Let Her Lose Control - Chapter 6

Su Ningshang calmly straightened her shirt and pulled out another tissue to wipe the water stains. The deep blue gemstone cufflinks reflected an icy detachment, keeping others at arm’s length.

Shu Xuan didn’t ask who it was, and neither did Su Yun or the others.

Then, as if someone had initiated it, both sides found plausible reasons to get Shu Xuan to leave the Su Family.

“It’s getting late. If there’s nothing else…”

“Don’t you have anything to explain?”

Su Yun said, “You certainly know how to enjoy yourself. You parade a big star in public while hiding another one—or perhaps many others—behind the scenes. Living it up in the Entertainment Industry, no wonder you weren’t thrilled when your father mentioned Shu Xuan coming for dinner.”

Su Ningshang sipped the half-full cup of tea she had poured earlier. The tea leaves had fully steeped, leaving it bitter and astringent, devoid of any fragrance.

“Mom, the girls are still here. Please be more tactful,” Su Ningshang said, handing the cup to Su Ningyue with a gesture for her to refill it.

Su Ningyue took the cup and stood up.

“Shu Xuan didn’t seem upset about the accident just now. Did she already know about your other affairs?” Su Yun’s eyes were sharp and perceptive.

Su Ningshang was baffled. “You were the ones who investigated her, and you were the ones who invited her to dinner. Why would she be dissatisfied with my personal life?”

Su Yun cut straight to the point. “So you admit you have other relationships? One or several? Is that why you don’t want to settle down?”

Su Ningshang’s phone lit up with a message from her assistant: a top male star from the company had been arrested for drunk driving. She swiped away the notification and flipped her phone face down.

“No, Mom,” she said wearily. “Don’t let your imagination run wild.”

Su Yun remained skeptical, scrutinizing Su Ningshang for a long moment until Su Ningyue returned with tea, blocking her line of sight.

Su Ningshang had been groomed as the heir since childhood, learning early to conceal her true emotions. Years of navigating the Entertainment Industry’s social circles had made her impenetrable, even to Su Yun.

Su Yun didn’t believe her daughter would actually keep a stable of lovers. She cut to the chase: “Give me a reason. If you have other people, why didn’t you tell me sooner instead of letting me mistakenly believe it was Shu Xuan? Is she not presentable, or is there another reason?”

Su Ningshang remained silent, her gaze locked with Su Yun’s.

Even Su Yun, who had cultivated a more temperate demeanor through years of self-reflection at home, found her anger rising at Su Ningshang’s defiant attitude. “Why aren’t you speaking?”

Su Ningshang replied, “I’ve told you countless times: I don’t need you to arrange a partner for me. I don’t want it, I refuse. Isn’t that reason enough?”

“What kind of reason is that?” Su Yun scoffed.

“The Su Family has always maintained the utmost integrity in matters of the heart. We’ve never had someone like you. Su Ningshang, when you were in your early twenties and claimed to prefer women, I accepted it. But now you’re twenty-eight, and I never imagined you’d adopt all the depraved habits of the Entertainment Industry.”

“I stopped micromanaging you because I thought you were old enough to know better. But your private life isn’t just about the Su Family; it concerns the entire Huachen Corporation.”

“How many families in our circle arrange marriages? I’m not asking you to sacrifice your happiness, just to find someone suitable.”

“If you refuse to cut ties with those disreputable people, don’t bother coming home again.”

“……”

As Su Ningshang led Su Ningyue away, Jiang Jinsui hurried after them from behind. “Sister, Xiao Yue!”

Su Ningyue slowed her pace first, and Su Ningshang followed suit, stopping. “What is it?”

Jiang Jinsui, having run hastily, gasped for breath. “Dad’s comforting Mom right now. He sent me to find you and tell you not to take her words to heart. She’s just angry.”

Su Ningshang nodded. “I know Mom’s temper. Don’t worry.”

Even after delivering the message, Jiang Jinsui lingered.

“Anything else?” Su Ningshang asked.

Having lived with the Su family for over half a year, Jiang Jinsui had witnessed their kindness firsthand, naturally growing fond of them. She hesitated before saying, “Sister, I just want you and Mom to both be happy.”

Su Ningshang’s expression softened considerably. “But Xiao Jin, in this matter, Mom and I can’t both get what we want.”

Jiang Jinsui fell silent. Still young, her emotions were easily read on her face, despite her attempts to appear mature. Su Ningshang stepped closer and patted Jiang Jinsui’s shoulder twice. “This is between me and the family. Don’t let it affect your mood. Go back inside.”

