After Being Kicked Out, Seven Sisters Turned Against the Family One After Another

Chapter 16: A Big Event:

Lin Shengnan turned around with a forced smile and said, “No need, I can handle myself. During extreme survival training in the wild, we couldn’t even stay in caves, let alone hotels.” She then looked at Lin Yuan and Lan Lin and added, “Dad, Mom, I’m a bit tired today, so I won’t stay. I’ll come back to visit once I’m settled.”

Without waiting for a response, she left without looking back.

Lan Lin called out, “Shengnan, let Lao Qin take you there!”

“No need!” Shengnan shouted back from a distance.

Lin Yuan’s face turned red with anger. “Look at that temper! If she joins the Municipal Bureau with that attitude, I doubt she’ll last without offending her superiors. She clearly needs more discipline.”

At this moment, Lin Tianyang carefully swallowed the ginseng in his mouth and asked cautiously, “Dad, Mom, Eldest Sister, Second Sister, Fourth Sister, are you upset because of me?”

The four of them responded in unison, “It has nothing to do with you.”

…

The next morning, at five o’clock, Lin You quietly got out of bed. Carefully lifting the quilt, he dressed and tiptoed toward the bathroom. Just as he reached the door, he heard a faint cough. 

Turning, he saw Xuan Ce waiting for him.

“Master, you’re not feeling well. Why are you up so early? You should rest more,” Lin You said reproachfully.

Xuan Ce didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he reached into his monk’s robe and pulled out a cloth bundle. Opening it revealed a stack of RMB, totaling about four to five thousand yuan. The money was a mix of small and large denominations, clearly saved bit by bit.

Handing the money to Lin You, Xuan Ce whispered, “You’er, this is the money I saved from delivering food over the past few months. Use it to buy whatever you need. Don’t starve yourself while preparing for the college entrance exams.”

Lin You was deeply touched but pushed the money back. “Master, I don’t want your money. I have my own. I’ve grown up and can earn for myself. Keep this in case of an emergency.”

“You say you have money, but you’re still planning to walk to school today? Listen, I might not be capable of much, but I can still support my son. Take it. When you start earning, you can support me in my old age,” Xuan Ce insisted.

Lin You felt a lump in his throat and reluctantly accepted the money, carefully placing it in his pocket.

Though Xuan Ce was under fifty, years of poor health and overwork had aged him prematurely, making him look closer to sixty. Seeing Lin You accept the money, a broad smile spread across his weathered face. He patted Lin You on the shoulder and said warmly, “You’er, don’t worry. Even if the Lin family doesn’t want you, I’ll take care of you.”

With that, he turned and walked away, his steps light and carefree.

Lin You touched the money in his pocket and silently vowed to live a life worthy of the old monk’s sacrifices.

After washing up, Lin You headed to the kitchen, where he found a steaming pot of millet porridge, white flour buns, and golden-fried dumplings leftover from the night before. Just as he sat down to eat, Jueming and Juehui appeared at the door, their faces still sleepy.

Yawning, Jueming handed Lin You a wad of cash, about one to two thousand yuan. “Brother, this is what I earned doing odd jobs after school. Use it if you need it. If it’s not enough, I’ve got more.”

Juehui also pulled out a stack of bills, but before he could say anything, Lin You waved his hands and said, “What are you doing? Treating me like a charity case? Am I that poor?”

“Put the money away before I get mad. Don’t force me…” His voice trailed off, his eyes misting. Then, suddenly, he smiled and added, “Don’t force me to take it.”

Though hesitant at first, Jueming and Juehui quickly left the money on the table and ran off, relieved by Lin You’s smile.

Looking at the pile of bills, Lin You felt a pang of guilt. Each note represented the hard work and sweat of his younger siblings. He couldn’t bear to use it. Instead, he tucked the money away with Xuan Ce’s savings, taking only a hundred yuan for travel expenses. The rest, he carefully placed under Xuan Ce’s pillow before grabbing his schoolbag and heading out of Dinghui Temple.

It was nearly six o’clock. The morning sun bathed the world in a soft glow, filling Lin You with a renewed sense of hope.

As he approached the school gate, a heavyset figure barreled toward him. The man was Zhang Xi, his classmate and desk mate, standing at 1.8 meters tall and weighing over 100 kilograms. Sweat poured down his face, and steam seemed to rise from his head as he ran.

Most students stepped aside to avoid Zhang Xi’s tank-like frame, but Lin You stood his ground. He knew Zhang Xi well. Their teacher had strategically paired them as seatmates to balance out the desk space—one fat student, one thin.

The two had an average friendship. Zhang Xi, the son of the wealthy owner of Sihai Restaurant, had always been friendly but overbearing. Lin You had once worked part-time at the restaurant, washing dishes and serving tables to cover his tuition fees. Despite their interactions, Lin You had always kept a polite distance.

“Lin You!” Zhang Xi panted, his round face glistening. “I’ve been chasing you since I saw you. Why didn’t you come to class yesterday?”

“Something came up at home,” Lin You replied flatly. “What’s up?”

Zhang Xi didn’t mind Lin You’s distant tone. He grinned and said, “Tomorrow, my family’s restaurant is hosting several wedding banquets, and we’re short on staff. Didn’t you used to work there? I thought you might help out.”

He puffed out his chest and continued, “The old man wanted to pay you 300 yuan, but I told him that was too stingy. You’ll be working from five in the evening until ten at night. For others, I’d stick to 300, but for my classmate? No way. Guess how much I asked for you.”

Lin You, uninterested in games, shook his head. “I’m busy tomorrow. I missed too many classes and need to catch up.”

Unfazed, Zhang Xi announced proudly, “One thousand yuan! I got them to agree to pay you a thousand bucks. How cool is that?”

Lin You was momentarily stunned. A thousand yuan for five hours was an incredible offer. He was about to agree when a sudden, sharp pain shot through his head. It was intense but fleeting, gone in seconds.

As the pain subsided, a memory surfaced. Something big was about to happen.