The Male Lead Who Never Likes to Eat (18)

In the kitchen, Li Ying ordered Si Jiu to wash and pick the vegetables, grumbling as she sliced meat, “Be honest with me—are you holding something against me? A few days ago, at your sister’s engagement, what was all that drama for? Who were you putting on a show for? Do you want our family to be gossiped about and shamed?”

Si Jiu rinsed the green peppers in her hands, her voice weak, “I didn’t—”

“What do you mean you didn’t? You didn’t try to kill yourself before, you didn’t try after, but you waited for your sister’s big day to do it? Don’t tell me you didn’t. Let me be clear, Xu Weiwan, your sister owes you nothing, and neither do we. Stop looking so pitiful all the time, acting as if someone’s bullying you. It’s infuriating just to see.”

Si Jiu thought, “...I’ll endure it.”

“I’ve told you many times to move out and give the house to your sister. Why are you dragging your feet?”

“I’m talking to you—are you mute?”

Si Jiu replied, “I won’t give her the house, but I can give it to you and Dad.”

Li Ying’s expression softened for a moment, but Si Jiu continued, “The down payment, I’ll consider it as repayment for all the years you raised me. But I won’t keep paying the mortgage.”

Li Ying glared, “Xu Weiwan, listen to what you’re saying. Is this how a daughter talks? Oh, how did I end up with a daughter like you? It’s my misfortune!”

“Go ahead, keep shouting. Let Lin Yang hear it too—how you treat his wife’s sister, your own daughter.”

Li Ying, her brows furrowed in anger, snapped, “So, you think you’ve grown wings now!”

“I didn’t—” Si Jiu lowered her head, her tone wounded. “I just—I walked to the edge of death and came back. I figured out a lot.”

Li Ying was momentarily speechless.

“From now on, I’ll transfer you a thousand yuan every month. I’ll pay half of Dad’s monthly medical expenses. That’s my support for you both. Beyond that, I won’t give any more.”

“You—” Li Ying looked as if she could barely breathe, staring at the daughter she’d always dismissed, feeling she hardly knew her anymore.

After Xu Weiwan was born, Li Ying and her husband moved to the city to make a living, leaving Xu Weiwan with her grandparents in the countryside for twelve years. She only came back after her grandparents passed away. By then, their second daughter, Xu Weilai, was already nine years old. All their time and love went to Xu Weilai; they felt no closeness to a daughter they’d barely seen over the years.

Xu Weiwan grew up with the elderly, and when she first arrived, her habits and manners annoyed Li Ying at every turn. She was slow-witted and tongue-tied, which made Li Ying like her even less. Sensing her unpopularity, Xu Weiwan became ever more cautious and eager to please, developing an anxious, submissive personality. She was insecure and wounded, burdened with many secrets, and disliked talking. This gave her a gloomy air, making classmates and later colleagues reluctant to befriend her.

She lived in this world like a worm in the gutter.

Si Jiu sneered inwardly. Xu Weiwan was the way she was partly because of her own nature, but mostly because of the torment from her irresponsible parents and the scheming, manipulative Xu Weilai. There are many biased parents, but Xu’s parents were revolting to an extreme. It’s fine not to love, but don’t harm. That’s the minimal decency required to be parents.

Li Ying was furious, nearly stamping her feet, her finger almost poking Si Jiu’s forehead, when Lin Yang coughed at the kitchen door, “Mom, you can start cooking. Weilai’s awake.”

Li Ying instantly withdrew her finger and forced a smile at Lin Yang, “Weiwan is still an elder sister, but she can’t even handle the vegetables properly. She drives me mad.”

In front of Lin Yang, they never let it show how harshly they treated Xu Weiwan. In the past, Lin Yang hadn’t paid much attention, often thinking Xu Weiwan was too gloomy and advising her to be kinder to her family. But now, Lin Yang sensed everything was different from what he’d always believed.

He glanced at Si Jiu. She kept her head down, not defending herself, but her fingers were clenched around the green pepper so tightly her knuckles were pale. Her bony shoulders shrank inward, making Lin Yang’s heart ache with pity. He couldn’t help but offer, impulsively, “Weiwan’s fingers are sensitive to chili; every time she touches them, her hands burn. Why don’t I wash them instead?”

“What are you washing for?” Xu Weilai’s voice drifted coldly from behind Lin Yang.