Chapter 3 The groom remains the same, but the bride has changed.
Carrying a cardboard box full of personal belongings, Lin Xili returned to the Lin family villa.
Before even stepping into the house, the rich, fresh aroma of seafood already filled my nostrils.
The usually quiet dining room was now unusually noisy.
She paused slightly before pushing open the slightly ajar door.
The living room was brightly lit, and servants hurried between the dining room and the kitchen.
On the dining table, exquisite cold dishes were neatly arranged, with a huge king crab in the center, surrounded by expensive seafood such as oysters and lobsters, a dazzling array.
Song Yuan is directing the maids to set out the tableware.
"Yes, the crab claws should be arranged nicely... Yanchi loves them the most."
Lin Weihua sat upright on the sofa, his relaxed and content expression clearly visible.
Lin Xuenuo, dressed in a brand-new Chanel suit, carefully tidied her hair in front of the full-length mirror in the entryway.
Her face was a mixture of excitement and pride, which she could not hide.
Lin Xili recalled the doctor's advice from yesterday—hyperthyroidism patients need to avoid iodine, and seafood, especially high-iodine foods such as seaweed, crabs, and shrimp, should be avoided for the time being.
If her family had paid even a little attention to her condition, or even just done a simple online search, they would have known that this sumptuous seafood feast was nothing short of poison to her.
"Sister, you're back?"
Lin Xuenuo caught a glimpse of Lin Xili in the mirror and immediately turned around.
"Perfect timing, we have guests at home tonight, let's eat together? Mom and Dad have specially prepared a seafood feast."
Lin Xili did not miss the fleeting glint of pride in her eyes.
Song Yuan also saw Lin Xili at this moment, and the smile on her face faded a bit.
Her gaze fell on the cardboard box in Lin Xili's hand: "What are you carrying? Is it a perk from the bureau?"
Lin Xili silently placed the cardboard box on the side table in the corner and said calmly, "No, I've been suspended."
Upon hearing this, Lin Weihua frowned: "Suspended from duty? What happened?"
"My hands are shaking because of hyperthyroidism, and my company says it will affect my work," Lin Xili replied.
Song Yuan's brows furrowed even more, her impatience and disdain evident: "Look at you, first you were jilted at the altar, and now you can't even get a job... really..."
She seemed to want to say something but hesitated, glancing at the dazzling array of seafood on the table, and swallowed back the harsh words that were about to come out.
She then said, "Alright, now that you're back, go change into something decent. The Xu family is coming tonight to discuss Xue Nuo and Yan Chi's marriage."
The Xu family has arrived; the marriage proposal has been changed to Lin Xuenuo.
The man who was once her fiancé suddenly became her brother-in-law.
How ironic.
She, this flawed product, was returned, and the Lin family immediately launched a more exquisite and healthier alternative.
A marriage of convenience, the groom remains the same, but the bride has changed.
And she became the sole victim and the only joke in this deal.
"When did they make that decision?" she asked.
Lin Weihua: "It happened this morning. The Xu family is very satisfied with Xue Nuo, and Yan Chi has no objections either. This is a good thing for the Lin family. As the older sister, you need to be mindful of the situation."
You also need to be sensible and know your limits.
Even though she had Lin family blood, she was always the one who was ignored in the Lin family.
In the eyes of her family, there was only her brother and her sister.
She had tried to be affectionate with her parents like other children. But all she ever got was the same response: "Don't bother Mom and Dad while they're working."
She recalled her high school graduation ceremony, where only her nanny attended.
The whole family attended Lin Junsheng and Lin Xuenuo's graduation ceremony, and Lin Weihua even turned down an important business negotiation.
She recalled the day she was admitted to the forensic department of the judicial bureau, and excitedly went home to tell her family.
Lin Weihua simply said, "I feel that forensic autopsies are a bit unlucky. I'll apply for a transfer to a secretarial position later."
No matter how hard she tries or how outstanding she is, in this family, she will always be an outcast, Lin Xili.
Perhaps it's true that those with the biggest heads and the smallest heads are the most favored.
She was caught in the middle, forever the forgotten child.
Lin Xili looked around and saw a happy family gathering to welcome their new son-in-law.
The seafood feast she couldn't enjoy reminded her that there was no place for her here anymore.
Without saying a word, she turned around and went upstairs.
The door closed, shutting out the warm and lively atmosphere downstairs.
She leaned against the door and took a deep breath, trying to suppress the stinging in her eyes and the lump in her throat.
Hyperthyroidism made her mood swings even more. But she wouldn't allow herself to break down at that moment.
She walked to the window and watched the lights in the villa area gradually come on.
Behind each lamp, there seems to be a warm home.
But here, beneath the glitz and glamour, only a chilling cold remained for her.
A few minutes later, she made her decision.
She opened her wardrobe but didn't choose any designer dresses.
I simply packed a few comfortable and easy-to-move changes of clothes and put them in my suitcase.
She walked to the bookshelf, her gaze sweeping over the professional books that had been with her for many years.
In the end, she took out several core works: "Forensic Pathology" and "Atlas of Human Anatomy" and put them in her suitcase.
She zipped up her suitcase, stood up, and looked around the room she had lived in for many years, a place that had never given her a true sense of belonging.
Leaving now, I feel a sense of relief.
She carried her suitcase and quietly walked down the stairs.
The laughter and chatter downstairs grew louder; Xu's parents had arrived.
She deliberately avoided the direction of the restaurant and walked out through a side door without disturbing anyone.
No one noticed her departure, and no one cared where she went.
The cool evening breeze brought a sense of clarity.
Lin Xili pulled her suitcase as she walked along the quiet streets of the villa district.
The streetlights cast her long, thin shadow, making her appear exceptionally lonely.
She took out her phone; the screen showed 7:30 PM.
She quickly bought a high-speed rail ticket to Maluan County, which would depart two hours later.
There is no direct high-speed rail to Lixiang Town. There are only three or four high-speed trains to the county every day, and now there is only one train left, which is two hours later.
The ride-hailing car arrived at the entrance of the villa area very quickly.
She opened the back door and looked back at the brightly lit villa one last time.
"Driver, to the high-speed rail station."
The car started slowly, and she leaned against the window, watching the bustling street scene rushing past outside.
A profound silence settled in my heart.
Just as the car was about to leave the villa area, a familiar black Bentley slowly drove in from the opposite direction.
The two cars passed each other on the narrow road at the entrance of the residential area.
Lin Xili subconsciously turned her head; the Bentley's window was not closed.
Xu Yanchi, sitting in the back seat, was wearing a well-tailored dark suit.
Even in the dim light inside the car, his profile was still breathtakingly perfect.
He seemed to be looking down at his phone, a slight smile playing on his lips.
That expression was just like it was under the sycamore tree on campus back then.
Now, unrequited love has become an illusion.
Lin Xili looked out the car window as it drove toward the groom who no longer belonged to her, toward her sister's side.
A faint, cold sneer curled at the corner of her lips. Lin Xili, Lin Xili, perhaps you really do have no home anymore.
The ride-hailing vehicle merged into the main traffic flow and sped towards the high-speed rail station.
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