Chapter 34 Frenzy

Chapter 34: Madness

Although the old man was unkind, as his granddaughter, Su Mi still had to keep up appearances. She decided to pay her last respects.

It must be said that some media outlets are rightly called paparazzi—they can smell a story a mile away. Several groups of reporters had already gathered at the hospital entrance, clearly all vying for the latest scoop.

As a leader in the consumer goods industry, even though he had retired from an active role, news of the old man's death was still worthy of attention.

Taking the VIP elevator to the sixth-floor emergency room, the corridor was already jammed inside and out with people. Everyone stared fixedly at the operating room door, their expressions filled with worry. Those with better acting skills were even wailing dramatically, their grief appearing utterly sincere.

Before long, Su Min, who had been at the company, rushed over. Even though he knew his father was on his last legs, seeing the operating room light still filled him with uncontrollable sorrow.

If others were like this, the emotional female lead was even more so. She threw herself into the male lead's arms, weeping loudly—a sight that would sadden anyone who saw or heard it.

Not long after, the operating room door opened. A doctor emerged, his steps heavy. Facing the anxious gazes, he could only look toward Su Min. "I'm sorry, Chairman Su. We've done all we could. The old man suffered a cerebral hemorrhage due to hypertension. Despite our efforts, he has died."

"Dad!"

The Third Branch of the Su Family was the first to burst into tears. As the body was wheeled out, the crowd rushed over, weeping uncontrollably.

Everyone was crying so hard they could barely catch their breath. Only Su Mi stood there on her phone. Remaining silent was already the greatest respect she could show the deceased.

"Grandpa! I'm sorry... It's all my fault. If only I had spent more time by your side, you wouldn't have ended up like this..." Su Ruanruan lay beside the body, tears pouring down her face. Soon after, Qi Yun pulled her back, holding her in his arms and comforting her softly.

Su Mi closed her eyes. Sometimes, she really couldn't help but want to say something. However, the deceased deserved respect, so today she would keep her mouth shut.

"Crocodile tears! It was you who caused the old man's condition!" The Fourth Branch of the Su Family glared angrily at Su Ruanruan. "If it weren't for your shameless behavior, would the old man's blood pressure have kept spiking like that?!"

"It was because of the disgrace you caused last time that the old man ended up in the emergency room, and his health collapsed all at once. How did our Su Family raise such a shameless thing?!"

Hearing this, Qi Yun immediately shot a cold glare at the speaker. The latter seemed intimidated and ultimately said nothing more.

The Third Branch of the Su Family quickly turned their attention to the lawyer standing silently at the back. "Didn't the old man want to read the will earlier? Can it be announced now?"

The corridor was in chaos. Su Min, his eyes red, looked displeased at the crowd. "The will can wait. Right now, handling Dad's funeral arrangements is the priority."

Seeing this, the others could say no more. However, as their eyes met, suspicion inevitably arose. No matter what, they had to keep a close watch on this lawyer to prevent anyone from tampering with the will.

The funeral arrangements were naturally handled by Su Min. Su Mi didn't do much; she only needed to go through the motions when necessary.

But some people couldn't stay quiet. Not long after returning home, a noisy argument broke out downstairs again. It turned out the others were worried the will might be tampered with and wanted the lawyer to announce it as soon as possible.

This time, other elderly members of the Su Family also arrived, acting as if they were there to oversee things.

Perhaps not wanting the will to sow discord and suspicion among everyone, Su Min notified all Su Family descendants listed in the family register. Illegitimate children came out of the woodwork, so many the living room was packed. Only a few elderly men sat on the sofas.

Su Mi leaned back, listening to their noisy arguments. She would endure it for one day. After all, the old man had just died; making too big a scene now would cross a line of basic decency.

"Let me clarify first," the lawyer said solemnly. "Mr. Su did call me yesterday to amend the will. The content was exactly as everyone heard today: if Mr. Qi Yun was willing to marry into the Su Family, then Mr. Su's shares would be entirely left to Miss Su Ruanruan. If Mr. Lin Yue was willing to marry into the Su Family, then the shares would be entirely left to Miss Su Mi."

The lawyer lowered his head seriously. "However, as everyone heard today, neither Mr. Qi Yun nor Mr. Lin Yue is willing to marry into the family. Therefore, I can only announce the original will."

