“Zhao Tianlei, you should go. When Xiao Ya wakes up, she will make her own choice. Since you refuse to choose, then let Xiao Ya choose instead,” Lin Jianshe said coldly. He had no patience left for Zhao Tianlei. A grown man whose wife had been driven to drink poison, yet he was still trying to smooth things over.
“Big Brother, life in the army is very harsh. At least at home there are vegetables and eggs to nourish the body. In the army, the town is far away, buying anything is inconvenient. Even buying a single scallion costs money,” Zhao Tianlei said slowly as he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
His expression was still calm, but worry lingered in his eyes.
Hearing this, Lin Jianshe only felt it was an excuse, nothing more.
“Do you not realize that Xiao Ya would rather suffer with you than stay in the Zhao household?” Lin Jianshe said firmly. He absolutely did not want Xiao Ya to remain in the Zhao family and be abused by those two women.
Although Zhao Tianlei looked cold, as her husband he should still care for her somewhat. At least, he should not treat her like Zhao’s mother and daughter had.
While they argued, Lin Siya’s face alternated between pale and flushed.
“Xiao Ya, Xiao Ya, what is wrong?” Lin Jianshe asked anxiously. Even while arguing with Zhao Tianlei, he was still paying close attention to his sister.
Zhao Tianlei also showed concern and reached out, intending to check whether Lin Siya had a fever.
In the next instant, something struck him and sent him flying backward. He crashed to the ground heavily.
Lin Jianshe stared with his mouth agape. He glanced at Lin Siya lying on the bed, then at Zhao Tianlei on the ground.
“Zhao Tianlei, are you still playing the pity card? Xiao Ya has not even woken up yet. Who are you acting for?”
Zhao Tianlei climbed to his feet and brushed the dust from his clothes, his gaze fixed tightly on Lin Siya.
“I was not acting.”
He was completely confused. He had vomited blood after being attacked the night before, and just now he had been flung away by something unseen. Could there be some secret about Lin Siya?
But why had Lin Jianshe not been affected?
Could it be Lin Jianshe?
Each time it seemed to happen when Lin Jianshe was present.
“If you were not acting, then explain why you vomited blood earlier and why you were thrown just now. Xiao Ya is unconscious, while I am not. I have eyes. I can see,” Lin Jianshe said bluntly.
Zhao Tianlei could not come up with an answer.
“Jianshe, Jianshe. Has Xiao Ya woken up? It is time to eat,” Mother Lin’s voice came from outside.
“She is still resting,” Lin Jianshe replied.
“She is still resting. You should go back to the Zhao household. Our Lin family will not keep a Zhao family member for a meal,” Lin Jianshe said directly, issuing the order to leave.
“I…”
“Go.”
Lin Siya sensed another soul pressing into this body. It had happened after Zhao Tianlei appeared. Was it the original owner of this body?
“I do not want a divorce. I do not want to divorce Brother Tianlei. I do not want Father, Mother, and Brother to be pointed at and gossiped about.”
“You like him?”
If she did not like Zhao Tianlei, how could she struggle so fiercely the moment she saw him?
She had thought the original Lin Siya had already disappeared, but now it seemed that she had merely hidden deep within.
“I have known since childhood that I had a fiancé. He liked fighting, but if others did not provoke him, he would not strike first. After graduating from middle school, he joined the army. When he came back once, I secretly went to see him. He was so tall, so strong. He looked cold, but he was warm inside.”
Ouyang Siya looked at Lin Siya’s soul before her. “His family forced you to drink poison. Do you not hate them?”
“The Zhao family are the Zhao family. He is separate from them. I know I am about to disappear. Father, Mother, and Brother will need you to take care of them. Please replace me and live well with him. I know you are not from this world. Your abilities are different.”
“I will treat your parents well in your place. As for Zhao Tianlei, I will not divorce him. But his family, I will avenge you. I will not let you suffer false accusations and lose your life for nothing.”
“Thank you. Thank you. I am going now.”
Ouyang Siya watched as Lin Siya’s soul gradually faded. In the next instant, she took out a jade porcelain bottle and used spiritual energy to collect the weakening soul, letting it be nourished within the bottle before releasing it later for reincarnation.
She had become Lin Siya, fully merged with this body.
After finishing this, she slowly opened her eyes.
“Xiao Ya, you are awake. You are awake,” Lin Jianshe said, turning around and seeing Lin Siya sitting up.
“Brother, Brother Tianlei, as long as Mother in law and Sister in law come to apologize to me, I will go back to the Zhao household,” Lin Siya said calmly.
“Xiao Ya, are you alright?” Lin Jianshe asked anxiously.
He reached out to check her forehead with the back of his hand. Seeing that she seemed fine, he finally relaxed.
“I am fine,” Lin Siya said, giving Lin Jianshe a bright smile. Zhao Tianlei, however, found that smile painful to look at. She was cold to him, yet smiled so warmly at her brother.
“Jianshe, Jianshe.”
“Mom, we are coming,” Lin Jianshe replied. He helped Lin Siya up, and the two siblings walked out together, leaving Zhao Tianlei standing alone. His gaze followed them, the feeling of being ignored weighing heavily on him.
“Xiao Ya, come. Eat the egg custard Mother made for you,” Mother Lin said as she uncovered the bowl and placed a small spoon inside, urging her daughter to eat.
Eating alone like this still felt unfamiliar.
“Father, Mother, as long as the Zhao family mother and daughter come to apologize, Xiao Ya will return to the Zhao household,” Lin Jianshe said, looking at the food on the table.
Zhao Tianlei came out of the room and saw the family gathered together, eating. He had been completely ignored.
“Oh, Tianlei, you are here. When did you arrive? If I had known, I would have cooked more,” Mother Lin said lightly, implying that there was not enough food for one more person.
“Xiao Ya, I will go back for now and come see you again this afternoon,” Zhao Tianlei said.
Lin Siya did not even look at him, not giving him a single glance.
The rest of the Lin family also ignored him. Zhao Tianlei felt awkward, but still left the Lin household and headed home.
Only after he left did Father Lin speak. “Xiao Ya, have you thought it through?”
“Father, I have already decided,” Lin Siya said deliberately in a hoarse voice.
“Since you have decided, then so be it.”
Mother Lin was unhappy. “Xiao Ya, those Zhao women are troublemakers. That daughter is even a year older than you and still has not married. After this incident, she will likely never marry at all. If you return to the Zhao household, who knows how they will bully and enslave you.”
“Mother, then what should we do? I already asked Zhao Tianlei about following him to the army, but he said he is not qualified yet and that the place is remote and would make Xiao Ya suffer.”