Chapter 23

 　　Meng Xiangbei went straight to Zhang Lu's house.

　　The Zhang family lives in an antique courtyard. The lights are still on and two people are having a conversation.

　　"Dad, that whatever Bai can be expelled ba."

　　"This has become a huge incident. If he doesn't leave the school, the public outrage won't be appeased. With the principal away, I'm the one making the decisions at the school."

　　"Hey, Dad, you're awesome."

　　"Lu'er, you can't help that Lin Ya for nothing. If you really like that girl, Dad will go to the Lin family to propose marriage for you."

　　"Really? Thanks, Dad."

　　At this moment, the door that they had originally closed was suddenly kicked open, and a strange man was standing outside the door.

　　Zhang Lu and his son were startled: "Who are you?"

　　Meng Xiangbei stepped in with his long legs, curled his lips and smiled coldly: "Someone who seeks justice."

　　…

　　The next morning, Meng Xiangbei took Lin Zhibai back to school while there were few people in the school.

　　"Go back to the dormitory. Don't worry, they will clear your name later." Meng Xiangbei touched Lin Zhibai's soft hair.

　　Lin Zhibai obediently let him touch him, rubbing against him subconsciously like a cat: "What method do you use?"

　　Lin Zhibai kept asking questions all morning, and although he looked serious, Meng Xiangbei felt that he was just acting coquettishly.

　　"Want to know?"

　　Lin Zhibai nodded, his eyes sparkling.

　　Meng Xiangbei smiled maliciously: "Then kiss me now and I will tell you."

　　Lin Zhibai was stunned. He glanced at the people who were walking around from time to time, slapped Meng Xiangbei's hand away, and glared at him: "You hooligan, I don't want to pay attention to you. I'm going back to school."

　　After walking a few steps, he looked back at Meng Xiangbei and smiled.

　　Unlike the complicated feelings he had when he left yesterday, he felt much more relaxed now, even though the rumors had not yet been clarified. Meng Xiangbei always gave him strength at any time.

　　However, before he reached the dormitory, he was stopped by someone.

　　It’s Su Song.

　　Standing downstairs of his dormitory for who knows how long, meeting him as soon as he arrived.

　　Lin Zhibai frowned subconsciously.

　　When Su Song saw him, his eyes suddenly lit up, as if he saw the prey he had been waiting for for a long time. He walked over and asked, "Zhibai, why are you not in the dormitory? What are you doing out so early in the morning?"

　　Su Song obviously didn't know that he was not in the dormitory last night and thought that he had gone out early in the morning.

　　Lin Zhibai didn't explain to him.

　　"Brother Su, do you have something to talk to me about?" Lin Zhibai said with a distant and cold attitude.

　　"Zhibai, I heard about your story. I believe you are not that kind of person."

　　"Thanks."

　　"But Zhibai, it's useless for me to believe this alone. Almost half of the students have expressed their dissatisfaction to the school, and the vice-president has already decided to expel you." Su Song said as he looked at him, as if expecting something.

　　With Meng Xiangbei's assurance, Lin Zhibai's heart had already settled down, and he did not have any emotional fluctuations about Su Song's words. He was even more curious about the reason why Su Song came to block him downstairs of the dormitory early in the morning. Was it just to tell him the result?

　　"Okay, I understand. Brother Su, if there's nothing else, I'll go back to the dormitory first."

　　Su Song was stunned for a moment, his face full of surprise, probably not expecting him to react like this.

　　He quickly came to his senses and said hurriedly: "Zhibai, do you really want to be wronged and fired?"

　　Su Song's eyes were burning as he questioned step by step, as if he was analyzing Lin Zhibai's heart.

　　"Are you going to give up on your dream just like that?"

　　"Are you willing to bear the infamy and leave Capital University in disgrace?"

　　Lin Zhibai frowned and looked coldly at Su Song who was becoming more and more agitated.

　　"What exactly does Senior Brother Su want to say?" In fact, he already had some guesses in his heart.

　　Su Song seemed to have been waiting for him to say this, and he smiled: "Zhibai, Senior Brother has some connections in Capital University, and he can help you."

　　Lin Zhibai remained silent. He knew that Su Song couldn't be so kind.

　　As expected, he said the next second: "Brother is willing to help you, but Zhibai, can you also give Brother something in return?"

　　Su Song raised his hand to touch his face.

　　Lin Zhibai's face completely darkened. He took a few steps back, creating some distance between them. His tone was cold and emotionless: "Don't worry about it, Senior Brother. I can handle this matter myself."

　　Su Song's hand, which was in mid-air, slowly tightened, and the gentle expression on his face disappeared completely: "Oh, are you sure?"

　　Lin Zhibai did not respond, his attitude spoke for itself.

　　Su Song's expression gradually darkened. He raised his eyes, which were filled with sinister intent. He curled his lips into a smile, which contained a hint of coldness and sarcasm, as if he felt that Lin Zhibai was overestimating himself.

