Chapter 34: Journey to the Capital

Things in Jiangcheng were mostly settled. The hotel matters were taken care of, compensations were paid, and the agreement to sever ties with the Lin family had been signed. All the gifts were selected as well.

Lin Ting packed everything up, large and small, and drove toward the capital herself. It was a journey of nearly fifteen hours, driving from early morning until nightfall. After arriving in the capital, it took another half hour to reach Yin Xing’s apartment complex.

Yin Xing and Qin Lü were waiting for her in the parking lot. As soon as the car stopped and Lin Ting stepped out, Yin Xing rushed over.

"Sister!"

Yin Xing hugged Lin Ting tightly. Lin Ting held her by the waist, spun her around once, and then set her down. "Is Qin Lü mistreating you? Why have you lost weight again?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Qin Lü said. "She eats enough every day to bankrupt me, but I have no idea where all that food goes."

Yin Xing clung to Lin Ting’s arm, resting her head on her shoulder. "The pressure of high school is too much. It drains my brain."

"Aren't you on summer break right now?" Lin Ting asked, looking at her.

"Because I love learning so much, I have to seize every second. I wouldn't let any opportunity to study pass me by," Yin Xing replied.

Standing to the side, Qin Lü rolled his eyes in silence.

Lin Ting laughed. "Oh, is that so? Studying during summer break and skipping classes when school starts, right?"

Yin Xing pursed her lips and stayed quiet.

"I bought you gifts," Lin Ting said, gesturing to the trunk.

Yin Xing went to open it. There was so much stuff that the three of them had to make two trips to move it all into the house.

"Sister, I want to sleep with you tonight," Yin Xing said.

"No," Lin Ting refused. "You always crowd me when you sleep."

"But we haven't seen each other for over a month. I missed you so much," Yin Xing insisted.

"Find another way to miss me," Lin Ting replied.

Yin Xing turned her head away, silent. Lin Ting looked at the back of her head and brushed her hair. Yin Xing refused to engage. Lin Ting poked her shoulder.

Yin Xing still didn't speak.

Lin Ting sighed softly. "Fine. But if you crowd me tonight, I’m kicking you out of bed."

Yin Xing instantly brightened. "Okay!"

...

Lin Ting had spent the whole day driving. After dinner and a short chat, she went to bed. When Yin Xing finally returned to the room, Lin Ting was already asleep.

Yin Xing crept to the bedside, watched the sleeping Lin Ting for a moment, then slowly lifted the covers and quietly climbed into bed. She lay flat, pulled the blanket up, folded her hands over her stomach, and closed her eyes. To avoid being kicked out of bed, she repeated to herself over and over before falling asleep that she must not crowd Lin Ting.

Yet, less than a minute after drifting off, she shifted. She rolled over and pressed right up against Lin Ting.

The next morning, Lin Ting woke up early. As she turned slightly, she tumbled right off the bed. Yin Xing had been pushing against her all night long. Not only had she been shoved to the very edge of the mattress, but half of her body had eventually been hanging over the side. One turn, and she had fallen to the floor.

Fortunately, she was agile and quick to react. She caught herself on the floor, making no sound, which saved her a shred of dignity.

Rising from the floor, Lin Ting looked at Yin Xing, who was sleeping like a little pig. She went to the bathroom, found an eyeliner pencil, drew a small kitten face on Yin Xing’s cheek, and left the house in high spirits.

Carrying the agreement signed with Lin Jinchuan and a bouquet of flowers, Lin Ting drove to a cemetery in the capital. It had been overcast when she left that morning. By the time she reached the gravesite, the clouds had thickened, and a breeze had picked up.

Lin Ting carried the flowers, walking up the steps. The agreement in her hand rustled loudly in the wind. Reaching the tombstone, she set down the flowers, took a handkerchief from her pocket, and meticulously wiped the stone clean.

"Big Sister Mentor, I’ve come to see you again," Lin Ting whispered, crouching before the grave. "I wanted to bring Yin Xing with me, but she was sleeping so soundly that I didn't have the heart to wake her."

Lin Ting stared at the photo on the tombstone, drifting into thought. "This time... because of some business with the Lin family, Yin Xing was implicated. Such things will never happen again. I will protect her."

"Also," Lin Ting said, placing the agreement before the tombstone. "Lin Jinchuan has publicly announced that he is severing ties with me. He said it himself, it has nothing to do with me; he was the one who initiated it, so... it doesn't count as me being disobedient."

"I remember every word you said," Lin Ting continued. "You told me to return to the Lin family and live an ordinary life. I listened, and I went back. But Lin Jinchuan dislikes me, hates me, and even tried to lock me away. He was the one who suggested the severance first. I had no choice but to leave."

"I can live an ordinary life. I can go somewhere where no one knows me," Lin Ting said. "But not now. You wanted to protect my safety, but I also want to avenge you. Otherwise, I will never have peace in this lifetime."

Lin Ting stayed at the cemetery for a long time, until a sliver of sunlight broke through the clouds. Only then did she rise and depart.

Back in her car, she checked the time; it was almost noon. She drove back to Yin Xing’s place for lunch. While eating, she arranged for the items brought from Jiangcheng to be delivered to Shang Moting’s home. She had already called him earlier to remind him to receive the delivery.

Shang Moting had asked, "Can I refuse it? What if it's a bomb?"

While on the phone, Lin Ting watched Yin Xing, who was currently walking around with a kitten face drawn on her, and replied, "That’s a great idea. Next time I'll send a bomb and raze your place to the ground."

Shang Moting chuckled softly.

"Everything I sent was carefully selected for you, Mr. Shang," Lin Ting said. "You left the capital in such a rush, and you helped me so much in Jiangcheng, so I had to show my gratitude. Even though I couldn't be there in person, I couldn't be impolite with the gifts. You must accept them; they are just things from home, nothing of great value."

"Are you planning on taking the civil service exam?" Shang Moting asked. "Are you practicing your rhetoric on me in advance?"

Lin Ting: "..."

Yin Xing stomped her foot. Lin Ting glanced at her and beckoned her over. After a few more words with Shang Moting, she hung up.

Lin Ting started scrubbing the drawing off Yin Xing’s face. "You’re not very old, but you sure know how to hold a grudge. It would have come off with two wipes of cleansing oil this morning, but you insisted I come back to wipe it off for you."

"Who told you to bully me?" Yin Xing sat on the carpet, leaning her head on Lin Ting’s lap, looking up at her.

"Who is really bullying whom?" Lin Ting asked.

"I want to sleep with you again tonight," Yin Xing said.

"Don't even think about it," Lin Ting replied. "I’m not staying here tonight. There are matters at the Intercontinental Hotel, and I’ll be staying there for the time being."

"I want to go too," Yin Xing said.

"No," Lin Ting said. "What did we agree on? If you don't behave, I'm sending you back."

Yin Xing went silent.

Lin Ting wiped the last of the kitten off her face. "Go play."

"Oh."