CHAPTER 240: CHAPTER 65: MEI’S BLOOD SOAP (PART 2)

"Let’s do this: since Xiao Xu is pregnant recently, and the auction house isn’t running smoothly, why not let Ziceng and Xiao Chi manage it? It’ll be a test at first, and if they’re capable, then we can move forward with the project Ziceng mentioned," Chang Mei casually suggested.

"I don’t want to manage it with her," Su Ziceng and Chang Chi replied in unison, their eyes betraying their mutual antipathy that had not been a matter of just a day or two.

Su Qingzhang was somewhat annoyed as he looked at the two of them. Yan Wuxu walked up to his side, her little hands kneading his shoulders, and Su Qingzhang’s chest, heaving with anger, gradually calmed down.

"I think, how about managing separately? For example..." Yan Wuxu looked between Ziceng and Chang Chi, trying to secure a favorable chip for Su Ziceng.

"I’m free on weekends, I can take care of everything on the weekends," Chang Chi glanced at Yan Wuxu. These two women had long stood together; it can’t be that they’re allowed to dictate everything.

"Weekends?" Su Ziceng was clearly displeased. Speaking of the auction house operation, the most profitable auction times were indeed on weekends.

"After completing pre-graduation exams at Kelly Women’s College, the coursework is very light, you can organize auctions during the weekdays, five days against two, I’m already giving you an advantage," Chang Chi laid it all out.

Su Ziceng knew she was at a disadvantage, but the path still had to be walked; she had to think of other strategies for the specialty store.

"Fine, if my auction performance is better than hers, Father, you must support my specialty store venture," Su Ziceng calculated that in just over a year, she would complete her studies at Kelly. In this year, she intended to invest all the money she could.

It was only after Chang’s mother and daughter had left that Su Ziceng and Yan Wuxu finally exchanged a few words. The two, not having seen each other for several months, both noticed changes in each other.

"I’m two months pregnant with a baby boy; it’s not very noticeable right now," Yan Wuxu spoke loudly, her eyes occasionally glancing towards the staircase.

Su Ziceng knew she was speaking loudly on purpose so that Chang’s mother and daughter could hear. But such affected behavior made Su Ziceng feel unsettled, so she frowned.

Since becoming pregnant, Yan Wuxu’s sensitivity to her surroundings had sharpened. Sensing Su Ziceng’s displeasure, she attributed the discomfort to jealousy over her winning Su Qingzhang’s favor and the possible usurpation of her inheritance. "It’s all the same, afraid that I would take hers," Yan Wuxu thought contemptuously.

But on her lips, she quickly changed the subject, "I think Chang Mei and her daughter want to use this opportunity to wrestle control of the auction house back into their hands."

In fact, Su Bi Auction House was also operating listlessly now, lacking especially valuable auction items; when held in hand, they were as good as nothing.

"Actually, Su Bi in their hands might be able to develop better." Su Ziceng recalled that more than a decade later, Su Bi Auction House had some fame domestically. And in terms of operation, Chang Mei and Chang Chi indeed had their merits.

"Have you lost your mind? It’s not enough that Hang Yishao got snatched away by Chang Chi, now you also want to give away the auction house that’s in our grasp," Yan Wuxu scolded in frustration, as if to say: "If you give them an inch, they’ll take a mile. Don’t forget, your mother was killed by Chang Mei."

Yan Wuxu’s words and Tina’s notes all hinted at something, but still, Su Ziceng couldn’t confirm whether Qiao Chu’s death was because of Chang Mei, unless someone could testify to what had happened back then.

"I can take you to see the old maid who was dismissed by Chang Mei back then," although surprised by Yan Wuxu’s eagerness, the matter had been on Su Ziceng’s mind for a long time, so she agreed to Yan Wuxu’s suggestion and set out to find the old maid from the Su Family who was said to be living in the Sixth District.

Su Ziceng did not have much impression of the old maid, but she claimed to have been there when Su Ziceng was born and could clearly describe a series of preferences for Su Qingzhang and Chang Mei. Since she said she had followed Qiao Chu to the Su Family from the Qiao Family, this made Su Ziceng even more convinced.

"I was going to take these things with me to the grave," the old maid who seemed old enough to be Su Ziceng’s grandmother said as she wiped away tears and pulled out a well-preserved stack of coins from under the bed, "these were given to me by Housekeeper Chang."

Su Ziceng looked at stack after stack of coins. Even if it was severance for a dismissed maid, it should not have amounted to this much, much less from over a decade ago. The severance that Chang Mei gave to the old maid back then was officially too much.

"Back then, the master hadn’t returned to the country," the old maid said, trembling: "I’m old and sleep lightly at night, and the miss was about to give birth, so when I heard Secretary Chang’s screams, I was the first to rush up. The scene terrified me."

"Terrified what?" Su Ziceng couldn’t help but grab the old maid’s hand as she stopped mid-story.

"The lady, covered in blood, her dress turned red. Just the day before, she had kicked Secretary Chang out. I don’t know how Secretary Chang got back in, but when I got there, I saw the lady grasping Secretary Chang’s hand with the last of her strength, her eyes already closed," the old maid recalled the scene in the bathroom, the lady fallen, bloody.

"Secretary Chang, babbling ’I’m sorry,’ she was completely horrified," the old maid said halfway and continued, "I saw a bar of essential oil soap on the floor, bought by Secretary Chang when the lady was first pregnant, claiming it helped with pregnancy and sleep"

Su Ziceng’s face drained of color; her jaw clenched tightly as Yan Wuxu quickly supported her. This time, Su Ziceng ought to believe it, right? (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast monthly tickets and recommendation tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)