Lin Shengmiao touched the dark circles under his girlfriend's eyes, which were slightly dark from rushing to catch the plane, and whispered, "I told you I could come back alone, why did you have to go through all this trouble?"
Xu Xingyan looked up at her, her almond-shaped eyes fluttering slightly, and then she took her hand in hers. "I've always wanted to see the place where you grew up. Today I finally got to see it. It is indeed as beautiful as I imagined."
The mountain mist was thick in the early morning, rising like boiling water towards the clouds. Lin Shengmiao felt the softness in her palm, and the faint restlessness in her heart gradually subsided. Suddenly, an idea flashed through her mind—
It's time to look back on the path we've traveled.
With this person.
...
It's obvious that the Lin family has been doing quite well these past few years.
Looking at the farmhouse sign standing at the entrance and the bluestone paving stones at the gate, Xu Xingyan silently reviewed the interpersonal relationships of the Lin family again, then put on a just-right smile, took Lin Shengmiao's hand, and walked confidently through the gate with the white banner hanging above it, accompanied by two tall and burly bodyguards.
The courtyard was bustling with activity: aunties and grandmas helping with washing dishes and vegetables, young women and girls chatting and eating sunflower seeds in the shed, and several old men playing cards.
The Lin family courtyard fell silent for a moment.
Various kinds of gazes fell on Xu Xingyan and Lin Shengmiao, full of scrutiny.
Lin Shengmiao pursed his lips, pulled Xu Xingyan forward a step, and stood side by side with their fingers intertwined, whether out of nervousness or for some other reason.
"Excuse me, where is the mourning hall set up?"
She asked the people at the nearest table in a polite and respectful tone.
One of the older women squinted and stared at her for a long time. Then, she exclaimed and slapped her thigh, "Isn't this Lin Yuan's eldest daughter, Xiao Miao? I haven't seen her in so many years! She used to hang around here all the time."
The aunt's words caused quite a stir. In no time, the elderly men and women in the courtyard started calling out "Xiao Miao" and asking all sorts of questions, creating quite a lively scene.
Lin Shengmiao tried several times but still couldn't get a word in edgewise. Just as she was about to walk past them into the house, a woman wearing a white linen headdress and a white cloth belt came out. Upon seeing Lin Shengmiao, she clearly showed joy.
"Xiao Miao!" Lin Xin hurriedly came to greet her. "You're finally back! Let your aunt take a look..." Lin Xin pinched her arm and said "good" four or five times.
Lin Shengmiao called softly, "Auntie."
Xu Xingyan then replied, "Aunt."
"...I told you on the phone before, Xu Xingyan is my girlfriend," Lin Shengmiao said carefully, word by word, to Lin Xin's surprised face.
“Oh right, right,” Lin Xin said quickly, as if afraid that Lin Shengmiao would misunderstand something, and hurriedly said to Xu Xingyan, “Xingyan, right? Hello, hello…”
Xu Xingyan quickly raised her hands to hold the hand that was being held, feeling somewhat flattered.
Compared to the sudden uproar and discussion around them, Lin Xin's attitude was incredibly friendly.
Lin Xin and Lin Shengmiao, the aunt and niece, look quite alike in their eyes and eyebrows. At this moment, they both appear indifferent to the reactions of the outside world, making them look even more alike.
Looking at the two graceful and perfectly matched girls, Lin Xin was lost in thought for a moment before softly saying, "Xiao Miao, Xing Yan, go burn some paper money for Grandma and kowtow."
Xu Xingyan originally wanted to meet Lin Shengmiao's biological father and stepmother, as well as her younger brother Lin Yan, who was said to be a freshman in college this year, but after observing Lin Xin's expression, Xu Xingyan wisely refrained from speaking.
An'an was quietly led into the mourning hall by Lin Shengmiao. She respectfully kowtowed on the old sponge on the ground, burned some paper money in the ceramic basin, and bowed again before Lin Shengmiao pulled her up by the arm. The old man in the portrait was expressionless, with cold lips, as if he had been overwhelmed by countless worries in his life and could no longer squeeze out a trace of kindness and gentleness.
