Chapter 0379
That night, Miranda’s bank account suddenly showed an extra two million. When she received the balance notification, she froze for a moment. Then she immediately threw off her covers, got up, and ran to the next room. “Mom, why did you transfer money to me?” she asked.
Mindy and Lionel exchanged a glance, as if they had expected this reaction. “Your dad and I discussed it. You already spent so much money buying that villa. We couldn’t help before, but now that we can, we thought we’d contribute a bit. It’s not enough, but it’s something.” “I don’t need the money!” “I know,” Mindy replied gently, smiling. “I didn’t transfer it because you needed it. The villa is where your dad and I live now. Since we have some extra funds, it’s only right that we contribute to the cost.” “But we’re family. There’s no need to be overly concerned about these things.” “I agree,” Mindy countered. “So why are you trying to be that way with us?”
Miranda was momentarily speechless. “But—” “No more ‘buts,’” Lionel interrupted. “Listen to your mom. Besides, if we need money later, would you refuse to help us out?” “…No.” “Exactly. Now, it’s getting late, and we have a train to catch tomorrow. Go get some sleep.” “Alright, but I’ll hold onto the money for now. If you need it, just let me know.” “Okay, okay, go on now.”
Miranda finally turned back to her room. Mindy sighed. “That silly girl is probably overthinking again.” Lionel said, “Honestly, Mimi probably doesn’t care about the money…” He had a sense that their daughter had a substantial amount saved, though he never asked for specifics. It had to be at least in the eight-figure range. Mindy suddenly grew serious. “Whatever she has, it’s hers. What we give, no matter how little, is a gesture from us as her parents. It’s not about how much or whether she needs it.” “We couldn’t give her a villa when she was young. Now, we’re benefiting from her hard work and living in such a nice house, but none of this should be taken for granted.” Lionel sighed, “I feel so useless…” “But you’re not.” “Honey…” Lionel felt a bit emotional. “Without you, I couldn’t have had a child on my own. There’d be no Mími.”
The next morning at nine, Miranda took her parents to the train station. She stood by the gate, watching them walk away until they were out of sight before she left. When she got back home, she happened to see Paul holding a stack of papers, about to knock on her door. “Dr. Jefferson.” Miranda climbed the last step and stood face to face with him. “Is your dad home?” Paul asked. “My parents left today. Were you looking for him?” “He asked me to help him find some research papers. I printed them all out.” He patted the stack in his hand. “Oh? They just left…” “No problem. I have an electronic copy. I’ll send it to you, and you can forward it to him.” “Thank you, Dr. Jefferson. I really appreciate it!” “You’re welcome. Your dad is… quite an interesting person.” Except for one thing—his insistence on becoming Paul’s brother.
With her parents gone, Miranda’s life returned to its routine. She spent her days shuttling between home and the library. Time flew by, and before she knew it, September arrived—the start of her graduate school.