Today I Will Also Be the Male Protagonist’s Rival - Chapter 43

Su Yu stepped out onto the balcony.

“Beep…”

It took quite a while before the call connected.

She opened her mouth and called softly, “Ah Shu…”

On the other end of the phone, Huo Shu didn’t speak—only the low, suppressed sound of her sobbing came through. It wasn’t loud, but it made one’s heart tremble with it.

Su Yu’s heart ached badly. She lowered her voice to soothe her. “Didn’t we agree—no more crying?”

“Why are you crying again?”

“You lied to me.”

Huo Shu was crying so hard she was out of breath. Choking on her words, she said, “I just broke off the engagement with Cui Fang, and now you’re turning around and marrying Jin Licheng. You lied to me!”

“You said you only liked me. You lied to me!”

Su Yu sighed and explained, “Ah Shu, I have my own reasons. Just listen to me, okay?”

“I don’t want to listen, and I don’t want to know your reasons. I just don’t want you to marry Jin Licheng.”

Huo Shu paused, then suddenly asked in a small voice, “Yuyu, don’t marry him, okay? I’m begging you.”

She choked as she pleaded, her voice filled with desperation. That cautious and delicate girl—where was the spirited, radiant one Su Yu had first met?

Su Yu was silent.

She had already reached a deal with Jiang Shengzhou. Backing out now would be the same as betraying him.

And then there was the mission…

Her silence seemed to make the girl on the other end understand something. Trembling, she said, “I get it.”

Su Yu clenched her hand and asked in a low voice, “Do you want to break up?”

The girl sounded startled, as if she was about to fall apart. Crying, she said, “No! I don’t want to break up!”

Su Yu felt increasingly awful. She spoke softly, “Ah Shu…”

Huo Shu bit her lip, sniffled, and murmured, “I won’t interfere with your affairs anymore. I’ll be good and do what you say. Please don’t break up with me, okay?”

“You said you’d never leave me. Please don’t lie to me again. This time… I’ll forgive you.”

Su Yu’s hand tightened. The bitterness surged in her chest, an unbearable ache. “Okay.”

“Then… do you still love me?”

“I do.”

On the other end, the girl finally laughed through her tears. “Hmph, I knew you were lying.”

“Yuyu…”

From the living room, Su Yudong called out.

Su Yu returned to herself and whispered, “Ah Shu, I have to hang up now.”

“Ah… can’t we talk a little longer?”

“My dad’s calling me. I’ll call you again tonight.”

“…Okay.”

The call ended, and all that was left was the repeated beeping of the busy tone.

Huo Shu held her phone tightly, her eyes rimmed red.

Su Yu was too busy.

Ever since the banquet ended, she seemed to have suddenly become very busy. It had been a long time since they’d had a proper phone call.

Did Su Yu not miss her at all?

Huo Shu bit her lip, feeling tears welling again.

She was getting married. Then what about her? What did she count as?

She couldn’t bring herself to attend the wedding calmly. But… she still really wanted to see Su Yu in a wedding dress.

Yuyu was so beautiful—she would definitely look stunning in a wedding dress.

“My good girl…”

Huo Shu’s mother pushed the door open and entered. Seeing her daughter’s tear-streaked face, her expression changed. “Who made you cry?”

Huo Shu sniffled and quickly turned away. “No one. Mom, don’t overthink it. Really, it’s nothing.”

“Silly child, still trying to fool me?”

Mrs. Huo rolled her eyes and sighed softly. “It’s because of that Su Yu, isn’t it?”

Huo Shu had just managed to hold back her tears, but the moment she heard that name, her eyes turned red again.

“Mom!”

Mrs. Huo’s heart ached. She quickly reached out to wipe the tears at the corners of her daughter’s eyes. “Alright, alright, I won’t say any more—don’t cry.”

“Mom…”

Huo Shu suddenly threw herself into her mother’s arms. “She’s going to marry Jin Licheng. She doesn’t want me anymore.”

Mother Huo patted her on the back and asked, “Do you really like her?”

She had met that girl before. There was something about her—hard to explain. With all her years of experience, she could tell that girl was not someone easy to deal with.

Her daughter Ah Shu might seem headstrong, but she had a pure heart. All her thoughts revolved around that girl. Whether that was a good thing or not, she truly didn’t know.

Huo Shu nodded heavily.

She felt that she must have owed Su Yu something in her past life. Otherwise, how could she love her so much—so humbly, so cautiously—as if afraid that doing anything wrong would upset her.

“If you really like her, then go fight for her. It’s not like we can’t compete with the Jin family.”

Mother Huo wiped the tears off her face and sighed. “Stop crying. The doctor already said your health isn’t good. Crying too much puts a huge strain on your heart.”

Huo Shu murmured an acknowledgment, then shook her head as if remembering something. “Yuyu has her own matters to deal with. I can’t mess up her plans.”

