Chapter 2: Ling Lu Has Changed
Being driven out of the house!
This was undoubtedly the thing Ling Lu feared most in this life, without exception.
Ling Lu had endured a very bitter childhood. Because of malnutrition when she was little, she was bullied by the stronger children at the orphanage. She never had enough to eat or warm clothes to wear, and she was often beaten black and blue.
Not only that, those children would gather around to pull her hair, knock away her rice bowl, and throw dead frogs and crickets they had caught into her bed.
There was a time when she was so hungry she simply couldn't stand it, and she had no choice but to compete with wild dogs for scraps. Her tears mixed with the dirt-stained steamed bun as she swallowed it down, leaving her mouth full of a bitter, sour taste.
To Ling Lu, those days were no different from a living hell.
Just when she thought she would be deeply trapped in this quagmire for the rest of her life, until she was drowned by this pool of mud, her biological parents came looking for her.
To this day, Ling Lu could still remember the overwhelming joy she felt at that moment. It was like suddenly being pelted with a handful of candy while walking down the street; before she even tasted it, the sweetness and surprise had already melted in her heart.
Yet later on, Ling Lu learned that the person she loved most was the one who hurt her the most.
When she entered the Ling Family, she thought she would be greeted by the warmth of family affection, but instead, she was met with cold looks of disdain.
Ling Yeli knew everything about Ling Lu's past experiences.
Whenever Ling Yeli said those words, no matter what the issue was, Ling Lu would instantly compromise, her face turning pale and panic-stricken as she admitted her wrongs and begged for forgiveness.
This tactic worked every single time.
Ling Yeli stared at Ling Lu with a mocking look of amusement in his eyes, as if he had already anticipated her crying and pleading.
Seeing this, a trace of coldness flashed through Ling Lu's eyes.
Look, this was the older brother she had desperately tried to please in her past life, sparing no effort.
Right off the bat, without distinguishing right from wrong, he launched straight into a scolding.
It had been just like this in her previous life: no matter what happened, as long as Lin Lin was injured, everyone would pin the blame on her.
No matter how she explained, nobody believed her; everyone was convinced that she was driven by jealousy and couldn't tolerate Lin Lin, which was why she had acted so ruthlessly.
Her father and mother were like this, and so were her four biological brothers.
Recalling all that had happened in her past life, a wave of bitterness welled up in Ling Lu's heart, though this feeling vanished in an instant.
In her past life, she had truly regarded them as family, respecting them and loving them.
Never did she imagine that they would instead use her feelings as bargaining chips to hurt her.
Now, living her life over again, she didn't care about anything anymore, and these so-called relatives wouldn't even be able to hurt her by a single fraction!
"If you want to go complain to Father, then go ahead. Anyway, for things I haven't done, my conscience is clear."
Ling Lu said calmly, her amber eyes looking at Ling Yeli filled with utter detachment.
With that, she lay back down on the bed on her own accord.
Ling Lu had just regained consciousness not long ago after a car accident, and her body was still very weak. Coupled with the fracture in her legs that sent waves of sharp pain through her from time to time, just holding on until now was already reaching her limit.
Ling Yeli watched as the pale-faced young girl before him closed her eyes, practically giving him the cold shoulder and showing him the door.
A flash of surprise crossed his eyes, immediately followed by a tight frown and a darkened expression.
The scene he had imagined of Ling Lu weeping and begging him bitterly did not happen at all.
Ling Lu's current attitude of not caring about anything made him feel extremely unfamiliar.
Ever since the car accident, Ling Lu seemed to have changed somewhat...
Yet the moment he thought about how his precious sister Lin Lin was still lying unconscious in her hospital room, while Ling Lu—the main culprit—was lying here safe and sound as if nothing had happened, a surge of anger instantly welled up in Ling Yeli's chest.
"Ling Lu! What kind of attitude is that?"
"Who do you think you're talking to? I am your second brother! Get up right now!"
Ling Lu abruptly opened her eyes, her distinct black-and-white gaze filled with impatience.
She was already being tortured by the pain of her shattered bones to the point where cold sweat poured from her entire body, yet Ling Yeli kept buzzing around her ears like a fly, determined not to let her rest in peace.
In her past life, she had been blind and foolish, pouring all her sincere feelings down the drain, and she owned up to that!
Yet having been given a second chance, why should she still endure all of this?
She didn't owe Ling Yeli a thing!
"Second Brother?"
Ling Lu's voice was cold and clear, her temperatureless gaze falling upon the man.
Clearly, the young girl before him was wearing a hospital gown and looked deathly pale, resembling a fragile white daffodil swaying in the wind; yet her eyes revealed a tenacious, unyielding spirit.
"From the moment I entered the Ling Family, have you ever treated me as a sister for even a single day? Have you? No, you haven't!"
"Someone like you has the nerve to style yourself as my second brother?"
"Lin Lin got into a car accident, and the first thing you do is interrogate me, claiming I orchestrated the whole thing. Do you have evidence? Did you see it with your own eyes, or hear it with your own ears?"
"Who gave you the face to question me?"
Ling Yeli was extremely surprised by the young girl's interrogation.
After all, in his eyes, although Ling Lu often pulled petty tricks behind the scenes to harm Lin Lin, her public image had always been timid and cowering.
This was the first time she had ever suddenly erupted like this.
However, the shock in his eyes vanished just as quickly as it appeared, and he sneered.
"Finally dropped the act and showing your true colors, are you?"
"Lin Lin was right after all; a wild girl like you simply has a crooked mind!"
Ling Yeli stepped forward a few steps, his anger-filled gaze sweeping inch by inch across the young girl's face.
"You still dare to bring up this car accident? Aside from you, who else in this family regards Lin Lin as a thorn in their side? Who else could tamper with her car?"
"Evidence? No, I don't have any right now, but once I find it, don't even think about staying in the Ling Family!"
Ling Lu had almost cost someone their life this time. If she were allowed to continue staying in the Ling Family, there was no telling what more terrifying things this vicious woman might do to Lin Lin.
Ling Yeli had already made up his mind that when he went back this time, he would definitely persuade his father to drive Ling Lu out.
Ling Yeli approached the young girl with a stern look, the tall figure of the adult man casting a shadow that instantly magnified the sense of oppression.
However, Ling Lu remained completely unfazed.
Not staying in the Ling Family? She would be more than happy about that!
"Ling Yeli, you'd better mean what you say."
Looking at the sharp, unyielding, knife-like expression in the young girl's eyes, the blazing anger surging within Ling Yeli stalled for a fraction of a second. But this odd sensation vanished instantly, replaced by an even more intense wave of fury sweeping over his heart.
"Fine! Ling Lu, things have come to this, and you're still unrepentant!"
"When Father drives you out of the house, let's see if you can still be this arrogant! When that time comes, you'd better not regret it!"
"Bang!"
The door was slammed shut with a earth-shattering crash, and Ling Yeli stormed off, seething with anger.
Watching the man's furious retreating figure, Ling Lu closed her eyes, a subtle curve playing at the corners of her lips.
Regret?
Leaving these so-called relatives far behind was bound to be the most correct decision she ever made in this lifetime! She would never regret it.