
The three of them, while playing mahjong, agreed.
"Naturally!"
"Knowing she's Brother Yan's woman, of course, we'll be polite."
"Brother Yan, is Su He really your girlfriend?" Among the four, Lei Ting was the youngest and most innocent. He asked what the others dared not.
"Not a girlfriend," Lu Yanbei corrected him slowly. "She's my wife."
Everyone: ...
In the resting area outside, quite a few people had already gathered. Although they didn't dare to approach the card room inside, they were constantly paying attention to the movements there.
Seeing Su He emerge from inside with red eyes and in a hurry, many couldn't help but gloat.
"I guessed right, didn't I? This woman must have come for Young Master Yan!"
"Look at those red eyes, she must have been scolded!"
"Serves her right! Who told her to covet our Young Master Yan!"
The jealousy of girls was truly terrifying. Su He had only shown a slight anomaly and was already misunderstood like this.
Su He couldn't be bothered with the gazes of others and, holding up her skirt, planned to leave early.
After all, she had gone through the motions and completed the task.
However, what she didn't expect was that as soon as she stepped out of the lounge, she bumped into a mother and daughter coming towards her.
It was Madam Su and Su An'an, who had had a dispute at the Beauty Pavilion before.
"Sister?" Su An'an was clearly elaborately dressed. She wore a pink strapless gown, with a circle of soft fur around the neckline. She moved with an elegant and sexy, yet cute, gait, perfectly fitting her delicate and charming persona.
The well-tailored waistline accentuated her slender figure, and the slit at the hem of the skirt revealed her long legs intermittently, highlighting her advantages while adding a touch of allure.
It had to be said that she had put in considerable effort.
Unfortunately, Su He had no mood to appreciate her masterpiece; she just wanted to leave this place of trouble as soon as possible.
Madam Su, already fuming, saw Su He's indifferent attitude and became even angrier. "Su He, mind your manners and don't disgrace our Su family!"
Su He silently rolled her eyes.
Which eye of hers saw her behaving improperly? Was it considered ill-mannered to not want to interact with the "green tea" Su An'an?
Heh!
"Mom, don't scold Sister. After all, Sister rarely attends such occasions, so it's normal to be a bit unaccustomed," Su An'an said, seemingly defending Su He, but in reality, mocking her.
Although Su He was the eldest daughter of the Su family, she had lived with her adoptive parents in a run-down urban village, a so-called slum, and had never seen much of the world.
The guests nearby were waiting to see Su He make a fool of herself. Upon hearing Su An'an's words, they finally learned of Su He's identity.
"So, she's the daughter the Su family just found? No wonder she's so shameless!"
"I really don't understand! She's already divorced Lu Jingyang, yet she's still clinging to him shamelessly!"
"Even Lu Jingyang doesn't fancy her, so Young Master Yan certainly won't!"
"Didn't you see her run out of the room crying? It's simply asking for humiliation!"
"Compared to Su An'an, she's simply an ugly duckling! No wonder Madam Su kept the non-blood-related adopted daughter, Su An'an, by her side and never mentioned her own biological daughter, Su He!"
"Su An'an grew up in the Su family since childhood, so it's natural for her to be closer."
Su An'an listened to the whispers around her, secretly pleased. She wanted everyone to know that she, Su An'an, was the one favored by the Su family, and Su He was nothing!
Also, she deliberately wanted to enrage Su He, so everyone could see her throwing a tantrum.
This way, her reputation in this circle would be completely ruined.
Su He naturally understood her intentions, but she absolutely refused to let her succeed. Wasn't it all about acting? I can act too. If you like being a "green tea," then I'll be even more of a "green tea" than you. I'll walk your path and leave you with nowhere to go.
Su He curved her lips, slowly lowered her head, looking flustered and uneasy. "I'm sorry, I've embarrassed the Su family. An'an is right. I was abandoned outside since I was little and have never been to such a high-class banquet, nor do I know how to please others..."
"Mom, I know my divorce has caused the Su family to lose face. If An'an had married in back then, perhaps the outcome wouldn't have been like this..."
"How come I hear in her words that it was the Su family's adopted daughter who was supposed to marry into the Lu family to ward off bad luck?"
"It seems there's a real inside story! Who would want to marry their daughter to the groom's family to ward off bad luck these days? It sounds bad to say, yet the Su family was so eager to send someone over..."
"Given Madam Su's fondness for Su An'an, she surely wouldn't bear to let her marry for bad luck. So, she could only push out her biological daughter, with whom she's not very close!"
"Oh my, this mother is truly biased!"
"What's even more ridiculous is that she's biased towards an outsider with no blood relation! You wouldn't know, but people outside are talking about how the Su couple treats an outsider like a treasure yet ignores their own biological child, tsk tsk tsk..."
"I think this Su An'an isn't a good person either. After occupying the nest for so many years, not only is she ungrateful, but she also constantly belittles Su He, the rightful young lady. Does she really think no one knows her intentions?"
Hearing the discussions around her, Su He cast a provocative glance at Su An'an.
Heh, now you get to taste what it's like to be pointed at by everyone.