Chapter 51: Forceful and Unrelenting

Faced with such a situation, Li Jiaojiao was nearly driven to despair. No matter how much she racked her brains, she could not fathom that Su Rulan would have such a formidable background—an utterly incredible turn of events. Yet, regardless of how earnestly Li Jiaojiao pleaded, there was never a chance for reversal. Su Rulan gave her not the slightest response; instead, she chose the most direct approach—utterly ignoring Li Jiaojiao’s existence and turning on her heel to enter the Celestial Capital Chamber of Commerce.

Zhao Qing could not be bothered to deal with her either. She shot Li Jiaojiao a sharp glare before following closely behind Su Rulan, leaving Li Jiaojiao standing utterly abandoned at the entrance.

"Rulan, forgive me for asking, but what exactly did this Li Jiaojiao do?" Zhao Qing inquired as they walked.

Seeing her concern, Su Rulan did not conceal anything and recounted the events of the previous night in full detail.

"Li Jiaojiao is utterly unreasonable, and as for the rest of the Su family, they are truly despicable—spreading such vile rumors without the slightest shame," Zhao Qing fumed. "Had I known the truth earlier, I wouldn’t have left so quickly just now. I should have slapped her across the face a few times to help you vent your anger!"

Zhao Qing gnashed her teeth in fury, venting a few unseemly curses.

"No matter what, the Wang family of Yan Capital is still a powerful clan. As the saying goes, even a dying camel is bigger than a horse. I cannot represent the entire Ye family and act without restraint, lest I bring trouble upon them," Su Rulan shook her head.

Zhao Qing sighed, understanding Su Rulan’s reasoning. Su Rulan’s temperament had never been forceful, and coupled with her vastly different origins, outsiders would only see her as someone climbing above her station, making her naturally cautious and reserved.

After all, Su Rulan had yet to meet the elders of the Ye family.

"It’s all right. There will be plenty of chances in the future. Li Jiaojiao will surely come running to beg you again. When that time comes, you can deal with her slowly—if anything, a few slaps might even be too lenient!" Zhao Qing couldn’t help but look at Su Rulan with increasing protectiveness, her desire to shield her only growing stronger.

With that, the two of them began attending to a series of affairs within the Celestial Capital Chamber of Commerce.

This included arranging personnel for the Tianlan Group and familiarizing themselves with the structure of its various departments. Under Zhao Qing’s guidance, Su Rulan quickly became acquainted with everything.

Before they knew it, it was noon. Su Rulan took Zhao Qing’s hand, intending to invite her to lunch. However, before they could leave, Zhao Shanhe came down from his office on the top floor.

"Miss Su, please come with me to the office. Someone wishes to see you," Zhao Shanhe said with a slight bow, his expression rather unnatural.

"Father, who is so important that you had to come down in person to inform us?" Zhao Qing could not help but ask curiously.

Zhao Shanhe’s face instantly stiffened. He pursed his lips and replied, "It’s the young master’s mother!"

At this revelation, Su Rulan’s face went pale with shock. She looked every bit the anxious bride meeting her mother-in-law for the first time, flustered and at a loss.

Zhao Qing, astounded, pressed further, "When did she arrive? Why haven’t there been any announcements? By all rights, the entire management should have come out to greet her!"

"I have no idea what’s going on. She arrived unannounced, and it seems that even the young master himself is unaware of her presence!" Zhao Shanhe swallowed nervously, setting aside all other concerns as he hastily gestured for them to follow.

Su Rulan, utterly bewildered, followed in a daze to the top floor and stopped outside the president’s office. As Zhao Shanhe’s daughter, Zhao Qing accompanied her.

Zhao Shanhe collected himself, raised his hand, and knocked lightly on the door, announcing with utmost respect, "By order of the mistress, Miss Su is waiting outside."

Mistress!

The honorific alone drained all color from Su Rulan’s face.

Zhao Qing, standing by her side, grew tense and silent, scarcely daring to breathe.

"Come in."

A voice sounded from within the office, calm yet commanding. Only then did Zhao Shanhe dare to push open the door and lead them inside.

They entered a spacious office, and there, seated at the head of the room, was a dignified middle-aged woman.

The woman’s features were striking, bearing a clear resemblance to Ye Tianlin. Her black hair was neatly coiled, and her attire was impeccably elegant, exuding an intangible aura of authority.

Zhao Shanhe strode forward and bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle, gesturing cautiously toward Su Rulan as he introduced, "Mistress, this is Miss Su."

Jiang Yingxia arched her brows, fixing her gaze intently upon Su Rulan, scrutinizing her as if she meant to see through every inch of her being.

When her eyes fell on Su Rulan’s pregnant belly, a faint look of dissatisfaction—and even a trace of disdain—appeared on Jiang Yingxia’s face. Her voice was cold: "So, you’re the one who saved Tianlin’s life?"

Caught entirely off guard, Su Rulan’s palms and back were slick with sweat. She could only nod silently, not daring to meet the woman’s eyes, her self-assurance crumbling into dust.

Jiang Yingxia narrowed her eyes. "Whatever the case, you did save Tianlin. But don’t tell me that your Su family—once servants for five years—could not recognize Tianlin for who he truly was. Why not be honest? After all the effort you’ve expended, what exactly do you hope to gain from the Ye family? Whatever it is, I can give it to you!"

At these words, both Zhao Shanhe and Zhao Qing stood dumbstruck.

Su Rulan’s head snapped up, her mind ringing and utterly blank.