“…Because my father was recently diagnosed with cancer and has been undergoing treatment, his mental state is not good. Including calls to his cellphone, I am the one answering them.”
“Is that so…?”
Cancer—such a heavy topic. Even though her impression of Qin Haiyue wasn’t good, that had nothing to do with Qin Jiangmian. Especially after learning the other’s father was suffering from an incurable disease, Luo Xi fell silent for a moment.
“Then, Miss Qin Jiangmian, why did you call me?”
Her tone became much more careful, perhaps out of sympathy. Facing something like this, her mood really couldn’t be good.
Perhaps she was thinking of how to phrase it, as Qin Jiangmian on the other end of the line was silent for a while.
Luo Xi wasn’t in a hurry either and waited patiently, her gaze looking out the car window at the buildings speeding past. After a short while, she finally got an answer.
“It’s actually quite simple. My older sister heard the news of our father’s illness the afternoon before yesterday and came to Magic City overnight to visit. However, for some reason, she left angrily. I tried my best to persuade her to stay at the time, but her resolve to leave was firm.”
“I’m currently more concerned about her condition. Is it because the news of father’s cancer was too great a blow to her, causing her mental state to become abnormal?”
“Might she make some irrational decision? Even though I’m worried, I cannot leave to accompany her because of my studies.”
“This call is to trouble Miss Luo to visit her home on my behalf. Of course, I won’t have Miss Luo make the trip for nothing. Afterwards, I will have someone visit to express my thanks.”
After Qin Jiangmian finished speaking, Luo Xi was genuinely moved. The image of someone who shouldered family pressure to share her father’s burdens, yet still remembered to care for her distant sister, instantly became clear in her mind.
‘They grew up in the same family, so how can the personality gap between sisters be this big?’
Since the other party had put it this way, she naturally had no reason to refuse anymore. She agreed readily:
“Alright, don’t worry, I’ll go visit her for you. There’s no need for a thank-you visit; I’ll call you afterwards to report on the situation.”
“Mm, thank you for your trouble.”
It must be said, Qin Jiangmian’s voice, though it sounded cold and without much emotional fluctuation, gave a feeling of intelligence.
Luo Xi smiled and hung up the phone.
“Let’s go! Change the route! To Qin Haiyue’s home!”
A drop of cold sweat seemed to drip from Ji Yu’s forehead.
“Miss, I don’t think we needed to agree to her request.”
“Huh? Why? It’s just a small effort to help someone with such a big problem, isn’t that a good thing?” Luo Xi tilted her head, looking somewhat puzzled.
“No… I just feel… something’s off.”
“What’s off?”
“Hard to say. It’s as if her intention isn’t what she said it was, but she has another goal.”
‘What other goal could there be? Could she have some conspiracy? You’re just overthinking it.’
“No…”
“Then tell me, what is she scheming?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, there you have it. If even you can’t think of it, then let’s just go.”
Ji Yu fell silent.
“Intuition? Don’t you think your reason is ridiculous?”
She shook her head helplessly and turned the car around at the next intersection.
“Miss, you really need to change this temperament of yours.”
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
“Easily fooled.”
“Fooled my foot! Say that again and I’ll hit you!”
“I’m driving.”
“Then I’ll hit you later.”
***
Lin Ziyan returned home early today.
If it were any other time, she would have lingered outside with a few classmates for a while, gone shopping, used her meager remaining meal money to buy some tasty snacks or fun things. But today, she wasn’t in the mood.
Her steps were heavy. With a gloomy face, she walked step by step toward her home.
Today, Ye Xingmian still hadn’t come to school.
Why, why wasn’t she coming? Still to avoid her? Was she really that scary?
She had already tried to make up for it, hadn’t she? At least give her a chance to show it.
‘There really are no evil thoughts anymore. No matter what, she’s someone I’ve lived with for over ten years since we were little.’ During class today, she couldn’t help but recall bits and pieces of the past—
From the first day Ye Xingmian arrived at the Lin Family home. Back then, she was still a timid little girl, hiding behind her mother, peeking out her head timidly, looking at the girl her mother had pulled out from behind, head bowed.
Then later, her parents’ neglect of Ye Xingmian and their indulgence of her made her gradually bolder. She began to learn from her parents, demanding Ye Xingmian do unfair things, gaining a sense of superiority through differential treatment.
Later, it grew worse and worse. She gradually stopped seeing Ye Xingmian as a person, but more like a servant attending to her, a dispensable toy.
Yet, unknowingly, Ye Xingmian had integrated into every aspect of her life. Her life had gradually become inseparable from her.
Things she had never cared about before, why did she suddenly remember them today? Why did she suddenly come to these conclusions?
Perhaps it started from Ye Xingmian’s resistance that night. She suddenly realized that Ye Xingmian wasn’t a “toy” she could bully without resistance, but a person—someone who could feel sorrow, pain, and could hit rock bottom, fight back, refute her, anger her, even if it meant getting hit by her.
Only after realizing this did she become aware of just how much her past actions had humiliated that girl.
But did she regret it? No. If it were her now, she would still without hesitation, with a clear conscience, order Ye Xingmian around to satisfy her own desires. She just felt she had been a bit excessive and needed to give Ye Xingmian a little compensation.
But why did her heart feel so uncomfortable just because Ye Xingmian hadn’t returned home for a mere three days? Why did it feel so unfamiliar?
She didn’t know.
She returned home very early today; the sun hadn’t set yet.
Anyway, when Ye Xingmian comes home, she definitely can’t treat her like before anymore.
But she also can’t not hold her accountable for staying at Liu Yinuo’s house for so long without returning. Otherwise, Ye Xingmian would think she was being indulged and wouldn’t care about her feelings at all.
Thus, her mood swung between extremes, trying to find a balance. Her gaze was weary and heavy.
Usually when she arrived home, it was often already dark, and the streetlights were on. This time was different.
She noticed the door was open; clearly, her parents had returned. She immediately stepped into the alley, preparing to enter through the doorway.
However, just as her foot reached the step by the entrance, she couldn’t help but stop. Her eyes widened, she instinctively held her breath, stepped back, and leaned against the wall behind her.
The people inside were indeed her parents, not some thieves or robbers.
But, her mother was on the phone.
As for who she was calling?
“Zhiyun, think about it. This is the last time I’m asking you for money. Just pay this one last tuition fee and it’ll be over. You can’t let the child’s previous efforts go to waste, can you?”
Her mother’s voice was crystal clear, piercing through the wall, through her eardrums, through her very brain.
At this moment, Lin Ziyan felt her world collapse.