Xue Jiao's expression was strange, carrying an emotion that Lin Yinyin couldn't quite place—it was very awkward.
Under the intense gaze of those eyes, Lin Yinyin actually hesitated.
But soon, she lifted her chin slightly.
She hadn't said anything wrong, so why should she be afraid?
"I already know about your relationship with my third uncle. He likes you so much—you can definitely help me get him to come out."
Xue Jiao's expression grew even more complicated. "Your third uncle likes me?"
As the words left her mouth, her face showed disbelief and confusion, as if she couldn't believe what Lin Yinyin had said.
Instantly, Lin Yinyin glared fiercely, convinced that Gu Xue Jiao was just refusing to admit it.
"My third uncle is only nice to you. If you two weren't involved, why would he protect you like this? Why would he be so close to you? Gu Xue Jiao, I already have proof—you and my third uncle..."
Xue Jiao's heart jolted, as if struck by something, filled with disbelief and... fear.
She cut off Lin Yinyin's interrogation, her voice icy. "Leave."
Lin Yinyin stepped forward, trying to soften her tone. "Just help me, please. I really need to see my third uncle once."
Xue Jiao stared at her coldly.
Lin Yinyin's patience snapped again. "Gu Xue Jiao, if you help me meet my third uncle, I'll pretend I know nothing. Otherwise... I'll expose how you latched onto the president of the Lin Corporation! Let's see how your schoolmates look at you then!"
Lin Yinyin had a bad temper to begin with, but because of Lin Zhihua's threats, she had to suppress it and try to please Xue Jiao.
Who would have thought the other girl would be so ungrateful? Not only did she refuse to admit it, but she was still treating her like this!
When had Lin Yinyin ever suffered such humiliation?
Once her temper flared, she couldn't help but threaten Xue Jiao again.
Xue Jiao's face turned even colder. "Lin Yinyin, is this how you ask for help?"
Lin Yinyin froze, then brightened. "You'll help me?!"
"No." Xue Jiao looked at her calmly. "Didn't you say there's something between me and your third uncle? If you keep bothering me, I might just have to ask him to put more pressure on your family."
"You—" Lin Yinyin's eyes widened in shock.
"So you'd better leave now. Don't provoke me."
Xue Jiao's gaze was too cold. In that moment, Lin Yinyin suddenly realized—
The look in this girl's eyes was eerily similar to that of her rarely seen third uncle.
Lin Yinyin shivered. Xue Jiao had already picked up her notebook and walked away.
She stood there dumbly, not daring to follow.
But Xue Jiao's retreating figure was far from as composed as it seemed.
Did Lin Zhihua like her?
Yes, he must. If he didn't, he wouldn't treat her so well.
But was this affection... the same as what she had imagined?
Was it like Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong's kind of affection, or...
Xue Jiao felt lost, replaying every moment she had spent with Lin Zhihua in her mind.
He really was good to her—excessively so.
When she was sick, he comforted her. When she was confused, he enlightened her. When she struggled with her studies, he explained things to her. He was always there when she needed him...
Some things were fine if left unexamined, but once she thought about them, the evidence was everywhere.
So... was it really as Lin Yinyin said?
But what had she done to deserve it?
And... he had never said anything.Xue Jiao bit her lower lip, her mind a whirl of chaotic thoughts.
Unbeknownst to her, her face betrayed her panic.
She pulled out her phone, emotions tangled—confusion, suspicion, unease.
As if sensing her turmoil, a call came through. Seeing the caller ID made her heart race even faster—Lin Zhihua.
A long moment passed, so long that the call was about to disconnect before she finally answered—
"Hello..."
A gentle, concerned voice came through the line: "Jiao Jiao, congratulations on your vacation."
Xue Jiao forced a smile, her lips parting but no words coming out.
A brief silence followed on the other end before the voice tentatively asked, "Jiao Jiao, what's wrong?"
She bit her lip, her face flushing red, and suddenly blurted out, "What kind of feelings do you have for me?"
Complete silence fell on the other end, broken only by shallow breaths.
Xue Jiao couldn't see the man on the other side of the call, couldn't see the momentary panic on his face, swiftly replaced by restrained, agonizing control.
