He became a god in Japan starting with the bear disaster.

Chapter 25 Children and Adults

Children are different from adults.

When an ordinary adult sees a person, they only see a layer of status. Therefore, when facing someone of higher status, they become polite, tolerant, and willing to say nice things about that person. But when a normal child sees a person, they only see a person. Therefore, even when facing someone of higher status, they will only express their most genuine feelings.

Maeda Tetsu clearly felt disgusted by Yokota Daichi, turning his head away and ignoring him.

Yokota Daichi, however, completely ignored Maeda Tetsu. All he saw was "his woman's daughter," or even "his woman's poor, dying daughter." He wanted to use this identity to curry favor with Maeda Masako, didn't he? He beat Maeda's mother with a stick and then tried to win her heart with a little sweetness.

Maeda Tetsu remained unmoved by Yokota Daiji's gift.

Her mother quickly shook her, "Xiao Che, look, Uncle is giving you a present!"

"What's wrong, Xiao Che? Don't you like this one? Oh dear, that's really my fault. I'll go get you a different one later and bring it back for you tomorrow, okay?"

Yokota leaned close to Masako and said some soft words, it was unclear whether he was speaking to "Xiao Che" or "Masako".

"don't want……"

Maeda Tetsu shrank his small body under the covers and answered weakly.

"Xiao Che, what are you saying?"

Masako Maeda was getting a little anxious and tried to pull her out.

The more she pulled, the more Xiao Che shrank into the blanket.

She said she didn't want it.

Lin Xiuyi said coldly.

His words were like a shot fired into a noisy pub, bringing everyone to a standstill. Maeda Tetsu stared at him blankly, Maeda Masako looked at him in fear, and Yokota Daichi glared at him with displeasure.

Lin Xiu stared blankly at her principal and repeated, "She said she doesn't want it."

"Lin Xiuyi, do you know what you're saying?"

Yokota Daiji's expression changed, and he immediately used his skills as a principal to coerce students.

He stared, his face stern, an air of authority emanating from his bald head and stomach.

Masako Maeda was so frightened that she cried and leaned against the wall in shock.

However, Lin Xiu had already faced the gun barrel, so she wasn't intimidated by his imposing manner at all. She calmly replied, "Didn't you hear? Xiao Che said she doesn't want your things."

"How is this possible?"

Yokota Daichi asked Xiao Che in a mocking tone, "Xiao Che, haven't you always wanted a doll?"

Maeda Tetsu covered his face with the blanket, too afraid to answer.

"Tell me, isn't that right!"

Yokota practically roared the question.

However, the figure under the covers simply curled up, shivering, and did not answer.

"Let me answer for her—because you are a despicable and shameless person who steals what belongs to others, and even when you give a gift, you do so with evil intentions, so she doesn't want to accept it."

Lin Xiuyi frankly stated that he did not give the principal any face at all.

"Ah!" Masako Maeda exclaimed. She had clearly understood the implication in Hayashi Hideichi's words and was panicked because her secret had been exposed to her face.

"You, you, you..."

Yokota was exposed to his face and was furious. His expression immediately changed in a strange way, as if he was thinking about how to punish Lin Xiuyi, but he was still undecided for one reason.

"You'll have to write a self-criticism soon!"

Finally, his face flushed with anger, he uttered some harsh words, threw the packaging box on the ground, and turned to leave. Before leaving, he glared at Masako Maeda with resentment.

Lin Xiuyi remained seated on the stool, watching him leave indifferently.

Masako Maeda was clearly shocked by the series of conflicting conversations and it took her a long time to react.

"How could you talk like that! Don't you know that if you say that, Xiao Che will..."

She spoke to Lin Xiuyi with a mixture of sadness and anger, but then fell silent halfway through her sentence.

"Xiao Che, Mom is very disappointed in you."

She took one last look at Maeda Tetsu, who was curled up in bed, wiped away her tears, and ran out the door to chase after Yokota, who had left.

The room door was slammed shut.

The ward fell silent again, but Lin Xiuyi could clearly hear faint sobs.

He sighed, went to collect the broken doll from the floor and put it in the trash can, then reached out to the bedside to gently comfort the crying Maeda Tetsu.

The moment my hand touched her, the girl's body trembled violently, but then she calmed down, as if to express her acceptance.

Lin Xiuyi waited quietly for her to finish crying.

Time passed slowly, and the faint sobbing stopped. Just when Lin Xiuyi thought she had fallen asleep, the girl poked her head out from under the covers, looked at him helplessly, and asked, "Big brother, am I actually a bad child?"

Moonlight streamed in through the window, illuminating her red nose and cheeks from crying. Maeda Tetsu's little face held only the innocence and sorrow of a child.

Lin Xiuyi was taken aback, remained silent for a long time, then reached out to wipe away the tears on her face and said softly, "I think a child like Xiao Che should be able to make his own choices, whether it's accepting the kindness of others or rejecting their malice... it should all be up to Xiao Che to decide, because this life belongs only to him. So, since Xiao Che has made his own choice, he is definitely a good child."

"Then why is Mom still disappointed in Xiao Che?"

Tears welled up in the girl's eyes again and flowed uncontrollably.

Lin Xiuyi fell silent once again.

The reason why Masako Maeda was taken advantage of by Daichi Yokota but did not resist was probably not for her own sake, but to obtain financial benefits from the corrupt Yokota in order to pay for her daughter's medical treatment.

Even though her daughter's situation was extremely precarious, and even though her daughter's remaining time could be counted in days, she refused to give up.

Every time Xiao Che upsets Yokota, Yokota's help in prolonging Xiao Che's life diminishes.

Therefore, even if it meant humiliating herself, she would stay with Yokota and even make her daughter bow down to him.

Having understood all this, Lin Xiuyi even began to suspect that she had extinguished a mother's last hope.

So the truth is—Xiao Che, your mother actually wanted to save you because she loved you, so she let that rich uncle get close to her and you. But you hated him and refused his gifts, which made the rich uncle lose face, and that's why your mother was disappointed in you.

Could he tell Maeda Tetsuya this fact?

Does not.

Moreover, he doesn't believe that what he just did was really wrong.

"Xiao Che, adults think in very complicated ways. Mom isn't really disappointed in you... She's disappointed in herself, in me, and in everyone and everything in the adult world."

Lin Xiuyi gently stroked the girl's forehead.

"Big brother, I don't understand."

Xiao Che stopped crying and looked exhausted.

"That's an adult's explanation, so... you'll understand when you grow up."

Lin Xiuyi felt uneasy.

"Xiao Che is sleepy and wants to go to sleep."

The girl spoke slowly, then slowly closed her eyes.

Lin Xiu tidied up the small table on the bed, gently straightened her sleeping position, and covered her with the blanket.

He walked to the door without saying a word and pulled the handle.

Will I be able to see my older brother again tomorrow?

The girl, who should have been asleep, suddenly asked.

"Yes, I will come to see you again tomorrow."

Lin Xiuyi agreed.