C22 They Had Nothing to Do with You Anymore

"Su Wen! I'm going to kill you!"

Luo Qiaoqiao had never imagined that, while she was being taken advantage of, she'd also be played for a fool by Su Wen. With a loud shout, she lunged at him, fists ready to strike.

Su Wen tried to dodge, but Luo Qiaoqiao unexpectedly slammed into the corner of a table. She let out a sharp cry and crouched down, clutching her thigh.

"Hey, Luo Qiaoqiao, are you okay? Does it hurt much?"

Hearing her whimpering, Su Wen grew anxious. He quickly approached and quietly inquired about her condition.

"It's all your fault, sob... You rascal, you bastard... It hurts so much..."

Luo Qiaoqiao was truly in pain this time, her left thigh throbbing as if it were no longer part of her body. The pain was so intense she almost wished for an amputation. Through her tears, she continued to berate Su Wen. Her skirt made it easy for her to reveal the injury.

The bruise on her left thigh was a deep shade of purple, a sight that tugged at the heartstrings. Su Wen, his brow furrowed in guilt, retrieved some medicinal wine concocted by his mentor, intending to apply it to her wound.

"What are you doing? Don't touch me!"

Her hand swiftly batted his away as soon as he touched her thigh, and she regarded Su Wen with a wary look, as if he were a thief.

"In broad daylight, what do you think I could possibly do to you? This is medicinal wine, crafted by my master from fine herbs. Applying it to the bruise and massaging it for a while will help reduce the swelling and alleviate the pain."

With a resigned sigh, Su Wen shook the bottle of medicinal wine in his hand, patiently explaining its purpose.

"Back off! I can handle it myself. Don't pretend to care!"

To Luo Qiaoqiao, Su Wen was nothing but a thorough scoundrel. His sudden kindness could only mean he had ulterior motives. She wouldn't even let Su Wen apply the medicine, much less allow him to get close; she was as defensive as a bristling hedgehog.

"Good intentions wasted, like casting pearls before swine. This medicinal wine requires a specific massage technique to be effective. Even if I gave it to you, you wouldn't know how to use it properly. Come on, stop wasting time. I'm not so desperate as to stoop to such levels."

After speaking, he rolled his eyes, disregarding Luo Qiaoqiao's subtle resistance. He reached out, grabbed her thigh, and hiked her skirt up to the top of her thigh. Had Luo Qiaoqiao not quickly covered herself with her hands, she would have been exposed.

"Su Wen, you!"

For over twenty years, Su Wen was the only person who had managed to look down on Luo Qiaoqiao and infuriate her to this extent.

Fearing that Su Wen might suddenly give in to his baser instincts and do something unspeakable, Luo Qiaoqiao tensed up, clutching her skirt tightly around her. However, she found herself gradually mesmerized by the earnest look on Su Wen's face as he focused on massaging her.

The medicinal wine was indeed miraculous. Initially, it caused a fiery sensation, but as Su Wen's massage continued, the discomfort gave way to a soothing relief. Luo Qiaoqiao almost couldn't suppress a moan, but she managed to hold it back, resulting in a series of soft murmurs.

"What's wrong? Does it still hurt?" Su Wen asked, looking up with concern at the sound of her murmurs. Luo Qiaoqiao's face flushed, and she awkwardly turned her head away, shaking it.

"No, it's much better now."

Truly, the bruised area had significantly faded. If not for the remaining swelling, it would have been hard to tell she had been injured at all.

Su Wen had great faith in the medicinal wine's efficacy, knowing that his master only worked with the finest ingredients. After massaging for a bit longer, he stood up and stretched lazily.

"All done. There's no serious issue now. Just avoid bathing for the next 24 hours, and you should fully recover."

"Is your medicine really that miraculous?"

She probed the previously injured area in amazement. If not for a lingering ache, no one would guess she had been hurt. Who exactly was Su Wen? Where had he been these past ten years, and what secrets was he hiding?

Luo Qiaoqiao's mind buzzed with questions about Su Wen's enigmatic nature.

"Isn't the miracle right before your eyes? Do you really need to ask?"

Su Wen washed his hands with soap, rolling his eyes again. After sniffing his hands and detecting a residual scent, he washed them another time. Inwardly, he couldn't resist grumbling about his master.

Couldn't this old man have made the medicinal wine's flavor a bit milder? I've washed it several times, and it still reeks of herbs.

"Hey, you better apologize to the media, and fast! Do you have any idea how much trouble your reporting has caused me?"

Luo Qiaoqiao had no desire to engage in a verbal sparring match; she had come to the Su family today for a specific reason. As she straightened her clothes, she spoke in an icy tone.

"Why should I apologize to you? I notified you well in advance about calling off the engagement."

"And I told you, I'd only consent to the broken engagement if you paid me ten million. Where's the money? Hand it over!"

Watching Luo Qiaoqiao extend her hand for the money, any semblance of fondness he had for her vanished instantly. He frowned and sat down before her with a stern look.

"Luo Qiaoqiao, shall I remind you of the sum you've taken from my sister over the years? Four summers ago, when the Su family's fortunes were just beginning to turn, you demanded a million from her. You threatened to break off the engagement if she didn't comply. Despite the company's tight finances, my sister, respecting the arranged marriage by our fathers, reluctantly handed over the cash," Su Wen said, casting a glance at Luo Qiaoqiao, whose face was turning sour.

"And let's not forget, six months later, you were back, asking for another five million from her, claiming it was to rejuvenate the family business. My sister, trusting you, didn't hesitate to transfer the funds to your account. But did you truly invest it in the Luo family's business?"

"I did invest it in the Luo family enterprise, but who could have predicted being swindled? The money was all stolen," Luo Qiaoqiao retorted, her demeanor defiant, which only intensified Su Wen's revulsion.

"Heh, that's your own lack of judgment, not anyone else's fault. After the money was gone, you had the gall to ask my sister for another two million, claiming you were broke and couldn't even afford food. Luo Qiaoqiao, how can you be so vile?"

Perhaps it was the loathing in his eyes that pierced Luo Qiaoqiao's heart, causing her eyes to burn and tears to threaten to fall.

"Enough already, drop the act of being so aggrieved. Over the years, you've come to my sister for money more times than I can count. I won't bother listing them all, but rest assured, the total is well over ten million yuan. So do me a favor, take a left on your way out, and don't have the audacity to come knocking again. I want nothing more to do with you."

Luo Qiaoqiao was powerless to argue; his accusations were entirely accurate. Her emotions were a tumultuous mix that she couldn't quite express. In a fit of embarrassed rage, she stamped her foot and pointed at Su Wen, raising her voice.

"Su Wen, remember your words! You better not regret them later!"