After what felt like an eternity, his voice trembled slightly—
"Love."
—What kind of feelings do you have for me?
—Love.
Xue Jiao's breath hitched, and she hurriedly hung up.
Then, clutching her strangely pounding chest, she crouched down.
On the other end, Lin Zhihua exhaled heavily after the call ended and pressed a button.
"Boss."
"Investigate! Find out who Xue Jiao met today!"
His voice was laced with a dangerous edge, and Chen Yan felt an oppressive aura bearing down on him.
This man had never been a docile sheep.
And now, the wolf was enraged.
Xue Jiao returned home just after lunchtime. Li Sitong was in the bathroom applying makeup.
"Oh? You're back? Have you eaten?" Li Sitong stepped out upon hearing the door open.
"Yeah, I have," Xue Jiao nodded absently.
Li Sitong found her behavior odd, sensing something was off.
She asked, "Jiao Jiao, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Xue Jiao forced a smile and shook her head. "I'm fine."
This didn't seem fine at all!
"You can tell me if something's bothering you..."
Xue Jiao shook her head again. "It's nothing, Mom. I'm going upstairs to rest."
With that, she headed upstairs with her backpack.
Li Sitong stared blankly at her retreating figure, her hands freezing mid-motion.
Her daughter did respect her, and the household atmosphere was harmonious—Xue Jiao never angered her and rarely contradicted her.
But she also never shared what was truly on her mind.
Because of what had happened in the past, even though they had "reconciled," they would never be truly close.
Cheng Shuo was right—deep wounds leave scars. The deeper the wound, the deeper the scar, even between a mother and daughter.
Xue Jiao respected her, gave her the courtesy she deserved, but they would never have the kind of intimate, open relationship where they could share everything...
Li Sitong was lost in thought. As Xue Jiao had grown over the past two years and as she herself had aged, she had come to realize just how grave her past mistakes had been.
She shook her head and decided to go grocery shopping later, preparing to cook a nice dinner for Xue Jiao and Mingze.
The damage was done, and there was no going back—all she could do now was make amends.
With this in mind, Li Sitong hurriedly finished getting ready and left to buy groceries.
There was a large supermarket not far from their neighborhood, and Li Sitong headed there with her bag.
"Thud—" She collided head-on with someone.
"Ouch!" The other person immediately clutched their waist.Li Sitong was taken aback for a moment before noticing the middle-aged woman in front of her.
The woman was well-dressed and groomed. Though her face bore many wrinkles, her skin remained relatively smooth, and her makeup was tastefully done. Her coat, matching bag, and jewelry were all perfectly coordinated—elegant and refined.
Li Sitong immediately realized: this was a wealthy housewife.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she quickly apologized.
Li Sitong always maintained a pleasant demeanor in public, determined not to cause trouble for Cheng Shuo. Though she couldn't tell who had bumped into whom, she decided it was best to apologize.
"No worries, no worries," the woman replied with a bright smile. "Young lady, I felt an instant connection with you!"
"Ah?" Li Sitong was puzzled.
"Are you here to buy groceries?" the woman asked, her eyes crinkling with warmth.
Li Sitong nodded. "Yes..."
"What a coincidence! Me too. Let's shop together!" The woman smiled with effortless familiarity, leaving Li Sitong both confused and wary.
But the woman made no suspicious moves. She simply shopped for groceries while casually complaining about her son—
"My son is a troublemaker. I can't control him at all, and he's almost thirty! Still refuses to settle down!"
"He's still young. Let him be," Li Sitong replied awkwardly.
The woman's eyes widened. "How can I just let him do whatever he wants? If I did, would I ever get to hold a grandchild?"
Li Sitong: "..." She truly didn’t understand this woman’s mindset.
"Young lady, you seem like someone with happy children. Do you have any kids?" the woman asked, beaming at her.
The question was harmless, so Li Sitong answered, "They're doing alright. One son and one daughter."
"Oh, how wonderful! You even have a daughter. Unlike me, stuck with just one disobedient brat."
"It's fine... one child is less trouble," Li Sitong replied, picking up a few tomatoes.
She paused and asked, "Elder sister, why aren’t you buying anything?"