　　"In that case, I'll wait and see. I just hope you don't come to beg me when the time comes."

　　He turned around and left without hesitation.

　　Lin Zhibai didn't stop and returned to the dormitory.

　　He doesn't have any classes in the morning, so he can just read in the dormitory.

　　-

　　As the bell rang for the end of self-study class, students rushed to the cafeteria.

　　Lin Ya and Bai Huanhuan were eating in the cafeteria, and Lin Zhibai's situation was getting worse.

　　"Yaya, I'm glad I listened to you, otherwise I would have been deceived. I didn't expect Lin Zhibai to be such a despicable person."

　　"You are my good friend, so of course I have to be nice to you." Lin Ya responded casually while eating.

　　Listening to the fierce ridicule of Lin Zhibai from all around, Lin Ya lowered her eyes and curled her lips. Things were developing more smoothly than she had imagined.

　　"Hello, can you hear me?" Suddenly, a male voice echoed in the school. The voice was loud, as if the school radio was turned on.

　　Lin Ya paused with her chopsticks in her hand. She recognized Zhang Lu's voice. What was he going to do? Was he going to talk about Lin Zhibai?

　　Somehow, Lin Ya suddenly had a bad feeling.

　　"I'm Zhang Lu. I was the one who spread the rumors about Lin Zhibai yesterday..."

　　Lin Zhibai did not have a wife and children who were abandoned by him. He had excellent grades and was admitted to Capital University with the first place in the city. He also did not do anything to hurt others.

　　Afterwards, Zhang Lu spoke again: "...Everything was done under Lin Ya's instructions."

　　These words came like a bolt from the blue.

　　Zhang Lu told the story of the relationship between Lin Jianguo, Lin Ya and Lin Zhibai, how Lin Jianguo wanted his nephew to go to the countryside in his son's place, and now how he wanted his son to break free from his engagement, threatening Lin Zhibai, instigating Lin Ya to take revenge, etc.

　　Lin Ya clenched the chopsticks tighter and tighter, and her fingertips turned white.

　　After Zhang Lu admitted his mistake, another person spoke up. It was Zhang Lu's father, the vice principal. He said that he shouldn't have listened to his son casually and shouldn't have expelled Lin Zhibai without any reason.

　　Bai Huanhuan looked at Lin Ya, whose face was a little distorted, and was filled with shock. She did not speak for a long time.

　　Noticing her gaze, Lin Ya looked up suddenly and instantly suppressed the anger in her heart.

　　"Huanhuan, believe me, I didn't do this. It was Zhang Lu who slandered me."

　　"Huanhuan, we are good friends, how could I lie to you?"

　　Bai Huanhuan opened her mouth to say something, but her mind suddenly recalled the scene she saw that day.

　　If, she really wasn't mistaken that day.

　　Lin Ya did contact Zhang Lu, so were Zhang Lu’s words true?

　　She recalled the many times Lin Ya had slandered Lin Zhibai in front of her.

　　In a trance, the image of the young man in a white shirt reading a book in the library appeared in her mind again.

　　She should have noticed it earlier.

　　How could a person as beautiful as poplar be the morally corrupt person that Lin Ya mentioned?

　　It turns out that it was Lin Ya who got into the school through connections, and it was also Lin Ya who told lies.

　　But she was foolishly deceived and regarded Lin Ya as her best friend.

　　"Lin Ya, I misjudged you."

　　Bai Huanhuan had no appetite, so she left the cafeteria and passed by the bulletin board. As expected, she saw the grades of Lin Zhibai and Lin Ya. She smiled sarcastically, not knowing whether it was directed at Lin Ya or herself.

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Chapter 22

　　"That's Lin Zhibai. I heard his grades weren't good, so he got in through connections. We at Capita; University have a pure school spirit. How could we allow someone like that to exist?"

　　"He was originally an educated youth sent to the countryside. To avoid a hard life, he married the village chief's daughter. He was lazy and gluttonous, and they had a daughter. I heard that he abandoned his wife and children in the countryside to return to the capital. This kind of person is a scum, a human trash."

　　"Lin Zhibai, get out of school."

　　"Lin Zhibai, get out of school."

　　With a "bang", Lin Zhibai had just stepped into the school gate when a book flew straight towards him from the crowd not far away and hit him on the forehead. His skin was originally delicate, and soon a big red bump appeared on his forehead.

　　Before him were students filled with righteous indignation. There were many of them, and their number was expected to increase.

　　Their voices of condemnation were getting louder and louder in his ears, as if Lin Zhibai was a sinner for all eternity.

　　Lin Zhibai stood there in a daze for a moment, his head buzzing.

　　"Zhibai, hurry up." A man appeared in the crowd. It was his roommate, who pulled him forward.

　　They returned to the dormitory in one breath, and his roommate closed and locked the door.

　　"Oh my god, your forehead, they're going too far." The roommate exclaimed.

