The Unpromising Adopted Daughter

The saying "blood is thicker than water" seemed to ring true. Within half a month, Lindsay begged me to let her visit the small village where she was born.

This time, I didn't stop her. Instead, I allowed her to stay a few extra days. She hugged me tightly, saying "You're the best mom in the world." I just smiled.

While Lindsay was staying with her biological parents, I quickly sold off the car and house I had bought for her 18th birthday gift. Luckily, I had put them in mine and Liam's names when purchasing since she was a minor.

Liam was perplexed. "But didn't you say those were for Lindsay when she turns 18? Her birthday's coming up, why are you getting rid of them now?"

I knew he wouldn't believe I had foreseen the future, so I casually remarked, "The housing market's down right now, so I figured I'd unload it while I still can get a decent price. We can get Lindsay a nicer place wherever she wants after graduating. And with two cars already, one's enough until then when we'll buy her a new one."

Just like that, I sold the assets meant for her and moved the dowry money I'd saved into a trust fund, requiring my password and fingerprint to access.

Lindsay was gone for two weeks. When she returned, her face looked thinner and sickly.

Liam busied himself cooking, a worried frown on his face. Lindsay grabbed my hand excitedly recounting her stay.

"Mom, you wouldn't believe it! They grow dozens of acres of rice, working out in that scorching sun. The water would flood up to their calves, with insects even biting their legs. But they wouldn't let me help in the fields. My little brother even bought me a 50 cent ice cream cone. Can you imagine? I teared up eating that cheap little treat - they're so good to me." Her eyes shone with adoration for her birth family.

I glanced at the latest $1200 iPhone and $300 limited edition sneakers I'd bought her. A 50 cent ice cream made her cry? Was our luxury ice cream not good enough?

Liam proudly presented the lavish seafood feast he'd prepared. But Lindsay's eyes welled up seeing the steamed mantis shrimp. "My little brother's never even had that. He says the only seafood they eat is clams."

Liam and I exchanged bewildered looks. Was she serious? Why did it matter what her brother ate? Liam had worked hard all day in this heat.

Most outrageously, Lindsay packed all the seafood into a container. "Dad, my parents have never tried any of this. Do you mind if I take it for them to taste?"

Liam's expression was indescribable. Before he could protest, Lindsay had boxed up every last shrimp and scampered off.

We stared at the empty table, fuming.

Since the seafood incident that day, outrageous situations kept happening one after the other.

First, the gold necklace Liam gave me when we got married went missing.

I couldn't find it anywhere.

Lindsay came out of the air-conditioned room wearing a facial mask and irritably said, "Mom, what are you so busy with? You're rummaging through boxes and cabinets, making me lose my game."

I anxiously asked her, "Have you seen the gold necklace with the goldfish pattern in my jewelry box? I can't find it no matter how hard I look."

Lindsay casually said, "Oh, that one? I gave it to my mother over there. She's never worn gold jewelry like you have. I saw her neck was bare, so I gave her your necklace. Mom, you won't blame me, right?"

I was so angry, I said, "That's a wedding memento from your father and me."

Lindsay said indifferently, "You have lots of gold jewelry like that, why are you being so stingy?"

I insisted she get my necklace back, but not only did she not do it, she begged me to buy her another iPad.

I was surprised, "Didn't I just get you the latest one?"

She shamelessly said, "I gave it to Jordan. He never got to play with those as a kid. He really liked it when he saw it, so I gave it to him."

"I don't care if your brother likes it or not, I won't buy you another one. Let's see how many more gifts you can give him."

When she saw I wouldn't give in, she started crying, "I knew you looked down on my parents because they're poor. You're a snob who despises the poor and loves the rich. Do you think my parents don't work hard? Do you know how tough farming is?"

I had so many questions. What were they trying to do? Were they hoping for a son? If I had three daughters, would I rather drown the third to have a son?

Work hard? Is it hard for me to sit at my computer desk typing for hours every day? Is it hard for me to research thoroughly while typing? Is it hard for Liam to lead a team and make plans? Everyone has their own struggles, but using their hard work to guilt-trip me is disgusting.

Seeing begging me was useless, Lindsay started pleading with Liam. Liam gently massaged my shoulders and said, "Honey, why don't you just buy her another one? Lindsay is kind-hearted. It's inconvenient for her studies without an iPad."

I looked at his neatly trimmed hair and well-groomed appearance, and thought about how in a previous life Lindsay had given away all our assets to her brother, forcing Liam to work hard into old age. I couldn't stop feeling angry. "What if she gives our retirement money to her brother? What if she gives him our house and everything we own?"

Liam looked a bit hesitant, "No way, we raised her after all."

I held his hand and explained to him clearly and in great detail, "If she really loves her brother, she can get a job at a milk tea shop or intern at your company. She can use her own money to support him, but she can't just give away our money for her brother, right? What's the point of adopting her if we still have to support her brother? That's unheard of."

Liam nodded solemnly and didn't agree to buy her an iPad.

Who knew this girl was so good at causing trouble? When she saw we didn't agree, she asked her biological brother to post online looking for relatives.

It read: [My sister was stolen by a couple right from our doorstep when she was just born. Now I don't ask for anything else, just that my sister can come home and connect with her roots. My old mother at home is so worried, she's almost cried herself blind.] Coupled with the heartbreaking video and audio of Lindsay's mother crying sadly, anyone who saw or heard it would be moved to tears.

The topic of searching for relatives immediately became a hot online controversy, and the biological parents' relatives deliberately stirred up more trouble online. They disguised themselves as students and said, "That mom looks like an alumna of our school."

Someone commented asking if this was the girl named Lindsay from Class 3. They really did look exactly alike.

The news media is extremely sensitive to this kind of news. After seeing it, they immediately did an in-depth investigation and finally disclosed the following:

Liam and I couldn't have children, so we passed by a house one day and saw an adorable little girl, and that's when we stole her.

Upon hearing her say that, Liam was so angry that tears streamed down his face.

At that time, Liam was working for the government, and we could only have one child according to the policy, so we didn't have another one.

Now she has teamed up with her biological parents to frame us online.

Later, the reporter interviewed Lindsay, who cried on camera, "I feel so sorry for my parents. They worked so hard and searched everywhere to find me. But I can't say anything else about my adoptive family. After all, they raised me."

As soon as this video was released, kind netizens expressed:

[Don't cry, dear. That's the kidnapper, not the foster mother.]

[This thief couple is so disgusting. How could they steal someone's child?]

A small number of netizens made a weak statement:

[But they also gave Lindsay all their love and protection.]

They were immediately scolded so harshly, even their own mother couldn't defend them.

[You're speaking for the kidnapper like this, did you also buy a child?]

[May your child also be stolen at birth.]

The online comments were scathing. A reporter called me and asked, "I heard you stole someone else's child. What do you have to say now?"