Chapter 24 Not Let Her Go

The atmosphere between mother and daughter became awkward.

At the crucial moment, there was a knock on the door.

Lin Shuangyu pushed open the door and entered with a polite smile on his face. His gaze first fell on Si Yuan, and then he naturally walked forward.

She took Song's mother's arm: "Auntie, what are you talking about?"

When Song's mother turned to look at her, the coldness in her tone instantly vanished, replaced by a gentler one.

Her gaze swept over Si Yuan, and she said calmly, "We were saying, if only you were my daughter too. It's too late for me to have met you."

Si Yuan felt as if something was gripping her heart tightly, and a dense, throbbing pain instantly spread throughout her body, making it hard for her to breathe.

Song's mother's words were too harsh.

Of all the things she could say to Si Yuan, she chose to use this one.

Lin Shuangyu immediately smiled and shook Song's mother's arm affectionately and endearingly: "Oh, Auntie, aren't I your daughter now? Stop chatting, the birthday banquet is about to start, let's go downstairs together?"

"good."

Song's mother readily agreed, and as she got up, she even straightened Lin Shuangyu's shawl, her movements natural and affectionate.

The two walked side by side toward the door, their backs looking more like a real mother and daughter.

Si Yuan was somewhat dazed.

She stood there, her legs feeling like lead, unable to take a single step.

It seems she's done something wrong again.

As they reached the door, Song's mother turned back, her tone carrying a barely perceptible urging: "What are you still standing there for? Shuangyu is more concerned about his own birthday banquet than you are."

Si Yuan felt a tightness in her throat, nodded, and silently followed behind the two.

She ultimately didn't change that dress.

Actually, nobody cares.

——

There were more people downstairs than she had imagined, and amidst the elegant attire and swaying hair, their gazes were filled with unfamiliar and distant expressions.

She was originally an adopted daughter of the Song family; if it weren't for the invitation sent by the Song family, perhaps no one would have come.

Si Yuan had just stood still when she was pushed in front of the crowd by a force.

Lin Shuangyu immediately stepped forward and took her hand tightly, with an unyielding grip, and introduced her to the surrounding noble young men with a smile: "This is Si Yuan, today's birthday girl."

Every word she spoke after that seemed to be "selling" her to Song's mother.

Si Yuan's fingertips turned white, and her gaze subconsciously searched for Song Yan in the crowd.

She didn't want this kind of birthday party; even the word "birthday" made her anxious now.

Where's the medicine?

Where is the medicine she took with her this morning...?

"I want to go back to the car to get something."

Si Yuan tried to break free from Lin Shuangyu's hand.

But her hand was gripped even tighter.

Lin Shuangyu suddenly leaned close to her ear, his voice low and tinged with a secret smile: "Wait a minute, there's more to the show."

Si Yuan's fingertips suddenly turned cold, and she increased the force of her struggle, staring warily at Lin Shuangyu: "What do you want to do?"

Lin Shuangyu raised an eyebrow and slowly said, "If I'm not mistaken, back in the private room just now, Auntie was telling you to stop having any illusions about Song Yan, right?"

Si Yuanxin's heart sank, and she warned her, "Lin Shuangyu, don't go too far."

"Too much?" Lin Shuangyu chuckled. "But Auntie also said she wants me to be her daughter. Si Yuan, you're just born to be abandoned—your parents died early, and now even the Song family can hardly accept you anymore."

One sentence hit Si Yuan where it hurt the most.

The bullying of Si Yuan by Lin Shuangyu's clique was not only physical, but also psychological.

Lin Shuangyu is very good at controlling people's hearts, and those who are good at controlling people's hearts are also good at manipulating them.

That's why Si Yuan was trapped in psychological trauma for so many years.

She leaned closer, her voice chilling as it reached Si Yuan's ears: "Tell me, if everyone sees how embarrassing you are, won't Auntie hate you even more? Maybe she'll just kick you out of the country again and never let you come back to be an eyesore."

As soon as she finished speaking, Si Yuan felt as if she had been struck on the head.

My whole body was trembling, my fingertips were ice cold, and I could barely stand.

Lin Shuangyu's words were like poisoned needles, easily pulling her back into the shadow of the torment she had suffered in the past.

She looked around in a daze at the elegantly dressed guests and the flashing lights. Everything and everyone seemed to be carrying malice, making it hard for her to breathe.

What is Lin Shuangyu going to do?

What leverage do I have over myself?

No... She threw everything away, so what can Lin Shuangyu use to threaten her now?

Just then, a man in a suit walked by with a wine glass in his hand, smiling as he handed it to her: "Happy birthday, Miss Song."

Si Yuan reacted as if she had been burned, taking a step back abruptly, her eyes filled with terror.

The commotion was so loud that quite a few people came to look.

Mr. and Mrs. Song, who were in the distance, also saw this scene.

The two exchanged a glance, their brows furrowing, their displeasure undisguised.

Mr. Song noticed that something was wrong with Si Yuan, so he frowned slightly and turned to ask his wife, "Where's A Yan? Why isn't he here yet? Only he can keep Xiao Yuan calm."

Song's mother's face was cold and hard, and her tone was impatient: "Ayan just got off the plane and is on his way here. But I feel that we can't always rely on Ayan to manage her—don't you know that Xiaoyuan has some dirty thoughts about Ayan?"

"Don't overthink it." Mr. Song shook his head, his tone softening. "I saw with my own eyes that Xiaoyuan threw away all her old things. She was young then and couldn't distinguish between dependence and other feelings. I think that now that she's grown up, she doesn't have as many thoughts about Ayan anymore. Before, she was afraid to be alone, and Ayan always doted on her, so she relied on him for everything."

"Would being afraid do any good?" Song's mother retorted, her eyes filled with worry, but she was more inclined to side with Song Yan. "No matter what, we as parents have to help her break this dependence. What if she becomes immature again one day and really causes some scandal? It will not only embarrass A-Yan, but also our Song family!"

Mr. Song nodded silently, his tone unusually wistful: "If those things hadn't happened in Xiaoyuan's family, she probably wouldn't have had to go through all this trouble, and her relationship with Ayan would have been peaceful and stable."

Song's mother took a sip of wine and said with certainty, "That's not necessarily true. Even if those things hadn't happened, the Si family and our family were not a good match. She and Ayan were destined to be just siblings."

In the crowd, Lin Shuangyu suddenly let go of Si Yuan's hand.

Taking advantage of a moment when she was exchanging pleasantries with a lady next to her, she quietly left, leaving Si Yuan all alone in the bustling crowd.

Si Yuan turned back, feeling lost and bewildered.

It was supposed to be her birthday party, but at this moment she felt like an intruder, completely at a loss.

She didn't understand. She had a clear conscience, she had suppressed any inappropriate thoughts, and she could even give her own gift to Lin Shuangyu with a smile, just to maintain this carefully maintained family relationship.

But why is it that Lin Shuangyu is still like a net, tightly wrapped around her, refusing to let her go?

The more she thought about it, the more panicked she became, her chest tightened, and she almost felt like she was suffocating.

Just then, a slight commotion suddenly arose at the entrance of the banquet hall.

A tall, slender figure walked in against the light and immediately spotted Si Yuan in the crowd.

It is Song Yan.

Song Yan has arrived.