Su Mingyuan was seated, reading through some documents. When he saw Su Jin enter, he immediately plastered a hypocritical smile on his face and greeted her with false warmth.
"Jin'er you're here. Come, sit down."
Su Jin kept her expression composed and asked directly,
"Dad, why did you call for me?"
Su Mingyuan gestured for her to sit on the sofa and pushed the cake toward her.
"I specifically asked Aunt Zhang to make this for you. Try it—see if you like it."
The cake looked tempting, but in Su Jin's eyes, it might as well have been laced with poison.
She gave a faint smile, but there was no warmth behind it.
"I don't like this anymore," she replied flatly.
Su Mingyuan was momentarily stunned. He had hoped to coax her with cake, soften her up so she would help with the design project. But Su Jin was acting completely out of character—she'd refused him.
In his memory, she had always loved this cake.
"Jin'er are you still upset about what happened this morning?" he asked carefully, testing her mood.
Su Jin lowered her gaze, hiding the cold light that flickered in her eyes.
Seeing her reaction, Su Mingyuan sighed heavily and continued,
"Xiao Jin, we're still family, aren't we? If things get too ugly, it won't just harm the Su family's reputation—it'll also affect you and Nuo Nuo. Don't you agree?"
After all, he was still trying to protect Su nuo.
Su Jin no longer held any illusions about Su Mingyuan and asked bluntly, "Dad, what exactly did you call me here for?"
Seeing that she had taken the initiative to change the topic, Su Mingyuan dropped the pretense. He smiled and said, "Xiao Jin, you've always been the sensible one."
He furrowed his brows and sighed, feigning a troubled tone. "The company is dealing with a difficult client. I was hoping you could help draw up a few design drafts."
So that's it. He really did see her as nothing more than a free machine.
Su Jin sneered silently in her heart.
Su Mingyuan continued, coaxing her with sweet, sugar-coated words. "Xiao Jin, your father knows how talented you are. Your brother just fools around all day outside the country and Su nuo... well, you know how she is. I've always had the highest expectations for you."
Another empty promise. Another manipulative trick.
Su Jin forced a polite smile and said with composure, "Of course, I'm willing to share Father's burdens."
Then, her tone shifted slightly. "But since my mother and sister clearly hold such prejudice against me after what happened today, I think it's best if I move out for a while. That way, I won't upset them further."
Su Mingyuan looked at her in surprise.
Though Su Jin's tone remained soft and respectful, there was something unfamiliar in her calm, something... unsettling.
She wasn't the same obedient girl anymore.
She had changed.
And for the first time, he had a sense that he might not be able to control her.
That feeling—it made him uneasy.
"Go out and live?" Su Mingyuan repeated, a flicker of unease in his voice.
Su Jin nodded firmly. "Mother has always held a prejudice against me. If I continue staying here, it'll only upset her further—and that wouldn't be good for my sister's health."
Su Mingyuan considered it for a moment and decided it wasn't a bad idea. Even if she lived outside, Su Jin was still under the Su family's name. In his eyes, she was just a yellow-haired girl—easy to control, easy to squeeze dry.
"Alright, I'll agree," he said readily. "Now, about the designs?"
Since he had agreed, Su Jin was naturally willing to play along. "Of course. It's my duty as your daughter to help shoulder some of your burdens."
"Here, take this for now." Su Mingyuan pulled out a thick wad of cash—A thousand dollar—and handed it to her. With a seemingly apologetic smile, he said, "The company's going through a rough patch, so this is all I can give you at the moment. If you need more for your living expenses later, just let me know."
Su Jin accepted the money silently, a sneer curling in her heart.
Cunning old fox.
One thousand dollars—just enough to rent a place, barely. For anything else, she'd have to keep going back to him.
Still trying to keep her on a leash, afraid she might escape his control.
"Thank you, Dad," Su Jin replied, her tone filled with false gratitude and a smile that didn't reach her eyes.