Yan Luo moved behind me and kneaded my temples with both hands. "Don't worry about your dad. My mom visits him every day and says he’s recovering well; he’ll be discharged next week."
I leaned back against his chest. "Your mom is so thoughtful... Things at my place are never quiet; I’m just so tired."
Just out of the hospital and into the police station, not to mention the beating from my mom that could come at any moment.
Sigh...
"Lianhe," Yan Luo said, "why don't we go to America together?"
His words made me laugh. "How could that ever happen? I’m not as good at studying as you are. Plus, the tuition and cost of living there must be incredibly high. My family can’t afford it."
"If it’s about money, my family can cover it..."
"Stop right there. If you don't feel bad for your parents, I do! Your uncle spends all day driving his car for the ride-hailing service, your aunt has back problems, and when Brother Qi went abroad, he didn't come back for years just to save on airfare. Your family has only just started to get better these last two years; don't add to their burden."
Since Yan Luo was spending his family’s money and had no say in the matter, he could only remain silent.
Suddenly, he thought of something and said, "Gaowen’s college applications are for the Imperial Capital, too."
I didn't care. "So what? If you aren't going, I don't want to go either. The winters in the Imperial Capital are freezing, and there are sandstorms in the spring. I don't like that kind of weather."
He laughed. "Then I think Yuncheng is great. It's on the southern coast, spring-like all year round, it’s right across from the Special Administrative Region, and it’s only an hour away from home by high-speed rail."
"Sounds good. I’ll take a look at schools in Yuncheng." As we passed a milk tea shop, I pulled him to a stop. "Look, they have new items."
He knew what I was thinking without me saying a word. Yan Luo said with a smile, "Fine."
He went in to buy two of the new drinks, and we each took one back to school.
Just before evening study, my dad texted to ask how my neck was doing and sent me a red envelope.
I accepted the money and told him my neck was fine and he shouldn't worry.
Today, when he forgave my eldest cousin, not only was my mom angry, but I was too.
My cousin had choked me until I was in that state, yet my dad actually said, "Xiaohe is fine."
I was definitely not fine!
But looking at it now, I suppose compared to his own nephew, his own daughter is more important after all.
The red envelope Dad sent was also bigger than usual.
Never mind, I forgive him.
By Wednesday, my mom gleefully told me that the household of my Aunt and Uncle had imploded again.
The police were tracking the stolen goods and my cousin’s bank records, and when they found his credit report, they discovered he’d borrowed over 500,000 yuan through online loans for gambling!
Unable to cover the hole, my cousin came up with the fake marriage scheme. That "girlfriend" who demanded a car and an apartment was actually someone he rented, and all the money my Aunt and Uncle had scraped together for him was lost to his gambling.
Now their home was in absolute chaos; his two younger brothers were demanding to split the household, and neither was willing to help their gambling-addict brother pay off his debts.
Putting down my phone, I couldn't help but sigh. How could anyone make such a mess?
The household of my Aunt and Uncle was just an ordinary family. The couple had borrowed from all their relatives for my cousin’s wedding. Now that my cousin was in jail and left behind over half a million in debt, the old couple truly felt like they wanted to die.
With their family in such a state, my dad wasn't doing much better. He checked out of the hospital on Friday and started discussing with my mom how they could help.
Naturally, my mom disagreed, threatening that if he dared to give even a cent to them, she would divorce him.
My dad brought up the kindness my Uncle had shown him years ago, but my mom had heard that a hundred times before. She simply took the house deed and the bank cards and left for my Elder Sister’s house, leaving him with only a little bit of living money.
When I got home, I was greeted by a cold stove and my dad leaning on his crutches.
His leg was broken and hadn't healed properly, so he couldn't cook and had to order takeout.
I put down my bag and looked at this ruined home, feeling truly fed up.
Ever since the New Year, there hasn't been a single day of peace.
I’m a high school senior!
I don't expect to be treated like an empress at home, but at least let me have a good night's sleep!
