Su Hua was domineering, so domineering that she wanted Lin Xuan to belong to her alone, keeping others away from him.
She truly wished to live like this with her Ah Xuan, forever and ever, within the confines of Night Garden.
But Ah Xuan wouldn’t be happy.
“Ah Xuan,” Su Hua pressed herself against Lin Xuan. “This Shen Qianqian is so infatuated with you. A dignified daughter of the Shen Family, willing to be the other woman for you. Ah Xuan, you’re really something.”
Lin Xuan held the petite woman’s waist. “Of course, the man Su Hua loves must be charming. Otherwise, how could I make Su Hua adore me so much?”
“Ah Xuan, you’re getting more and more smooth-talking,” Su Hua said, her eyes curving into a smile.
“Su Hua, a man has to be a little bad for a woman to love him,” Lin Xuan quipped without hesitation.
“Then show me how bad you can be, hmm?” Su Hua’s breath was warm and teasing as she leaned in, offering her crimson lips to Lin Xuan.
The driver quickly lowered the partition.
Jiang Qing stared straight ahead, her expression unreadable.
What kind of scandalous conversation were Miss Su and Young Master Lin having?
“Secretary Jiang,” the driver asked curiously, “how come we’ve never seen Miss Su pregnant, even though she and Young Master Lin are so intimate all the time?”
Jiang Qing’s expression turned complicated.
She had wondered the same thing at first.
Later, she overheard someone in the lab talking about a contraceptive injection. Upon further inquiry, she learned that Su Hua had commissioned its development five years ago.
The contraceptive injection had no harmful side effects.
Alongside it, an antidote had also been developed, allowing the contraception to be stopped at any time.
There was even a fertility-boosting injection.
Everything was meticulously prepared.
Su Hua had personally ordered the development of the contraceptive injection. She wouldn’t have done so without a reason—most likely, it was for her own use.
So, the reason Su Hua hadn’t gotten pregnant was probably due to the contraceptive injection.
It made sense.
Su Hua and Lin Xuan were deeply in love. Why would they let a child disrupt their lives?
Su Hua only cared about Lin Xuan. To her, a child would likely mean nothing.
Su Hua had also instructed the lab to develop a fertility-boosting drug, which had only been successfully completed five months ago.
If Lin Xuan continued to resist, Su Hua might eventually resort to using the fertility injection to tie him down with a child.
But now that Lin Xuan was so devoted to her, Su Hua chose to continue with contraception.
“Well, it seems we won’t be seeing a little miss or young master anytime soon,” Jiang Qing sighed.
Even if Su Hua did have a child, Jiang Qing was certain that Su Hua would find every excuse to keep the child from getting close to Lin Xuan if it dared to compete for his affection.
Jiang Qing silently lit a candle in her heart for the unborn child of Su Hua and Lin Xuan.
With a mother like Su Hua, life would be a living hell from the start.
“Secretary Jiang,” the driver asked again, “do you think Young Master Lin is genuinely staying by Miss Su’s side now?”
“Of course,” Jiang Qing replied confidently.
“But if Young Master Lin ever tried to escape, I’m sure Miss Su would be thrilled.”
“Why?” the driver asked, puzzled.
Because then she’d have an excuse to lock him up in a dark room.
Jiang Qing smiled but said nothing.
She had noticed long ago that Su Hua had been itching to lock Lin Xuan away. If he ever tried to escape, she’d have the perfect excuse to do so.
The car pulled into Night Garden.
Jiang Qing received a call and hurried over to Su Hua. “Miss Su, Director Wang has sent you an important email. It requires your immediate attention.”
“Alright, I’ll handle it,” Su Hua said as she headed upstairs.
Lin Xuan turned to Jiang Qing. “Secretary Jiang, why did I feel like Su Hua was acting strange when I put the necklace on her earlier?”
Jiang Qing replied, “Young Master Lin, since I’ve been by Miss Su’s side, I’ve rarely seen her wear any necklaces. There was only one time when she was unconscious, and the old master placed a necklace on her—a keepsake from her father. When she woke up and saw it, she had a breakdown.”
“Do you know why, Secretary Jiang?” Lin Xuan pressed.
“I don’t,” Jiang Qing shook her head. “It’s probably some childhood trauma. Miss Su was abducted when she was young. What she went through back then, none of us know. The old master has asked, but she’s always refused to talk about it.”
“But ever since she returned, she’s been so isolated, living like a machine that only knows work. Only…” killing seemed to excite her.
Jiang Qing didn’t voice the last part.
She knew Su Hua didn’t want to reveal her darker side to Lin Xuan.
“Young Master Lin,” Jiang Qing continued, “Miss Su’s personality was shaped by her past. She still has episodes, and she’s incredibly skilled in combat. Her body is covered in scars. Her childhood must have been horrific.”
“It’s only after you came into her life that I’ve seen Miss Su as a living, breathing person, not just a walking corpse.”
Jiang Qing was deeply grateful to Lin Xuan.
“Scars? Secretary Jiang, are you mistaken?” Lin Xuan asked, confused. “Su Hua doesn’t have any scars.”
“Well…” Jiang Qing explained, “She doesn’t have any now because she developed a special medicine that can completely remove scars.”
“But the process is excruciating. When she was removing her scars, Miss Su was trembling in pain.”
Lin Xuan’s heart ached at the thought.
Su Hua, who could endure so much pain—in her past life, she had slit her own wrist without flinching—had suffered so much just to remove her scars for him…
Jiang Qing coughed lightly. “Miss Su said she wanted to present her most perfect self to you, Young Master Lin.”
Su Hua knew that Lin Xuan had feelings for Qin Ruoyao, so she wanted to use her body to keep him captivated, to make him crave her.
