C1 Brotherinlaw

July's heat is unbearable.

At the bustling entrance of Pearl University, Chu Yun mopped his brow, searching for Su Xiaoxiao. Having been married to Su Mingyue for half a year, the only person he could reach out to in the Su family was Su Xiaoxiao, who had shown strong animosity towards him from their very first encounter.

After nearly an hour of searching under the scorching sun, Chu Yun finally spotted Su Xiaoxiao in the crowd.

She was stunning.

The radiant smile that graced Su Xiaoxiao's face vanished the instant she laid eyes on Chu Yun.

She approached him with fury, her eyes wide with anger. "You've got some nerve showing up to see me," she snapped.

Her voice was laced with bitterness as she continued, "You disappeared the day after marrying my sister, gone for half a year. What are you doing back here?"

The more Su Xiaoxiao railed against him, the harsher her words became. It was clear that her disdain had deepened since their last encounter, her hatred for Chu Yun so intense she wished him dead in the streets.

As for Chu Yun, Su Xiaoxiao couldn't come up with a single redeeming quality, no matter how hard she tried. He was indolent, lacked ambition, and was nothing but a complete loser.

Aware of Su Xiaoxiao's fiery temper, Chu Yun chose not to engage in an argument.

"Xiaoxiao, you've grown even more beautiful in the half year we haven't seen each other," he said, unfazed by her scorn.

"You just keep getting more repulsive," she retorted.

Su Xiaoxiao's voice was sweet, but her words cut like a knife.

Today, she had a firsthand experience of utter shamelessness. Despite her vitriol, he remained unaffected, even complimenting her looks. He was truly a revolting waste of space!

Her classmates, too, regarded Chu Yun with disdain.

They had already heard all about him from Su Xiaoxiao: his numerous flaws and how he fell short of being a real man.

Now, seeing him in person, they were even more convinced that Su Xiaoxiao's assessment was fair.

Clad in a sweat-drenched, cheap shirt and faded jeans, his leather shoes tattered, he was a sight. Su Xiaoxiao's gorgeous sister, let alone any ordinary woman on the street, wouldn't spare a second glance at such an unremarkable loser.

"Xiaoxiao, I finally understand why you're always so livid whenever you talk about him," said one of the female classmates, her tone dripping with pride. "If I were you, I'd dedicate my life to one thing."

She paused before continuing, "I'd put an end to that miserable marriage!"

Su Xiaoxiao furrowed her brow. This was, after all, a private family issue. Despite Chu Yun being a complete jerk, he was still her brother-in-law. She would have preferred that none of her classmates or friends ever meet him, if not for their unexpected encounter at the entrance of Pearl University today.

"I truly don't deserve Mingyue."

Chu Yun responded to Su Xiaoxiao's scorn with an air of indifference, his gaze undisturbed.

Yet his meek demeanor only served to infuriate Su Xiaoxiao further.

"Spit it out if you've got something to say. I'm pressed for time." Su Xiaoxiao had no desire to interact with this man who epitomized disappointment. In that moment, she felt even more aggrieved than Chu Yun, who had been the subject of her scorn.

"Your sister deleted my number and changed her address. I can't reach her," Chu Yun stated with a nonchalance that belied the gravity of the situation. "I need to see her to discuss some things."

"What things do you need to discuss with her?" Su Xiaoxiao's suspicion was piqued.

Six months prior, the Su family's finances had taken a nosedive, and their business suffered immensely. Chu Yun had vanished the day after the wedding.

Now, her sister Su Mingyue was on the cusp of a successful career, poised to achieve both fame and fortune. And yet, he chose this moment to reappear.

Su Xiaoxiao didn't need to guess his intentions; it was obvious he was after her sister's money.

"Just a personal matter," Chu Yun replied, maintaining his composure, though he seemed somewhat distracted.

But to Su Xiaoxiao, it was clear that Chu Yun was plotting his way back into the Su family's good graces.

"What kind of personal matter could you possibly have with my sister that I'm not allowed to know?" Su Xiaoxiao was livid. She felt a deep sense of injustice regarding her sister's life and held Chu Yun in the utmost contempt.