Standing behind them, Ajin and Ajiang exchanged a glance and went up to hang a piece of paper. Before they left, President Xu had repeatedly told them to pay attention to etiquette, and besides... since they were already here, burning a piece of paper wouldn't be a big deal.
"Mind your own business. Xiao Miao is an adult now, and it's none of your concern!"
A commotion came from the doorway. Xu Xingyan stopped and listened intently. She could vaguely make out that the person arguing with Lin Xin must be her Miaomiao's stepmother. Hearing the noise, Lin Shengmiao's eyes suddenly sharpened. She patted Xu Xingyan's hand lightly and strode over.
Lin Shengmiao's stepmother, Tong Ai, was originally a young widow who lost her husband early in life. Later, she somehow became involved with Lin Yuan and married into the Lin family in less than half a year. She managed to keep her husband in line. In addition to her rather alluring appearance, she naturally had no shortage of scheming and cunning.
When dealing with her stepdaughter, Tong Ai was well aware of the saying "sweet on the outside, bitter on the inside." Whether in front of Lin Yuan and Grandma Lin or in front of the villagers, she always acted gentle and considerate, as if she were such a kind stepmother.
In private, however, she had already figured out her husband's and stepdaughter's personalities perfectly and had them firmly under her control.
Lin Shengmiao was still young then, and she suffered countless losses and pitfalls. Let me tell you about the one that left the deepest impression on her—
Back then, Lin Yuan was always out partying and rarely home. Whenever it was time to cook, Tong Ai wouldn't cook. Instead, in front of Lin Shengmiao, she'd pour a box of loose change into a plate and mutter, "We're poor. We don't have money for rice or vegetables. Your dad doesn't do anything; I have to pay for everything..." or "Your school fees this month are so much. After the beginning of the month, we don't have any money left for rice."
Wait, wait, wait... She was quick-witted and sharp-tongued, and she would always talk Lin Shengmiao until he slammed the door and left before she was done.
Lin Shengmiao has always been a child with a strong sense of self-esteem, especially in certain aspects, where she has perfectly inherited Ms. Pei Wei's aloofness and has an exceptionally stubborn personality.
Tong Ai's move was a direct hit to the snake's vital point, and in the end, she would go outside and complain: "Being a stepmother is tough! I put so much effort into cooking for her, but she won't even eat it..."
They've said and done everything, good and bad.
Lin Shengmiao's recurring stomach ailment that just wouldn't fully heal was caused by hunger during that time.
...
Unexpectedly, when Lin Shengmiao saw Tong Ai again, he felt nothing. Nearly fourteen years of keeping to themselves had eventually diluted many things, such as resentment and anger.
On many occasions, she could sense that Tong Ai's emotions towards her transcended the relationship between stepmother and stepdaughter. Later, she confirmed this with her aunt Lin Xin, which was hatred!
According to Lin Xin, Tong Ai had liked Lin Yuan since she was a naive girl. She even asked a matchmaker to propose marriage. However, she was in love with him but he was not. Lin Yuan fell in love with Ms. Pei Wei at first sight and pursued her relentlessly, insisting on marrying her. In the end, he won a short-lived marriage for himself with his handsome face.
For Pei Wei, it was the price of being blind in her youth; for Lin Yuan, it was the regretless romance of his youth; and for Tong Ai... it was a bolt from the blue.
Tong Ai transferred all her bitterness of unrequited love, the pain of having her love stolen away, and her deep-seated hatred for Ms. Pei Wei onto Lin Shengmiao.
It's all because Lin Shengmiao looks too much like her mother...
Well, after learning the truth, Lin Shengmiao found it quite unbelievable. She even spent a long time thinking about it. What exactly did she see in her father?
Her biological father, Lin Yuan, was absolutely the most selfish, exquisitely self-serving...lazybones Lin Shengmiao had ever met. His skin was as thick as a city wall; he exploited his parents when they were alive, relied on his wife for support after getting married, and when she refused, he'd pester his sister. If that didn't work, he'd covet the little pocket money his daughter saved. He only ever cared about his own comfort, completely disregarding everyone else. And yet, this man had a secret admirer? How blind must this woman be? She should quickly find someone to crowdfund two yuan to get him treated...
