Chapter 82: Verbal violence is an invisible wound

Since it was only a brief argument and the restroom was also away from the main dining halls and private rooms, no other clients were affected by it.

Lin Feng had noticed that a group of people were standing outside the door, which had made him worried. Fortunately, those surrounding the restroom door were all part of Lin Junhao’s and Rong Junpei’s group of friends.

With the joint efforts of the Bai and Lin families, including Lin Junhao’s influence among his friends, the brief argument in the restaurant was thankfully suppressed and did not spread.

That night, Grandpa Bai did not bring Lin Feng straight home. Instead, he took him to a hospital for a full and thorough checkup. Lin Feng did not decline because he was also worried about his own heart condition.

Since coming to this world, although he easily became breathless and tired, he had never associated it with a heart ailment.

At least, even when he was emotionally confused about his relationship with Hou Yizhen, he had never once thought that the dull pain in his chest was caused by his heart condition. He had only thought it was because he was too heartbroken.

But when the original owner’s emotions surged through him, filled with pain, self-blame, sorrow, guilt, and hatred, they were so overwhelming that his heart clenched inside his rib cage, and he could barely breathe.

When the doctor informed them of the results, Lin Feng finally received confirmation that his pre-existing heart condition had worsened. The doctor had also heard about the scandals, after all, the Bai family was one of the major sponsors and investors of this private hospital.

"It might be due to the continuous pressure and emotional upheavals he has experienced in recent months. I advise the family members to ensure that the patient stays in a safe and tranquil environment. It would also be best for him to receive psychological counseling, meditation sessions, and similar stress management support...."

The doctor went on and on about the precautions Lin Feng and his family needed to take.

By the time Grandpa Bai, Bai Tingyu, and Lin Feng left the hospital, it was already eleven in the evening.

Wei Ranmiao was waiting anxiously in the living room, having already received her husband’s call earlier. She was shocked when she learned that Lin Feng’s previously dormant and almost nonexistent heart condition had actually worsened.

She was worried, it was precisely because of this heart condition that Bai Yufei had died!

If something happened to Lin Feng....

The woman, who was always calm and strong, paced back and forth around the living room in worry.

Bai Jianning peeked downstairs, her stomach rumbling. She wanted to go to the kitchen to get something to eat, but her mother was standing guard like a palace guard or something.

She looked disappointedly behind her. "It’s useless, Second Brother. Mom is still there."

Wuuu... If not for their mother cleaning their rooms daily, coupled with the fact that she had caught them hiding snacks before, Bai Jianning would have hidden some chocolate bars or other snacks in her room.

The reason they were forbidden from bringing snacks into their rooms dated back to a few years ago, when their rooms had become homes for ants and other insects because of the snacks they had stockpiled and then forgotten.

After that, cleaning their rooms had become a total nightmare, so Wei Ranmiao had simply forbidden the Bai siblings from bringing food into their rooms.

Now they were hungry.

Bai Jianning sighed, only to receive a flick on the forehead.

"Ow! Second Brother, why did you flick my head?"

Bai Jiancheng rolled his eyes and turned around to return to his room. "Not everyone is here to eat. Haven’t you realized that Mom is waiting for Grandpa, Dad, and Third Brother?"

"Of course I know. But I’m still hungry, ah."

"This isn’t our usual family dinner with relatives. Something must have happened, which is why they’re taking so long to come home."

At that moment, the sound of the gates opening and a vehicle’s engine approaching could be faintly heard.

Finally, they had arrived home.

Wei Ranmiao saw the gloomy expressions on her father-in-law’s and husband’s faces, and an ominous premonition stirred in her heart.

"Did the apology not go well?"

"How could that be? The Lin couple are very sensible." Bai Tingyu forced a smile.

Grandpa Bai looked tired, and Lin Feng’s face was full of concern as he helped the old man inside.

His grandfather was already so old, yet he still had to stay up this late. As a junior, Lin Feng felt that he had failed in his filial duties.

Lin Feng felt distressed. He spoke softly. "Grandpa, would you like me to heat up some milk for you? Warm milk might help you sleep better."

Grandpa Bai shook his head. "No need. I’ll just wash up and rest. You’ve had a long day as well, Ah Feng. Make sure you get some proper rest."

The boy obediently nodded, but he did not let go of the old man and continued helping him up to his room, which comforted the old man greatly.

Wei Ranmiao also bid the old man goodnight before finally turning to look at her husband.

The couple exchanged meaningful looks before heading upstairs to their room to discuss things in private.

In the long hallway on the second floor, a door opened a crack, and Bai Jianning’s eyes narrowed.

"It seems Second Brother is right. Something did happen," she muttered.

Then she slowly tiptoed toward her parents’ room and pressed her ear against the door to listen.

That night, Lin Feng was still awake. He was unable to sleep because his mind kept returning to Lin Xiaoxiao’s words.

He was also troubled by the fact that the original Lin Feng’s emotions had completely overwhelmed him earlier, leaving him almost helpless and nearly causing him to suffer a cardiac arrest.

After tossing and turning repeatedly, Lin Feng finally sat up, picked up his phone, went out to the balcony, and sat down to search for information, hoping that the cool breeze would help calm him down.

Verbal violence.

During the time the original Lin Feng had been in a coma and was later kidnapped to the mountains, this was what everyone else had experienced.

Lin Feng had always known that the reputations of several families had been ruined, and that the resulting chaos had caused severe financial turmoil and caused everyone from the Bai, Lin, and Tang families to be pointed out wherever they go.

But because he had not experienced it himself, Lin Feng had never truly understood its impact. Having once been Madam Lin, someone who had only ever heard good things about her reputation, he had thought he understood.

In reality, he had only known the definition of the words and never truly understood their essence.

Verbal violence was more than just shouting, insults, or cruel words. Its damage was difficult to explain to someone who had never experienced it.

It was the slow destruction of a person’s sense of self through humiliation, threats, constant criticism, and words deliberately used to make people feel worthless.

There were no visible wounds, no clear evidence to show others.

That was why people so easily dismissed it, never understanding how a few cruel sentences could tear apart a person’s self-worth, or how repeated humiliation could turn confidence into shame and make someone question their very existence.

Just like what happened to Uncle Tang.

Others saw only a person who had grown quiet, withdrawn, and distant.

To outsiders, it might have been nothing more than a few sentences. To the person who endured it, those sentences could become a prison they could not escape at all.

Even after the abuse stopped, those words would remain, shaping how victims saw themselves, how they trusted others, and whether they believed they deserved to be loved.