It was strange hadn’t Xu Su already come to the capital? Why hadn’t they seen her?
“Didn’t see her? How is that possible?” In her previous life, Xu Su had been waiting at the train station early in the morning.
“Yeah. Maybe she already left.”
No matter what, compared to what happened in her past life, not running into Xu Su meant they wouldn’t get entangled with her again.
Lin Tianxin let out a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to speak, Lin Guangzhuo grabbed her arm from behind. “Come on, Tiantian! If we don’t get to the supply store soon, all the pretty floral fabrics will be gone!”
The siblings chatted and laughed as they headed toward the supply and marketing cooperative. The moment they stepped inside, they were jostled by the crowd gathered around the shelves. Lin Guangzhuo shielded her as they squeezed toward the fabric section, still muttering, “I’m telling you, get a red floral print make a new blouse, it’ll look great…”
Before he could finish, Lin Tianxin’s gaze suddenly froze
At the candy counter diagonally ahead stood a woman in a faded blue blouse. Her figure was thin, her head lowered as she spoke to the clerk. The outline of her profile was so familiar that Lin Tianxin’s heart clenched.
It was Xu Su!
Why was she here?
Instinctively, Lin Tianxin tightened her grip on the fabric coupons in her hand, her fingertips turning pale. Noticing her stiffness, Lin Guangzhuo followed her gaze and scratched his head. “Huh? Isn’t that Xu Su? Big Brother said she wasn’t at the train station turns out she already came to the store.”
As soon as he said that, Xu Su seemed to hear something and abruptly turned around. When her eyes landed on Lin Tianxin, she froze for a moment, then her face lit up. A timid smile spread across her face as she hurried toward them.
“Tianxin, why are you here at the supply store? Didn’t I ask you to pick me up at the train station? I waited so long and didn’t see Big Brother, so I had to come here myself to buy a few things before heading to your house.”
She spoke with a pitiful expression.
Before Lin Tianxin could respond, Lin Guangzhuo cut in sharply, “We don’t have time for that. You’ve got hands and feet can’t you walk yourself? What are you, some rich young lady who needs people to fetch you?”
He had never liked Xu Su before, but back then his sister treated her like a best friend and wouldn’t tolerate a bad word about her. Now that his sister had seen through her, he had no reason to hold back.
Xu Su’s eyes instantly reddened. Tears came as if on cue, sliding down her pale cheeks, making her look even more pitiful.
She clutched the hem of her clothes, her voice trembling like a thread about to snap. “Brother Guangzhuo, I didn’t mean to trouble anyone… I really have nowhere else to go.”
Turning to Lin Tianxin, her hands trembled slightly, her eyes filled with pleading. “Tianxin, do you remember? I told you before my father lost everything gambling and is drowning in debt. He wants to sell me off to an old lame man in the neighboring village to repay it. That man is over fifty and crippled if I marry him, my life will be ruined!”
As she spoke, she cried even harder, her shoulders shaking. “I had no choice but to run away overnight. I only brought a few changes of clothes. I came to the capital to find you, but when no one met me at the station and I didn’t know your exact address, I had to come here first and slowly ask around.”
She lifted her tear-filled eyes and timidly tugged at Lin Tianxin’s sleeve, her voice barely above a whisper. “Tianxin, I know it’s abrupt for me to come like this, but I really have nowhere to go. Could you… could you let me stay at your house for a few days? Just a few days. Once I find somewhere else, I’ll leave immediately. I won’t cause you any trouble.”
Looking at her tearful, delicate act, Lin Tianxin sneered inwardly.
In her past life, she had been fooled by this very façade thinking Xu Su was truly pitiful and taking her in, only to invite disaster into her home and drag both the Lin and Lu families into ruin.
Calmly, she pulled her sleeve back and said in an even tone, “Xu Su, it’s not that I won’t help you. It’s just that my home is small we really don’t have space for outsiders. You’d better think of another solution.”
Xu Su’s smile stiffened. She clearly hadn’t expected such a blunt refusal. A trace of gloom flashed in her eyes, quickly replaced by deeper grievance.
With a thud, she tried to kneel, but Lin Guangzhuo quickly stopped her. “Don’t try that here! We don’t fall for this fake pity act. This isn’t the old days kneeling won’t work on anyone!”
“Tianxin, I’m begging you,” Xu Su bit her lip, tears streaming faster, “I really have nowhere to go. If my father catches me and drags me back, I won’t survive. Just… just take pity on me, please?”
As she spoke, she secretly glanced around the store, deliberately raising her voice to draw sympathy from the crowd.
Lin Tianxin’s heart tightened she knew Xu Su was trying to use public opinion to pressure her.