“So you’re just going to watch her marry someone else?”

She thought for a moment, frowning in distress. “I don’t know. But I promised her I’d behave. I can’t go back on my word.”

Her voice was full of careful restraint, making Mother Huo even more heartbroken.

The daughter she had raised for over twenty years, who had always been cherished and protected, now looked so humbled and pitiful just because of someone else.

“Mom, I’ve made up my mind.”

Huo Shu suddenly stood up and clenched her fists. “I’ll just watch them quietly from the shadows. I’ll behave. I absolutely won’t stir up trouble.”

Mother Huo sighed softly. “Alright.”

Three days passed in a flash. The wedding was drawing near.

The sudden union of the Jin and Su families had shaken the entire elite circle of Xiangjiang. After all, the groom was none other than Jin Licheng, the nearly thirty-year-old cold and composed head of the Jin family.

His story was almost legendary—ruthless and decisive, he had whipped the entire Jin family into shape after taking power.

On top of that, he was handsome. Nearing thirty, yet never seen with a single woman. He was the fantasy of many love-struck girls in Xiangjiang.

Now, out of the blue, he was getting married. And soon, gossipers dug up Su Yu’s identity: an illegitimate daughter of the Su family, and Jin Licheng’s first love.

In an instant, the media flooded the scene, painting Jin Licheng as the ultimate faithful and devoted man.

Su Yu flipped through the newspaper and sneered.

These reporters were real bootlickers, praising Jin Licheng like he was some rare gem. Who knew how much money they had taken from the Jin family?

“Yuyu…”

Su Yudong hurried over and stepped aside to reveal the person behind him. “Licheng came to see you.”

Su Yu didn’t look up and kept reading the paper. “Dad, isn’t it bad luck for the bride and groom to meet a few days before the wedding?”

“What’s bad about it?”

Su Yudong glared at her, then turned to smile. “Licheng, you two chat. I have something to do.”

Jin Licheng walked over and sat beside her. His tone was gentle. “Yuyu, let’s go out for a walk today?”

“I don’t want to.”

“Why are you still throwing a tantrum?”

Jin Licheng tilted his head and pinched her chin, forcing her to face him. He asked coldly, “You’ll be mine in a few days, and you’re still acting like this?”

“You know exactly why I’m marrying you.”

“Of course I know.”

Su Yu set down the paper and asked wearily, “Is there any point in marrying someone who doesn’t love you?”

“Who do you love?”
Jin Licheng scoffed lightly. “Huo Shu?”

Su Yu said nothing.

Seeing her reaction, Jin Licheng’s gaze grew colder. He said word by word, “You like Huo Shu, right? Then I’ll make sure you love her but can’t be with her. You’ll have no choice but to stay by my side.”

He tightened his grip. The pain made Su Yu furrow her brows. Her beautiful, shimmering eyes grew misty, stirring a person’s desire.

A glimmer of cruelty flashed in Jin Licheng’s eyes. “Su Yu, the more you hate me, the happier I’ll be. What I want is you. It doesn’t matter if you don’t love me—because you can only be with me.”

Su Yu trembled. She suddenly shoved him away. “Are you insane?”

“I went insane the moment you kept rejecting me over and over.”

Jin Licheng curled his lips into a cruel smile and growled, “Su Yu, you pushed me to this. You drove me here. Don’t blame me.”

The girl seemed frightened and tried to run away.

But he reached out and yanked her back. His voice was harsh. “Trying to run?”

“Su Yu, don’t even think about escaping me. Not in this lifetime!”

Su Yu’s body trembled violently as she tried desperately to push him away. “Get off me!”

But she was too weak. Her shoving lacked strength.

“Yuyu, don’t force me.”

He loomed over her, his bloodshot eyes resembling a wild beast ready to devour.

Su Yu looked panicked, but a trace of contempt flickered in her eyes.

Jin Licheng really had lost his mind. Did he not realize where they were?

“M-Mr. Jin.”

A maid cried out and rushed over, trembling. “P-please let go of the young lady… This is…”

She was shaking so badly she couldn’t finish her sentence.

A bit of clarity returned to Jin Licheng’s eyes. His hands loosened slightly.

Su Yu seized the chance to slip away. She bit her lip and began to cry.

The commotion quickly drew everyone out.

“What happened?”

“What’s going on?”

“Yuyu, are you alright? This… who is this?”

Jin Licheng’s eyes were gloomy. He straightened his clothes and sat down on the sofa.

Across from him, the girl was softly sobbing. She wore a pink and white floral dress that revealed her slender, pale neck. There were red marks on it—undeniably suggestive.

Jin Licheng looked at her, and his eyes darkened further.

Those marks—he had just made them. Thinking about how alluring she looked, he couldn’t help but feel a tightness in his throat.

Su Yudong emerged from the bedroom, frowning at the strange atmosphere in the living room. “Yuyu, what’s going on?”

