"I only learned about it by accident and have no evidence. But I can guarantee that what I'm saying is the truth." How could it not be the truth? On the day Lin Yu was sent to the mental institution, Lin Hongxin and Sun Wanting had told her personally.
At that time, Lin Hongxin and Sun Wanting had finally been willing to tear off their hypocritical masks and reveal their true, terrifying faces. From that day forward, Lin Yu had no feelings left for this couple who had raised her for twenty-four years. Even when the Lin Hongxin couple stole the shares from her hands, Lin Yu hadn't hated them as much as she did then!
If not for the fact that Lin Yu truly wasn't Lin Hongxin and Sun Wanting's daughter, if not for the fact that Lin Yiqian had married into the Zhou family in Lin Yu's place and had already successfully obtained the marriage certificate, if not for the fact that the Lin family hadn't even called once to inquire about Lin Yu's situation at the Xu family... Xu Zhentian would really doubt that Lin Yu was deceiving him.
"Grandfather Xu, may I return to the Lin family for a trip today? It won't be long—just two or three hours. I want to retrieve some things." Seeing that Xu Zhentian didn't respond, Lin Yu paused before continuing, "My biological parents... should have left me some belongings. Although I don't know where they've been placed, they should still exist."
Speaking of this, Lin Yu unconsciously touched her right palm. If she wasn't mistaken, the origin of this crescent moon mark lay in that small wooden box Lin Yiqian had taken to the mental institution.
"Go ahead! Have the driver take you." Xu Zhentian wasn't afraid Lin Yu wouldn't return. Lin Yiqian was now the Zhou family's daughter-in-law, and the Lin family had cut off all of Lin Yu's retreat routes. Unless Lin Yu didn't care about Boyang at all, the Xu family had plenty of methods.
"Thank you, Grandfather Xu." Lin Yu gratefully bowed to Xu Zhentian, then turned around and walked a few steps to Xu Mo's bedside: "I'll be back soon. Tonight I'll help you bathe."
Hearing Lin Yu say the word "bathe" without any embarrassment, clearly taking advantage of Xu Mo, Xu Zhentian's face darkened again. Glaring at Lin Yu irritably, he left with a flourish of his sleeves.
"Uncle, listen quickly! This Lin Yu definitely has ulterior motives! She actually brazenly said... said she was going to bathe my cousin!" Xu Huan shouted as if facing a great enemy.
It was summer vacation, so Lin Yu didn't need to go to school, and neither did Xu Huan. With nothing else to do, he had simply stayed in the monitoring room. Of course, his most important purpose was still to investigate what conspiracy the Lin family was brewing!
"And then?" Xu Yelei stared at the surveillance screen with a stern face, his tone dismissive. "What does this prove? That not only does Lin Yiqian admire Xu Mo, but Lin Yu does too?"
Xu Huan was speechless. Well, even if Lin Yu secretly admired his cousin, it wasn't a big deal. In all of D City, how many girls didn't like his cousin? It wasn't some earth-shattering secret.
No matter how imaginative Xu Huan was, he couldn't guess that Lin Yu's words were just out of habit—a sudden urge to talk to herself.
Arriving at the Lin family's front gate in the Xu family's car, Lin Yu didn't immediately get out but closed her eyes and leaned back in her seat, seemingly lost in thought. She had specifically called Sun Wanting in advance to inform her of her return, and she was sure Sun Wanting wouldn't disappoint her.
"Mom, you're saying Lin Yu is coming back? How could that be? She's already married into the Xu family—instead of properly caring for that vegetable Xu Mo, why would she want to run back here? Could it be she still wants to switch back with me? No way, I absolutely refuse!" In the Lin family's living room, Lin Yiqian was anxious and restless, her heavy makeup unable to hide the fear and terror on her face.
"Don't worry, that won't happen." Soothingly patting Lin Yiqian's hand, Sun Wanting shook her head, a vicious glint flashing in her eyes. "Even if she wanted to, Mom wouldn't let her succeed!"
