C8 You Made Me Very Disappointed!

Du Xinyu's rambling hardly warranted a mention. She spoke at length without offering any specifics, content to play the victim.

Such petty tricks might fool the naive, but not this crowd. Everyone here had been through the wringer in the business world, and they weren't about to be taken in by a subpar performance.

Su Li's account, however, had significant issues. He wasn't on the scene initially and only arrived after the woman had fallen into the water. As for what was said between them, it was anyone's guess who was actually doing the pestering.

"No... It's not like that!" A nervous young attendant, new on the job, stepped forward with a tray, his voice shaking. "I... I was passing behind Young Master Chu as I delivered the wine, and I clearly heard the lady invite him to have a private conversation.

Later, when I brought wine to the gentleman, I didn't catch whether Young Master Chu accepted her invitation or not."

"Whoa!"

The hall buzzed with excitement, whispers spreading and some attendees stifling giggles. Many eyes, filled with scorn, turned to a tearful Du Xinyu.

"So this is your so-called rejection of Young Master Chu's advances?" Su Ziqing scoffed.

Caught off guard by the revelation of a witness, Du Xinyu's face blanched. In a panic, she pointed at the attendant and accused, "You... You're slandering me! Who do you work for? Who put you up to this?"

The attendant recoiled, casting a desperate glance at Su Minghe. "Mr. Su, I swear I'm only speaking the truth. If you doubt me, check the surveillance footage! The cameras outside should have captured that spot. They might not show a full-frontal view, but they'll definitely reveal who approached whom first!"

Su Li's eyes, red with fury, darted from Du Xinyu to the attendant, and finally settled on Su Ziqing with suspicion.

If Xiner hadn't lied, then Su Ziqing must have orchestrated the night's events.

She was clearly trying to put him in his place!

And if things went as he suspected... they'd soon claim the surveillance was down and the footage inaccessible, right?

Heh... Quite the strategy.

First, have Chu Jiangchen lure Xiner out, then push her into the water; time it perfectly so she'd witness him doing the same to her. Of course, no one would believe such an illogical, senseless act.

Now that we have a witness, all we're missing is physical evidence...

"Master, the surveillance footage is ready," announced the Old Housekeeper, interrupting Su Li's wild speculations. He handed over a USB drive, "Would you like to review it first?"

Su Minghe's face was a picture of utter embarrassment.

Everyone was eagerly anticipating the unfolding drama.

At this juncture, it seemed best to completely reconstruct the events of the night. There might still be a chance to salvage some dignity.

However, Du Xinyu, the catalyst for this chaos, could not be allowed to remain beyond tonight, regardless of the threats Su Li might employ!

With a grimace, he gestured for the Old Housekeeper to play the footage.

The wall was filled with the expansive projection.

The surveillance angle was slightly skewed, yet the footage was crystal clear.

As the timestamp in the upper right corner ticked forward, the fast-forwarded video resumed normal speed.

The time was 10:03 PM. Chu Jiangchen emerged on the screen, wine glass in hand, standing with a casual air in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing outward.

Roughly ten seconds later, Du Xinyu, having ensured she was unnoticed, approached him with a coy gait. Her gaze was locked onto his face, her expression hopeful as she spoke.

Chu Jiangchen, however, didn't spare her a glance, continuing to sip his wine.

After speaking, Du Xinyu turned and left. The surveillance showed her quickly exiting the hall and following the path to the lakeside, occasionally glancing over her shoulder as she waited.

Once she was gone, Chu Jiangchen set down his glass, shrugged his shoulders, and headed back into the hall.

From that point on, the cameras captured no further images of him, and he did not re-enter the hall, confirming his claim of having stayed inside the entire time.

Meanwhile, the other side of the screen buzzed with activity.

The edited surveillance footage revealed that at 10:05 PM, Du Xinyu began to wander by the lake's edge, looking expectantly into the distance as if waiting for someone.

Simultaneously, a slightly inebriated Su Li appeared on the opposite side of the frame, fishing net in hand, in the very direction Du Xinyu's gaze was drawn to.

At 10:07 PM, Su Li, for reasons unknown, abruptly dropped the fishing net and charged toward Du Xinyu's location.

Impatiently, Du Xinyu rushed to meet him, embracing Su Li tightly and immediately unzipping his pants without hesitation!

Su Li was just as bold, yanking down the shoulder straps of the white lace dress and slipping his hand inside...

Their encounter was fierce, moving from leaning against a tree to lying on the ground, all within a mere dozen seconds. Overcome by passion, they tumbled into the water together.

They floundered for a few minutes before finally being pulled out.

The whole incident unfolded so quickly that Su Minghe couldn't even shout to stop it before it was over.

Fuming with rage, his head buzzing, he regarded Su Li and Du Xinyu with a chilling calm, like the ominous stillness before a storm.

Su Ziqing, momentarily stunned, quickly attempted to defuse the situation: "As you all know, my brother has lacked discipline since childhood, his behavior often too wild and unrestrained. This incident is certainly Su Li's fault. He fell into the water and then wrongfully accused Young Master Chu. I'll apologize on his behalf for now.

Young Master Chu, please don't be upset. I promise to bring Su Li to formally apologize soon!"

"My son has acted disgracefully, committing a foolish act and even attempting to blame Xiaoming. I apologize for my failure in his upbringing," Su Minghe added, upon hearing his daughter's words. "Xiaoming, Uncle Su won't let you be wronged unjustly. Once I've dealt with this boy at home, we'll come to apologize!

Su Li, what are you waiting for? Can't a man admit when he's wrong? Apologize to Xiaoming!"

Su Li, looking as if he'd seen a ghost, stared at the now darkened projection screen. Pointing at Chu Jiangchen and Su Ziqing, he exclaimed, "You tampered with the surveillance footage! It's not what it looks like, we did nothing... It was Chu Jiangchen who pushed us into the water, he's the one responsible!"

Chu Jiangchen scoffed, "I was initially concerned about the surveillance being faulty and how I'd clear my name, but now... I didn't expect the footage to speak for itself."

The facts are crystal clear. Su Li, why are you still trying to pin this on me? That's going too far, don't you think?" Du Xinyu also shook her head repeatedly, "This can't be true. We need to see the original files!"

"Enough!" Su Ziqing snapped, her eyebrows furrowed in disapproval. "The evidence has slapped you in the face, and yet you have no sense of shame. The surveillance footage clearly shows your faces; how could that possibly be faked? Do you really think Young Master Chu and I would go to the trouble of finding lookalikes to frame you, only to throw you into the water afterward? Claiming the surveillance is fake? That's a bold accusation!

Take a good look at the split screen from 10:07. My father and Uncle Zhang were both caught on camera. By your logic, are they supposed to be in on this act too? Do you honestly believe we'd orchestrate such an elaborate scheme just to set you up? Who do you think you are to warrant such effort?

This could have been resolved with a simple apology, but you lack the bigger picture and insist on making a spectacle of it. Today is your first day back, and you've already turned it into a farce. You've disregarded Dad's words, turned a deaf ear to your sister, and shown no respect for your elders. Su Li, you've been a huge disappointment."

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