Chapter 158: Dad, How Exactly Did Mom Die?

Lin Family Residence.

When Lin Qingyou returned home, her father was not there.

She immediately headed toward his study but stopped at the doorway.

Then, she turned around and went back to her room.

By the time Father Lin returned, it was already nighttime.

The servants informed him that Lin Qingyou was back.

“She’s back?”

Father Lin paused. “When did she return?”

“At noon,” the servant replied.

Father Lin looked at the servant. “Did she do anything?”

“No. The young lady seemed to be in a bad mood. She stayed in her room the entire time and never came out.”

“Alright, I understand. You may go. I’ll check on her.”

Father Lin headed straight to Lin Qingyou’s room and knocked lightly on the door.

Lin Qingyou did not come to open it.

Seeing that the door was unlocked, Father Lin slightly pushed it open.

He saw her sleeping inside and was about to leave when she suddenly spoke.

“Dad?”

“You’re not asleep yet?”

Father Lin stepped inside and asked with concern, “You’ve been taking care of your aunt at the hospital every day. You’ve lost weight. You should get some rest.”

Lin Qingyou yawned lazily. “But I just can’t sleep.”

“Every time I think about how Aunt might never wake up again, I just can’t fall asleep…”

“Life and death are beyond our control. You’ve done everything you can.”

Lin Qingyou suddenly looked up at her father. “Dad, I want to go to the Xiao family and find my grandfather.”

“Nonsense!” Father Lin’s temper flared instantly. “How many times do I have to tell you? He is not your grandfather! You treat him like one, but has he ever treated you like a granddaughter?”

“He didn’t even care about his own daughter. What do you think you are to him?”

“But…”

“No buts!”

“But Aunt is in this condition. Shouldn’t he at least know about it?” Lin Qingyou’s voice grew louder. “No matter what, he’s still her biological father.”

“And… Mom is already gone. Aunt is now like this…”

“Are we really going to keep it from him again, just like with Mom?”

Her words left Father Lin speechless.

After a moment of silence, he softened his tone. “Qingyou, you’re a good child. You care about family. But just because you have a heart doesn’t mean others do. In the end, you’ll only hurt yourself.”

“Your mother, your aunt—who ever had a good relationship with him? Even his own daughter meant nothing to him… let alone a granddaughter he never cared about.”

“Qingyou, I only want what’s best for you…” Father Lin’s voice was filled with resentment when he spoke of Xiao Yutian. “He’s been high and mighty all his life. He speaks and acts without a shred of humanity. I don’t want you to humiliate yourself in front of him…”

“All these years, haven’t I given you a good life without him? We don’t need him at all…”

“I just don’t want you to suffer.”

Lin Qingyou pursed her lips and softened her tone as well. “Dad… was he really that terrible to you? So much so that…”

Father Lin sneered coldly. “It wasn’t just ‘terrible.’ It was pure humiliation…”

Seeing her father’s reaction, Lin Qingyou quickly stepped forward and tightly held his trembling hands.

She asked gently, “Dad, can you tell me? I’ve grown up now. There are things I should know.”

“But if you never tell me anything, of course I’ll still have illusions about my grandfather…”

Father Lin looked at Lin Qingyou and, for once, nodded.

Yes, she didn’t know anything. Naturally, she wouldn’t share his hatred for Xiao Yutian.

But some things could never be said out loud. Or rather, they were too painful to speak of…

Even after a long time, Father Lin still did not answer her.

He only murmured, “Do you know what it’s like to be given boundless hope, only to be mercilessly cast into the depths of darkness the next moment?”

As if recalling unbearable memories, Father Lin’s previously calm expression twisted with emotion.

His eyes gradually filled with blood-red veins, each one carrying an uncontrollable fury that surged violently.

Lin Qingyou observed her father carefully.

His tightly clenched fists were so tense that his knuckles turned white, and she could almost hear the bones grinding together.

In the depths of his eyes, flames of hatred burned intensely—like a stormy sea on the verge of an explosion, a tidal wave of resentment ready to break through and drown everything in its path…

Yet, in the end, he forcefully suppressed it.

What had Grandfather done?

Why did Father hate him so much?

When Father Lin looked at Lin Qingyou again, his expression had returned to normal.

“It’s late. Get some rest…”

After saying that, he turned to leave.

But Lin Qingyou no longer wanted to play this back-and-forth game. She asked directly:

“Dad, how exactly did Mom die?”

Father Lin’s face changed instantly…

But when he turned around, he had already put on a different expression. He asked, pretending to be at ease, “Why are you suddenly asking this? Didn’t I already tell you? Your mom died in a car accident. You were still young at the time and witnessed the whole thing… The trauma was too much for you to bear, so I had someone hypnotize you to erase the painful memory.”

“I don’t know if it’s because Aunt is injured, but when I was sleeping just now, I had a dream…”

Lin Qingyou deliberately paused. “I dreamed of Mom…”

“You dreamed of your mother?”

A trace of panic flashed in Father Lin’s eyes. “What did you dream about?”

Ever since the hypnosis, Lin Qingyou had forgotten almost everything about her mother.

Her memories of her mother were only vague impressions from what Xiao Xue and Father Lin had told her.

She had never dreamed of her mother before. Why now?

Could it be… that the hypnosis was starting to wear off?

Lin Qingyou stared intently at Father Lin.

“I dreamed that Mom called me ungrateful, said I wasn’t filial… that I not only forgot about her but also harmed Aunt, her only sister…”

Father Lin took Lin Qingyou’s hand and sat beside her.

“Qingyou, dreams are the opposite of reality. Besides, what does your aunt’s situation have to do with you?”

“She had a bad temper and messy relationships. Maybe one of those men couldn’t take her attitude anymore and acted out of impulse… What does that have to do with you?”

Hearing Father Lin’s words, Lin Qingyou clenched her fists under the covers.

So… it really was you, Dad…

The slanderous reports from her past life, the widespread smears and accusations against Aunt… weren’t they exactly the same as what Father Lin was saying now?

Her aunt had only had a few boyfriends over the years, and each relationship had been honest and upright. How could that be considered “messy”?

“But in my dream, Mom said otherwise…” Lin Qingyou fixed her gaze on Father Lin. “She was heartbroken over Aunt’s injuries. She was in pain because I forgot her…”

“Dad.” Lin Qingyou suddenly grasped his hand. “I’m older now. I can handle the truth. I want to remember everything about Mom…”

“So I want to find a hypnosis expert to undo my hypnosis. Dad, you’ve traveled the world for your hotel business. Do you know any experts in this field?”