...
Lin Shengmiao now has a loving partner by his side and a successful career. Facing the past, he has a peaceful mindset, and even the vicissitudes of the past have become a beautiful memory.
But Tong Ai wasn't so good at it...
The moment Tong Ai saw Lin Shengmiao's face, she felt a heart attack, something she hadn't experienced in a long time. For her, seeing that face in front of her was torture.
It constantly reminds her that even though she has everything she wants now, she was once a failure. The marriage she dreamed of has an irreparable crack, and the happy life she painstakingly maintained has a stain that cannot be wiped away or covered up!
A flicker of invisible rage rose in Tong Ai's eyes as she glared at Lin Shengmiao, glancing at Xu Xingyan and the others out of the corner of her eye. She sneered, "You've really grown up, bringing back all sorts of shady characters. I wonder what kind of filthy, despicable things your bitch mother taught you. Aren't you afraid of soiling the mourning hall and making the old woman haunt you in the middle of the night, hanging you with a rope, you unfilial descendant..."
"Smack!"
At the same time as Tong Ai's last words landed, a loud slap resounded, so powerful that it knocked the person to the ground, where they covered their face and couldn't get up for a long time.
Xu Xingyan was startled by the sudden slap and tightened her grip on her girlfriend's arm. It wasn't her fault; the scene in front of her was so inconsistent with Lin Xin's elegant image that Xu Xingyan even felt like she had wandered onto the wrong set.
But when she looked around, she found that neither Lin Shengmiao nor the crowd of onlookers showed any surprise, as if it were perfectly normal.
She could vaguely hear people in the crowd muttering, "Saying things like that in front of Lin Xin, isn't that asking for a beating? A few years ago, this woman was like a madwoman..."
Lin Xin's eyes were red, her shoulders trembling with anger. She grabbed her sister-in-law's collar, whispered in her ear, and said through gritted teeth, "Say that again if you dare!"
Tong Ai's face was swollen like a pig's head. She was terrified by the murderous aura in Lin Xin's eyes. She was originally a very shrewish woman, but she was really afraid of her sister-in-law, Lin Xin. Everyone in the village knew that once Lin Xin went crazy... she would really dare to fight people with a knife.
Just then, a man squeezed through the crowd, saying, "Come on, everyone, make way, let me in..."
The man looked to be in his forties or fifties, and his appearance... was truly handsome! It wasn't just good-looking; it was a beauty that transcended gender boundaries. Men's peak attractiveness usually comes later in life, not to mention the dashing and unconventional charm he exuded...
Xu Xingyan was stunned for a moment, then her inspiration suddenly burst forth, and she had an urge to take out her paintbrush.
She never denied the attraction that Lin Shengmiao's appearance had on her. Just like the 'love at first sight' she had talked about with Xiao Tang, she didn't admit that it was lust at first sight. Instead, she thought that it was the invisible red thread tied by the Old Man of the Moon trembling slightly, reminding her: Hey, are you ready? Fate has begun.
However, Xu Xingyan had always thought that Miao Miao's good looks were inherited from her mother, but after seeing Lin Yuan, she suddenly realized that the most exquisite and outstanding feature of Lin Sheng Miao's face was actually inherited from her father, especially her bright and expressive eyes...
Even Lin Shengmiao seemed momentarily dazed.
She used to see him every day, and having always lived in the village, she was not very knowledgeable about the appearance of normal people, so she didn't think her father's face was particularly stunning. In fact, she was even a little tired of seeing him. But after not seeing him for so many years, she was suddenly stunned by his appearance.
Suddenly, I understood my stepmother a little better. My husband looks like that, and although he's a bit lazy and never goes out to work, I could still support him if I gritted my teeth.
After all, once it's released, there will definitely be plenty of rich women vying for it.
Lin Yuan said with a grin, "Xiao Xin, you know your sister-in-law well. She can't keep her mouth shut. When she gets anxious, she'll blurt out anything. I apologize on her behalf. After Mom's business is settled, I'll have her cook a feast, and we'll invite Xiao Nan and her husband over. We're all family, so let's not hurt our harmony..."
