Chapter 16: Brother is Looking for You
Lin Yuejiu lifted her eyelids to look at her, expressionless. “Did I ever say I was going back to the Lin family?”
Lan Qingqing was momentarily speechless.
Lin Yuejiu’s tone remained calm. “I’ve never said I’d return to the Lin family. Since I’ve severed ties with them, I’ve never intended to go back. And you don’t need to tell me they miss me. Making up lies is tiring. It’s getting late — hurry up and eat, or you’ll starve yourself.”
“Sister…” Lin Rumeng called again.
Lin Yuejiu simply picked up her tray and walked off, with Chen Qianxi following behind.
Lin Rumeng was left standing there, playing the pitiful victim.
“…Isn’t that a bit much? She was just kindly inviting her home for a meal. No need to treat her like that, right?”
“I don’t think Lin Yuejiu said anything wrong, though?”
“Still, her attitude is kind of infuriating. Didn’t she just sarcastically jab at the real daughter?”
“Seems like it.”
“Really ungrateful.”
Lan Qingqing took Lin Rumeng’s hand. “Mengmeng, let’s go. Ignore her.”
“Mm.” Lin Rumeng nodded with feigned composure and walked out of the cafeteria.
Of course, she’d heard those comments. In fact, she had come deliberately to make Lin Yuejiu uncomfortable.
Even if Lin Yuejiu had agreed to return to the Lin family, when the time came, Father Lin and Mother Lin would likely not welcome her, and she’d still end up being “driven” out.
She wanted public opinion to lean in her favor. Why should Lin Yuejiu have occupied her rightful position as the Lin family’s young lady for so many years and still get away unscathed? She wanted everyone to see her true face.
On the way back to the classroom, Chen Qianxi was ecstatic. “Jiujiu, you were amazing just now! Do you know how cool you looked when you talked back to Lan Qingqing? Let me tell you—”
“Xixi,” Lin Yuejiu interrupted with a smile, “you’ve been saying that all the way here.”
“Oh, come on, I’m just excited. Jiujiu, you should be like that with everyone who messes with you. You’ve done nothing wrong, so why should you put up with so much gossip? It’s not fair to you.”
Lin Yuejiu smiled faintly, her gaze fixed ahead. Her voice was soft, like it came from far away, and her eyes carried a faint trace of vulnerability. “There’s no such thing as fairness. Fairness only exists when you have enough capital to demand it.”
Chen Qianxi froze. “Jiujiu…”
Lin Yuejiu quickly resumed her usual smiling demeanor. “Come on, we still have homework to finish.”
When Lin Rumeng returned home, Mother Lin saw her and, smiling, was about to tell her to wash her hands for dinner. But noticing her unhappy expression, she quickly asked, “What’s wrong, Mengmeng?”
Father Lin and Lin Yimo also came over when they heard her voice.
Lin Rumeng’s lips quivered as she spoke in a hurt tone. “Today I saw big sister eating in the cafeteria. I thought she looked lonely, so I invited her to have dinner with me… but… but she didn’t seem very happy about it.”
“She wasn’t happy? Why?”
“She said she had no plans to return to the Lin family. Since she’s cut ties with us, she wouldn’t come back again. I called out to her afterward, but she ignored me.”
Seeing his daughter looking so wronged, Mother Lin felt a pang of distress and glanced at Father Lin.
Father Lin’s face darkened. “Lonely? How could she be lonely? The old man gave her a one-million-yuan check before she left. That’s enough to last her a lifetime, and yet she still dares to give you attitude.”
Father Lin glanced at Lin Yimo. “After school, go pick up your sister and bring her over.”
Lin Yimo nodded. “Got it.”
Mother Lin took Lin Rumeng’s hand and comforted her. “Come on, Mengmeng, let’s go eat. Don’t think about it anymore, or you’ll just make yourself upset.”
“Okay, Mom.”
When school ended, Chen Qianxi had something to do, so after saying goodbye to Lin Yuejiu, she left first.
Lin Yuejiu walked out of the school gates. She was planning to buy some reference materials, but just as she stepped out, she heard someone calling her. She turned her head — it was Lin Rumeng. Lin Yuejiu frowned, instinctively not wanting to go over.
Rumeng called out again: “Sister, brother is looking for you.”
Her steps paused.
Lin Rumeng pointed to the square behind her, indicating that Lin Yimo was there. Then she ran over to him. Lin Yuejiu saw how Lin Yimo — who used to only pat her head and smile warmly at her — now rubbed Rumeng’s head with the same gesture, his smile filled with affection, telling her to get in the car and go home first.
Rumeng gave him a sweet smile and got into the car. Yimo closed the door for her, and before the car left, she even rolled down the window to wave at him. Yimo smiled and said goodbye, then watched as the car drove off.
When he turned back to look at Lin Yuejiu, he paused for a moment. She seemed thinner than before, her jaw sharper.
He walked over, looking down at her from above. “Talk?”
Lin Yuejiu blinked her stinging eyes. “Alright.”
Yimo found a nearby coffee shop and had her sit down.
“I came to explain about yesterday. Mengmeng didn’t mean anything bad — she just wanted to invite you to dinner. You didn’t need to speak to her with such a sharp tone. She’s my sister, and I hope you can show her a bit more respect.”
Lin Yuejiu opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but no words came out.
“And another thing — you don’t need to act pitiful in front of outsiders, as if our Lin family has wronged you. We’ve never treated you badly. You’ve had food, clothing, everything you needed. And before you left, Grandpa gave you a one-million-yuan check — enough for you to live comfortably for a lifetime.”
Lin Yuejiu stared into his eyes. “What exactly are you trying to say?”
“I’m saying, stop putting on that pitiful act in public. Our Lin family never shortchanged you. And stop being disrespectful to Mengmeng — she’s a very kind person.”
“I understand.” Lin Yuejiu lowered her eyes.
“As long as you understand.”
After saying this, Yimo waited for her reaction. But she didn’t respond much, nor did she seem to have anything to say. Feeling a bit irritated, he tugged at his tie, got up, and left.
Lin Yuejiu watched his back grow smaller and smaller until he disappeared from sight.
She sat there alone for a while, just a few minutes, then slowly got up and went to the bookstore to buy the books she wanted.
After buying them, she ended up at the bus stop, sitting on the bench. She was supposed to go back to school, but for some reason, she found herself here instead.
She sat quietly, head lowered, flipping open one of the books she’d bought. But one slipped from her lap and fell to the ground. She bent down to pick it up, but before her fingers could touch it, two more books slid off her knees and landed on the pavement.
Looking at the three books scattered on the ground, her nose suddenly stung for no reason. She bent forward — but her hands didn’t reach out to pick them up.
For no clear reason, large tears began to fall, hitting the concrete and splashing into tiny droplets.
It was strange — she hadn’t cried when she was told to sever ties with her family. She hadn’t cried when Lin Yimo threw away that bracelet she had treasured so much. So why now? Why cry over just one conversation?
