Chapter 2: Bringing Back
A boy shouted from not far from their seats.
Lan Qingqing couldn’t help rolling her eyes, “Give me a break, Du Weiliang. You’re just jealous and that’s why you rushed to copy my homework first.”
Du Weiliang gave a disdainful snort, “Jealous, my ass. I don’t have that kind of emotion.”
Lan Qingqing stuck her tongue out at him.
Lin Yuejiu didn’t look at them; she picked up her book and started reading on her own.
“Hey, Yuejiu, there’s a problem I can’t solve. Can you teach me?”
The class monitor walked over and stood next to her.
“Alright.”
Lin Yuejiu put down her book and looked at the question he pointed to. Just a glance, and she already had the idea for how to solve it.
“This question works like this: first you need to know this formula, then substitute the function in…”
But when she reached the last step, she got stuck.
The class monitor looked at her.
Lin Yuejiu coughed lightly and turned toward Xu Nianshen, “Xu Nianshen…”
Xu Nianshen gave her a sidelong glance, “You can’t do it yourself, yet you’re teaching others?”
Lin Yuejiu refuted, unconvinced, “Who says I can’t? I just… happened to get stuck…” Her voice got smaller and smaller toward the end, almost inaudible.
Xu Nianshen raised an eyebrow at her.
Lin Yuejiu: “…Please, go ahead.”
The class monitor smiled and explained for her, “She just happened to get stuck, that’s all. Totally normal, happens a lot.”
Lin Yuejiu nodded vigorously.
Xu Nianshen took a look and then stated the solution approach.
“Thanks, I’ll head off now.”
Lin Yuejiu rubbed her chin, “How did I not see that?”
Xu Nianshen: “Because you’re dumb.”
Lin Yuejiu: “…” Oh, you’re smart and that makes you so great, huh?
It was as if Xu Nianshen read her mind, “Being smart is great.”
“…”
“Class is starting! Class is starting!”
“Old Wang’s coming, hurry back to your seats!”
A middle-aged man walked in, test papers tucked under his arm. He stepped up to the podium and patted the stack of papers, “Alright, quiet down. Let’s hand back last time’s test.”
“Same as usual — I call your name, you come get it. This time, we’ve got two first places.”
Everyone’s eyes instantly turned to the middle of the first row, where two people sat.
“Xu Nianshen, Lin Yuejiu, 147 points, tied for first place.”
The whole class broke into applause.
“You should all learn from them, understand?”
“Yes,” everyone answered in unison.
“Saying you’ll learn is one thing. Whether you actually do it is another.”
“Ha, as if those top students’ grades can be picked up just like that.”
The middle-aged man patted the table again, “Quiet!”
The class quickly fell silent.
“Now, let’s read out second place…”
That evening after school, Lin Yuejiu and Xu Nianshen left the school gates together.
“I heard from my mom that there’s some banquet tonight. Are you going?”
“No.”
“I knew you wouldn’t.”
“And I knew you would.”
Lin Yuejiu let out a sigh, “It’s not like you don’t know my mom.”
“Every time there’s this kind of event, my mom always goes to watch you perform.”
“It’s just Auntie thinking too highly of me.”
The two of them each got into their own cars and headed home.
“Jiujiu, you’re back? Hurry and eat dinner, then go change your clothes.”
Lin Yuejiu said helplessly, “Mom, can I not go?”
Mother Lin disagreed, “You child, how can you skip such a good opportunity to showcase yourself?”
Father Lin chuckled, “Your mom just likes hearing other people praise you. It makes her happy.”
Lin Yuejiu pouted, “But still, it’s not like you have to drag me along to every banquet.”
Mother Lin smiled at her, “So, does this mean Jiujiu isn’t going?”
Lin Yuejiu immediately straightened her face, “I’m going, of course I’m going. How could I refuse my mom’s request?”
Father Lin and Lin Yimo exchanged a look and smiled.
After dinner, Mother Lin quickly had Lin Yuejiu change into an evening gown and put on some light makeup, then took her to the banquet.
The banquet was lively, with most of the upper-class circle present. When they saw the Lin family arrive, they naturally made way. Lin Yuejiu, holding her mother’s arm, walked in front, while the other two followed behind.
“Now, let’s welcome Yuejiu to the stage to perform a violin piece.”
Applause broke out.
Lin Yuejiu stepped onto the stage, bowed, then lifted her violin and began to play.
Lin Yimo stood with a group of acquaintances from the circle.
Someone said with a laugh, “If I had a little sister like Jiujiu, I’d be set.”
Lin Yimo shot him a look, “She’s my sister.”
“Yes, yes, your sister is yours. Look at you, I didn’t even say anything yet — such a sis-con!”
“Alright, alright. Just be happy if she agrees to be your god-sister.”
When the piece ended, Lin Yuejiu bowed again.
Thunderous applause filled the banquet hall. Lin Yuejiu stepped down from the stage and immediately linked arms with her mother.
People came up to praise her one after another, and Mother Lin couldn’t stop smiling.
Lin Yuejiu stood quietly to the side, offering a polite smile whenever someone looked her way.
Later that evening, just as they were getting ready to go home, Old Master Lin called, asking them to come over.
When they arrived at the Lin family’s old estate, Old Master Lin glanced at Lin Yuejiu, then quickly looked away. He pointed at Father Lin, Mother Lin, and Lin Yimo, and said to Lin Yuejiu, “You just sit here.”
The other three were puzzled. Lin Yimo took off his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders, ruffling her hair, “Be good and wait.”
“Alright,” Lin Yuejiu replied obediently.
The three followed Old Master Lin upstairs.
The old house’s butler brought her a cup of hot water.
Lin Yuejiu softly thanked him, lifted the cup, blew on it gently, and sipped it slowly, sitting quietly as she waited for them to return.
The butler glanced at her, his eyes holding a trace of sympathy.
Inside the study—
Father Lin asked in confusion, “Dad, what’s going on?”
Old Master Lin sat in his chair, looking at them, “You should already know that the daughter you have now isn’t your biological daughter.”
Mother Lin’s expression changed, “Dad, why are you bringing this up? Jiujiu is my biological daughter!”
“How many times do I have to say it? Lin Yuejiu is not your biological daughter!” Old Master Lin exhaled deeply, “Your real daughter has already been found.”
The three of them all looked shocked, “How is that possible?!”
Old Master Lin rested both hands on his cane, “Ever since she was abducted back then, I’ve been investigating. I finally found her recently — she’s living in a small town now.”
Mother Lin was deeply shaken, and couldn’t help wondering — Has my real daughter been doing well? What does she look like now?
As the thought crossed her mind, she asked aloud, “You’ll know when we bring her back to meet you.”
Lin Yimo couldn’t hold back his question, “You’re planning to bring her back?”
Old Master Lin gave a cold snort, “My own granddaughter — if I don’t bring her back, am I supposed to let her keep suffering outside? I can’t just let that Lin Yuejiu keep holding onto my granddaughter’s name.”
