Pei Xingyan hurriedly pushed through the crowd, squeezing his way to the center of the main hall.
Among such a group of tall figures, Pei Xingyan was still a head taller than most. He glanced left and right but couldn’t find Lu Yan’s position anywhere.
He was truly worried that Lu Yan might have a sudden mental breakdown and do something crazy in public. Lin Xiaoyu was naturally introverted; if she got that scared, who knew how withdrawn she might become.
Fortunately, though, he didn’t find Lu Yan, but he did spot Lin Xiaoyu standing beside her parents.
Her parents were formally dressed, their expressions serious—clearly the type who could put so much pressure on their daughter she might wish to leave this world.
But it was equally clear they weren’t the kind of parents who imposed impossible standards on their child.
Mr. Lin was dressed in a suit, often greeted warmly by others here—this hall was filled almost entirely with elites, and the respect he received spoke volumes about his status. Mrs. Lin was lovely; looking at her, it was hard to imagine why Lin Xiaoyu could look so breathtakingly beautiful. Yet she was no mere ornament. Standing next to her husband, her demeanor was graceful and poised, with a calmness that only those in positions of power possessed—definitely not the expression of a social climber.
Seeing this, Pei Xingyan fully understood why Lin Xiaoyu felt so powerless under pressure.
For a child, having incapable parents is truly tragic. When family can’t support your life, the child endures much hardship. But when parents are highly capable, it’s an even greater tragedy—especially if they place lofty expectations on their child, hoping she can match or surpass them. The child then feels a boundless helplessness.
Especially for a girl like Lin Xiaoyu—naturally introverted and not particularly gifted—such parents were two heavy mountains pressing down on her heart.
Lin Xiaoyu stood beside her parents, trying hard to maintain a posture of appropriate elegance, but her slightly trembling hands betrayed the panic inside.
When guests who had just exchanged pleasantries with her parents greeted her, her first reaction was to lower her head. Then suddenly, she raised it and glanced sideways at her parents. Her real panic was plain to see; her lips trembled as she spoke.
Pei Xingyan shook his head helplessly. He’d been fearless since childhood, never experienced this kind of pressure. His parents were typical laissez-faire types, believers in “each generation has its own luck,” never forcing him to learn things he disliked. Of course, part of that was because he had natural talent in many areas.
But thinking of his parents now, Pei Xingyan’s nose involuntarily stung with emotion. They’d been imprisoned for nearly three years. Though every visit they showed no negativity, the weathering on their faces told the truth: life inside was far from easy.
At moments like this, Pei Xingyan couldn’t help but silently scold his own uselessness. He couldn’t find proof of their innocence—hardly any leads. Though Ye Ziwei had helped gather some information, even taking the first step meant spending a lot of money. He still had a long way to go.
But wallowing in self-pity wouldn’t help; he needed to focus on the present.
Lin Xiaoyu and her parents saw off wave after wave of visitors, finally leaving a bit of quiet.
Mrs. Lin began to criticize her daughter’s issue, “Xiaoyu, you got nervous again just now, didn’t you? I told you before, when you talk to people, look at them, not at us.”
Lin Xiaoyu nodded tremblingly, not daring to speak.
Mrs. Lin continued, “Looks like the decision to have you perform on stage wasn’t wrong. You really do need some practice.”
Lin Xiaoyu silently nodded. Though her breath was ragged and her teeth bit deep into her lower lip, she had no courage to object.
Mr. Lin spoke up as well, “Xiaoyu, have you decided which piece you’re going to play later?”
Lin Xiaoyu nodded slightly and whispered two words, “Moonlight.”
“All right. Your mother and I believe in you.” Mr. Lin gently patted her shoulder, offering encouragement.
Judging from the situation, Pei Xingyan felt he really couldn’t say Lin Xiaoyu’s parents were harsh to her. They even seemed like those strict parents cheering on their daughter before a test—stern, yes, but simply wanting their daughter to be better.
But therein lay the problem: if parents were truly harsh, children could at least understand and accept it, making rebellion somewhat natural. But if parents only set high expectations without other faults, the pressure becomes hard to bear and difficult to relieve. Girls like Lin Xiaoyu tend to add pressure to themselves, entering a negative emotional spiral.
From this conversation, from what Lin Xiaoyu had said about places her parents took her to play, their relatively lenient attitude toward her social life and free time, and even the substantial pocket money she casually pulled out, it was clear her parents loved her—they just had a tough way of showing it.
Pei Xingyan could only say that every family has its own difficult story. To ease Lin Xiaoyu’s psychological burden, he’d have to get to the root of the problem.
With this in mind, he quietly stood not far away, smiling at Lin Xiaoyu.
As if by some telepathic connection, Lin Xiaoyu suddenly lifted her head, meeting his gaze.
She visibly relaxed; her stiff neck and posture softened considerably.
She returned his smile and nodded gently.
“Xiaoyu?” her mother asked, surprised. “What’s wrong with you?”
Lin Xiaoyu quickly shook her head, afraid her parents would notice the boy standing opposite and say something inappropriate.
But in her heart, she couldn’t help stealing glances at him.
She really felt much better than before. Just seeing him by her side, Lin Xiaoyu felt a strange calmness and courage welling up from within. She didn’t understand why a friend she’d known for only a few days gave her such strength, but it was genuine.
In the main hall, the host’s family droned on with endless formalities—old phrases that made listeners’ ears go numb.
Lin Xiaoyu vaguely recognized Mr. Lu of the Lu Group, a remarkable entrepreneur.
Mr. Lu spoke passionately on stage, but after listening carefully, she realized his theme was singular: celebrating his daughter’s return home, praising her endlessly.
Lin Xiaoyu couldn’t help feeling a little envious. She wished her parents would praise her like that, too. But even now, the sweetest praise in her heart still came from Pei Xingyan.
Suddenly, Mr. Lu changed his tone and called his daughter to the stage.
Lin Xiaoyu’s pupils shrank—that was the girl she had bumped into earlier.
She had no time to think; the next round of events left her even more baffled.
Lin Xiaoyu saw Mr. Lu leading his daughter directly in front of her and her parents, beaming happily and speaking warmly.
Mr. Lu said, “I’ve heard from Mr. Lin that your daughter is preparing to perform a piece, and my little girl is somewhat skilled as well. How about letting them play together?”