Chapter 39 Scheming

Chapter 39: Plotting

After leaving the hotel, Su Mi got into the car without a word. She had made some progress today. She had been somewhat dissatisfied with the suspended sentence from the first trial, but now, that pretentious male lead had practically handed her more evidence on a silver platter. By the second trial, she might just be able to put him away.

Oh, he probably thinks he's all aloof and domineering, never imagining someone would sue him over a heated exchange. Well, today she's going to thoroughly teach these wannabe tyrant CEOs a lesson.

He wants to take her down with him? Let's see who ends up behind bars first!

Seeing his daughter remain silent the whole way, Su Min didn't dare make a sound either. Honestly, even he wasn't sure if she had any mental health problems.

On one hand, she would often fly into a violent rage and hit people without any warning, her emotions completely out of control. But on the other hand, it was always those people who provoked her first. So, he was at a loss.

Still, he was quite satisfied with his daughter's current state. A girl should learn to protect herself. That way, he could be at peace when he's gone. She certainly couldn't be like Ruan Ruan with her temperament—that would drive people to an early grave.

Upon returning home, Su Mi immediately logged into her exposé account to make a post. Of course, this time she wasn't going to stir the pot directly. Continuously targeting the male lead would make her gossip account seem biased.

This time, she was going to set a trap for that creepy antagonist. That guy was always slithering around with his phony concern, clearly still trying to weasel his way in and then inherit the family fortune. If it weren't for this creep, the original host wouldn't have gone down that path of no return.

After sending the male lead to prison, she planned to send that creepy antagonist right in after him. The original host probably didn't even believe the antagonist was using her until she was behind bars. It just goes to show: trusting men brings a lifetime of misfortune.

OP: Some have asked to expose the relationship between the scumbag and L. Let's steer clear of that topic for now to avoid getting the post deleted. So today, let's talk about the situation with the S family.

Don't be fooled by the S family's wealth. In the eyes of conventional society, a woman taking over the family business isn't fully accepted. This inevitably attracts people like the scumbag, who want to marry into the family and effortlessly seize the S family's immense fortune.

The creep is one of them. While the scumbag targeted the younger sister, he set his sights on the older sister. He's constantly offering fake warmth, thinking a girl like S must have vulnerable moments. That way, he can slowly wear down her defenses and then plot to take over her family's assets.

Both the creep and the scumbag come from wealthy families themselves, but nobody ever thinks they have enough money. The S family is like a juicy piece of meat that anyone would covet. The creep expresses his "concern" every so often.

But S isn't buying it. No matter how much she tries to keep her distance, the creep keeps pushing his way in, full of arrogant confidence. Actually, S has toned down a lot lately; she doesn't even hit people anymore. Otherwise, she'd definitely have beaten up the creep by now.

S and the scumbag are locked in a fight to the death. The second trial will probably take about another month to start. Everyone can just wait for the outcome.

#1: If S really sends the scumbag to prison, then I'll hail her as the beacon of hope for women!!!

#2: Ugh, the creep is so disgusting. Suddenly L doesn't seem so bad anymore. At least L isn't greasy.

#3: Without comparison, there's no harm. It's all thanks to the terrible competition that L looks good by comparison [crying-laughing emoji]

#4: Why are these men so disgusting? They have no ability themselves and just want to marry into wealthy families to inherit everything [vomiting emoji]

#5: Can someone expose who this creep is? So even among the rich there are mediocre and arrogant men [vomiting emoji]

#6: S seems to have it pretty tough too. Guarding such a huge family business all alone, surrounded by nothing but trash. I'd have suffocated long ago [crying-laughing emoji]

#7: When is the second trial? I really want to attend the hearing. It's bound to be super dramatic and exciting [drooling emoji]

#8: The scumbag is still hiring internet trolls to twist the story and blame others. It really hits a new low of what's acceptable [vomiting emoji]

#9: Why can't women inherit family businesses? Support S in building her career! And the fiancée should stand up too! Let all those bastards go to hell!

