"Xiaozhi!" Lin's mother called out to her, "Promise me you won't bring up that incident again. Your father actually feels guilty about it too."
Lin Zhi wanted to laugh and argue with her mother, but the words stuck in her throat and she swallowed them back down. In the end, she uttered a single word: "Okay."
Upon opening the door to the master bedroom, I immediately saw my father lying on the bed looking like he was about to die, his hands and feet bound by my mother with professional mountaineering knots.
By the way, before she got together with this person, her mother was a mountain climbing enthusiast, a person who yearned for nature, but she was willing to become a housewife for such a person.
Lin Zhi moved a chair over and sat down in front of her father, her face expressionless as if she were looking at a dead man.
Mr. Lin said slowly, "I thought you would never come back to this house."
Lin Zhi lowered her eyes, her palms sweating profusely: "How could I have seen you like this if I hadn't come back?"
Lin's father turned to his daughter and said, "You must have wanted me to die in that car accident, right?"
"Oh, you're the father, how can a daughter not care?"
Lin's father turned his head and looked out the window, then spoke to his daughter heart-to-heart for the first time in a long time: "I've always thought you hated me because of Xiaofeng. I can't understand. No matter what, Xiaofeng is your blood-related younger brother..."
The man on the bed shed tears, and Lin Zhi couldn't help but sneer...crocodile tears.
"What do you want to say? I don't want to hear about the past. I'm busy. I came back to resolve some issues."
The man sighed deeply, turned around, and tears streamed down his face: "Xiaozhi, Dad was wrong."
Lin Zhi felt a sharp pain in her heart. She had always wanted to hear her father's apology in person, but the apology came too late. It was too late. The apology could no longer heal the wounds in Lin Zhi's heart, nor could it make up for the twenty years of missing fatherly love.
"Hahahaha..." Lin Zhi covered her face and laughed. As she laughed, tears inexplicably streamed down her face, wetting her palms.
Lin Zhi stood up, looked down at him, and questioned, "Why are you apologizing? For your critically ill son? For the son who will give you a house full of children and grandchildren? Let me tell you, it's impossible. I will never sacrifice myself for him in this life, let alone for you. I wish you would die in the car accident, but I can't bear to see my mother crying and heartbroken!"
Lin Zhi took a deep breath; she was like a bomb, ready to explode at any moment.
"Every day since you brought that woman home, I've wanted to stab you to death with a knife! I want to cut open your heart, one cut at a time, and see what your heart is made of to be so cruel!"
After venting her anger, Lin Zhi collapsed into a chair, still panting heavily and unable to calm down.
"Xiao Zhi..."
"Don't call me that!"
Lin's father didn't speak again until Lin Zhi had calmed down enough. Then he spoke through his tears, "I made a mistake back then. I know I'm atoning for it, but I didn't know you saw it. You told your mother but not me. How could I possibly find out?"
“Tell you? How can I tell you? I'd find it disgusting! I can only hide in the corner and watch you, watch you finish, watch you pull up your pants and leave before I dare to come out of the closet!”
Lin's father had really aged; his eyes were cloudy, his face was covered with wrinkles, and he looked ten years older than his peers.
"If I had known it was because of this, I would have kowtowed to you and begged for forgiveness, Xiaozhi. I am a sinner, and I can only atone for my sins with my life. Please help me, okay?"
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Author's Note:
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2022-04-24 22:45:16 and 2022-04-25 22:34:37!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Lingran and Zhang Yizhi (1 bottle);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Chapter 54
Autumn has arrived, the ginkgo trees are withered and yellow, and a gust of wind blows, causing the fallen leaves to flutter down.
At 7 PM on a weekend evening, a variety show was playing on XX TV. People watched the show or their phones, laughing uproariously. Everyone became fans of the new actors in the pink team and discussed it with their relatives and friends. Jiang Lai's name appeared on the trending searches for the first time.
The production team didn't cut too many of Jiang Lai's scenes, which had its advantages and disadvantages. Amidst the praise, there were also objections, and Nan Moxi's workload increased considerably as a result.
"So dramatic, knowing you're in a rush in the morning, you still insist on washing up."
But this isn't true. Jiang Lai knows it perfectly well, as do the guests and the production team, but no one will come out to explain. This is a topic, a way to generate buzz for the show.
