---
Lin Xiao stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar of her blouse. The reflection staring back at her was a mask, carefully constructed, a face she wore to survive. Her mind was still heavy from the conversation with her father earlier that day. The argument about the inheritance had left a bitter taste in her mouth. But what stung the most wasn't his manipulation—it was the way he had dismissed her, like she was nothing more than an obstacle to his wealth.
Her phone buzzed, snapping her back to the moment. It was a message from Li Wei.
> "Are you okay? Do you wanna hangout ."
She didn't reply immediately. The warmth in his words stirred something inside her, but she couldn't afford to let anyone in, not yet. She couldn't allow herself to be weak. Not now, not ever.
Her mother's voice broke through her thoughts, calling from downstairs.
"Xiao'er! Where are you? We need to talk about the banquet tonight. Hurry up and come down, don't make me call you again!"
Lin Xiao's jaw tightened. Her mother had been getting more insistent lately, like a broken record, repeating the same thing over and over again. It was always about appearances, about making sure she adhered to the outdated traditions that ruled their family. Lin Xiao didn't want to deal with it. Not today. But the guilt of disappointing her mother kept her from ignoring the call.
She walked downstairs, her steps deliberate but slow. As soon as she entered the living room, she saw her mother sitting on the sofa, dressed in a plain floral print dress, her face less painted with layers of foundation. The older woman was holding a pen and paper in her hand, organizing the banquet herself as she talked.
"Xiao'er," her mother began, looking up, "I've told you before, you have to behave tonight. The Lin relatives family will be there. Do you understand? You are the daughter of this house. If you don't act appropriately, what will people think?"
Lin Xiao didn't respond immediately. She just stood there, watching her mother, her mind drifting back to the way her father had treated her earlier. There had been no warmth, no care, only a transactional coldness. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest.
"You need to be respectful, proper, and not make a scene," her mother continued, her voice rising in that annoying, high-pitched way that made Lin Xiao's nerves itch. "And don't think you can just ignore the traditions. Your father worked hard for this family, and you owe him your respect."
Lin Xiao clenched her fists at her sides. "I know, Mother. I'll behave," she said, her voice steady but cold.
Her mother sighed dramatically. "I just don't understand what's happened to you lately. You used to be so obedient. Ever since your grandmother passed, you've been distant. Is it because of that inheritance? Don't forget, Xiao'er, this family is all you have."
That was the final straw. Lin Xiao felt a surge of frustration rising in her chest, but she forced herself to stay calm. Her mother, forever the obedient daughter in the traditional mold, was now just a puppet, mindlessly following the rules her husband had set. She had been brainwashed by the idea of filial piety to such an extent that it overshadowed her own daughter's needs.
Lin Xiao had had enough.
"Mother," she said, her voice cool but firm, "I don't care about the Lin family or their opinion of me. I'm not going to live my life based on their judgment. You can keep all your rules and traditions. But I won't follow them blindly."
Her mother's face flushed with confusion. "How can you speak like that! Do you think you're better than the Lin family? What kind of nonsense is that? You're just a girl, what do you know about running a family?"
Lin Xiao's temper flared. "I know enough. Enough to see that you're nothing more than a shadow of what you once were. You've let your entire life be dictated by other people's expectations. And I'm not going to let it happen to me."
For a moment, the room was deathly silent. Lin Xiao's words hung in the air, the tension thick between them. Her mother stared at her in shock, mouth opening and closing, but no words came out.
Finally, her mother sighed, "You this troublesome child!"
Without waiting for a reply, Lin Xiao turned and walked out of the room, her heart racing. She didn't need to hear any more. She had said what needed to be said, and for the first time in her life, she felt a strange sense of liberation.
She had spoken her truth.
---
Later that evening, at the banquet, Lin Xiao's mind was still spinning with her confrontation with her mother. She was dressed in a traditional red dress that highlighted her sharp features. Her mother had insisted she wear something 'appropriate,' but Lin Xiao could feel the weight of the expectations on her shoulders.
As soon as they entered the grand hall, Lin Xiao's eyes scanned the room. There were so many familiar faces—people who had known her family for years. The air smelled of rich perfumes and expensive wine. The sounds of clinking glasses and hushed conversations filled the space.
And there he was.
Zhao Jian. His eyes immediately found hers, and for a brief second, she saw that familiar glint in his gaze—the glimmer of someone who thought they could control her.
She didn't look away. Instead, she straightened her back and made her way toward the drinks table, ignoring the curious eyes that followed her.
"Lin Xiao," Zhao Jian called, stepping in front of her before she could reach the drinks. His expression was one of forced charm. "I'm surprised to see you here, looking so... confident."
Lin Xiao gave him a cool smile. "I've learned not to let others dictate my actions, Zhao Jian."
He blinked in surprise. "Oh? And how's that working for you?"
"Better than I expected," she replied, her tone sharp. "You should try it sometime."
Without waiting for his response, she moved past him, feeling his gaze burning on her back.
As the night wore on, Lin Xiao realized that she had taken a small but significant step toward freeing herself from the suffocating grasp of her family's expectations. It wasn't much, but it was enough to make her feel more like herself.
And that was a start.