Su Yuyan couldn't do anything about her.
"Xiao Feng never mocked you."
Shen Ming sneered and refused to speak to him anymore.
After dinner, Gu Feng finally stopped playing the victim and said someone was waiting for her outside to take her home. But before leaving, she came over to apologize.
"Shen Ming, this whole matter has left me confused. Xiao Liu is my assistant, and since he did these things, I have some responsibility. I owe you an apology. Once the statement is out, I'll come and explain things in detail. I'll head out now."
She was insisting that Xiao Liu wouldn't betray her.
Shen Ming responded coldly.
"Mm."
After she left, Su Shangjin noticed the tension and wanted to leave too. But Shen Ming stopped him.
"Fourth Young Master, if you want to know what happened, I can tell you."
Su Shangjin shook his head. "I... I still have things to do. Third Brother—"
"Don't rush off. If you leave, who will spread the news for me? It turns out that the most obedient and sensible younger sister in the Su family is actually so calculating. Seeing that she couldn't win the case, she teamed up with her assistant to stage a scapegoating plan. If it weren't for the video evidence, would I be able to clear my name?"
Su Shangjin was truly scared this time and moved closer to Su Yuyan.
Su Ning was also in the living room, and some things Shen Ming deliberately said were meant for her ears.
"I've just been back in the Su family for a few days, and yet, she's gone to such great lengths to slander me outside. As soon as the case broke, almost everyone in the city knew about it. Su Madam, you've been through this, surely you don't actually believe that Gu Feng's tears mean she has no connection with her assistant?"
Su Ning's face darkened, but her expression told Shen Ming that she had begun to suspect something.
A faint satisfaction bloomed inside Shen Ming.
"Everything has a limit. I won't continue to make a scene."
At this moment, Su Yuyan called out to her.
"Shen Ming, come out. I'll send Xiao Si home. You come out and see me off."
Shen Ming shrugged and walked out to send Su Yuyan off.
After stepping out the front door, Su Yuyan pushed Su Shangjin into the car and left Shen Ming to speak privately with her.
Shen Ming was now irritated with him, especially after how he kept defending Gu Feng during dinner.
"What's there to talk about? Aren't you on Gu Feng's side? The statement hasn't been released, and you think it has nothing to do with her? Everything I said is just nonsense, right?"
Su Yuyan shook his head.
"Before the dashcam footage was released, I had already talked to Lu Fan."
What did that mean?
Su Yuyan lowered his eyes and looked at her, his gaze full of helplessness.
"I spent quite a bit of money to get the information from Lu Fan. Lu Fan isn't stupid enough to not know who his source is."
Shen Ming's eyes widened in disbelief.
"So, you already knew it wasn't me who did this."
Su Yuyan didn't answer her question.
He could tell she was about to get angry again.
"I'm doing this for you. What can I do? You've made so many enemies."
Shen Ming realized from his words that this seemingly distant older brother of hers had gone out of his way to spend money to gather information for her. It seemed like he truly cared.
Recalling that, she could almost swallow her anger.
"You have more sense than Mom. This was clearly Gu Feng's doing. Don't talk to me about these empty words. Her tears don't mean anything to me."
Her lashes cast a shadow across her face, and Su Yuyan accepted her words in silence.
"Xiao Feng's character, after being hit, is indeed a little strange," he said, and then passed on the message, "No matter what the truth is, Mom will suppress this matter."
Shen Ming narrowed her eyes.
Su Yuyan continued.
"Two more days, and Uncle Gu will be back."
Uncle Gu, Gu Changsong.
Su Ning's current husband, Gu Feng's adoptive father.
Shen Ming didn't respond.
Su Yuyan seemed to know what she was thinking. Seizing the moment when she was lost in thought, he flicked her forehead with his fingers.
He flicked hard, and the pain made her look up.
"Just came back to the Su family, don't be so eager to make enemies. Mom's temper has always been one to take kindness, not harshness. Shen Ming, take it easy."
He was advising her.
She understood the reasoning behind it. Otherwise, she would have already torn into Gu Feng at the dinner table.
Su Yuyan spoke again.
"That old car of yours, how many years has it been? Can you even drive it? Tomorrow, come to my car dealership, and I'll get you a new one."
A new car.
Shen Ming's eyes lit up.
A sudden warmth filled her chest.
She knew this was Su Yuyan's way of compensating her for his unspoken understanding of the truth.
It was a form of restitution for her.
She patted his shoulder.
"Alright, thanks, big brother. Let's go. Don't just stand here, I'll personally send you to your car."
Su Yuyan got her a limited edition luxury car.
There were few people in the city who had one.
That day, when she picked up the car, Shen Ming went to pick up Xiao Wu. She took a picture with him in front of the car and posted it on her social media.
"Thanks to my big brother for the reward."
Xiao Wu was shocked by the scene.
"Sister Ming, isn't this too flashy?"
"Flashy? I don't think so."
Xiao Wu followed her.
He had started to notice that this woman was hiding something deeper than it appeared.
"Shouldn't you just crop me out of the picture? I'm scared."
Shen Ming rolled her eyes at him.
"Scared of what? Are you afraid that Xiao Liu will come after you when he gets out? Don't worry, you're mine. Anyone who bullies you is bullying me. Stick close to me and work hard, I won't treat you unfairly."
With that, Xiao Wu finally relaxed.
The photo quickly spread around the circle.
Shen Ming had won her first battle. Not only in the Su family but also in the social circle, her reputation was rising.
By securing the difficult Hua Yi case, she had made a name for herself.
Su San Ye himself rewarded her with a luxury car.
This meant that the newly returned young lady would have her place in the Su family.
Soon after, Rong Tianqi called to congratulate her, and a few days later, Rong Zhaonan finally made the call.
"Big Brother, if you're calling to stand up for your little Feng, then let's not bother talking."
He was clearly fuming.
Rong Zhaonan ignored her anger and said to her, "It's been a few days. Come out tomorrow and meet me."
She was reviewing some materials on her end.
She put down the pen in her hand.
"Tomorrow? I don't have time. I've scheduled to watch a match, sorry."
She had just returned from a business trip abroad and had heard about her win with the Hua Yi case. The whole city was talking about it.
As soon as she got off the plane, she called her, only to be met with a refusal.
"Go check and see what match she's watching tomorrow."
"Yes."
What she was going to watch was Su Shangjin's equestrian final.
Indeed, she was given a prominent seat, but after just a few minutes inside, someone invited her to the VIP room upstairs.
The person who invited her was someone she recognized—one of Gu Feng's close friends.
It seemed that their group of high-society girls was just a bunch of plastic sisters.
"Miss Sun, I've heard my brother mention you. Your art exhibition will be held next month. I'll definitely be there to support you."
Sun Yue was overjoyed.
"You mean, Third Master has mentioned me?"