Su Jian trembled with a fresh surge of anger. This was nothing like Su Yinian as she knew him to be.
Su Yinian smiled bitterly and said, "Do you want to know why I suddenly married Qin Xin four years ago?"
This question had haunted Su Jian's nightmares for years. But was there any point in discussing it now? Su Jian remained silent.
Su Yinian's phone rang and broke the silence. He answered the call. Qin Xin's voice came from the other end. She sounded frantic and nervous. Su Yinian's expression changed. He turned to Su Jian. "I can't discuss that right now. I have to go. Grandpa and my mother had a quarrel. They both suffered heart attacks. They were just taken to the hospital..." After a pause, he continued, "I'll take care of Qin Xin and the child, but I can't guarantee that my mother won't cause trouble for you. I came to see you today to prepare you mentally. I am putting an end to my marriage. That much is certain."
Su Yinian gave Su Jian a final glance before walking away.
Su Jian opened her mouth. She wanted to follow him and see what was happening, but she stopped after taking a few steps. Grandpa Su wouldn't argue with Su Yinian's mother for no reason. Was it due to her being barred at the entrance of their residence? Grandpa Su could have grown furious at Zhou Hong for that reason. If she went there now, she would only add fuel to the fire.
Su Jian's heart was in turmoil as she leaned against the door. She couldn't go to the hospital to see Grandpa Su. It was also a bad time to tell Su Yinian about Su Xingyuan.
Su Jian went to work as usual the next Monday. However, she spent the entire morning distracted. She was constantly worrying about Grandpa Su's health and Su Xingyuan's situation. Moreover, she couldn't stop thinking about Su Yinian's words. Four years ago, he had suddenly married Qin Xin. Was there truly a conspiracy behind it? Even if there was, it had nothing to do with her.
Su Jian forced herself to focus on Su Xingyuan. She asked her boss to recommend a lawyer to her. She explained Su Xingyuan's situation. She wanted to know what Su Xingyuan stood to face if they couldn't resolve the matter in court.
The lawyer replied, "If there's no evidence to prove that Su Xingyuan was intoxicated and unable to give consent, the charge of drug rape alone can lead to a prison sentence that could range anywhere between three and ten years. In addition, the charge of intentional assault carries a minimum sentence of six years when combined with the drug rape charge."
Su Jian almost screamed upon hearing that. She needed evidence. But where could she find it? She was so restless with worry that she couldn't sit still. She planned to look for Zheng Mingyang that very afternoon and try to settle the matter privately. However, she soon received a call from Zheng Mingyang's lawyer, Lawyer Yang, who informed her that Zheng Mingyang had withdrawn the lawsuit.
Su Jian took a long time to recover from the shock. Zheng Mingyang had been so aggressive in seeing Su Xingyuan behind bars. Why would he suddenly stop short? She was confused, so she called Han Rui and asked for her thoughts.
"I don't see what's so confusing," Han Rui said. "The matter has been resolved. You have no reason to worry any longer. What's the point of overthinking it?"
"Do you even know what happened?" Su Jian sensed something was off.
"Su Yinian came to see me today. I told him about Su Xingyuan. Zheng Mingyang withdrew the lawsuit, so it's likely Su Yinian's doing." Han Rui rarely ever praised Su Yinian. "That scumbag finally did something good."
Su Jian felt a mix of complicated emotions upon hearing that.
Around the same time in Gangcheng City, Jin Pingchuan received a message from Changhe. "Brother Jin, Zheng Mingyang withdrew the lawsuit. Su Yinian went on the attack."
Jin Pingchuan was enjoying the night view by the floor-to-ceiling window. His expression froze when he heard those words.
Changhe continued, "On Sunday, Su Jian went to the Su family's house. She must have sought Su Yinian's help. Su Yinian went to the Su family's company this very morning. Coincidentally, I was there to collect some materials. I overheard Su Yinian and Zheng Mingyang discussing the withdrawal of the lawsuit. When Su Yinian came out, he saw me and even chatted with me."
Changhe had briefly explained the situation to the best of his ability. Su Yinian had to admit that Zheng Mingyang's plan this time was quite clever. He had set a trap for Su Xingyuan and even planned to poach Su Jian to his company.