Chapter 26: Slandered

Lin Mo watched the scene unfold, her face taut.

Lin Yunhe knelt carefully on the ground, his hands hovering, unsure of how to pick up Lin Wan. A white suit was stained with blood, looking hauntingly grotesque.

Lin Mo bit her lip and dialed emergency services, advising, "It’s best not to move her. Wait for the ambulance to arrive before taking her to the hospital for emergency treatment."

Lin Yunhe’s breathing was heavy and ragged, the veins in his temples throbbing. "Lin Mo, you are truly hopeless!"

He stared directly at her, his eyes filled with revulsion. "Wanwan went out of her way to bring you living expenses, and you pushed her down the stairs! If anything happens to her, you will pay with your life!"

The final sentence was delivered through gritted teeth.

Soon, many neighbors emerged to see what had happened. Hearing such accusations, they looked at Lin Mo with disbelief. Most of the residents here were students from the university, and they began to point and whisper.

"She looks like such a normal girl; how could she be so vicious?"
"Shouldn't we call the police? This is attempted murder, isn't it?"
"Keep your voice down. What if she goes crazy and does something to us too?"
"My god, that girl isn't going to die, is she? There’s so much blood, it’s terrifying..."
"Is she from A University too? Shouldn't a murderer be expelled?"

Every gaze cast upon Lin Mo was filled with suspicion, scorn, and misunderstanding. Lin Mo’s face turned pale. All around, there were only voices of condemnation and the sound of Lin Yunhe softly calling out to Wanwan.

Soon, the wail of an ambulance siren echoed from outside. Paramedics rushed in and lifted Lin Wan onto a stretcher. Lin Mo tried to approach, but was stopped by a sharp shout from Lin Yunhe.

"Stop putting on an act. I saw everything today, and I will report it to our parents exactly as it happened."

"Lin Mo, you are no longer my sister." His eyes were like shards of ice. "Our relationship ends here."

With that, Lin Yunhe followed the ambulance and left.

Not long after, the landlord hurried over. Seeing the blood on the ground, his face turned ghastly. With a stern and disgusted expression, he said, "Lin Mo, pack your things and leave immediately. We don't want a tenant like you here! With someone like you living here, everyone else is terrified!"

"I hope you leave quietly. Don't force me to expose this to the university!"

After the landlord’s barrage of insults and threats, Lin Mo lowered her eyes, her hand gripping the doorframe. Seeing her frail and haggard appearance, the landlord felt a fleeting moment of pity, though it was quickly replaced by the thought that a snake-hearted, duplicitous person was even more terrifying.

"I will return your rent and deposit via WeChat."

The landlord’s face remained dark. "I advise you, your parents worked hard to put you through university. You’d better become a decent person, or if you end up in prison, that’s a lifetime ruined."

Lin Mo felt a splitting headache. "Fine, say no more. I will move out immediately." She retreated into her room and shut the door.

"What a person. High academic achievements but such a rotten character. She’ll definitely end up in jail!"
"Pah, bad luck, what an omen!" The landlord continued to grumble outside.

The room was silent, and the lights remained off. Lin Mo sat on the floor, clutching her stomach, her forehead beaded with sweat. Her stomach was churning, likely from eating too many noodles earlier. She already suffered from chronic gastric issues, and the emotional stress only made the pain worse.

"Sss..."

Lin Mo leaned against the door to stand, but the pain in her stomach was excruciating. Dark spots danced before her eyes. It was already past 11:00 PM, and only a few streetlights flickered outside. In the distance, the sky above the city center was bright, but a cold, desolate moon hung in the sky, casting a ghostly light into the dark rental apartment. Outside, the trees cast claw-like shadows, looking terrifying.

At this hour, even with a few thousand yuan in her pocket, it was impossible for a girl to move in the middle of the night.

"If only I could never have any dealings with the Lin family again."

Her phone rang with a shrill, death-knell urgency. Lin Mo didn't even have to guess; it was certainly the Lin family calling to settle the score. It wasn't her fault at all.

Elsewhere, Lu Mingzhu was scrolling through her phone when she suddenly saw a piece of local news. It wasn't trending, but the headline caught her eye: *[Sisters Turn Against Each Other: Beauty Pushes Older Sister Downstairs, Life Hangs in the Balance!]*

Lu Mingzhu usually wouldn't be drawn to such news, but she glanced at it—and froze. "Is that photo... Mo-mo?"

She looked closer, realizing it really was Lin Mo. Having worked for over twenty years, she knew she wouldn't misjudge a person. Lin Mo wasn't that kind of girl. Seeing the pale face in the photo, Lu Mingzhu felt a surge of worry. She tried calling, but the line was busy. Hesitating, she took a screenshot and sent it to Sun Wu. If the CEO cared, Sun Wu would surely pass it on, right? She wouldn't dare message the CEO directly—she wasn't tired of living.

Lin Mo endured the pain, sipping some hot water to soothe her stomach. She began to pack her belongings one by one. Expecting a fresh start here, she had bought a full set of daily necessities. She packed her few meager clothes into a suitcase, taking everything else she could carry. She was short on money, and every bit counted.

By 1:00 AM, she had finished packing, waiting for the sun to rise so she could head to the university to move into the dorms.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

The door was pounded with such force that it rattled. Thinking it was the pain medication she had ordered online, Lin Mo opened the door. Before she could react, she was shoved to the ground.

Qin Lian, without a word, grabbed Lin Mo by the hair and slapped her across the face.

"You little beast, how could you be so vicious!" Qin Lian shrieked, kicking and punching the frail Lin Mo. "Wanwan was kind enough to come see you, and you tried to kill her! You want to kill my daughter!"

"Why aren't you the one lying in the hospital! My Wanwan has never suffered like this!"

"Lin Mo, go to hell! Why don't you just die!"

Lin Mo struggled, but in her weakened state, she was no match for Qin Lian. She was beaten until she looked wretched. Trying to reach for her phone to call the police was futile.

Her brothers stood in the background, watching the scene with cold indifference. Lin Mo’s stomach pain intensified; she curled into a ball on the floor, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Let go of me..."

Qin Lian roared, "I’m going to beat you to death, you animal! Today, you must give up your university spot! And you’re going to jail!"

Lin Mo groaned in pain. Among the four brothers present, only Lin Hen frowned, appearing ready to intervene, but he was immediately blocked by Lin Juan.

Lin Juan’s expression was cold and aloof. "Second brother, don't interfere. She deserves this."

"How much pain must Wanwan have been in when she fell?"

"Wanwan is still unconscious in the hospital, and she has the nerve to hide here?"

Lin Jianchen added, "Exactly. Even if she were beaten to death today, no one would pity her! She is truly malicious; she should have gone to hell long ago. Living in this world is just a waste of air."

Lin Mo’s breathing grew shallower, her consciousness fading.

The one who should go to hell... was not her.