In Lin Chengzhi's current state, there was no way he could go home and explain things. Unless he didn't go home until his injuries healed, but he had never missed going home before. Telling such a lie would be quite a challenge.
When in doubt, turn to Dad.
Miaomiao's thought process was completely different from that of her friends and brother.
While her friends were wracking their brains to figure out how to help Lin Chengzhi hide the truth from his parents, Miaomiao simply picked up the phone and called Lin Yao.
Lin Yao was in an important meeting. His phone had been left in his office, so he didn't receive Wei Ziqi's calls. After the meeting, when this silly dad saw so many missed calls from Wei Ziqi on his phone, he thought something terrible had happened.
Just then, Miaomiao's call came in.
If his daughter was calling him herself, it must not be because she was in danger. Most likely, she had encountered some difficult problem and needed help.
Lin Yao let out a long sigh of relief, answered the call, and adjusted his voice to ask gently, "Miaomiao, what's up?"
"Dad, what's wrong with you?" Miaomiao was sensitive enough to notice that something was off in her silly dad's tone and asked in return.
"Nothing. I just have a bit of a sore throat," Lin Yao paused. He couldn't very well explain to his daughter that he had just scolded his stupid subordinates so harshly that it was hard to switch his tone so quickly.
He just made up an excuse and got away with it.
Fortunately, Miaomiao was preoccupied with her third brother's situation and didn't press the matter further.
As soon as Lin Chengzhi heard Miaomiao call "Dad", he realized who she was calling. But it was too late to stop her. The call was already connected. He didn't even dare to breathe loudly and shook his head and waved his hands frantically, hoping Miaomiao would understand his intention and hang up the phone.
But would Miaomiao, who was so focused on calling her dad, notice her third brother's actions?
Of course not!
She completely ignored him!
"Dad, third brother helped a senior sister. He signed her up for a tutoring class, bought her meals, and gave her money. Third brother said that without these things, the senior sister wouldn't be able to continue school. He also said that the senior sister's family favors sons over daughters. And there's a hooligan who wants to date the senior sister, but she refused. When the hooligan saw third brother with the senior sister, he got some guys and cornered third brother in an alley. They beat up third brother and the chubby guy. Now third brother is all bruised. He doesn't want Uncle and Auntie to know about this. Dad, what should we do?"
Miaomiao perfectly described the whole incident. In just a few words, she clarified the ins and outs, but many of the terms were ambiguous. This left Lin Yao on the other end of the phone utterly shocked.
There was no gene for puppy love in the Lin family. It wasn't that they were against it. If a couple truly liked each other, were determined to be together for a lifetime, and could take on the responsibility, the Lin family wasn't overly opposed. But the premise was that such adolescent love had to be positive. There shouldn't be too much physical contact, and they shouldn't let it affect their studies. In this regard, the Lin family was quite open - minded.
The reason they said there was no puppy - love gene was that the Lin children matured late. Take Uncle Lin for example. Back when he was in junior high school, he had a crush on his current wife. But at that time, they were just students, and the future was uncertain. Uncle Lin, even at a young age, knew that being in a relationship meant being responsible for the other person. Since he didn't think he had the ability at that time, he never crossed the line.
It wasn't until after he graduated from college at the age of twenty - three, when his job was relatively stable and he felt he could take on the responsibility of a family, that he confessed his feelings to his wife. During this period, Uncle Lin was quite shrewd and never lost touch with his current wife. When his future wife had a puppy love, Uncle Lin still maintained a proper distance as a normal opposite - sex friend.
Uncle Lin was the earliest to mature in the family. So Lin Yao was really surprised. Had Lin Chengzhi already learned to woo girls with money at such a young age?
Lin Yao couldn't tell if Lin Chengzhi was evolving or regressing into a playboy.
"No, no! Fourth Uncle! Listen to my explanation. Don't listen to Miaomiao's nonsense!" Lin Chengzhi was so scared that cold sweat broke out. He quickly snatched Miaomiao's phone and added a lot more details.
Like how the hooligan got a bunch of guys and cornered him in the alley just because he was with the senior sister.
How he gave the senior sister money for the tutoring class and bought her meals.
How the hooligan wanted to date the senior sister but she refused.
Although what Miaomiao said was all the truth without any exaggeration, if he didn't add these details, it was easy to misunderstand.
Heaven and earth could testify! He did feel a bit of pity for that senior sister, but he definitely didn't have any improper thoughts!
After listening to Lin Chengzhi's addition, Lin Yao couldn't help but curl his lips. His daughter really hadn't improved much in narrating things. She had almost dug a hole and buried her third brother.
"Come stay at my place until your injuries heal. I'll talk to your parents. Can you handle this matter on your own?" Lin Yao was kind - hearted enough to take Lin Chengzhi in to recuperate at his home, but the jealousy among kids usually went on and on.
Lin Chengzhi was old enough to learn to handle his own affairs. If he couldn't even handle this, he might as well stay at home and be a playboy.
"I can! I don't need the family to intervene!" Lin Chengzhi readily agreed. He didn't want to be a momma's boy who only cried for help when something happened, even though he was only sixteen.
"Okay. I'll send the driver to pick you up tonight. But aren't you about to start class? Also, you'd better explain to me tonight why Miaomiao was with you at this time."
Lin Yao hung up the phone after saying that, not giving Lin Chengzhi any chance to argue or explain.
Lin Chengzhi held the phone, feeling lost. Lin Yao's last words kept echoing in his mind.
Explain to Fourth Uncle why Miaomiao was with him at this time!?
He was doomed! His life was over!
How could he explain that he was beaten up on the ground, asked the chubby guy to call for help, and ended up having his junior - high - school freshman cousin come to fight?
If he explained it like that, Fourth Uncle would probably skin him alive!
"Third brother, did Dad hang up the phone?"
Human joys and sorrows are not the same. Miaomiao didn't feel her third brother's despair at all. She blinked her big, innocent eyes and asked.
"Yes, he hung up. But, little sister, I think I should just go find a block of tofu and bash my head in."