　　"No, we have to go see a doctor." His roommate pulled him to the door, stopped suddenly, and returned to open the window. There were already people gathered downstairs of the dormitory.

　　"How am I supposed to get out of here?" He looked down worriedly.

　　At this time, there was a knock on the dormitory door. The roommates were startled and opened the door only after confirming that it was a few other roommates with whom they had a good relationship.

　　"How could they do this? This is too much." Looking at the redness and swelling on Lin Zhibai's forehead, several people clenched their fists in anger, and one of them even wanted to rush down to argue with them.

　　"What the hell is going on?" The pain on his forehead brought Lin Zhibai back to his senses, and his dazed eyes gradually cleared up. "Why did they ask me to get out of school?"

　　Looking at his expression, his roommate clearly didn't understand what had just happened, so he quickly told him the rumor.

　　"Zhibai, I believe you. You are definitely not that kind of person."

　　"Yes, I believe you too."

　　"I believe it too."

　　Lin Zhibai clenched his fists, a dark look in his eyes. Lin Jianguo's threatening words were still fresh in his mind. Was this his revenge? He was being told to get out of school. The so-called uncle was such a cruel person.

　　-

　　In the store, Meng Xiangbei, who was originally lazy and taking a nap, suddenly opened his eyes, and there was a dark color in his eyes.

　　He placed a wisp of spiritual consciousness on Lin Zhibai's body, which could tell Lin Zhibai's emotions. Once there was a big fluctuation, he could feel it immediately.

　　Meng Xiangbei is the master of dreams. Everything in the dream is controlled by him and he can do whatever he wants. His dark eyes turn golden, like a mirror, reflecting the scenes that Lin Zhibai encountered at school.

　　His gaze was fixed on Lin Zhibai's red and swollen forehead in the dormitory, and a hint of danger and coldness flashed across Meng Xiangbei's narrowed eyes.

　　In his dream, the people who bullied him were really powerful.

　　The dormitory building was blocked by people, and once Lin Zhibai went down, he would be attack immediately.

　　As it was getting dark, there were fewer people around.

　　The roommates quietly went downstairs and bought food. Medicine was not available, so the patient had to go to the infirmary in person.

　　"Let's eat." My roommate put the lunch box on the table. They were hungry, but no one cared about eating. We hurriedly asked, "How is it? What did the teacher say?"

　　The roommate's gaze fell on Lin Zhibai, who had a hopeful look in his eyes. His face turned gloomy, and he knew the result at a glance.

　　A few people went downstairs, but did not buy any food. They went to look for the teacher first.

　　The public opinion about Lin Zhibai this time is very bad and must be dealt with as soon as possible. The only ones they can rely on are the teachers and the principal.

　　Before they entered the office, they heard the vice principal and the teachers arguing fiercely about this matter. Since the principal was not there, the vice principal had the most power, and he made the decision to expel Lin Zhibai from the school.

　　They couldn't help but rush in to argue for Lin Zhibai, but were scolded and threatened. If they continued to defend him, they would be expelled along with him.

　　Expelled!?

　　Lin Zhibai smiled bitterly. Would he really be slandered and expelled from school because of this?

　　Lin Jianguo, can he really cover the sky with one hand?

　　It got dark quickly, and most of the people who were blocking the building downstairs left. However, a small number of people who were extremely unbalanced remained guarding downstairs.

　　In the evening, Lin Zhibai only ate a few mouthfuls of food and had no appetite.

　　He curled up in bed, his eyes red, but he didn't cry.

　　Brother Meng, Xiaobai misses you so much.

　　You taught me to be strong and have a tough attitude, but I still haven't learned it well.

　　At this moment, the dormitory door was suddenly knocked, accompanied by a familiar voice calling.

　　Is it an illusion?

　　Lin Zhibai got out of bed as if possessed by a ghost and opened the door.

　　"Xiao Bai."

　　Lin Zhibai threw himself into the arms of the person in front of him, and all his pretense of strength fell apart in front of him.

　　The person in his arms was trembling slightly, and there was a faint sound of sobbing.

　　Meng Xiangbei stroked the boy's hair, his eyes filled with dark mist, as if hiding a storm that was about to break out.

　　"Let's go home first." Meng Xiangbei said.

　　It was not until he stepped into the house that Lin Zhibai realized that he had actually left the dormitory and school and returned home.

　　"How's it going? Do you feel better now that you're home?" Meng Xiangbei hugged the boy and sat on his lap, burying his face in his delicate neck and nuzzling it. "Are you not crying anymore?"

　　Lin Zhibai clenched her fists and glared at him coquettishly: "I'm not that fragile."

　　His eyes were red, but he really stopped crying.

　　People are only more vulnerable in front of their closest people.

　　"Brother Meng, why are you here at school? Do you know everything?"

　　Meng Xiangbei hummed, took out the red medicine next to him, and said, "Bow your head, I'll apply the medicine for you."

