She had no time to dodge. The soup in the bowl spilled all over Lin Nuonuo in an instant.
Though it wasn’t boiling hot, the temperature wasn’t low either. The sting made her suck in a sharp breath.
Seeing this, Lin Zixin felt a surge of joy, but she feigned shock and exclaimed, “Ah! Are you okay? I didn’t mean to.”
After speaking, Lin Zixin stood up, her eyes reddened and her face full of helplessness, as if she might burst into tears at any moment.
For a moment, Lin Nuonuo really wanted to rush up and hit her, but she knew she couldn’t.
The difference in power was too great. She couldn’t beat Lin Zixin.
Besides, everyone there was a member of Lin Zixin’s family. No matter what happened, they would always side with Lin Zixin……
And Lin Nuonuo guessed correctly.
When the bowl of soup overturned, whether it was Lin Zeyu, Gu Mingming, or the servants nearby, their first reaction was to rush forward and pull Lin Zixin aside to check her repeatedly, making sure she wasn’t splashed at all.
Only when they confirmed she was completely fine— not even a drop of soup on her— did the tense atmosphere finally ease.
It was only then that someone remembered Lin Nuonuo on the side.
Her clothes were already drenched, making her look pitiful, and the parts of her skin not covered by fabric were now flushed bright red from the heat.
But since Lin Nuonuo only lowered her head silently without crying or causing trouble, no one thought it was serious.
“Master, Young Master, Young Madam, Little Miss, please continue eating. I’ll take Nuonuo upstairs to change.” A servant said.
After receiving Gu Mingming’s approval, she took Lin Nuonuo upstairs.
Other servants quickly came to clean up the spilled soup and clear away Lin Nuonuo’s bowl and utensils.
The dining room returned to its usual calm, as if nothing had happened.
Only Lin Zixin looked in the direction Lin Nuonuo had left, a proud smile tugging at her lips. Though that country bumpkin wearing her clothes and embarrassing herself looked amusing, what was hers was hers. Even if it was something she didn’t want anymore, Lin Nuonuo had no right to wear it.
All of Lin Zixin’s little gestures were seen by Gu Mingming across from her.
Yet Gu Mingming didn’t think her daughter had done anything wrong. Instead, she silently thought that bringing Lin Nuonuo home must have made Lin Zixin upset. Pretending to be cheerful was probably just to avoid making things difficult for her and Lin Zeyu. Lin Zixin’s behavior just now was likely her way of venting her unhappiness.
Thinking that, the guilt and pity in Gu Mingming’s heart deepened. She resolved to give her daughter more love and attention, then quietly instructed the servants to take back Lin Zixin’s old clothes that she had given Lin Nuonuo before. Just throw them away and give Lin Nuonuo a few ordinary, inexpensive outfits instead.
────ρя
Meanwhile, upstairs, Lin Nuonuo showered and changed.
By the time she returned downstairs, the Lin family had already finished their meal.
Gu Mingming had gone with Lin Zeyu to the company, and Lin Zixin had left for school. The spacious first floor now had only Lin Chaojiang sitting on the living room sofa, reading a newspaper.
Although he had not yet stepped down as chairman of the Lin Group, most matters were managed by Lin Zeyu now. Retired in all but name, Lin Chaojiang spent his days reading books and newspapers.
Lin Nuonuo stood in the living room for a moment, unsure of what to do, so she quietly moved to stand near a large planter several meters away, making sure not to disturb him.
The newspaper in Lin Chaojiang’s hands had been delivered that morning. The front page featured the Lin Group’s CEO and his wife attending a charity gala, donating two hundred million, and adopting a child.
Lin Nuonuo could not see that news from her angle, but she did notice a corner of the entertainment gossip section on the back page— a small article titled ‘Top Ten Scumbags in the Entertainment Industry’.
She couldn’t see the small print, but she recognized Lin Chen’s photo.
Though the photo wasn’t very clear, it was obvious that the man was extremely handsome— exactly like the Lin Chen she saw at the end of her dream.
She stared, completely unaware that Lin Chaojiang had already noticed her.
He never read the paper seriously anyway. The article about Lin Zeyu and Gu Mingming didn’t interest him. He skimmed it, thought the day’s news was boring, and was just about to put it down when he raised his head and saw the tiny figure huddled beside the planter.
Her outfit had been changed, exactly as Gu Mingming instructed, into ordinary clothes— a dark gray sweatshirt and black pants. Not attractive, but at least far less awkward than the elaborate princess dress she wore earlier.
She was far too thin, and the clothes hung a bit loose on her. But Lin Nuonuo had neatly folded her sleeves and cuffs and tied up her hair carefully. She still looked frail and pitiful, but at least she looked clean.
When Lin Chaojiang noticed her, she was staring fixedly at the newspaper in his hands.
“You’re reading the newspaper too?” He shook it lightly, amused.
Startled, Lin Nuonuo nodded.
Seeing her reaction, he chuckled and beckoned her over, pointing at the paper. “Do you recognize these characters?”
He had heard the orphanage taught basic lessons, though he wasn’t sure of the level.
Hearing the question, Lin Nuonuo first nodded instinctively, then shook her head.
