She furrowed her brow immediately. "Su Qi! On such an important occasion, how can you just let any stray cat or dog in?"
Su Qi said, word by word, "Grandfather, I am the one negotiating this project. Bringing people in is my right."
Clang!
Su Yongzhi slammed his hand on the table.
"Audacious! Since when is it your turn to speak in the Su Family's company? Who gave you the qualifications to sit here for such a massive project? Get up! Step aside and let your little brother take your seat! Go pour President Su a glass of water! You have no sense of propriety at all!"
Wang Han took in every bit of the scene.
Lin Qingyun had mentioned before that the Su Family favored boys over girls, and though Wang Han hadn't thought much of it at the time, seeing it now, this favoritism was utterly absurd.
"Hello, President Su, I am Su Le. You can discuss this project with me. Su Qi doesn't have a say in the company."
Su Qi's younger brother sat down.
Liu Yue glanced at the Su Family members.
"Go pour President Su some water!"
Su Yongzhi struck the floor hard with his cane and glared angrily at Su Qi.
"Grandfather, this project is m—"
Before Su Qi could finish, she was cut off by Su Yongzhi. "You have no business meddling in this project! You know very well what you ought to be doing. The company will be handed over to Lele eventually, and you'll be getting married off sooner or later, so there's no need for you to manage the company."
"Exactly, absolutely no brains!"
Su Qi's eldest uncle, Su Jianzhang, sat down, while her biological father, Su Jianye, sat down without uttering a single word to defend her.
He simply looked tacitly approving.
Wang Han finally couldn't stand it anymore. "This project was aimed at Su Qi in the first place, and it should naturally be handled by her. What right do you people have to swoop in and reap the benefits?"
"What kind of thing are you to speak here? Do you have any right to talk?" Su Yongzhi's gaze was sharp as lightning as he stared coldly at Wang Han.
Su Jianzhang let out a cold snort with a laugh. "Our Su Qi really has high aspirations, actually finding herself a food delivery boy for a boyfriend. Second Brother, you have some time to check on our family's ancestral graves—is there something wrong with the geomancy of the Su Family graveyard? How else could such a piece of trash be born?"
Su Jianye shot Su Qi a sinister glare. "Eyeless wretch!"
Su Le, who had stolen Su Qi's seat, crossed his legs and said smugly, "Grandfather, I even heard that my older sister got pregnant by this delivery boy."
Su Yongzhi pointed his cane at Wang Han and looked at Su Qi. "Get this social bottom-feeder you brought here out of my sight right now! From this day forward, neither he nor dogs are allowed inside the Su Family's company!"
Su Qi's expression shifted. "Grandfather, no matter what he does for a living, he deserves basic respect! He doesn't steal or rob, and he earns an honest living. We have no right to talk about someone like that!"
"Audacious! Unmannered wretch, you actually dare to talk back to me? Have you lost your mind?" Su Yongzhi slammed the table and roared in fury.
"Get out of here with this delivery boy right now!"
Wang Han's temper flared up instantly. "You bunch of bastards really have no shame at all! Just how high and mighty do you think you are? Do you have an extra brain grown on your heads, or an extra dick between your legs compared to me?! This project belongs exclusively to Su Qi! Everyone else can step aside!"
"A stinky food delivery boy, what kind of thing are you to bare your teeth and claw here?" Su Yongzhi rebuked angrily.
Wang Han leisurely turned his gaze to Liu Yue. "Old classmate, do me a favor. Su Qi is my fiancée, and this project can only be given to her to manage!"
Chapter 13 Getting in the Car
The moment the words "old classmate" left his lips.
Su Yongzhi was struck utterly dumb on the spot.
It was as if someone had seized him by the throat.
The word "fiancée" left Su Qi in a daze.
Liu Yue played his part wonderfully and chimed in, "Elder Su, and all the directors of the Su Family, our boss has explicitly stated that this project was aimed at Miss Su Qi, and it must be handled exclusively by Miss Su Qi. If your company refuses to do so, then we will simply have to take our business elsewhere."
Those words gripped the Su Family members by the throat.
Su Le panicked.
"President Su, Su Qi handles very little in the company and is unaware of many company matters. This project would be much better suited for me."
Liu Yue remained entirely composed, repeating what he had just said, "I have made myself perfectly clear. Our boss personally stated that this project is meant for Miss Su, and no one else is permitted to touch a fraction of it! Otherwise, the partnership will be terminated immediately!"
Su Yongzhi was left choking with helpless rage, eyes bulging.
"Where is your boss? Can you let me speak with him?"