Before the show aired, photos of Luo Heng and Bai Ke were leaked, gaining a large number of CP fans. After the show aired, the CP fans screamed, to the point that they forgot about Luo Heng's previous decadent and listless performance.
For every person who ships Luo Bai, someone else will stand up and hate Jiang Lai. Their interactions in the car were edited in, and many people said that Jiang Lai was "sexually horny and would fawn over any handsome guy she saw."
It was utterly ridiculous, but Jiang Lai didn't care. Her growing fanbase would take care of these inexplicable haters.
Compared to these things, she cared more about Lin Zhi, who had left without saying goodbye half a month ago. She hadn't spoken a single word to Lin Zhi in the past two weeks.
Having just finished a roadshow, Jiang Lai sat in a van, preparing to head to the hotel.
She would check her phone from time to time and ask others about Lin Zhi, but she never bothered her. She wanted to give Lin Zhi enough time and didn't want Lin Zhi to worry about her.
She wasn't in a rush to get an answer; she just wanted Lin Zhi to be alright.
But it was impossible to leave Lin Zhi unattended; not intervening was not her style. The day after Lin Zhi returned to City A, she called her aunt.
Although Jiang Wanqiu was focused on art, she had a wide network of connections. Her classmates who worked at the hospital had all risen to the position of vice president, so it was easy for her to keep an eye on Lin Feng's situation.
Lin Feng's condition is serious and he urgently needs a bone marrow transplant. However, Jiang Lai has only received information that Lin's father is going to donate, while Lin Zhi has not yet made any moves.
Jiang Lai didn't know whether to laugh or worry. Lin Zhi herself didn't understand herself; she was too kind...
Lin Zhi sat on a hospital bench, watching the passersby and analyzing their expressions. Some were laughing, some were crying, and some were kneeling on the ground, praying in front of the hospital's white walls.
Her father walked over with faltering steps and sat down beside her. Lin Zhi glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and silently moved to the side.
Lin's father knew that his daughter had not forgiven him yet, but he did not ask for forgiveness. He believed that a mistake was a mistake.
"I'm scheduled to have surgery in a few days, but I don't know if my body will be able to handle it."
Lin Zhi stared at the white wall opposite her father, not even sparing him a glance: "You're overthinking it. You won't die from a bone marrow transplant. You're not from a poor family, and you won't suffer from any financial burden afterward."
Lin's father chuckled twice, took out a stack of envelopes from his pocket and placed them in Lin Zhi's hand. Lin Zhi felt the weight in her palm, looked up at her father, and looked confused.
"What's yours has always been yours," Lin's father said with relief.
Lin Zhi touched it; it seemed to contain bank cards and savings. She didn't open it and returned it to him untouched: "I don't need it."
"Xiao Zhi." Lin's father placed the envelope in Lin Zhi's hand again. He held his daughter's hand tightly and said, "I made a mistake when I was drunk back then and hurt you. I can't make up for that. But I can't make up for Xiao Feng either. I can only give him my old life. Sigh... This money is all I have. You can keep it. Consider it my dowry for you."
His words sounded like his last words.
Lin's father probably felt that his health was deteriorating and he didn't have much time left. As the saying goes, a dying man's words are kind, and he always wanted to make amends for his mistakes. He couldn't ask Lin Zhi to forgive him for what happened back then with a simple "I don't know." He could only do his best to make amends.
“Xiao Feng will go back to school when he gets better. You have been supporting them all these years, and they don’t need me to give them money. I told Xiao Feng that when he grows up and becomes successful, he must be good to his sister. His sister has sacrificed too much for him.”
Lin Zhi suddenly stood up, covered her mouth, and ran to the emergency exit. The door slammed shut, and she leaned against the cold door, slowly sliding down. Her hoarse and suppressed sobs echoed in the stairwell, so bitter.
——
Jiang Lai sat in the dressing room, her hair clipped up, her beautiful face completely exposed. She sipped her hot coffee and carefully selected the two outfits Anna had brought.
A suit exudes coolness and style, while a hoodie adds a touch of youthfulness.
Jiang Lai hesitated for a moment, then chose the light blue hoodie: "This one suits Yu Xin's character."
She's going to wear a high ponytail hairstyle later, which might not match the suit.