The orphanage didn’t teach much. She could count the characters she recognized on her fingers.
But because of that dream, her mind seemed filled with fragments of knowledge.
For example, she actually recognized more than half the characters on the page.
But she had no idea how to explain it.
Seeing her hesitation, Lin Chaojiang assumed she couldn’t read and said kindly, “It’s alright if you don’t. We can take our time learning.”
He picked up another page and pointed out a few simple characters. “This one is ‘rain’, like rainy days. This one is ‘sky’. This one…… this sentence reads ‘rainy day’……”
I know those…… She thought silently.
But since he meant well and truly seemed willing to teach her, Lin Nuonuo quietly stood by his side and followed his finger across the page.
Whenever she saw a character she didn’t recognize, she pointed at it.
“You want to ask how this one is read?” He asked.
She nodded.
Looking pleased, he explained, “This character is ‘pu’. It refers to stone containing unpolished jade— rough, natural, uncarved.”
She nodded again and memorized it.
Originally, he only wanted to teach the child casually to help her feel less out of place in this home. But seeing how earnestly she learned, his interest grew. He had the butler bring pen and paper and began teaching her not just characters but simple arithmetic as well.
────ρя
That afternoon, Lin Zixin returned from school in a good mood, until she stepped into the living room and saw her grandfather teaching that country bumpkin math, chatting comfortably as if they got along well.
The smile on her face vanished instantly.
Only when Lin Chaojiang looked her way did she hurriedly put on a sweet innocent smile again. “Grandpa!”
“Xinxin is home?”
“I’ve been home a while. Grandpa, you didn’t even notice me.” She pouted and walked over, subtly squeezing Lin Nuonuo aside.
“What are you doing?” She asked.
“Nothing much. I had some free time, so I taught Nuonuo a bit of reading and math.”
He didn’t realize how quickly time had passed. It felt like one blink, and it was already afternoon.
“I see.” Lin Zixin hid her hatred, nodded casually, and then talked cheerfully about school.
Only after she returned to her room did her face twist with its true malice.
“That bumpkin! A mute! And a fool! Has Grandpa lost his mind? Why would he teach her anything?” She snapped at Nanny Zhou.
Nanny Zhou had taken care of Lin Zixin since birth, originally hired as a confinement nurse. Gu Mingming kept her on afterward, and after so many years, she treated Lin Zixin like her own child. Lin Zixin never hid her real self from her.
The idea that Lin Nuonuo might be mentally slow was something Nanny Zhou had told her. Orphans from institutions were often abandoned due to defects. Lin Nuonuo couldn’t speak. If it wasn’t her vocal cords, then it was likely her brain. Her wooden expression only reinforced the idea.
Thinking of that, Lin Zixin smirked.
But then she remembered that this fool had somehow taken away her grandfather’s attention and might even one day take the Lin family’s inheritance— everything that should belong to her. Her expression turned vicious.
“Nanny Zhou, isn’t there any way to make that idiot disappear? I don’t want to see her!”
“This……” Nanny Zhou hesitated. “The young master and young madam brought her back……”
Meaning, only Lin Zeyu and Gu Mingming could decide whether Lin Nuonuo stayed or not.
And they had no intention of sending the child away. Even Lin Chaojiang had accepted her.
Hearing that made Lin Zixin even more furious.
“Why can’t she just disappear?!”
“Disappear?”
“Yes! Just make her disappear.” A twisted excitement flashed through Lin Zixin’s eyes. “Let her have an accident. A car crash, drowning, a fire, falling off a building…… or just hire some thugs to kidnap her and get rid of her.”
She said it lightly, but Nanny Zhou turned pale, drenched in cold sweat.
“T-that won’t do……”
She had known Lin Zixin wasn’t as sweet as she pretended, but she never imagined the little girl could be this cruel.
“What’s wrong with it?” Lin Zixin scoffed.
She had read plenty of novels where that was standard procedure.
“I don’t care, Nanny Zhou. I want her gone! Find someone. I’ll pay. If you can’t do it, you can leave the Lin family.” She shoved the bank card Lin Zheyu had given her for her birthday into Nanny Zhou’s hand.
Nanny Zhou didn’t dare take a card meant for hiring killers.
But after years of benefits, she was reluctant to lose her job.
So after backing away and seeing Lin Zixin wasn’t giving up, she forced herself to stay calm. “We…… we don’t have to go that far. I have another way.”
“What way?”
“We can secretly send her away— far away.” She said.
Lin Zixin thought for a few seconds and finally nodded. “That works too. But she has to be sent somewhere no one will find her. Preferably, some remote, miserable mountain village, or sold to those shady factories that chew people up. Take the bank card. You’ll need money to hire people.”
“Yes, yes, you’re right……” Nanny Zhou nodded, though she didn’t dare do any of it.
Kidnapping and trafficking were crimes just like murder.
She accepted the card but was already planning. She had many relatives in the countryside. She could ask one trustworthy relative to pretend to take Lin Nuonuo away for a few days, trick Lin Zixin into thinking the girl was gone, then quietly bring her back and leave her near the Lin family’s villa so it would look like Lin Nuonuo had only wandered off.
That child wasn’t bright anyway. She wouldn’t understand any of it.