Su Rou was taken to school. Su Yuze pulled her close and planted a kiss on her lips before letting her go.
Just as she was about to enter the school, several black - suited bodyguards suddenly emerged from both sides. Su Yuze's face darkened. He placed a hand on the car door, ready to open it. But then he paused, for it seemed the bodyguards meant no harm to Su Rou. Su Rou was a bit startled at first but quickly regained her composure.
Su Yuze closed the car door again and watched coldly as the black - suited bodyguards led Su Rou away. He didn't drive away from the school gate until the black car disappeared from sight.
...
As soon as Su Rou stepped into the school gate, more than a dozen black - suited bodyguards swarmed around her. They had typical Western builds, all of them were very stocky and wore sunglasses, making it hard to tell their expressions.
After the initial shock, Su Rou quickly regained her calm.
"Miss, the boss is waiting for you at home. Please come back," said the leading bodyguard.
"Okay, got it," Su Rou replied indifferently.
After the bodyguards escorted her into the car, Su Rou took a glance at Su Yuze's car in the distance through the rear - view mirror.
The journey was quiet. Su Rou didn't feel like chatting with these foreigners. Besides, she doubted they would tell her what she wanted to know.
The car drove straight to the Wen family's mansion. As soon as Su Rou walked in, Wen Haotian stood up from the sofa. It was obvious that he hadn't slept all night, with dark circles under his eyes.
Seeing Su Rou enter, Wen Haotian seemed to relax a bit, but still said sternly, "Where have you been? You didn't come home all night. Don't you know... we'd be worried?"
"I was... hanging out with a friend," Su Rou said. "Why can Wen Tong stay out for days and nights, while I have to be under your control?"
"... " Wen Haotian was stunned. He then realized that his actions might have been over - the - top. He was afraid Su Rou might notice something. He softened his tone slightly and asked, "Why didn't you answer your phone?"
"Maybe I was having too much fun and didn't hear it."
Wen Haotian's expression gradually eased. "Which friend?"
"My high - school classmate, Jiang Ling... You can go check if you don't believe me," Su Rou said indifferently. Then she curled her lips disdainfully. "Maybe I'm not your daughter."
With that, Su Rou walked up to the second floor.
Wen Haotian understood what Su Rou meant. She was hinting that no father should constantly monitor his daughter.
Since Su Rou had been missing for a day, Wen Haotian made her stay at home for the whole day. To put it nicely, she was staying at home; to put it bluntly, she was under house arrest.
Su Rou was bored in her room. There was a number in her phone, Su Yuze's. Just looking at it made her feel better.
But things weren't so easy for Wen Haotian. He went to the company with a gloomy face. The more he thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong. So he pressed the intercom on his desk. "Hello? Check for me if there's a student named Jiang Ling at the University of Washington."
"Okay."
Twenty minutes later, the intercom rang again. It only rang once before Wen Haotian picked it up. "Speak."
"I've just checked the student list of the University of Washington. There is indeed a student named Jiang Ling."
So Su Rou wasn't lying? "Be more specific."
"Yes," the intercom operator continued. "Jiang Ling, male, a student in Class One of Business Administration at the University of Washington. He's from City T in China and graduated from No.1 High School..." Since the school names on the materials were translated, the operator wasn't familiar with them and pronounced them a bit strangely. "That's about it."
"Okay, thanks."
After hanging up the phone, Wen Haotian's expression gradually improved. Well, he believed Su Rou. It seemed she wasn't lying.
Wen Haotian left work early. Su Rou was still in her room, playing a mobile game boredly. She had reinstalled "Angry Birds", but she had to start all over again, which made her quite annoyed.
Wen Haotian opened the door and saw Su Rou lying leisurely on the bed, playing the game. He finally showed a faint smile. After all, Su Rou was just a kid. How could she play any tricks?
"Xiaorou, it's time for dinner."
Su Rou's finger slipped on the phone, and the bird flew out with a "quack" sound. Then it hit the pig's head. Watching the pig's head getting swollen, Su Rou felt much better. If only she had these little birds, she would surely treat Wen Haotian like a pig's head.
"Okay." Su Rou replied. "By the way, how's the investigation? I didn't lie to you, did I?"
"I... didn't investigate. Of course I trust my daughter," Wen Haotian said with a smile.
Su Rou curled her lips. She despised him in her heart. Wen Haotian was so suspicious that she might run away and had sent so many people to look for her. How could he not investigate her?
Come on, she wasn't just an idle rich girl. Having learned from Su Yuze, she wasn't that naive!
Su Rou didn't say anything else. She just turned off her phone, tossed it casually on the bed, and walked downstairs on her own.
At the dinner table, Wen Haotian asked, "Xiaorou, are you and Jiang Ling... in a romantic relationship? Did you guys last night... "
"Hmm?"
"We're quite open - minded. We won't oppose you having a boyfriend. It's just... be careful," Wen Haotian reminded indirectly. "You're still young."
Su Rou frowned. "We're just ordinary friends."
Wen Haotian was about to say something else, but Su Rou interrupted him first. "Don't talk while eating. It'll cause indigestion."
"... Okay." Wen Haotian was speechless.
Yao Yu was still looking at Su Rou silently as usual. Seeing Su Rou's strong sense of rejection made Yao Yu feel a bit sad.
"Xiaorou," after dinner, Yao Yu sat on the sofa with Su Rou for the first time.
"What's up?" Su Rou asked while changing the TV channels.
"Do you want anything?" Yao Yu asked.
"What do you mean?"
"I thought... since we haven't seen each other for eighteen years, I want to satisfy you more," Yao Yu said softly. There was a look of apology on her gentle and intellectual face.
Su Rou pursed her lips. Was this apology for abandoning her eighteen years ago?
Su Rou was about to speak when Wen Haotian suddenly walked out from behind. Seeing Yao Yu seemed to displease him. "Xiaoyu, what are you doing here? Go back to your room."
"I just..."
"Go upstairs."
"... Okay."