Lin Qian’s anger flared up instantly.
She pushed herself up from the floor with both hands, but the pain in her leg made her stumble.
Gritting her teeth, she glared viciously at Lin Yanshu. “Young Master Lin really can just say whatever comes to his mouth! She clearly ran into me herself, yet you accuse me without even asking what happened. What, is framing me such a habit that it costs you nothing?”
“You—”
“There are dozens of eyes watching here. So tell me, is it me who’s blind, or you, Young Master Lin?”
Lin Yanshu hurriedly looked around and found that all the guests present were eyeing him with subtle expressions.
The guests were all wealthy elites. Though they looked down on Lin Qian, an ex-convict who had served time, their good upbringing wouldn’t allow them to twist right and wrong.
Someone couldn’t stand it any longer and spoke up for fairness. “Young Master Lin, it really was Lin Wan’er who ran into her. We all saw it.”
With one person leading the way, the others nodded in agreement.
Lin Yanshu’s face turned extremely ugly, his gaze icy cold, convinced that Lin Qian had deliberately set out to ruin Lin Wan’er’s birthday party and make the entire Lin family lose face before Haicheng’s elite.
Lin Qian, this sister of his—he knew her very well.
She was the most narrow-minded and vindictive person, capable of even framing others for her own crimes. What wouldn’t she do?
Lin Yanshu frowned and said darkly, “Even if Wan’er bumped into you, it was an accident. Couldn’t you have dodged? You did it on purpose.”
Hearing this, Lin Qian felt blood rush to her head, a “buzz” going off in her brain as she nearly lost her rationality.
Dodge?
She could barely walk without limping—she couldn’t even move quickly. How was she supposed to dodge?
Oh, right.
When she was released from prison, Lin Yanshu had looked down on her, believing her limp was faked.
Lin Yanshu only saw Lin Wan’er being bumped by her.
He simply couldn’t see that she had also been knocked down by Lin Wan’er.
Since they loved trampling on her so much, there was no need for her to spare their dignity anymore. Right then and there, under everyone’s watchful eyes, she rolled up her sleeve.
There, at her elbow, was fresh, glistening blood—the glaring red forming a stark contrast against the pale skin around it, a shocking sight.
Her palm hadn’t escaped either; the broken skin was still oozing blood, drops sliding slowly down her fingertips and dripping onto the floor.
Lin Qian raised her arm high so that everyone could see clearly.
“Do you think I’d deliberately injure myself like this? I covered myself in wounds just to earn a scolding from Young Master Lin? Am I some kind of masochist?” Her voice carried a trace of tears, her eyes red from grievance.
Seeing the shocking abrasions on her palm and arm, Lin Yanshu’s pupils contracted, his face burning with shame. For a moment, he didn’t dare meet Lin Qian’s gaze.
Mother Lin gasped, hurriedly releasing Lin Wan’er and stepping forward, wanting to touch Lin Qian but afraid of hurting her.
“Qianqian, you’re hurt—does it hurt?” As she spoke, she blew gently on Lin Qian’s wounds, looking for all the world as if she truly cared.
Lin Wan’er said through her tears, “I’m sorry, sister. It’s just that the haute couture gown my brother specially ordered for me was somehow damaged, and I was so flustered that I accidentally bumped into you. Please don’t be angry with my brother anymore, okay? He only misunderstood you because he was worried about me. I can apologize on his behalf.”
She looked at Lin Qian pitifully, timid and tearful, crying so beautifully that she looked like a pear blossom drenched in rain.
Her mouth spoke of apology, but her appearance made it seem as if Lin Qian had bullied her.
In the three years she had spent at the Lin family home, every time Lin Qian was bullied, Lin Wan’er would put on this exact victim’s face.
Five years had passed, and she hadn’t changed one bit.
“So what you mean is, your brother being worried about you gives him the right to falsely accuse me at will. Is that it?”
Lin Qian’s expression was cold as frost, her eyes like icy stars, her entire being piercingly frigid.
“No, that’s not it.” As if frightened by Lin Qian’s aggressive manner, Lin Wan’er shrank back into Mother Lin’s arms, large tears falling. “Sister, how could you misunderstand me like this?”
Mother Lin held Lin Wan’er tenderly and sighed helplessly. “Qianqian, you’ve really misunderstood Wan’er. Wan’er has always been sensible—she’s nothing like what you’re saying. Today is Wan’er’s birthday. Hurry up and apologize to her, wish her a happy birthday, and we’ll put this matter behind us.”
Lin Qian raised an eyebrow. “This kind of thing isn’t happening for the first time. Whether or not I’ve misunderstood her—does Mrs. Lin really not know? Or should I remind Mrs. Lin about five years ago…”
“Enough.” Mother Lin’s face went pale, full of guilt. “Say no more.”
“Hah!”
Lin Qian sneered, her laughter utterly mocking.
Her own mother was just like five years ago—without hesitation, she chose Lin Wan’er over her.
She couldn’t bear to see Lin Wan’er suffer the slightest grievance, yet could cruelly let her own biological daughter endure endless grievances and suffering.
Lin Qian found it all utterly pointless.
Forcing herself to endure the pain in her body, she straightened her spine and limped toward the front door.
But she had only taken two steps when her arm was seized firmly by a strong hand. “Explain.”
Lin Qian turned her head, looking at Lin Yanshu with impatience. “Explain what?”
Lin Yanshu wanted to lose his temper, but the moment his eyes met Lin Qian’s, which were hiding hatred, his heart trembled violently. He forcefully suppressed his anger and said as calmly as he could, “What happened to Wan’er’s gown?”
The feathers on the haute couture gown Lin Wan’er wore were layered upon layers, shimmering in the sunlight, extraordinarily beautiful. Yet a large patch of feathers at the hem was missing—clearly torn off by someone.
Her hands clenched into fists, Lin Qian’s body trembled slightly with rage.
“So, Young Master Lin believes that I deliberately ruined your sister’s gown?” she asked coldly in return.
“You were the only one who got in my car the entire time. You were the only one who had the chance to touch the gown.”
Lin Wan’er’s tears immediately fell, her voice choking with sobs. “Sister, why would you do this?”
Mother Lin could least bear to see Lin Wan’er wronged, yet she couldn’t bring herself to blame Lin Qian either. She couldn’t help but sigh and said gently, “Qianqian, Mom knows you harbor resentment, which is why you did something like this. We’ll let today’s matter go, but in the future, you mustn’t…”
“Scoff!” This cold sneer abruptly cut Mother Lin off. Lin Qian stared fixedly into Mother Lin’s eyes and said, word by word, “Eldest Young Master Lin’s car has a dashcam. Whether or not I tampered with Miss Lin’s gown—one look at the driving footage will make it clear.”
Then she turned to Lin Yanshu. “To prove my innocence, I demand that Eldest Young Master Lin take out his phone in front of everyone and check the footage.”
Her righteous confidence threw Lin Wan’er into a panic.
“Sister, there’s really no need to check the footage.”
Mother Lin stepped in to help Lin Wan’er as well. “The guests are all here, Qianqian. Stop making a scene.”
Father Lin, who had remained silent until now, finally came over to persuade her. “Let this matter end here. Qianqian, go clean up your wound first.”
It was happening again.
Lin Qian’s body trembled violently with rage. She shook off Lin Yanshu’s hand forcefully. “If we don’t check the footage, am I supposed to carry the blame for ruining Lin Wan’er’s gown forever?”
“I dare to check the footage—why don’t you? What are you all afraid of?”