In the car on the way back, soft French music played on the stereo. Su Ningyue glanced at Su Ningshang, who was driving, several times, but each time she looked away again after a moment’s thought.

Su Ningshang had always played the role of the perfect daughter so well. Su Ningyue never imagined she would publicly humiliate Su Yun, especially in such a humiliating way.

She couldn’t understand why Su Ningshang hadn’t simply discussed the matter privately with Shu Xuan if she didn’t want her to become her partner. She could have given Su Yun a few vague assurances, like most young people facing pressure to marry.

Why did she have to put Su Yun in such an awkward position?

Su Ningyue even opened Weibo and checked the trending topics for the day, confirming that several particularly sensitive keywords were trending.

Could it be that the company’s troublemaking celebrities had put Su Ningshang in a bad mood? Perhaps seeing Shu Xuan, also a celebrity, triggered some emotional reaction, leading her to act so rashly in front of Su Yun?

Su Ningyue recalled a line she had read in a book given to her by Bian Xiu: “Adults carry the weight of accumulated burdens, and their breaking point often comes in an instant.”

Perhaps Shu Xuan had been that final, breaking moment.

Su Ningyue wasn’t the only one affected. Su Ningshang remained uncharacteristically silent throughout the journey home. Upon arriving, she simply said, “Get some rest,” and headed straight to her study.

Gazing at the tightly shut study door, Su Ningyue hesitated, thinking about the mess on the trending searches. After a moment’s pause, she warmed a glass of milk.

When she knocked, Su Ningshang opened the door herself. “What is it?”

“I warmed an extra glass of milk…” Su Ningyue’s voice trailed off as her eyes landed on Su Ningshang’s half-unbuttoned shirt.

Unfazed, Su Ningshang turned and walked inside, continuing to unbutton her shirt until she had completely removed the water-soaked garment, revealing her sculpted physique. The beauty of her form was marred only by the crimson bite mark on her shoulder.

This was the source of the rumors about Su Ningshang’s supposed promiscuity. While everyone assumed she had deliberately let Shu Xuan see the mark, it was merely speculation. Another possibility existed: Su Ningshang might have been unaware of its visibility.

Su Ningyue had accidentally spilled tea, which Shu Xuan witnessed, leading to Su Yun’s “triple trial.” She, too, was a victim in this situation.

The realization made Su Ningyue’s gaze toward the bite mark shift, becoming somewhat flustered.

Su Ningshang followed her line of sight to her shoulder and asked with a smile, “Regretting biting so hard?”

Any lingering remorse in Su Ningyue’s heart vanished. She stiffened her expression and pointed to the loungewear nearby. “Can’t you have a little sense of privacy?”

But her bluff didn’t faze Su Ningshang in the slightest.

Su Ningshang couldn’t suppress a hint of amusement, readily complying with her request. “Alright, I’ll be more careful. Now, could you turn around? I need to change.”

Su Ningyue turned her back, biting her lip in frustration.

It reminded her of when she was in sixth grade, watching TV and imitating the children on screen by offering to wash Su Ningshang’s clothes. She ended up shrinking Su Ningshang’s designer coat, worth hundreds of thousands of yuan.

Back then, Su Ningshang had said the same thing: “It’s just that Sister bought the wrong clothes. The fabric was too cheap.”

After the rustling of clothes, Su Ningyue felt a tap on her shoulder. “You can turn around now. I’m done changing.”

Meeting Su Ningshang’s amused gaze, Su Ningyue said nothing. She brushed past her and headed straight for the desk. “The milk’s here. You can get back to work.”

Su Ningyue rarely offered such warmth, so Su Ningshang naturally wouldn’t let her leave so easily. “I thought you were here to persuade me to apologize to Mom.”

Su Ningyue tilted her head slightly and murmured, “If I persuaded you, would you apologize to Mom?”

Su Ningshang stepped closer to Su Ningyue, bracing her hands on the desk to trap her in her arms. Her voice was casual as she asked, “Ningning, do you think I’m wrong?”

If she meant the bite mark on her shoulder, then yes, it was wrong. But if she meant resisting the family’s arranged match, Su Ningyue didn’t believe there was a right or wrong answer.

She couldn’t decide who Su Ningshang should spend her life with. A lifetime was too long; Su Ningshang had to be willing for it to truly be a ‘lifetime.’

Having endured countless lectures from their parents, Su Ningshang probably didn’t want to hear more. Su Ningyue could only say, “I hope you can be happy without hurting others’ feelings.”

Su Ningshang slowly raised her gaze. “Others?”

