MTLNOVEL Chapter 29:
Chapter 29: Misunderstanding:
Li Ruochen’s words struck Lin Shengnan and Lin Shiyan like a thunderclap, freezing them in place.
Time seemed to pause before Lin Shiyan stammered, “You said… Lin You is allergic to dog hair? Why didn’t I know that?”
Li Ruochen glared at her. “Aren’t you supposed to be his sister? How could you not know he’s allergic to dog hair? Do you even live together? Or do you only remember he’s your brother when you need something from him?”
The words hit a nerve, and a memory surfaced in Lin Shengnan’s mind.
She recalled a time when Lan Lin brought a dog named Cola home. Soon after, Lin You broke out in a severe rash, his head and face covered in red spots.
Lan Lin had accused him of bringing a skin disease from school and worried aloud that it might infect Tianyang. No one took him to the hospital. Instead, he was left alone in the basement for days until the rash subsided.
From then on, Lin You avoided Cola whenever it was nearby.
The incident had been dismissed as normal at the time, but now it made sense—it was a severe allergic reaction.
The family hadn’t even noticed. Meanwhile, whenever Tianyang so much as scraped his hand, the entire household panicked, taking pictures and rushing to get tetanus shots.
The realization hit like a tidal wave. No one in the family had ever cared enough to see Lin You’s struggles for what they truly were.
Feeling an ache in her chest, Shengnan instinctively grabbed Lin You’s hand.
She was struck by the calluses that covered his fingers—a sharp contrast to Tianyang’s smooth, unblemished hands.
What had her family done to Lin You all these years?
Seeing Shengnan grab Lin You’s hand, Li Ruochen assumed she was about to arrest him. She shoved Shengnan and shouted angrily, “Are you police just here to harass regular people? Why don’t you go after real criminals? The [Way of the Fox] runs casinos, lends money at exorbitant interest rates, and forces girls into prostitution, but you target us instead?”
“If you try to arrest Lin You today, I’ll sell myself and go all the way to Kyoto to sue you for abuse of power!”
The shove caused Shengnan to stagger back. She covered her face with her hands, tears streaming through her fingers.
Lin You stepped between them, shielding Li Ruochen. “Officer Lin! That was just a gentle push, wasn’t it? Don’t tell me you’re going to make a scene and cry about it. Are you trying to pull a scam? Claim assaulting an officer?”
He sneered. “Has the Lin family fallen so low that you’re resorting to blackmail to make a living?”
Zhang Xi, still struggling to believe that these well-dressed women could be related to Lin You, hesitantly asked, “Are you sure you’ve got the right person? I’ve been Lin You’s deskmate for two years. He’s so poor he can’t even afford breakfast. Look at his shoes—our head teacher bought those for him. His clothes? A few of us classmates chipped in to buy them. How could he possibly be your brother?”
“There must be a misunderstanding here. Lin You is a great student. He’s popular at school, well-liked by teachers, and even won a scholarship. There’s no way he stole a watch or a dog. He’s an orphan, raised by his grandmother. You must be mistaken.”
Zhang Xi’s words pierced through Shengnan’s heart like a sharp blade, each sentence twisting deeper. Her sense of fairness shattered as she realized the extent of Lin You’s neglect. Overwhelmed, she broke into tears and ran away.
Seeing her leave, Shiyan called after her, “Fourth sister! Wait for me!” She shot Lin You a furious glare before getting into the car and driving after Shengnan.
Despite her efforts, Shengnan refused to stop. She ran faster and faster, her sobs audible even from the car. Soon, one figure and one vehicle disappeared from sight.
Zhang Xi spat blood onto the ground and asked, “Lin You, did I say something wrong? Are they really your sisters? It doesn’t look like it. They’re so rich!”
Lin You didn’t answer.
Instead, he took out his phone and glanced at the time: 8:05 p.m. There were less than thirty minutes left until the explosion predicted by Xuan Chi—down to the second: 8:34:52.
“Fatty, do you trust me?” Lin You asked suddenly.
Zhang Xi, though confused, replied earnestly, “Of course. You’re my brother. Who else would I trust?”
“Good. Give me your father’s phone number.”
“What? Why?”
“Don’t ask. Just tell me.”
Still perplexed, Zhang Xi recited a string of numbers. Lin You dialed it, but before pressing call, he paused. “Your dad’s surname is Zhang, right?”
Zhang Xi nodded. “Yeah. His name’s Zhang Hongqi. What are you trying to do? It’s a little late to call for help.”
Lin You pressed the call button. The phone rang, but no one picked up. Zhang Xi offered an explanation. “He’s probably busy. He might not have the phone with him.”
Lin You tried again, silently pleading, Pick up. Please pick up. I’ll save your life.
The third attempt went unanswered. Finally, on the fourth call, a man’s voice answered, panting, “Yes, I’m Zhang Xi’s father. Who is this?”
Lin You spoke quickly, “Your son’s been in a car accident. It’s bad—his entire lower body is gone. He’s screaming to see you and his mom. Come quickly!”
There was a loud crash on the other end, like a wine bottle shattering, followed by an urgent voice. “Where is he?”
Lin You gave their location and hung up, exhaling in relief. At least Zhang Xi’s parents won’t die tonight.
Zhang Xi, utterly baffled, asked, “Why’d you say I was in a car accident? Are you cursing me?”
Lin You ignored him and sat down on the curb. Li Ruochen joined him, her tone cautious. “Lin You, do you know something?”
Lin You didn’t respond. He kept his eyes on his phone, watching the time tick closer to the explosion. At 8:34, he began counting in his head, syncing with the seconds.
“1, 2, 3… 31, 32…”
He whispered the numbers aloud as he counted.
“Lin You, what are you doing?” Li Ruochen asked, confused. “Is this how you study? Memorizing formulas?”
Lin You didn’t answer. He reached 51, then quietly said, “52.”
At that exact moment, a blinding light erupted in front of them, illuminating the entire area like daylight. Less than half a second later, a deafening BOOM shook the ground, as if thunder had exploded directly overhead.