Su Yu didn’t answer. She kept her head down, choking with sobs.

Su Yudong pointed at a maid. “You. Tell me what happened.”

The maid trembled all over, stammering, “Th-this… we don’t know the details either. We just heard the young lady’s voice, and when we came in, we saw Mr. Jin was…”

“Was what?”

“W-was… was making things difficult for the young lady.”

Su Yudong grew even more suspicious. He glanced at the two of them and vaguely understood something.

Jin Licheng let out a breath and asked in a deep voice, “Uncle Dong, I want to move the wedding date up. What do you think?”

“Move it up?”

Su Yudong pondered for a moment and said, “That’s probably not a good idea. After all, we’ve informed so many people. Moving it up suddenly won’t sit well with the other families.”

“I’ll take care of all that.”

Jin Licheng lowered his eyes slightly and said slowly and clearly, “I want to marry Yuyu as soon as possible. As for the losses from moving the date up, I’ll compensate the Su family accordingly.”

When he heard the word “losses,” Su Yudong’s eyes lit up. He gave a light cough and said, “What losses? If you want to move it up, then move it up. Licheng, when do you think is suitable?”

“Tomorrow.”

“So soon?”

“I want to marry Yuyu as early as possible.”

After speaking, Jin Licheng stood up, leaned down slightly, and whispered into Su Yu’s ear, “Just one more night. Tomorrow night, I’d like to see who comes to save you.”

As soon as he said that, he clearly saw the girl tremble.

He curled his lips into a slight smile, then looked up at Su Yudong. “Uncle Dong, I’ll have to trouble you to do some thinking for Yuyu.”

“Don’t worry.”

“Alright, I’ll be going then.”

“Mm.”

Watching him leave, Su Yudong finally sat down and sighed, “You child, must you always go against your father?”

Su Yu’s eyes were red as she choked up, “Dad, I didn’t.”

Su Yudong’s face darkened, clearly displeased. “You promised me you’d marry him. Why are you backing out now?”

“I… I…”

The girl couldn’t get the words out. She just lowered her head, and her posture made even the maids nearby feel a pang of pity.

The young lady is such a kind and pure person—what a pity.

That man from the Jin family had seemed like a decent person at first, but who would’ve thought… The young lady’s walking straight into the lion’s den.

“Enough, Yuyu. Go upstairs and rest.”

After giving the order, Su Yudong sat down and snorted, “Not a single one of you lets me rest easy.”

Su Qi hesitated for a while before finally speaking, “Dad, that Jin Licheng guy won’t treat Yuyu well at all. Maybe you should…”

“You unfilial child!”

Su Yudong turned and slapped him across the face. “I finally got her to agree, and now you’re stirring things up again?”

“You think I’m too old to see through your little tricks?”

Su Qi’s heart skipped a beat. “Dad, what are you talking about?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about. Even if she’s not your sister, you better stop thinking about her!”

Su Yudong let out a cold snort and suddenly slammed the table. “You saw how Jin Licheng treats her. Don’t bring trouble to this family, you hear me?”

Su Qi rubbed his nose and looked around nervously. “Dad, I’m not.”

“Not? You know what’s in your heart!”

Su Yudong narrowed his eyes and sneered, “And you’d better keep her parentage a secret too. If she ever finds out, I’ll break your legs!”

“I understand.”

“Get out of here. Focus on the company. Stop messing around outside.”

“Yes, sir.”

In the corner, Su Xia covered her mouth and slowly sat down.

Su Yu isn’t Dad’s daughter?

Th-this… what’s going on?

Could it be… she was right all along? Su Yu really is his mistress?

The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed. She clenched her fists tightly.

No wonder—no wonder Dad was coming home less and less. It was all because of this little temptress Su Yu.

She absolutely wouldn’t let her marry Jin Licheng so smoothly.

Absolutely not!

Midnight.

Su Yu was half asleep when she vaguely heard wailing and sobbing.

She turned on the light and glanced at the time—it was four in the morning.

What’s all the noise about?

She got out of bed, frowned, and pushed open the door.

In the first-floor living room, a crowd of people had gathered, and the sound of heart-wrenching crying filled the space.

Su Yu didn’t go downstairs. She leaned over the railing and asked, “What happened?”

Su Qi looked up at her. At the moment, she was only wearing a loose T-shirt and shorts, her skin pale and glowing. Probably still sleepy, her expression was lazy and soft to the core.

He swallowed hard and only managed to find his voice after a while. “Aunt Du… Aunt Du just fell down the stairs and hit her head. We’re about to take her to the hospital.”

Aunt Du?

Su Yu pressed her temples. Oh—Su Xia’s mother, Du Xue.

She walked downstairs and came closer. “How did she fall?”

Su Qi shook his head and explained, “We don’t know. The maids were all asleep at the time, so no one saw.”