138: Chapter 138 Choi Sulli Falls into the Abyss Again

Cui's Mother continued her tirade. Choi Sulli, being scolded, trembled all over. Her eyes grew increasingly vacant, and she seemed on the verge of collapse.

Suddenly, a firm voice rang out: "Auntie, please have some self-respect!"

Everyone turned to look. Kim Taeyeon was standing at the entrance of the reception room, with Seohyun following behind her.

She had clearly just rushed over from the neighboring practice room.

Kim Taeyeon was wearing a black practice outfit. There wasn't a trace of a smile on her face as she stared sharply at Cui's Mother, her aura fully unleashed.

Choi Sulli was a child she had watched grow up!

Cui's Mother frowned and looked at Kim Taeyeon.

"Taeyeon-ssi, I'm speaking with my daughter, Jin-ri. What does this have to do with you?"

Kim Taeyeon, however, walked step by step to Choi Sulli's side. She gently steadied her trembling shoulders, gave her a reassuring look, then turned to face Cui's Mother, her tone icy.

"Auntie, don't you realize how much Sulli has done for the family all these years?

When she first debuted, she only received a meager monthly allowance, and she gave it all to the family.

Up until last month, the salary card was still under your name.

Everything you're wearing, isn't it all bought with Sulli's hard-earned money?"

Kim Taeyeon paused, her voice rising a few notches.

"You keep calling her an ingrate, but in reality, you're the vampires sucking her blood!

At such a young age, she bears the pressures of the entertainment industry while being subjected to your endless demands.

Now, all she wants is to manage her own salary, and you come to the company to make a scene. What kind of behavior is this?"

Struck where it hurt, Cui's Mother's face instantly flushed crimson.

"What nonsense are you spouting? That's what she's supposed to do!

Being filial to her parents and supporting the family, isn't that only natural?

I raised her all these years. What's wrong with her contributing a bit to the family?"

Kim Taeyeon let out a cold laugh.

"Contribution isn't endless exploitation! Sulli has given all her money to you these past few years.

Hasn't she done enough?

She's a person too, not your personal cash cow!

She has her own life, her own choices. Why should she be held hostage by you?"

Cui's Mother finally shouted hysterically:

"I'm talking to my daughter. What right does an outsider like you have to interrupt?"

"Choi Jin-ri, look at the kind of people you associate with!

Teaching you to be unfilial, teaching you to oppose your family!

I'm telling you, today you must change the salary card back, or I'll stay right here and refuse to leave. I'll let everyone see how you treat your parents!"

Leaning against Kim Taeyeon, Choi Sulli trembled even more violently, tears pattering down.

Yet, she couldn't utter a single word, only biting her lip fiercely, her eyes filled with despair.

What she feared most was her mother threatening her in this way, making her lose face in front of everyone.

Kim Taeyeon suddenly smiled sharply: "Suit yourself! At worst, we'll see each other in court. Sulli is an adult now. Let's see who ends up embarrassed."

Cui's Mother stiffened her neck, putting on a fearless front.

"I am Choi Sulli's mother. It's only natural for me to ask my daughter for support!

If I don't get a proper answer today, I'll go find your president, I'll go to the media, and let everyone judge who's right!"

Kim Taeyeon wasn't afraid and continued arguing with Cui's Mother.

Though petite, she seemed remarkably tall and imposing at this moment.

Meanwhile, Liu Zijun stood behind the camera, watching Im Yoona under the spotlight, radiant.

Today, he had accompanied Im Yoona for an outdoor commercial shoot. Just after arriving at the location, he suddenly received a call from Krystal Jung.

"What's up, Little Iceberg?"

Liu Zijun's voice was lazy.

Krystal's voice sounded urgent, completely ignoring Liu Zijun's nickname for her.

In the past, she would have definitely bickered with him a bit.

"Sulli... Sulli's mother has come to the company and is making a scene."

"She's forcing Sulli to change the salary card back, and she's scolding Sulli for being useless because of the dating rumors with you.

Sulli... she's in a very bad state right now, trembling non-stop, tears flowing uncontrollably. It's like...

like her soul has left her body."

Liu Zijun's hand gripping the phone tightened abruptly, the warmth in his eyes instantly replaced by ice.

He actually knew about Choi Sulli's family situation all along.

Her parents treated her as a cash cow, making endless demands.

He hadn't intervened actively before because he was considerate of Choi Sulli's feelings. After all, they were her biological parents, and he didn't want to put her in a difficult position.

But he never expected Cui's Mother to come to the company and make a scene, hitting her weakest point, causing her condition to relapse.

Liu Zijun's voice was terrifyingly calm.

"I understand."

"I'll come back to handle it now. You take good care of Sulli first. Don't let her suffer any more stimulation."

After hanging up, without interrupting Im Yoona's shoot, Liu Zijun headed straight for his motorcycle.

Twisting the throttle, the engine roared explosively as he sped off towards SM Entertainment Company.

The wind whistled past his ears, lifting the hem of his clothes.

His eyes were extremely sharp, yet tinged with some helplessness.

He sighed inwardly: What was bound to come had finally arrived.

It wasn't that he hadn't thought about resolving this matter; he had just been hesitating about the method.

Too forceful, and he feared Sulli would feel hurt.

Too gentle, and he feared it wouldn't curb Cui's Mother's greed.

Now it seemed gentleness was useless. Only a swift, decisive cut could completely sever this endless entanglement and prevent Sulli from being hurt again.

The motorcycle ran through who knows how many red lights, weaving rapidly through the traffic.

Even the pursuing traffic police couldn't catch up.

The motorcycle stopped at the entrance of SM Entertainment Company. Liu Zijun took off his helmet and rushed into the building.

The security guards at the entrance, seeing his gloomy expression, didn't dare to stop him.

He headed straight for the practice room floor. From afar, he could hear the sounds of Cui's Mother arguing with Kim Taeyeon, and Cui's Mother shouting at Choi Sulli.

"Choi Jin-ri, if you don't agree with me today, I'll..."

Before Cui's Mother could finish her sentence, the fire door at the end of the corridor was forcefully pushed open.

Liu Zijun stood at the entrance. His black work suit was slightly disheveled by the wind. His icy gaze swept across the room, finally landing on Choi Sulli.

Choi Sulli looked up. The moment she saw Liu Zijun, a flicker of flame seemed to ignite in her previously vacant, despairing eyes.

Tears fell even more fiercely from her eyes as she reached out in his direction, choking out a cry: "Oppa..."

That one word, "Oppa," carried boundless grievance and dependence, making Liu Zijun's heart instantly tighten.

He quickly walked to Choi Sulli's side, gently pulling her into his embrace. Feeling the violent trembling of her body, his heart was filled with heartache and fury.

His voice became so gentle it could drip water, completely different from the icy tone moments before.

"It's okay now, Jin-ri. I'm here."

"With me here, no one can hurt you."

Leaning against his chest as if she had found a lifeline, Choi Sulli tightly wrapped her arms around his waist and finally burst into loud sobs.

All the grievances, fears, and helplessness pent up inside her erupted completely at this moment. Her cries were filled with a heartbreaking fragility.

Seeing Liu Zijun and Choi Sulli like this, Cui's Mother became furious.

She looked Liu Zijun up and down. Seeing him dressed in ordinary work attire, handsome but not appearing to have any special background, she grew even angrier.