　　There was no medicine, and the boy's wound was not treated, so it swelled up into a big lump.

　　"Does it hurt?"

　　"It doesn't hurt."

　　"Really? You didn't lie to me?"

　　"I..." Lin Zhibai bit his lower lip and hesitated for a moment before saying, "It hurts."

　　Meng Xiangbei sighed, wiped his wound, and assured: "Don't worry, Brother Meng will get it back for you."

　　At this moment, Lin Zhibai knew that Meng Xiangbei knew what happened to him at school.

　　"You should have a good sleep. I will take care of this matter." After applying the medicine, he soaked Lin Zhibai's feet and tucked him into the quilt.

　　"How are you going to solve this? Don't do anything illegal or criminal." Lin Zhibai pulled his hand, looking anxious. "Don't worry about it. I can handle it myself."

　　Meng Xiangbei is not from the school, and Lin Zhibai can't imagine what he would do.

　　Meng Xiangbei gently pulled his cheek and teased, "My wife is a college student. As his husband, how can I do anything illegal? However, if my wife is bullied, how can a husband not stand up and solve the problem?"

　　Lin Zhibai blushed and rubbed his cheek that was pulled by him. He wanted to ask something else, but fell asleep unknowingly.

　　Meng Xiangbei was afraid that he would not sleep well, so he cast a sleeping spell on him.

　　After tucking the quilt in for Lin Zhibai, Meng Xiangbei kissed him on the forehead: "Xiaobai, have a good sleep. When you wake up tomorrow, everything will be fine."

　　Xiaobai, Brother Meng will sweep away all the malice in the world for you, and you deserve to be treated gently.

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Chapter 21

　　In the evening, Lin Zhibai told Meng Xiangbei about the two old people who came to see him.

　　"How can they be so shameless and thick-skinned?" Meng Xiangbei laughed angrily and cursed bluntly.

　　It was their bad luck that he was out purchasing goods at that time. Otherwise, even if he couldn't beat the old man, he would have scolded him when he got the chance. Lin Jianguo's family, including the two old people, were all scum.

　　"You gave them sugar water to drink. If it were me, I would just pour a basin of foot washing water on their faces." He is not a well-educated, cultured and good-tempered college student like Lin Zhibai. He is just a rude second-rate guy who is unwilling to suffer any loss. He believes that whoever bullies him, he will bully him back ten times.

　　Lin Zhibai is his wife, and he won't allow anyone to bully him.

　　Lin Zhibai looked at him, his hair standing on end, furious, as if he was about to run and tear someone apart, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart: "Okay, don't be angry anymore."

　　Meng Xiangbei groaned twice, still feeling agitated. He hugged the young man tightly and said, "Xiaobai, you still have me. Don't worry, I will always be with you."

　　Lin Zhibai nestled in his arms, the corners of his lips raised: "Yeah, I know."

　　He doesn't need anyone else, just Meng Xiangbei is enough.

　　-

　　Lin Zhibai thought that they would give up after that day, but he didn't expect that he would be harassed by them again and again, until that day, Lin Jianguo came to the school to find him in person.

　　Lin Zhibai looked at the man in front of him. He was wearing a neat suit and shiny leather shoes. He was worthy of working in a state-owned enterprise. However, he had dark circles under his eyes, and his brows looked tired and irritable. Perhaps he had not been living a very happy life recently.

　　Compared to Lin Zhibai's handsome father, Lin Jianguo has a handsome appearance and is honest. At first glance, he gives people the impression of being honest and trustworthy.

　　But, you can know a person’s face but not his heart.

　　Lin Zhibai clenched his hands, resisting the urge to ask about his parents' death.

　　While he was looking at her, Lin Jianguo was also looking at him, as if Lin Zhibai was a commodity waiting to be sold.

　　His words were similar to what the two old men said that day, and he also listed many benefits of Lin Zhibai returning home and getting married.

　　"No matter how many times you say it, I have only one answer: I won't go back. So put away your so-called concern. I don't need it."

　　"Lin Zhibai!" Lin Jianguo's face was very ugly after being rejected. Afraid that others would hear him, he lowered his voice again, "Aren't you afraid of leaving Capital University and not being able to study?"

　　Lin Zhibai raised his head abruptly and stared at him closely: "What do you mean?"

　　Seeing that the boy's mood had finally changed, Lin Jianguo smiled and relaxed his attitude: "You should know what uncle means. You like reading, but don't let your future be ruined because of a momentary willfulness."

　　Lin Jianguo gave Lin Zhibai three days to think.

　　Lin Zhibai didn't think about it at all. Although he didn't know what means Lin Jianguo would use, he would never compromise.

　　Three days later, Lin Jianguo heard a denial from Lin Zhibai again, and called Lin Ya into the house that night.

　　"Yaya, I heard that you have a good relationship with the vice-principal's son." His words were affirmative.

　　Lin Ya hesitated for a moment, said "hmm", and guessed why her father called her in.

