Chapter 286: She’s Thin-Skinned
Su He tugged at Su Xiaoman’s little tuft of hair. “Er Ya, do you really think that if I call Director Tian and the others ‘grandpa,’ the rumors will disappear?
You’re wrong. The talk will only get worse.
People will say that calling them grandpa and granddaughter is just a cover, and the gossip will become even more disgusting.”
Su He didn’t say things like “kids shouldn’t meddle in adult matters.” Sometimes children understand more than adults expect.
Letting her be involved would actually give her a stronger sense of belonging and responsibility toward the family.
Su Xiaoman half understood, half didn’t—but since her sister said it wouldn’t work, then it definitely wouldn’t.
Just then, Su Yongshi rushed in, flustered.
“Little Su, you’ve heard the rumors, right?
It’s not just about you and Principal Chen and the others—they’ve even dug up the old matters with Zhao Bin and Lin Bo, saying things like ‘flies don’t buzz around a seamless egg’…
It must be Shen Ruyi!
I just don’t get it—how can a young girl be this vicious?!
Our Su family must have had terrible luck to run into her!
Raised her for eighteen years for nothing, and now she treats us like enemies…
Little Su, what do we do now?
The rumors are spreading like wildfire—I heard people talking about it all the way back.”
There wasn’t much entertainment these days, so any bit of gossip became big news in every street and alley.
Especially this kind of scandal involving important figures and suggestive undertones.
Su He smiled. “Everyone, sit down first. It’s not that big of a deal. No need to worry so much.”
Su Yongshi frowned deeply. “Little Su, your uncle knows you’re capable. Especially since you’ve brought in foreign trade orders for the county—even with these rumors, the factory might not necessarily touch you.
But you have to think long-term!
Even if you clear your name, once a woman has a reputation like this, who would dare to promote you?
Once the foreign trade business stabilizes, they’ll quietly sideline you and gradually remove you.
Even worse, even if you bring in more orders, you won’t be able to rise any further—no leader will want to be associated with you!
And what if this reaches the Gu family?
Even if they know you’re innocent, they’ll still feel uncomfortable!
So what Shen Ruyi did is like a toad jumping onto your foot—not biting you, but disgusting enough!”
Su He nodded. To be fair, Su Yongshi’s perspective had improved quite a bit. His analysis made sense.
This was exactly Shen Ruyi’s intention.
To disgust her and saddle her with a lifelong label of moral misconduct.
In the current environment, once a woman had such a reputation, her future would be extremely difficult.
Su He noticed something—Shen Ruyi seemed particularly fond of using these kinds of tactics involving male-female impropriety. Was that some kind of fixation?
She smiled. “Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. The rumors will die down soon.”
Even though she said that, Su Yongshi and the others were still uneasy.
But they had grown used to following Su He’s lead, so no one objected.
At that moment, in Director Tian’s office at the food factory, four old men were sitting together.
They were the four “male leads” of the scandal, with an average age of… fifty-three.
Director Tian cursed angrily, “I’m old enough to be Little Su’s grandfather, and yet people are making up nonsense about me and her—saying things like ‘a pear blossom weighing down a begonia’!
Damn it! Those idiots must either be blind or crazy!”
Director Feng from the textile factory frowned. “Little Su has been acting quite high-profile lately. She must have offended someone. That girl never listens—young as she is, but she sure knows how to stir up trouble.”
Principal Chen immediately bristled. “Old Feng, her ‘high profile’ is for the sake of bringing in orders for your factories! If it weren’t for contributing to An County, she’d be peacefully attending university right now!”
Director Feng quickly explained, “Old Chen, you misunderstood. I mean this was clearly done by someone with ill intent, targeting Little Su!”
Director Hu from the machinery factory chimed in, smoothing things over. “Old Feng’s right. This was definitely orchestrated. The urgent task now is to clear up the rumors before they ruin Little Su’s reputation.”
Director Tian rolled his eyes slightly. He had already guessed it was Shen Ruyi, but he couldn’t say it—Feng and Hu didn’t know about the Shen family.
He cleared his throat. “Little Su said she’d be back this afternoon—she should be home by now. Why don’t we call her over and discuss this together? That girl has plenty of ideas—maybe she’ll come up with something.”
Director Feng sighed. “It’s difficult.
When enough people repeat a lie, it becomes truth. Accumulated slander can destroy a person. Rumors are fiercer than tigers.
Now the whole county is talking. Even if she comes forward to prove her innocence, few will believe her.”
Director Hu and Principal Chen looked equally troubled. This kind of smear tactic was especially devastating to a young woman.
Even though the four of them were dragged into it, it wouldn’t affect them much.
But Su He’s future path would become very difficult.
Only Director Tian remained confident.
That girl could practically kick me off my director’s chair if she wanted—what’s a few rumors to her?
He immediately told the driver, Little Du, to fetch Su He.
When Su He saw Little Du, she drove herself to the food factory.
Meanwhile, Little Du chased behind her on a bicycle.
Little Du’s inner thoughts: …Am I not the driver?
As soon as Su He entered Director Tian’s office, she saw three gloomy old faces—and one full of eager anticipation.
Director Tian looked at her expectantly. “Little Su, you’ve heard about the rumors, right? What do you plan to do?”
Su He: …
Honestly, what exactly are you so excited about?
Director Hu comforted her, “Little Su, don’t feel too pressured. You’re a young girl—thin-skinned, it’s understandable if you don’t want to step forward. We can handle the clarification ourselves. Rumors stop with the wise; given time, people will forget.”
Director Tian almost burst out laughing.
Thin-skinned? Her?
Do you even understand what ‘thin-skinned’ means?
Her face is thicker than a city wall!
Thin-skinned? She even dares to flirt with her own boyfriend!
Poor Little Gu—when the train left, his face was red as a monkey’s backside…