Liu Yue cast a sideways glance at Wang Han. "Our boss is very busy, so this matter has been left to me. Elder Su, if you agree to let Miss Su handle this project, we can sign the contract right now. If you don't agree, then I will be leaving."
Su Yongzhi's chest heaved with anger.
He glared at Su Qi. "But—"
Su Jianzhang suddenly spoke up. "Fine! Let Su Qi take charge of this project."
"Dad!" Su Le panicked and was about to speak, but a single look from Su Jianzhang forced him to swallow his words. He shot Su Qi a venomous glare.
Liu Yue pulled out a thick stack of contracts.
"Shall we go over the contract now, then?"
Su Qi was overcome with emotion, her face flushed pink.
She had never been valued within the company, yet Su Qi was deeply ambitious and had often fantasized about making her mark in the business world, only to be denied any opportunity due to growing up in a family that favored sons over daughters.
Now that the opportunity was here, Su Qi felt her chest heave violently with excitement.
Wang Han prompted, "Sign the contract."
Su Qi sat down.
The contract signing took quite a while.
Finally, both parties shook hands.
They saw Liu Yue off.
A bright, happy smile appeared on Su Qi's face—the first in two days.
The Su Family finally had a chance to turn things around, and she wouldn't have to become a sacrifice for a corporate marriage.
However...
Su Qi gently touched her lower abdomen.
Wang Han's figure involuntarily flashed through her mind.
What was this?
A shotgun wedding?
Su Qi asked herself.
Yet, upon second thought, this delivery boy didn't seem all that hateful, and on several occasions, he had even made her feel that he wasn't a bad guy after all.
Su Qi shook her head and returned to the office to assign tasks.
Inside a small office.
Su Le flew into a rage, kicking the water dispenser over. "Dad! What were you playing at today? Letting that bitch Su Qi take over the project?"
Su Yongzhi glanced at Su Jianzhang. "Jianzhang, did you come up with some kind of strategy?"
Su Jianzhang replied with an air of unruffled calm, "Naturally."
"Out with it!" Su Yongzhi urged impatiently.
Su Le cleared his throat. "Wait a second!"
With that, Su Le looked at Su Jianye. "Second Uncle, would you mind stepping out for a moment?"
Su Jianye quickly said, "I'm on your side. Although Su Qi is my daughter, we aren't close. Besides... besides there's something else I think none of you know: Su Qi isn't actually my biological daughter."
Su Le froze, and Su Jianzhang frowned. "Jianzhang, did your wife cuckold you?"
"No! Huimin couldn't have children, so Su Qi was adopted by us. Besides, a grown daughter can't be kept at home, and Su Qi has been getting more and more headstrong lately. Look at how she actually went and found a delivery boy—she has zero respect for me as her father. So you see, Su Qi is an outsider now. At the end of the day, we're all on the same team, so there's no harm in telling you my plans."
After a brief moment of silent deliberation, Su Jianzhang laid out his plan. "Even if the project is handed over to Su Qi, so what? The company is still our company, and the employees are still our employees. Let Su Qi run it for a week or two, and then we'll strip her of her authority. By that time, the project will already be underway with no turning back, and even if we step in to replace Su Qi, the big boss won't say a word."
"Splendid idea!" Su Yongzhi immediately nodded in approval.
"Then let's do it!" The group unanimously passed the proposal.
Su Jianzhang suddenly changed the subject. "Jianzhang, you said Su Qi was adopted. Have you ever checked who her biological parents were?"
"Checked, but found nothing. Seemly dead."
"Weren't there any keepsake items or anything like that?" Su Yongzhi asked.
Su Jianye thought for a moment. "I remember there was a pendant with the character 'Feng' carved on it. I had someone look at it; it wasn't worth anything, just a thousand or two. Her biological parents probably weren't rich people."
"Does Su Qi know about this?"
"No."
Wang Han sat in the security guard room, bullshitting with the other guards.
Su Qi was working away fervently inside the office.
It wasn't until past seven in the evening.
that Su Qi finally stepped out of the elevator.
In the security room, security captain Liu Dayong quickly put on his cap. "All of you, stand up straight! President Su is coming!"
Wang Han lazily puffed on a cigarette and glanced over. "What are you lot doing?"
Liu Dayong chuckled stupidly. "President Su is the number one beauty in our company. Even if we can't have her, feast our eyes on her is not bad either."
"Look at your pathetic ambitions. She's just a woman. Spruce yourselves up a bit, and what kind of woman couldn't you chase down?"
Liu Dayong curled his lip. "Bro, stop blowing smoke. You can't even afford Furongwang cigarettes; you're worse off than any of us."