　　Lin Ya was unhappy when Zhang Lu, the son of the vice president of Capital University, was mentioned.

　　Zhang Lu likes Lin Ya and wants to date her.

　　His father was the vice president of Capital University, a position of considerable influence, and his family was well-off. However, Zhang Lu was not good-looking, having five older sisters and being the only boy in his family. He was spoiled and had an arrogant personality, poor grades, and rude behavior. He was like a gangster and liked to swear. Despite his poor academic performance, he was able to enter Capital University only because his father had a backdoor.

　　He fell in love with the beautiful Lin Ya at first sight. Considering his status and the expensive gifts he received from time to time, Lin Ya did not reject him obviously, but kept him hanging.

　　Lin Ya didn't know how her father found out about her relationship with Zhang Lu, and she felt a little uneasy. Would her father let her marry Zhang Lu? She didn't want to.

　　"Dad, is something wrong?"

　　"Lin Zhibai refuses to agree to come back and get married. Ask Zhang Lu to teach him a lesson."

　　Lin Jianguo did not discuss with her and used an imperative tone.

　　Sure enough, her father really took great pains for his only son, but she had no reason or ability to refuse.

　　Forget it, she is happy to see Lin Zhibai in trouble.

　　I wanted to ask Zhang Lu to find someone to beat Lin Zhibai up, but then I gave up. For Lin Zhibai, the physical pain was far less than his dream of becoming a teacher.

　　The next morning, Lin Ya met with Zhang Lu and told him about the plan.

　　The young man in front of him was wearing a white shirt and black trousers like many fashionable men. Even if this outfit did not make him look elegant, it was at least clean. However, his every move was vulgar and out of place.

　　Lin Ya glanced at him with disgust and looked away, but Zhang Lu didn't notice and kept moving closer to her.

　　"Yaya, don't worry. That Bai guy actually bullied you. I will do as you said and make him lose his reputation and be expelled from Capital University."

　　As expected, Lin Ya received the assurance and smiled gratefully: "Thank you, Zhang Lu."

　　Infatuated with the smile of his beloved, Zhang Lu couldn't help but hold Lin Ya's hand and knead it gently.

　　Lin Ya was caught off guard and immediately pulled her hand away after she reacted.

　　"Zhang Lu, I have something else to do. I have to leave first."

　　When Lin Ya turned around, she met Bai Huanhuan walking towards her, and her heart skipped a beat.

　　"Yaya, I think I saw Zhang Lu just now. Why are you involved with him?" Bai Huanhuan's eyes fell on the disappearing figure and frowned.

　　Seeing Bai Huanhuan was about to go up to confirm, Lin Ya pulled her back guiltily: "Huanhuan, you're mistaken. That's Qian Jin. He just said hello when he passed by here. How could I possibly meet Zhang Lu?"

　　Bai Huanhuan stopped and said nothing.

　　Lin Ya quickly added, "Huanhuan, Zhang Lu harassed me before, and I was terrified. How could I possibly meet him again? You're my friend and classmate, don't you trust me?"

　　Lin Ya lowered her head, pursed her lips, and looked aggrieved, as if she was hurt by Bai Huanhuan's suspicion.

　　"I don't distrust you. It seems that I really was wrong." Bai Huanhuan held her hand and admitted his mistake.

　　Lin Ya secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good. Let's go to the library to read."

　　"Um."

　　Bai Huanhuan responded and glanced at the place again. Was she really mistaken? That was clearly Zhang Lu's figure, and Zhang Lu was holding Lin Ya's hand.

　　If she saw it right, then Yaya was lying? Why! ?

　　After a long time, Bai Huanhuan suppressed her doubts.

　　-

　　Lin Zhibai guessed that Lin Jianguo would take revenge, but he didn't expect it to come so soon.

　　That afternoon, Lin Zhibai became the subject of discussion among all the teachers and students in the school. After several hours of fermentation, public opinion pushed Lin Zhibai to the top of the list of people who criticized him the most.

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Chapter 20

　　At the dinner table, several people looked at Lin Wen at the same time.

　　Lin Wen crossed his legs and said matter-of-factly, "At the beginning, you only said that Qiao Chuchu would marry into the Lin family, but you didn't say that I must marry her."

　　Back then, the Lin family was still in City G. In order to seek help from Qiao Chuchu's grandfather and get promoted smoothly, Lin Jianguo arranged a marriage between Qiao Chuchu and the Lin family. Although it was not stated explicitly at the time, everyone knew that Lin Jianguo only had one son.

　　Now, Lin Wen seized the opportunity. Yes, isn’t Lin Zhibai also a member of the Lin family?

　　Lin Jianguo looked at the food in front of him, frowning and silent, obviously thinking about the possibility of this matter.

　　"Is this okay?" Sun Xuezhen didn't expect things to be like this. She turned her head and looked at everyone, hesitantly asking.

　　Lin Wen glared at her sinisterly, "Why? Are you hoping that I'll marry someone I don't like?"

