Chapter 49: A New Home and a Transformed Brother

Cangyang City, Lin Ling’s New Home

Recently, Lin Ling had been exceptionally busy and rather vexed.

Beyond fielding calls from parents, relatives, and friends inquiring about her safety and future living arrangements, she had a whirlwind of other matters to attend to.

She had also paid a visit to the Zhang family, where a multitude of issues required her attention.

Furthermore, she had rushed to the hospital to stabilize the injured. While the deceased could not be resurrected, Lin Ling was determined not to let any more lives be lost due to failed resuscitation. As long as a breath remained, saving them was not difficult.

As for the control of online public opinion and information, she entrusted that to Little White.

Lin Ling had attempted to consult Little White about the bizarre encounter at the Star Core, even conducting her own investigation, but had learned nothing. What were those black monsters? Why had they specifically lured her there?

Her mind was a whirlwind of questions.

Moreover, these past few days, she had painstakingly investigated everything concerning Xi Yue.

She had even debated whether to violate her own principles and read Wu Hang’s memories. However, after 0.001 seconds of profound deliberation,

Lin Ling resolutely abandoned her principles, directly accessing Wu Hang’s memories pertaining to Xi Yue.

What she discovered was truly shocking, shattering her worldview entirely.

The brutal, ruthless, and merciless slayer in Wu Hang’s memories was a stark contrast to the gentle, virtuous, and considerate maiden in her own recollections. Had it not been for Xi Yue’s later conversation with Wu Hang, revealing details of their past embarrassing moments (to prove she was indeed Xi Yue herself), and her expressed concern for Lin Ling’s safety, Lin Ling would have suspected that Xi Yue had been possessed by some demon from hell.

Strangely, Xi Yue’s presence at the time had indeed resembled a puppet on strings, and Lin Ling had found no lingering soul remnants when she arrived at the scene.

However, the conversation between Wu Hang and Xi Yue also confirmed that Xi Yue was not from Blue Star and intended to take Lin Ling away. This deeply touched Lin Ling, but how would she explain her current state to Xi Yue then?

‘Forget it,’ she mused. ‘I’ll make plans after Bisika finds news of Xi Yue.’

****

‘I just hope she succeeds.’

Lin Ling was currently busy organizing her new home with Little White. Although her original residence hadn’t been completely destroyed, its proximity to the disaster site had led the government to temporarily cordon it off.

Despite her reluctance, she had to move out.

Thanks to Little White, Lin Ling quickly purchased an apartment in the suburbs and acquired a plethora of essential equipment. Now, following Little White’s classical design scheme, she was rapidly decorating and arranging furniture with astonishing efficiency.

She forcibly compressed several months’ worth of work into mere hours. As for the harmful gases from the renovation, Lin Ling had her own methods of dealing with them.

Why the rush, one might ask? Because her younger brother was arriving that very afternoon.

As a kind older brother (or sister, as the case may be), Lin Ling felt it was her duty to provide a comfortable abode for her long-unseen brother and welcome him home. Having not met in over three years, Lin Ling deeply missed her younger brother. His studies had kept them apart, but now that he had finally graduated and was returning home, Lin Ling felt a thrill of excitement.

‘It’s been so long. I wonder what A-Hui looks like now. He might have gotten quite wild these past few years, not even sending a few photos home.’

Though Lin Ling could now see her brother’s face at any moment, she preferred to save that anticipation for their reunion that afternoon.

****

Afternoon

Cangyang Airport

As International Flight MK588 smoothly touched down, Lin Hui finally returned to his familiar homeland after a long absence. Gazing at the airport, which had changed little from his memories, scenes from his departure years ago flooded his mind. He remembered his parents’ admonitions and his older brother’s reluctant expression. At the time, he had felt slightly annoyed, thinking they always treated him like a child, and couldn’t wait to get on the plane. Yet, once abroad, he realized how much he missed his boisterous home.

Thankfully, he was finally back. He could have returned months ago, but the pandemic had delayed him until now. Fortunately, with the vaccine available, he could escape the fate of quarantine upon his return.

He could reunite with his family sooner.

‘But I didn’t expect my parents to choose this time to go back to their hometown. How rude!’ he thought. ‘Am I even their biological son?! (+﹏+)’

At least his older brother hadn’t forgotten him and had specially come to pick him up today. He recalled his father specifically telling him that his older brother’s girlfriend had passed away a few months prior, and to be careful not to mention it.

To be honest, when Lin Hui first learned of his older brother’s girlfriend’s death, he felt a faint sense of relief.

Lin Hui had possessed a strong intuition since childhood, relying on his extraordinary sixth sense several times to avoid major traffic accidents—a rather mystical ability. The moment he first met his older brother’s girlfriend, an inexplicable chill had surged through him, leaving him with a consistently poor impression of Xi Yue.

Time seemed to fly by as he reminisced. Soon, Lin Hui passed through security and exited the airport. His eyes immediately landed on a familiar figure waving at him by the entrance.

‘Heh, my older brother hasn’t changed a bit in three years.’

****

However, unlike the calm Lin Hui, Lin Ling was far from composed.

‘Wow!??!’

‘Is that my stinky little brother?! He must have been modified by aliens!’

Indeed, compared to three years ago, Lin Hui’s transformation was astonishing. Both his appearance and demeanor were entirely different. The handsome man before her, standing at 1.85 meters with a muscular chest and biceps, was a world apart from the scrawny high school student he once was.

‘Did this guy hit a second growth spurt?’ Lin Ling wondered. ‘He’s even taller than my male body now. Compared to him, I might as well be a string bean.’

Yet, the boy also seemed much more mature, no longer giving off the impression of a wet-behind-the-ears kid. Was it due to three years of independent living?

Looking at the tall, upright young man before her, Lin Ling felt genuine joy.