Anna nodded, hung the suit back up, and took the sweatshirt to iron.
Director Yu has been in a great mood these past few days, and the popularity of "The Island" continues to rise. Netizens have expressed their anticipation. He was initially worried that releasing it during the New Year period would be a flop, since who wants to watch such a depressing film during the Chinese New Year?
Yu Wei hummed a tune as he walked into the dressing room, pulled up a chair, and sat down between Xia Fanrou and Jiang Lai to chat with them.
Yu Wei: "Have you checked Weibo? You two are becoming a couple with fans."
Xia Fanrou laughed and said, "Aren't you shipping Jian Ning and Yu Xin? What's so great about shipping Jiang Lai and me as socialist sisters?"
Jiang Lai nodded in agreement, thinking to herself: Has no one noticed the subtle relationship between her and Lin Zhi? This year's paparazzi are terrible.
Yu Wei clicked his tongue, dissatisfied with what the two said: "Although Yu Xin and Jian Ning have a hidden relationship, aren't you two even more adorable? Your performance on the show was so sweet! A gentle senior in the entertainment industry and a pretty new kid who doesn't know anything."
Xia Fanrou looked disgusted: "What is all this nonsense?"
Yu Wei: "It's none of my business. Have you read the fanfiction in your supertopic? I have. Tsk tsk tsk, the story is good, but the writing is a bit lacking. Otherwise, I would have taken it and made it into a script."
Yu Wei was joking; screenwriting can't be done so casually, especially since China isn't very tolerant of LGBTQ+ content.
Jiang Lai retorted, "I'm not convinced! Why am I treated like a clueless newbie? I'm amazing, okay!"
Xia Fanrou smiled and said, "Yes, yes, you're the best."
Yu Wei: "I'm serious, you two can go back and talk to your agents about creating a CP (couple pairing) or something. I have a feeling it will be a hit."
Xia Fanrou didn't refuse but looked at Jiang Lai. Jiang Lai's expression was unnatural, and it was obvious that she didn't want to but didn't know how to say it. She originally wanted to give Jiang Lai some exposure, to help her out if she could, to repay Min Xuehua's kindness, but this girl had no intention of creating hype, so she couldn't force her. She said domineeringly: Woman, do you want some exposure? Don't test my patience.
Haha, Xia Fanrou was amused by her own thoughts and forgot to decline Yu Wei's offer on Jiang Lai's behalf.
Anna returned with the ironed clothes. She had heard Yu Wei's words clearly. She walked over and said, "Director Yu, you don't know, do you? Jiang Lai wants to act seriously and be a good actress. She was upfront with Sister Nan from the very beginning about not wanting to create any romantic pairings. Don't you think that's strange?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Wei laughed heartily and patted Jiang Lai's shoulder with satisfaction, making her wince in pain.
"Excellent, excellent! You're a promising young man, a rising star!"
Jiang Lai was taken aback by the filming: "Director Yu, did you learn that from one of our school teachers?"
Qi Chuan chimed in, "Yes, Director Yu said that to everyone."
Yu Wei, hands on hips: "Hey! Nonsense!"
The atmosphere in the lounge was very harmonious. After filming a movie, none of them were afraid of Yu Wei anymore. Instead, they became good friends. Jiang Lai's opinion of Qi Chuan also changed. She couldn't say she approved of him, but she didn't dislike him either.
After finishing her makeup, Jiang Lai handed her phone to Anna, gave her some instructions, and then went on stage with the crew.
After the event, Jiang Lai went back to the lounge to change clothes.
Anna: "Lai Lai, your aunt called you just now, but I didn't answer. It rang for quite a while."
"Oh..." Jiang Lai changed into her own clothes and came out of the changing room.
She coughed twice, her complexion was not good, and her throat was so dry it felt like it was about to explode.
Anna asked with concern, "Do you have a cold? I'll buy you some medicine."
Jiang Lai: "Yes, a little. Let's buy some anti-inflammatory medicine. We only have two more roadshows left before we have to go back to City A."
Anna: "Go back and get some rest. I heard that Sister Nan has gotten you several roles. Take a look."
Jiang Lai put on her coat, got into the car, and reclined in her seat. Anna brought her a blanket and draped it over her.
"Anna, is the power bank still charged?"
Yes, there are.