　　Sun Xuezhen, who had always doted on him, felt her momentum weakened after hearing his harsh words.

　　She opened her mouth to say something euphemistically, but Lin Wen stood up, kicked the chair away, and left back to his room with a cold face, leaving everyone looking at each other with unhappy expressions.

　　Sun Xuezhen, realizing she had angered her son, took a few bites of her meal and put it down. "Awen must not be full. I'll go make him some noodles."

　　Lin Ya paused for a moment as she picked up her food, then quickly returned to her eating, her lips curled up in a slight, mocking smile. Wasn't this situation perfectly normal? She'd already grown numb.

　　After the meal, only Lin Ya ate the best and even picked up a chicken leg. In the past, both chicken legs would be given to her brother.

　　Sun Xuezhen spoke softly at the door and tried to persuade him for a long time before Lin Wen brought the noodles in with a cold face.

　　When Sun Xuezhen returned to her room, Lin Jianguo was sitting on the sofa, smoking. His back was slightly hunched, and now, in his late fifties, his hair was thinning. Through the smoke, Sun Xuezhen couldn't see his expression, but she only heard him say, "As Ah Wen said, let Lin Zhibai marry the girl from the Qiao family."

　　-

　　Lin Zhibai, who was working at the cashier, suddenly saw two old men and was stunned on the spot with a complicated look.

　　"Xiao Li, please help me get off work." Lin Zhibai shouted.

　　Lin Zhibai led the two old men to the side of the store and sat down, pouring two cups of sugar water in front of them.

　　He sat down and looked at the two old men in front of him. They were over 70 years old, with gray hair and hunched backs. After not seeing them for a few years, there seemed to be many more wrinkles on their faces.

　　The old man habitually had a stern face and said nothing. The old lady looked at Lin Zhibai with cloudy eyes and a dazed look.

　　After a while, she spoke, "Zhibai, if it weren't for Yaya telling us, we wouldn't have known you were studying in the capital. Why didn't you come to see your grandparents and your uncle? How did you become a college student? You mustn't do anything wrong."

　　Lin Ya said in front of the old lady, how could Lin Zhibai, who had been working in the countryside for several years, suddenly come to the capital to study? Maybe he had done something shameful to deserve this.

　　Lin Zhibai remained silent.

　　The old lady continued, "You know, your uncle works in a state-owned enterprise, and your aunt is a teacher. Their reputation is very important to them. You must not cause trouble for them."

　　Lin Zhibai curled up his fingers, and the ripples in his eyes completely dissipated. He suddenly smiled, with a hint of sadness. He should not have any expectations, right?

        He took a deep breath and looked at the two of them again, his eyes calm. "What could I have done wrong? In your eyes, I'm just an orphan who's been living under someone else's roof, an eyesore wherever I go, a nuisance, and a nuisance to others ."

　　With a "bang", the silent old man became angry. The noise made by the table startled the people eating around him. Lin Zhibai's face suddenly darkened.

　　"Lin Zhibai, what do you mean by that? Orphans? Do you think we're dead? Or are you blaming us? You're such an ungrateful, unfilial son." The people around him cast strange glances at him, and the old man lowered his voice, but he continued to scold Lin Zhibai. His cloudy eyes narrowed, revealing his dissatisfaction with Lin Zhibai.

　　Lin Zhibai has always been soft-hearted and not good at arguing with others. Meng Xiangbei said that he would definitely suffer in the future with this kind of personality, so he taught him a lesson for a long time.

　　He sneered coldly: "For some people, there is no difference between being alive and being dead." This statement is extremely unfilial, but when he thought that his parents' death was related to his uncle, and that the two old people knew the truth but covered it up and felt at ease, Lin Zhibai felt very uncomfortable.

　　If my parents knew, they would be so sad.

　　"You..." The old man pointed at Lin Zhibai with a shaking finger, as if he was angry with him and started coughing violently.

　　Lin Zhibai sat quietly without any movement, and the old lady hurriedly stroked his back.

　　"Zhibai, how can you talk like that? We care about you. Are you still holding a grudge about going to the countryside that year? But your uncle and aunt are reluctant to part with your cousin, and you don't want to see their family separated." The old lady's attitude and tone were never tough, but her soft words pierced Lin Zhibai's heart like needles, causing him to ache.

　　Their family could not be separated, but he had to go to the countryside alone.

　　That's ridiculous.

　　"Zhibai, we came here this time because of your uncle's idea. Let's not talk about how you got into Capital University, but how can you, a college student, work in this small restaurant.

　　Be obedient and go back with your grandparents. Your uncle said you don’t have to work. If you want to earn some pocket money, he can find you a job.

　　By the way, your uncle saw that you have been alone for so many years, so he arranged a marriage for you. Grandma helped you find a match, and the girl is good and a good match for you. Nowadays, college students can also get married."

　　"That's right, pack up now and go back with us." The old man, who had stopped coughing, responded as if it were an order.