Tong Ai cried out, "A Yuan..."
Lin Xin gave her brother a deep look, tossed aside the collar she had almost torn apart, and strode away.
After she left, Lin Yuan glanced at his wife, who was still sprawled on the ground, staring longingly at him. He noticed her half-swollen face and sighed, feeling a pang of sadness. But thinking of the leather jacket he had been eyeing for so long, he gently helped his wife up and dusted her off.
Tong Ai softly nestled into his arms, sobbing as if she had suffered a great injustice.
Lin Yuan took a half step back without making a sound, avoiding getting his snot and tears on his new clothes, and then pondered in his heart... should he add another pair of sneakers?
Although Tong Ai is usually very generous with money, it's still quite rare for her to spend thousands or tens of thousands of yuan on a pair of shoes.
Lin Yuan thought it over and over and felt it was an opportunity. He put his arm around Tong Ai's arm and began to comfort her patiently. In the end, he even took the initiative to send her back to her room.
Lin Shengmiao watched coldly. Perhaps it was because of blood ties, or perhaps it was because she knew this father too well in the past, but in that instant, she was able to guess almost everything about Lin Yuan's thoughts.
In fact, she knew that Lin Yuan had more or less helped her leave with Ms. Pei Wei, but she felt little gratitude because she knew all too well how selfish Lin Yuan was. Of all his motives, at most 10% were for his daughter's sake as a father, while the remaining 90% consisted of half that he genuinely didn't want to support her through high school and the other half that he felt her presence affected his quality of life and wanted to take the opportunity to get rid of her.
Lin Shengmiao now truly feels that her father and stepmother are a perfect match. Evil people will be punished by evil people, and it's better to lock them up so they won't come out and harm honest people.
...
Lin Shengmiao led Xu Xingyan to a babbling brook, took off his coat, and placed it on a smooth rock so she could sit down and rest.
“I loved spending time here when I was a child.”
Xu Xingyan put herself in others' shoes and tilted her head to ask, "Are you daydreaming?" She loved daydreaming when she was a child.
Lin Shengmiao smiled and said, "It's grinding stones. Grind a big one and use it as the moon, then grind a bunch of smaller ones and use them as stars. Then put them all into a stream, and the water flows slowly over them. When night falls, the moonlight shines on the water, and that's my own starry sky. I really enjoyed doing that back then."
“It sounds beautiful,” Xu Xingyan said softly.
"Actually, I just had nowhere to go, so I was trying to find something to do."
Lin Shengmiao held her hand, rubbed it, and then laughed: "Perhaps I was too idle when I was young, so after I started working, God punished me to make up for the wasted time and always kept me so busy that I never had a moment to rest."
Ajiang, who was standing not far away, walked over and reminded them, "Miss Xu, Miss Lin, Mr. Lin is here."
Xu Xingyan looked in the direction he pointed and asked in surprise, "How did Uncle know we were here?"
Lin Shengmiao's eyes were unreadable. "He used to bring me here. Sometimes... we would grill fish and sweet potatoes here. He was in charge of catching the fish and I was in charge of grilling them."
The relationship between parents and children is very complex and can rarely be summarized by simple love and hate.
"Girl..." Lin Yuan called out, casually finding a rock next to them to sit down. It has to be said that being good-looking has its advantages; even his roguish mannerisms exuded a touch of dashing and unrestrained charm.
Ah Jiang and Ah Jin, standing nearby, couldn't help but raise their eyebrows. Damn it, this guy is definitely a public enemy among men!
Xu Xingyan quickly stood up, straightened her clothes, and bowed slightly, saying, "Hello, Uncle."
Putting aside the fact that Lin Shengmiao and Lin Yuan's relationship wasn't as bad as she imagined, just the fact that he was Lin Shengmiao's biological father was enough for Xu Xingyan's upbringing to prevent her from being impolite.
"Hello, hello," Lin Yuan said with a smile, "I heard from Lin Xin that I came out in a hurry and didn't bring a red envelope with me. I'll give it to you next time I have the chance."