Standing Next To You-Chapter 268: Drown in hurt and disappointment

The car arrived at the Lin mansion’s fourth branch. The head butler of the fourth branch was waiting for them at the entrance and took their school bags.

This simple job was not supposed to be the head butler’s responsibility, but rather that of the other servants in the house. However, ever since the incident, many of the fourth branch’s workers transferred to another mansion or left altogether after submitting their resignations.

Most of the workers in the fourth branch mansion were recommended and brought in by their loyal followers. Therefore, when their loyal allies switched sides after being poached by the first and second branches, those workers also switched allegiances.

As a result, the fourth branch mansion, once filled and not lacking in servants, had become considerably emptier.

The siblings arrived in the massive living room. Li Mei was notified that her children had arrived and went downstairs to greet them.

The moment Lin Sunji saw her mother, all the grievances she had encountered that day found their outlet.

Her eyes welled with tears. She wanted to show her mother the scratches on her face, the bruise on her body, and her torn uniform. She wanted to convey how pitiful and miserable she felt and to find comfort and assurance from her mother, to hear that her mother would avenge her.

Lin Sunji expected her mother to rush up to her first and check on her, as she always did. However, as soon as Li Mei finished the last stair, she went straight to Lin Sanju.

"How was school today? You guys haven’t eaten, right? I’ve cooked your favorite dishes."

Lin Sanju nodded lightly. "Perfect timing. We’re both hungry."

Li Mei’s eyes narrowed to crescents, her voice softening considerably. "Let’s go eat first. You can change later. I haven’t eaten and waited for you two so we can dine together."

She then instructed a maid to prepare the dining table.

Lin Sunji, who observed the entire exchange, was stunned. The expectations she held upon arrival were shattered. She looked at her mother in disbelief.

Why did her mother greet Lin Sanju first?

In the past, whenever they returned home together, her mother’s first attention and care were always directed towards her. Lin Sanju would usually remain silent in the background until he disappeared on his own. The only time her mother paid attention to Lin Sanju was when he wore headphones during family gatherings or played on his phone while eating.

Lin Sunji felt immense disappointment, and the grievances she thought would be vented out were stuck in her throat, making it difficult to breathe.

Didn’t her mother notice her wearing a stranger’s PE uniform and the scratches on her face?

As Lin Sunji drowned in hurt and disappointment, Li Mei finally noticed her.

"Lin Sunji, why are you wearing a PE uniform? It’s too big for you. And your face! What happened to your face?"

Lin Sunji, who was drowning in emotions, was suddenly pulled back. Her mother hadn’t forgotten her; she noticed her. She felt a wave of relief. Perhaps her mother hadn’t recognized her at first because of the oversized PE uniform. That’s why her mother didn’t greet her first.

Lin Sunji’s eyes welled with tears, and the first drops cascaded down her cheeks. All the grievances she harbored resumed their outpouring.

"Mom...." Her voice trembled with anguish as she cried. Tears continued to stream down her face.

She wanted to express so much.

She wanted to tell her mother how Wang Jia had ruined her reputation in public and humiliated her. She wanted to recount how she was brutally assaulted by her. She wanted to reveal how Bei Sangyun and her loyal subordinate looked down on her and treated her unfairly. She wanted to share how the other students at school were ill-mannered and harmed her. She wanted to convey how unfortunate and awful this day had been... how deeply hurt she was... how desperately she wanted revenge.

There were so many thoughts swirling inside Lin Sunji’s mind that her tears kept falling, and her words hiccupped out. "Mom... I... Wang Jia... Zhong Cheng... Bei Sangyun... and those students!" Lin Sunji struggled to articulate her feelings amid her aggrieved cries.

She had never experienced such treatment, such suffering. It felt like the entire world was against her, playing her cruelly.

Li Mei sighed compassionately and gently patted Lin Sunji’s back. "Calm down. You won’t be able to sort anything out if you cry like this. Go wash up and change your clothes. The head maid will tend to the scratches on your face. When you feel calmer, come join us in the dining room."

Lin Sunji’s cries momentarily halted at her mother’s words.

What? Her mother wasn’t offering comfort? Instead, she was sending her away?

Lin Sunji stared at her mother in disbelief.

She expected her mother to hug her, allowing her to cry in her arms until she could articulate all the grievances weighing on her chest. She hoped for promises of vengeance, assurance that nobody would look down on her again, and reassurance that she wouldn’t have to endure such suffering any longer.

But instead...

Li Mei called for the head maid to assist Lin Sunji upstairs.

Lin Sunji recoiled, refusing the head maid’s help. Shocked, she asked Li Mei, "Mom, didn’t you hear what I said? Or are you blind? Look at me! I’m crying!"

Li Mei met Lin Sunji’s gaze. She recognized her daughter’s tantrum and sighed deeply.

"Sunji, you’re old enough to compose yourself and take care of yourself. I see that you’re upset and have had a rough day. That’s why I’m asking you to go upstairs and calm down. You’re no longer a child whom I need to tend to when you cry."

Lin Sunji was dumbfounded. No longer a child? ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

"Am I no longer your child? You always said I’m your precious daughter. You weren’t like this in the past. You always cared about me, not Lin Sanju!"

Li Mei felt a headache coming on. Her daughter was being unreasonable now. She knew that reasoning with her daughter at this moment wouldn’t yield positive results. Lin Sunji was emotional and wouldn’t be receptive to her words.

Turning to the head maid and head butler, she instructed, "Please call her personal butler to send her upstairs. Sunji is emotionally unstable right now."

Lin Sunji’s eyes widened in shock. "Are you going to drag me upstairs against my will?"

Li Mei looked into her daughter’s eyes and discerned the pain reflected in those eyes. She sighed heavily. She didn’t want to be this firm with Lin Sunji, but for the sake of both Lin Sunji and Lin Sanju, she knew it was necessary. She only hoped that Lin Sunji would come to understand why she was being this way when she matured enough in the future.

"You are being too emotional right now. It’s best for you to rest first. Your brother is hungry, and we can’t keep him waiting. Once you’ve calmed down, you’re welcome to join us."

"Mom! How can you do this?!" Lin Sunji exploded, not caring about her surrounding and screaming. "Don’t you care for me now? Are you abandoning me?"