Hit the nail on the head

On Sunday, Su Qingli drove her beloved Maserati slowly into the Lu family estate.

This wasn't her first time here, but today she felt a bit uneasy.

It felt like meeting her in-laws for the first time, as if she were an unattractive daughter-in-law...

Actually, that wasn't quite right. Su Qingli thought about Lu Han's background—lost since childhood, his biological mother passed away due to depression and a car accident. While the "dog man" certainly deserved sympathy, Lu Zhensheng was also quite pitiable.

After parking the car, she glanced at the gift on the passenger seat and couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity for her own father.

Yesterday, after Lu Han left, her parents opened the gifts he brought.

Other items were fine, but there was a painting called "Desolate Mountain Peaks," a masterpiece by the revered artist Gu Daozu, priceless and irreplaceable.

The Lu family bringing out such a valuable piece wasn't just to cater to their tastes; it also showed sufficient respect for the Su family.

Common folks value reciprocity, and this is even more true among the wealthy elite.

So, Su Qiuchao gritted his teeth and decided to bring out a Ming Dynasty blue-and-white porcelain vase he had cherished for over twenty years.

From the official kiln of the Yongle era, though not as valuable as "Desolate Mountain Peaks," it was the most precious item in his collection.

Su Qingli silently marveled at how much parents sacrifice for their children, picked up the gift, and got out of the car.

She had, of course, dressed up carefully today. She wore a purple-to-white gradient jumpsuit with pleats, paired with nude thigh-high stockings and light purple stiletto heels adorned with diamonds, showing off her perfect figure.

Lu Han was already outside to greet her, accompanied by Lu Xue.

"Sister Qingli, you're here!"

Lu Xue greeted her with a smile and helpfully took the gift from Su Qingli.

"Lu Xue, you've gotten even prettier."

Su Qingli complimented her. A cute girl like Lu Xue naturally made everyone want to be close to her.

As for Lu Han, she saw him eyeing her legs greedily. Forget it; he was just a lecher.

"Sister Qingli looks even prettier."

Lu Xue meant every word. Her brother marrying such a woman would indeed be lucky.

But why did she feel a little disappointed?

The girl couldn't quite explain why she suddenly felt this way.

The three walked into the villa, where Lu Zhensheng and Lu Ming stood up simultaneously.

"President Su, hello."

"Qingli, you're here."

Compared to Lu Ming's professional greeting, Lu Zhensheng was noticeably warmer.

The old fox looked at Su Qingli with a satisfied smile.

"Uncle Lu, I've come to see you."

Su Qingli felt a bit constrained. Only those in the business world knew how terrifying Lu Zhensheng could be; many people had been ruined by him over the years.

"Haha, no need to be so formal."

Lu Zhensheng waved his hand, speaking with double meaning. "Just treat this place as your own home. Come, sit down."

Su Qingli sat as instructed. At this moment, Lu Ming's phone rang.

He walked to a corner and answered the call, standing far enough away that no one could hear what he said.

Soon, he returned and whispered, "Dad, there's an urgent matter at the company. I'll go check it out."

Lu Zhensheng nodded slightly, and Lu Ming gave Su Qingli an apologetic smile before leaving.

Throughout, he barely glanced at Lu Han.

Observing their interaction, Su Qingli realized the relationship between the two brothers wasn't very good.

But that was normal. In wealthy families, blood brothers often became enemies. And being half-siblings only made things worse.

"Qingli, how have things been with Lu Han recently? He hasn't bullied you, has he?"

While saying this, Lu Zhensheng stood up to pour tea for Su Qingli.

This gesture made Su Qingli feel honored; elders pouring tea for younger generations was considered a high honor in strict, wealthy families.

"Thank you, Uncle."

She quickly placed her hands on the edge of the teacup until Lu Zhensheng finished pouring.

"Lu Han has been very nice to me."

Su Qingli smiled outwardly, mentally adding "yeah, right" to herself.

What did he mean by "hasn't bullied"? He definitely had...

"Sister Qingli, if my brother ever bullies you, just tell me."

Lu Xue held Su Qingli's hand and whispered conspiratorially, "I'll help you deal with him!"

Su Qingli found the girl's exaggerated tough-girl act amusing but doubted Lu Xue could actually handle Lu Han.

"Lu Han, Qingli is here. Can you stop playing with your phone and look up?"

Lu Zhensheng looked at his son sitting with Su Qingli, thinking that he had brought the most beautiful woman in Jiangcheng for him, so even if they were just going through the motions, he shouldn't be so cold.

Lu Han didn't even lift his head, typing quickly and sending a message: "Meet at 8 PM tonight."

Even Lu Xue felt a bit awkward now.

She whispered to Su Qingli, "Don't take it personally. My brother always acts like this towards my dad. You'll get used to it."

Su Qingli thought to herself that she didn't want to get used to it but forced a smile.

Lu Zhensheng had no control over Lu Han, shrugged, and turned to his future daughter-in-law, asking, "How is the situation with the Su Group currently?"

"It's okay, barely holding on."

Su Qingli clearly didn't want to discuss this further. In reality, the company was struggling, with projects stalled and cash flow barely covering employee salaries.

Lu Zhensheng seemed oblivious to Su Qingli's discomfort and sighed, "I warned your father long ago. Despite the booming real estate market, there are huge bubbles."

"Your family's Su Group should focus on one project at a time rather than spreading itself too thin. Finish one, then move on to the next."

"But he wouldn't listen. He wanted to expand too quickly, and now several projects are unfinished, right?"

Before Su Qingli could respond, Lu Han suddenly interjected, "Unfinished projects aren't the main issue. The problem is that Uncle Su doesn't want to cut his losses."

"There were opportunities to sell some of those projects early on."

"If he had done so, there would have been enough funds to complete the remaining ones."

"Now it's too late. Other real estate companies are like hungry crocodiles, waiting for the Su Group to bleed out so they can swoop in."

These words made Su Qingli even more silent.

Though harsh, they hit the nail on the head.

But do you and your son have something wrong with you?

I'm here following the wedding procedures, why do you keep pointing out our family's shortcomings?

...