Lin Residence.
Prefect Lin Fu’s face was ashen, his fury on the verge of erupting.
The hall was silent.
Only the sound of the paddle striking flesh could be heard.
The kneeling woman clutched the fiery red sleeves of her garment tightly as the paddle struck her back repeatedly.
Most of the Lin family members were present in the hall, yet no one stepped forward to plead for her.
The atmosphere grew increasingly solemn, the sound of the paddle striking flesh growing louder.
Her back had long been bleeding from the beating, but the vibrant red of the wedding dress concealed the crimson stains.
She endured the pain in silence, stubbornly supporting herself to avoid collapsing.
The one wielding the paddle showed her no mercy.
Even when growing weary, he did not lessen the force of his strikes.
Even though the one being punished was the current Prefect’s daughter, the Second Young Lady of the Lin family, Lin Xianyu.
Since she was caught and brought back after attempting to escape her wedding today, the punishment had not ceased.
By now, she had endured over seventy strikes.
Normally, such heavy paddling would leave an ordinary person half-dead after thirty strikes.
Even the toughest individual could not withstand fifty.
Yet Young Lady Lin had endured over seventy strikes without uttering a single cry of pain.
How much longer could a young woman, no matter how resilient, hold on?
A few more strikes, and she might perish.
Lin Fu finally called for a stop.
The one wielding the paddle ceased his actions and silently stepped aside.
By now, Lin Xianyu was extremely weak.
The fiery red wedding dress, not yet removed, stood out starkly in the solemn hall.
Seeing her persistent refusal to admit fault, Lin Fu’s anger intensified.
He stood up, pointing at the recently punished Lin Xianyu and scolded, “How could you do something as outrageous as fleeing your wedding?! Do you have any idea how much shame you’ve brought upon our Lin family?!”
She finally looked up, her gaze cold.
Yet there was not a trace of resentment in her eyes.
Even though the one punishing her was her own father.
Even though she was in great pain, she had never resented him.
She had long passed the age of harboring resentment.
“This marriage—I, Lin Xianyu, have already fled it. There is no possibility of me marrying him.”
Her voice, though weak, was filled with stubborn defiance.
Lin Fu was enraged by her words.
After all, this marriage was crucial for the Lin family.
If they could form an alliance with the Jiang family, the most powerful merchant clan in Suzhou, his official career would undoubtedly advance with their support.
Everything had been proceeding smoothly, with the wedding arrangements already made. Who could have expected the girl to cause such a scene by fleeing at this critical moment?
The cooked duck had flown away.
Lin Fu now even felt like beating this wretched girl to death.
“How dare you say such things?! Do you realize how much you’ve ruined?!”
Lin Xianyu sneered, “You mean your official career and financial gains, nothing more.”
“Silence! Do you understand what you’re saying? You unfilial daughter, how did our Lin family produce someone like you?!”
“Have you ever truly cared about me as a member of the Lin family? When you arranged this marriage and forced me to marry into the Jiang family, did you ever consider that I am a Lin? All these years, have you ever remembered that I am your own flesh and blood?
Father, this marriage—you seek the wealth of the Jiang family, you covet their enterprises.”Have you ever considered how crucial marriage is for a woman? Have you ever realized that all your previous actions have already ruined my life?
You never treated me as part of the Lin family, so why should I strive for power and influence on your behalf? Since you never regarded me as your own daughter, why should I constantly prioritize the Lin family’s interests?
Lin Fu’s expression grew even darker. “I truly wish our Lin family had never had someone like you! How could I, Lin Fu, have such an unfilial daughter?
Marriage has always been determined by parental orders and matchmaker’s words! What I decide, you must obey. By causing such trouble this time, you’ve shown utter disrespect!”
“Since childhood, I’ve already followed your commands and done countless things against my will.” As she spoke, she pushed herself up from the ground, slowly rising to her feet.
Lin Xianyu endured the pain in her back, standing perfectly straight.
Meeting Lin Fu’s gaze directly, she declared word by word: “Do you really think I ever wanted to be a daughter of the Lin family?”
Her pitch-black eyes resembled an unfathomable abyss, like a cold pool containing nothing but despair.
Having endured decades in the Lin household, she understood too well that resentment’s outlet was hopelessness.
Today, she had indeed committed the disgraceful act of fleeing from her wedding.
He wanted her to marry the Jiang family’s young master, so she ran away.
She simply didn’t want to marry a complete stranger she had never met.
She was the second daughter of the Lin family, with an elder sister above her and a younger brother below.
In the Lin household, she was the least favored.
One could even say she suffered endless mistreatment.
Lin Fu treated her poorly, and the entire Lin family treated her badly.
These years hadn’t been kind to her.
Her life had been utterly miserable.
If she had any choice in the matter, she would never choose to be a Lin daughter again.
Especially not such a despised daughter.
Lin Xianyu couldn’t comprehend what she had done wrong.
Clearly, like her siblings, she was Lin Fu’s own flesh and blood.
Yet he treated her terribly.
No one in this world treated her more harshly than he did.
She couldn’t understand why her own father would treat her this way.
Regarding the marriage arrangement with Jiang Yunnan, they hadn’t even bothered to ask her once if she was willing before finalizing it.
As if she were cheap goods that could be sold off anytime, unworthy of their consideration.
In this lifetime, she could compromise on many things.
She could obey Lin Fu in everything.
Except for her own marriage—she refused to let others decide, especially not in such a casual manner.
She didn’t want to marry Jiang Yunnan.
She had resisted many times before, but to no avail.
To prevent her from escaping, Lin Fu would beat her, scold her, and lock her in damp, terrifying storage rooms.
He would make her endure loneliness and hunger in those dreadful conditions, forcing her to suffer through the days alone.
The Lin family had always been cruel to her.
In winter, when her elder sister and younger brother enjoyed warm charcoal fires and new winter clothes,
Lin Fu deliberately withheld charcoal for her courtyard, provided no new garments, and showed no concern for her survival.
In summer, while her siblings had endless ice for cooling, she alone had nothing.
In the Lin household, she couldn’t even complain to anyone—she could only barely survive.
Because no one in the entire Lin estate cared whether she lived or died.
The only time Lin Fu finally showed concern for her survival was when the Jiang family proposed this marriage alliance.
After the engagement was settled, she experienced a few days of being cared for—her so-called “good days.”
Twenty-four hours a day, she was closely watched without respite.
No one cared whether she lived or died, but some cared whether she died before the wedding or after entering the Jiang residence.
Her days were truly unbearable.
All her illusions and hopes regarding Lin Fu had long been worn away completely.
In those dim and lightless days, in the bitterly cold winters, in a life filled with scornful glances.