At school, Su Qingqing, as the class monitor, always had her own pride, but now that she was crying so miserably, Gu Chen was not only shocked, but also felt heartbroken.
Seeing her miserable state, Gu Chen felt a lump in his throat, and his face darkened.
Gently patting Su Qingqing's back, Gu Chen tried to control his voice and said softly, "Don't rush, speak slowly."
"I... I've been sold!" Su Qingqing choked back a few sobs before raising her head and staring blankly at Gu Chen, saying sadly, "I just went home and asked, and Zhou Xue'er is telling the truth. I really was sold by my family!!"
"What?" Gu Chen was taken aback.
Alcohol rushed to her head, and in that moment Su Qingqing disregarded everything and laid everything out on her mind.
Born into the Su Family, a large family that favored sons over daughters, Su Qingqing faced various unfair treatments from a young age. Fortunately, she was intelligent and hardworking, excelling in her studies and establishing a photography studio at the age of sixteen, which still generates a considerable income, preventing her from becoming a mere figurehead in the family and being looked down upon.
Because of this, Su Qingqing's outstanding abilities, displayed even before graduating from university, made her Su Yi full of apprehension and hostility towards his sister.
As Su Yi grew older, his takeover of the Su Enterprises drew ever closer, and he began to use his younger sister as leverage to enhance his prestige within the board of directors. In Su Yi's mind, only he was fit to lead the Su Family, and not even his own sister could touch what was his.
Therefore, Su Qingqing could only study at university while learning about entrepreneurship, hoping to achieve something to prove to her father. She didn't aspire to have any power, but she was already satisfied as long as she wouldn't become one of those "commodities" in a large family who couldn't decide their own fate.
But unexpectedly, she still ended up in this kind of role.
Zhou Xue'er schemed against Gu Chen, implicating Su Qingqing in the conflict and claiming that Su Qingqing had interfered, thus offending the Zhou Family. Now, the Zhou Family's power is gradually expanding, showing signs of becoming the number one family in Zhou City, causing the Su Family to feel uneasy.
It was at this very moment that the Li Family came to propose marriage, wanting to finalize the engagement. The Li Family had always depended on the Zhou Family for survival, and under Zhou Nanfeng's manipulation, the Li Family's proposal came at just the right time.
Upon hearing this news, Su Zhenbei, the head of the Su Family, was furious!
They considered this a blatant and blatant insult!
After all, everyone knows that Li Junxuan, the eldest son of the Li Family, is a notorious slacker in Zhou City. He is thirty years old and still unmarried, so finding someone of equal social standing is simply impossible!
But later, when the Zhou Family started to coerce them, the Li Family, relying on the Zhou Family's backing, became even more unscrupulous.
Su Zhenbei's originally firm resolve began to waver!
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Su Yi proposed a way to appease the Zhou Family: let the two spend some time together first, just to play along for a while, and if that didn't work, they could make further plans.
Blinded by greed, Su Zhenbei was actually persuaded by Su Yi, which led to what Zhou Xue'er had mentioned earlier!
Today, out of resentment, Su Qingqing went home to question her father. After receiving an affirmative answer, she lost control of her emotions. Years of grievances made her unable to control herself and she verbally abused Su Yi.
Su Yi slapped her, and then Su Qingqing ran out.
Su Qingqing looked bewildered and at a loss, her mind in turmoil, and she burst into tears.
No matter how strong a woman is, the shock of being betrayed by her closest person would probably not be any better than her reaction.
"You bastard!"
Upon hearing Su Qingqing's explanation, a cold glint flashed in Gu Chen's eyes!
How could there be such a brother in this world, who actually harmed his own sister!
"Su Yi and I are half-siblings, sharing the same father but different mothers. His mother died young, and when my mother married into the family, he was always wary and hostile towards us. I'm not surprised he would do something like this." Su Qingqing's face flushed red, and she said with a bitter smile, "It's just ridiculous. I never imagined he would use my life's most important event as a price. I hate him, I really hate him!"
"What did your father say?" Gu Chen asked in a deep voice.
He said he was powerless to help, and he also blamed me, saying I shouldn't have gotten too close to you, that it was my own fault!
"Oh shit!"
Gu Chen was furious. The Su Family father and son were actually able to shirk all responsibility and stand on the moral high ground!
Su Qingqing's pretty face was miserable; it was because of this that she was so desperate. She said, "I just called my mother, and that's the most she could tell me."
"That beastly father and son!" Gu Chen's face was extremely ugly. He squeezed his hand, and the wine glass shattered with a "crack".
Gu Chen coldly asked, "What do you plan to do now?"
"I didn't think about anything." Su Qingqing shook her head, looking distressed. "Just now when I went out, Su Yi asked me to go to the Li Family and meet with Li Junxuan."
"Meet?" Gu Chen's expression turned cold. He knew perfectly well what this "meet" meant!
"Yes, Su Yi said that since I know everything today anyway, and we're going to get engaged anyway, he told me to go to the Li Family to make some contact first..." Su Qingqing said with a bitter smile, "I wasn't planning on going, which is why I came to the bar to drink. I thought of you and asked you out so we could talk... I feel much better now. Thank you for keeping me company. I'm leaving now."
"Where are we going?" Gu Chen grabbed her arm.
"Go to the Li Family." Su Qingqing said sadly, "They say alcohol emboldens the timid, and I've had enough to drink. My mother is still at the Su Family; I can't just leave like this... At most, I'll just pretend I was groped by a pig..."
"You got nudged by a pig?" Upon hearing this, Gu Chen's anger flared up. Without saying a word, he pulled Su Qingqing over and made her lie in his arms.
Su Qingqing cried out in surprise, not expecting Gu Chen to do this. Lying in Gu Chen's arms, she was breathing rapidly and couldn't move at all.
Staring into Su Qingqing's eyes, Gu Chen revealed a cold smile and said, "Class monitor, do you still remember our agreement?"
"What agreement?" Su Qingqing's heart was in turmoil.
"A month ago, I suffered a devastating blow, and everyone treated me coldly. You told me then that if the Zhou Family broke off the engagement, you would marry me!"
Gu Chen still remembered that in his previous life, when Zhou Xue'er turned her back on him and Zhou City's group of young masters kept mocking him, only Su Qingqing remained the same and treated him the best!
If it weren't for Su Qingqing, Gu Chen probably wouldn't have wanted to go to school back then!
He only remembered what he said back then now!
Su Qingqing seemed flustered, her face flushed as she said, "I was just joking with you because I saw you were in a bad mood, trying to comfort you!"
"But I took it seriously!"
Gu Chen said domineeringly, then suddenly lowered his head and pressed his lips hard against Su Qingqing's red lips!