He Lost Control with Jealousy — What Happened to Being Untouchable? - Chapter 12

“He wronged you… and he wronged me too…”

“I got the house back… part of it…”

“But Mom, I don’t feel happy at all.”

“It feels like… I’ve completely lost our home.”

“Sometimes I really want Grandpa to wake up, but then I don’t. If he knew you were gone and Dad remarried and treated me like this, he’d be so heartbroken.”

“But the company was your and Grandpa’s life’s work. I can’t bear to see it fall apart. Mom, what should I do?”

Tears fell silently.

The wind blew, swaying the daisies and tousling the strands of hair scattered over her shoulders, adding to the desolation and loneliness.

She didn’t know how long she had been sitting there, leaning against her mother’s gravestone, until Su Mo arrived.

Seeing her flushed cheeks, Su Mo stepped forward and hugged her.

“Aunt Liu called and asked me to check on you. Qi Qi said you hadn’t gone back, so I knew you’d be here.”

Sang Wan took a deep breath. “Just needed some quiet.”

“Once you’ve had your quiet, let’s go. Don’t make Auntie worry.”

Sang Wan curved her lips. “Mom would be thrilled. It’s been so long since I’ve spent time with her like this.”

“She’d be happy, but she’d also worry about you. Aren’t you hungry at this hour?”

Su Mo pulled her up from the ground. “Come on, you still owe me a meal since you got back.”

Sang Wan stood and smoothed her hair. “Let’s go. I just sold the house for 30 million. Tonight, you can eat and drink to your heart’s content, good food and good booze, all on me.”

As soon as they got into the car, Sang Wan’s phone rang. It was her agent, Bai Wei.

“Sister Wei, what’s up?”

“Little ancestor, finally found you! There’s a big project tomorrow, one we never even dared to dream about before. But they’re giving you a direct shot at an audition.”

Sang Wan blinked. Just when she needed money the most, a big opportunity came knocking.

“Alright, send me the time and address.”

When they arrived at the Imperial Club, Sang Wan sighed regretfully. “I have an audition tomorrow. Drinking will make my face swell. Let’s save the booze for another day.”

“I’ll get you two iced Americanos tomorrow to reduce the swelling. Tonight, if there’s wine, let’s get drunk tonight.”

Su Mo didn’t want her going home to overthink things. A little alcohol would help her sleep better.

She might seem fine on the surface, but she was hurting inside. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have spent half the day at the cemetery.

Honestly, when Su Mo heard Xu Shiming wanted to use her for a marriage alliance, she was furious.

Her father had changed completely after Sang Wan’s mother passed away and her grandfather slipped into dementia.

…

Half an hour later.

The person who had been worried about a swollen face was now propping up her cheeks, her gaze hazy with intoxication.

“Come on, pour me another.”

With her mind weighed down, Sang Wan had ordered a table full of delicious food but barely touched any of it, downing a glass of wine first instead.

Having not eaten all day, two drinks were enough to get her tipsy.

Su Mo shook her head with a smile. “When will your alcohol tolerance ever improve?”

“I am improving! I work so hard, isn’t that improvement?”

A non-answer.

“Alright, let’s get you home.”

A good night’s sleep, and tomorrow she’d be the radiant Sang Wan again.

Sang Wan waved at the blurry figures in front of her. “What’s the rush? There’s so much good food here. I haven’t eaten like this in three months.”

Su Mo’s heart ached at her words.

Being an artist wasn’t easy. Sang Wan was already thin, but to look good on camera, she still had to watch her diet and control her weight.

She claimed she would eat properly, but after just a few bites, she pushed herself up from the table and headed out of the private room upon hearing the piano music outside.

“What are you doing? Not eating anymore?”

Su Mo couldn’t stop her and could only chase after her, pulling a mask from her bag to put on her.

“Be careful not to get photographed.”

Although the Imperial Club had strict VIP policies, it was still better not to take risks.

