C10 She Would Never be Used Again!

Su Mingyuan was engrossed in a book when Su Jin walked in. He flashed a feigned smile and greeted her with feigned warmth, "Come over here."

"Dad, did you need something from me?" Su Jin inquired.

Su Mingyuan motioned for her to sit on the sofa and slid a cake towards her. "Ms. Zhang made this especially for you. Give it a try. Do you like it?"

The cake looked tempting, but to Su Jin, it might as well have been laced with poison. She suppressed the smile in her eyes and told Su Mingyuan flatly, "I don't care for it."

He was taken aback; he had hoped the cake would sweeten her up and persuade her to help with a design, but Su Jin had outright rejected it. He recalled how she used to savor this particular cake.

"Jin, are you still upset about this morning's incident?" Su Mingyuan quickly regained his composure and probed.

Su Jin's gaze fell, her emotions veiled behind her eyes. Su Mingyuan read her silence and sighed, "Jin, we're family. If word of this spreads, it won't reflect well on the Su family. It'll affect both you and Su Nuo."

He was trying to shield Su Nuo.

Realizing she could harbor no illusions about her father, Su Jin got straight to the point. "Dad, what exactly do you want from me?"

With Su Jin steering the conversation back to business, Su Mingyuan dropped the topic of the banquet. He smiled, "I know you're level-headed."

Furrowing his brow, he sighed with a hint of difficulty, "The company is dealing with a challenging client. I was hoping you could sketch a few designs for me."

He was treating her like a free laborer, and Su Jin couldn't help but scoff inwardly.

Noticing her silence, Su Mingyuan tried to sweet-talk her, "Jin, I'm well aware of your talent. Your brother's always messing around, and Su Nuo is unreliable. My hopes are pinned on you."

Su Jin inwardly sneered again.

"I'd love to help alleviate your concerns," Su Jin said, her lips curling into a wry smile. "However, given today's events, mom and my sister have formed their opinions of me. To avoid further upsetting them, I think it's best I move out for a while."

Su Mingyuan watched Su Jin with a hint of surprise. She seemed the same as always, yet he sensed a subtle change in her. It was as if he was losing his grip on her, an unsettling realization.

"You're planning to move out?" Su Mingyuan asked, his voice tinged with anxiety.

Su Jin nodded resolutely. "My mother has always been biased against me. Staying at home will only lead to more conflicts, which isn't good for Su Nuo's health."

After pondering for a moment, Su Mingyuan saw the upside. Even if Su Jin moved out, she remained part of the Su family, and within his sphere of influence.

"Alright, you have my blessing," Su Mingyuan consented with ease. "And the matter of the drafts?"

With his approval, Su Jin was more than willing to lend a hand. "Easing your burdens is the least I can do."

"Here's twenty thousand yuan for you to use for now," Su Mingyuan said as he handed her a stack of bills, his tone carrying a hint of regret. "Business hasn't been great lately, so this is all I can offer at the moment. If you need more for living expenses, just let me know."

Su Jin gripped the money, her inner thoughts hidden behind a mask of indifference. His cunning was transparent to her; twenty thousand yuan would barely cover the rent, and she'd have to come back to him for more.

Was he so concerned she'd slip from his control?

"Thank you," Su Jin said, feigning gratitude.