Gu’er didn’t know about any of this. She had no idea that Chen Fengjiao and Lin Shan had had an argunt—a war, really. She only found it strange that Chen Fengjiao wasn’t as quick to defend Sui’er from criticism as she used to be. Still, she approved of Lin Shan disciplining Lin Sui’er. She felt that Sui’er hadn’t been as harsh with her words lately.
Lin Sui’er wasn’t stupid. She had always known who protected her. But now, she could sense that her teary-eyed act wasn’t as effective on her mother anymore. Her mother seed a little afraid of her father and no longer dared to recklessly defy him for her sake like she used to.
Lin Sui’er bit her lip. ’I hate this school. I hate this father. He isn’t good to at all.’
"Did you hear what I said?"
Lin Shan asked Lin Sui’er, his expression very stern.
Lin Sui’er remained silent.
"Speak."
Lin Shan’s voice rose slightly.
"Shan, don’t scare her. Let’s keep our voices down."
Chen Fengjiao couldn’t help but interject. The mont she spoke, Lin Sui’er looked even more aggrieved, tears welling in her eyes.
Lin Shan shot Chen Fengjiao a look.
Chen Fengjiao caught his glare and understood it was a warning. She leaned back into the sofa and fell silent.
Lin Zheng sat on the sofa, nestled in Gu’er’s arms, his eyes darting from one person to another. He didn’t understand why his sister Lin Sui’er didn’t want to go to school. ’School has teachers and other kids,’ he thought. ’It’s great!’
"Sui’er, Dad is talking to you. Did you hear ?"
Lin Shan asked again. His voice wasn’t loud this ti, but Lin Sui’er felt a pang of fear.
She nodded.
"Speak. Did you hear what I said? Until you’re eighteen, you will focus on your studies, and you are not to go anywhere. After you’re eighteen, you can do whatever you want. I won’t stop you. The path you walk is your own to choose. If you choose a bad path, I won’t stand in your way, as long as you don’t regret it later. Did you hear ?"
The reason he was insisting Sui’er wait until she was eighteen was that he hoped she might change over the next two years. He couldn’t choose his children’s paths for them. ’Even if you arrange the best possible future, they might not see it that way,’ he thought. ’They might think you’re just trying to control them, tie them down, and end up hating you for it. That’s why, for both Gu’er and Sui’er, I will respect their choices. They’ll only truly understand after they’ve walked the path themselves.’
"I heard you."
Lin Sui’er answered in a small voice.
Lin Shan nodded. Chen Fengjiao let out a long sigh of relief and said, "Alright, alright. That’s settled then. Let’s not talk about it anymore. I heard there’s a really good TV show on. Let’s watch it."
Not wanting to continue the topic, she quickly turned on the television.
The family started watching the show.
Gu’er watched for a little while before excusing herself to wash up and go to her room. Although she had slept leaning against Sun Jiaming at the hospital the night before, she hadn’t gotten much real rest.
Looking at the bed in her room, she saw how clean it was. Clearly, Chen Fengjiao tidied it for her every day.
Gu’er looked around the room and sighed. ’I was supposed to move out after the fifteenth,’ she thought. ’But with Grandma Sun’s hospitalization and my trip to the Soviet Union, I still haven’t moved. Dad hasn’t even given the keys to the house he bought, and I haven’t had a chance to see it. I have to leave again in a few days... If I bring up moving out now, it would definitely make Mom unhappy, right?’
’I’d better wait until I get back from the Soviet Union next ti. I’ll get the new place properly cleaned up and then move.’
Gu’er ran her hand over the books on the bookshelf. On the desk, she saw one of her old notebooks, as well as one belonging to her father, Lin Shan.
’So while I was away, Dad would read and write in here.’
A small smile touched Gu’er’s lips. She picked up her notebook, which looked like it had been moved. Flipping through the pages, she discovered a lot of new handwriting.
The handwriting was Lin Shan’s. He had corrected her typos, left comnts, and fixed mistakes she had made.
Gu’er stared at the notebook, stunned. She’d never imagined her father would have read her writing so ticulously. It wasn’t a diary, but a collection of notes from her night school classes. It contained lecture material, her own insights, and questions about things she didn’t understand—she had jotted it all down. Now, Lin Shan had annotated all the parts she hadn’t understood and corrected her misinterpretations.
If she hadn’t happened to flip through it today, she would have never known how much her father cared. Gu’er felt her eyes begin to sting.
Gu’er stroked the notebook for a long ti before setting it down and climbing into bed.
That night, Gu’er slept very soundly. Perhaps ho is the one place where you can truly let your guard down, the only place you can sleep without a care in the world.
The next morning, Gu’er went grocery shopping with Chen Fengjiao. Grandma Sun was being discharged from the hospital that day, and they had planned a lively gathering at the Lin Family ho to celebrate.
After they put the groceries away, Gu’er went to the hospital with Lin Shan. He had arranged for a car, and they brought Grandma Sun and Sun Jiaming back to the Lin Family ho.
When they arrived at the Lin Family’s house, they were surprised to find Li Zhi and Dingzi already there.
Grandma Sun was delighted to see Li Zhi, who in turn greeted her warmly.
Sun Jiaming took the initiative to chat with Li Zhi and Dingzi. He wasn’t put off by Dingzi’s cold deanor; Gu’er had already told him about it, so he wasn’t surprised.
What surprised Gu’er was Dingzi. That cold, aloof man actually smiled at Grandma Sun and, even more rarely, said a few words to her.
Gu’er’s heart stirred. Li Zhi had secretly told her that Dingzi had no other family left; it was just him and his grandmother.
"Brother Dingzi," Gu’er asked, "since you’re here, does that an your grandmother is ho alone? Why don’t you and Li Zhi go back and bring her over, too? We wanted to have a lively gathering, and it wouldn’t feel right to leave her by herself."
A flicker of emotion crossed Dingzi’s face. He hadn’t expected Gu’er to say that, and he was tempted. ’But I don’t know the Lin Family well,’ he thought. ’Would it really be okay to bring her over?’
"Son," Grandma Sun chid in to persuade him, "look at , I had the cheek to just show up. If Gu’er is suggesting it, you know she ans it. It would be wonderful to have a friend my age here to chat with."
Dingzi looked at Grandma Sun and nodded. He, too, wanted his grandmother to co and enjoy the festive atmosphere. ’And maybe,’ he thought, ’if I’m away in the future, soone could help look after her. She’s getting older, after all. Even though she’s still in good health, she shouldn’t be left all by herself.’
Li Zhi went with Dingzi.
Gu’er and Chen Fengjiao entertained Grandma Sun and Sun Jiaming.
Lin Sui’er had class that day. She had wanted to take the day off, but Lin Shan forbade it, so she wasn’t ho. Lin Zheng was also still at daycare.
Grandma Sun and Chen Fengjiao chatted for a while. Chen Fengjiao acted reasonably warm. ’Compared to Cao Qiu,’ she thought, ’Grandma Sun is so much easier to get along with.’
Speaking of Cao Qiu, she hadn’t co by once since Gu’er’s return. ’What a relief,’ Gu’er thought. ’I hope she never shows her face here again.’
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Author’s Note: Thank you to Princess Mu Xue and Book Friend 131115160104706 for the peace charms, and thank you all for your support. I’m not sure why, but my left wrist is hurting badly. I’m going to take a short break before writing the third update.
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