The woman hesitated, then laughed. "Oh, I am, I am!"
She reached out and dropped several large pieces of ginger into her bag.
Li Sitong: "...That much ginger?"
The woman chuckled awkwardly. "Just... for cooking."
That much ginger for cooking? Stockpiling it at home?
Li Sitong picked up two bitter gourds, and the woman casually added a single small head of lettuce to her cart.
Li Sitong: "...Isn’t that too little lettuce?"
So much ginger, but only this tiny bit of lettuce?
The woman froze, then hurriedly grabbed two more. "Is this enough?"
Li Sitong: "...Should be."
"Good, good," the woman said, tossing them into the cart.
Baffled but unwilling to pry further, Li Sitong pushed her cart forward.
The woman followed. "How old is your daughter?"
"Eighteen."
"Ah, eighteen! She must be in university already. Time to start looking for a partner," the woman remarked.
Li Sitong stopped in her tracks, stunned. "She’s only eighteen..."
"Perfect age for an engagement!" the woman declared firmly, eyes gleaming with expectation.
Li Sitong: "...Hahaha." She forced a laugh.
Finishing her shopping in a hurry, Li Sitong fled without another word.
The woman watched her retreating figure, a faint smile playing on her lips.
A moment later, she walked to a car parked not far from the supermarket.
"How did it go?" Lin Changping pressed.Mother Lin shook her head: "Gu Xue Jiao's mother has a decent personality, but she's not planning to intervene in Xue Jiao's affairs. What a pity."
Father Lin glared: "Our Lin family is—"
"Enough, enough. What matters most is Zhihua's stance," Mother Lin interrupted him.
"Do you think I don't know that? It's been so long, and there's still no progress!" Father Lin frowned in distress.
Mother Lin wore an equally troubled expression before finally saying after a long pause, "...How could he finally take a liking to someone, only for her to be a barely adult girl!"
"Sigh."
Li Sitong forgot about the matter once she returned home. That woman had only spoken a few words to her, and since she hadn't lost anything, she didn't dwell on it.
But Xue Jiao was in turmoil.
Ever since Lin Zhihua admitted his feelings for her, Xue Jiao had found it hard to calm her emotions.
She didn't even understand her own feelings—chaotic, shy, and flustered all at once.
"Ding-ding-ding—" Her phone rang again.
Xue Jiao didn’t need to look to know it was Lin Zhihua. She buried her head under the blankets, rolled over, and didn’t dare answer.
On the other end of the call, Lin Zhihua listened to the "beep-beep-beep" tone, his expression gradually turning desolate.
Xue Jiao was like a turtle—outwardly calm and composed, but in reality, her emotional intelligence was very low. Not just low, but she was also afraid of emotions.
Whether it was familial love, friendship, or romance.
She wasn’t cold or aloof at all, but she always erected a wall to keep others out.
He had originally planned to take things step by step, letting her feelings develop naturally. Who could have guessed that Lin Yinyin would blurt it out prematurely!
Even Lin Zhihua was thrown into disarray. He could scheme against anyone in the world, but it was nearly impossible to scheme against himself and the person he loved.
As for Xue Jiao’s feelings toward him...
He himself wasn’t sure what they were.
"Chen Yan!" Lin Zhihua called sharply.
"Boss."
Lin Zhihua’s face was cold. "Arrange a meeting with Lin Sheng’s entire family—yes, the entire family. They’ve been wanting to see me, haven’t they? Well, let’s give them a proper meeting!"
Chen Yan: "...Understood."
He then respectfully exited.
The boss was currently a furious tiger—anyone who approached would get bitten.
As for Lin Yinyin?
Well, Chen Yan could only offer three words—
She’s doomed.
Lin Zhihua stopped calling. Xue Jiao covered her face and groaned softly—
"What do I do? What do I do?!"
She was genuinely frightened, her mind a mess of conflicting thoughts, too afraid to face Lin Zhihua.
Xue Jiao was like a turtle retreating into its shell. Aside from working on her thesis and spacing out at home, she didn’t dare step outside.
Meanwhile, Lin Sheng, Xu Jiaohong, and Lin Yinyin were escorted into the Lin Corporation headquarters.