#10: TV dramas always show women as materialistic and fighting over men. Actually, these scumbag men are even more opportunistic. They'd do anything for money—deceive for marriage, deceive for sex [vomiting emoji]

#11: Because the investors are all men. They love watching women fight and be jealous over men. How could they accept dramas that expose how disgusting men can be? [smiling face emoji]

#12: Hahahaha I suddenly remembered Cheng Yu. His fans used to say S was riding her brother's coattails [crying-laughing emoji]

#13: Cheng Yu's fans don't dare show their faces anymore. Probably afraid S will cut all of her brother's scenes [crying-laughing emoji]

#14: Cheng Yu obviously wants to latch onto this powerful connection, right? Otherwise, why would he accept being a glorified extra for a complete unknown?

#15: I kinda hope S can blacklist that white lotus, so she stops being so disgusting [vomiting emoji]

Su Mi suddenly remembered what Sister Zhou had said earlier—that drama was about to be finalized for broadcast. Capitalizing on the recent hype would also save a ton on promotion costs. It really was the perfect timing.

Actually, she was a bit hesitant. Quitting the entertainment industry now felt like a waste, especially with all her acting talent points. She should at least win an award before leaving. Anything worth doing should be done to the top of its field.

But the scripts Sister Zhou brought her were all pretty mediocre, mostly catering to male tastes. Even the so-called art films were just a bunch of meaningless whining, only highlighting romance.

But it didn't matter. With money, the domestic entertainment industry was never short of good screenwriters. It's just that some things screenwriters didn't dare to write.

She immediately sent Sister Zhou a message, instructing her to find a skilled screenwriter to write a story about a girl growing up in a family that favors sons over daughters, who later faces bullying at school and workplace harassment, ultimately leading her to jump to her death because she couldn't take it anymore.

Of course, that was just the backstory. Later, the girl is sent back in time to when she was being bullied at school. This time, she decides to fight back, actively collecting evidence and reporting it to the police to protect her rights.

Just as her parents think she's causing trouble and her teachers think she's ruining the school's reputation, she leaves both school and home for another city, completely cutting out all the people and things that made her unhappy.

Later, through part-time jobs, she saves up money to retake her college entrance exams. In university, she meets her other half, and with him, she lands a good job and builds an enviable family.

The ending reveals that this life was just the female lead's fantasy. She actually died on the night she jumped. Why have this twist? Because she wants to tell everyone that life only happens once; there are no do-overs. Everyone can start changing themselves and fighting back from now on. Don't wait for the future to regret your past compromises.

Instead of glorifying women's suffering, it's better to awaken more people who believe in turning the other cheek. Only by loving yourself can you have a better future.

After hearing her story outline, Sister Zhou didn't offer any other opinions, just said she'd find a screenwriter to write the script as soon as possible.

What's the point of having money? Of course, it's to do what you want. Su Mi told Sister Zhou they would invest in this project themselves, without letting other investors meddle, to avoid a bunch of nagging and trouble.

It was still too early to fully take over the company. She could act while taking finance and management courses. Neither would interfere with the other. It was just a matter of two or three months anyway.

But right now, she was still short on luck points to convert into finance and management talent. That pretentious male lead always managed to avoid the original host's triggers. She had trained in combat for so long but never got to punch him. Thinking about it was still frustrating.

Triggering tasks was getting harder and harder. When she went to the company the next day, she suddenly discovered that the charity donation funds that had mysteriously disappeared before had been quietly returned. No need to guess—it was definitely those people who were afraid she would report them to the police, so they weighed the pros and cons and returned the money.

At least they knew what was good for them. If they pulled something like this again, don't blame her for turning her back on them.

Since it was a charity event organized by her own company, she also picked out a sapphire necklace from her collection to donate for auction. These were all jewelry her mother had bought for her. She usually couldn't bear to wear them, mainly because what if they got damaged during a fight?

As the host of her own company's event, of course she couldn't disrupt her own party. So, for this day, she abandoned her casual clothes and put on a deep blue strapless evening gown, entering the venue on her father's arm.

There seemed to be a similar plot point in the original story, meant to highlight the male lead's overbearing nature, where he bids on a wedding gift for the female lead, making her even more infatuated.

It just goes to show, the female lead's brain must be full of crap. Instead of being a wealthy woman living her best life, she insists on being a man's accessory. Clearly, she's beyond saving.

They had just entered when many people swarmed over, their words effusive with praise. "Chairman Su, you are truly blessed. Your daughter is not only exceptionally capable but also possesses stunning beauty. It's really something to envy."

