Chapter 7: Irony

Xiao Miaomiao walked quietly to the front gate of the Xiao family’s house, her gaze falling on the familiar building before her, but a surge of indescribable irony welled up in her heart.

It was called her home, but on this piece of prosperous land, there wasn’t even a trace of her belonging. Here, there was no room for her, no memories of her, as if she were just a passerby, rushing in and then rushing out.

Xiao Miaomiao gently pressed the doorbell, the crisp sound echoing in the empty courtyard. She waited quietly, her gaze passing through the transparent glass door, falling on the familiar scene inside.

After ten minutes, a maid finally came to open the door at a leisurely pace. Xiao Miaomiao didn’t say anything, she just walked in silently.

As soon as she entered, she saw her father, Xiao Lin, sitting on the sofa, intently reading the newspaper in his hand. Her stepmother, Lin Yushuang, was sitting beside Xiao Yuyan, watching television, both of their faces beaming with happiness. Xiao Xiangyu was playing with Lego on the side, his small figure looking particularly lonely in the light.

Xiao Miaomiao knew they must have heard the sound of her pressing the doorbell. But they deliberately pretended not to know, wanting her to wait here. However, Xiao Miaomiao was already used to this indifference and neglect, and she didn’t intend to indulge them.

She went to sit on the sofa next to them, her eyes coldly scanning this so-called “home.” Here, she was just an outsider, a neglected presence. And she was already used to all of this.

Xiao Miaomiao sat quietly, but there was no ripple in her heart.

“You’re back and you don’t even know how to greet us, you really have no manners.” Seeing her sitting so casually, without even a greeting, Xiao Lin couldn’t help but slam the newspaper on the table, his face showing displeasure.

Seeing this, Lin Yushuang hurried forward to smooth things over: “Old Xiao, why are you doing this? Miaomiao just came back, she didn’t grow up with us, it’s understandable that she’s not familiar with our rules.”

Lin Yushuang also seemed to have just noticed Xiao Miaomiao’s return, and smiled: “Miaomiao, you’re back. Would you like something to drink? Auntie will go get you some.”

But Xiao Miaomiao only responded indifferently: “Yeah, I’m back. I pressed the doorbell for ten minutes at the door before anyone came to open it.” Her voice was soft, but it carried an imperceptible coldness and detachment.

“Really? Maybe the machine had a little malfunction, we didn’t notice.” Lin Yushuang smiled, her voice revealing a hint of smoothness and perfunctoriness.

“No way!” Xiao Xiangyu, holding his toy, walked in front of Xiao Miaomiao with a displeased look, his chubby face full of arrogance and disdain, “Our ears are fine, we just don’t welcome you in. This is our Xiao family’s territory, not your country cottage. You’re a country bumpkin, why do you think you can step over the threshold of our house?”

Xiao Xiangyu’s body was a bit bloated due to excessive pampering, and he walked unsteadily, looking like a rolling ball of meat.

“Xiangyu, how can you talk like that?” Xiao Father frowned at his son, although he agreed with his son’s opinion, he still had to maintain the dignity of the head of the family on the surface, “Miaomiao is your elder sister after all, how can you be so rude?”

Xiao Xiangyu pouted, humming dismissively, turned around and ran away to continue playing with his toys.

Seeing this, Lin Yushuang quickly smoothed things over: “The child is still young, he doesn’t understand, don’t take it to heart. Miaomiao, you won’t mind, right?”

“Dad, just tell her to leave our house early, I feel uncomfortable seeing her, the sour smell on her is unbearable.” Xiao Yuyan deliberately covered her nose, disdainfully pouting.

“Xiangyu, Yuyan, how are you talking? Miaomiao is your elder sister.” Lin Yushuang pretended to reprimand, but the smile on her lips was hard to conceal, as if she was really standing up for Xiao Miaomiao.

Hearing this, Xiao Miaomiao couldn’t help but sneer, “I don’t have any younger brothers or sisters, my mother only gave birth to me, her only daughter.”

“Lin Yushuang, you’re pretending like this, don’t you feel tired? You say one thing with your mouth, but think another in your heart, it’s really hard for you.” Xiao Miaomiao’s lips curled up in a mocking arc, her words tinged with sarcasm.

Xiao Lin frowned, glared at Xiao Miaomiao, and said sternly: “Xiao Miaomiao, how can you talk to your Aunt Lin like that? Don’t you even listen to your father?”

Xiao Miaomiao sneered, retorting without hesitation: “I’ve always talked to this kind of mistress like this, she dares to do it, why should she be afraid of me saying it? Besides, besides contributing a sperm, what else have you done for me? From my birth until now, what have you done for me? Have you given me a penny? No!” Her voice was soft, but it was filled with firmness and decisiveness.

Xiao Miaomiao stared at Xiao Lin, the coldness and detachment revealed in her eyes, like a layer of insurmountable frost. Her words were equally cold, every word spoken with determination: “You, besides being the biological father who gave me life, I really can’t think of any other connection between us. You want me to be filial to you, then what have you done for me?”

Hearing these words, Lin Yushuang immediately covered her face, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her cry sounded like autumn leaves torn by the wind, desolate and mournful: “Miaomiao, how can you say that to me? I know you resent us, resent me and your father for getting married not long after your mother’s divorce. But I can swear, we really got together after your mother died. How can you misunderstand us like this?”

Xiao Miaomiao looked at Lin Yushuang’s tearful appearance, and couldn’t help but sneer. This stepmother’s acting skills were really superb, she cried on cue, as if she had really suffered some injustice.

But Xiao Miaomiao had already seen through her hypocritical facade, and she just looked on coldly at her tears and pleas, unmoved.

“Lin Yushuang, your acting skills seem to have never made you a big star. But your crying skills are really effortless, tears come at will. Have you put all your heart into figuring out how to cry more convincingly?” Xiao Miaomiao’s lips curled up in a mocking smile, staring at her and saying.

“Oh, right, you always say you swear, then dare you swear by your precious son’s life?” Xiao Miaomiao’s words were full of provocation.

“You keep saying that you and Xiao Lin got together after my mother died. Then what about Xiao Yuyan? You two are really amazing, you even had a child, and you could still stuff it back into your belly, and then gave birth again a year later. I’d like to ask, how did you do that?” Xiao Miaomiao’s eyes were like knives, coldly sweeping over the two of them, her tone full of sarcasm and suspicion.

Xiao Lin and Lin Yushuang’s faces froze, looking at Xiao Miaomiao in disbelief, did she know something?