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Lin Qingyou stared intently at her father and asked again, “Dad, where did you hear that my aunt was injured?”
“What are you staring at me like that for?” Father Lin placed the food container on the bedside table, scooping out a bowl of soup as he replied, “Your Aunt Lan told me.”
“Wang Yalan told you?” Lin Qingyou continued to fix her gaze on her father.
Father Lin handed her the chicken soup. “Why are you looking at me like that? Hurry up and drink it. It won’t taste good if it gets cold.”
Lin Qingyou took the bowl but didn’t drink it immediately.
“When did you arrive, Dad?”
Due to the ongoing police investigation regarding her aunt’s case, Wang Yalan and Lin Qingqing were temporarily prohibited from leaving the resort.
Besides, after the incident at Pei Mingzhu’s birthday banquet, Father Lin had been furious with Wang Yalan and Lin Qingqing.
Lately, he and Wang Yalan had been in a cold war. Otherwise, Wang Yalan wouldn’t have taken Lin Qingqing on this vacation herself.
By logic, Wang Yalan wouldn’t have voluntarily called him at a time like this.
“Dad, did Wang Yalan personally call you?”
“What are you implying?” Father Lin frowned, visibly displeased. “Qingyou, are you interrogating me?”
“I…”
Father Lin sighed, holding Lin Qingyou’s hand. “Qingyou, I know you blame me…”
“What your Aunt Lan and Qingqing did was wrong. I scolded them harshly for it… I even considered sending Qingqing abroad to study, so she wouldn’t be an eyesore to you anymore or have another chance to hurt you.”
“They were so upset about it that they ran away from home…”
He sighed again and looked at Lin Qingyou. “But, Qingyou, I can scold them for you, but I can’t really drive them away.”
“After your mother passed away, the only person who cared for me was Yalan.”
“So, when I heard that she and Qingqing were vacationing here, I decided to come as well.”
“I see…”
Lin Qingyou said no more, merely holding the soup bowl and slowly taking small sips.
However, her eyes grew dark and complicated.
“Does it taste good?”
“Yes, it’s delicious…” Lin Qingyou nodded.
“I’m glad you like it…” Father Lin smiled. “To be honest, after your mother passed away, I’ve rarely cooked.”
Lin Qingyou looked at him.
She knew.
Her mother, a young lady from the Xiao family, had met her father—a small restaurant owner—through his cooking skills.
When she was younger, her mother often ate at his restaurant.
Over time, they grew close and eventually fell in love.
But her grandfather was firmly against their marriage.
Her mother was so determined to be with her father that she was kicked out of the Xiao family for it.
After getting married, her father worked tirelessly to prove himself.
But no matter how busy or tired he was, whenever he came home, he always cooked for her mother.
After her mother passed, he rarely set foot in the kitchen again.
For years, Wang Yalan had been the one cooking for him.
Sometimes, Lin Qingyou felt that Wang Yalan resembled her father in his younger days. Maybe that’s why he cherished her so much.
Her aunt even mocked that her father had always resented having to serve her mother, so after gaining success, he wanted a wife who would serve him instead.
Her aunt also said that if her mother were still alive, they would have divorced eventually.
Her mother would never have served him like Wang Yalan did.
And her father, after achieving success, would never have stayed humble in front of her mother.
After all, men were like that—when they were poor, they had no pride. But once they became successful, they desperately wanted to regain it.
But fate was unpredictable. Xiao Ya died young in an accident, forever remaining as Lin Zhiwei’s irreplaceable “white moonlight.”
Lin Qingyou never refuted these words.
Because, in her memories, her parents weren’t particularly affectionate.
Her father was always busy and rarely home. Even when he was, there was no deep longing between them—just a polite distance.
At most, they were mutually respectful.
Whenever Lin Zhiwei was away for long periods, Xiao Xue would complain about him, speaking ill of him, even urging her sister to divorce him.
Xiao Xue was obsessed with her sister. The only thing she ever agreed on with their detestable father, Xiao Yutian, was opposing Xiao Ya’s marriage to Lin Zhiwei.
But Xiao Ya insisted on marrying him.
Xiao Xue had no choice but to respect her sister’s decision.
If she opposed it further, wouldn’t she be just like their loathsome father?
At that moment, Lin Qingyou’s hands trembled as she held the soup bowl…
But Father Lin’s attention remained on the unconscious Xiao Xue, so he didn’t notice her reaction.
“Qingyou, how is your aunt recovering?”
Lin Qingyou took a deep breath, set the bowl down, and wiped her mouth with a tissue.
Father Lin frowned when she didn’t answer. He turned to look at her. “I asked you a question—how is your aunt doing?”
Lin Qingyou’s eyes suddenly turned red, and she swayed unsteadily.
“Qingyou, what’s wrong?” Father Lin quickly supported her. “Are you feeling unwell?”
She shook her head, choking on her words. “Recover? The doctor said we don’t even know if my aunt will survive…”
“That serious?”
“She was struck in the head with a heavy object. If I hadn’t found her in time, she would’ve died on the spot.”
“But even now… she’s not improving much…”
Lin Qingyou lifted her tear-filled eyes to look at her father. “Dad, my aunt was always kind and warm-hearted. She had no major enemies. Who would do something so cruel to her?”
“Who knows?” Father Lin’s gaze returned to the unconscious Xiao Xue. “People are unpredictable…”
“And…”
“And what?”
“And your aunt isn’t just any ordinary person. She may say she has nothing to do with the Xiao family, but after your mother passed, she became the only daughter of the Xiao family.”
“The Xiao family isn’t as simple as you think…”
“You mean someone who holds a grudge against the Xiao family might have taken revenge on my aunt?”
“It’s possible.” Father Lin then asked, “I saw a lot of police officers when I arrived. Have they found anything?”
“No…” Lin Qingyou shook her head.
“Then I’ll be heading back.” Father Lin patted her head. “Make sure to rest and don’t overwork yourself.”
“Mm.” Lin Qingyou obediently nodded.
But the moment he left, her expression changed…
She picked up the list she had written of people Xiao Xue hated.
Pei Mingzhu, Wang Yalan, Lin Qingqing… She had written down everyone.
Everyone—except her own father.
Her father was the person her aunt hated the most!