CHAPTER 209: CHAPTER 208: UNINVITED GUESTS

"Oh, Wanwan, the person dragging luggage over there at the door, doesn’t he look like your Uncle Zhantian? Isn’t he in the United States? Has he come back again?"

After cleaning the second floor and attic, the little auntie suddenly shouted while wiping the shoe cabinet in the first floor living room.

Lin Wanwan got up from the sofa, went to the door, and looked outside. Sure enough, her uncle’s family of four was dragging several large suitcases coming this way.

Lin Wanwan’s face instantly turned somber. What is this family doing, bringing so much luggage? Are they planning to stay here?

She hadn’t spoken yet, but Lin Zhantian had already seen the little auntie through the open door and warmly greeted, "Yo, Auntie, you’re here today too, cleaning for Wanwan? Hard work, hard work."

Then, in a slightly reproachful tone, he said to Lin Wanwan, "Wanwan, how can you let the little auntie do the cleaning for you? This won’t do, girls shouldn’t be so lazy."

Lin Wanwan didn’t answer, but the little auntie quickly interjected, "Oh no, you see what I’m wearing, I work for the property management now. Wanwan hired a property cleaning service to come and tidy up, and it just so happened I was on duty today."

As they spoke, Lin Zhantian and the others had already carried their suitcases up the porch steps and were about to enter: "Oh, so that’s how it is. Auntie, you’ve got so many houses from the relocation, the rent is enough to feed you, why do cleaning work, that’s tiring."

"It’s not tiring, not tiring. Could it be more tiring than farming with your face to the soil and back to the sky?" The little auntie laughed and said, then curiously asked, "Aren’t you all in the United States? Has the whole family come back and are you planning to go back later?"

Lin Zhantian replied, "Ah, yes, we’re all back. The pandemic abroad is too severe, it’s safer here. We’re going to stay in the country for a while and see if the situation improves. Wanwan, you’re not working today, are you? Your aunt bought some groceries, and she’ll cook lunch. Since your grandpa passed away, you haven’t had a chance to eat home-cooked food, have you?"

Lin Wanwan stepped back to let the family come in first.

With the most gossip-loving relative, the little auntie, around, Lin Wanwan didn’t want to tear into her uncle’s family at the doorstep. Regardless of who is right or wrong, outsiders just like to gossip and watch a joke, and it would always embarrass her grandparents.

She didn’t want her grandparents to lose face because of gossip about family disputes, and her grandparents always practiced "don’t air your dirty laundry" even though they were displeased with her uncle not coming back to the country. To outsiders, they always said the son was video calling every day and wanting to take them to the United States.

Though unwilling to have a falling-out, Lin Wanwan was too lazy to deal with this family, not even bothering to greet them.

So she silently returned to the sofa, picked up the remote from the coffee table, turned on the TV, and randomly chose a channel, increasing the volume to focus on the TV screen.

The sound in the living room avoided making the atmosphere too awkward.

Xie Yuanying was already in the kitchen with plastic bags of groceries, while Lin Zhantian was still standing at the door chatting with the little auntie. Their two children changed into disposable hotel slippers at the door and were standing in the living room, looking around.

Her brother, Lin Qixing, looked around, curled his lips, and complained, "From the outside, it seems impressive, but the interior decor is so outdated."

Lin Wanwan’s beautiful eyes flashed coldly, glancing at him without saying a word.

Seeing Lin Wanwan’s expression, Lin Qixing shut his mouth, placed his suitcase in the center of the living room, and sat on the single sofa facing the window, asking about the TV without a topic, "What are you watching?"

Lin Wanwan replied coldly, "An outdated show."

Lin Qixing felt awkward, snorted, and stopped talking to Lin Wanwan. Actually, he had been quite happy at first to meet this cousin he had never seen, after all, who doesn’t like a pretty face?

But then Lin Wanwan’s cold demeanor, like keeping people at a distance, made him a little upset. After all, his parents were the elders here. What kind of attitude is that? She didn’t have proper upbringing, obviously missing out on parental discipline.

His sister, Lin Mengyun, was still studying at a music college but had to take a leave of absence due to the family’s upheaval and was in a bad mood. However, having grown up in a family that favored boys over girls, she was better at observing people’s expressions and quickly noticed Lin Wanwan’s unpleasant expression.

Was she not welcoming their family?

She had heard about her parents returning last year to deal with grandparents’ belongings and selling the house to her cousin.

She could understand Lin Wanwan’s displeasure. Her parents’ attitude when selling the house last year could be imagined, and it’s certain the other party didn’t have a good time.

Her parents didn’t even care much about her, their daughter, let alone a niece they barely saw once in years.

Over-indulgence is as harmful as neglecting a child completely. Her parents didn’t understand at all. They had to use up all their family’s savings to keep her reckless brother out of jail. They said they returned because of the pandemic, but in fact, they couldn’t stay in the United States any longer.

Her brother’s academic level was too low to get into an American university, only with his Chinese-American identity he could find a third-rate university as an international student here.

Sigh, she hadn’t wanted to come back, but she had no choice. Now, she didn’t have the courage to leave the family yet.

Although attending the American music college wasn’t an option anymore, with her Chinese-American status and decent school grades, she should still be able to find a music college here.

Coincidentally, she studied the harp, a relatively niche field. It wasn’t exactly a shortcut, but was still a decent entry point to an art school.

She sighed silently, took out a box from her backpack, smiled, and sat beside Lin Wanwan on the sofa, handing the box to Lin Wanwan: "Cousin, hello, my name is Lin Mengru, I’m twenty-three years old. I was born in May, and I heard from my dad that you’re born in November, right? I’m a few months older than you. Please accept this small gift."

Lin Wanwan turned to look at her, saying indifferently, "Thank you, there’s no need for a gift. I didn’t know you were coming suddenly, so I didn’t prepare anything."

Lin Mengyun’s smile froze, the implication being that they were all unwelcome guests, the words "not welcome" practically etched on her face.

But she swallowed her irritation and smiled, placing the box on the coffee table, examining Lin Wanwan’s profile for a while, suddenly exclaiming, "Oh, cousin, you look so familiar, aren’t you that kungfu girl who performed with Junning?"

Lin Wanwan hadn’t expected even a cousin in the United States had heard about her, considering she only went viral on the Huaxia’s internet for a short while. Since she refused interviews and didn’t engage with social media like Moments, Weibo, or Xiaohongshu, her fame had quickly waned.

She nodded, replying faintly, "Mm."

Lin Mengyun was excited, "I didn’t expect you to be an internet celebrity, cousin! Oh, I envy you so much for being able to perform with Junning. Can you tell me about him? I adore him!"

Not expecting her to be a fangirl, Lin Wanwan replied, "We only collaborated once. He’s very popular and quite aloof, not familiar."

"Aren’t you classmates? Junning even reposted your Weibo, calling you senior." Finally having a topic to talk about, Lin Mengyun secretly sighed in relief.