NOVEL NEXT Chapter 107 - Su Beibei
Chapter 107: Su Beibei
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
The car followed the navigation instructions for nearly 40 minutes, before finally stopping in front of a gothic cafe.
Song Ci sat in the car and sized up the cafe in front of her.
Long Yu told Song Ci, “According to Madam’s information, I found out that Su Beibei, Su Buwang’s deceased daughter, is currently a mystery fiction writer. She owns a cafe, which is this one and she usually lives here.”
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Long Yu stared at the main door of the cafe and turned to ask Song Ci, “Do you need me to go in with you?”
Song Ci nodded. “Follow me in and order a cup of coffee. I have something to discuss with Su Bei Bei.”
“Okay.”
Long Yu and Song Ci entered the cafe together.
Business at the cafe was very good. Most of the customers were youngsters. Song Ci glanced at the customers in the main hall, before turning to look behind the bar counter. There was a woman in a long black dress standing there with her back facing Song Ci. She was reading a book with her head lowered.
Song Ci asked the lady, “Hi, is your manager here?”
The lady was flipping through a book. Hearing this, she paused.
She slowly put down the bookmark and closed the book. The lady turned around and said, “I am.” Only after she answered, did she look up. Upon seeing Song Ci’s face, she was stunned.
She recognized Song Ci.
“Song Ci?” Staring at Song Ci, Su Beibei asked in surprise, “You’re looking for me?” I have never seen Song Ci before. What is she doing here?
Song Ci was slightly shocked. “You are Ms. Su?”
Long Yu had shown Song Ci Su Beibei’s information. Su Beibei was only 9 years old then. The little girl in the photo was a little cutie in a pink babydoll dress. And the person in front of her…
The woman was tall and wore a black off-shoulder dress with a black collar around her neck. She had long, straight black hair with a princess-style fringe. Her face was covered in gothic makeup and she exuded a dark aura.
“I’m Su Beibei.” Su Beibei found it ridiculous. “You asked to meet me by name, yet you don’t know me?”
Song Ci didn’t answer directly, ” You changed too much and I couldn’t guess your identity.”
Upon hearing this, Su Beibei raised her brows slightly but didn’t ask where the change came from.
Song Ci looked around and felt that the first level was not a good place to talk. She asked Su Beibei, “Miss Su, can we talk somewhere more private?”
Su Beibei thought for a moment, before looking up at a waiter with a braid. “Ah Kun, help me look after the shop. I have something on.”
“Alright, Manager.”
Su Beibei walked out from behind the counter. As she got closer, Song Ci realized that she was slightly taller than her.
She was such a mature lady.
“Come upstairs with me.” With that, Su Beibei took a few steps ahead of Song Ci and walked towards the corridor entrance. Song Ci followed. She stared at Su Beibei’s back view, as many images flashed across her mind.
In her previous life, Song Ci had met Su Beibei. At that time, Su Bei was almost 30 years old and her dressing style was very different from now. The first time Song Ci met Su Beibei, she was wearing jeans and a blue blouse. She was a tall, elegant beauty.
Su Beibei had come bearing a grudge, but was nearly murdered by Mu Mian. If not for Song Ci’s kindness in sending Su Beibei away secretly, she might have died.
Recalling the past, Song Ci suddenly snapped out of her trance and was standing in Su Beibei’s open study on the second floor.
Su Beibei’s study is separated from the living room by a glass wall. The study was filled with books related to detective mystery novels and authoritative magazines. On the study table was a black laptop. Su Beibei stood in front of the desk, her head lowered as if she was looking for something.
Song Ci stood to the side and looked down to see that Su Beibei was opening up a pack of Saleem brand ladies’ cigarettes. This cigarette had a pungent flavor and was rather vigorous to smoke. It was different from ordinary ladies’ cigarettes.
Su Beibei took out a white cigarette from the pack. She used her long index and middle fingers to press the filter and brought it to her lips. She lit the cigarette like an old smoker, and took a drag before puffing out the smoke.
After a mouthful, Su Beibei nodded at Song Ci. “Sit.”
Song Ci sat down on the black leather sofa behind her. She quietly waited for the cigarette to be halfway finished. Song Ci cleared her throat and said, “Miss Su, I’ve read your novel ‘The Female Souls of the Golden Street’. It’s very exciting.”
“The Female Souls of the Golden Street” was published by Su Beibei four years ago and was her famous work. She was only 19 years old then.
“The Female Soul of the Golden Street” was about a beautiful but powerless woman, who risked everything, including her wealth, to pursue romance and a man. However, she was deceived by the man and then killed by him.
The storyline was very cliché, but Su Beibei’s writing was sharp. The entire story was very attractive.
Su Beibei glanced sideways at Song Ci and said mildly, “An early creation isn’t worth mentioning.”
Song Ci shook her head. “But I feel that that book is different.”
“How is it different?” Su Beibei said nonchalantly, “It’s just an ordinary suspense story. The plot lacks novelty and the ending is not exciting enough. Compared to the later works, it’s not worth flaunting.”
But Song Ci said, “But I can only read hatred, fear and resentment in ‘The Female Spirits of the Golden Street’. This is something that can’t be found in Miss Su’s later works.” Glancing at Su Beibei, Song Ci said meaningfully, “There must be an interesting story behind the book that prompted Miss Su to create ‘The Female Spirits of the Golden Street’. I wonder if I guessed it correctly?”
Su Beibei’s face was hidden by the faint smoke and her expression was indecipherable. After a moment of silence, Su Bei finally spoke. She said, “There’s no story behind it. It’s just a work of imagination.”
Seeing that Su Beibei was unmoved, Song Ci finally made a move. She reached into her shoulder bag and took out a photo.
Su Beibei glanced at her actions, her gaze still cold.
“I wonder if Miss Su knows this woman in my photo?” Under Su Beibei’s cold stare, Song Ci flipped the photo over. A beautiful, pitiful face barged into Su Bei’s eyes.
Su Beibei’s pupils quivered slightly at the sight of the woman in the photo. The cigarette had somehow finished burning and had even reached Su Beibei’s fingers. Her fingers were burned, so Su Beibei suddenly looked down to extinguish the cigarette.
Song Ci said in a low voice, “The woman in the photo is called Xu Xiangxiang. She died in the autumn of 2005. Miss Su, the female lead in your ‘The Female Spirits of the Golden Street’, Shu Xiangsi, was created based on Xu Xiangxiang, right?”