Naturally, she wanted her body to be flawless, like a piece of pristine jade.
Jiang Qing felt it was important for Lin Xuan to know all this, to understand everything Su Hua had done for him behind the scenes.
Lin Xuan’s eyes filled with tenderness.
So, Su Hua had done so much for him…
“By the way, when did she remove her scars?” Lin Xuan asked.
“The day before your wedding to Qin Ruoyao,” Jiang Qing answered.
Lin Xuan finally understood the lingering question in his heart.
During the two years he was confined in Night Garden, Su Hua had never forced herself on him. It wasn’t out of restraint—it was because she was afraid he’d see her scars and think she was ugly…
Su Hua came downstairs.
As they sat on the couch, Lin Xuan reached to remove the necklace from Su Hua’s neck.
Su Hua caught his hand. “What are you doing, Ah Xuan?” Her brows arched playfully.
“Let me take the necklace off. I’ve bought you other gifts. You don’t have to wear this one,” Lin Xuan said gently.
“But I want to wear it,” Su Hua replied, her lips curving into a soft smile.
She loved the gift Ah Xuan had given her.
“Don’t force yourself for my sake,” Lin Xuan said, ruffling her hair. “Su Hua, I don’t want to see you in pain.”
The shadows from childhood are not so easily overcome.
He didn’t want Su Hua to endure the pain in her heart just to wear this necklace.
rowess are unmatched, commanding a million-strong army! Yet, the Emperor wants to depose him for the sake of a false prince? Hold on, are you throwing me into some female-oriented romance plot? How can I tolerate this? With a grand wave of his hand—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! Slander the Emperor? Very well, all of you shall die! ... The False Prince: "Although I am not the biological son, Father and Mother love me more. The throne should be mine!" The Female Lead: "Qin Xiao, you are the Emperor, and I am a commoner. If you wish to marry me, you must abdicate. Otherwise, you will never have me!" The Empress: "After we divorce, you must give me half the empire!" The Transmigrator Consort: "You worthless Emperor, why should I kneel to you? All men are equal—I advise you to be kind!" The Great General: "The enemy general is my childhood sweetheart. For her sake, I willingly abandon the frontier defenses!" The Retired Emperor: "Although Yu'er was adopted, I prefer him. Qin Xiao, you should abdicate and let him become Emperor!" ... Very well! So this is how you want to play? Facing this twisted world of female-oriented tropes, Qin Xiao grins and raises his hand to unleash—the Nine Clan Extraction Technique! I am the Emperor. Why would I bother reasoning with you? Seal the gates! Leave none alive!
iemie, male, Race: Moon. Hobby: Collecting anomalies. At first, he thought he possessed two systems: the Crimson Rainbow Moon and the Clear Cold Frost Moon. One day, he discovered that he himself could also become a system for others, holding the chessboard of fate. The Eighth Epoch, also known as the Eternal Moon Epoch. Humans, witches, elves, bloodline descendants, specters, demons, and spirits together compose a new history. Walking the path on behalf of the moon, before he knew it, Chen Miemie's footsteps were followed by all manner of strange and wondrous anomalies. As time passed, many titles circulated about him—The King in Yellow, Lord of Anomalies, Heart of the Eternal Moon, and more. "Me? I'm just a traveler who enjoys collecting interesting creatures," Chen Miemie said.
m back to his original world. In the end, he realized he had overthought things. [Hey, why is Shen Manni, the female lead, acting strange? Shouldn't she be fawning over the male lead at this point?] [Zhou Qiaoqiao, are you sick? Weren't you supposed to break off your engagement today?] [Damn it! An Youyi, please do your job as an undercover agent and sell my information to the protagonist, you idiot!] ... At this moment, Xu Mo himself didn't know that these female leads had already heard his inner thoughts. Then they decided not to play by the rules. Xu Mo: Please respect my profession as the big villain!
young master of the Shen family—a figure of immense power and wealth beyond measure—and awakened the "Destined Ultimate Villain System"! His starting scenario? Running into his icy fiancée who shows up with a mountain-descending divine doctor to break off their engagement. The divine doctor arrogantly taunts: "What does your Shen family have besides a bit of stinking money? You're not even worthy of tying Qingxue's shoelaces!" Shen Fei just smiled. He completely defied the usual script: "Fine, I agree to break off the engagement. Also, notify the finance department to withdraw all investments from the Su family." Minutes later, with its capital chain severed, the Su Group teetered on the brink of bankruptcy! The once aloof and proud ice queen CEO was thrown into utter panic. That very night, she went to Shen Fei's villa, casting aside all dignity to beg and plead desperately... From then on, in this world teeming with Sons of Destiny, Shen Fei embarked on a path of extreme dimensional suppression! A mountain-descending divine doctor? Peerless medical skills? Shen Fei: "Reporting you for practicing medicine without a license! I'll gladly take your ancient medicinal cauldron and twin sister assassins." The Crooked-Smiling Dragon King? Commanding a hundred thousand soldiers with a single order? Shen Fei: "Illegal assembly and suspected treason! Let a fleet of attack helicopters sanitize the area and teach you what the state apparatus really means!" A reborn tycoon? Knows all the golden opportunities of the next decade? Shen Fei: "A trillion in capital to reverse and pump the stock market, making you blow your margin and jump on the very first day of your rebirth!" What Chosen Ones? What bearers of Heavenly Fortune? In Shen Fei's eyes, they're all just chives (i.e., suckers/marks) waiting to be harvested! Shen Fei: "Sorry, but as the Destined Ultimate Villain, I don't play by the rules of honor. I only play the game of dimensional suppression."