Ignoring the fact that her classmates were present, she hissed, "Are you planning to worm your way back into the Su family to get your hands on my sister's money?"

"Are you in debt and unable to repay it? Are you expecting my sister to bail you out?"

Given Chu Yun's disappointing track record, Su Xiaoxiao wouldn't be surprised by any shameless act he might commit.

Confronted with Su Xiaoxiao's accusations, Chu Yun furrowed his brow and glanced at the face that bore a resemblance to his wife's. Shaking his head, he managed to quickly settle his disturbed emotions.

Su Xiaoxiao was young, after all; Chu Yun saw no point in stooping to her level.

"Could you provide me with your sister's current contact details?" Chu Yun asked, his lips barely parting, his demeanor cool and detached.

"Don't give it to him!"

Before Su Xiaoxiao could respond, the indignant girl interjected, "This jerk is definitely not reaching out to your sister for anything good. Borrowing money might seem trivial, but I fear he's gotten himself into some serious trouble!"

She paused, then continued, "Xiaoxiao, you should tell your sister to divorce this loser! You mentioned he was once a soldier, right? I've met plenty of soldiers, but he doesn't fit the bill of a veteran at all. He's the type who'd spend his days in the barracks smoking and drinking. Even after leaving the service, he's been nothing but trouble. He vanished for six months right after marrying your sister. What, did he go to a family funeral or something?"

Previously distracted and dispirited, Chu Yun suddenly radiated a chilling, deadly presence.

A cold glint that Su Xiaoxiao had never seen before flickered in Chu Yun's dim eyes.

Suddenly, she sensed an almost bestial, bloody scent emanating from him, an oppressive aura that left her breathless.

The emotionally charged Chu Yun expertly lit a cigarette, the smoke swirling around his face, masking his grim expression.

"You can spew venom and insult me, but don't you dare curse my family!"

Chu Yun exhaled a thick plume of smoke, his ordinary face still tinged with residual rage. "You have no right to curse my family."

The proud girl's eyes widened in fury, astonished that this spineless man would dare to retort. She was about to further berate Chu Yun when he simply shook his head and said, "Xiaoxiao, you're right. There's no need for me to hide why I'm trying to reach your sister from you."

"I initially returned to discuss the possibility of divorce with your sister. But now, I've had second thoughts."

Chu Yun looked up, his gaze serene yet filled with an icy detachment. "Your sister has to accept me as her husband, despite my shortcomings. Regardless of your feelings towards me, I remain your brother-in-law."

Su Xiaoxiao suspected her timid brother-in-law was not in his right mind. Previously, he had always taken the Su family's scorn in stride, never retaliating.

But now, after just a few spiteful remarks from Lin Shuang, Chu Yun had snapped back in anger, a stark departure from his usual demeanor.

As Lin Shuang fumed, ready to lash out in response, Su Xiaoxiao's phone rang.

Her face shifted through a range of emotions—anger, then anxiety—as she took the call. Clearly, there was an emergency.

"My sister's in trouble. I need to leave!"

With a quick wave to her classmates, Su Xiaoxiao lost the desire to spar with Chu Yun.

She flagged down a taxi in haste. As the driver was about to pull away, Chu Yun pulled open the door and climbed in.

"Why are you getting in?" Su Xiaoxiao asked, visibly annoyed, not believing this 'good-for-nothing' could be of any assistance.

"Even if you think I'm worthless, I can still offer help," Chu Yun declared confidently.

Su Xiaoxiao was stunned, her face draining of color. Lin Shuang was right; this man was only good for brawling.

But with her mind racing with worry, Su Xiaoxiao had no time for an argument. She pressed the driver to speed up while she made calls to grasp the full extent of the crisis.

Chu Yun, seated in the passenger seat, quickly caught on to the situation. It turned out that after the Su family business went bankrupt, Su Mingyue had ventured into the entertainment industry. She was currently working on a film project that required substantial investment. Tonight, she had arranged a dinner with a wealthy heir, facilitated by the director and producer. To their dismay, the profligate young man intended to intoxicate Su Mingyue.

Hearing this, Chu Yun's brow furrowed, and a chilling glint appeared in his eyes.