Hearing this, no one said anything. Wasn't the old man just stirring the pot? How could the Qi and Lin families, perfectly fine as they were, possibly agree to have their heirs marry into the Su Family? Anyone with half a brain knew it was impossible!

"I will now read the valid will left by the late Mr. Su Zhenan."

The lawyer opened a document and began reading. "I, Su Zhenan, hereby establish this will to dispose of certain properties under my name as follows."

"First, I voluntarily bequeath all properties under my name, totaling one hundred and sixty units, as well as five percent of the shares I hold in Su Group, to my second son, Su Min."

Hearing this, everyone unsurprisingly looked at Su Min. After all, Su Min was the legitimate heir; it was only natural for him to receive shares. But leaving *all* the properties to him? What did that make them?!

Su Mi took a sip of water, her face impassive. The old man had long since retired from day-to-day operations, so the shares he held weren't substantial. The largest shareholder in the company was her father. Even if left to the female lead, they wouldn't play a decisive role.

However, if the male lead obtained the shares from the female lead, he would have the right to formally join the board of directors. He would surely then scheme to oust all the Su Family members, just as in the original story. Back then, he used a perfectly good excuse: the Su Family were all parasites, and if not removed, they would hinder the company's future development.

Development was one thing; removing them from their positions would suffice. Did he have to drive them to utter ruin to fit his domineering CEO persona?

Pah! He was nothing but a self-righteous, selfish scumbag.

The lawyer continued reading. "Second, I voluntarily bequeath two percent of the shares under my name to my third son, Su Zhiyuan."

"Third, I voluntarily bequeath two percent of the shares under my name to my fourth son, Su Yi."

"Fourth, I voluntarily bequeath ten percent of the shares under my name to my granddaughter, Su Mi."

"Fifth, I voluntarily bequeath ten percent of the shares under my name to my adopted granddaughter, Su Ruanruan, along with all jewelry, antiques, and vehicles under my name."

The moment he finished speaking, the Third Branch instantly stood up, glaring furiously. "Why should she get anything? She probably caused the old man's death! Why should she inherit ten percent of the shares?!"

"Exactly! And all the jewelry, antiques, and vehicles? That little tramp doesn't deserve them!" The Fourth Branch of the Su Family frowned angrily, slamming the table.

The living room immediately erupted into chaos, with waves of discontent. Leaving shares for sons and a biological granddaughter was one thing—even if the granddaughter had mental issues, she was still blood-related. But why should an outsider get ten percent of the company's shares?!

And all that jewelry, antiques, and vehicles? Given the old man's collection, they were surely worth billions! And he just gave them away to an outsider, just like that?!

Was the old man out of his mind or what?!

"Ding! Key plot triggered!"

Su Mi suddenly jolted but quickly understood. Sure enough, this was also a point of bitterness for the original Su Mi. As the biological granddaughter, she received less than the female lead. How could she ever accept that?

"I... I didn't... I don't know..."

Facing the sharp accusations from the crowd, Su Ruanruan's eyes reddened as she kept waving her hands and backing away. "I didn't know Grandpa would do this..."

"You didn't know? If you didn't know, then don't take it!"

Su Mi suddenly stood up, sweeping all the vases and teacups off the table. She grabbed an old man nearby and began shaking him wildly. "Why?! Why did that old bastard do this to me?! I'm his biological granddaughter! Why would he do this to me?!"

"He'd rather leave all the family heirlooms to an outsider than to his own granddaughter! How could he do this? What did I ever do to wrong him?! Aaaaaah, tell me why?!"

The old man whose shoulders she was violently shaking turned pale, looking like he was about to be shaken to pieces. He could only hurriedly agree and comfort her. "Y-you... calm down... let's talk this through..."

"Aaaaaah, I can't accept it! Why did that old bastard do this to me?!"

Su Mi then grabbed another old man and shook him, her expression particularly deranged. "I'm the Su Family's biological granddaughter! He'd rather leave everything to an outsider than to me. I think he did too many wicked deeds, and our ancestors couldn't stand it anymore, so they took him away! Don't you agree?!"

"Ah... y-yes, yes..." The old man, shaken until his face was ashen, hurriedly broke free from her grip and tried to leave.

