Chapter 274 - You’re Making Fun of Me
Chapter 274: You’re Making Fun of Me
Su Li patiently signed on all the items placed before her, as Zhang Dashan and the policewoman stood eagerly waiting for their items to be marked. Su Li’s strokes were artistic and elegant, and her signature’s aesthetic beauty could be considered an art in itself.
“Thank you, Goddess Su Li!”
Zhang Dashan was overcome with joy. His eyes glazed dreamily as he stood admiring the items with Su Li had autographed. It was if he was staring at a heap of priceless treasure.
The policewoman was elated when she was handed back her signed notebook, carefully placing it back in her pocket.
When she finished the task, Su Li looked up with her bewitching eyes and gave them both a polite smile. She did not say a word but only took Su Xiaobei by the hand and made ready to leave.
Although Bei Bei was only three years old, she was undoubtedly much more mature than an average girl of her age. But when she realized that she was about to leave for good, the little child within emerged. She gazed at Xiao Luo, and suddenly burst into tears. She stretched her arms out toward Xiao Luo, and she was unwilling to leave.
“Daddy, daddy…!”
She cried miserably as tears rolled down her cheeks. She had to catch her breath in between sobs, and her eyes were all red and puffed up.
Su Li stopped at the door, turned around, and glanced at Xiao Luo, a look of surprise showed on her face. Su Xiaobei was an adopted child, and she was very sure who the biological father was. This person standing in front of her was definitely not him! What surprised her, even more, was that Su Xiaobei did not easily attach to anyone, especially a stranger. What made this man so different? She knitted her brows at the thought, feeling a sense of frustration.
“Su Xiaobei, I just told you, he isn’t your father,” Su Li said. She appeared a little agitated.
“No! I know he’s Bei Bei’s daddy, he’s my daddy in my dream. Mommy, you said that daddy lives here, you said so. Bei Bei has found him, why do you say that he’s not my daddy?”
Su Li felt the blood rush to her head, and her thoughts were cluttered. Su Xiaobei absolutely refused to budge, and Su Li, for the first time, was at a loss of what to do. She had coaxed the little girl into coming to Jiangcheng by convincing her that her father was here. It was bad enough she had to lie to get the child to come along for the trip, but it all turned into a nightmare when she was abducted while out for a walk with Su Li’s assistant. She was miraculously returned after a day, but now Su Xiaobei was insisting that a complete stranger was her father. Who could even believe that things could turn out the way it did?
Xiao Luo walked up to Bei Bei and gave her a big, warm smile. He playfully rubbed Su Xiaobei’s nose with his finger and said, “Bei Bei, you have to go home with mommy now. But I’ll go to see you when I have time, okay?”
“Really?”
Su Xiaobei stopped crying immediately. She was pouting as she looked at him with teary eyes.
“Yeah, really. I won’t lie to you,” Xiao Luo said, looking at her with reassuringly.
“Pinky promise?”
Su Xiaobei raised her little hand to Xiao Luo with her pinky sticking out, still sniffling.
A pinky promise?
Xiao Luo smiled, shaking his head and gently hooked his own pinky with her tiny finger.
“Our promise will last until the end of the world. Whoever that breaks this promise will reborn as a puppy!”
Su Xiaobei spoke softly with a solemn expression, taking the oath very seriously. In the eyes of an adult, it was no more than a childish act. But not for Bei Bei, as far as she was concerned the moment they hooked their fingers, this promised would be fulfilled.
And after they both hooked their pinkies, she wiped her tears away and smiled. She said, “Daddy, you must bring me to the fun park next time, okay.”
“Why don’t you ask your mother to bring you?” Xiao Luo asked. He spoke gently, still holding on to her pinky.
Su Xiaobei lowered voice and replied, “Mom’s always busy. Only Aunt Luo takes me out.”
Xiao Luo didn’t know how to react to what she said and could only offer a weak smile, feeling a bit awkward.
