Today I Will Also Be the Male Protagonist’s Rival - Chapter 35

The Next Day

8:00 AM

Su Yudong put down his utensils and looked up with a smile. “Yuyu, about what I talked to you about yesterday—have you given it some thought?”

Su Yu’s hand paused slightly. She kept her head lowered and said nothing.

“You child, your dad’s talking to you—why aren’t you answering?”

Du Xue lightly tapped her with a reproachful look. “Come on, don’t make your dad angry.”

“Mom!”

Su Xia slammed her chopsticks down with a bang, her expression sour. “Why are you butting in when Dad’s talking to her?”

She had heard everything last night!

Dad didn’t love her at all. All the affection in the past had been nothing but pretense. He didn’t think much of her at all.

He belittled her like she was worthless. In his eyes, she could never compare to Su Yu.

He knew perfectly well that she wanted to marry Jiang Shengzhou, yet he still let Su Yu take her place.

That was the first boy she had ever liked in her whole life—how could he be so cruel?

Su Xia clenched her hands tightly, the hatred in her heart growing stronger.

Su Yudong cast her an annoyed glance, then turned his attention back to Su Yu. “If you haven’t decided, then think about it a little more. But no later than a week—you must give me an answer.”

He paused, as if joking. “If you don’t, I’ll just decide for you, haha.”

Su Yu nodded slightly with her head lowered.

Su Qi glanced around the table and tried to lighten the mood. He smiled and changed the topic. “Dad, there’s an auction up in North City tonight—I won’t be coming back this evening.”

“Hanging around with your gang of useless friends again?”

Su Yudong snorted coldly and slammed the table. “You’re not a kid anymore—always running around outside. Can’t you show some concern for the company for once?”

“Dad, it’s not those friends this time. Jin Licheng and Jiang Shengzhou will be there too.”

Su Qi quickly defended himself, confidence in his tone. Then he added mysteriously, “I heard the item up for auction is a rare European jewel—its price has skyrocketed.”

Su Xia’s eyes lit up. She forgot her anger and quickly chimed in, “Dad, I want to go too.”

Su Yudong was still upset. Hearing that, he scolded harshly, “What’s a girl like you doing being so rash all the time? You’re still young—stop running around without a proper image!”

Su Xia was left speechless. “I…”

“Miss, this is your delivery.”

A maid approached respectfully with a gift box. “It’s from the Jiang family. They invite you to attend tonight’s auction.”

“Not going.”

Su Yu glanced at it and said flatly, “Turn it down.”

“You child—how could you refuse someone’s kind invitation?”

Su Yudong shook his head and said to the maid, “Just leave it here.”

The maid obeyed, placed the gift box down, and quietly stepped away.

Su Yudong’s tone softened a little as he tried to sound kind. “Why not go?”

“No time.”

Su Yu spread a bit of salad dressing on her toast and replied softly, “I might be going out to look for a job today, so… I won’t have the time.”

“Forget about work for now. The Su family can afford to support you.”

Su Yudong sighed, then said sincerely, “Think about it carefully. Azhou’s a good person—if you marry him, you won’t suffer.”

“Dad…”

Su Yu gripped her knife and fork tightly, looking troubled.

“Just listen to me—”

Before he could finish, a maid rushed over again.

“Miss, this is a dress sent from the Jin family. Mr. Jin invites you to be his date to tonight’s auction.”

Su Yudong’s expression turned complicated, and he swallowed the rest of his words.

Su Yu noticed his reaction and spoke with a hint of mockery, “Dad, how about… I just go with Jiang Shengzhou after all?”

Su Yudong coughed dryly and darkened his expression slightly. “I thought it over—if you don’t want Azhou, then forget it.”

“Since Licheng invited you, you should accept.”

Su Yu put down her utensils, biting her lip. “Dad, I don’t want to!”

Her brows lowered, eyes glistening—she looked genuinely pitiful.

Su Qi opened his mouth, hesitated a moment, then said, “Dad, if Yuyu doesn’t want to, don’t force her.”

“You think I want to?”

Su Yudong’s face darkened as he snapped angrily, “You know how scheming Jin Laosan is. If we offend him and he sees Yuyu with Azhou, who knows what kind of trouble he might stir up!”

Without thinking, Su Qi replied, “Then just turn down Jiang Shengzhou too.”

“Idiot!”

Su Yudong glared at him. “How did I end up with such a useless son!”

“Turn down Jin Licheng and then also Jiang Shengzhou? Are you trying to offend both families? Don’t you have a brain?!”

Su Qi scratched his head awkwardly.

Suppressing his anger, Su Yudong turned back to Su Yu and tried to appeal emotionally.

“Yuyu, both families have extended invitations.”

“The company is currently negotiating several major projects with the Jin family. If Jin Licheng refuses to cooperate, we’ll be ruined.”

“I’ve always treated you well. You… don’t want to see our family suffer losses, right?”

“I understand.”

Su Yu nodded lightly. “I’ll go with Jin Licheng tonight. Don’t worry.”

Su Yudong let out a breath and smiled. “Yuyu’s always been the sensible one.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at his other two disappointing children, and rage rose again. He snorted coldly. “You two should learn from Yuyu. All you do is cause me trouble. How did I end up with such disgraceful children!”

“Who wants to be like her!”

Su Xia’s eyes were red as she yelled, “I don’t need a dad like you! You’re always chasing women and never once think about how Mom and I feel.”

As if losing control, she added, “Scumbag!”

“You…”

Su Yudong stared, clearly not expecting that. He was too stunned to speak.

It took him a long moment to recover, and then he slapped her hard, roaring, “I’ve spoiled you too much! Do you have no sense of respect at all?!”

Su Xia held her face in disbelief as tears streamed down. “I knew it—you never liked me. The only one you care about is Su Yu.”

Her eyes were red, her voice agitated. “This so-called ‘daughter you found’—I think she’s your little lover instead!”

“Now that you’re tired of her, you’re passing her off to Jin Licheng and Jiang Shengzhou. What will you do when they find out?”

“You unfilial brat!”

Su Yudong clutched his chest in fury. “Lock her in her room and let her reflect. No one is allowed to see her. She’s out of control!”

The nearby maids looked at each other. Eventually, they stepped forward and dragged the crying and struggling Su Xia upstairs.

Only then did Su Yudong sit back down with a grim expression.

The entire table was silent.

Su Yu watched it all, a bit regretful.

In the end, a daughter raised under his roof still tugged at Su Yudong’s heart—he’d just brushed it off lightly.

But Su Xia, spoiled and entitled as she was, wouldn’t see it that way.

She hated Su Yudong—sooner or later, that hatred would explode.

Now, it was just a matter of time.

Coming back to herself, Su Yu frowned slightly at the thought of the gift box sent by Jin Licheng.

What was he up to this time?