The others were also scared out of their wits by this scene. At this point, who cared about the will? They could only quickly stand up and head for the exit. If they were a step late, they might not even keep their lives.

"Aaaaaah, why? Tell me why?! What about me isn't good enough?! Why would he do this to me?!" Su Mi grabbed someone else, interrogating them frantically.

The unfortunate person caught was the Third Branch of the Su Family, whose face also turned pale. She hurriedly agreed, "Mimi, you're generous, elegant, beautiful, polite, well-behaved, and sensible! How could Su Ruanruan ever compare to you? It was the old man who was blind, he was senile! L-listen... be good... let's talk this through properly..."

“Su Ruanruan behaved so shamelessly, yet the old man still doted on her exclusively. Why—why would he do such a thing?! Even the ancestors could no longer bear it and summoned him for interrogation. This is clearly the consequence of his reckless favoritism!”

Everyone else had long since fled, leaving only the woman from the Third Branch of the Su family—on the verge of tears, struggling desperately to wrench her arm free from Su Mi’s iron grip. Yet Su Mi’s strength was overwhelming; the woman could only nod frantically in agreement: “Yes, yes—he deserved an early death. Let’s not argue with the dead.”

Apparently placated, Su Mi shifted her gaze and locked it onto the trembling Su Ruanruan. She strode forward, seized her by both shoulders, and shook her violently. “Why do you call me ‘sister’?! I’ve told you countless times—I’m *not* your sister! And I certainly don’t have a shameless sister like you!”

“That scumbag treated you like dirt—and yet you still threw yourself into his arms without shame! Can’t you survive without a man?!”

“What did you swear to me before?! You promised to break up with him! To sever all ties! Do you have *shit for brains*?! If he’s the only person in your eyes and heart—then why did you even come back?! Crying every single day—you’re the one who cried the old man to death! What else can you possibly do besides cry?!!”

Su Ruanruan shook like a leaf in a gale. Hearing these words, she couldn’t stop sobbing. It was true—she was useless, spineless—but she truly didn’t know what else to do.

“Can’t you grow a backbone?! Call that damn scumbag *right now* and break up with him!” Su Mi suddenly whipped out her phone.

Su Ruanruan’s mind was fogged, disoriented—she had no idea how to respond. Staring at her sister’s furious, unhinged expression, she could only choke out a whimpering confession into the phone: “Grandpa… Grandpa died. I can’t marry you—so… we should break up!”

Hearing this feeble, half-coherent statement, Su Mi frowned deeply. After hanging up, she fixed Su Ruanruan with a sinister glare. “Let me make one thing clear: as long as I draw breath—even for one more day—you will *not* get married! Cry, cry, cry—you’re the one who tore this family apart! And you’re *still* crying? Do you think his death wasn’t tragic enough? Do you need to drive *all* of us away before you’re satisfied?!”

Su Ruanruan clapped a hand over her mouth, straining to stifle her sobs. Perhaps she truly couldn’t hold back any longer—she could only whimper softly as she bolted from the villa.

The once-crowded living room instantly emptied into silence.

All the servants held their breath, frozen in place—not daring to take a single step, terrified of provoking the eldest young mistress in the throes of a breakdown.

Mrs. Su watched her daughter with deep concern. The doctor had explicitly stated her condition had improved—so why now…?

*Ding! Host’s luck points +60!*

Scolding someone immediately after the patriarch’s death might be considered impolite—but between morality and luck points, she’d choose the latter. After all, she’d never possessed much morality to begin with.

It was rare to gain so many points at once. Su Mi felt utterly invigorated. One more round—and she’d surpass the female lead. Then she could alter the plot’s trajectory, freeing everyone from its rigid constraints.

“Quick—quickly, fetch Dr. Wang…” Su Min urgently signaled to the butler.

“I’m not sick. I’m just speaking the truth.” Su Mi sat down defiantly, then picked up a banana from the floor, peeled it, and began eating. “Was I wrong? It was the old man’s own unreasonable behavior—doting not on his *own* granddaughter but on an outsider—that prompted the ancestors to summon him early.”

