Chapter 26: 26, The Cold Truth

“Director Shen, please… please, tell me exactly why?” Su Mengqing’s face turned deathly pale, her fingers trembling as she gripped her phone. “If there’s anything improper on our part, I hope you’ll point it out. We’ll correct it immediately!”

“Humph! Su Mengqing, you still have the nerve to ask?” Director Shen’s voice grew several shades angrier. “The entire medical community in the Southwest provinces is buzzing with rumors that the formula for your family’s flagship product, the Injury Ointment, has been leaked online!

“And you? Not only did you fail to immediately refute the rumors, you didn’t offer any explanation to us, your major clients, either.

“Instead, you’re frantically dumping stocks to cash out! How can we possibly trust you? How can we continue to cooperate with any peace of mind!”

The tempest of rebukes thundered in her ears, exploding like thunderclaps. Su Mengqing’s complexion paled further, and she staggered on her feet.

“Director Shen, we admit we mishandled this situation. I apologize!” She glared fiercely at the equally tense Zhang Meili and Yang Tingting, then gritted her teeth and swallowed her pride, lowering her voice. “If you’re willing to continue our cooperation, Director Shen, I… I can offer a twenty percent discount!”

“Su Mengqing, are you dreaming? We wouldn’t take it even if you cut the price in half!” Director Shen retorted angrily. “Furthermore, according to the contract, you breached it first. In addition to returning the full deposit, you must pay a penalty of five times that amount!”

What? Five times the deposit as a penalty? The six hundred million we just got… we’d lose most of it!

Hearing this, Zhang Meili and Yang Tingting were on the verge of tears. Su Mengqing trembled uncontrollably, her pupils constricting.

“A sixty percent discount! Director Shen, that’s my bottom line. Please, for the sake of our past cooperation, give me one more chance!”

“Su Mengqing, let me tell you the truth. I never thought much of your family’s little company!” Director Shen sneered. “The cooperation we started four years ago was entirely because of your mother-in-law, the Divine Doctor Lin Suxin, who saved my father’s life! If it weren’t for her taking the initiative to ask on your behalf and bring in orders, you, Su Mengqing, would be a nobody. You never would have even registered on the radar of our five families!

“But this morning, we saw the Yuan family’s obituary and only then realized that Mrs. Lin had passed away. What on earth is your Su family doing? Not only did you fail to hold a proper funeral for her, you let outsiders do it for you? I’d heard your Su family was stingy and ungrateful toward her son, Lin Fan, but I didn’t really believe it. Now it seems the rumors don’t even begin to cover it!”

CLICK!

The furious scolding came to an abrupt end as the other party hung up.

The hospital room fell into a deathly silence. Zhang Meili and Yang Tingting gaped at each other, utterly dumbfounded, as if they had seen a ghost. Su Mengqing stood frozen, her face ashen.

So, the achievements I’ve been so proud of for four years… were all thanks to Lin Suxin’s secret help behind the scenes? Then all my hard work, day and night… what was it all for?

BOOM!

Her mind went blank, and darkness swam before her eyes.

THUD!

Su Mengqing felt her chest tighten painfully. Her knees gave out, and she collapsed to the floor. Resentment, grief, and fury washed over her as tears streamed down her pale cheeks. In that instant, all of Su Mengqing’s confidence, pride, and self-respect were shattered by the cold, hard truth.

“Mengqing, you mustn’t believe him! Maybe… maybe Lin Fan is behind this, kicking you while you’re down! He probably colluded with that man Shen!” Zhang Meili said, her face taut with worry as she rushed to help Su Mengqing up.

“Director Su, at worst, we can just start over! I believe in your abilities. Even without Lin Suxin’s help, you can still succeed!” Yang Tingting added, desperately trying to encourage her. She still dreamed of one day marrying Su Gang and becoming the young mistress of the Su family. If Su Mengqing were to collapse, that good-for-nothing would never be able to support such a large family business on his own.

