Banjaxed

Chapter 38 - Nothing can be instilled to the extreme

Chapter 38 - Nothing can be instilled to the extreme

Grandpa Lin only returned home late at night. Without catching any sign of light from both houses, he assumed Lin Jiayi had already gone to bed. Just as he locked the car door, the Phang house turned on the front light of their porch.

Thinking that the neighbour was checking the source of the noise, Grandpa Lin paid no mind to it, until Mr Phang stepped out of the house and walked over.

Grandpa Lin patiently waited until Mr Phang got closer. "Uncle Lin, you came back alone?"

"My wife is staying back to look after our daughter. We have troubled you and your family for looking after Jiayi these days. We will thank you properly later."

"Jiayi is a good girl and easy to take care of. Is Meili alright?"

"She's fine. She just needs to stay at the hospital longer for recovery."

Mr Phang nodded and did not press further when Grandpa Lin did not explain further. "That's good. That's good."

"Is there something?" If it was just to ask these questions, there was no need to catch him as soon after he returned.

Mr Phang scratched his head and glanced at the window of his house, where he could just envision his wife and mother urging him with their meaningful gaze and vigorous head nodding. If Aunt Lin had returned as well, it would have been his mother who approached the Lin family instead of him.

"About Jiayi, on Friday, she's spotted with bruises after returning later than Aunt Lin said she would be back. She said she got them from a bad fall, but... I don't think it's that simple. I think you should talk with her."

Grandpa Lin understood why Mr Phang would wait this late for their return instead of having this conversation tomorrow. Tomorrow is Monday and if Lin Jiayi avoided him and went to school without meeting him, whatever happened on Friday might reoccur again tomorrow.

The Phang was worried that this incident would turn Lin Jiayi 'bad' again.

"I will. Thank you for letting me know."

On Monday morning, Lin Jiayi woke up right on time thanks to the consistent chickens crowing. One should wake up refreshed, but she looked like she had stayed awake the entire night instead.

Just when she had almost gotten over the issue of Grandma Phang, she was now worried about her bruises. The bruises on her knees could be hidden, but not the very noticeable purple-blue bruise on her chin.

Looking at herself in the mirror, the bruise was still prominent on her chin, not cooperating with her wish to have it disappear.

'Stupid. Knocking my knee over furniture and falling down the stairs are two different forces of injury.'

It was only normal if her bruise from the fall was more serious than accidental knocking.

Unfortunately, she could not pretend ignorant of her grandfather's return. One had to be blind not to notice the big car on the front, and deaf not to hear the loud engine in the middle of the quiet night.

Even Mr Phang came out to have a look.

Lin Jiayi could not hear what they talked about, and with not enough light, she could not see their expression clearly.

With a heavy sigh of one that was carrying a big burden, which looked funny coming from a little girl, Lin Jiayi got ready for school.

She could not hide from her grandfather. She just hoped that he would believe her bruises came from a bad fall. With how Grandpa Lin usually behaves, maybe he would not be curious and understand how children often trip and fall.