“And Su Ruanruan? All she does is cry—day in, day out. Even someone in the best mood would grow irritated by her constant weeping. She has *no backbone*, is utterly infatuated with a man, and nearly sacrificed her life for him. Isn’t that having *shit for brains*?”

“Especially my uncle and aunt—they do nothing but bicker and fight. ‘Reputation, reputation!’ I’ve yet to see them lift a finger to bring honor to the Su family. They’re so loud—each one louder than the last!”

Having finished her banana, she rose and walked straight upstairs.

Only the lawyer remained rooted in place, drenched in cold sweat. Though he’d heard Old Master Su mention his mentally unstable granddaughter, only witnessing it firsthand revealed the full, chilling extent of it…

He’d heard Miss Su was exceptionally skilled in martial arts—no wonder everyone scattered so fast…

“We’ll discuss the will another day.” Su Min said helplessly to the lawyer, then gestured for a servant to escort him out.

Less than half an hour after Su Mi returned to her room, a knock sounded at the door. Unsurprisingly, it was the previous psychologist—accompanied by two unfamiliar psychiatrists. A joint consultation appeared imminent.

This time, the doctors had her play several computer-based mini-games—ostensibly to assess cognitive function. There were countless numbers involved, rigorously testing her memory.

After completing the battery of tests, the two doctors exchanged hushed, incredulous whispers. Logically, there shouldn’t be *any* issues—so why did the family describe symptoms so severe?

“Miss Su,” the doctor asked cautiously, “we heard you… lost emotional control earlier?”

Su Mi frowned slightly. “Did I hit anyone? I didn’t hit anyone—so how is that ‘losing control’? My emotions are perfectly stable.”

She’d merely raised her voice—*slightly*. Moreover, she’d vented her inner turmoil with reason and evidence—neither disturbing public order nor endangering anyone’s physical safety.

“Yes… but emotional responses follow a progressive process—they also serve as signals to others. Your sudden, unannounced outburst inevitably leads others to suspect underlying emotional instability. So next time, before venting, you might first utter a few harsh words—then smash something. That way, those around you will realize *they* said something wrong—and won’t assume you’re ill.” The doctor offered the suggestion with extreme caution.

Su Mi found this even more uncomfortable. Signal others first? By then, everyone would’ve already fled. Where would she go to act crazy?

“I understand. I’ll try to adopt a more gradual process next time.” She replied perfunctorily.

Hearing this, the doctor nodded repeatedly, offered a few additional reminders, and then they all departed.

Indifferent to whatever the doctors reported to her parents, Su Mi headed to the gym for her usual training. Yet the entire villa had fallen eerily silent. Late into the night—not a sound stirred. Had she not known everyone feared disturbing her, she might have thought the place haunted.

She had no idea when—or even *if*—they’d reread the will again. No one notified her—probably fearing another episode upon hearing the distribution details.

In fact, it wasn’t *that* bad. She’d assumed the old man left her *nothing*—but he’d actually bequeathed her ten percent. Still, it was understandable why the original host harbored such resentment. As the biological granddaughter, she received far less than the female lead. Those antiques, jewelry, and vehicles alone were worth several billion. The old man’s blatant favoritism was undeniable.

For the next few days, no one disturbed her with procedural matters. However, the female lead sent her a message stating she’d voluntarily gifted *all* her shares, antiques, jewelry, and vehicles to Su Min—and had already signed the transfer agreement.

When Su Mi inquired further, she learned the other party had made this decision *without informing* the male lead.

Moreover, the female lead declared she would continue her relationship with the male lead—but would accept *not a single cent* from the Su family. So, no one needed to worry.

Su Mi asked why she hadn’t delivered the news in person. The female lead replied she feared she’d burst into tears and upset Su Mi—so it was better not to meet.

…

At a loss for words, Su Mi brought it up with her father during a meal. He confirmed it was true—but since these assets had been expressly left to the other party by the old man, he could only hold them in trust for now. Later, if the female lead encountered hardship—or finally recognized the male lead’s true nature—he would liquidate them and return the funds to her.

He spoke with extreme caution—as if deeply afraid she’d erupt in anger. But there was *nothing* to be angry about. She was only concerned the scumbag male lead might covet control of the company. As for how much money the female lead received—that was entirely *her* business. Su Mi couldn’t strip the female lead of her inheritance rights simply because the old man had been biased.