Su Ningyue stammered, “Like Shu Xuan… or those people outside.”

Su Ningshang didn’t always come home on time. It was common for her to return only at dawn. There were always a few days each month when she wouldn’t come home at all. Su Ningyue used to believe her mother was simply busy with work.

But after that bowl of “hangover soup,” Su Ningyue began to suspect that Su Ningshang’s late returns might involve a lover.

Su Ningshang seemed about to laugh, but she quickly suppressed all emotion. “You know, Shu Xuan and I…” she began, then paused, as if struggling with some unspeakable secret.

Her hesitation only piqued Su Ningyue’s curiosity. “What about you two?”

Seizing the opportunity, Su Ningshang wrapped her arm around Su Ningyue’s waist and pulled her onto the table, stepping forward to trap her between her legs.

Su Ningyue’s face flushed crimson with humiliation and anger as her legs were forced apart and pinned against the table. Only then did she realize she’d fallen into a trap. “If you’re going to talk, just say it properly! Let me down now!”

“I am talking properly. Don’t you want to know why I did all this?” Su Ningshang gently patted Su Ningyue’s back twice, making no further moves, as if she truly just wanted her daughter to stay quietly by her side.

“I never expected Mom and Dad to suddenly take such an interest in my love life, let alone invite Shu Xuan over so directly.”

“When you were sitting there, you looked just like that stray cat downstairs, gazing pitifully at Shu Xuan. I couldn’t bear to watch, so I splashed water on myself.”

“I admit, splashing water on myself was a rash decision.”

At such close proximity, Su Ningyue could easily read Su Ningshang’s eyes. When Su Ningshang lowered her gaze to meet hers, she saw that familiar, indulgent affection swirling within them.

That look made Su Ningyue’s heart skip a beat. She knew that gaze intimately; from childhood, whenever she got into trouble or was falsely accused, Su Ningshang would look at her with that same expression, patiently handling all the consequences for her.

Over the past few months, that look had gradually transformed, taking on a deeper meaning. Now, freed from the constraints of bl00d ties, it carried a surging possessiveness.

Just like Su Ningshang’s words now, which seemed to bind her firmly in place. She distinctly remembered sitting with Jiang Jinsui at the time—there was nothing pitiful about it at all. This was pure slander.

But it was too late for her to argue. The usually selfless Su Ningshang gracefully began demanding her reward. “I was misunderstood by Mom and Dad because of you. Aren’t you going to compensate me?”

Hearing the deeper implication, Su Ningyue’s head buzzed. “If you hadn’t come looking for me, none of this would have happened.”

Su Ningshang pulled Su Ningyue closer, her exquisite makeup making her features even more striking and seductive. She continued to pile on the accusations: “You bit me, but I took the blame. Even when they interrogated me, I didn’t betray you.”

Su Yun had guessed every possibility, never imagining that the bite mark on Su Ningshang’s shoulder hadn’t come from an outsider, but from Su Ningyue, who was standing right beside her.

Her other daughter was an accomplice.

Su Ningshang lowered her voice, her words clear and intimate as they reached Su Ningyue’s ear: “So, Ningning, since I was wrongly accused, you bear full responsibility.”

Su Ningshang’s gentle voice felt like a shackle. Su Ningyue struggled fiercely. “It’s because you weren’t done playing around that you refused to settle down with Sister Shu Xuan.”

Su Ningshang lifted her gaze, her eyes dark and intense as she stared at Su Ningyue. “I wasn’t done playing around?”

Su Ningyue fell silent, her expression tight with stubborn acknowledgment of the truth in those words.

Su Ningshang’s gaze gradually lowered. After a long pause, she suddenly laughed. “Yes, I haven’t had my fill. If I were done playing around and settled down with Shu Xuan, what would become of you? Would I take you to bed with the marks you left on me?”

Su Ningyue stared at Su Ningshang in horror, as if seeing her for the first time. “How could you say such a thing?”

As she struggled, the temperature in the study seemed to rise. Su Ningshang’s gaze grew increasingly intense, making Su Ningyue’s heart pound against her ribs. She was acutely aware that every movement, every breath, would only fuel the situation further.

Su Ningshang pulled Su Ningyue closer, their foreheads pressed together. “From now on, it’ll only be you, okay?”

Su Ningyue’s back trembled, cold sweat seeping through her skin. She finally asked the question that had haunted her for so long: “Why does it have to be me?”

Su Ningshang caressed Su Ningyue with boundless tenderness, as if she were the most precious jewel in the world.

“Because, Ningning,” she whispered, “every inch of you has been cultivated to be exactly the way I love most.”