10 Not A Lifeless Tool
1281 Words
Han Ziyue had no idea about Mr. Zhang’s true role.
After returning to her room, she didn’t start her papers immediately. Instead, she sat at her desk, lost in thought.
She had initially assumed Mr. Zhang was just a regular personal assistant, but now it seemed both the Third Master’s dog, Ziyue, and the butler, Uncle Li, deferred to him.
She hadn’t seen Shen Zhenyu in the few days she’d been at South Lake Villa. To make her life easier, she couldn’t afford to provoke Mr Zhang. Even if his words were sharp, she had to endure.
Showing weakness at the right moment seemed to work.
“Woof woof”
The sound made Han Ziyue instinctively lock her door, a shiver running down her spine.
She feared dogs ever since Han Meilin had set one on her for scoring perfectly on an exam.
Han Ziyue lowered her gaze, hiding the coldness in her eyes. She knew the incident at the school gate was tied to Han Meilin, but she lacked proof.
The next day, Han Ziyue arrived at school early, but someone was there before her.
“Han Ziyue.”
An angry female voice rang out. Su Kexin, wearing flat shoes, grabbed Han Ziyue’s arm. “Come with me.”
Su Kexin held her tightly as they left the school gates. Han Ziyue winced, her brows furrowing in pain.
Her face, treated with ointment, had healed from Su Kexin’s slap the previous day.
Han Ziyue spoke expressionlessly, “You can let go now.”
Su Kexin looked unwell, even haggard. “Han Ziyue, did you do this on purpose? Are you trying to get back at me?”
Han Ziyue felt bewildered by the accusation.
Su Kexin continued, “I told you to follow the Third Master. Do you hate me for it? So you hooked up with that sleazy man outside. Even if you wanted someone, couldn’t you pick better? That man’s so old, are you that cheap?”
Han Ziyue’s heart chilled. “I told you, I don’t know him.”
“If you don’t know him, then…”
Han Ziyue cut her off. “If I really did something behind the Third Master’s back, do you think he’d still send a driver to take me to school?”
Su Kexin froze. She’d been scolded by Han Mengyuan yesterday and didn’t have Han Ziyue’s contact information, so she’d waited at the school gates.
She’d seen Han Ziyue step out of that luxury car with her own eyes.
Her eyes lit up, delighted. “So you didn’t upset the Third Master? That’s great.”
Han Ziyue watched her reaction, expressionless but bitter inside.
She turned to leave.
Su Kexin grabbed her arm, pleading, “Ziyue, it’s still early. Please listen to me.”
“Ziyue, I know you’re upset, but I had no choice. I’ve been married into the Han family for years but haven’t given birth to a son. If I could’ve given Han Mengyuan a son, our lives wouldn’t be so hard. It’s my fault.”
“Over the years, I’ve known Han Mengyuan has been with other women. He wants a son.”
“So, Ziyue, don’t blame me. The rumors about the Third Master killing his wives are just rumors. It’s the modern era, no one should believe such superstitions.”
“As long as you serve the Third Master well and marry him, you’ll be the mistress of the Shen family. Who’d dare look down on us then? And if you can give the Third Master a son, even better. Then we…”
Han Ziyue trembled with anger. “Enough.”
Su Kexin was surprised, then laughed. “I know you’re hesitant, but you’re an adult now. You should understand some things. Just do as I say. I’m trying to secure a future for the Han family.”
Han Ziyue smiled bitterly. “Su Kexin, am I just a tool for your fame and fortune?”
She was a person, with thoughts and emotions.
Not a lifeless tool.
Su Kexin, caught off guard, grew angry. “Han Ziyue, are you ungrateful? I’m doing this for the Han family’s sake.”
Han Ziyue felt powerless. “I promised I’d make sure you and the Han family don’t suffer when I get into college. I don’t need to rely on others.”
Su Kexin sneered. “Han Ziyue, are you naive? Why go to college? For money. Even if you get a job after college, how much can you earn? There’s a shortcut now, why not take it?”
“Su Kexin, you’re my stepmother. Why do you treat me like this?”
If she cared so little for her, why act as if she had authority over her life?
Faced with Han Ziyue’s sudden question, Su Kexin panicked. “I…I just want a better life for the Han family. What’s wrong with that?”
She was nervous, had Han Ziyue discovered something?
Seeing Su Kexin’s stubbornness, Han Ziyue’s eyes grew cold.
“Su Kexin, do you know why you haven’t gotten pregnant all these years?”
Su Kexin looked at her in shock, clutching her bag nervously. “What do you mean?”
Han Ziyue blinked, her dimples flickering, revealing sharp tiger teeth. “Uncle Han has someone outside. Even if you have a problem, what about those women? Are they all infertile?”
Reminded by Han Ziyue, Su Kexin was thunderstruck, her voice trembling. “Are you saying Uncle Han has a problem?”
Han Ziyue said nothing, seizing Su Kexin’s stunned moment to head to school.
Her lips curled slightly, showing a dimple, not at all like someone who’d done wrong.
Su Kexin wanted a son, Han Mengyuan wanted a son, and those women outside wanted a son.
Yet, after over a decade in the Han family, Su Kexin hadn’t even conceived, let alone borne a child.
Han Mengyuan suspected Su Kexin was the issue, so he sought other women.
Remarkably, there’d been no news of children.
Han Ziyue had long suspected something.
But Han Mengyuan and Su Kexin were oblivious to their role in the scheme.
She’d once seen Auntie Chen, the nanny who raised Han Meilin, add something to Han Mengyuan’s soup. Just once, but she was certain of what was happening.
Since Han Mengyuan fathered Han Meilin, he had no inherent issues.
Over a decade ago, he was in his prime, how could he suddenly become impotent unless drugs were involved?
Investigate!
Make a fuss!
The louder, the better.
Han Ziyue dropped a bombshell and entered the classroom feeling good.
But she was immediately stopped. Guo Hao’s face was ugly, his eyes flashing with anger.
“Han Ziyue, who was that man yesterday? He could be your father, and you still spoke to him like that. I never thought you’d be so despicable.”
Han Ziyue’s eyes swept over her classmates, all watching like it was a show.
Having faced human cruelty before, she didn’t care about them, but Guo Hao blocked her path.
“Move aside.”
Guo Hao, expecting her indifference, grew angrier, grabbing her arm and dragging her out.
“Let go of me,” Han Ziyue said, shocked he’d act this way in class. She grabbed a nearby desk.
The desk’s owner instinctively held it but let go under Guo Hao’s warning glare. “You better not interfere.”
The student released the desk.
“What do you want?” Han Ziyue looked at her indifferent classmates, their faces etched in her mind. No matter her anger or anxiety, it changed nothing.
Especially seeing Han Meilin’s gloating face in the crowd, an inexplicable hatred surged within her.
- Writer
