Free Web NovelChapter 463: Chapter 463: Adina 16
Tan You understood. "So I have to take care of myself and can’t go taking risks so easily anymore."
She sighed. It was easy to say, but she still had to take risks. At the very least, she had to make a trip through the Mist Forest. It was the only way she could survive in this world long-term.
The Beauty System was keeping a close eye on the front hall. "They’re leaving."
Tan You kept her eyes closed. "Let them. I need to save my energy. I’ll have to deal with Catherine soon."
Just as Tan You had predicted, after seeing off the representatives from the major families with Dumont, Catherine stormed straight for Adina’s room.
Resigned, Dumont could only follow behind with Lilith.
On the way, Dumont tried to warn her, "Adina isn’t well right now. Go easy on her."
With a grim look, Catherine shoved open Adina’s bedroom door. Tan You turned her head at the sound. Upon seeing Catherine’s furious, dark expression, she suddenly broke into a faint smile.
"How can you still laugh?" Catherine’s blood boiled. "You’ve ruined your sister’s reputation, and you still have the nerve to laugh?"
Tan You wasn’t angry at all. She struggled to sit up and leaned back against her pillows. "I nearly died, and you’re blaming me for it, Mother? Are you blaming me for not dying out there?"
Catherine was left speechless. She never expected her younger daughter, who was always in the background, to be so sharp-tongued. After a moment of shock, she snorted coldly. "But she’s your own sister. Don’t you have any consideration for her?"
"She didn’t consider that I was her own sister when she left me in that valley." Tan You turned her head and gave two soft coughs. "I nearly lost my life because of her. I’m the victim... COUGH COUGH... and yet I’m supposed to show consideration for her... the perpetrator?"
"My body has been left in this state, yet you come here to blame me. Mother, you’re so obviously biased."
After saying these words intermittently, Tan You steadied herself. "If you’re only here to say things like that, Mother, then I don’t want to listen."
Lilith bit her lip. "Adina, I’m sorry..."
Tan You sneered. "Is ’sorry’ supposed to fix everything? Seeing me like this, you must be happy... COUGH COUGH..."
Lilith burst into tears. "Adina, I really know I was wrong! I just... I just wanted to teach you a lesson... I didn’t know... I didn’t know it would turn out like this..."
Tan You recovered from her bout of coughing. "I’m not even crying, so what are you crying for? You shouldn’t be crying in front of me. Go cry in front of Father and Mother. As soon as you shed a tear, everyone will take your side. Who would care if anyone else lives or dies?"
Dumont felt the urge to reprimand her, but when he saw Tan You hunched over the edge of the bed, gasping for breath, the words died on his lips.
In the end, he could only sigh. "Focus on getting better. The day after tomorrow... the day after tomorrow, I’ll have someone escort you back to Kandapes."
"You can take all the compensation gifts from the other families with you."
Catherine grew frantic. "Danit and Dennis could use a lot of this..."
Tan You gave a scornful smile. "You really are biased, Mother, taking the price of my life to subsidize your other children. If my brothers knew these resources were bought with the price of their own sister’s life, could they really use them with a clear conscience?"
"How is it the price of your life? Aren’t you still alive?" Catherine blurted out, her tone clearly blaming Tan You for being unreasonable.
Tan You said mockingly, "There’s more than one way to be alive... COUGH COUGH... Before, I could run and jump. Even as an ordinary person, I could have expected to live to be eighty. But now... like this... it’s uncertain if I’ll even see fifty. If you were in my shoes, Mother, which life would you choose?"
Catherine was backed into a corner, unable to offer any defense.
It was Dumont who broke the silence. He stared at Tan You for a long moment. "You resent us... don’t you?"
Tan You lowered her lashes. "I’ve been wronged, and I’m not even allowed to complain? Lilith is completely unharmed, yet she’s crying so pitifully. And just because I haven’t shed any tears, I have to endure Mother’s condemnation?"
"Between the two of us, who is the real victim here?"
’She truly disdained these members of the Edmonds family, but there was no need to burn all her bridges just yet. Still, if she didn’t get under Catherine’s skin a little, the frustration coiling in her chest would never go away.’
The scrutiny in Dumont’s eyes faded. He did feel a sliver of guilt toward his youngest daughter. But if she came to resent the family over this, then there was no need to keep her around.
"You’re right. Your sister caused a terrible mess, and she must be punished accordingly." Dumont cleared his throat. "We’ll sentence your sister to confinement. For one year, she will be confined to the house and forbidden from going anywhere."
Tan You’s lips curled into a scornful smile. "Father, I’m tired. I want to sleep for a while. If Mother wants to subsidize my brothers, she can take whatever she fancies."
Dumont forced a laugh. "It’s not as if the family lacks resources; why would we need you to provide for them? With your health as it is, your brothers should be the ones taking care of you."
"Your mother and I are leaving now. You get some rest."
Dumont forcibly dragged the ashen-faced Catherine away. Lilith didn’t want to leave but was carried off by Catherine’s personal maid. Finally left in peace, Tan You stretched her arms and legs. ’Do I have a little more strength now than when I first woke up?’
Tan You’s feeling hadn’t been mistaken. By the next day, her condition had improved significantly. Though her limbs were still sore and weak, she could at least take a few slow steps. She was no longer as unsteady as when she’d first woken up, when she could barely stand.
Tan You concealed these improvements, maintaining her sickly facade. Of course, it wasn’t a complete act. She had seen in the mirror that Adina’s complexion was indeed poor.
The day of departure arrived quickly. Adina’s birthday was now only about twenty days away. Wrapped in a thick cloak, Tan You stood to one side, watching Dumont direct the servants as they loaded the carriages with luggage of all kinds.
Clothes, shoes, bolts of fabric—the list went on. Of course, what Tan You cared about most were the Gold Coins. One carriage was filled entirely with Gold Coins, while the others held Adina’s personal belongings.
This was less like a trip and more like moving out. Tan You had packed up almost everything that belonged to Adina.
’Once I leave the Edmonds family, I’ll have to budget carefully. It’s best to take anything I can.’
Seeing Tan You standing so frailly to the side, a rare sense of fatherly affection stirred in Dumont. He bent down slightly. "When you get to Kandapes, if you miss us, write home."
Tan You’s lips curled slightly. "I’ll remember that."
’As if I’ll be writing letters. Once I’m settled in the Mist Forest, why would I possibly keep in frequent contact with the Edmonds family?’
