Chapter 17: Where Are Your Manners?

As soon as Old Master Qin finished his question, before Father and Mother Qin could respond, Old Madam Qin interjected, “If you ask me, just do as she says and make a clean break. That ungrateful girl has little ability and a big mouth—she’s petty, selfish, and domineering. Recognizing her as family would bring nothing but harm to the Qin household.”

Father and Mother Qin exchanged glances at her words. Mother Qin couldn’t help but ask, “Is she really that terrible?”

“What, you think I’m making things up?” Old Madam Qin glared. “You haven’t seen what she looks like—dark-skinned and scrawny, like a little black monkey, always walking with her head down and back hunched, lacking any poise. She’s only studied for two years; even if we wanted to nurture her, there’s no time left.” At this, Old Madam Qin turned away in anger, clearly unwilling to spare another glance.

Mother Qin felt even more conflicted. After all, this was her own flesh and blood, yet she’d somehow been worn down into a useless person. With a long, sorrowful sigh, she asked unwillingly, “Is there really no way to bring her back as an adopted daughter?”

“No. She looks down on the status of an adopted daughter. Besides, she’s made it clear she wants an answer by tomorrow. If she doesn’t get a satisfactory one, she’ll make a scene at your workplace, at the city committee—she says she’ll make sure the whole city knows.” Old Madam Qin grew more and more agitated as she spoke, finally slapping the table hard to show her exasperation. “I’ve never met such an unreasonable child. What’s wrong with being the Qin family’s adopted daughter? Have we ever mistreated her?”

Hearing that Xu Lin threatened to make a public scene, Father and Mother Qin’s faces darkened. Both worked in the public sector—they couldn’t afford such a scandal. If word got out, how could they possibly show their faces at work? No, that could never be allowed to happen.

The couple huddled together to discuss what to do. If forced to choose between two, who would it be? To be honest, they’d raised Qin Fang themselves; their attachment after sixteen years was deep—it wasn’t something that could be severed overnight. The thought of the beloved child they’d watched grow, now having to return to her birth family only to suffer, made them both uncomfortable. They kept blaming Xu Lin for being unreasonable, for not sparing a thought for the pain of parents, for forcing them into such a cruel choice. Or was it that Xu Lin was certain they would pick her?

As the four parents argued passionately in the study, none of them realized that a slender figure was quietly eavesdropping outside the window.

The discussion inside ended at last, and only then did the figure slip away on tiptoe.

The next day was Sunday; Father and Mother Qin didn’t have to work. After breakfast, they sent someone to the machinery factory residential compound. It was the same man who had fetched them the day before, but this time the door was answered not by Xu Lin, but by Xu Nuan, her dark circles hanging almost to her nose.

When she heard they were looking for Xu Lin, Xu Nuan’s face turned ugly and she wanted to slam the door in their faces. She didn’t want to pass on the message. But feeling the pain on her body, Xu Nuan thought it wiser to comply—otherwise, she’d get beaten even worse later.

Yet Xu Nuan hadn’t expected that even after she passed along the message, she’d still catch Xu Lin’s eye and end up pinned to the ground for another beating. Of course, Xu Lin wasn’t the only one to mete out punishment; her brother Xu Kun, who was still dreaming in bed, their parents, and even Old Madam Xu, who had finally dozed off after a night of chaos—none of the five escaped unscathed. Xu Lin had said she’d beat them three times a day, and she wasn’t about to skip a session.

After working out her muscles and feeling refreshed, Xu Lin followed the messenger out. She didn’t know that not long after she left, a woman, her face and head concealed, entered the Xu family courtyard. Soon after, Xu Kun and Xu Nuan were shooed out of the main house and told to stand guard at the courtyard gate. Whatever business the woman discussed with Old Madam Xu, the siblings had no idea.

Xu Lin returned again to the Qin household. Looking at the grand courtyard house, her desire to own such a home stirred anew. The setting was the same as before, but this time there were two more people. Xu Lin’s cold gaze swept over the four members of the Qin family, finally settling on Mother Qin.

If she remembered correctly, in her previous life, Mother Qin and Qin Fang had been unusually close—famous throughout Beijing for their bond. Anyone who saw them would have thought they were true mother and daughter.

It was the first time Mother Qin had seen Xu Lin and she couldn’t help but look her over several times. That skinny, dark little face, the short and slight build, the frail body—Mother Qin couldn’t help but compare her to Qin Fang. They were the same age, even born on the same day, yet Qin Fang was fair, slender, and a whole head taller than Xu Lin. In comparison, Xu Lin looked even more unsuited for the family, and a flicker of disdain flashed in Mother Qin’s eyes—just as Xu Lin caught it.

Disdain? Ha. Xu Lin nearly laughed with anger. Some people truly had no heart. What right did she have to look down on her?

Xu Lin turned her gaze quickly to Father Qin, observing him. His expression was complicated. When their eyes met, he couldn’t help but ask,

“Is there really no way for you to return as an adopted daughter?”

“No,” Xu Lin replied crisply, cutting him off before he could continue. She already knew what he was about to say—how, in name, she’d be an adopted daughter, but in reality, they’d make it up to her, treat her well. Hah, if they truly wanted to make it right, shouldn’t they send Qin Fang away and bring her back openly and honorably? Xu Lin had no interest in their secretive compensations.

“You—” Father Qin let out a long sigh. “Ah, you’re too blunt, child. It will only bring you harm. You know the saying, ‘one tree doesn’t make a forest.’ Wouldn’t it be better to have Qin Fang by your side as you grow up, to have a companion? In the future, when you two sisters face difficulties, you can support each other. After we’re gone, your siblings will be the closest people you have in the world. You should help each other and grow together.”

Seeing that Father Qin was about to launch into a lengthy speech, Old Master and Old Madam Qin looked on from the sidelines, while Mother Qin nodded repeatedly, thinking her husband’s words were exactly right.

Xu Lin rolled her eyes and interrupted him again, cutting straight to the point: “Comrade Qin, have you made your decision yet?”

Father Qin choked on his next words, his face turning unpleasant. Xu Lin acted as if she hadn’t noticed, her tone cold: “Just state your decision outright. Don’t mention the adopted daughter option again, and don’t try to guilt-trip me with morality. Let me tell you, I have no use for morality, and no one can use it against me. I’m only giving you two choices. Understand?”

Old Madam Qin was furious at this and slammed the table, shouting, “Insolent girl! Just listen to the nonsense you’re spouting! Is this what the Xu family taught you? Where are your manners? Is this how you treat your elders? Is this the attitude you show to the Qin family?”

Mother Qin seized the moment to chime in, “Mother’s right to scold you. Linlin, how can you be so narrow-minded at your age? Your father said so much and you haven’t listened to a word. Demanding a choice between two—do you realize what you sound like? If our family...”