Chapter 199: Interrogation

Time to go home.

It was lunchtime when school let out. Lin Ziyan packed her schoolbag.

She wasn’t planning to eat in the cafeteria today; she decided to go home and check. The truth was, she was still afraid that Qin Haiyue might actually go to her house and say something to her parents.

This feeling couldn’t be faked. She didn’t know exactly what she was worried about, but she was very scared.

So she prepared to leave the classroom.

But just as she stepped out, a girl blocked her path.

She had no choice but to stop, silently sizing up the person in front of her.

She recognized her: Li Li, the discipline committee member, who had just been promoted to class monitor after Liu Yinuo transferred classes.

“Is something the matter?” she asked, her voice tinged with weariness.

“Nothing much. I want to ask you something. That Ye Xingmian, is he really your brother?”

“Mm, yes. We’re not biological siblings. He’s been fostered in my home.”

“Then how come you didn’t know he transferred classes? Aren’t you two living together?”

“Why did they transfer? And to the same class? I heard that you and your brother don’t get along. Is it because of you that he transferred?”

This person was really annoying, speaking without any tact, as if deliberately trying to provoke her.

But Lin Ziyan didn’t get angry. Instead, she felt an inexplicable sense of loss.

After all… she was right.

“Can you move? I’m in a hurry to get home.”

“Why go home? Don’t you usually eat in the cafeteria? It’s not because of what happened with Qin Haiyue at noon, is it?”

The other’s tone carried a hint of sarcasm.

Lin Ziyan didn’t understand. Weren’t they supposed to have no grudges? Why was this person coming after her?

Regardless, she was really getting angry.

“No comment! Move it!”

Lin Ziyan’s eyes widened.

“Heh, don’t get mad. I didn’t say anything wrong, did I? Or did I hit a nerve?”

“You!”

“I’ll give you a piece of advice: since your brother is no longer at your house, don’t go bothering him. After all, I can tell that those two at least have some feelings for each other. And you? What standing do you have to approach them?”

Why did this person know so much?

Lin Ziyan didn’t understand.

But she didn’t want to waste any more words.

“Get lost!”

She shoved the other aside and ran toward the stairwell without looking back.

She quickly ran downstairs, but the words of that person still echoed in her mind.

That’s right. That Li Li had always been on good terms with Liu Yinuo.

So she stepped in to speak up for Liu Yinuo, and that’s why she was sneering at her.

But why? On what grounds?

She was just an outsider, someone who didn’t understand anything. What right did she have to judge me?

Lin Ziyan gritted her teeth as she left the school. After the anger faded, all that remained was emptiness.

‘Why…’

‘It’s like, overnight, the whole world has turned against me…’

‘I just like someone. Why is this happening to me?’

‘I haven’t even… done anything yet…’

‘Even though I once thought about forcing Ye Xingmian to do that kind of thing, I got caught halfway.’

‘So in the end, I haven’t really done anything too bad, right?’

‘At least compared to Qin Haiyue, I’m much better, aren’t I?’

‘Moreover, I really think I’m sincerely repenting.’

‘I gave up the chance to return the phone to Ye Xingmian, just to prevent Qin Haiyue from using that as an excuse to cause trouble for him.’

‘But what Qin Haiyue thinks and how she acts, I have no way to intervene.’

‘In the end, I even brought trouble upon myself.’

As she thought about it, her nose suddenly stung, and she almost started crying.

But she was on the street now; of course she couldn’t cry.

She wiped her eyes, brushing away the tears at the corners.

‘I still want to see him again, to hug him once more.’

‘If… if that day hadn’t happened, if I could still have my usual life…’

‘It’s cold. Winter is really cold, even at the warmest part of noon.’

She tucked her hands into her pockets and thought back to the day Ye Xingmian was kicked out.

He was wearing such thin clothes. On such a long road, how did he endure the cold wind to get to Liu Yinuo’s house?

‘I’m terrible…’

‘So terrible…’

Finally, when she reached the door of her house, she opened it and entered.

She didn’t see Qin Haiyue. It seemed she hadn’t come. Lin Ziyan breathed a sigh of relief.

The house seemed empty; it looked like her parents weren’t home yet.

Just as she was about to pull herself together and make herself some lunch, she heard faint arguing from the direction of the master bedroom.

So they were home, just not in the living room.

Were they arguing again?

At that moment, her mother pushed open the bedroom door and came out.

She had a tight frown and looked annoyed.

Lin Ziyan noticed her but didn’t say anything.

“Ziyan? You’re back?”

“Mm.” Lin Ziyan lowered her head.

“Good timing. Come here, Mom wants to ask you something.”

“What…”

Seeing her mother’s serious expression, Lin Ziyan couldn’t help but tense up.

“I’m asking you, have you met with Qin Haiyue? You haven’t offended her, have you?”

Lin Ziyan’s heart skipped a beat.

“What’s wrong…”

“Hmph, today your father and I were working when the supervisor suddenly called us, saying that Miss wanted to see us. I wondered who Miss was, then I thought about it and realized it must be Qin Haiyue. At first I was happy, thinking she had something important to discuss. But then? Guess what she asked us?”

“What…”

“She asked us where Ye Xingmian had gone!”

Lin Ziyan already had an answer in mind, but she put on a cooperative expression.

“Think about it. Why is she so concerned about Ye Xingmian? Could that little bastard have offended her somewhere and dragged us into it? Your father and I have been worried all morning.”

“I’ve been thinking about countermeasures, but he just keeps scolding me, saying I shouldn’t have taken in that little bastard in the first place.”

‘Why…’

‘Why, when she clearly knows I like Ye Xingmian?’

‘Why does she still so blatantly call the person I like such a derogatory name, and so matter-of-factly?’

Lin Ziyan felt nauseous.

She wanted to leave, desperately.

But she had to endure and listen, because what her mother said was useful to her.

“…Qin Haiyue often bullies my brother at school.”

Xu Ming suddenly glared at her.

“Brother? He’s not your brother! He has no blood relation to you! And you shouldn’t have those feelings for him! Ziyan! You’ve lost your mind!”

So that was what she really wanted to say, wasn’t it?

Lin Ziyan remained silent.

“Enough, Ziyan. You’d better forget him as soon as possible. He’s not coming back anyway.”

“What…?”

“Yesterday at noon, the parent of a classmate of yours named Liu Yinuo called me, saying that little bastard had gone to their place, and that they could take over fostering him. They also wanted me to help them talk to the teacher about transferring Ye Xingmian’s class.”

“You agreed.”

“Of course I agreed. Why wouldn’t I? Besides, this is a good opportunity for you to cool down. Remember this, Ziyan: that guy isn’t worth your affection.”

“Also, Mom wants to ask you: have you actually offended Qin Haiyue? Why was her attitude toward us so bad? And she mentioned you.”

“What did she say?”

“She didn’t say anything specific. She just asked if you were our daughter. We said yes, and then she laughed inexplicably. Then she let us go. Tell me, what does that mean?”

Lin Ziyan closed her eyes and stood up.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now.”

“Hey? You haven’t answered Mom’s question yet!”

Lin Ziyan didn’t say a word. Her figure disappeared at the stairwell.