Su Li steadied herself, rose, and opened the electronic wardrobe at the far end of the room. From the vast collection of garments, she selected a simple, comfortable grey tracksuit. Although the color was understated, the quality of the fabric made it clear that these were no ordinary clothes. Every item in this closet was a high-end, custom-made piece; despite the overwhelming variety, the color palette remained remarkably monotonous.
All of Haining City knew that Eldest Miss Su, Su Li, was plain in appearance and perpetually low-key. Yet, what they didn't know was that ever since her mother passed away, she had habituated herself to wearing muted tones. From that young age, Su Li had completely cut herself off from pretty clothes and jewelry, and her doting grandfather had simply assumed his granddaughter had no interest in such things.
From the age of fourteen, every time she appeared in public, she wore no makeup, yet she could not hide her innate, peerless beauty and cold, detached temperament. Without her mother’s protection, she became a target for the socialite circle. Those ladies appeared gentle and humble on the surface, but in reality, they were bullies who preyed on the weak. They were jealous of Su Li—not only because of her striking looks, but because she possessed a prestigious family background they could never reach.
Once, her grandfather brought her to a charity gala. She had arrived in a simple, elegant black evening gown. Her presence was like a brilliant star, instantly drawing the gaze of everyone in the room. However, this exceptional beauty sparked snide remarks and mockery from a group of socialites. They sized Su Li up with envious eyes, their lips curled in disdain as they whispered among themselves.
"Look at that vixen. Does she think just because she’s pretty she can grab all the attention?"
"She's just a girl without a mother; what’s so special about her?"
Listening to these words, Su Li felt a sharp sting in her heart. She bit her lip secretly, acting as if she had heard nothing, her face remaining entirely cold. Her grandfather, who had always doted on her, saw this and his expression darkened. It was laughable—did these nobodies truly think they were worthy of judging his granddaughter? He left the people who were fawning over him, walked through the crowd to Su Li, took her hand, and turned to leave that den of hypocritical posturing.
After that, Su Li couldn't be bothered to attend such tedious banquets. She didn't want to argue anymore and left those trivial people to their own gossip. At that time, she only wanted to grow up quickly; she didn't want to fail her grandfather, who loved her so dearly. She wanted to become a qualified heir as soon as possible. Thus, she began to study business tactics, power dynamics, and the art of managing people with even greater diligence. By day, she studied strategy, etiquette, art, and self-cultivation; by night, she studied ancient rites and pored over professional financial statements.
Recalling those days, Su Li sighed softly. In her past life, she had eventually failed her grandfather for the sake of so-called love, casting his expectations aside, which ultimately led to her losing her life and failing to become a worthy successor.
Now, she was no longer the person she had been.
She dressed efficiently, tidied up, and spent ten minutes applying light makeup. Su Li looked at herself in the mirror and felt quite satisfied. Her skin was like snow; her features were both alluring and sophisticated. Her curved, peach-blossom eyes tilted slightly upward at the corners like a crescent moon. Those dark, enchanting eyes were like deep, bottomless pools, seemingly brimming with moisture. With every shift of her gaze, there was an inherent, captivating charm—a single glance felt as if it could steal a person’s soul, leaving them unable to keep their composure.
She lifted her slightly pointed chin, tracing a beautiful arc. Beneath her exceptionally fair neck, her delicate collarbones were faintly visible, as if carved from white jade, exuding a mesmerizing allure. Even in this tracksuit that did nothing to highlight her figure, she could not conceal her peerless grace. She looked like a sprite stepped out of a painting, carrying a lethal temptation.
Even Auntie Lan, standing behind her, couldn't help but exclaim that the Eldest Miss was truly a natural beauty, breathtakingly gorgeous. Yet, she felt that today, the Eldest Miss seemed different.
Su Li turned to Auntie Lan and said softly, "Auntie Lan, I’m going out after I finish breakfast. Please bring my car keys down to me later."
Auntie Lan replied with a doting look, "Of course, I’ll bring them down for you in a moment. Time is getting on, you should head downstairs; you don't want to keep your father waiting."
Listening to Auntie Lan’s affectionate words, Su Li felt a warmth in her heart. "Understood," she replied, turning to walk out.
Although the Su family was wealthy, under the grandfather's leadership, they remained very low-key. Not many people knew the foundations of the Su family; they only knew it was the head of the four great wealthy families in Haining City. That was why, in her previous life, Ji Qinchuan and Li Xueyao had colluded in secret, wanting to take their place.
The Su family villa was large, but there were few servants. Her father still held a preference for her. They all lived on the second floor, but he had reserved the entire third floor for her alone, knowing she was solitary and cold, creating an independent space that integrated her living quarters.
Arriving at the dining room, Su Li looked up and saw her father reading the newspaper at the table. He was dressed casually today as well, wearing his glasses and exuding the mature aura unique to him. But compared to her past life, the father in her memory, the man before her now seemed much younger.
Before Su Li could collect her thoughts, a voice called, "Li'er," pulling her back to reality.
It was her stepmother, Li Mei. She looked much as she did in her memories: a kind face, clear-eyed and delicate—a woman of decent refinement. But compared to her own mother, she simply wasn't on the same level. She had a better appearance than the average person, but compared to a lady from a true prominent family, there was no comparison; the aura that radiated from one’s core simply couldn't be faked by those who only learned the superficialities.
The sound of "Li'er" made Su Li’s skin crawl; it just went to show how good this woman was at acting. Her face was full of gentle, glowing smiles; someone who didn't know better would think Su Li was her own biological daughter. She always spoke to Su Li with a hint of fawning. In her past life, Su Li had thought that since her father had chosen her, she ought to give her some face. But looking at it now, this woman was no simple character—she was what the world called a smiling tiger.
Thinking about it, it made sense. A single woman with a child—even if she still possessed a certain charm—how could she have entered such a prominent wealthy family without some unspeakable schemes? She was a master actress. Saying one thing to your face and another behind your back was second nature to her. For her so-called stepmother, she didn't even need a script to perform with such uncanny skill.
Su Li nodded slightly, acknowledging Li Mei. As she nodded, Auntie Lan pulled out a chair for her. Before sitting down, Su Li took a light breath and said quietly, "Father."
Father Su looked up. Seeing his daughter, who seemed like a completely different person, he felt a mix of complex emotions. He knew that in the past, Su Li would never have taken the initiative to greet him. The slight upward curve of his lips betrayed his good mood, and his "Sit down and eat" was filled with an indescribable lightness.