Su Qingning was stunned. It wasn't that she couldn't handle a shock, but this news was simply too astonishing.

Just a short while ago, she'd heard that Su Qingkun's trading company had turned a profit of two hundred million. Now, it had suddenly collapsed.

"Mei'er, do you know what happened?" Su Qingning asked.

Shao Mei'er smiled. "Madam, of course I know. That blind fool Su Qingkun tried to make a pass at me. I belong to the master, so how could I let him off easy? I had my father take down his company!"

Of course, that was a complete lie. It was Lin Xiao who had ordered the takedown of Su Qingkun's company. Give Su Qingkun ten times the nerve, and he still wouldn't dare to make a pass at Su Qingning. This story was entirely Lin Xiao's idea.

It couldn't be helped. Lin Xiao knew that if he were honest and told Su Qingning he'd had Shao Mei'er destroy Su Qingkun's company, there was no telling what wild ideas she'd get. After all, she could be particularly sensitive at times. She hated it when he got too close to Shao Mei'er or Chu Xiangxue, let alone having them do her favors.

Su Qingning fell silent, her feelings a complicated mess. Logically, she knew she should be happy. After all, with Su Qingkun's company gone, she had effectively won their competition. That meant Su Corporation was now within her grasp. As long as Su Daonong didn't interfere, the company would return to her hands the moment the competition's deadline arrived.

And yet, she couldn't bring herself to feel happy. Perhaps it was Shao Mei'er's claim of "belonging to the master" that stung her. Whatever the reason, joy eluded her.

Seeing Su Qingning's silence, Shao Mei'er smiled and asked, "Madam, you're not happy?"

"I am happy. Thank you, Mei'er," Su Qingning said, forcing a smile.

"Good, as long as you're happy. Let's have a celebratory drink when we meet tonight!"

"Of course. You're welcome at the bar. Anything you want to drink tonight is on me!"

"Okay then!" Shao Mei'er said with a charming smile.

After they hung up, Su Qingning looked at Lin Xiao with a complex expression.

"Honey, aren't you happy?" Lin Xiao asked.

Su Qingning didn't hide her feelings; Lin Xiao was one of the few people she could truly confide in.

"I know I should be happy. This means I've won the contest and Su Corporation will be mine again. But for some reason, I just can't feel happy!"

"Maybe it's because no matter how much of a scumbag Su Qingkun is, he's still your relative. Hearing his company is gone has left you with complicated feelings," Lin Xiao suggested.

"Perhaps," Su Qingning said indifferently.

As they spoke, they arrived at the restaurant. The three of them went inside for a Western-style dinner. Su Qingning had no appetite at all. Throughout the meal, only Lin Xiao and Shen Jingzhe ate. When Lin Xiao cut her steak and placed it in front of her, she only managed a couple of bites. Lin Xiao encouraged her to eat more, but she just shook her head, saying she was already full.

Lin Xiao just assumed her mind was preoccupied with the bar's reopening, which was spoiling her appetite, so he didn't press her.

After dinner, the three of them returned to the bar. Before they even got out of the car, Su Qingning was stunned by the sight before her. The entrance to the massive bar was completely swamped with people. Luxury cars were parked everywhere, and long lines of young people snaked around the entrance. The usual peak time of eight or nine o'clock seemed to have started early; it was only a little past seven. It felt as if the entire population of Jinling City had shown up. There were plenty of other bars in the city, so why were so many people here? Su Qingning couldn't make sense of it.

But she didn't dwell on it. There was something else she needed to discuss with Lin Xiao.

"Jing Zhe, you go rest in my office for a bit. I need to talk to Lin Xiao about something."

Shen Jingzhe nodded. She bore Su Qingning no ill will and was quite obedient to her instructions.

Lin Xiao parked the car. "Honey, what did you want to talk about?"

"Let's go to the back seat to talk."

Although Lin Xiao didn't understand why she would suggest such a thing, he still smiled and nodded. "Alright!" He couldn't refuse. For Lin Xiao, her words were like an imperial edict.

The two of them climbed into the back seat together. Lin Xiao had just settled in when Su Qingning suddenly straddled his lap, her hands hooking around his neck as she leaned into his embrace.

Lin Xiao was dumbfounded. What is going on?

"Darling, tell me the truth," Su Qingning asked abruptly, just as he was about to speak. "Was it you who had Shao Mei'er ruin Su Qingkun's company?"

Ah, so that's it. Lin Xiao finally understood why she was acting so out of character. So she's trying to squeeze a confession out of me with this seductive interrogation!

He smiled helplessly. "Honey, if you want to know something, just ask me. Why resort to such a tantalizing method? You're going to be the death of me!"

A slight blush appeared on Su Qingning's lovely face. She wriggled coquettishly and pouted, "Hmph! I was afraid you wouldn't tell me the truth!"

Her squirming made Lin Xiao freeze instantly, terrified she would continue her mischievous assault.

"Honey, don't move," he pleaded pitifully, quickly wrapping his arms around her slender waist. "Just ask whatever you want to know, and I promise I'll answer. Just please, stop wriggling! If you keep this up, I really won't be able to take it anymore!"

Su Qingning was both embarrassed and amused. She leaned in close, her lips brushing his ear, and whispered, her breath warm and fragrant, "Alright, darling, time to confess. If you dare lie to me, I'll start wriggling again!"

Lin Xiao was speechless. "Alright, alright, honey, I'll talk!" he said quickly. "I'll tell you everything. You were right. It was me. I asked Shao Mei'er to ruin Su Qingkun's company. I was going to tell you, but I was afraid you'd be angry."

"Why would I get angry?" she asked unexpectedly.

"I know you don't like it when I get too close to Shao Mei'er or Chu Xiangxue, and especially when I ask them to do things for you, so..."

Before he could finish, Su Qingning bit him on the arm.

"Hmph! If you knew that, why did you still ask Shao Mei'er to do it? I know you were trying to help, but I hate winning through unfair competition. I desperately want Su Corporation back, but if I were to lose fairly, I would have no complaints. I would only blame myself for not being good enough. But this... this feels like I can only win with the help of my husband's admirers. It makes me feel so stifled. It's like you owning a company, but the only way to get clients is by having your wife flirt with other men. Do you understand that feeling?"

BOOM.

Her words struck him like a bolt of lightning. He finally understood why she hadn't been happy to hear about Su Qingkun's company collapsing. She must have guessed right away that he had orchestrated the whole thing through Shao Mei'er.

It's all my fault. I didn't consider her feelings. I knew how sensitive she is, and I did it anyway. What an idiot.

Lin Xiao hugged her tightly. "Baby, I'm sorry. I wasn't considerate enough. How about you bite me again, to let off some steam?"

"No way!" she refused flatly.

"It's alright, I'm tough. I can take it."

Su Qingning looked up at him. Her beautiful, peach-blossom eyes had, at some point, grown tender and soft.

"But it would hurt me," she whispered.

Damn it.

Lin Xiao couldn't resist this. He leaned in and kissed her passionately.

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