"Like father, like daughter. If I had a daughter like yours, I'd be laughing in my dreams."

Noticing an old bald man leering at her chest, Su Mi narrowed her eyes and grabbed the few remaining strands of hair on his head. "If you have cataracts, go see a doctor. Who wants to look at your dead-fish eyes all day?"

Seeing this, the others quickly scattered, not daring to approach and curry favor anymore.

Are you kidding? Everyone knew about Miss Su's fighting skills. Rumor had it she even had a mental illness. What if they got accidentally injured later?

"I... I'm farsighted... sorry... I didn't wear my glasses today..." The man in question winced in pain, his face twitching.

"You dare wander around without your glasses? If I catch you staring again, I'll gouge your eyes out!" Su Mi disgustedly let go of those few strands of hair.

The man immediately covered his head and ran off in fright. After that, no one else dared to approach and try to get close.

Only Su Min stood there calmly and composedly. His daughter hadn't resorted to physical violence, which meant her emotions were much more stable now. In the past, she would have definitely beaten someone until they were hospitalized.

He was used to seeing her in casual clothes at every event, so her suddenly dressing so formally today made him feel a bit uncomfortable.

"I'm going to wash my hands. You can go in first." Su Mi headed straight for the restroom.

She hated nothing more than putting up with harassment 'for the greater good.' So what if it was her own company's event? If these people couldn't act right, she sure as hell didn't owe them any courtesy. Next time they leered at her, she'd break their legs.

She spent several minutes washing her hands in the restroom. By the time she entered the auction hall, it was already packed. As long as someone was wealthy enough, her company had sent an invitation, business ties or not, and no one would dare snub her company.

Of course, she had also sent an invitation to the male lead, Lin Yue. If he came, he would definitely bid on something, and in the end, the profit would still go to their company. Why not take advantage of the opportunity?

Take what you can, sue when you must—there's no conflict there.

After sitting in the first-row center seat, she asked her assistant to fetch a shawl and adjust the temperature in the area, as the air conditioning was blowing uncomfortably cold.

"Sister..."

Not long after, she saw the female lead walk out wearing a goose-yellow evening gown, with that same timid, submissive look on her face, as if she had been bullied yet again by her wicked sister.

"Next month... Qi Yun and I are getting married. Will you... and Mom and Dad come?" Su Ruanruan looked at her with hopeful eyes.

Su Mi didn't even bother to look up. "If you want us there, of course we'll come."

Provided that Lin Yue wasn't in jail. If he ended up behind bars, the wedding probably wouldn't happen.

Even if it was just a suspended sentence, that would be fine too. Let them get married. She was worried about not having any plot to trigger tasks, and now one was served right up.

"Really?" Su Ruanruan's eyes lit up, as if she hadn't expected her to agree.

Even though she knew it wasn't appropriate to get married so soon after Grandpa's passing, Qi Yun said he didn't want her to suffer any more indignities. Only by getting married could they dispel the rumors, so she had no choice but to choose this timing. Regardless, she still hoped her parents and sister would attend. But even if they didn't, she wouldn't mind.

"What do you like? I'll bid on it as a wedding gift for you." Su Mi glanced at Qi Xi, who was secretly eavesdropping nearby.

Su Ruanruan immediately shook her head. "I'm already so happy that you're willing to come. That's enough; nothing else is needed."

"How can that be? Or do you think I'm that stingy?" She frowned.

Hearing this, Su Ruanruan quickly explained, "No, that's not what I meant. I... I like that pair of jade earrings on the auction list."

She had looked through the auction list, and those jade earrings had the lowest starting price, so her sister wouldn't have to spend too much.

"You really like them? Are they a must-have?" Su Mi asked seriously.

Their eyes met, and Su Ruanruan gritted her teeth and nodded.

Seeing this, Su Mi suppressed a smile. "Alright, I understand."

As if afraid Qi Yun would come looking for her, Su Ruanruan didn't linger any longer and hurried off to another row, gathering her skirts.

Seeing the second male lead still eavesdropping with feigned seriousness, Su Mi could only lower her head to hide the smile on her lips. That idiot would definitely spare no expense to buy those earrings to please the female lead.