Wang Han flicked away his cigarette ash. "What the hell do you know? You smoke to act cool, but I smoke just to smoke. The brand doesn't matter; a cigarette that relieves stress is a good cigarette."
Seeing Su Qi walk past, Liu Dayong immediately snapped to attention and saluted. "Good evening, President Su."
Su Qi gave a cool, crisp hum. "Hard work."
Watching Su Qi walk toward the parking lot, Liu Dayong's face flushed with excitement. "Did you guys hear that? President Su actually spoke to me. She even told me I've been working hard."
The others looked at Liu Dayong with envy.
Wang Han slapped his thighs and stood up. "What, are you planning to carve those three words onto your forehead?"
Liu Dayong shook his head and patted Wang Han on the shoulder. "Bro, you don't get it. Even though it's just three simple words, it's a milestone in the progress of the relationship between President Su and me. In a couple of days, we'll be chatting casually; after a little longer, we'll have a beautiful romance. Once we tie the knot, you'll all have to call me President Liu when you see me in the future."
"She's just a woman," Wang Han said dismissively.
Liu Dayong put his arm around Wang Han. "Bro, we get along well, so let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart: your mindset is all wrong. To be a person, you always have to have dreams. Without dreams, how are you any different from a salted fish? Even though we're at the bottom of society, we still have to dream of a romantic encounter with a goddess. What if it actually comes true?"
Right as he was speaking.
Su Qi's car slowly pulled up in front of the security room.
Liu Dayong immediately pushed Wang Han aside and stood at attention. "Have a safe drive, President Su!"
Su Qi rolled down the car window and looked at Wang Han. "Get in the car!"
Chapter 14 I Will Definitely Pull Your Oxygen Plug
Wang Han hopped into the car and waved. "Goodbye, President Liu."
Liu Dayong's eyes bulged wide round.
His mouth hung open, just like a fish washed ashore, so shocked he couldn't spit out a single word.
"This! You! Me! He—!"
Watching this scene, Liu Dayong was utterly incoherent.
Inside the car, Wang Han saw that Su Qi's pretty face was brimming with joy.
The worries furrowed between her brows had finally dissipated significantly.
Su Qi called Lin Xuefu at the first opportunity to share the happy news.
"Xuefu, the big boss of that project sent people to cooperate with us today! The project has been handed over to me to manage!"
Su Qi's tone was laced with excitement.
Lin Xuefu shrieked with delight. "Hahaha, we really have to thank that big shot!"
"Right! Xuefu, did you ask your grandfather? When will that big shot have time? Let's invite him out to thank him properly in person."
Lin Xuefu muttered, "My grandfather won't let me look for that big shot anymore."
"Don't you have his contact info?" Su Qi asked, unable to help herself.
Lin Xuefu protested indignantly, "My grandfather said I was being too presumptuous and was afraid of ticking that big shot off, so he took my phone and deleted the big shot's number."
Su Qi was dumbfounded for a long time. "Just how powerful is that big shot that he makes your grandfather this terrified?"
"I don't know either. Whenever I ask my grandfather, the old man always acts all mysterious and refuses to tell me a single word more. But don't you worry, I'll find an opportunity to set up a meeting with that big shot for you."
"Great!" Su Qi said happily.
Lin Xuefu changed the subject. "Nannan, are you and that Wang Han still going to get your marriage certificate?"
Su Qi thought for a moment, glancing sideways at the front passenger seat where Wang Han sat. "We'll get it. Anyway, a thing like this is bound to happen sooner or later. I don't hold high hopes for marriage; I just don't want the child to grow up without a father."
"Nannan, I actually think Wang Han isn't half bad."
Lin Xuefu's sudden remark left Su Qi stunned for a long time.
"What's wrong with you?" Su Qi asked curiously. Previously, Lin Xuefu had plenty of complaints about Wang Han—she had even asked that big shot for help precisely to prevent Su Qi from marrying him. How had her tune changed now?
"Upon careful thought, I think he's a pretty good guy. Even though he delivers food, who knows, he might have other shining qualities."
Su Qi thought about it, and she had to admit that this delivery boy indeed possessed quite a few shining qualities.
"If you two really want to tie the knot, I think you can develop your relationship properly. Oh, never mind, my grandfather is calling me."
She hung up the phone.
Su Qi drove in silence.
Originally, she had intended to drive to the Longwan villa, but as if guided by some mysterious impulse, Su Qi turned the steering wheel instead and headed toward the rental apartment where Wang Han lived.
"I've contacted a friend who works at the Civil Affairs Bureau. Tomorrow morning, we'll go and get the certificate." After a long silence, Su Qi spoke up.
Wang Han merely grunted in response.
