retribution
Back at school, Xia Tong and Fu Jia returned to their long-distance relationship, but this time it was much sweeter. One noon, Xia Tong was on her way to the cafeteria with her roommate when she suddenly received a delivery call.
Xia Tong's first reaction was: "I didn't order takeout!"
The roommate also found it strange, and the eldest brother analyzed it first: "Didn't there gossip online a while ago about someone luring a female college student out by pretending to deliver a package, then forcibly taking her into their car and selling her?"
Xia Tong touched her arm: "No way, that's terrifying."
"Since you didn't make a reservation, then don't go. Safety first." Bian Jingyun has always been cautious, and she is a typical patient with paranoia. If someone says something slightly strange, she will carefully probe them for a long time.
Xia Tong was hesitating when the person on the other end of the phone kept urging her, making her even more at a loss.
The second child then asked, "Which delivery company is it?"
"From Yue Yilou."
"It's definitely a scam! How could a nobody like me afford Yueyilou?" The second brother insisted that it was a scam, speaking with absolute certainty.
The eldest brother nudged the second brother's shoulder: "Second brother! Please watch your words when you're out! Don't let some vulgar word lower the overall level of our dorm!"
The second brother swatted away the eldest brother's hand, vigorously brushed off imaginary dust from his shoulders, and rolled his eyes: "This is called being true to yourself, unlike you, a loser who dreams of dating a rich and handsome guy!"
The eldest sister grabbed her and said, "You want to rebel, don't you? How dare you talk to your older sister like that?"
Bian Jingyun, who had been watching from the sidelines, grabbed Xia Tong, who was still holding her phone and agonizing over her decision, and headed towards the cafeteria, leaving her with the words: "A female loser who doesn't want to eat with a rich and handsome guy isn't a good loser. We're going to eat now, you guys better behave yourselves."
After getting her food, Xia Tong forgot about the "liar" who delivered the takeout. She was happily eating with her roommates in the cafeteria when Fu Jia called, her tone very unpleasant: "Why didn't you pick up your takeout?"
"Takeout? What takeout?"
"It's Yueyilou's takeout!"
"So that's what you ordered!" Xia Tong exclaimed in realization as she ate her meal.
"Even your Xiao Nai knows to pick up takeout, so why can't you? Where's your brain?"
"Xiao Nai..." Xia Tong hesitated for a moment, then said excitedly, "You went to read that book too?"
"Um... I just looked at it when I was bored." Fu Jia's tone became hesitant again. "I just wanted to see what that person you like looks like."
"How is it? Isn't it perfect?" Xia Tong also became excited and wanted to discuss the novel's plot with Fu Jia.
"Shut up and go get the takeout right now!"
"..."
When I got there, the delivery guy laughed and said, "Young lady, it must have been really difficult for you to pick up a delivery!"
Xia Tong apologized with a grin: "I was wrong, I was wrong, I won't do it again next time!"
When Xia Tong received the takeout, she saw that it was all her favorite dishes and called Fu Jia: "These dishes look so delicious!"
Fu Jia snorted, though his tone was still quite pleased and smug. But Xia Tong's next sentence shattered his illusions: "But I just ate in the cafeteria." She even gave a polite burp after saying that.
Fu Jia paused on the phone for a moment, then said fiercely, "You win!" and hung up.
Xia Tong, who had benefited from the favor, wasn't ungrateful. She soothed Fu Jia with kind words and finally calmed him down. She happily took the food back, planning to reheat it for dinner. Her roommates then realized what was going on. They expressed deep contempt for Fu Jia's affected behavior and regret that he hadn't ordered more to repay their kindness in supporting his girlfriend. Finally, following the Olympic spirit of "higher, faster, stronger," they unanimously decided: they too would eat at Yueyilou's expensive restaurant.
Xia Tong expressed her confusion: "What does the Olympic spirit have to do with eating?"
Bian Jingyun was combing her hair, holding the comb and looking down at Xia Tong: "Why do we need logic when we have food to eat?"
Xia Tong thought about it carefully and nodded solemnly: "That's right."
Just as everyone was having a good time in the dorm, Xia Tong received a text message from an unknown number without a signature: "Hurry up and check the hottest news online, it seems your dad is in trouble!"
My dad had an accident? How could that happen?! Whose number is this? Why are they sending me this?
Xia Tong was startled, but she tried to reassure herself that it must be someone's prank. However, her eagerness to turn on the computer with a furrowed brow betrayed her true feelings.