　　Lin Zhibai felt as if there was a fire burning in his chest, and he felt extremely uncomfortable.

　　He finally knew why they came here.

　　marry!?

　　Would he be kind to someone who might have killed his parents?

　　I'm afraid it's another conspiracy.

　　He has grown up, and with Meng Xiangbei, he no longer needs false care that may push him into the abyss.

　　"You guys go away. I won't go back with you, and I won't marry that girl. I still have to work, so I won't see you off." Lin Zhibai stood up.

　　I don't want to talk to them, nor do I want to get into any trouble with them.

　　The old lady, who had been in a good tone at the beginning, also changed her expression. The old man even wanted to curse and drag Lin Zhibai back, but he was worried about the many people in the store.

　　After walking out of the store dejectedly, the old lady had a worried look on her face and complained: "Zhibai is too disobedient. How are we going to explain this to Jianguo and the others when we get back?"

　　The old man put his hands behind his back and snorted in dissatisfaction, "I should have known I shouldn't have kept him. Such a heartless and unfilial descendant would have been punished according to family rules in the past."

　　He sighed and was also worried about how to explain to his eldest son when he returned.

T/n: they are shameless and disgusting..

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Chapter 19

 　　"What's wrong? You've been in a bad mood all day."

　　On weekends, Lin Zhibai returned to the store to help. After a busy day and washing up, the two lay on the bed. Meng Xiangbei hugged the boy and asked in a low voice.

　　All day today, he could clearly see that the boy was unhappy and absent-minded from time to time.

　　Lin Zhibai buried his head in his arms, hesitated for a moment, and said sullenly, "A few days ago, I met someone at school."

　　As he spoke, Lin Zhibai talked about Lin Ya and his relationship with the Lin family, and finally mentioned the death of his parents.

　　"...Back then, I was only five years old, and our family wasn't doing very well financially. I remember my father was very happy that day, saying he could finally get a job at a state-owned enterprise. You should know that state-owned enterprises were even rarer back then than they are now. He said that with a high salary, my mother and I wouldn't have to live a hard life with him. We could buy meat and new clothes, and I wouldn't have to die from a fever because of lack of money, even though I had always been in poor health. But..."

　　Lin Zhibai curled up his fingers as they were held in Meng Xiangbei's palm, and a layer of mist covered his eyes.

　　He will never forget the day when his parents told him the good news, but he was obviously fine before they left. When he came back, all he saw were his grandparents crying, his uncle sighing, and the bodies of his parents lying on the tractor behind them.

　　"Zhibai, your parents are dead." Grandma hugged him who was stunned.

　　She said that his parents accidentally fell down the mountain and died.

　　At that time, at the age of five, he didn't quite understand what "death" really meant.

　　He pushed his grandmother away and ran towards his parents. He saw that their clothes had been torn by something, their bodies were covered with messy dead leaves, their faces were stained with dirt, and there was a hole in their heads that was bleeding.

　　He threw himself on his parents, crying, but they lay there with their eyes closed, motionless, their bodies cold.

　　Afterwards, he finally understood that his parents could no longer speak, move, hug him, kiss his cheeks, or call him "Baibai".

　　Holding his grandmother's hand, he watched his parents being buried in a pit. He knew that his parents would never come back.

　　Afterwards, his uncle, who was originally unemployed at home, went to work in a state-owned enterprise and his life became better and better. However, he lost his parents and became dependent on others.

　　He was only five years old at the time and didn't think too much about it. It wasn't until he was seventeen that he accidentally heard his uncle telling his grandparents that he should go to the countryside to replace his cousin. His grandmother seemed to disagree at first and even scolded him, "Don't forget how you got your job. If it weren't for you, your brother wouldn't have..."

　　The rest of the words came to an abrupt end because of my uncle's rage.

　　After all, the dead are no match for the living, so he was forced to go to the countryside in place of his cousin.

　　"So you suspect your uncle is responsible for your parents' death."

　　"Yeah." There was a faint blood color under the mist in Lin Zhibai's eyes, mixed with a hint of hatred.

　　The person in his arms was not hysterical, but leaned quietly on Meng Xiangbei's chest. He felt the wetness on his clothes. The young man cried silently, and a sad atmosphere lingered all over his body.

　　Meng Xiangbei felt distressed, clenched his fists, lowered his head and placed a kiss on the boy's forehead.

　　"Xiaobai, good deeds will be rewarded and evil deeds will be punished. The truth will be revealed one day, and..."

　　"You are not alone. I will always be with you."

　　The young man in his arms was stunned for a moment, and finally he stopped being alone and bearing the pain. He burst into tears, as if he wanted to express all the grievances he had suffered over the past ten years.

　　After crying for a long time, the boy, feeling much more relaxed, fell asleep in Meng Xiangbei's arms.

