Lin Jin replied, "I'm doing fine at school. Anyway, I've gotten used to it over the years. I'm fine, and don't worry, no one can bully me."
A faint smile graced her face, a smile that conveyed an indescribable strength, as if telling Yu Zhenzhen that she had endured too much alone over the years.
Hearing her daughter say this, Yu Zhenzhen felt even worse. Her eyes reddened again, and her voice became choked as she said, "It's all my fault. I've made you suffer all these years." Her hands unconsciously gripped the hem of her clothes tightly, as if blaming herself for her powerlessness.
Lin Jin gently patted Yu Zhenzhen's hand, the gesture soft and warm, and said, "It's okay, it's all in the past, things will get better." Her eyes were firm and bright, revealing her expectation and confidence in the future.
The car continued driving down the street, and the streetlights gradually came on, casting a dim yellow light through the car windows onto the two of them. Yu Zhenzhen was silent for a while, then cautiously asked, "Xiao Jin, do you...do you hate Mom?" Her eyes were filled with trepidation and unease, as if this question was of utmost importance to her, yet she was afraid to hear the answer.
Lin Jin raised her head slightly, looking at the night view outside the car window. After a moment of silence, she slowly said, "I don't hate you. I know you have your own difficulties." Her voice was very soft, but it seemed as if she had used all her strength.
Hearing this answer, Yu Zhenzhen breathed a slight sigh of relief, but her face still showed deep guilt. She continued, "Xiaojin, Mom will make it up to you properly in the future, really." Her eyes were full of determination, as if she was secretly vowing to give her daughter the best compensation.
Lin Jin smiled and said, "Yes, I believe you." That smile was like a firework blooming in the night sky; though brief, it brought warmth and hope.
Soon, the car arrived at the entrance of the courtyard house. The courtyard house appeared somewhat quiet in the night, the surrounding trees swaying gently in the breeze, making a rustling sound. Yu Zhenzhen got out of the car with Lin Jin, and looking at the courtyard house before her, a complex emotion welled up in her heart.
Lin Jin opened the courtyard gate; the hinges creaked, breaking the stillness of the night. A faint scent of earth filled the courtyard.
Yu Zhenzhen felt a pang of pain in her heart, and her eyes reddened again. She said, "Xiao Jin, why don't you... why don't you go back to live with your mother? It's so lonely here all by yourself." Her eyes were filled with expectation and heartache.
Lin Jin said calmly, "I've been living alone all these years, I'm used to it. You should go back now!"
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