Lin Sheng and Xu Jiaohong walked side by side behind Tan Qi, their hearts uneasy.
"Husband... why did Lin Zhihua suddenly want to see us?" Xu Jiaohong asked nervously.
Lin Sheng shook his head, completely baffled.
Behind them, Lin Yinyin shivered. For some reason, she felt a growing sense of dread...
Could it have something to do with Xue Jiao?
Once Lin Sheng and Xu Jiaohong stepped inside the Lin Corporation building, their anxiety only deepened.
The imposing atmosphere of such a large company was worlds apart from their small business. The employees moved with purpose, focused and orderly.
Tan Qi said nothing as he led them straight to the top floor.
"Assistant Tan..." Lin Sheng forced an ingratiating smile. "Do you know why Zhihua summoned us?"
He used "Zhihua" to feign closeness with Lin Zhihua, hoping to deceive Tan Qi.Tan Qi's intelligence might not compare to Lin Zhihua or Chen Yan, but if he could be fooled by someone like Lin Sheng, he wouldn't be standing here today.
"You'll know once we go up," Tan Qi said indifferently.
Lin Sheng and Xu Jiaohong exchanged glances, not daring to speak further.
"You—" Lin Yinyin couldn't hold back and instinctively started to curse.
"Lin Yinyin!" Lin Sheng snapped harshly, while Xu Jiaohong grabbed her arm and glared at her fiercely.
Lin Yinyin froze and shut her mouth.
Tan Qi led the three upstairs. After they sat on the sofa in the reception room, he immediately turned and left without even offering them water.
"Honey..." Xu Jiaohong began hesitantly.
If Lin Sheng still couldn't read the situation, he'd be blind.
Not even a glass of water was offered—whether it was Lin Zhihua's direct order or his subordinates' interpretation, it was clear Lin Zhihua's attitude toward them was far from favorable.
"What did we even do?" Xu Jiaohong muttered.
Indeed, ever since they offended Lin Zhihua at the Lin family estate last time, they had stayed out of his affairs. Even when he cut off the benefits he used to share with them, they hadn't uttered a word of complaint.
At that moment, Lin Yinyin trembled slightly.
Lin Sheng noticed and frowned. "Lin Yinyin, did you do something to offend your uncle?"
His voice was stern, his eyes wide.
Xu Jiaohong interjected, "She's just a child. How could she possibly offend Lin Zhihua? She doesn’t even get to see him."
Lin Yinyin didn't speak, only opening her mouth slightly before closing it silently.
She shrank back, terrified that Lin Zhihua had summoned them because of Gu Xue Jiao.
But...
She hadn’t done anything to Xue Jiao—how could this be?
Lin Yinyin kept reassuring herself inwardly.
Just then, Tan Qi and another assistant respectfully opened the double doors wide.
The three of them immediately looked over.
Tan Qi and the other assistant stood deferentially on either side as a tall, imposing man strode in.
Dressed in a black suit, his expression was cold, his steps swift. In just a few strides, he reached them and sat down opposite.
Crossing his legs, he tugged at his tie slightly, his sharp gaze fixed on them.
The three instinctively straightened their postures.
"Lin... Lin President..." The words "Zhihua" stuck in their throats, replaced by this respectful title.
Lin Zhihua swept his eyes over them before his piercing stare settled on Lin Yinyin.
"Speak. What do you want, going to such lengths to find me?"
His voice was calm, but the sheer weight of his presence pressed down on them.
"N-nothing..." Lin Sheng stammered.
Lin Zhihua smirked coldly. "Nothing? Then why did your precious daughter seek out someone of mine?"
Someone of mine!
Lin Yinyin's pupils constricted—it was because of Gu Xue Jiao!
"No, I didn’t threaten her! I only begged her to bring me to see you, Uncle..." Lin Yinyin blurted in panic.
She naturally assumed Xue Jiao had tattled and even twisted the story.
"Threaten?" Lin Zhihua raised an eyebrow.
Then, he grabbed something beside him and hurled it at her.
"Ah—!"
Bang—!
Lin Yinyin shrieked as the object narrowly missed her, the gust of wind lifting the hair at her temples. Her heart pounded as if about to leap out of her chest.
