On the other side, Lin Nuonuo still didn’t know that someone had already set their sights on her.
That evening, after having dinner with Lin Chaojiang and Lin Zixin, Lin Nuonuo returned to her room without a word.
By nightfall, when everyone else had gone to bed, she lay over the second-floor windowsill, her eyes shining as she stared outside.
She was waiting for Lin Chen.
Even though she didn’t know when he would come back, her heart remained full of anticipation.
Unfortunately, she waited until midnight without seeing even a shadow of him.
A night passed.
Although she felt disappointed that she hadn’t seen him even after waiting for so long, she didn’t lose heart.
On the second and third day, she waited just the same.
But Lin Chen still didn’t appear.
It wasn’t until the fourth night that she finally saw that familiar light-blue car pull into the yard.
……
Downstairs, when Lin Chen walked into the villa, the place was silent.
Not wanting anyone to know he had returned, he didn’t wake the servants or turn on any lights. Relying on his memory of the house, he walked straight toward his room on the second floor.
At that moment, a series of quick, light footsteps sounded in the quiet villa, unusually clear.
The next second, before he could react, a small dark shape darted toward him.
What the hell?
Lin Chen frowned.
As the thing approached, he didn’t care what it was— his instinct was simply to kick it away.
However, before his foot landed, a dull thud sounded. The thing seemed to have crashed into a piece of furniture on its own and then tumbled to the floor.
It wasn’t until he heard a faint cry of pain that he realized the thing was a person.
Lin Chen: “……”
Lin Nuonuo: “……”
The commotion in the living room startled Auntie Liu, who lived on the first floor.
“Who’s there?” She asked while turning on the lights.
Seeing that it was Lin Chen, who rarely came home, her face lit up.
“The second young master is back.”
“I came back to get something. I’ll leave right away.” Lin Chen said, then lowered his gaze to the floor.
It really was a person. And a child, at that.
On the floor, Lin Nuonuo struggled to get up. Rubbing her sore arm and knee, she silently blamed herself for being so embarrassing.
But the moment she remembered that the biological father she had waited days for was standing right in front of her, she instantly shoved aside her shame. Lifting her face, her eyes sparkled as she looked at Lin Chen.
The next second, she almost walked toward him instinctively.
But after taking only two steps in his direction, she hesitated and stopped, biting her lip as if torn by some internal struggle.
Lin Chen watched the child silently.
Had he really been away for so long? When did this house have an extra person?
I……
Um……
Dad, hello, I’m……
Nervous and excited, Lin Nuonuo looked at him. Perhaps because of that very nervousness or excitement, she opened her mouth several times but failed to get out a single word.
Lin Chen had already looked away. Instead, he turned to Auntie Liu and asked expressionlessly, “Whose wild kid is this?”
Auntie Liu: “?”
Lin Nuonuo: “?!”
After several seconds of stunned silence, she screamed in her heart, I’m your wild kid!
Auntie Liu was also taken aback. She didn’t know why Lin Nuonuo had come downstairs so late, but she still quickly explained, “This child was adopted from the orphanage by the eldest young master and eldest young madam. Her name is Nuonuo.”
Hearing that, Lin Chen remembered. Yesterday, while browsing his phone, he had vaguely seen a news headline about the CEO of Lin Group doing charity and adopting a child from an orphanage. He hadn’t bothered to click in or pay attention.
The Lin family’s affairs, especially Lin Zeyu’s, had nothing to do with him.
He nodded at Auntie Liu to show he understood, then walked around Lin Nuonuo and went upstairs.
Throughout the entire process, he didn’t spare her an extra glance.
Eyes wide, Lin Nuonuo stared in disbelief as he bypassed her and left. Just like that?! What about the mystical power of blood ties? The irresistible pull of shared blood? Did he not think she was adorable or feel even a bit close to her?
Seeing her small face crumple, Auntie Liu assumed she’d been frightened by Lin Chen. Feeling sorry for the little girl, she gently took her hand and led her back to her room.
As they walked, Auntie Liu whispered, “Nuonuo, you mustn’t run around in this house, understood? Especially at night. The master is a light sleeper, and the eldest young master and eldest young madam don’t like noise. And if you run into the second young master……”
In the past few days, Auntie Liu had figured out that although the Lin family had adopted this child and registered her into their household, they clearly didn’t intend to raise her like a real young miss. The eldest young master and eldest young madam ignored her, and the little miss even seemed repulsed by her.
Auntie Liu didn’t know what would become of this child in the future, but she pitied her. So she felt it was better to warn her, hoping she wouldn’t accidentally upset anyone.
I didn’t run around.
Lin Nuonuo defended herself quietly inside her heart.
But hearing the concern in the woman’s voice, she still nodded obediently.
Escorted back to her room, she felt unwilling.
Since Lin Chen had said he would leave soon, she ran back to the window and stared outside nervously.
Sure enough, not long after, she saw Lin Chen walk out of the villa with something like a folder in his hand.
Under the night sky, he headed straight toward his car without pausing.
But just as he was about to open the car door, he suddenly turned back and glanced toward the villa.
Although she hadn’t been discovered, Lin Nuonuo ducked behind the windowsill instinctively.
She didn’t lift her head until she heard the engine fade into the distance. Watching the car disappear, she exhaled deeply, only to look immediately regretful.
She hated herself for messing up again, losing her nerve at the critical moment. Silently, she made a decision. Next time he came home, she would definitely make him know she was his child.
Unfortunately, the following days passed without a single sign of Lin Chen.
────ρя
Lin Nuonuo didn’t see Lin Chen again until a week later.
This time, it wasn’t in the middle of the night but during a family dinner.