After all, the proceeds would go to her foundation, meaning their charity donations would increase. Failing to fleece him would be an insult after all the disgust she'd endured from these two brothers.

"What did Ruan Ruan just say?" Su Min walked over after greeting some acquaintances.

He had to keep an eye on his daughter at all times. However, he hadn't expected her to set aside past grievances and send an invitation to the Qi family. What was even more unbelievable was that Qi Yun actually had the nerve to show up.

"She invited us to her wedding, and I agreed." Su Mi said impassively.

Hearing this, Su Min frowned instead. His daughter actually agreed to attend this wedding???

But upon second thought, she was probably just trying to keep the Qi family quiet so she could focus wholeheartedly on the second trial of the lawsuit.

Thinking this way, his confusion vanished, and he sat down properly to wait for the auction to begin.

Su Mi was also skeptical about the male lead, that pretentious jerk, coming to give them money. Given his usual style, he was probably up to no good. Otherwise, why would he deign to attend a rival's event?

After some thought, she instructed her assistant to keep a close watch on all the surveillance inside and outside the hall, making sure there were no sudden 'surveillance malfunctions' again.

As long as she had the surveillance footage, no matter what tricks he tried to pull, she could turn around and sue him.

As the auctioneer took the stage, the lights in the venue dimmed. After the host gave a lengthy speech about the philosophy and social significance of the charity auction, the first auction item was brought up.

It was a pure gold openwork carved handbag passed down from an ancient palace, highly collectible for those who loved opulent styles.

The starting bid was three million, and it quickly rose to eight million under the bidding of several wealthy women, eventually won by a young heiress.

Rich people, of course, had no shortage of daughters. Only those with narrow minds believed a woman's wealth always came from a man.

The second item was a peony carved from Hetian jade. Under the lights, it looked like a real blooming peony, with no trace of being a jade carving—truly dreamlike. For such artworks, she felt they held great aesthetic value.

The starting bid was five million. When others had bid enough, she raised her paddle. The few who had been bidding fiercely moments ago suddenly fell silent, and no one competed with her further. In the end, she won the jade peony for 7.5 million.

"In the future, if Dad comes across good jade material, I'll have someone carve something for you too." Su Min said with a loving expression.

Su Mi sat there expressionlessly. "You should make a bracelet for Mom instead."

Each should cherish their own spouse. Just because they're middle-aged doesn't mean they should skip the formalities. Often, it's at this age that the need for emotional connection is even greater. Her mother had endured the old man's ways for so many years—one could only imagine how difficult it had been.

"Both, I'll have both made." Su Min broke into a cold sweat and sat there in silence.

The next few items sold for prices in the tens of millions range. When a diamond tiara was brought up, among the voices calling out bids, she clearly heard the male lead's voice—mainly because his pretentiousness was hard to ignore.

What was he buying this for? Definitely to give to the female lead as a wedding gift. That love-struck female lead would probably be moved to tears.

"Twenty million, once for gentleman number nine."

Hearing "number nine," Su Mi glanced toward Lin Yue again. What was he up to? She certainly hadn't invited him to act as a shill to drive up prices.

"Thirty million."

"Once for gentleman number eleven, thirty million."

Hearing the two of them bidding, everyone else immediately lost interest. It was said that this President Qi and President Lin didn't get along well either. Now, it seemed there was some drama to watch.

"Don't, stop bidding." Su Ruanruan whispered quietly.

Lin Yue was definitely buying it for her sister. How could she compete with her sister for something?

Qi Yun took the opportunity to hold her hand, his gaze intense. "You didn't like the custom-made one last time. This one seems perfect for you."

Their eyes met, and Su Ruanruan blushed but still shook her head. "I don't like this one. Please stop bidding."

"Thirty-five million, once for gentleman number nine, thirty-five million."

Hearing him insist on opposing him, Qi Yun's expression turned cold, and he raised his paddle again. "Forty million."

Forty million!?

Everyone looked sideways in surprise. It was the first time they had seen bidding like this. It seemed President Qi really liked Su Ruanruan, willing to spend a fortune for her. But if he liked her so much, why had he made her the other woman?

"Forty-eight million."

"Forty-eight million. Going once for the gentleman at number nine."

