C13 Her Original Family

Although they were biased, they never went so far as to make Su Ye drop out of school to support Su Mu's education. Su Ye excelled in her studies and pursued a seven-year program in integrative medicine. During college, she happened to assist an elderly man who collapsed from a sudden illness. Someone recorded the incident, and the video went viral, earning her the title of the "most beautiful girl."

During that time, many people approached Su Ye, wanting to promote her, but she wasn't interested in that lifestyle and turned them all down. However, her mother was tempted by the idea, thinking that even if Su Ye worked in a hospital, it would take years to earn a decent income. Meanwhile, Su Mu, who didn't get into high school, attended an expensive private school, costing the family a lot.

When Su Mu didn't perform well on his college entrance exams, their mother considered sending him abroad to study, hoping it would enhance his prospects. But their family couldn't afford the expenses of studying overseas. If it weren't for Su Ye's excellent academic performance and scholarships, which relieved the financial burden, it would have been difficult to support both children's education.

Seizing the opportunity, their mother insisted that if Su Ye didn't sign a contract, she would sever their mother-daughter relationship, even threatening drastic measures. Eventually, they reached a compromise: Su Ye signed a short-term contract with a fashion magazine. During that time, she learned a lot and discovered her talent in the field. After the contract ended, she became a magazine editor.

Su Ye was naturally smart and had a knack for these things. With a previous collaboration under her belt, she became a standout at the magazine, quickly climbing the ranks and earning a salary. However, most of her earnings were taken by her mother to buy a house and a car under Su Mu's name, claiming it was her duty as an older sister.

Even if she hadn't saved the elderly person, after graduation, she would have worked in a hospital, earning more than entry-level positions. Su Ye also had a scholarship and worked part-time, so she didn't need her family to cover her tuition or living expenses. This might be one reason her parents didn't stop her from pursuing her education.

As dual-income earners, they understood how exhausting low-paying jobs could be and aimed to maximize benefits. Still, they weren't overly harsh with Su Ye, so there were no irreconcilable conflicts—no need for a bitter struggle that would damage family harmony.

However, the Bai family's attitude toward Su Ye was entirely different. Everything here was fictional to her, and these seemingly real people were just characters on paper. She had no obligation to inherit Bai Yun's tragic life, nor did she owe the Bai family any gratitude for their treatment of Bai Yun.

Facing these people, she didn't need to hold back. After all, she had spent three years navigating the fashion world and, as an editor-in-chief, had developed a cool and composed demeanor.

Su Ye was also very aware that, aside from these law-ignorant country folks, the novel's setting, though fictional, resembled ancient times. Life was cheap, and if someone like Bai Yun were truly killed by the Bai family, no one would intervene.

Although the merchants now wanted her to be a bride to counteract bad luck, which might make Mrs. Zhao treat her a little better for the fifty pieces of silver, there was still a chance that if she really offended her, Bai Shao could replace her and marry instead. In these times, without photographs, as cousins who looked somewhat alike, she feared she might never have a chance to stand out.