LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 20:
Chapter 20: Old Stories Revisited:
Lin Shiyan was momentarily speechless.
To her, it had always seemed perfectly natural for Lin You to live in the basement. After all, he was dirty all the time, ate loudly, and avoided eye contact with everyone. He didn’t behave like a member of the Lin family. Compared to Lin Tianyang, he was worlds apart.
“How can you even compare him to Lin Tianyang? Lin You is uneducated, has sticky fingers, and is a peeping tom. Letting him live in the basement is already generous,” Lin Shiyan said coldly. “Besides, boys need hardship while girls need indulgence. This is training for him. If he can’t endure this, he’s not worthy of being part of the Lin family.”
Hearing this, Lin Shengnan felt a widening chasm between herself and Lin Shiyan. More than that, she felt estranged from the entire Lin family. Once she left, she began to see things more clearly. When you’re in the mountain, you can’t see the mountain.
Since arguing would lead nowhere, she decided to let the matter drop. She sighed. “Second Sister, you studied law, and you’re set to join the public security system in the future. In our profession, what’s the most important thing?”
Lin Shiyan frowned, unsure where this was going.
“It’s evidence,” Shengnan continued. “The evidence chain is everything. Personal testimony alone doesn’t hold up in court.”
She paused before adding, “Even though I dislike Lin You, what I care about is justice. Only through truth can justice be served.”
Their car arrived at the underground parking lot of the All Seasons Hotel. Shiyan parked, got out, and opened the trunk to retrieve her luggage. Turning to Shengnan, she said, “You know, we haven’t had a proper talk in ages. Let me stay at the hotel with you tonight. We can catch up.”
“If you don’t mind staying in a budget hotel like Ji Hotel, then fine,” Shengnan replied flatly.
Her words stung. Shiyan suddenly felt the distance between them, realizing they were no longer the inseparable sisters who once shared everything. Shengnan’s independence, forged through years in the military, had set her apart. Unlike her siblings, she rarely asked the family for money and lived within her means, saving even the dividends she received as a Lin family shareholder.
When they approached the front desk, Shiyan reached for her card to pay, but Shengnan stopped her with a single, curt sentence: “If you pay, I’ll leave and find another hotel.”
Shiyan froze, card in hand, unsure how to respond. Left with no choice, she watched as Shengnan calmly paid for the room herself.
After settling in and freshening up, the sisters sat on the bed. Shiyan started the conversation with praises for Lin Tianyang. “Tianyang is doing so well. He’s ranked in the top ten of his grade. Qingbei is practically guaranteed. And he’s so sensible and well-behaved. Everyone loves him.”
Shengnan didn’t comment, scrolling through her phone instead.
Naturally, the topic shifted to Lin You. “You wouldn’t believe what happened yesterday,” Shiyan said with a sigh. “Do you know why Mom and Dad hit him? He refused to admit he did anything wrong and kept being stubborn. Honestly, even I wanted to slap him.”
Still scrolling, Shengnan said casually, “So you’re just not used to him standing up for himself? After all, he’s always been submissive. Whenever there’s a problem, he’d admit it immediately if you raised your voice. You can’t handle it now that he’s grown a spine?”
“It’s not just that!” Shiyan exclaimed. “You wouldn’t believe what he said about us.”
Shengnan glanced up. “What did he say?”
“He compared our family to oranges!” Shiyan fumed. “Can you imagine? Oranges!”
With a loud laugh, Shengnan put her phone down. “What kind of oranges? Sweet ones? Sour ones?”
“Rotten ones!” Shiyan snapped. “He told Tianyang, ‘One rotten orange doesn’t spoil the basket, but a basket of rotten oranges is truly rotten.’ Can you believe it?”
Her voice rose with indignation. “Since the day he entered the Lin family, he’s done nothing but cause trouble. Stealing, ruining the atmosphere, making everything a mess. And after all we’ve done for him—giving him food and clothes—he dares to call us rotten!”
Shengnan’s laughter faded. Her tone turned icy. “You didn’t give him enough food, which is why he’s malnourished. And you’ve bought him exactly one set of clothes in four years. If that’s your idea of generosity, then I’m not sure what to say.”
Shiyan stared at her sister, shocked and angry. “Why are you siding with him? We’re family!”
Her words struck a nerve. Shengnan didn’t feel particularly attached to Lin You, but fairness was another matter. As a soldier, she protected peace. As a prospective officer, she valued justice. Ignoring her sister’s outburst, Shengnan asked quietly, “If none of you see him as family, then why did you bring him into the Lin household in the first place? Was it just for appearances?”
Realizing she had misspoken, Shiyan tried to backtrack. “I just meant… he doesn’t act like a Lin family member.”
“A weak defense is worse than none at all,” Shengnan muttered, changing the subject. “Do you remember what he said yesterday?”
“Of course I do,” Shiyan replied angrily. “After Mom and Dad hit him, he asked me to draft a document to sever ties with the Lin family and insisted on notarizing it. I thought he was bluffing, but as soon as I handed him the document, he signed it without hesitation.”
She paused before adding, “Then he walked up to Tianyang and said, ‘Do you know why I helped you? Because one rotten orange doesn’t ruin the basket, but a basket of rotten oranges is truly rotten. I’m counting on you.’ His face was twisted, and his tone was terrifying.”
Hearing this, Shengnan froze. “He… really said that?”
Shiyan was startled by her sister’s reaction. “Of course! Mom, Dad, and our eldest sister all heard it.”
Realizing she had overreacted, Shengnan softened her tone. “And none of you thought anything of it?”
“What was there to think about?” Shiyan replied, her anger resurfacing. “At that moment, I wanted to strangle him. How could someone so young harbor such malicious thoughts? If the Lin family falls apart, what good does it do him?”
Standing, Shengnan walked to the window and pulled back the curtains. Gazing at the starry night sky, she spoke quietly. “Second Sister, I want to meet Lin You. Tomorrow, take me to his school.”