Father Lin rambled on about various issues. When his mouth grew dry, he lifted a cup of tea and took a sip. Noticing Ning Shu with her head lowered in silence, he couldn't tell whether she was listening. He then recalled the company's dire situation, feeling as if it was on the brink of bankruptcy because of this daughter who seemed to bring nothing but bad luck.
Inspectors came to the company every day, first for taxes, then for formalities. They kept arriving for all sorts of reasons, driving Father Lin nearly to madness.
Frustrated, he threw the teacup at Ning Shu. Having been hit earlier, she had kept a wary eye on him. The moment he moved, she dodged, and the teacup smashed against the floor.
Father Lin pointed at her with one hand while clutching his chest with the other, looking as though he might have a heart attack. Ultimately, he displayed a helpless and pained expression, as if suffering but unable to act.
Ning Shu thought: What is happening now?
"Jiajia, you should leave the Lin family. This is just a temporary measure. After some time, once these troubles pass, Father will welcome you back into the family."
"Jiajia, Father loves you, but I really have no other choice. Don't blame Father, alright?"
Ning Shu stammered, "F-Father, what do you mean?"
A sinking feeling rose in her heart. She hoped it wasn't what she feared.
Her moral integrity wasn't that bad, was it? Wasn't 20 points of luck a bit too low?
In gaming, if you encounter bad RNG (bad luck), people often joke that your moral integrity is lacking because good people have good karma.
"From now on, you aren't the Lin family's daughter anymore." Father Lin looked at her with a pained expression. "Don't worry; Father will welcome you back."
If it weren't for the earlier slaps, Ning Shu might have believed this man. Now, it felt as though he was casting her aside, severing all ties.
Ning Shu realized she had complicated matters. She had come to counterattack for the original host, yet she ended up being cast out of the family. Was she too weak?
Without hesitation, she said, "Father, I believe you." Instead of believing him, she would rather trust that a female pig could climb a tree.
Father Lin sighed in relief at her calmness, thinking she was still a clever and lovable daughter, albeit a bit naive. Who in Ace Academy didn't have a high status? Any random student had great influence, yet she disturbed Leng Ao. Did she even know who he was?
Ambition wasn't wrong, but aiming too high could lead to a fall.
Father Lin had his own ambitions, but he had learned to take things step by step. Now, due to his daughter, the company was struggling. If this continued, bankruptcy would be inevitable.
Ning Shu went to Lin Jiajia's room to pack. She gathered all the clothes from the original host's closet, regardless of the season, leaving not a single garment behind.
She didn't trust a word the old fox said. As for his promise to welcome her back, she dismissed it as empty rhetoric.
Having spent years in the hospital, Ning Shu understood such matters all too well. She had seen many people act solely for their own benefit. Key moments in life—birth, aging, illness, and death—often played out in hospitals.
Although she had never stepped into society, she had witnessed the world's attitudes within those walls.
For their own benefit, the Lin family had abandoned their daughter.
Ning Shu felt pity for the original host. With gauze wrapped around her head so visibly, it was clear that Father Lin, despite claiming "Father loves you," didn't even notice her injury. Instead, he added insult to injury, kicking her out without asking anything.
Ning Shu swept all the cosmetics and jewelry from the dressing table into her suitcase, along with name-brand bags. They could be exchanged for cash if times got tough.