The Room

Upon exiting the car, Jace Lu hurriedly walked towards the main entrance. A light drizzle fell from the sky. His assistant tried to shield him with an umbrella, but he brushed it aside.

Seeing Jace return, Shelley surmised that Talon must have tipped him off. Probably, her brother's project faced another delay. Her expression darkened, and she shot Lina a resentful glance.

Jace Lu, upon seeing Lina Lu, seemed unable to trust his own eyes. He staggered towards her, his trembling hand reaching out to caress her face, murmuring, "Lina?"

Now, Grandpa was only in his early forties, maintaining the physique of his younger days. There wasn't a hint of the typical middle-aged paunch, just a touch of gray at his temples. Yet, his demeanor remained youthful, his gaze sharp and eagle-like.

Young Grandpa was quite the looker.

The Lu family's good genes clearly started with him.

Stunned, she softly called out, "Grandpa."

Jace's eyes glistened with tears, but he wore a smile, exclaiming with emotion, "Yes, this is my silly daughter, little Lina! It's her!"

Talon chuckled, "Right? I knew it was her the moment I laid eyes on her!"

Lost in the joy of being reunited with his beloved daughter, Jace didn't even pick up on Talon's arrogant tone. Normally, he would've given him a piece of his mind.

Jace, holding Lina's hand, sat down with her on the sofa, "Lina, tell Dad how you came back. How have you been all these years?"

Lina was at a loss. She didn't want to impersonate her aunt. She just wanted to let her dad and grandpa know the truth. But who would believe such an unbelievable tale?

"Um... Grandpa, I'm Lina, your granddaughter, his daughter," she said, pointing at Talon.

Talon raised an eyebrow, amused by Lina's consistent reference to him as 'dad'.

Jace laughed heartily, tapping Lina's nose, "Of course, this is Lina. There's no other girl in the world as silly as her."

Lina: ...

She was at a loss for words.

Seeing Jace's conviction that the girl was his daughter, Shelley's demeanor shifted dramatically. She warmly approached Lina, taking her hand, "Oh my, it's been so long since I've seen Lina. I almost didn't recognize her."

With affectionate eyes, Shelley caressed Lina's face, "Lina, you must've suffered a lot out there. It breaks my heart."

Lina barely acknowledged her, while Talon's eyes practically rolled to the ceiling.

Such a swift change in demeanor would put a Sichuan opera performer to shame.

Seemingly wanting to showcase her maternal love in front of Jace, Shelley continued to hold onto Lina, "Lina, do you remember who I am?"

"Yes, step-grandma."

Talon burst into laughter, and even Jace couldn't help but join in.

Shelley Shi's face fell. The title reminded her that even this 'silly' girl knew she was just a stepmother.

Still, Shelley was ever the actress. Her displeasure vanished in an instant as she embraced Lina, "I'm your mom. Call me mom."

Lina, almost nauseated by Shelley's overpowering perfume, pushed her away in disgust.

Seeing his daughter's clear aversion to Shelley, Jace sternly said, "Enough. She has her own mother. Let her call you whatever she wants. No need to force it."

Shelley, sensing Jace's displeasure, held her tongue.

Jace asked Lina, "Where would you like to sleep tonight? We have plenty of rooms. Choose whichever you like."

Not wanting to inconvenience anyone, Lina simply replied, "I'd like to stay in my aunt's room."

Upon hearing this, Sierra, standing nearby, became visibly upset, "That's my room now."

Shelley quickly shot her a warning look, trying to defuse the situation, "Now that your sister's back, Sierra, you should give up the room."

Sierra, holding back tears, retorted, "I've been living there comfortably. Why should I move out just because she's back? That's so unfair."

Her voice was low, perhaps aware of her lack of leverage. After all, she wasn't a true Lu.

Lina observed Sierra's frustration, realizing that of all the rooms in the house, Sierra had chosen her aunt's. She probably had her reasons.

Given the circumstances, Lina was even more determined not to let Sierra have her way.

After Grandpa's passing, Sierra, despite being an outsider, had received a generous inheritance, including a thriving company. Yet, her father, Talon Lu, hadn't received a dime.

Clearly, Shelley and Sierra were adept at playing their cards.

Sierra continued to grumble, suggesting that Lina could stay in a guest room instead.

Shelley, seeing her daughter on the verge of tears, tried to gauge Jace's reaction.

However, before Jace could respond, Lina interjected, "Why should I stay in a guest room?"

Shelley shot Lina a sharp look.

"Grandpa, I don't want to sleep in a guest room," Lina said, looking at Jace, "Can I sleep in my old room?"

Without hesitation, Jace told Sierra, "Pack up your things and move to a guest room. Let Lina have her old room back."

Sierra's tears flowed freely, her face a picture of utter dejection.

Yet, Jace didn't spare her a glance.

He wasn't a pushover. If it hadn't been for Shelley's pleas about her daughter having no one to care for her, he wouldn't have allowed an outsider to live in the Lu mansion.

Now that she was here, she had to follow the rules. The rightful daughter of the Lu family was Lina Lu. If she wished for the moon and stars, Jace would pluck them from the sky for her, let alone a mere room.

Recognizing this, Shelley approached Sierra, patting her back, "Why are you crying? Just do as Uncle Lu says. With so many guest rooms in the Lu mansion, just pick another one you like."

"But I like the one I'm in now."

"That's not your room!"

"Why not?"

Worried that Sierra might say something rash and further alienate Jace, Shelley quickly ushered her back to her room, helping her pack and trying to console her.

An hour later, Lina entered the room that once belonged to her aunt. She was once again struck by the realization that her aunt was indeed the most cherished daughter in the house. The room was three times the size of Lina's old room, with dreamy pink wallpaper, a walk-in closet, a shoe closet, a doll room, and even a tent in the corner.

However, the fact that Jace had later given this room to Sierra showed just how influential Shelley was in the household.

If Lina wanted to help her dad and grandpa change their future strained relationship, Shelley would undoubtedly be a formidable opponent.