The news of Chi Xing's fight with Bian Heng quickly spread throughout Shuilu Town. Although the BBS of the affiliated schools had a large amount of traffic, no one knew why Chi Xing suddenly went to Shuilu No. 1 Middle School, and no one knew why the two of them fought.
But the more people involved, the less the secret could be kept.
Moreover, Lin Shicha had not deliberately concealed the fact that Chi Xing had many younger brothers, so it was soon rumored on the affiliated schools' forums that Chi Xing had dated Lin Shicha.
There were even photos posted, showing the usually unruly tyrant who had his arms around the petite girl, speaking to her with a smile, while she hugged his neck with a coquettish smile.
Bian Heng also dated Lin Shicha, but they had broken up.
This made speculators wonder: LSC dated Chi Xing, dated Bian Heng, so I am willing to believe that she also dated Silence. Someone overheard Silence and Bian Heng arguing near LSC, and indeed mentioned the word "breakup," Chi Xing's name was also mentioned, as well as another person named Huo, but I don't remember clearly.
109L: ... Huo Yinan?
After all, he was just as famous as Chi Xing and Bian Heng, so the only person she could think of at the same level was Huo Yinan from No. 3 Middle School.
320L: Damn, I really admire this girl. Has she dated all four of these guys?
Although the matter had escalated, fortunately no one could imagine that Lin Shicha was involved with all four of them simultaneously, which would be too scandalous. They believed it was just separate relationships.
After the math competition ended, it was the weekend.
Instead of going home immediately, Lin Shicha took a bus to Dingyu Building. Her phone beeped with a text message.
- I'm very busy, let's talk tomorrow, I'm in a meeting.
Okay, at the company.
Lin Shicha put away her phone. It took quite a while to take a bus to the bustling metropolis. When she arrived at the Dingyu Building, it was already 6:30 in the evening.
Lin Baicheng looked tired after the meeting, but fortunately the project was going well, so there would be a lot of year-end bonuses. Thinking of his delicate and obedient daughter at home, he softened and his weariness dissipated. "Dad."
This call made Lin Baicheng pause, and his expression changed, "What are you doing here?"
The girl in front of him had bangs and waist-length hair, wearing a well-fitting school uniform, with a tranquil and beautiful appearance. But to Lin Baicheng, she was quite annoying because her face was a perfect match to his ex-wife's.
"I've come to ask for money." Lin Shicha didn't show any particular expression. "You haven't paid child support all this time. Isn't it time you do?"
"What child support?" Lin Baicheng's face looked ugly. "Come on, don't block the entrance of the company, what do you think you're doing?"
Lin Shicha shrugged off Lin Baicheng's push. "When you divorced my mom, legally you should pay me a certain amount of child support every month. Do I need to call a lawyer or someone from the court to confirm?"
"Or I can ask Auntie." Lin Shicha blinked.
The aunt she mentioned was Lin Baicheng's current wife. She didn't know about Lin Shicha's existence, and she didn't even know that Lin Baicheng had been divorced, always thinking that he was a first-time husband.
Lin Baicheng's face turned ashen, his breath becoming heavier. After two seconds, he spoke, "How much do you want?"
"I know that your monthly salary is stable at around thirty thousand. According to the law, you should pay twenty or thirty percent of your monthly income. I'm being considerate and will calculate it at twenty percent."
Lin Shicha was very clear with her calculations, even using her phone calculator, "Six thousand per month. You divorced when I was two, and I'm now seventeen. You need to pay fifteen years of child support. I've rounded it down for you."
"One million." She said these three words unexpectedly clearly, her tone natural and calm.
Lin Baicheng's eyes widened in anger, "Why don't you just rob me? You can't just calculate it like that!" Now he felt that it was no wonder that the woman gave birth to this annoying girl, they had the same despicable face and mouth.
"You have one more year until I'm an adult. I'll give you seventy thousand at most. Give me your account number, and I'll transfer the money to you in a while." Lin Baicheng waved his hand and let Lin Shicha go, "Hurry up, don't linger, otherwise you won't get a dime."
Lin Shicha seemed a little sad, but Lin Baicheng's attitude was really bad. She lowered her voice, looking like she was about to cry, "Dad."
Lin Baicheng paused in his shoving and slowly put his hands down. But he only softened for two seconds, "Tea, I no longer have feelings for your mother. Continuing the relationship would be mutual torment for both of us, that's why we divorced. Now Dad has a new family, if you really love Dad, don't come to disturb me. I'll give you the money, and you go back to the town to live with your grandmother, okay?"
There was a silence for a while.