In the center of the main hall, a hired pianist was performing. Sang Wan wasn’t deeply drunk, she just hadn’t played the piano in a long time. Ever since Lin Lan moved in and sold her piano, she hadn’t touched one.

Today, with her heart full of grievances, the sound of the piano made her desperately want to play.

Staggering to the center of the stage, she sat directly on the piano bench.

“I’ll play. You take a break.”

The pianist was stunned, but before he could say anything, the girl’s slender fingers landed on the black and white keys. Though there was a hint of alcohol in her movements, her skill was evident, clearly someone who had practiced for years.

“Sorry, she’s a little drunk.”

Su Mo apologized on her behalf, standing to the side. The pianist, however, graciously stepped away, letting her play freely.

The clientele here were all wealthy or influential, and impromptu performances weren’t uncommon.

Meanwhile, upstairs, three men stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows of their private room, watching the commotion in the main hall.

“So, what do you think of my place?” Shen Yubai asked.

“Not bad.”

Lu Tingzhou swirled the wine in his glass, watching the light dance with the liquid.

“What happened with that actress last night?” Song Ze took a sip of his drink and glanced at Lu Tingzhou.

Shen Yubai immediately knew who he was referring to and looked over with gossip-filled eyes. “Last night? What happened?”

Song Ze smirked. “Someone played the role of Liu Xiahui all night.”

Shen Yubai raised an eyebrow, feigning disappointment. “I thought Sang Wan had successfully reeled him in. What a shame!”

Lu Tingzhou remained silent as the two bantered, his gaze drifting toward the hall.

His grip on the wine glass tightened slightly, and the usually unflappable man furrowed his brows ever so slightly.

Downstairs, Sang Wan played with abandon.

Su Mo listened, mesmerized, marveling at how, despite not having played in two years, she hadn’t lost her touch.

The fluid melody even drew other guests to stop and watch.

Shen Yubai and Song Ze followed Lu Tingzhou’s line of sight and recognized the woman playing the piano as Sang Wan.

“Sang Wan?” Shen Yubai raised an eyebrow. “Tsk, even with a mask on, you can tell she’s a stunning beauty.”

He nudged Lu Tingzhou with his elbow. “You’ve got a thing for her, don’t you? Otherwise, why would you risk your life to save her yesterday?”

Lu Tingzhou shot him a sidelong glance. “That’s my racetrack. She’s a public figure.”

The implication was clear, if something happened to her on his property, the racetrack would be shut down immediately.

Song Ze shook his head subtly, giving Lu Tingzhou a knowing look before silently returning to his seat.

Shen Yubai took a doubtful sip of his wine and turned his attention back to the hall. “Oh, Xiao Xuan’s here too. Is that girl next to him Sang Wan’s stepsister?”

Lu Tingzhou didn’t respond, his gaze still fixed on Sang Wan. The melancholic notes of the piano suggested she was in a somber mood.

Sang Wan was delicate but never self-pitying.

When wronged, she wouldn’t complain, instead, she’d vent through music.

“Xu Shiming really outdid himself, doting on his new wife’s daughter while neglecting his own.”

Lu Tingzhou stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, swirling the wine glass in his hand. As he raised it, the crimson liquid rippled like waves, shattering the reflection of the girl below in its wake.

Song Ze shook his head slightly, wanting to say something but unable to find the words.

Xu Mingyue had gone to great lengths to follow Lu Jinxuan to the Imperial Club, hoping that more time together would bring their relationship to the next level.

Who would have thought that the moment Lu Jinxuan stepped inside, his soul would be stolen by the woman playing the piano in the center of the hall?

The woman had a graceful figure, and even from just her back, she exuded an indescribable elegance.

That woman was none other than Sang Wan.

Her fingers danced across the black and white keys, the melody flowing low and melancholic, carrying a hint of inexplicable fragility that struck straight to the heart.

