Hidden truth, intricate love

Chapter 177 Birthday Plan

Lin Yue stood in the center of the decorated room, looking around with a smile. Today was Li Hao's birthday, and she had specially prepared this warm birthday party, wanting him to have an unforgettable night. She lit the candles, arranged the cake and gifts, carefully checked everything, and fixed her hair in the mirror, her heart filled with anticipation.

Li Hao had spent countless hard nights with her to celebrate the success of her project, and now she wanted to give him a sincere return.

"It should be here soon." Lin Yue glanced at her phone, a smile playing on her lips. She imagined Li Hao's surprised expression when he saw the decorated room, the warm lights, and the carefully prepared gifts, and felt a warm feeling in her heart.

Just then, her phone suddenly vibrated. Lin Yue looked down and saw the name "Lin Hao" on the screen. Her mood instantly sank, and her joyful smile froze. Her brother, Lin Hao, always seemed to appear just when she least needed it.

She hesitated for a moment, then finally pressed the answer button: "Hello, brother?"

The voice of his brother Lin Hao came from the other end of the phone, with a hint of impatience and irritation: "Lin Yue, are you free now? I have something to talk to you about. Come out and see me right away."

Lin Yue frowned, feeling uneasy: "Brother, I'm busy right now, can we come later..."

Lin Hao's voice suddenly turned cold and hard: "I'm near your company now. Come over within five minutes, or don't blame me for being rude."

Lin Yue's heart sank. Knowing her brother's quick temper, she thought something urgent might be going on. She looked up at the furnished room, her heart filled with conflict and uneasiness. But she didn't want her brother to get angry or do something impulsive. Helplessly, she sighed softly and said, "Okay, I'll be right there."

After hanging up the phone, she took a deep breath and looked at everything she had prepared for Li Hao. She felt guilty and uneasy. She hesitated for a moment and called Li Hao.

"Lin Yue?" Li Hao's voice was gentle and expectant, as if he had already prepared for this special night.

Lin Yue said softly, "Li Hao, I'm sorry, I suddenly have something to deal with here. Can you wait for a moment? I will be back as soon as possible."

Li Hao was slightly stunned, but he quickly and gently comforted her: "It's okay, Lin Yue, you go and deal with it first. I'll wait for you."

Lin Yue smiled gratefully: "Thank you, Li Hao, I will be back as soon as possible."

After hanging up the phone, she hurried out of the room, worried that Li Hao would be disappointed, and vaguely feeling that her brother's sudden visit foreshadowed some trouble.

---

 Awkward meeting

When Lin Yue walked to a cafe near her company, she saw Lin Hao sitting in a corner from a distance, staring at her with a cold expression. Lin Yue took a deep breath, adjusted her mood, and walked over as calmly as possible.

"Brother, why are you looking for me so urgently? Is there something wrong?" Lin Yue sat down opposite him, trying to make the atmosphere less tense.

Lin Hao snorted coldly, sizing her up with a gloomy gaze, his tone tinged with sarcasm: "Why? Now that you're rich, you even have to choose the time to see your brother?"

Lin Yue's guilt eased slightly after hearing her brother's pointed words, replaced by a hint of helplessness. She patiently explained, "Brother, I just have something urgent to do. I'm also preparing a birthday party for a friend today, so..."

Lin Hao interrupted her coldly, not disguising his dissatisfaction in his tone at all: "Birthday party? Humph, really leisurely. So, have you prepared anything for the family? Have you prepared anything for me?"

Lin Yue's heart suddenly soured. She knew her brother had always had mixed feelings about his family since childhood. Especially after she successfully entered the workplace, his attitude towards her seemed to have become increasingly harsh. She tried to answer calmly, "Brother, you know I've never forgotten my family. As long as my family needs help, I will do my best."

Lin Hao sneered, his eyes filled with disdain: "Really? Then how much of your monthly income do you give to your family? Don't tell me it's just some small change."

Lin Yue felt a little unhappy when she heard this, thinking her brother's words were a bit too much. She suppressed her emotions and said patiently, "Brother, your job is indeed good, but I also have my own life and expenses. Besides, I always try my best to support our family..."

"Support?" Lin Hao snorted coldly, his eyes filled with sarcasm and disdain. "Your so-called support isn't even a fraction of what it is! Lin Yue, you're so successful at the company, have you ever considered that your family also needs to improve their lives? You're living such a good life now, have you ever thought about helping your brother?"

Lin Yue was hurt by her brother's reproach. She took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. "Brother, I have always tried my best to help you, but I also hope you can understand that everyone has their own burdens and responsibilities in life."

However, Lin Hao refused to give in and even became more aggressive: "Lin Yue, you are becoming more and more talkative! Let me ask you a question, are you your brother's sister? Your brother needs your help now, are you willing to help or not?"

Lin Yue was almost speechless because of her brother's attitude. She took a deep breath, suppressed her displeasure, and replied calmly: "Brother, if you need help, I am willing to help you, but can you tell me what it is specifically?"

Lin Hao's eyes flashed with pride, as if he had already prepared a "proposal." He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket, pushed it in front of Lin Yue, and sneered, "With such a small amount of money, you can't even afford this, right?"

Lin Yue looked down, her expression changing instantly. It was a rather large bill, and she couldn't help but frown, looking at her brother in surprise: "Brother, this...this is too much, right? You're..."

Lin Hao said without disguising, "I'm in urgent need recently. This little money shouldn't be a big deal to you. You just need to help me with a little effort. Lin Yue, stop pretending. Don't you want to help me too?"

Lin Yue listened to her brother's self-righteous words, and her heart was filled with anger and helplessness. She knew that her brother seemed to have no bottom line in his demands on her.