Su Li felt very hurt on the inside. Su Xiaobei wasn’t her biological daughter, but regardless, she had always treated her like her own. At times when she was busy at work, It was true that it was that she didn’t get the chance to spend quality time with Su Xiaobei. Even when they first arrived in Jiangcheng, Su Xiaobei pleaded for Su Li to accompany her out. But instead, Su Li asked her assistant, Luo Pingxiang, to take her, which ended in her being abducted.
…
…
As they were leaving, Su Li glanced at Xiao Luo again, he was different from the others. He hardly reacted to seeing her when he returned to his residence earlier. For the duration she had been there, he had remained as calm throughout, and she could tell that he wasn’t putting on an act. He seemed to have a good temperament and was not easily rattled, he was at one with himself.
How could he remain so calm?
Su Li couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
Miss Chai, the manager, remained behind. She had another issue to resolve with Xiao Luo and Zhang Dashan. Her job was now to ensure that both the men kept silent about this incident involving Bei Bei and Su Li. The world of entertainment is a fickle business, and the slightest scandal could cause a celebrity’s reputation to plunge drastically. If word got out that Su Li had a daughter, the entire nation could react unfavorably, and Su Li could stand to lose a considerable chunk of her fan base in the course of a single night. It wasn’t an exaggeration, but lessons learned from a painful history. As her manager, it was Chai Zhiying’s role to mitigate any such risks to Su Li.
Tap!
The manager unceremoniously placed a bank card on the table.
Chai Zhiying looked down her nose at Xiao Luo and Zhang Dashan, she said, “Let me introduce myself. My name is Chai Zhiying, and I am Su Li’s manager. I’ll make it quick and simple. As a reward for saving Beibei, we express our deepest gratitude.” She paused then said, “There are eight million dollars in this card. The password is six “one”s. Each of you will get four million dollars. It is enough for you to live a great life in any city you wish.”
“I think we’ve already said that we don’t need your money, right?”
Zhang Dashan said it mockingly. He did not have a good impression of her and disliked her overbearing attitude, acting as if she were above others.
Xiao Luo took a sip of his tea and asked, “Is this at Miss Su’s insistence?”
“No, this is on my insistence.”
“Please be clear, this money is not to thank you for rescuing Bei Bei. I believe you should know what I mean,” she said, as she stood looking down at them with her arms folded together.
“Nope, not clear at all. Get to the point, stop beating around the bush,” Zhang Dashan said.
Chai Zhiying reacted curtly to Zhang Dashan’s blunt reply and snorted, “I want you both to zip your lips, and from hereon, you are not to mention anything about Su Li having a daughter.”
Zhang Dashan smiled derisively and looked her in the eye, he said, “We have no intention of telling anybody anything, so you don’t have to worry. You’re the one who seems to be talking about it right now.”
Xiao Luo cocked an eyebrow. He remained silent and just continued to sip on his hot tea.
“Whatever. Just keep this money, remember, not a single word, or face the consequences. I guarantee you that!” Chai Zhiying retorted.
Intimidation and enticement were two elements that Chai Zhiying regularly employed to deal with any potential threats and risks to Su Li. It had proved effective so far in keeping Su Li free from any scandals that could ruin her reputation.
“We got it. You may leave now.”
Xiao Luo was abrupt and made it clear that she had overstayed her welcome. Like Zhang Dashan, he disliked arrogant people.
“Okay then, we’ll keep the money, haha. Relax, we won’t say anything,” Zhang Dashan said, as he picked up the card with a wry smile.
When money is offered, there is no reason to turn it down. In this respect, Zhang Dashan and Xiao Luo shared the same philosophy.
Chai Zhiying felt uneasy. They had already accepted the money and had readily agreed to keep silent on the matter, yet she still felt something amiss. The way they reacted to her didn’t give her the confidence that they would fulfill their end of the bargain. In fact, it seemed like they were teasing her.
She was consumed with these thoughts as she stood glaring darkly at the two. “Are you guys making fun of me?” she said.