Chapter 164 Give me a chance to make amends, okay?
Shen Mingwei's tone was cautious and tentative.
"Consider it a celebration of your marriage."
"I'm busy."
Su Ruan replied decisively, walked to the window, and looked at the traffic below.
"His schedule is full, and I have a lot of things to do too."
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.
"What about this weekend?"
Shen Mingwei refused to give up and softened her tone even more.
"It's Mom's birthday this weekend. There'll be no one else around, just the family. We can just have a cake together, okay?"
"Come back and stay in your old room. I've already cleaned it up."
She added a sentence, with a deliberate air of nostalgia.
"That bay window you loved most when you were little, the sunlight streaming in made it so warm and cozy."
Su Ruan felt as if she had been pricked lightly by a fine needle in her chest.
That room, that bay window.
Shen Mingwei knew all too well how to rub salt in her wounds.
How long she had longed to hear Shen Mingwei say, "Come home for dinner."
Even the most ordinary home-cooked dishes can make her happy for half a day.
But at that time, Shen Mingwei only had eyes for the impeccably polite Wen Wanwan.
Now, Wen Wanwan is ruined, becoming a stain that the Wen family is eager to sever ties with.
And she, Su Ruan, climbed up the towering tree of the Yan family and held the infinitely promising SoftVoice in her hands.
Shen Mingwei then remembered that she still had a daughter she could try to win back.
That's ridiculous.
Happy birthday, Mrs. Wen.
Su Ruan spoke, and the distant way she addressed him made Shen Mingwei gasp for breath, no matter how many times she heard it.
"But for gifts and companionship, you should look for someone more suitable."
Upon hearing this, Shen Mingwei's voice choked with emotion.
"Ruanruan, it was Mom's fault before, I neglected you."
"I know you hate me, and you hate the Wen family."
"Give me a chance to make amends, okay?"
"unnecessary."
Su Ruan interrupted her, her voice turning cold.
"I don't hate you, nor do I hate the Wen family."
"The pain from my family of origin has been healed and redeemed."
"Without love, there is naturally no hate."
"There's no longer any mother-daughter bond between us."
"It's fine as it is now. Maintaining distance is dignified for both of us."
After speaking, Su Bianli landed and ended the call without waiting for Shen Mingwei's response.
The surroundings instantly became quiet.
She stood there, holding her phone.
Shen Mingwei's show of weakness and the Wen family's belated recognition now seem ironic.
if……
A thought suddenly popped into my head.
What if she had chosen a different path back then?
It's not about pursuing a so-called self in a rebellious way, but rather like Lin Yiyao?
To be the perfect daughter who meets all the expectations of the Wen family.
Gentle, obedient, and well-educated, she smoothed out all her rough edges, prioritizing the vanity and interests of her family.
So, will the Wen family not abandon her?
So now, is her situation better than Lin Yiyao's?
Won't.
Lin Yiyao's present is perhaps her future after she becomes obedient.
Whether one is obedient or not, entrusting one's fate to the hands of others will ultimately amount to nothing more than a castle in the air, which will crumble at the slightest breeze.
Being obedient means being taken advantage of even more thoroughly.
If you're disobedient, you'll be rejected even earlier.
Relying on yourself is the only right way.
She suddenly really wanted to see Lin Yiyao.
They were two completely different people, but by a twist of fate, at a crossroads of destiny, they saw another possible ending for each other.
Thinking of this, Su Ruan picked up her phone, found the number Yan Tingnan had given her, and dialed it directly.
The phone rang a few times before being answered. Lin Yiyao's voice carried a hint of caution and surprise.
Hello?
"Miss Lin, it's me, Su Ruan."
Su Ruan got straight to the point in a calm tone.
There was a moment of silence on the other end, as if they hadn't expected her to contact them directly.
"Miss Su?"
Lin Yiyao's voice was somewhat hesitant.
"Just call me Su Ruan."
Su Ruan smiled, her voice relaxed.
"Are you free? Want to grab a coffee? Just the two of us."
Lin Yiyao was clearly surprised.
"Now?"
"Yes, now."
