Su Wanran drove home calmly, as if she had seen nothing, chatting and laughing with Jiang Mengxin, appearing utterly guileless. In reality, undercurrents were surging.
In the evening, Lu Ming also returned.
With great cunning, Su Wanran took the initiative to cook and prepared a lavish dinner for Lu Ming.
It was a great honor to have the Vice President of the Su family personally attend to it.
During the meal.
Jiang Mengxin asked curiously, "Lu Ming, where did you go this afternoon? Who were you fooling around with?"
Lu Ming took a large bite of a green vegetable and said, "Old classmates."
"Really?" Jiang Mengxin sniffed, "No, you smell of perfume, of women's hair. Was this old classmate of yours a female classmate? Was she a single girl, or a newly married young woman?"
She interrogated him relentlessly.
Lu Ming felt extremely awkward. He didn't know when he had picked up the scent of perfume. The pedestrian street was so crowded; it was inevitable to pick up some scent.
He stammered, unable to answer.
Jiang Mengxin's face fell. She put down her chopsticks and said sternly, "Confess!"
The atmosphere became extremely awkward.
At this moment, Su Wanran, who should have firmly stood by Jiang Mengxin's side, suddenly chuckled and took the initiative to help Lu Ming out, "Mengxin, you're too suspicious. Isn't this perfume smell from me?"
"Is it?"
Jiang Mengxin sniffed hard, it didn't seem like it.
Su Wanran continued, "Alright, don't be so suspicious. I believe in Lu Ming's character. He wouldn't betray his wife and go around chasing other women."
Jiang Mengxin snorted coldly and said to Lu Ming, "If it weren't for Wanran speaking up for you, I wouldn't have let you off today!"
Lu Ming shook his head in speechless exasperation and continued to eat in silence.
All of this was observed by Su Wanran.
What a man needs most is a woman's trust. With his rear secured by his woman, he can fight on the front lines without restraint. If his woman is constantly holding him back, being suspicious and doubtful, it will only wear down his patience, and eventually, he might stray even if he wouldn't have otherwise.
Jiang Mengxin didn't understand this principle.
Su Wanran did!
Moreover, Su Wanran had firmly decided to poach him, so she had to cultivate an image of an understanding and good woman.
Between her and Jiang Mengxin, one was understanding, and the other was overly inquisitive. Who was superior was obvious.
On the surface, Su Wanran was speaking up for Lu Ming, but in reality, she was speaking up for herself: Lu Ming, look at me. I understand you and tolerate you so much. I am the suitable other half for you.
...
At the same time, in a high-end hotel in the bustling city of Mist.
Han Yun was sitting with Su Fei'ang.
Su Fei'ang looked puzzled and said, "Third Aunt, if you wanted to meet me, you could have met me at my place or yours. Why meet in a hotel? Third Uncle just passed away, what will outsiders think if they see this?"
Han Yun rolled her eyes, "Where is your mind going? I have something important to tell you."
Su Fei'ang asked, "What is it?"
Han Yun beckoned him closer and lowered her voice, saying, "After you go back, recruit some people and prepare to ascend to the position of family head."
"Ah?"
Su Fei'ang asked doubtfully, "No, I haven't even figured out the 'Shui Bo Ying' yet, how can I be the family head?"
Han Yun chuckled coldly, "The 'Shui Bo Ying' was proposed by the old man, and the old matriarch is executing it. Now that the old man is gone, if the old matriarch also passes away, then this rule will no longer hold. At that time, whoever is more ruthless and acts faster will be the family head!"
The logic was sound.
But...
Su Fei'ang smiled, "The old matriarch is in good health. She had a full body check-up last week, no illnesses or major issues. She usually stays out of sight, so there won't be any accidents."
"Heh heh."
Han Yun smiled coldly, "She won't live for three more days."
"What?" Su Fei'ang exclaimed, "Are you joking? You can't say things like that."
Han Yun said sinisterly, "I arranged to meet you here to prevent anyone from eavesdropping. Let me tell you honestly, the Buddha charm I gave the old matriarch is laced with potent poison. As long as the old matriarch wears that Buddha charm, she will die within three days."
Su Fei'ang was shocked to hear this.
"My heavens, Third Aunt, you are so cruel." Su Fei'ang marveled inwardly. It seemed Lu Ming was right that day; it was indeed a 'ghost charm' that would take a life!
Han Yun said, "Those who achieve great things are not bound by minor details. Everything I'm doing is to help you become the family head. Fei'ang, you must not let Third Aunt's good intentions go to waste."
Su Fei'ang nodded repeatedly, "I will not disappoint you! As soon as I become the family head, the first thing I'll do is avenge Third Uncle and tear those bastards Su Wanran and Lu Ming to pieces!"
Han Yun smiled with relief, "If you can think that way, Third Aunt can rest easy."
...
In the Su family's main residence.
Old Matriarch Shen Dianlan took a bath, put on her pajamas, and lay down on the bed. She reached out and picked up the Buddha charm, liking it more and more, feeling happier the more she looked at it.
"A good thing."
"To earn my favor, Han Yun put in a lot of effort. By all rights, I should help her."
"Perhaps, I can set a trap for Wanran, and then hand over the execution rights to Han Yun. That way, she can get her revenge personally, and I can also eliminate a scourge from the Su family, avoiding further deterioration of relations with the Sleeping Dragon."
"And Han Yun will bear the infamy for me. It's killing three birds with one stone."
Shen Dianlan meticulously planned. After considering everything, she put on the Buddha charm around her neck and lay down to sleep.
During the night, the Buddha charm emitted waves of toxins, invading Shen Dianlan's brain and nervous system.
This was the most painful sleep Shen Dianlan had ever had!
In her dream,
She was cast into the eighteen levels of hell, climbing mountains of knives, descending into cauldrons of oil, having her tongue cut out, her fingers broken. She experienced every kind of torture. When she woke up in the morning, she was covered in sweat and had lost control of her bodily functions.
She wanted to call out but couldn't make a sound.
Her voice was hoarse, her throat swollen, she was dizzy, experiencing intermittent convulsions, and her body was riddled with ailments.
If it weren't for the maids serving Shen Dianlan discovering her early and calling 120 for emergency medical treatment, she might not have even lived until noon!
The most terrifying thing was that the Buddha charm was still hanging around her neck.
The poison was continuously being released.
The doctors did their best to save her, barely keeping Shen Dianlan alive. She was temporarily able to maintain consciousness and speak.
However, everyone was puzzled. How could an old lady who was previously healthy and had no major illnesses suddenly suffer from so many ailments? It was too strange, incomprehensible.
After the doctors and nurses had left.
Shen Dianlan lay on the hospital bed, her eyes slightly squinted, deep in thought.
Vaguely, she seemed to see a Buddha.
"Buddha, Buddha, save me," Shen Dianlan pleaded desperately in her hoarse voice.
But when she opened her eyes wide and saw the true face of the Buddha, Shen Dianlan's face turned ashen with terror. It wasn't the Buddha, but a fierce and menacing ghost-Buddha!
"It's not Buddha, it's a ghost!"
Shen Dianlan was so scared that she lost control of her bladder again. At the same time, she seemed to realize something. She looked down at the Buddha charm hanging around her neck and exclaimed in shock and anger, "This isn't a Buddha charm, it's... it's a ghost charm!"