Everyone was sitting at the table eating. Then Haoran said,
"We're leaving today."
"Leaving today?" Yuexin asked sadly.
"Yes. Your daughter-in-law is pregnant. I can't stay here leaving her alone for so long."
"You could've brought her with you."
"If I brought her, who would take care of her? You? You already need someone constantly by your side."
Yuexin felt a little hurt by Haoran's words.
"Okay. Do whatever you think is right."
Everyone continued to eat in silence.
Meilin, who was sitting next to Haoran, kept gesturing for her to say something. They spoke with gestures. Lina noticed this but didn't say anything. After a while, Haoran said,
"We're leaving today. So it would be better if we did what we came here for."
"What do you mean?" Weisheng frowned and asked.
"Didn't you come to spend the last and first day of the year with us!" Yuexin asked, surprise.
"Of course. But we are in a bit of trouble. "
After hearing Meilin's words, Yuexin was worried and said,
" Trouble? "
"Yes, Mom. There's been a huge loss in my business. I need about 100 Million Yuan now."
"And your son-in-law's business isn't doing well either. My due date is coming up soon. A new member is on the way. Expenses will rise. That's why he wanted to make some changes in the business. For that, we need around 80 Million Yuan."
After hearing Meilin and Haoran's words, Yuexin and Weisheng both fell silent.
The atmosphere was silent. No one was saying anything. Meilin and Haoran were both looking at each other's faces. They didn't know whether they should say anything or not. Finally, Meilin held Yuexin's hand and said,
"Mom, if you don't help us in this crisis, where will we go? And 180 Million isn't that big an amount for you. You could easily help both of us if you want. "
Yuexin and Weisheng's faces were expressionless. Meilin and Haoran were now worried. Haoran was about to say something, but before he could, Yuexin addressed Lina.
"Lina!"
"Yes, Mrs. Yuexin."
"Bring my checkbook from my room."
"Okay, Mrs. Yuexin."
Lina left.
There was silence in the room, and Meilin and Haoran felt confident that their work would be completed this time. Lina brought the checkbook and handed it to Yuexin.
"180 million Yuan..... "
Yuexin wrote it down accurately and tore the check out.
"You've come after four years. Your father and I understood why you were really here. Even though you didn't check on us, we always kept an eye on you. We already knew about your situation. Anyway, don't think that just because we're giving you this check, we'll give you whatever you want whenever you ask. There's a condition behind this—remember that!"
" Condition? " Meilin said in surprise.
Now Weisheng opened his mouth, "Yes, conditions. You will no longer receive any more financial support from us. And you will have no claim over any of our property."
"What!!" Haoran stood up and shouted.
"Are you out of your minds, Mom and Dad? Besides the two of us, who else do you have? Who will you give the property to? If we don't get it, then who will? Who else is there to receive it?"
Hearing Haoran, Meilin looked at Lina and said, "Who else? Lina. She's the one closest to them now. So they're planning to give everything to her, cutting us out."
Hearing Meilin's words, Weisheng looked at Lina with narrowed eyes. Lina was looking at him, so their eyes meet unintentional.
"You're pushing us aside and thinking of accepting this street girl as your own? Looks like she's done quite a job brainwashing you both."
Hearing Haoran's words, tears rolled down Lina's eyes. Weisheng slammed his hand on the table. A loud sound echoed. Everyone fell silent.
"Your mother has been suffering from Dissociative Amnesia for the past five years. Did you come even once to see her? Forget coming—do you even pick up her calls, fearing she might ask for time or money? Do you know the condition of her body? Sometimes she forgets her own name. In this condition, Lina does everything for her. From feeding to every little task—she handles it all. What have you done as her children? Nothing. Nothing at all. So such words don't suit you."
Haoran and Meilin couldn't say anything to Weisheng's words. They remained silent.
Haoran left there angrily. Meilin also left after him. As soon as they left, Yuexin started crying with her head in her hands. Weisheng started patting Yuexin's back and comforting her. Lina silently looked at them.
___
Haoran came into the room and was cleaning everything. Then Meilin came into the room.
"What will you do? Have you thought of anything?"
"My head is too hot right now. I just want to go home."
"Fine. But I think we should do something about Lina before we leave."
"What do you mean?" Haoran frowned.
Meilin looked around and said, "It wouldn't be right to say it here. Let's get out of this house first, then I'll tell you everything."
"Okay. Anyways I don't want to stay here for a second."
___
Yuexin was asleep. But suddenly she woke up. She looked back to the other side of the bed and was surprised.
Weisheng was not next to her. Yuexin looked in surprise. She got up from the bed and sat up. She picked up the phone next to her. It was 2 o'clock on the phone.
It was 2 o'clock in the midnight but Yuexin was worried when she didn't see Weisheng next to her. She got up from the bed and sat up.
Then she heard someone screaming. Yuexin was surprised. She quickly left the room. As she left the room, the sound became louder.
As the sound became clearer, Yuexin realized that it was Lina's voice. Lina's room was two steps away from her room. Yuexin quickly went to Lina's room. Since the door was open, she entered the room without thinking anything.
As she entered the room, she was surprised. She couldn't believe her own eyes. She couldn't believe that what she was seeing was real or was it a bad dream.....