LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 12:
Chapter 12: Lin Shengnan’s Doubts:
After discussing plans in the courtyard for over two hours, the family finally retreated to their rooms for the night. Knowing Lin You was returning, Xuanzhi had already prepared the vacant room, cleaning it thoroughly and laying out fresh bedding.
Lin You stepped into the room, instinctively moving to shut the door behind him. Just as he was about to close it, a hand stopped him. He turned to see Jueming standing there with a pillow in hand.
“Brother, I want to sleep with you,” Jueming declared confidently. “Don’t get the wrong idea. I just have a question I need your help with.”
Lin You frowned, eyeing his much taller younger brother. “How old are you now? Look at the size of my bed—it’s only 1.5 meters wide. How are two grown men supposed to fit on it?”
Jueming shrugged. “Why not? We used to sleep together as kids. Unless you’re still doing somersaults in bed, what’s the problem?”
Before Lin You could respond, the door creaked open again, and a petite figure stepped in. It was Minghui, clutching her pillow tightly. She looked at Lin You with a mischievous grin and said, “Brother, I’m scared. You were talking about metaphysics and god-making earlier, and now I’m too frightened to sleep alone. Let me stay here.”
Lin You stared at her, incredulous. “You’re fourteen, a big girl now. How can you sleep in the same room as your brother?”
Minghui tilted her head defiantly. “Why not? When I was little, you used to hold me while I peed. Why can’t we sleep together now?”
“Avoid suspicion, Minghui! You need to understand that,” Lin You said, his voice rising in frustration. He turned to Jueming. “And you! Out of here too. I’ve been traveling all day and need to rest. I have to return to school tomorrow morning.”
Jueming protested, “I really do have a question I need help with.”
“And I’m genuinely scared!” Minghui chimed in.
Lin You sighed, realizing this argument was going nowhere. “Fine. Jueming, go grab your quilt. You and I will sleep on the floor, and Minghui can take the bed.”
Jueming hurried out to fetch his bedding. Minghui quickly placed her pillow on the bed and approached Lin You with a sweet smile. “Brother, are your feet tired? Let me wash them for you.”
Lin You’s face turned red, and he stammered, “N-no need. I have hands. I can wash them myself. You should go to bed early—you have school tomorrow.”
Minghui pouted. “You washed me so many times when I was little. Why can’t I wash your feet just this once?”
Lin You groaned, his patience wearing thin. “If you don’t stop this nonsense, I’ll go sleep in Master’s room and leave you here alone.”
That was enough to dissuade her. Minghui reluctantly dropped her idea and climbed onto the bed.
The temple rooms lacked bathrooms, so Lin You boiled water to wash himself. He pricked a few blisters on his feet, washed up quickly, and then lay down on the floor next to Jueming. Exhausted, he fell asleep almost immediately.
…
Meanwhile, in the city, after Lin Shengnan and Xiao Zhao arrived, Xiao Zhao offered to drop her home. However, fearing her family might misinterpret her bringing a male colleague, she declined.
Instead, she requested to be dropped off at the Ministry of Human Resources and Armed Forces, where she called her elder sister, Lin Xiaotong, to pick her up.
Lin Xiaotong was in the middle of a meeting and couldn’t come. She considered sending Lao Qin, but Shengnan didn’t want him either. She eventually called her second sister, Lin Shiyan, who arrived in her Cullinan half an hour later.
As soon as she got in the car, Shengnan wasted no time. “Second sister, what’s going on with Lin You? Eldest sister said he ran away from home, and he told me he severed ties with the family. What happened? And how’s Tianyang? Is he okay?”
Lin Shiyan adjusted her seatbelt and replied nonchalantly, “It’s a long story. That brat came back and almost drowned Tianyang by pushing him into the swimming pool.”
“What?” Shengnan’s voice rose in disbelief. “He nearly killed Tianyang? And you let him go? How could you not teach him a proper lesson?”
“Of course, we did,” Lin Shiyan said, starting the car. “Mom and Dad beat him up pretty badly. I think his leg might even be broken. But honestly, he’s not the same. He’s tougher now.”
Shiyan then changed the subject. “Anyway, enough about him. Dad’s been working on getting you transferred directly to the city bureau instead of the Chengdong Branch. What do you think?”
Shengnan ignored the question, pressing on. “Wait. He pushed Tianyang into the pool? Didn’t Tianyang win second place in the 200-meter medley at a school sports meet a few years ago? How could he nearly drown from being pushed?”
Shiyan brushed off the question. “It doesn’t matter. Lin You admitted to it himself, so why doubt it?”
Shengnan fell silent, her mind racing.
As someone preparing to transition into law enforcement, she had studied criminal psychology and micro-expressions extensively. Something about this situation didn’t add up.
…
Back home, during lunch, the conversation once again turned to Lin You.
Lan Lin’s thoughts were triggered when she saw a dish of braised mutton on the table, reminding her of the dog Lin You had allegedly killed.
“What did I do in my past life to deserve this?” Lan Lin lamented. “I gave birth to seven daughters before finally having a son, only to lose him for two months after birth. And when we found him, he turned out like this.”
Shiyan tried to comfort her. “Mom, don’t dwell on it. We still have Tianyang. As for Lin You, mark my words—he’ll come crawling back, begging for forgiveness in less than ten days.”
Shengnan hesitated before asking, “Did Lin You really eat the dog? Do you have proof? Did he admit to it?”
Lan Lin’s face darkened. “Do you think I need proof? That ungrateful child is capable of anything.”