Chapter 9: Lin Yi's Regret

Grandma Liu’s granddaughter, Liu Ling, pushed her bicycle out and shouted to the distraught Lin Qin, "Sister Lin Qin, it’ll be faster if I take you two there on my bike."

"Thank you, thank you." Lin Qin’s eyes filled with tears as she looked at Liu Ling with gratitude.

"It’s nothing! Get on!" Knowing the situation was urgent, Liu Ling didn't bother with small talk. She pedaled so hard her legs felt like they were smoking, covering the usual forty-minute ride in less than thirty minutes.

Lin Qin wanted to thank her again.

Liu Ling urged, "Hurry and get the child inside; we can talk about everything else later."

Once Lin Qin got the child into the emergency room, she was drenched in sweat. She slid down the hospital wall, collapsing to the floor, suppressing the storm raging within her and not daring to let herself cry out loud.

The wait for treatment was agonizingly long—long enough for Lin Qin to decide exactly how she would kill those three women from the Liu family.

Just then, a doctor and a nurse came out. "What is your relationship to the patient?"

"I’m her mother. Doctor, how is my daughter?"

The doctor let out a long, weary sigh and said, "The child has extensive burns on her back. It’s quite serious, but fortunately, you brought her in just in time. We’ve already applied medication and started an IV. The child might run a fever over the next few days, so keep a close watch. Also, try your best not to touch her wounds; if the blisters break and get infected, it will be very troublesome."

"I understand. Thank you, thank you, Doctor!" Lin Qin nodded and wiped her tears while sobbing.

After the doctor left, the nurse spoke softly, "Come with me to pay the hospital fees."

Lin Qin looked back at Liu Yaya in the treatment room with reluctance, turning her head every few steps. Just after paying the medical bills, she saw Liu Yongming and Fang Ying, who was sporting a large baby bump, around the corner.

She watched as the two whispered intimately to each other, walking in her direction.

Lin Qin immediately turned to face the wall, pretending to study her receipts.

Fang Ying playfully slapped Liu Yongming’s restless hand. "This is a hospital! Behave yourself!"

Liu Yongming didn't care. "What’s wrong with that? Didn't the doctor just touch your belly like this? Hey, look, our son moved! He kicked me! He’s definitely going to be a sturdy little guy."

Fang Ying giggled. "We’ve been back for over half a month, and your son is about to be born. Why haven't you gotten rid of that yellow-faced hag at home yet?"

"Don't panic. I’ve already had someone call her back. This time, I’m going to lay my cards on the table with her. Don't worry, I will definitely marry you properly; I won't let anyone gossip." Liu Yongming promised with conviction.

Lin Qin turned around slowly, watching the backs of the adulterous pair as they walked away, her fists clenched tight.

Because Liu Yaya’s burns were so extensive, she could only lie on her stomach. She was constantly on an IV, and whenever she was awake, she would cry out in pain.

The other patients in the ward felt terrible for her. Seeing Lin Qin running back and forth alone all day without anyone else coming to help, they couldn't help but ask, "Comrade, where is the child’s father? Why hasn't anyone else from your family come? The child can't keep crying like this!"

Lin Qin was burning with anxiety and was just about to explain when Chen Wenjun rushed in carrying food. "How did she get hurt so badly?"

He looked at little Liu Yaya’s pitiful, pained expression, and his eyes turned red.

The kind-hearted woman in the next bed immediately began to chatter, "Her entire back is covered in blisters. Who knows if it’ll leave scars! The child has been crying all day. I see her mother is exhausted—why did you, the father, arrive so late?"

Her words were filled with complaints about Chen Wenjun’s lack of responsibility.

Just as Lin Qin was about to speak, Chen Wenjun kept bowing and apologizing. "It’s my fault, I came late."

After placating the woman, he gave Lin Qin a look, and the two went outside to talk.

"What happened? I only heard about the Liu family when I went to sell fish this evening. How did the child get hurt? How is she?" Chen Wenjun was frantic.

Lin Qin sobbed as she briefly explained the situation. "Liu Li threw hot water at me, and Yaya got burned protecting me. The doctor said we have to be very careful over the next few days; if the blisters break and get infected, it’ll be a huge problem. Can you make a trip to Shanglin Village for me? Find my father and ask him to bring some money."

Chen Wenjun didn't say a word; he shoved thirty yuan into her hands. "Take this money first. The child’s treatment is what matters. I’m going to get your father now. Don't worry, we’ll settle the score with the Liu family later."

With that, he turned and left quickly, not even giving Lin Qin a chance to refuse.

Thinking of the Liu Yongming she had seen earlier, a sneer curled the corner of Lin Qin’s lips. It turned out that in her past life, she had been too easy to deal with, which was why she hadn't seen the truly ugly faces of the Liu family.

"Liu Li! I will make you pay for today’s grudge for the rest of your life!" Lin Qin gripped the money tightly, wiped her tears, and calmed herself before heading back into the ward.

Chen Wenjun ran all the way to Shanglin Village; it was just getting dark.

There were few people out in the village. He navigated the familiar path to Lin Yi’s house and, fearing he would disturb the neighbors, knocked on the door softly but urgently.

Lin Yi had just laid down and wasn't asleep yet. Hearing the knocking, he immediately grabbed his clothes and walked out. "Coming, coming."

As soon as the door opened, before he could see who it was, he heard Chen Wenjun say urgently, "Uncle, Lin Qin and the child are at the city hospital. She asked me to come and get you."

Lin Yi’s heart sank. Without asking further questions, he turned back to grab some money, quickly locked the door, and followed Chen Wenjun out of the village.

Only when they reached the main road outside the village did Lin Yi recognize Chen Wenjun, and he was shocked. "Why is it you?"

Chen Wenjun explained as he walked quickly, "I went to the street to sell fish this evening and heard about the Liu family. The old women were saying it was very serious, so I was worried and made the trip."

Hearing this, Lin Yi walked even faster. Along the way, he didn't dare ask how his daughter and granddaughter were, only learning that it was Liu Yaya who was injured once they reached the hospital.

When he arrived at the ward and saw the child’s miserable state, Lin Yi broke down. He ran to the end of the hallway and wailed.

Lin Qin entrusted Liu Yaya to Chen Wenjun and went over to comfort him.

"Dad."

Lin Yi beat his own head in regret and self-reproach. "It’s all my fault! If I hadn't made you go back, you wouldn't have suffered this! The Liu family is trying to take your lives!

Where is Liu Yongming? Didn't he come back? Where is he? Why hasn't he come?"

Lin Qin couldn't hold it in anymore and started crying along with him. "Dad! Don't ask! Liu Yongming never really wanted to marry me in the first place. He only came to our house to propose because he had no money for school and had no other choice. Now that he’s about to graduate and get ahead, how could he possibly continue living with me?

I... I heard people say he’s been back for half a month. I was bullied by his whole family and he never showed up. The child is like this and he hasn't even asked about her. Do you still expect him to protect us?"

Back then, when she reached the age to be married, because there were no sons in the family and Lin Yi was generous, he had announced he would give a hundred yuan as a dowry. That was the situation under which Liu Yongming had come to propose.