Old Madam Su looked at Bai Fei. "Tomorrow, you will accompany Rongrong to buy a few outfits. Rongrong grew up in the Su Family. Just like Xuer, she is a child of our Su Family, and there is no distinction between them."
Bai Fei nodded and gave a soft assent.
Su Xuer's heart churned. A lowly wretch born to a maid—how dare she be put on the same level as her? Yet her eyes turned red, and her voice carried a sob.
"At the banquet, everyone was talking about Elder Sister, and they said such harsh things. I protected her the whole time. Actually, I've already forgiven Elder Sister. I believe she has turned over a new leaf, and we should give her another chance to start over."
Forgiven?
Hah, she had the nerve to say that!
Was Su Rong the only one who could hear the spite hidden beneath those words?
"Oh, right, I bought quite a few clothes a while ago. My figure is about the same as Elder Sister's, so I can share a few sets with her. I've never worn them; they're still brand new. Elder Sister, you won't mind, will you?"
Bai Fei expressed her approval. "Take a few more sets for your sister."
The subtext was that she wouldn't have to accompany Su Rong to the shopping mall after all.
Three years of separation had created a slight estrangement between her and Su Rong. Even though she knew Su Rong had been framed by Su Xuer and spent three years in prison, Su Xuer had suffered nineteen bitter years in Su Rong's place, causing her and her daughter to be separated for nineteen years as well. All things considered, Su Rong hadn't gotten the short end of the stick.
Since they had both put it that way, if Su Rong refused, she would appear ungrateful and unaccommodating. Yet Su Xuer had framed her, sent her to prison for three years, and plotted against her at the banquet; she truly could not force herself to say words of gratitude.
"Later, I'll pick a few of the best ones and take them to your room." Su Xuer didn't mind her coldness at all, acting so obediently sweet that it broke one's heart.
Old Madam Su expressed her praise. "Sisters should be like this, helping one another. It's getting late, so everyone should get some rest early."
After exchanging pleasantries, Su Rong stood up and returned to her room. Her ankle was still injured, and she had spent most of the banquet standing. As she reached the escalator, her foot cramped, and her body listed to one side, almost causing her to fall.
Seeing this, Su Heng hurriedly reached out to steady her. In his haste, he used a bit too much force and gripped an injury on her arm. Su Rong's face betrayed a flash of pain as she pried his hand away, taking a good moment to recover.
Su Heng furrowed his brow. He had kindly steadied her, yet she was so resistant?
The Su Family had raised her for all these years, and no one despised her; they still treated her as family, yet she acted as though everyone owed her a debt.
Su Xuer had been so enthusiastic toward her just now, but Su Rong had kept a cold face and given no response throughout, which somewhat irritated him.
He had originally wanted to show some concern for her injuries, but her recent reaction completely killed his mood. Whatever, he couldn't be bothered with her.
With a cold snort, he went straight upstairs.
Su Rong didn't want to explain. She returned to her room, closed the door, and after washing up, she took one of the pills Sheng Qiye had given her. Afterward, she undressed and applied ointment to her wounds. She had quite a few bruises, some of which were on her back, making it rather difficult to reach them. It took a great deal of effort before she finally managed to apply the medicine.
The medicinal effect was indeed wonderful, and her whole body felt much more comfortable.
In the master bedroom directly across the hall, Su Heng restlessly pulled back the curtains and lit a cigarette. The bruises under Su Rong's collar kept flashing through his mind. In the end, feeling uneasy, he stubbed out the half-smoked cigarette, went downstairs, and fetched the medical kit.
As he headed upstairs with the medicine, Su Xuer happened to be stepping out of her room carrying a pile of clothes, folded neatly and including outerwear, base layers, dresses, and pants—which showed just how much thought she had put into it. Catching sight of the medicine in his hand, her eyes instantly turned red. "Brother, you... are you not feeling well? What's wrong?"
Su Heng smiled gently. "Silly girl, Brother is fine. What are you panicking about?"
"I saw you holding the medicine, and I thought you..." Su Xuer said with a sob, "As long as you're fine. You gave me a scare."
"Right, I was just about to take some new clothes to Rongrong. Why don't you come with me to check on her? She just got out of prison, so we need to show her more care."
"Okay." Su Heng was just about to deliver the medicine to Su Rong anyway.
Su Xuer knocked a few times on the door and happily placed the clothes on Su Rong's bed, as if she had just accomplished some great feat.
"Elder Sister, I carefully selected all of these for you based on your personal style. You can wear the new clothes tomorrow."
Su Rong glanced at the clothes on the bed. She didn't actually want them, but with Su Heng standing right beside her, it wouldn't look good to refuse. She gave a bland reply, "Thank you."
Su Xuer leaned in close to sniff her, then glanced at the medicine bottle on the table. Instantly putting on her acting persona with tear-filled eyes, she said, "Elder Sister, did you apply medicine? Could you be injured? Why didn't you tell us?"
Su Heng also caught the scent of medicine. It seemed he had been making a fool of himself by projecting; she had already used medicine.
He tightened his grip slightly on the medicine box in his hand. Still, where had she gotten this medicine? He had searched the family medical kit, and there was no such traditional Chinese medicine.
Su Rong was wearing pajamas right then, and bruises and scars were visible below her neck and on her wrists. Su Xuer's hypocritical act filled her with disgust, and with a cold gaze, she simply chose to ignore her.
Su Xuer knew very well how those injuries on Su Rong's body had come about. Ever since Su Rong went to prison three years ago, she had hired people to torture Su Rong for three full years. "Brother, what should we do? We should still take Elder Sister to the hospital for a checkup, right?"
Su Heng thought so as well, but Su Rong's attitude irritated him greatly, and he asked rather unwillingly, "Do you want to go to the hospital?"
Su Rong replied stiffly, "No need."
Su Heng held back his frustration until he finally snapped. "What kind of attitude is that? Ever since you came back, you've been wearing a long face. Xuer keeps trying to please you, and every time she gets the cold shoulder for her trouble.
Don't forget, three years ago you were the one who ran over her stepfather, and Xuer didn't even hold it against you, yet you're still pushing your luck. Xuer has suffered so much hardship because of you—can't you at least be a bit friendly to her?!"
Su Rong froze for a moment. Did Su Heng not know she had been framed three years ago? And what about the incident where she was framed at the banquet? Was Su Heng truly so blind and ignorant that he couldn't see it?
The brother who used to dote on her so much now only knew how to protect Su Xuer. She felt wronged and distressed as well. "Then what do you think I should do?!"
Su Heng was provoked into anger. "Su Rong, don't go too far!"
With reddened eyes, Su Xuer pulled Su Heng back. "Brother, don't get angry. Elder Sister has been locked away for three years, so her temperament is bound to change somewhat. We need to have a little patience. I believe she will change for the better."
The subtext was that Su Rong had already changed and become unreasonable.
"Xuer, you're simply too kind," Su Heng said, glaring at Su Rong. "She really doesn't know what's good for her!"
This was precisely the effect Su Xuer wanted. "Oh right, Elder Sister, where did you get this medicine? I've never seen it before. You mustn't use random medications."
When Su Rong went to see Sheng Qiye off at the birthday banquet, Su Xuer had secretly followed behind and seen Leng Xiao handing the medicine to Su Rong. She felt intensely jealous that Su Rong had caught Sheng Qiye's attention just after getting out of prison.
Su Rong didn't want to explain anything to her. Seeing Su Heng staring right at her, she casually tossed out, "A friend gave it to me."
"What kind of friend?" Su Xuer tilted her head, wearing an utterly harmless expression as she demanded a clear answer.