Hou Lin blinked, not understanding the context of their conversation. His brother, Hou Cai, ran up to his side in distress.
"What is going on?"
"Bro, Dad is fired."
"Why?"
Hou Cai made a gesture that he didn't know. "Dad returned home cursing the hell out of that director, Da Pei, whoever he is. He fired Dad for God knows what reason."
Hou Lin knitted his brows in wonder.
Hou Luli held her head, tensed. "What will we do now? It's not easy finding a new job and moreover if the new company knows that you have been fired, then it will be even worse for your prospects."
Hou Fa gritted his teeth. "Why the hell should I find a new job when I did nothing wrong in the first place!? I just delivered a successful project a few weeks back. We even celebrated. My performance cannot be the reason at all!"
Hou Lin walked forward to talk to them but neither of them were in the mood. Hou Fa simply got up and left angrily while Hou Luli followed him.
"This is so strange…This is completely unfair. Why isn't Yahui here…" Hou Cai mumbled to himself. "You know if she was here, she would have told Dad what to do. She comes up with super crazy but super cool ideas!" He then bitterly said, "That director must be secretly jealous of Dad! Or he must be pulling strings for someone who wants Dad out of the company!"
"It's neither of those reasons," Zhan Yahui said to Hou Lin when he returned to his own room some time later and called her number.
"Then what might be the reason?" He asked.
"Da Pei. Does the name ring any bells?"
"No."
"You are an idiot."
"..."
"There is still 0.1% of uncertainty but I am pretty much sure that Da Pei is Da Shang's father. You broke up with her today and your father got fired. Doesn't feel like a coincidence."
"Why?"
"Because it's not. He got fired because Da Pei taught him a lesson as if saying 'How dare your son break my daughter's heart?'"
Hou Lin frowned. "Why will Dad suffer because of that? I broke up with Da Shang, not him. Why should he be punished?"
He heard a chuckle from her. "Because Da Pei cannot exactly punish you. So he is expressing his grudge on your father instead."
"But why is Dad being punished? We get punished if we do something wrong, right? Then was breaking up with Da Shang the wrong thing to do?"
"Why did you end it with her? How did you decide?"
Hou Lin mentioned the boy he came across at the vending machine.
"Hahhhh finally someone who sees for what that bitch truly is unlike all those blind boys in her beauty. Smart boy~" she laughed.
He nodded.
"Well then you stick to your decision. You don't like her and you know why. You decided what was right for you."
"So what should I do if I am right but Dad is still suffering?"
There was a pause after which Zhan Yahui said, "Think about it yourself. I don't live there anymore, Lin. I cannot always help you."
He lowered his gaze, flickering with a tinge of sorrow.
"Heheee but if I need your computer skills, then you will help me, right?"
"I will," Hou Lin answered.
"You should be saying 'Why should I help you if you won't be helping me?' I don't understand why you didn't learn the important stuff from me while I was there?" She released a deep sigh in helplessness. "Learn to be a little cruel, Lin."
They ended their conversation on that note, and Hou Lin met Da Shang the next day, which was the graduation ceremony. The school was filled with hustle and bustle, excitement but mixed with melancholy and loud cheers that also held nostalgia in them.
It became a buzz instantly around the statements when Hou Lin asked Da Shang to meet him privately.
"*Ahem* so the couple wants to celebrate the graduation together~"
"Yo Lin, will you be giving her your shirt's second button~?"
"Wooooooo!!" The cheers grew even louder with that guess.
Hou Lin furrowed his brows with this chaos. As they stepped outside to talk privately, he asked, "They don't know that we broke up?"
Da Shang proudly smirked. "They don't need to know now, do they?"
"Why not?"
She stared at him, wide-eyed and surprised. "Because you came to say to me that we are getting back together, right?"
"No. I want to ask why your father fired my Dad?"
Her brow twitched.
Da Shang nervously smiled. "Why would I know? Your Dad must have done something wrong for him to get fired."
"He led and delivered a successful project a few weeks back. His performance cannot be the reason. He doesn't know your father so he hasn't offended him either."
Usually Hou Lin found it hard to read expressions and facial cues but because he had talked to Zhan Yahui yesterday, he could sort of link her words with Da Shang's fidgety behavior now.
"Does it have something to do with our breakup?"
She stiffened, unable to hide her reaction which he guessed was the right question.
"Why will your father punish my Dad because of our breakup? It doesn't have any connection."
"O-of course not! Dad did no such thing!"
"Then why are you sweating and looking away? I have read those are the signs of telling a lie."
"I am not lying!"
"Lying is supposed to be a wrong thing," he said seriously.
Da Shang's face twisted in fury. "I am seriously not lying! How is it my fault if Dad saw me crying yesterday and assured me that he will take care of it? That's why he must have fired your Dad."
Hou Lin stared at her, not understanding her nuances.
"Because then you would come to me, apologize for breaking up with me and then getting back together with me, right?"
"Why would I do any of those things?"
She was left stunned. "Don't you care about your father?"
"I do. That's why I came to ask why Mr. Da Pei fired Dad."
"Exactly so that we get together for your father to get his job back!" She breathlessly said.
Hou Lin gave her a blank look.
Why will Dad get his job back if we get back together?
Just then, he heard a message ding on his phone. He opened it that read,
'In plain terms, she is threatening you. We get back together and your Dad doesn't suffer.'
Hou Lin looked left and right but didn't see Zhan Yahui anywhere. But the implication then finally dawned upon him and he asked Da Shang, "Is it right to get back together like this? By threatening me?"
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