Thump, thump, thump.
All she could hear was the frantic beating of her own heart."You're quite something, resorting to threats," Lin Zhihua said coldly, looking at her.
Lin Sheng finally understood—it was his daughter who had taken matters into her own hands and provoked someone she shouldn't have!
At this moment, Lin Sheng wished he could beat his own daughter for dragging him down like this.
"Zhihua, I'm sorr—" Lin Sheng hurriedly spoke up.
Lin Zhihua raised a hand, his voice icy as he cut him off. "Is your company on the verge of bankruptcy?"
Lin Sheng froze, staring at Lin Zhihua in shock.
"Chen Yan!"
"Boss, here!"
"Since it's about to go under, let's give them a hand. I want to hear news of their bankruptcy by tomorrow."
"Yes, sir!" Chen Yan responded and immediately left the room.
"Lin Zhihua!! You can't do this!!" Xu Hongjiao's eyes widened in disbelief.
Lin Zhihua stood up. "You'd better leave now, while you still can. If you wait any longer, I might decide to do more than just bankrupt you."
Leave?
"No—" Lin Yinyin shook her head frantically.
No! She didn’t want to leave!
Her entire foundation was here. She had moved to the capital with pride all those years ago—she couldn’t possibly slink back in disgrace now.
Lin Yinyin reached out, clutching desperately at Lin Zhihua’s sleeve. "Uncle!! Please, Uncle! I’ll apologize to Gu Xue Jiao, I really didn’t mean it! Uncle, please forgive me!"
The moment she touched him, Tan Qi and another assistant signaled, and several people immediately stepped forward to drag them away.
"Uncle—" Lin Yinyin screamed in despair.
As she was pulled further and further away, she caught a glimpse of Lin Zhihua removing his jacket in disgust.
She regretted it!
She shouldn’t have provoked Gu Xue Jiao! She never imagined Lin Zhihua would care so much about Xue Jiao…
The three of them were thrown out of the Lin Corporation’s gates. Lin Yinyin collapsed to the ground, dazed.
What now… what now…
"Slap—" A sharp pain struck her face.
She looked up in confusion, meeting her father’s furious gaze.
Lin Yinyin’s heart clenched.
Xue Jiao knew nothing of these events. She was simply sitting in her room, staring blankly at the computer screen where only a single paragraph of her thesis was written.
Xue Jiao was lost in thought.
This level of distraction was unprecedented for her.
But her mind was too chaotic to focus.
It had been… four days since she’d seen him.
Adding the previous ten days, it had been half a month.
They used to meet every Friday—she would talk about school and random things, while he listened quietly with a faint smile, occasionally offering advice.
But this time, apart from a few calls from Lin Zhihua on the first day…
There had been no contact since.
Xue Jiao couldn’t help but glance at her phone again.
No calls. No messages.
She felt restless, though she couldn’t pinpoint why.
"Ahhhhhh!!" Xue Jiao ruffled her hair in frustration, looking thoroughly disheveled.
"Jiao Jiao, dinner’s ready—" Li Sitong called from outside.
Xue Jiao took a deep breath, then stood and walked out.
Cheng Shuo was changing his shoes.
Xue Jiao trudged out listlessly, and Cheng Mingze emerged from his room, casually ruffling her hair—
"What’s got you so gloomy? You’re turning into a little old lady."
Xue Jiao gave him a weary look before flopping onto the sofa.
"Nothing…"
"You call this 'nothing'?" Cheng Mingze raised an eyebrow, exasperated.
Cheng Shuo, now done with his shoes, suddenly asked, "Jiao Jiao, did you have a fight with Lin Zhihua?"
Huh?
Xue Jiao froze, staring blankly at Cheng Shuo."No, no," Xue Jiao hurriedly denied after snapping back to reality.
Cheng Shuo pressed, "If you didn't argue, why are you acting like this? And why was that Lin Zhihua just standing foolishly outside the neighborhood?"
"Huh?" Xue Jiao froze.
She instinctively looked out the window. It was already dark outside, but the lights were bright enough to faintly reveal the white world beyond.
It was snowing...
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