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Father Lin trembled with anger at Lin Qingyou’s words. “Lin Qingyou, don’t you think you’ve gone too far?”
“What part of what I said was too much?” Lin Qingyou stared straight into Father Lin’s eyes. “Which sentence was wrong?”
“Xingchen Entertainment was founded by my mother and aunt. After my mother passed away, my aunt managed it alone. Recently, she completely handed it over to me.”
“This company, from beginning to end, has nothing to do with you or Lin Qingqing, not even a penny.”
“Not only did Lin Qingqing benefit from my success, but even you did. Otherwise, who would consider you the boss of Xingchen Entertainment? Who would think Lin Qingqing is the boss’s daughter? Who would give Lin Qingqing special treatment?”
“Lin Qingqing has been acting high and mighty in the company for years. Did she really think the company belonged to her?”
“I… I didn’t…” Lin Qingqing cried pitifully and looked at Father Lin in grievance. “Dad, I really didn’t.”
“If you didn’t, then great.” Lin Qingyou raised an eyebrow mockingly. “Now that things are being returned to their rightful owner, what are you feeling aggrieved about? What are you barking for?”
“I…” Lin Qingqing was instantly speechless. She looked to Father Lin for help. “Dad…”
Wang Yalan covered her face and cried even more pitifully. “Qingqing, go pack your things. Let’s not make things difficult for your father…”
Father Lin immediately pushed Lin Qingyou. “Apologize to your Aunt Lan right now and ask her to stay.”
Lin Qingyou sneered. “You can wait for your next life.”
“You…”
“What are they to me? Do they even deserve an apology from me? You can treat them as treasures, but don’t drag me into it. I won’t treat garbage like treasure.”
“Lin Qingyou…” Father Lin shouted angrily, his eyes burning with rage.
Lin Qingyou looked straight at him. “What? Are you thinking of hitting me now because of these two outsiders?”
“Lin Qingyou, do you have to be so aggressive?” Father Lin glared at her furiously, as if he was about to explode.
“You forced me first…” Lin Qingyou held his gaze. “Do you still not understand? There’s no way I can coexist with them.”
“The false harmony you’re trying to maintain—the fatherly love, the peaceful family—it’s all just your own wishful thinking…” Lin Qingyou glanced at Wang Yalan and Lin Qingqing. “Those two disgusting people might still be acting, but I’m done.”
“If I keep acting, I’ll throw up from disgust…”
“Shut up!”
Father Lin roared, his fists clenched and trembling with fury. His voice was filled with uncontrollable rage.
“Lin Qingyou, do you know how disgusting you look right now? Do you know who you remind me of?”
His words made Lin Qingyou’s breath hitch, her heart clench. But she forced herself to remain calm. “Who?”
She had expected him to say her aunt, Xiao Xue.
After all, he and her aunt never got along.
But when Father Lin spat out an unexpected name, she was momentarily stunned.
“Xiao Yutian.”
Just three simple words, but Father Lin, Lin Zhiwei, gritted his teeth as he spoke them, hatred oozing from every syllable.
It was clear that Xiao Yutian, Lin Qingyou’s grandfather, had left more than just verbal humiliation for Father Lin—perhaps an emotional wound that would never heal.
For years, he had forbidden Lin Qingyou from visiting the Xiao family.
When she had secretly sought out her grandfather to help Leng Yifeng with his injury and was caught by her father…
He had erupted in fury.
That was the first time Lin Qingyou found her father to be so unfamiliar, even terrifying.
From then on, she never dared mention anything related to the Xiao family or Xiao Yutian again.
And now, just hearing Xiao Yutian’s name had pushed Father Lin to the brink of rage.
“Oh, I resemble my grandfather? That’s not bad…” Lin Qingyou forced herself to stay composed despite the storm raging inside her.
In truth, his words had struck her deeply, suffocating her with pain. She had so many questions, but she refused to show weakness in front of others.
“After all, my grandfather was a true powerhouse—he only bullied trash, never the other way around.”
Smack!
A sharp slap echoed through the air, breaking the suffocating silence.
Father Lin had raised his hand and struck Lin Qingyou’s delicate face.
Lin Qingyou hadn’t expected him to actually hit her. The slap caught her off guard… Her head buzzed, her body swayed, and the fiery pain on her cheek was sharp. A drop of blood even trickled from the corner of her lips.
It was evident how much force he had used—how deep his anger ran.
This was the first time in his life that Father Lin had ever laid a hand on her.
No matter how fiercely they had argued before, he had never touched her.
Lin Qingyou slowly turned her head back, her eyes stubbornly locking onto her father.
The last trace of warmth she held for him shattered at that moment, like a broken mirror that could never be pieced back together.
What replaced it was a cold, unwavering determination.
“Lin Qingyou, is this how I raised you? Of all the people you could have emulated, you chose Xiao Yutian?”
“Xiao Yutian’s ways?” Lin Qingyou mocked. “What about them? After all these years, you still can’t let go?”
“Mom even cut ties with her own father for you. What more do you want?”
“You… What do you know?”
“You ungrateful girl! I told you never to mention Xiao Yutian again!” Father Lin, overwhelmed with rage, raised his hand for another slap.
But this time, Lin Qingyou caught his wrist mid-air. She smiled coldly and stepped forward, forcing him to retreat. “I’ve grown up now. If you want to hit me, you should reconsider.”
“I let that last slap slide because you’re my father. I won’t retaliate.”
“But there won’t be a second time…”
“You… What do you mean?”
“What do I mean? You know better than anyone.” Lin Qingyou’s voice was calm, but it carried an undeniable weight. “I understand your desire to maintain balance, to keep us getting along. But I’m telling you now—I won’t play along anymore. I’ve endured for too long. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed my grievances.”
Since her rebirth, she had tried talking to him. She had pretended, acted, and even been direct.
But he never changed.
Of course, he hadn’t been reborn—only she had.
Why would he change?
It was just her own foolish delusion…
“The truth is, you’ve always known my grievances. You just pretended not to, because you knew I would continue to endure… endure… endure…”
“I wanted you to be happy, which is why I never opposed you remarrying. Even when she came with a daughter.”
“I wasn’t stupid. I knew that after getting a stepmother and a stepsister, your love would be divided… But I still agreed, didn’t I?”
“Because you’re my father. Because I loved you. Because I wanted you to be happy.”
“Mom’s been gone for years. You’ve been lonely for years… So I wished for your happiness more than anyone else.”
“That’s why I kept enduring.”
“But I won’t anymore. Because love is mutual, and I no longer feel your love for me.”
“What nonsense are you saying? You’re my daughter! How could I not love you?”
“Am I really talking nonsense?” Lin Qingyou looked him straight in the eye. “Am I really?”