Su Ruan spoke casually.
"I think you might need a change of pace, and maybe we can talk about some women's topics."
She deliberately avoided all topics that could cause stress, sending only a lighthearted signal.
Lin Yiyao was silent for a few seconds on the other end of the phone, her voice carrying a hint of relief and curiosity.
"Okay, send me the address."
See you in half an hour.
After hanging up the phone, Su Ruan gathered the materials she had prepared over the past few days and took them with her.
Half an hour later, in a corner of an elegant coffee shop in the west of the city.
When Lin Yiyao arrived, Su Ruan was already there.
She had a tablet in front of her, processing work emails.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Lin Yiyao approached, her voice somewhat reserved.
Su Ruan looked up at the sound, a natural smile curving her lips, and turned off the tablet screen.
"I just arrived too."
She gestured to the seat opposite her.
"Sit down. I ordered you a latte. I heard their beans are pretty good."
Lin Yiyao sat down as instructed, holding the slightly hot cup in both hands.
There was a moment of stillness in the air.
Two women, whose paths crossed due to a farce, now stand alone, feeling both subtle and unfamiliar.
Finally, Su Ruan broke the silence.
"Yan Tingnan told me that you didn't take the 30 million he offered."
Lin Yiyao nodded.
"Yes, I shouldn't take it, I can't take it."
“I’ve taken the house; it’s a place to stay, and I’m very grateful.”
"I see."
Su Ruan leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on the table, and looked at her with her chin in her hands.
"So his simplistic and crude straight-male thinking deserved to be rejected."
Lin Yiyao glanced at Su Ruan with some surprise.
Su Ruan continued, "So, you can accept his 30 million if you want."
"But I hope you will seriously consider accepting what I'm giving you."
As Su Ruan spoke, she took out a beautifully bound contract from the folder she had brought with her and pushed it in front of Lin Yiyao.
Several words were prominently displayed on the cover.
SoftVoice Studio Equity Incentive and Partnership Agreement
Lin Yiyao's pupils contracted slightly as she looked at Su Ruan in surprise.
"this……"
"Miss Su, this is too valuable! I cannot accept it!"
Su Ruan corrected her.
"Call her Su Ruan or Ruan Ruan."
"This is not compensation, it's an invitation."
Lin Yiyao subconsciously retorted.
"Actually, it wasn't for you..."
"I know."
Su Ruan interrupted her again, her eyes clear and bright.
"You're doing this for yourself, to break free from that cage."
"But that doesn't affect my feelings for you, Yan Tingnan, and it's also a fact that I took advantage of you."
"Yaoyao, I've checked your resume."
"Master of Management from UCL, minoring in Marketing. During my time at the university, I participated in two successful startup brand incubation cases."
"The Lin family will raise you to be a top-tier daughter-in-law; you will have no shortage of resources, vision, or abilities."
"SoftVoice is doing well right now, but its shortcomings are obvious."
"Sheng Sheng and I come from creative backgrounds, and our management style is mostly unorthodox, with internal processes in complete chaos."
"The expansion is too fast and the team can't keep up. We urgently need someone who can take charge of the overall situation and streamline the process."
Su Ruan made no attempt to hide her shortcomings, her tone revealing only her urgent desire to solve the problem.
"These."
Su Ruan pointed her finger at the contract.
"That's precisely your strength."
She leaned back in her chair, her posture relaxed.
"Yaoyao, come work with me."
"This agreement includes an initial 15% equity stake."
"We need a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to be responsible for internal management, market strategy, and overseas business development."
"I think you are very suitable for this position."
“Here, every decision you make is for our common cause, no longer for the sake of your family’s reputation or anyone’s expectations.”
Sunlight fell on Su Ruan's face, making her radiant with confidence.
She looked into Lin Yiyao's eyes with a hint of empathy.
"True strength lies in finding partners to fight alongside you and combining your individual strengths into one."
"Yaoyao, we don't have to live up to other people's expectations, but we have to live out our own lives."
"Family, marriage, those are all external definitions."
"Only the value you create yourself is the source of confidence that no one can take away."
"You must be yourself."
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