Lu Jinxuan stood there, utterly entranced.

“Jinxuan.”

Xu Mingyue called out softly, trying to pull his attention back.

“Let’s go to the private room. It’s too crowded here.”

Lu Jinxuan seemed not to hear, his gaze still glued to Sang Wan, his eyes filled with admiration and intoxication.

Xu Mingyue gritted her teeth in silent fury.

Damn you, Sang Wan!

This morning, she swindled thirty million from home, nearly making Dad faint from anger, and now she’s here partying and having fun!

A flash of venom crossed her eyes as she discreetly pulled out her phone from her bag, aimed it at Sang Wan, adjusted the angle, and snapped several photos in quick succession.

Hmph, Sang Wan, just you wait!

All these men around you, bewitched by your charms, will be your downfall.

[Popular Starlet Drunk Late at Night, Club Becomes Playground for the Wealthy]

A headline like that, once released, would shatter her pristine, untouchable image in an instant.

She edited the title and photos, then sent them to a paparazzo.

The lingering piano notes gradually faded into silence.

Sang Wan leaned against the piano lid, swaying slightly as she stood up, her eyes hazy with drunkenness, cheeks flushed.

Scattered applause rose around her, with Lu Jinxuan clapping the hardest.

Every time he saw Sang Wan, she took his breath away.

Seizing the opportunity, Xu Mingyue stepped forward to Sang Wan’s side, her voice just loud enough for those nearby to hear.

Her eyes reddened as she looked at Sang Wan with tearful accusation.

“Sister, Dad fell ill because of you. Won’t you go back and see him? He keeps calling for you.”

The moment the words left her mouth, several curious glances turned their way.

Sang Wan narrowed her drunken peach-blossom eyes and looked at Xu Mingyue.

Mentioning Xu Shiming, despite the alcohol fogging her mind, her thoughts had never been clearer.

She curled her lips into a sweet, innocent smile, her voice soft and delicate.

“Oh? Then why are you out here chasing handsome men? Doesn’t seem like he’s that sick. Otherwise, you’d be glued to his side, after all, you and your mom have been eyeing our family’s fortune for ages.”

As she spoke, her shimmering gaze shifted to Lu Jinxuan beside them. She blinked at him and smiled.

That smile, pure yet bewitching, like a feather’s light brush or tiny hooks, tugged at something deep inside, leaving an itch in the heart.

Lu Jinxuan’s face flushed instantly, his heartbeat skipping a beat. Unconsciously, he avoided Xu Mingyue’s gaze, suddenly flustered and unsure what to do.

Su Mo, supporting Sang Wan from the side, bit back a laugh, mentally giving her a thumbs-up.

Well said! Brilliant comeback!

But then, unexpectedly, Lu Jinxuan spoke up to explain, “Miss Sang, you’ve misunderstood. We just happened to run into each other.”

Sang Wan was slightly taken aback by Lu Jinxuan’s explanation, her delicate brows furrowing faintly. “What a coincidence indeed. The bond my sister gained by bearing the stigma of filial impiety, she’d better hold onto it tight.”

Xu Mingyue’s heart clenched. She hadn’t expected Lu Jinxuan to be so blunt. Flustered, she said, “Sister, I know you don’t like me, but you can’t target me at every turn just because Dad favors me. There are so many people watching. You’re a public figure, you should still mind your words and actions.”

All eyes turned to Sang Wan, and some even recognized her.

“That’s Sang Wan. I never thought she’d be so unkind to her stepsister.”

“She seems drunk.”

“Only when drunk does one’s true nature show. Usually so pure and sunny, who’d have guessed she’s this bitter and spiteful in private?”

Under the scrutiny, Sang Wan’s expression remained unreadable, her lips curving into a faint smile, her gaze hazy.

She was laughing at how Xu Mingyue never missed a chance to put on an act.

The crowd in the hall grew thicker, but no one noticed the figure descending from upstairs.