Liquidating the assets was ideal—then she wouldn’t have to worry about the male lead meddling in corporate affairs.

Though the will remained identical to the original narrative, the female lead’s choice had shifted. She’d even concealed it from the male lead—proof the plot was still evolving.

Perhaps once her luck points surpassed the female lead’s, she could truly *jolt* her love-blinded brain awake. There were countless men in the world—even the second male lead was infinitely superior to that idiot. Aside from being slightly naive, he was already a rare *yuan zhong*: excellent family background, fiercely loyal, and decent-looking. He dwarfed the male lead—who was arrogant, selfish, and obsessed with psychological manipulation.

Of course, she’d do her utmost to redirect the plot—and grant the third female lead a fresh start too. But if, in the end, one or both stubbornly insisted on walking the same doomed path, she could only respect their fate.

Naturally, her primary grievance was the male lead ending up with the female lead. Only by ensuring he gained *nothing* would this pretentious jerk finally confront reality.

On the seventh day after the patriarch’s death, the burial took place. Early that morning, Su Mi dressed in black and went to the funeral home to attend the old man’s service. Rain fell steadily—but it failed to deter media reporters, who swarmed outside, only to be blocked by security.

Inside the mourning hall, mourners filed in one by one—offering incense, bowing deeply, and murmuring condolences with pained expressions.

What genuine familial affection exists among the wealthy? Though everyone shed tears, deep down they were likely cursing the old man for his bias. Perhaps only her father would shed a few quiet tears in the dead of night—when no one was watching.

When it came time for the Qi family to pay respects, her mother—fearing Su Mi might lash out—*specifically* asked her to rest elsewhere for a while.

Ignoring the idiot male lead entirely, Su Mi sat alone in the corridor scrolling through her phone. She’d decided to have Sister Zhou release a wave of damaging information about her—guaranteeing public outrage and triggering a task to boost her luck points.

Otherwise, sitting idle solved nothing. What if the third female lead lost control—and killed someone?

“Why are you sitting here alone?”

At that moment, the Fourth Branch of the Su family approached—wearing a look of grave concern. “People really are different. Just now, I saw that little *jian ti zi* Ruan Ruan and Qi Yun tugging at each other in the back. This is a *mourning hall*—the old man’s body isn’t even cold yet. Look at how she’s behaving!”

“The old man treated her so well—leaving her *all* the finest things. And how does she repay him? On the *seventh day* after his death—she’s tugging and pulling with a man! Isn’t that utterly shameless? She’s truly an ungrateful *bai yan lang*!”

Su Mi remained silent—merely observing the other party’s indignant, relentless tirade.

“You’re the Su family’s *only* biological granddaughter. Those things should’ve gone to *you*. What was the old man thinking? Was he *hutu*?”

The Fourth Branch of the Su family glanced around as she spoke, leaning her head closer. "I think the old man was driven to his grave by that little bitch. What right does someone like her have to take the Su family's assets? Anyway, you're mentally ill—even if you stabbed her to death, you wouldn't go to jail. Once she's dead, all those things would be yours."

Su Mi nodded as if a lightbulb had gone off. "You know, you've got a point there, Auntie. But what if someone finds out? How about I stab you to death first, then go stab her? That way, no one would ever know."

Hearing this, the woman was so frightened she immediately collapsed to the floor, waving her hands frantically. "Don't scare your auntie! I was just joking! Killing is against the law! You absolutely must not kill anyone!"

"But I'm mentally ill. Didn't you say I wouldn't go to jail for it?" Su Mi's expression turned sinister as she stepped closer.

Sweat beaded on the other woman's forehead as she scuttled backward, her face paling dramatically. "No, no! Killing is still a crime even if you're mentally ill! You mustn't ruin yourself! You're still young—you can't throw your life away over a little bitch!"

Su Mi pressed a hand on her shoulder, her gaze boring into the woman's throat. "Then what did you mean by all that? Were you just teasing me? Auntie, you know I tend to take things seriously."

"No, no... I was just joking..." Suddenly finding strength from somewhere, the woman broke free in panic and fled out the door.

Su Mi couldn't help but roll her eyes. With such little courage, how dare she come and incite her to kill?