Su Qi continued, "Getting the certificate with you is simply because I don't want my child to grow up without a father. My demands of you are very simple: take responsibility for the child, do what a father should do, and don't let the child lack paternal love. As for everything else, we won't interfere in each other's lives."
"We're getting married just for the kid? Not a shred of other feelings?" Wang Han twirled his lighter.
Su Qi retorted coldly, "Do you think there could be feelings between us?"
"What if there are?"
Su Qi replied with a proud, cold hum. "After the child is born, I will give you thirty thousand yuan every month."
"Is this considered keeping me as a kept man?"
"Think what you like," Su Qi said coldly.
The lighter danced nimbly between Wang Han's fingers like a fish. "Well, if you want to keep me as your kept man, thirty thousand yuan is still a bit too little."
Su Qi cast a cold glance at Wang Han. "How much can a food delivery boy make in a month? Thirty thousand isn't enough for you?"
Just as Wang Han was about to fire back a wisecrack, the phone in his pocket started ringing.
"Your big uncle and your second uncle are both your uncles! High table and low bench are both made of wood!"
Wang Han pulled out the phone that was vibrating and singing in unison.
Su Qi was amused by the ringtone. "Country bumpkin!"
Wang Han answered the call. "What's up, old man?"
"A batch of our goods was swallowed by Bald Liu, the boss of the Black Dragon Society. The black card has been left at your doorstep. I don't need to teach you how to handle it, do I?"
Wang Han took it lazily and didn't take it to heart. "Before noon tomorrow, I'll have it sorted out."
The old man grunted, then asked again.
"I heard you're getting married?"
Wang Han's sphincter tightened, and he immediately cursed up a storm. "Which dog's son leaked the news?"
"Lin Qingyun's granddaughter said so, and Lin Qingyun told me. What? You brat actually wanted to pull a fait accompli on me? You dare get married without my approval? With so many daughters of wealthy tycoons in the country that you could have, you're letting a mere Su Family daughter stop you in your tracks?"
Wang Han grinned shamelessly. "Old man, listen to me."
"No need to explain to me. Your eldest sister is going over there in person tomorrow to question you about this, so you'd better mentally prepare yourself."
"F***! Old man, don't be so unfaithful! Why are you sending her over? Will I even survive her visit? This is the definition of a backstab!
Hello? Hello? Hello?"
Beep beep beep...
The call was disconnected.
Wang Han gnashed his teeth in exasperation. "Old man, you just wait for me, I'm definitely going to pull your damn oxygen plug!!!"
Seeing Wang Han play the role of the ultimate filial son, Su Qi couldn't help but smile.
Wang Han scratched his head vigorously.
When he opened the door upon returning home.
He saw an envelope placed on the shoe cabinet by the entrance.
Wang Han picked it up and opened it.
Inside was a pitch-black card.
Crimson characters were written on the front of the card.
Bald Liu.
The name of a dying man.
On the back of the card were ten blurred silhouettes.
Though they looked indistinct, for some reason, looking at those ten silhouettes on the card gave one an involuntary sense of palpitation.
A few small characters were also engraved on the corner of the card.
Ten Elders Association.
Nine.
Su Qi merely glanced at it, assuming it was some juvenile eighth-grade syndrome prop and not paying much attention.
Wang Han pocketed the card.
Su Qi's stomach gave a rumble.
Having been busy all day without eating, Su Qi's face turned slightly red as she rubbed her stomach.
Wang Han turned and walked into the kitchen.
Su Qi changed into her house slippers, sat down, and quietly watched Wang Han prep the vegetables and cook.
She suddenly thought that earning money outside to support the family while keeping a househusband indoors didn't seem so bad after all.
Su Qi quickly brushed the thought aside.
She felt that nothing could ever happen between this man and her.
The gap in their social classes was simply too vast.
The fragrant home-cooked dishes were quickly served.
Su Qi originally wanted to act like a lady, but once the food hit her mouth, she abandoned all decorum. On second thought, since she was going to marry this man anyway, there was no need to put up pretenses.
After devouring the meal, Su Qi shamelessly rubbed her rounded belly.
"How is it?" Wang Han asked while clearing the dishes.
"Not bad! Keep up the good work." As she spoke, Su Qi picked up her chopsticks again and popped the very last shrimp ball left on the plate into her mouth.
Her mouth said average, but her body was thoroughly honest.
After washing up, the two of them retreated to their separate bedrooms.
When Su Qi woke up the next morning.
Thinking about going to get their marriage certificate today gave her a slight flutter of nervousness.
Upon stepping out of her room, she found the door to the opposite bedroom wide open.
Wang Han was already gone.