A murmur ran through the crowd. No matter how you looked at it, this crown wasn't worth forty million, yet it had now been driven up to such a crazy price.

"Fifty million."

"Fifty million once for the gentleman at number eleven! Any further bids?" The auctioneer's voice grew more excited with each call.

"Fifty million twice for the gentleman at number eleven, fifty million three times! Sold! Congratulations to the gentleman at number eleven!"

In an instant, everyone looked at Qi Yun with peculiar expressions. To impress his date, this President Qi was truly willing to go to extreme lengths.

Upon hearing the word "sold," Qi Yun's face turned even colder. The other party had clearly been deliberately driving up the price. They were indeed birds of a feather with that crazy woman.

Seeing the crown go to the male lead, Su Mi instantly understood Lin Yue's intention. He was deliberately messing with the male lead. After all, in front of the female lead, no matter how high the price, the male lead would keep bidding.

After a moment's thought, she took out her phone and sent him a message.

Su Mi: What, do you want me to give you a commission?

Lin Yue: I'm just doing my part for charity. If he hadn't bid, I would have bought it anyway.

Lin Yue: Every queen deserves a crown on her head. [cheek rest]

A load of sweet talk. Su Mi was unfazed and turned off her phone. However, the fact that he had made the male lead pay through the nose suited her intentions perfectly. Otherwise, why would she have sent him an invitation?

When the pair of jadeite earrings were brought up later, the starting bid was one million. That idiot, the second male lead, immediately called out three million.

But before she could even place a bid, the woman at bidder fifteen, Huo Xuan, raised her paddle.

"Five million."

"Five million once for the lady at number fifteen! Any further bids?!"

Given the quality, they weren't worth five million at all. Everyone else looked at Huo Xuan as if she were a huge sucker.

"Six million!" Qi Xi immediately raised his paddle.

Instantly, everyone's gaze shifted to him. What was going on with these two Qi brothers? Were they both trying to outdo each other in charity?

And they were bidding on women's items. Could they both be for the same person?

Recalling the Qi family's romantic gossip, everyone began whispering about Su Ruanruan. Who would have thought she could still manipulate two men like this at such a time? Her usual innocent act must be just a facade. In private, she was probably quite the player.

"Seven million."

"Seven million for the lady at number fifteen. Any further bids?"

"Ten million!" Qi Xi raised his paddle again!

Amidst the gasps from the crowd, Qi Yun couldn't help but frown. He took out his phone and texted his brother to stop this nonsense.

"Ten million once, ten million twice, ten million three times! Congratulations to this gentleman!"

As the gavel fell, Qi Xi saw the lit screen of his phone. Yet, he chose to ignore it. He just wanted to give Ruan Ruan something she liked. Why couldn't his older brother even allow this? How could he be so selfish? After all, Ruan Ruan should have been his fiancée!

There were no more big spenders after that, but the auction proceeded quite smoothly overall. The total transaction volume left Su Mi very satisfied.

Just as she was about to inquire if the surveillance cameras were malfunctioning, she saw that moron, the second male lead, storming over angrily.

Then, with a shifty, evasive look, he angrily accused, "Did you deliberately have that Huo Xuan drive up the price? Ruan Ruan is so considerate and thinks of you, and you... you actually used her! How can you be so vicious?!"

"Ding! Key plot triggered!"

Su Mi frowned, observing the second male lead's shifty, evasive expression. It was clear he wasn't truly furious. Moreover, he hadn't dared to speak to her like this in a long time.

Glancing in the male lead's direction, she suddenly understood.

What a pretentious prick. He had figured out that in the past, every time his younger brother insulted her, she'd hit him. So, he was using the same old trick, hoping to provoke her into an outburst in front of everyone. That would help him overturn the verdict in his second trial.

No wonder he was willing to attend the auction today. So this was his plan. What a scheming lowlife!

"What did you say? I can't hear you. Shall we go over there and talk privately?" She kept smiling as she pulled out her phone.

Qi Xi instinctively took a step back, then braced himself and sneered, "If you're not guilty, why talk privately? I think you're up to no good!"

Su Mi held up her phone, showing the recording app. "Publicly slandering and damaging my reputation. Excellent. Next month, you can join your older brother behind bars."