Seeing his wife in such agonizing pain, Lin Rude could not help but burst into a tirade, blaming everything on Lin Ge.
His sisters also chimed in, accusing Lin Ge of being unreasonable and insisting on signing that severance agreement, which they claimed had triggered their mother’s migraine. Even Lin Jiayi and Lin Xinyi, who had previously been skeptical of the allegations that Lin Ge had stolen anything, were so rattled by their mother’s condition that they began to resent Lin Ge, calling him stubborn and oblivious to the consequences of his actions.
They were oblivious, however, to why Mother Lin’s chronic, stubborn migraines had not recurred for the past six months. It was all because Lin Ge had gone out of his way to learn massage therapy, practicing and refining the technique on his own for over a year to finally bring her condition under control. Yet, no one in the Lin family believed it was Lin Ge’s doing. How could a high school student raised in an orphanage possibly cure their mother’s long-standing illness?
Around the same time, Elder Wu, a nationally renowned master of traditional medicine, had visited Haishi and treated Madam Lin once. Since then, her condition had gradually improved until it finally disappeared for half a year. By comparison, the Lin family naturally attributed the improvement to Elder Wu, even though he had explicitly stated that her migraines could not be cured in a single session. Furthermore, they were all convinced that this current flare-up was caused by the distress Lin Ge had inflicted upon her by insisting on that severance agreement.
In reality, that was not the case at all. Huang Huijuan’s current migraine was brought on by the exhaustion of managing Lin Qingyang’s birthday banquet and the stress of her lost necklace. That necklace was a wedding anniversary gift from Lin Rude; it was incredibly expensive, and she treasured it, wearing it only on special occasions. Losing it out of the blue—and at home, no less, where they suspected their own son had stolen it—would have enraged anyone. As for Lin Ge’s demands to sever ties, Huang Huijuan viewed them as nothing more than a child throwing a tantrum; she didn't take them seriously. Like Lin Rude, her plan was to go along with it and let him go out to experience the harsh realities of society, fully expecting him to come crawling back, begging for forgiveness.
After receiving painkillers at the hospital, Huang Huijuan drifted into a drowsy, fitful sleep, her brow knitting together in pain from time to time. Seeing her asleep, Lin Shunyi told the others to head home and suggested that one person return to take a shift in the afternoon. Lin Rude agreed, knowing from experience that her migraines usually lasted more than a day.
Lin Qingyang, however, refused to leave. "You all go ahead, I want to stay and look after Mom!"
"A true, filial son, just as she deserves. With your devotion, her headache will surely pass soon," Lin Rude said with a nod of relief. "But you should go back with us. You're in your second year of high school; your studies are a priority. Your sisters can handle things here."
His sisters also gently urged him to come home. Lin Qingyang feigned persistence for a moment before finally agreeing to leave with Lin Rude and the others. His intention was never to stay and look after Huang Huijuan—she wasn't his biological mother, after all—but he had to put on a display of filial piety before the others. This was the strategy taught to him by Fan Meiling, his biological mother who was the family's aunt in name only. She had told him that while they could be close in private, he must never show any affection toward her in front of the Lin family, lest they become suspicious. She had insisted he go through the motions to win the Lin family's hearts and convince them that he was the true son of the house.
"Don't just stop there; you must be even more devoted than their own son," Fan Meiling had instructed.
As her biological son, Lin Qingyang had mastered these tactics perfectly. Since Lin Ge’s return, Lin Qingyang had been constantly pulling strings, painting Lin Ge as a mediocre, ill-bred, and characterless individual, which was why the family held him in such low regard.
*Heh, how wonderful. Lin Ge, you’ve finally been kicked out of the Lin family. Everything here belongs to me; no one can take it away!*
Behind the backs of the Lin family, the corners of Lin Qingyang’s mouth curled into a smile.
***
Lin Ge walked out of the Lin Family Villa, dragging his suitcase for half an hour until he reached the bus stop at the foot of the mountain. Even though he had left the house earlier than planned, he felt no regret. In fact, there was a sense of relief and liberation. After all, for the two years he had lived in the Lin household, he had been living for the sake of these so-called family members, completely losing his sense of self. From this moment on, he was finally living for himself.
He had decided to move into the school dormitory immediately. It was cheap, would save him a significant amount in housing costs, and would give him more time to study. When he lived at the Lin villa, he had to return home every day. The family car, which he shared with Lin Qingyang, was almost always snatched by him first. Lin Ge would have to spend an hour on the bus traveling across the city and then walk for over thirty minutes just to reach the villa halfway up the mountain. He hadn't moved into the dorms earlier only because he clung to the hope of maintaining familial bonds. Now, without that burden, living in the school dorms would spare him the daily exhausting commute. Plus, the school cafeteria was quite affordable.
Re-evaluating the money in his account, he realized he could make it through the final six months before the college entrance exam if he was frugal.
Lin Ge arrived back at school that afternoon and happened to run into his desk mate at the gate.
"Lin Ge? You finally decided to stay in the dorms? Did you realize I was right?"
Seeing Lin Ge pushing his suitcase, Liu Tiancheng, with his thick eyebrows and bright eyes, was both surprised and delighted. The two had been desk mates for two years and had an excellent relationship, largely because Liu Tiancheng was incredibly thoughtful toward him. Whenever Lin Ge was in a rush for the bus and missed breakfast, Liu Tiancheng would always pull out an egg or milk, claiming he had bought too much and couldn't finish it, so it would be a waste to throw it away—it was better if Lin Ge helped him out. Lin Ge wasn't a fool; once or twice might be a coincidence, but every time made it clear it was intentional. Because of this, he appreciated Liu Tiancheng’s kindness, and the two had become the best of brothers.