Rebirth: The Ascent of a Socialite-Chapter 610 - 245: Scandalous Photos (Part 2)
In the bedroom, the opulent scent of post-coital bliss lingered heavily. Su Ziceng, cradled in arm, had already fallen into a deep sleep, her eyes not opening once throughout the entire ordeal.
"Is it so hard to share a room with me?" Pello tucked Su Ziceng in, his arms encircling her waist.
His body was covered in sweat; he ought to take a shower, but he began to worry that once he steps out, the sleeping beauty in his arms would vanish.
"You can’t blame me, it was you who came to my door," Pello buried his head in Su Ziceng’s chest, kissing her softness, her neck, and front, now all marked with kisses, some spots turned purplish-red from his sucking.
He hadn’t forced her; when he initially saved Su Qingzhang, Pello had already made his plans clear. He was no philanthropist, and Su Qingzhang was no good man; allowing Su Qingzhang to live was the greatest act of mercy he could muster.
Yet this sharp-tongued little woman was yelling at him, making him wish to seal her lips and bind her hands and feet, to keep her tied up by his side.
When Su Ziceng awoke, it was already the middle of the night. As she attempted to rise, the weakness of her body and the embarrassing scent below reminded her of what had occurred before.
Just like the last time, Pello wasn’t by her side. There was a numbness at her waist as if something heavy had crushed her, her entire body felt like it had fallen apart.
The scattered kiss marks on her body and the mess below made Su Ziceng feel even more embarrassed. She must have been insane, not to have struggled with all her might just earlier.
The lights were on in the room, and the sound of flushing water came from the bathroom.
Su Ziceng swiftly grabbed her clothes, and, before Pello could emerge, fled from the Su Family home.
When Pello came out, the bed was empty, and all of Su Ziceng’s clothes had disappeared. He walked to the window, observing the slightly panicked figure disappearing into the night.
In Zone 2, as it was a villa area, it seemed somewhat desolate. Su Ziceng, despite feeling utterly exhausted, wanted to walk. Her mind was still preoccupied with Pello’s words. She had been foolish to believe Pello once more; how could he possibly have released Su Qingzhang? As he said, his years of painstaking efforts had been for the sole purpose of revenge on the Su Family; how could he now willingly let go of the man.
But this time, Pello kept his word. The next day he had the butler notify Su Ziceng, saying that once she had settled in, he would send the person over. Additionally, he sent the driver to return the Rose Handbook that had been left behind at the Su Family.
A filthy trade brought back her father. Su Ziceng mocked herself, for she did not mention this to Sister Mu or the others when she returned to her place that night. Regret afterwards was useless.
After sending off Qiao Zhizhi and her daughter, Su Ziceng started working on renovating the apartment she had rented. On her way, she remembered she needed to visit Chang Mei in prison.
This was Su Ziceng’s first visit to Chang Mei since her incarceration. Before finding the Rose Handbook, Su Ziceng could not face the relationship between herself and Chang Mei. Especially after Chang Mei had personally admitted to being the cause of Qiao Chu’s death.
Now the entire truth had been laid bare, the web of deception spun by Qiao Chu had ensnared both Chang Mei and Su Qingzhang, leaving them unaware for over two decades. With these thoughts in mind, Su Ziceng sat in the prison’s visiting room.
Chang Mei was expecting Chang Chi for a visit and was surprised that it was Su Ziceng who came. Seeing Su Ziceng stirred something in Chang Mei’s long calm mind. Over the past six months, she had gained some understanding of the outside world’s happenings through newspapers and the occasional visits from Chang Chi.
Su Ziceng was different from before. Just by looking at her sitting there, Chang Mei could feel it.
"I’ve brought my mother’s Rose Handbook. I think this diary should stay by your side," Su Ziceng said upon sighting Chang Mei, noticing her deep gaze and her hair that had turned somewhat gray.
Like white chrysanthemums, an elegantly plain woman who doesn’t age easily, once they begin to age, time leaves even harsher marks upon them. Chang Mei had grown old, even looking more aged than the ill and declining Su Qingzhang. Prison life may have calmed her on the surface, but years of regret continued to eat away at her.
All along, Su Ziceng believed her mother to be kind and compassionate, but it wasn’t until now that she came to understand the cruelty of Qiao Chu. Back in the day, Qiao Chu had made her decision decisively, all alone, leaving Chang Mei entwined in regret for over twenty years.
"The diary?" When Chang Mei saw the familiar diary, she was quite agitated. This diary that had disappeared for so many years had reappeared before her eyes. Unlike the straightforward and bureaucratic Chang Mei, Qiao Chu’s Rose Handbook was a true diary, recording every wonderful and painful memory of Qiao Chu’s girlhood.
"No one ever told me my mother, Qiao Chu, was a capricious person," Su Ziceng couldn’t afford to wait for Chang Mei to finish reading the whole diary.
"Who told you that? No one may speak ill of Xiao Chu," Chang Mei’s voice sharpened, nobody was allowed to badmouth Qiao Chu.
"Her actions have already proven everything. Back then, she didn’t die by your hand; she committed suicide," Su Ziceng painfully uttered that word. It was ironic—the mother who adored her, who went so far as to sacrifice her life to protect her, turned out to be the one least cherishing of her own life. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation ticket, monthly ticket, your support is my greatest motivation.)(To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation ticket, monthly ticket, your support is my greatest motivation.)