"But... but what about Boyang? Didn't Dad say that Boyang is already in dire straits, just waiting for the Xu family's big order?" Just thinking about the Xu family's suppression made Lin Yiqian's heart turn cold. The Xu family was too ruthless! Just like that damned Xu Mo!
She had admired Xu Mo so much, loved him enough to willingly offer herself to him. But Xu Mo had never taken her seriously and had humiliated her countless times. Even after being drugged, he would rather run out and get into a car accident than spend the night with her!
Unconsciously touching her cheek, Lin Yiqian bit her lip tightly, full of resentment. She would never forget the slap Xu Mo had viciously given her!
"So when Lin Yu comes back later, we'll act the same as always—be nice to her, lift her up as high as possible, praise and flatter her however we can! Remember, we must convince her to willingly stay at the Xu family, preferably for life!" Sun Wanting's voice was cold as she spoke ominously.
"Mom, this trick of yours is really clever and impressive! But the more I think about it, the more I feel like we're being too easy on Lin Yu. That's the Xu family! Even if Xu Mo became a vegetable, Lin Yu marrying in is still nominally a wealthy wife! No one knows what happens when she's locked up in the Xu family, but once she goes out, won't she be praised wherever she goes? I just can't stand seeing Lin Yu acting all high and mighty—it's so annoying!" Having gained Sun Wanting's support and feeling reassured, Lin Yiqian calmed down and clung to Sun Wanting's arm, acting coquettishly.
"Silly girl! What's the use of superficial glory? Do you think the Xu family is so easy to get along with? Will they spare the 'Lin Yiqian' who caused Xu Mo to become a vegetable? Once Lin Yu gets to the Xu family, she becomes 'Lin Yiqian' completely—she won't have any good days! Even if Lin Yu can't endure it and tells the Xu family she's not 'Lin Yiqian,' will the Xu family believe her? Even if they do believe her, so what? Lin Yu is 'Lin Yiqian's' sister and helped 'Lin Yiqian' confuse the situation, maliciously deceiving and fooling the Xu family! Before the Xu family comes to settle accounts with you, they'll deal with Lin Yu first!" Sun Wanting became more excited as she spoke, the sinister light in her eyes frighteningly intense. "No matter what, Lin Yu's fate can only be those four words: a fate worse than death!"
"Haha! Mom, you're absolutely right! That's exactly how it should be! Let's see if Lin Yu still dares to compete with me for the family fortune and Grandpa's inheritance! She deserves to die a horrible death!" As if she had already witnessed Lin Yu's tragic end, Lin Yiqian laughed until she doubled over with glee.
Lin Yu didn't continue listening to their subsequent conversation. Opening her eyes, she got out of the car expressionlessly.
When Lin Yu entered the Lin family home, Sun Wanting and Lin Yiqian, who had been informed by the servants, had already composed themselves. Both had reddened eyes, their faces showing anxiety, guilt, and even more worry.
"Xiao Yu! You're finally back! How was it? Did the Xu family make things difficult for you? Poor child, you've suffered. It's Dad and Mom who wronged you, it's Yiqian who implicated you..." Before even reaching Lin Yu, Sun Wanting began wailing loudly.
"Sister, I'm sorry, it's all my fault, I was too willful! I won't dare anymore, never again! I apologize to you, I make amends to you! Sister, let me kowtow to you..." In the center of the living room, Lin Yiqian, having positioned herself properly, earnestly knelt and kowtowed on the ground.
If not for the truth she had heard outside, if not for having personally experienced those five years in the mental institution, Lin Yu might have truly believed that Sun Wanting and Lin Yiqian's guilt was sincere.
"Mom, the Xu family says I'm not your biological child. Is that right?" With just one sentence, Lin Yu successfully stopped Sun Wanting's hands that had almost embraced her.
"What?" Like a bolt from the blue, Sun Wanting froze completely, her face turning completely white. "Who, who said that?"
"The Xu family." Not caring about Sun Wanting who was scared out of her wits, Lin Yu cut straight to the point and asked directly: "So Mom, did my biological parents leave anything for me?"