Lin Xuan: "..."
In such a formal setting, they were supposed to maintain a distant relationship, yet Su Hua still managed to subtly flirt with him.
Someone in the audience couldn't help but comment, "Don’t you think the representative from Su Corporation seemed so cold and aloof when she first appeared? But when she faced Lin Xuan, she softened up completely."
"I noticed that too. But it’s understandable, right? After all, Lin Xuan is a genius. She probably admires him, so she treats him differently."
"Honestly, they look so good together. Ahhh, I really want to ship them as a couple!"
Jiang Qing raised an eyebrow.
This was Su Hua’s little trick. Whenever she needed to appear in public with Lin Xuan, she dressed like an ordinary socialite, not as mature and composed as she usually did at work.
She did this to make people think she and Lin Xuan were a perfect match.
At the Su family mansion.
Several elderly men sat in front of the television, watching as Lin Xuan scored a perfect mark and solved the problem posed by Master Oli.
They were all stunned.
"How impressive!"
Su Guoxiong puffed out his chest proudly. "You three skeptics, speak up! Didn’t you say Lin Xuan couldn’t possibly win? Well, look at him now!"
"I told you, he’s the type who stays silent but shocks everyone when he finally speaks."
Su Guoxiong was beaming with pride.
Look! That’s his future grandson-in-law!
Old Master Li sighed, "He’s truly a genius. At such a young age, he’s already this remarkable. It’s hard to imagine how far he’ll go in the future."
Grandpa Chen nodded in agreement. "Indeed, he’s a prodigy. Even in my youth, I couldn’t have achieved so much in such a short time. It’s true what they say—every generation has its own talents."
During the award ceremony.
"Cough, cough—" Grandpa Chen choked on his tea.
"Old Su, isn’t that your precious granddaughter? Why is she personally handing out the awards?" Grandpa Chen looked shocked.
Su Hua disliked being in the spotlight and rarely attended banquets or social events.
So why was she not only watching the competition in person but also presenting awards to the contestants?
This was highly unusual.
Su Guoxiong smiled. "What do you think of Lin Xuan?"
Grandpa Chen replied, "Handsome, talented. I can’t speak for his character, but judging by his demeanor, he seems like a good person."
"You’ve got some sense after all," Su Guoxiong said, stroking his beard with a satisfied grin.
"Old Su," Old Master Liu studied Su Guoxiong thoughtfully. "You seem quite pleased with him. Are you thinking of making him your grandson-in-law?"
"Why not?" Su Guoxiong retorted.
"He’s good, but don’t forget, your granddaughter is older than him. One is still a student, while the other is running the largest corporation in the country," Old Master Liu pointed out.
While their appearances matched well—one handsome, the other beautiful—their statuses were completely mismatched.
Su Guoxiong huffed, "What’s wrong with her being three years older? They say a woman three years older brings prosperity. And as for their statuses, a student and a CEO—that’s a perfect match! Have you seen those popular novels about female tycoons and college boys? They’re a hit!"
Old Master Liu had no rebuttal.
But still...
"Old Su, let me be blunt. None of that matters. The main issue is your granddaughter. She’s not interested in men. No matter how perfect the match, she won’t give them a second glance."
Old Master Liu added gleefully, "With the way your granddaughter keeps men at arm’s length, you’ll probably never get to hold a great-grandchild."
Su Guoxiong snorted. "You don’t understand. My granddaughter is just reserved. She hasn’t met the right person yet."
Old Master Liu shook his head. "Old Su, with Hua’er’s personality, I doubt she’ll ever find someone she likes."
He couldn’t even imagine Su Hua falling in love, let alone getting married and having children.
"Your hopes are dashed. My granddaughter already has a boyfriend, and they’re very close," Su Guoxiong said, his face brimming with joy.
"Who?" The three old men leaned in with curiosity.
"See the one who took first place? Lin Xuan," Su Guoxiong pointed at the TV.
"Him?"
The old men were stunned.
Old Master Liu reached over to feel Su Guoxiong’s forehead. "You’re not running a fever, are you? Why are you talking nonsense?"
Su Guoxiong swatted his hand away. "You’re the one talking nonsense. I’m perfectly clear-headed."
Seeing Su Guoxiong’s confident expression, they were taken aback.
Had she really gotten a boyfriend?
Su Guoxiong pulled out his phone and opened his photo album. "Look, here’s a picture of them together."
In the photo, Su Hua was sitting in Lin Xuan’s lap while he held up his phone to take a selfie of the two of them.
Their intimate pose left no doubt—they were a couple.
The three old men gaped in astonishment.
Hua’er, the one most likely to remain single forever, was in a relationship...
Su Guoxiong couldn’t hide his smugness. "See? Among all our grandchildren, my precious granddaughter is the first to settle down with a proper boyfriend."
Among their grandchildren, one was a staunch bachelor, another was a free spirit who treated relationships lightly, and the third changed partners as often as they changed clothes.
Only Hua’er was serious about marriage.
"When I get to hold my great-grandchild, don’t be jealous," Su Guoxiong said, his face lit up with joy.
The three old men: "..."
His smug expression was truly irritating.
At the award ceremony.
Shen Qianqian had just returned from the restroom when she saw Su Hua standing in front of Lin Xuan.
She frowned in displeasure.
Dressed like that, who was she trying to seduce?
Did she really think Lin Xuan would spare her a second glance? How laughable!
"Lili, who’s that woman?" Shen Qianqian asked coldly.
"That’s Su Hua, the representative from Su Corporation. She’s here to present the award and certificate to Lin Xuan," Zhang Li explained.
"Qianqian, you should know, she’s incredibly beautiful. Even I, a woman, almost fell for her," Zhang Li added.
Shen Qianqian scoffed. "How beautiful could she possibly be?"
Just a fox spirit, that’s all.
Shen Qianqian thought back to the time she saw Su Hua at the café, and her heart burned with resentment.
If it weren’t for that woman, Lin Xuan wouldn’t have grown so distant from her.
Zhang Li, sensing Shen Qianqian’s dislike for Su Hua, quickly flattered her. "Of course, she’s nowhere near as beautiful as you, Qianqian. She’s just a plain Jane compared to you."
Shen Qianqian was satisfied.
She kept her eyes fixed on Su Hua’s back, trying to get a clear look at her face. But Su Hua remained turned away, making it impossible for Shen Qianqian to see her clearly.
When she saw Su Hua shake hands with Lin Xuan, a wave of jealousy surged within her.
She had never even touched Lin Xuan, yet this woman had beaten her to it.
Suddenly, Su Hua’s crimson lips moved close to Lin Xuan’s ear.
The audience: "!!!"