Lin Zeyu, for once, had returned before dinner instead of socializing. Gu Mingming had also canceled her outing with several rich ladies and stayed home.
As for Lin Chen, he had originally been expected at a cast wrap-up party, but he didn’t want to deal with that sort of social event and simply came home. By coincidence, he arrived right at dinner time.
And so, all of them ended up seated at the table together.
But having more people didn’t mean it was lively.
Right now, despite everyone sitting neatly around the table, the atmosphere felt stranger than ever.
Aside from Lin Zeyu occasionally exchanging a few words about business with Lin Chaojiang, no one else spoke. They all kept their heads down, eating quietly.
Normally, Lin Zixin couldn’t sit still during meals, always finding ways to annoy Lin Nuonuo. But today, she was uncharacteristically well-behaved.
After finishing his conversation with Lin Zeyu, Lin Chaojiang glanced at his youngest son at the other end of the table.
“That thing with your film crew, are you done with it?” He asked, his tone dripping with disdain toward Lin Chen’s so-called work in the entertainment industry.
“Mm.” Lin Chen only responded faintly, clearly reluctant to speak more.
Lin Chaojiang didn’t mind. His expression darkened as he added, “Since you’re done messing around, stay home for a while.”
Lin Chen stayed silent.
Seeing him ignore his words completely, Lin Chaojiang frowned and forced down his anger. His voice grew harsher as he snapped, “Did you hear me? Your grandfather’s birthday is next month. Don’t embarrass him with your nonsense!”
Lin Chen’s lips curved into a cold smirk.
Before Lin Chaojiang could continue, Lin Chen set down his chopsticks, rose, and prepared to leave.
“Stop right there! Where are you going?” Lin Chaojiang barked.
“Nowhere. To where I should be instead of staying here to trouble you.” Lin Chen said carelessly, his back to them.
“Bastard! Did I say you could leave? Get back here and sit down!”
His slap on the table startled the servants, and even Lin Nuonuo’s hands trembled, almost dropping her bowl.
Lin Chen turned back and glared coldly at Lin Chaojiang.
Father and son faced off, the tension more explosive than ever.
Everyone else, except for the still-calm Lin Zeyu, looked nervous.
From behind her bowl, Lin Nuonuo peeked at Lin Chaojiang, then at Lin Chen.
Lin Chen pressed his lips together, said nothing, and then gave Lin Chaojiang one cold glance before leaving the dining room.
Fortunately, he only went upstairs and didn’t leave the house entirely.
“Useless brat.” Lin Chaojiang muttered, glaring in the direction Lin Chen had gone, with seven parts anger and three parts helplessness.
“Ignore him. Eat.” He told the others.
As he spoke, his gaze swept toward the end of the table— toward Lin Nuonuo.
She still held her bowl in both hands, frozen in the same posture from earlier, staring at him cautiously.
Her face, already pale from long-term malnutrition, was now ghostly white, and her thin frame only made her look more pitiful.
Something softened in Lin Chaojiang’s eyes.
These days, when the others were out— Lin Zeyu at the company, Lin Zixin at school, and Gu Mingming always busy— Lin Nuonuo was often the one keeping him company.
Though timid, she was obedient.
She understood what adults and servants said to her and responded properly. She wasn’t slow-witted like some servants whispered.
During the day, when he read downstairs, she sat quietly nearby, making no noise.
Occasionally, he taught her a few characters or let her listen when he read. Although she couldn’t understand books like the 《Zizhi Tongjian》 or 《Complete Chess Manual》, she never showed impatience.
At lunch, when the servants brought her to eat with him, she ate everything without fuss. If he put a piece of meat in her bowl, gratitude would flicker in her dark eyes.
Gradually, he had developed a soft spot for this child, whom the family had adopted for ulterior motives.
“Don’t be scared. I was lecturing your uncle, not scolding you.” He said gently, directed at Lin Nuonuo but also at the others.
She nodded.
The truth was, she hadn’t been afraid of Lin Chaojiang. She had only been worried that he would hit Lin Chen.
Thankfully, Lin Chen had escaped quickly……
Relieved, she lowered her head and continued eating.
When no one was looking, she secretly hid a few small pastries in her sleeve.
────ρя
That night, after everyone returned to their rooms, Lin Nuonuo quietly slipped out and tiptoed down the hallway toward the other end of the second floor.
She was looking for Lin Chen.
She didn’t know which room was his, but she had seen him turn left that night.
Strangely, while the main family lived on the third floor, Lin Chen lived on the second floor, which was mostly composed of guest rooms.
Just like her.
But it made things easier.
Not knowing which room was his, she checked them one by one.
Eventually, after stubbornly working her way down the corridor, she reached the final door at the end.
She knocked softly twice, but there was no response.
Pressing her ear to the door, she listened carefully.
Hearing faint sounds inside, her eyes brightened, and she knocked again.
……
Inside the room, Lin Chen was reading several scripts his manager had sent when the faint knocking broke his concentration.
He lowered his phone and looked toward the door— nothing.
For a moment, he thought it was his imagination.
About ten seconds later, the knocking came again, confirming it wasn’t a hallucination.
But…… who could it be?
The servants all knew his temperament. None of them would knock like that, especially at this time.
He chose to ignore it.
However, half a minute later, just as he thought the person had left, the knocking sounded yet again.
And the knocks kept coming, like someone was determined to outlast his patience— knocking twice every so often, no matter whether he responded or not.
Three times, four times, five times……
Each tap pushed his temper closer to the edge.
Finally, when the twelfth round of knocking arrived, he tossed aside his phone in irritation and headed for the door.