“…Right! If I have to, I, Su Mengqing, will start all over again!” After a long moment, Su Mengqing fiercely wiped away her tears, a sliver of her confidence returning. The situation had already hit rock bottom. That bastard Lin Fan had made good on his words from the previous night. The Su family was about to become an empty shell, almost back to where they were when they started four years ago… having lost everything Lin Suxin had given them.

If only I had taken the time to see her on her deathbed that night… or if I had just been a little less cold toward Lin Fan in the past… would any of this have happened?

A wave of regret washed over her, and a bitter taste exploded in her mouth, seeming to seep into the very depths of her heart.

No, I, Su Mengqing, will not submit! Why should a little help from Lin Suxin completely negate the blood, sweat, and tears I poured into this for the last four years?!

“Speaking of which, where is Su Gang? Where did he run off to?” Biting back her remorse, Su Mengqing turned and questioned Zhang Meili and Yang Tingting.

“Su Gang said he was going to unwind. He hasn’t come back yet,” Zhang Meili explained with a nervous chuckle, her chubby face tensed.

“At a time like this, he’s still in the mood to be out fooling around!” Su Mengqing’s anger flared again. She fixed her gaze on Yang Tingting. “Tell me! Did Su Gang go gambling again?!”

THUD!

Yang Tingting’s expression changed drastically as she fell to her knees before Su Mengqing. “Director Su, it has nothing to do with me! It was Su Gang! He forced me to cook the books and embezzle money from the company account!” she cried out, her head bowed low as she trembled.

“…Are you all trying to kill me with anger?!” Su Mengqing was on the verge of breaking down, fresh tears streaming down her face. “Mom, you knew all along, didn’t you? You spoiled him so much that he could never kick his gambling addiction! Have you forgotten what happened four years ago? My father, Su Guang—that degenerate gambler—bankrupted the original Su Pharmaceutical by running off with the company’s money after racking up huge debts! Grandfather was so angry he died! And Su Gang just had to follow in his father’s footsteps, racking up tens of thousands in gambling debts himself! If you hadn’t gone begging Lin Suxin for money, do you think I would have ever agreed to marry that loser, Lin Fan?!”

Her heart-wrenching scream echoed through the hospital room. Zhang Meili’s face flushed red as she stammered, unable to speak. Yang Tingting practically buried her face in her lap, her trembling growing more intense.

“Speak! Tell me the truth! How much debt does Su Gang have now?!” Su Mengqing yelled at Yang Tingting through her sobs, her nails digging deep into her palms.

“He… he owes Black Tiger Hall’s underground casino over twenty million… Director Su, I didn’t mean to hide it from you! I was just worried you couldn’t handle the blow, so I never dared to tell you!” Yang Tingting stammered, on the brink of tears as she pulled out her phone. “Su Gang just sent a text. He said he’s been taken to the Black Tiger Building and they’re demanding we bring money to ransom him!”

THUD!

Zhang Meili’s eyes bulged, and she collapsed onto the floor. “That prodigal son! Su Gang, you prodigal son! You’re just like your deadbeat gambler of a father!” she wailed, frantically slapping her knees while sneakily glancing at Su Mengqing’s expression.

“…Mom, stop the act. This is the last time I’m cleaning up Su Gang’s mess.” Su Mengqing took a deep breath, suppressing the inferno of rage in her heart. She was silent for a moment, then began to change out of her striped hospital gown. She even did her hair and makeup, dressing herself meticulously.

The Black Tiger Building was the lair of the Black Tiger Hall. It was also the personal playground of Haicheng’s “Black Prince,” Young Master Chen Biao.

Recalling the fiery gaze Young Master Chen had given her at his dog’s birthday party the other night, Su Mengqing gritted her teeth, ready to go all in.

So you, Lin Fan, can just go and find a new flame, can you? Well, I, Su Mengqing, can also hitch my wagon to a new star. We’ll see who ends up regretting this more!

“Let’s go. To the Black Tiger Building!”

Once she was ready, Su Mengqing immediately left the hospital with Zhang Meili and Yang Tingting, heading toward North City. This time, she wouldn’t just save Su Gang. She would use Chen Biao’s power to bring Su Pharmaceutical back from the dead and slap Lin Fan hard across the face

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep