Su Jiu

Biodata

Background / History

Childhood and Family Abuse

Su Jiu grew up in a wealthy household and was initially cherished by her mother, Su Jing. As a child in North City, she lived next door to Lu Zhiyan and frequently followed him around; he was fond of her despite his reserved manner. After her father died in a car accident, Su Jing took her back to Shanghai to escape painful reminders of him 4 5.

Su Jiu was five when Jiang Sheng and his daughter, Jiang Xuefu, joined the family. Jiang Xuefu envied her home, clothes, and affectionate mother. Following the remarriage, Su Jing continued running Su Corporation while Jiang Sheng managed the household, gradually replacing its staff with people loyal to him 1 2 4.

Behind Su Jing’s back, Jiang Sheng punished Su Jiu by locking her in a hidden basement room without food or water for at least a day and a night. When Su Jiu complained about either him or Jiang Xuefu, her mother told her to be accommodating and not cause trouble. Repeated dismissals eventually made her stop seeking help 5 18.

School Transfer and Lu Zhiyan

After returning to North City, Su Jiu transferred to an elite school alongside Jiang Xuefu and reunited with Lu Zhiyan. Jiang Xuefu secretly exchanged their placement-test papers, taking Su Jiu’s place in Class 1 while Su Jiu entered Class 11, the school’s worst class. She then made Su Jiu complete her Class 1 homework daily. Su Jiu nevertheless treated the assignments as an opportunity to study 1 5.

When Lu Zhiyan lent Su Jiu his uniform jacket, Jiang Xuefu took it and used returning it as an opportunity to approach him. She also forced Su Jiu to leave the family car before it reached school, concealing their relationship from other students 2 3.

Su Jiu tried to warn Lu Zhiyan about Jiang Xuefu, but he sided with her stepsister. After another confinement in the basement, Su Jiu presented a recording of Jiang Xuefu threatening her and ordering her away from him. Lu Zhiyan confiscated the recorder and warned Su Jiu not to record Jiang Xuefu again, explicitly stating that her character would not change his feelings 5 6.

New Year’s Gala

With encouragement from Jiang Huaiyu, Su Jiu entered the school’s New Year’s gala as a violin soloist. Her performance initially captivated the audience, but a string snapped after Jiang Xuefu mouthed, “You’re finished.” Remembering Jiang Huaiyu’s advice, Su Jiu calmed herself and switched to a piano already onstage. The replacement performance was less accomplished, but she completed it 8 14.

Backstage, Su Jiu confronted Jiang Xuefu about the sabotage. Madam Lu overheard Jiang Xuefu’s cruelty and rejected her as a prospective daughter-in-law. Jiang Xuefu then slapped Su Jiu, leaving her cheek badly swollen. Su Jiu pursued her, but Lu Zhiyan intervened to protect Jiang Xuefu and sent Su Jiu away to treat her injury 8 9.

University and Jiang Huaiyu

During Jiang Xuefu’s four years abroad, Su Jiu developed a relationship with Jiang Huaiyu, her high school classmate and first friend. She had confided in him about the abuse at home, and his support helped her recover from her heartbreak over Lu Zhiyan. By Jiang Xuefu’s return, they had dated for three years 11 12 14.

Su Jiu attended Capital University and helped Jiang Huaiyu establish a seven-person startup staffed entirely by university students. She lived away from the Su residence and regularly brought meals and coffee to the office. She later remembered Jiang Xuefu’s absence as the happiest four years of her life 11 19.

Jiang Xuefu began visiting the startup daily and pursuing Jiang Huaiyu. Su Jiu initially trusted his declarations that he disliked her. That confidence weakened when she found them eating together and discovered that he had added Jiang Xuefu on WeChat. Although his messages appeared largely dismissive, Su Jiu broke down after noticing that he had willingly eaten her food despite its containing scallions and garlic 12 13.

A photograph Jiang Xuefu sent of herself beside Jiang Huaiyu prompted Su Jiu to end the relationship. She explained that she recognized his concealed attraction and wanted to separate before they became unable even to remain friends. Jiang Huaiyu subsequently admitted to himself that her judgment was correct 14.

Harassment at Lu Group

As Su Jiu approached her senior year, Su Jing arranged an internship at Lu Group through Madam Lu. Jiang Xuefu discovered her in the marketing department and used her influence to have her burdened with excessive document-checking and copying assignments. Su Jiu worked into the early morning for several consecutive days rather than submit to her 16.

Jiang Xuefu then announced that Su Jiu would become her personal assistant. When Su Jiu threatened to resign, Jiang Xuefu used concern for Su Jing to pressure her into staying, ordering her to make coffee and massage her legs. While delivering the coffee, Su Jiu saw Jiang Xuefu and Lu Zhiyan embracing through the partly open office door 16.