　　In the darkness, a hint of deep understanding flashed across Meng Xiangbei's dark eyes. Knowing Lin Zhibai's past life, he knew that the death of Lin's father and mother was not just related to this so-called uncle.

　　-

　　After being given the cold shoulder by Lin Zhibai that day, Lin Ya was in a bad mood for several days, especially when Lin Zhibai began to doubt the death of his parents.

　　Her absence from Lin Zhibai's presence did not hinder her curiosity and exploration.

　　She found out that Lin Zhibai did not live on campus on weekends, but they had the same school dismissal time, so she had no way to stop Lin Zhibai in advance.

　　However, she was lucky. When she came to the bookstore to buy books, she looked up inadvertently and saw Lin Zhibai's figure not far away.

　　It was a restaurant called "Meng's Restaurant". There were many people coming and going to eat, and Lin Zhibai was busy working the cashier.

　　Lin Zhibai has really become something. As a college student, he has fallen to working in a small restaurant. It really brings shame to Capital University.

　　Nowadays, self-employed individuals are just emerging. Anyone with a discerning eye knows that in this age of gold everywhere, self-employed individuals are the most profitable.

　　However, when the self-employed first emerged, they were looked down upon, especially those with stable jobs and those who worked for self-employed people.

　　-

　　Lin Ya's family moved from City G to Kyoto three years ago as her father's position was promoted.

　　On the way home, she kept thinking about Lin Zhibai. As soon as she stepped into the house, she heard her father and brother arguing.

　　Lin Ya's father, named Lin Jianguo, married a wife named Sun Xuezhen, Lin Ya's mother. They had two children. The elder brother Lin Wen was two years older than Lin Zhibai, followed by Lin Ya.

　　Speaking of Lin Wen, he was a spoiled man.

　　When he was young, he had poor grades, fought and skipped classes everywhere. When he grew up, he had a sloppy personality, was idle, and was a bit lustful. Now he is in his twenties, has accomplished nothing, and is relying on his parents at home.

　　Lin Jianguo and Sun Xuezhen sighed many times and tried to discipline him, but they were defeated every time after a fierce argument with Lin Wen.

　　"I won't marry. If you want to marry, then marry her yourself. She's an ugly freak."

　　"The one I like is Yang Hui."

　　"That's your engagement with that old man. What does it have to do with me? I just won't marry her."

　　Lin Wen's voice was so loud that it drowned out the voice of Lin Jianguo, who was always well-mannered. Lin Ya walked in with her head held high. He glanced at her with angry eyes, snorted coldly, and slammed the door into his room.

　　Lin Jianguo's hand was trembling as he pointed at his back, and his chest was heaving violently. Lin Ya hurried forward to comfort him.

　　"You bastard! Yaya, if your brother were half as good as you, your mother and I would be satisfied."

　　Listening to Lin Jianguo's seemingly heartfelt sigh, Lin Ya lowered her eyes and sneered lightly. No, it's different. She is a girl and her brother is a boy. Even if her brother is a jerk, a girl can never compare to a boy.

　　Lin Ya was also raised in pampered condition, but she was still far inferior to her brother Lin Wen. She did not receive much attention from her grandparents and parents, which was probably one of the reasons why she vented her disgust on the poor Lin Zhibai.

　　Meeting Lin Zhibai again and hearing such insincere words again, the malice and calculations hidden in Lin Ya's heart were revealed again.

　　Lin Wen didn't come out of the room until dinner. During the meal, the whole family had cold faces.

　　Lin Ya took a sip of chicken soup and casually talked about her encounter with Lin Zhibai.

　　She raised her eyes and saw her father's expression changed out of the corner of her eye. She frowned slightly.

　　"Isn't Zhibai in the countryside? How did he suddenly become a college student? Did he do something bad?"

　　"Mom and Dad, Zhibai is such a heartless kid. After all, we raised him. Even if he's not grateful, you're still here. Don't you want to come back and see your grandparents?"

　　"How could a good college student go to work? He is really a loser."

　　Sun Xuezhen is a middle school teacher with a stable job. She married a capable husband like Lin Jianguo. After so many years of privileged life, she developed an arrogant personality and always liked to teach people a lesson, except when she was defeated by her son Lin Wen.

　　Like Lin Ya, she has disliked Lin Zhibai since she was a child and was picky about everything about him.

　　When the two old men heard about their grandson Lin Zhibai, they didn't say much except that they were touched at first.

　　They rely on their eldest son for support in their old age. Over the years, they have become accustomed to silence and listening to their eldest son and daughter-in-law, especially since they do not have much affection for their little grandson Lin Zhibai.

　　Lin Zhibai brought up the topic suddenly. Except for Sun Xuezhen's dissatisfied nagging, no one else spoke. Perhaps they didn't know how to deal with this person who suddenly appeared.

　　Suddenly, Lin Wen, who was eating a chicken drumstick across from him, seemed to think of something. He put the drumstick down and turned to Lin Jianguo and said, "Dad, let Lin Zhibai marry that woman."

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