CHAPTER 236: CHAPTER 234: CAN’T ESCAPE WHAT’S COMING

The director keenly noticed Mr. Shi’s visibly displeased expression upon emerging, quickly glancing towards Shi Su’s direction. He assumed she had angered Mr. Shi by leaving without greeting him and promptly called out to her.

"Shi Su, come over here and say hello to Mr. Shi."

Shi Su was suddenly called out inexplicably and found it hard to continue walking away. She turned around to look at the director, who directly pulled her over.

"I didn’t catch your name earlier and hadn’t noticed, but only now realized. The surname ’Shi’ isn’t that common. Could be that Mr. Shi and Shi Su were from the same family five hundred years ago," the director jokingly introduced. "Mr. Shi, this is our lead actress Shi Su. Young people can be a bit oblivious sometimes and don’t know they should hurry over to say hello. Please forgive her!"

From the same family five hundred years ago?

No need.

The one in front of her was her biological father.

The biological father with whom she had severed relations.

Shi Su glanced indifferently at this so-called Mr. Shi. Over the past five years, time had left quite a few marks around his eyes, but the greasy old man was still the same old greasy man, and the heartless scumbag was still the same scumbag.

Shi Lingkang’s expression was not much better as he looked at Shi Su: "Oh? Shi Su?"

The way he said her name didn’t sound like a father addressing his daughter, but rather a casual remark following the director’s introduction, aloof and distant, without any intention of familial recognition.

Though she was mentally prepared, Shi Su was still unexpectedly stabbed in the heart.

Unsurprising self-mockery.

After all these years, still the same old story.

Knowing that he never intended to acknowledge her as his daughter publicly, knowing that having no hope would mean no disappointment, what was she expecting at this moment?

Did she actually hope he would acknowledge her as his daughter publicly?

Shi Su slightly curled her lips. All the anticipation and the chill she had felt over the past five years finally distilled into three words at her lips: "Hello, Mr. Shi."

"The entertainment industry isn’t a place where just anyone can make it. To shine and thrive, you need real talent. I haven’t heard much about this lead actress," Shi Lingkang said dismissively, "No wonder Deng has been so worried about the investment in your production; it’s evidently not very reliable."

Shi Su felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her.

She didn’t care about outside rumors, nor did she care what Shi Lingkang thought.

But the real reason the investors wanted to pull out was due to Tong Yuanyuan, and now he was throwing the blame on her?

The director quickly chimed in without defending Shi Su, "You’re right, Mr. Shi. In this industry, actresses with talent like your daughter Yunyin are indeed rare. Otherwise, how could Yunyin break the record for the youngest Best Actress? But our script is very good, and although it’s not currently favored by investors, it’s the kind that will likely develop from a slow start to great success. We’re really fortunate to use Mr. Shi’s venue today..."

"Yunyin indeed works very hard. Not everyone can reach her level," Shi Lingkang said in an unassuming tone.

The director nodded in agreement and gestured subtly for Shi Su to give some respect, warning her with his eyes that Mr. Shi was an important figure in Jiang City’s business circle, not someone to offend.

Considering there were so many people from the production team present, and Shi Su herself had no intention of acknowledging him, she smiled slightly with no particular emotion. "You’re right, Mr. Shi. The crew just called me; I’ll go prepare first. Excuse me."

After speaking, she turned and left directly.

Tonight’s scene involved Shi Su, in a state of furious humiliation, throwing red wine at the second male lead’s face and having a disagreement with a business partner, making her maintain a cold demeanor throughout. It perfectly matched her mood tonight, so the shooting went smoothly.

Originally expected to finish in the early hours, the shoot ended two hours early.

There were still other actors needing the venue, but her individual scenes were over.

As she prepared to find Chu Jiu, put on her coat, and leave, a man in a suit suddenly emerged from the corner. Shi Su glanced at him, vaguely feeling a sense of familiarity, as if she had seen him beside Shi Lingkang before, though she couldn’t recall whether he was an assistant or a secretary.

"Mr. Shi wants to see you. Please come with me," he said without much courtesy, directly blocking her path and gesturing toward another elevator.

What was inevitable couldn’t be avoided.

When the Shi Family learned she was still alive, and even back in Jiang City, she knew this day would come sooner or later.

Shi Su glanced back at the two tall men standing in the corner. They were bodyguards from the Shi Family.

Without saying much, not wanting to be forced, she stepped into the elevator directly.

Shi Lingkang was in the corridor outside the elevator on the second floor of the hotel. There was no one else around, and Shi Su saw him standing there as soon as she exited the elevator.

Upon hearing the sound, Shi Lingkang turned around to look at her, maintaining his high and mighty demeanor, as if assessing a beggar who had been wandering outside for years. There was not a trace of paternal concern, only a weighing of who she had become over the years.

"Since you faked your death, why bother coming back?" Shi Lingkang’s words lacked any familial warmth; instead, he frowned, as if she were a major annoyance, his tone very hostile.

Shi Su looked at him with eyes devoid of warmth, "Faked death? Is that what you think, Mr. Shi?"

Shi Lingkang’s expression paused without speaking, clearly dissatisfied with her unceremonious tone.

It was evident that even if he hadn’t been involved in the fire she had suffered years ago, he must have known the ins and outs afterward. He turned a blind eye to his current wife and daughter’s attempt to kill his other biological daughter. He obviously knew the truth long ago but had no intention of addressing it.

Shi Su laughed softly, "Indeed, if I hadn’t ’died,’ how could I have been so easily disowned by the Shi Family? This daughter who should not exist was hidden by you for so many years and ultimately became just a pawn to be abandoned."

Shi Lingkang’s face turned dark, his gaze sharp as a knife, "No one has looked after you these past five years, and you’ve lost all proper upbringing. Look at you now; what have you become?"

"Upbringing, what have you taught me? Taught me how to give birth but not care? Taught me how to stand idly by and watch as your daughter lives in misery? Adding insult to injury rather than helping? Taught me how to die more cleanly? Otherwise, how could you uphold your noble, righteous, and exemplary family reputation, and how could a hypocritical scumbag like you successfully stand out in the Shi family competition and inherit the tens of billions of the old Shi Family mansion in the capital?"

"Smack!" Suddenly, a harsh sound of a slap echoed in the air.

Shi Su’s face turned to the side from the force, but she remained standing still.