LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 34: Chance Meeting with Old Mr. Chu, Su Mu's Suspicions
Chapter 34: Chance Meeting with Old Mr. Chu, Su Mu’s Suspicions
“Won’t happen,” Mr. Su said firmly, “We never told him where his birth father is. How would he know?”
Though they had to accept Su Ning back as Su Yuanshan’s biological child, Mr. Su hadn’t planned to give up Su Mu. After all, having raised him for so many years, he still had much value – far more useful than Su Ning.
That’s why they never told Su Mu who his birth father was, and fortunately, Su Mu had been too shocked by his heritage to ask them.
“Wait a couple more days. If he still hasn’t returned, I’ll have someone track his whereabouts,” Mr. Su figured Su Mu’s defiance wouldn’t last much longer.
Su Ning wanted to suggest looking in Xinghua Village, but feared mentioning the rural father would anger Su Yuanshan, so he kept quiet. He hoped Su Mu wouldn’t return at all and would starve out there.
At Lanshan Gardens, the resettlement housing complex, Su Mu spent the afternoon cleaning his unit. Thankfully it came partially furnished with basic fixtures and utilities connected.
Without a bed or appliances yet, he made do with his luggage for the night, laying a clean blanket on the floor. The hard floor made for uncomfortable sleep, so he woke early and headed out after washing up.
He took a taxi to the largest home furnishing market and spent the morning ordering essential furniture, choosing practical and affordable pieces.
With limited funds and his father’s upcoming medical expenses, he had to economize where he could.
Fortunately, the relocation had provided them with housing in Beijing and compensation of over 100,000 yuan – otherwise they wouldn’t have known how to pay for his father’s surgery.
He was no longer the young master of the Su family; he needed to find ways to earn money. His father’s savings were surely limited, and treatment costs would likely exceed all their compensation money. He would have to take on the burden of earning money.
He was determined to win that competition – it would be his first step toward becoming a concert pianist.
As Su Mu was thinking this while leaving through the market’s back door, he heard:
“Young Su?”
Su Mu looked up to meet Old Mr. Chu’s gaze.
He immediately put on a smile and greeted him, “Hello, Elder Chu.”
“Ah, hello! What brings you here? Buying furniture? Have you moved?”
Su Mu smiled and replied, “Yes, I’ve left the Su family. I’m living with my birth father now.”
Su Mu was honest, knowing the Chu family’s influence meant they could easily discover about him and Su Ning anyway.
Old Mr. Chu appreciated his directness, patting his shoulder in a typical elder’s gesture of approval. “Good boy, I knew you’d make this choice.”
They sat down on a bench, and Old Mr. Chu continued their conversation.
“The Su family was at its peak under my friend’s management, but Su Yuanshan couldn’t shoulder the burden, letting it decline. My billion-yuan assistance was mainly out of respect for my old war comrade.”
“As for the marriage arrangement, that was just an old man’s personal wish to help his grandson find someone suitable.”
“So if you truly don’t want it, don’t worry about the Su family’s funding, and don’t fear offending the Chu family. This old man isn’t so unreasonable as to force people.”
Hearing this, Su Mu recalled his previous life.
Everyone said Old Mr. Chu was ruthless and difficult to deal with.
But he’d only been scolded by him once – after Chu Hanting became disabled saving him. That was his first and only encounter with the legendary pillar of the Chu family.
But Chu Hanting had stopped it midway.
After that, he never saw Old Mr. Chu again.
After being forced to marry Chu Hanting, he’d always hated Old Mr. Chu, believing he had forced the marriage and ruined his life.
Now hearing these words, Su Mu realized that since Old Mr. Chu wasn’t forcing anything this time, perhaps the marriage in his previous life wasn’t forced by him either.
Looking back, he must have been misled by the Su family, or rather, they deliberately deceived him.
The Su family had told him: The Chu family used their power to force the marriage.
At that time, he was so thoroughly deceived by them that he couldn’t tell up from down.
He believed whatever they said.
Perhaps the truth was the opposite – it wasn’t the Chu family forcing him to marry, but the Su family forcing him into the Chu family!
Why?
Su Mu felt a chill as he pondered this.
He wanted to confirm something.
Su Mu faced Old Mr. Chu seriously, his lips moving without sound, as if struggling with something difficult to say.
Old Mr. Chu smiled reassuringly: “Go ahead, it’s alright. I won’t be angry.”
Su Mu straightened his back, his hands tightening on his legs, even his breathing slowing.
Taking a deep breath, he asked: “Elder Chu, my question might be offensive. But it’s very important to me. Could you please answer honestly?”
Old Mr. Chu thought the young Su was struggling to reject the marriage and Chu Hanting – he didn’t expect a question.
Seeing Su Mu’s seriousness, Old Mr. Chu knew this truly mattered to him.
“Alright. If I can answer, I’ll do so honestly. If I can’t, I won’t answer, but I won’t deceive you.”
With this assurance, Su Mu thanked him and asked, “Thank you, Elder Chu. What I want to know is: if I refuse this marriage, will you still give the Su family that billion yuan?”
“So that’s what you wanted to ask,” Old Mr. Chu’s strong voice reached Su Mu’s ears. “Su Mu, as I said, this marriage was my personal wish. But regardless of whether it happens or not, I will still give the Su family that billion, helping them one last time to fulfill my friendship with the late Mr. Su.”
“But after this, the Chu family won’t help the Su family without reason anymore.”