After a late-night chat with Lin's parents and grandfather, Lin's father, mother, and grandfather prepared to leave early the next morning. They looked at Lin Qinghuan coming downstairs with her schoolbag on her back and hesitated to speak.
Lin Qinghuan glanced indifferently at her parents, then quickly looked away, slung her bag over her shoulder, and strode straight toward the door.
"Qinghuan!" Lin's father called out to Lin Qinghuan's retreating figure.
Lin Qinghuan paused slightly before continuing forward.
"Qinghuan!" Lin's father's voice rang out again from behind.
Lin Qinghuan had no choice but to stop and turn around to look back. "Is something the matter?"
Hearing Lin Qinghuan's indifferent voice, neither sad nor happy, as if he and Lin's mother were complete strangers, Lin's father felt very sad.
"Qinghuan, let's take a car back to the village in a bit," Lin's father said.
"Oh! I have to go to school, so I won't see you off. Have a safe trip," Lin Qinghuan said calmly.
"Qinghuan, you..."
Mr. Lin wanted to ask, "Don't you feel even a little bit reluctant in your heart?"
But in the end, he didn't ask. He just sighed heavily, a sigh that carried a hint of helplessness, sadness, and understanding.
Lin Qinghuan's lips curled into a bitter smile; her father actually knew everything.
He knew that his and his mother's favoritism had caused him a lot of grievances, but he always chose to ignore it.
But he didn't know that when disappointment accumulates for too long, there is no expectation left, and when there is no expectation, one learns to let go.
"Qinghuan, what kind of tone is that? We are your biological parents," Lin's mother said unhappily.
Lin Qinghuan looked at her mother's stern face, as if she had done something wrong, and couldn't help but ask, "I know! You are my parents, so I have done what you asked for, I have done what I should do, so what do you need me for?"
Lin's mother: "..."
Lin's father: "..."
As they listened to Lin Qinghuan's indifferent tone, it was as if something was slipping away from them. The feeling was indescribable, yet it grew stronger and stronger, leaving them unable to grasp it, inexplicably panicked, and helpless.
Seeing that her parents didn't say anything more critical, Lin Qinghuan said "Take care" and turned to leave the living room without looking back.
Lin's parents stared in disbelief at Lin Qinghuan's retreating figure, which seemed to carry a sense of loneliness and detachment, as if she were about to walk away from their lives.
How could they have such strange ideas? Their relationship with Lin Qinghuan had become too strained. They were related by blood, and as long as that blood relationship existed, Lin Qinghuan would always be their daughter, and they would always have contact with each other.
After Mr. and Mrs. Lin had breakfast, Mr. Lin asked Lin Fu to take them to the station. Everyone remained silent along the way, and the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.
Breaking the silence, Lin's father asked, "Lin Fu, are the combined abilities of my eldest and second sons not as good as Qinghuan's alone?"
"Uncle Lin, your three children are all outstanding in their own way, but Qinghuan is more intelligent and learns things very quickly. In this entrance exam, her interview score was excellent, which made the school teachers pay great attention to her," Lin Fu said objectively.
Lin's father could hear the praise in Lin Fu's tone; Qinghuan was indeed more outstanding than his two sons.
Lin Qinghuan's coldness towards her parents fueled a deep resentment in her mother's heart. Feeling stifled and frustrated, she finally erupted after hearing Lin Fu's words, her voice sharp and cutting: "No matter how clever a girl is, she's still someone else's child. And she's so unfilial, daring to give us the cold shoulder. She doesn't treat us like her own parents at all."
Upon hearing this, Lin Fu felt sorry for Lin Qinghuan and had to say something: "Auntie, even if Qinghuan marries someone else, she will still have the surname Lin, and she will still be your daughter."
“You keep saying that Qinghuan is unfilial, but I remember she saved you several times. If it weren’t for her, you might not be alive now. Qinghuan even risked her life against a robber to save the family’s savings. She barely survived.”
"Your beloved Lin Piaoxue disfigured Qinghuan while she was unconscious. Instead of punishing her severely, you morally blackmailed Qinghuan, forcing her to forgive Lin Piaoxue. Qinghuan compromised for the sake of so-called family affection and filial piety. Even after Lin Piaoxue stole all the family's savings, she still gave you her own savings without holding a grudge..."
"Auntie, Uncle, even I, an outsider, feel sorry for Qinghuan. As Qinghuan's parents, you have hurt her time and time again. Are your hearts made of stone?"
Lin Fu sighed as he finished speaking, "Uncle, Aunt, even if Qinghuan owed you something in her past life, she has already done enough for you, and it's time to settle the score. Please have pity on her and let her go!"
Lin Qinghuan's contributions to her family are evident to all, and her father and mother felt ashamed after hearing what her father said.
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