Lin Baicheng felt a little melancholy. He saw Lin Shicha raise her head, there was no trace of sadness in her expression. She took out a recorder from her pocket, "Whether you give it or not, one million."
"If you don't give it, I'll let Auntie and your daughter listen to it." She had called him "Dad" to show her weakness, to draw out his words and make him admit that he was her father, so the recording would be effective.
Lin Baicheng was stiff all over, staring at the seemingly innocent girl in disbelief. "You— " He almost fainted.
"I sent the account number to your phone. I want to see the transaction details in a week, otherwise I will go find your daughter. I know her personal information and contact details." Lin Shicha waved the recorder and grabbed her bag, turning to leave.
She texted Lin Chunhua that she was on her way home, saying there were last-minute makeup classes at school, then boarded the bus back to Shuilu Town.
Lin Shicha couldn't find her biological mother's contact information. When her mother left, she cleaned everything neatly, showing that she was heartbroken and averse to Lin Baicheng. She didn't even spare a glance at her daughter, probably deeply resenting the fact that she carried Lin Baicheng's blood.
It didn't matter, she would treat her as dead.
Leaning against the car window, Lin Shicha squinted her eyes. She had never thought of looking for Lin Baicheng in her previous life. She was a proud girl. Since her biological father didn't want her or acknowledge her, what was the point of approaching him?
She remembered when she was young, she had tried to find him, but all she saw was a happy family of three. She had never experienced such warmth. The girl in a pink dress happily leaned in his arms and called him daddy sweetly, but the ten-year-old Lin Shicha just watched for a while and then left.
Even if she had to start afresh, she could have nothing, but she couldn't let Lin Chunhua have no retirement money. Lin Baicheng, that despicable beast, did not come back home and told his wife that his parents were both dead just to sever his past.
Lin Chunhua had no one to take care of her, so she could have some money and use it in the future to hire someone to take care of her retirement.
It would be best to move away from Shuilu Town and retire to a quiet and warm place, so as not to feel sad when seeing Shuilu Town.
Most importantly... why should Lin Baicheng lead a happy life, while those who have had their pasts severed should be heartlessly abandoned? Perhaps, was she thinking too optimistically?
Lin Shicha copied a string of numbers that Chen Mei had sent her, added her as a friend, and the request message she sent was the name of that girl. Therefore, the other party was curious, but she quickly accepted the friend request.
L: ???
The other party sent three question marks.
Speaking of it, this girl named Lin Shuling was also fifteen years old this year.
She couldn't alarm anyone now, so Lin Shicha just replied, "You will know who I am in a week."
After replying, she ignored Lin Shuling.
"Are you Lin Shicha?" suddenly asked the girl next to her. Lin Shicha turned her head in surprise and saw an incredibly beautiful girl. "Hmm? I am." However, her beauty was not entirely sweet and gentle, but rather carried a touch of coolness.
She had soft black hair that partially covered her bright eyes. When she got a response from Lin Shicha, she leaned to the side and her hair slid back to reveal those eyes. She had a straight nose, thin lips, and a pale complexion. With a little change in her voice, she could easily pass off as a rare handsome boy.
"How do you know me?" Lin Shicha curiously asked.
The handsome girl chuckled lightly, her voice sounding as cold as the collision of ice cubes. "I am in the same class as Chixing."
She stopped there, not explaining further. But Lin Shicha could guess what she meant. Chixing was so jubilant. When they first started dating, he was practically flying high, eager to tell the whole world about the girlfriend he had found and placed at the center of his heart.
Lin Shicha smiled and looked at her for a while, sincerely praising her, "You're really handsome."
The girl was surprised for a moment and seemed to be reminded of something. She looked a little helpless and embarrassed, coughed a few times, but did not immediately speak.
Lin Shicha guessed what was going on and asked, "I bet there are also girls who confess to you normally, right?" She leaned her head and showed a smile.
"It's alright..." the girl tugged at the corner of her lips, avoiding the question.
"Can I add you as a friend? I really like you." Lin Shicha moved closer, making an effort to show her kindness and friendliness.
The girl leaned back and hesitated for a moment, thinking about her relationship with Chixing and the things that had spread on the forums, confirming her warmth and sincerity, and then agreed.
"What's your name? I want to add you to my contacts." Lin Shicha asked.
"Baishenghe, where 'bai' means white, 'sheng' means music, and 'he' means crane." Baishenghe explained the meaning of her name.
"Your name is really nice, with a touch of ethereal and scholarly vibe." Lin Shicha sincerely praised her, smiling and then said, "Then I will call you Her from now on."
Baishenghe: "???"
Was the leap too big???