Chen Xi and Motherhood

Su Jiu met Chen Xi at a party held by Jiang Xuefu. After Jiang Xuefu sent her on a late-night errand more than thirty kilometers away, Chen Xi offered her a ride when she could not find transportation home. Unaware of his reputation as a womanizer, Su Jiu accepted his subsequent pursuit 17.

At Jiang Xuefu and Lu Zhiyan’s engagement ceremony, Su Jiu agreed to leave with Chen Xi. Su Jing tried to stop her, but Su Jiu confronted her mother over years of neglect and refused to listen. Although Su Jiu did not love Chen Xi, she valued his apparent need for her and hoped that imitating Jiang Xuefu might make her lovable 17 18.

Chen Xi’s fiancée found them at a hotel with a group of friends. Chen Xi fled, leaving Su Jiu to face exposure and abuse. She returned home injured and dazed; when she accused Jiang Xuefu of arranging the discovery, Jiang Xuefu admitted responsibility 18 19.

Su Jiu withdrew into her room for two months, and Su Jing arranged a leave of absence from university. After learning she was three months pregnant, Su Jiu refused an abortion, believing that her child would give her the unconditional bond she had never found elsewhere. She eventually gave birth to a boy. With Jiang Sheng leaving them to fend for themselves, Su Jing returned to work and cared for both Su Jiu and the baby amid worsening financial hardship 19.

Appearance

• Hair: Short, with straight bangs at her introduction 1.
• Glasses: Black-rimmed 1.
• Build and bearing: Described as frail; habitually lowers her head, obscuring her features and giving her a timid appearance 1 5.
• Gala attire: Wears an evening gown she prepared for her violin performance 8.

Personality

Su Jiu is initially timid, withdrawn, and easily reduced to tears, but she is not consistently submissive. She challenges her mother’s neglect, repeatedly attempts to expose Jiang Xuefu’s abuse, and refuses to beg for relief when harassed at work. She is also academically diligent, finding value in the advanced homework she is forced to complete 1 5 6 16.

Her insecurity is closely tied to being repeatedly passed over in favor of Jiang Xuefu. She wonders whether changing her own behavior will make others love her and becomes susceptible to Chen Xi’s tailored declarations of devotion. The narration distinguishes her desire to be needed from genuine affection for him 17.

Despite her emotional vulnerability, Su Jiu recognizes Jiang Huaiyu’s attraction to Jiang Xuefu before he acknowledges it himself. She ends their relationship without claiming that he has already betrayed her physically, explaining that she wants to avoid an irreparable rupture 14.

Abilities & Skills

Academic Ability

• Earns the placement-test result that should have secured admission to Class 1 before Jiang Xuefu swaps their papers 1.
• Completes Jiang Xuefu’s advanced homework daily despite being assigned to Class 11 1.
• Studies marketing management at university 16.

Violin

• Delivers a gala solo described as expressive and absorbing, drawing the audience into the music 8.
• Her performance is interrupted by a broken string rather than a demonstrated lack of skill 8.

Piano

• Can play well enough to finish her gala appearance after abandoning the damaged violin 8.
• Her piano playing is explicitly less accomplished than her violin performance 8.

Relationships

• Su Jing — Mother. Repeatedly dismisses Su Jiu’s childhood complaints, but later recognizes her failures and supports her through pregnancy and childbirth 18 19.
• Biological father — Dies in a car accident during Su Jiu’s childhood, prompting her departure from North City 5.
• Jiang Sheng — Stepfather and abuser. Controls the household staff, orders Su Jiu’s confinement, and secretly transfers away the Su family’s assets 2 5 10.
• Jiang Xuefu — Older stepsister and principal tormentor. Sabotages Su Jiu’s education, performance, relationships, and employment 1 8 14 16 19.
• Lu Zhiyan — Childhood friend and unrequited love. Rejects Su Jiu’s warnings and prioritizes Jiang Xuefu even after hearing evidence of her threats 5 6.
• Jiang Huaiyu — First friend and former boyfriend. Encourages her musical performance and initially provides emotional support; their relationship ends over his concealed feelings for Jiang Xuefu 14.
• Chen Xi — Brief boyfriend and father of her son. Pursues her with declarations of devotion, then abandons her when his fiancée discovers them 17 18 19.
• Madam Lu — Family acquaintance who witnesses Jiang Xuefu’s cruelty and later helps arrange Su Jiu’s Lu Group internship 8 16.
• Unnamed son — Su Jiu chooses to carry him to term in the hope of forming an unconditional parent–child bond 19.

Notable Quotes

“What right do you have to lecture me? Have you ever cared about me at all since I was little?” 1

“Do you truly hate her, or are you afraid to admit you like her?” 14

“Mom, you never cared about me when I needed you before, so don’t start now.” 18