When she saw news of Xia Xinwen's illegal fundraising appear in major media outlets, she felt for the first time that the name she had signed countless times in her homework notebooks had become somewhat shocking. In fact, she had felt that her father was not "honest" when she discovered that Xia Xinwen had bought a villa in Shengshi, but at the time she didn't think much of it and only wanted to get rid of the other woman. But when the words "illegal fundraising, absconding with funds" were actually applied to her father, she realized how serious the matter was.
The internet was awash with condemnation. In reality, mere illegal fundraising wouldn't have ignited public outrage, as such incidents are common and don't directly affect the interests of most people. However, when Xia Xinwen's private life was exposed, the situation became complicated. Everyone stood on moral high ground to judge him: morally corrupt, lustful, abandoning his wife and children, and embezzling public funds. Each of these became a reason for fierce attack. Suddenly, Xia Xinwen became a pariah, universally condemned.
After Xia Xinwen's incident, someone claiming to be a bank employee came forward with allegations that he abused his position and engaged in unethical practices with female employees. This sparked another round of ridicule and attacks.
Xia Tong tried calling Xia Xinwen, but couldn't get through. She was like a cat on a hot tin roof, and her roommates were also puzzled as to why she had been chatting and laughing just moments before but now had a furrowed brow.
"What's wrong with you?" Her roommates all stopped playing around and looked at her.
"It's nothing," Xia Tong waved her hands repeatedly, went into the balcony, and closed the door. "Really, it's nothing. You guys continue."
Although Xia Tong hated Xia Xinwen, he was still her biological father who had raised her for over a decade. Hearing that he had committed a crime terrified her more than anyone else. She hated his disloyalty, resented his heartless abandonment, and was furious at his greed. However, when she heard that the crime he committed could lead to a life sentence, she couldn't help but feel a chill: life imprisonment—that's half a lifetime!
She wondered if her mother knew about this. Would her mother be able to accept it if she told her abruptly? But in her current state of confusion, who else could she talk to besides her mother? Fu Jia? She found it too difficult to bring it up.
"Mom, my dad..." Xia Tong hesitated, wondering whether to say it.
"Don't worry about this. Just focus on your studies at school." This time, Xia's mother spoke with unusual coldness and firmness, showing none of her usual weakness and helplessness when faced with problems.
"What about my dad? What will happen to him?" The warm afternoon sun shone on Xia Tong, making her sweat profusely. The slippery feeling in her palms made it almost impossible for her to hold the phone.
“People always have to pay the price for their mistakes. He never told me about this from beginning to end. I have no idea what he did with the money! Maybe he gave it all to his mistresses!” At this point, Xia’s mother lost her composure. Her voice trembled slightly, and she even gritted her teeth as she said these words.
Xia Tong remained silent, but still stammered, "I heard that this crime carries a very heavy sentence, possibly... life imprisonment." Thinking of this, Xia Tong could no longer remain calm, her voice rising again, her tone becoming high-pitched, "Are we just going to stand by and do nothing? That's my dad!"
"He's still your dad, but he's no longer my concern. I have no obligation to help him. Besides, I don't have the ability." Her tone turned somewhat self-deprecating at the end. "And by the way, don't tell your classmates that he's your dad. No one will respect you if you have a corrupt official as your father!"
"Mom—" Xia Tong was somewhat unwilling and wanted to say something more.
"You just focus on your studies at school and don't worry about all this! Everyone has their own fate. If he was capable of doing this, he knew this day would come." Xia's mother hung up the phone before giving Xia Tong a chance to speak again, her tone somewhat like a detached observer.
Xia Tong leaned against the windowsill, the happiness and sweetness she had shared with Fu Jia before completely gone. Her head was covered with clothes her roommates had hung out to dry, and her hands rested on a warm, sun-dried blanket. Across the way, on the balcony of another girls' dormitory, young women dressed lightly were choosing clothes, drying blankets, and combing their hair. Those in good spirits would chat with the girls in the next dorm through the fence. Everyone seemed to live a carefree and leisurely life. Why was her life always so riddled with problems and shrouded in gloom?
Just then, the second son opened the balcony door, poked his head in, blinked, and asked her, "It's just a fancy meal, why are you so melancholy?"
Xia Tong looked at her chubby, fair face and chuckled, pinching her earlobe: "Of course I'm worried you'll eat mine too, so naturally I'm very concerned!"
※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※
I got up at 7 a.m. this morning to write! I wrote for two hours before going to class! My roommates were all sleeping! Please praise me, please praise me a lot!!!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com