Dad noticed I was exhausted and said apologetically, "Xiaohe, go take a shower first. What do you want to eat? I’ll make it for you."
I collapsed on the sofa and waved my hand. "I don't want to eat, no appetite."
Then I patted the spot next to me. "Dad, come over here."
My dad sat down.
I sat up straight and asked, "Do you really want to help Uncle’s family?"
"Xiaohe, you saw it yourself, they are in real trouble now. Your uncle is so worried his hair has turned white..."
"He’s fifty or sixty, isn't it normal for his hair to be white? Everything is because of my cousin! When my cousin was gambling, borrowing money, and stealing, why didn't he think about what would happen to his family? He even came up with a fake marriage to scam people—why should you pay for the mess he made?"
My dad hung his head. "They are my own flesh and blood after all, and your Aunt and Uncle are getting old. I can't just stand by and watch them get sick from worry, can I?"
I said, "They are getting old, but aren't you and Mom getting old, too? Even if my cousin is caught, don't he have two younger brothers? They are his brothers; if they aren't helping him, why should you, their uncle with a family of your own to support, be the one to do it?"
Dad sighed. "Xiaohe, I feel guilty. If I had just returned the bracelet to Juyan back then, your cousin wouldn't have..."
"Dad! If he hadn't stolen the bracelet, he would have stolen something else! You should be lucky he was caught so soon; otherwise, he would have just gambled away even more money!"
I picked up a piece of paper and did the math for him: "500,000. It’s not like they can’t repay it! Let them sell their house, let the two younger brothers get jobs, and let Aunt and Uncle not sit idle. The four of them should be able to make 10,000 or 20,000 a month. If they work for two or three years—or longer if they don't want to sell the house—they’ll pay it off, won't they? They have three sons; if one is a failure, there are still two others. Why do you need to worry about it?"
My dad said, "Let me think about it."
"Stop thinking about them! Think about Mom! Think about me and my sister!"
The more I spoke, the more aggrieved I felt.
"When I wanted to go to America with Yan Luo’s family for the New Year, you wouldn't get my passport and visa."
"Yan Luo is going to study in America in the future, and I want to go too, but I know our family doesn't have the spare money or the connections. Even when Yan Luo asked me, I said I wasn't going."
"Sister and Brother Juyan have broken up, and you haven't even transferred the money back to him for the gifts he gave her..."
"Wait a minute," my dad interrupted. "Xiao Xun and Juyan broke up?"
"Uh?"
Did my sister not tell them yet?
I give up. Why are she and Juyan both so good at hiding things?
My dad had always felt he didn't care enough for my sister, and thinking about how she had visited him every night without him noticing anything wrong, he felt both guilty and pained.
"Whenever your mom invited Juyan over, I turned a blind eye, thinking I’d let her play matchmaker! Who knew they had already... I can't imagine how heartbroken Xiao Xun must feel seeing him! Xiaohe, you too—if your sister wasn't saying anything, why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"I..."
I didn't say anything because I was afraid of getting beaten, of course!
As for why my sister didn't say anything, how would I know?
Suddenly hit with this, my dad didn't care about my uncle's family anymore. "We really need to transfer the money to Juyan as soon as possible. He's an honest person; we can't let him suffer a loss. Your mom has all the big money, so I'll have to tell her the truth if I want to transfer it. Get my phone; I’m calling your sister to ask what’s going on."
"Mm."
The call went through, and to my surprise, my sister actually said, "Juyan and I haven't broken up. Why would I return his money?"
My dad looked at me, confused. "But Xiaohe said you two..."
My sister's voice was cold. "That’s between Juyan and me. What does she know?"
"Xiao Xun, is your mom there? Is it not convenient for you to talk?"
"She’s already asleep. Dad, he and I are doing fine. You don't need to worry, just focus on recovering at home. I still have some work to finish, I’m hanging up."
"Oh, okay, okay, go ahead and work, get some rest early."
After hanging up, my dad looked at me.
I hurriedly waved my hands. "I wasn't making it up this time, I swear! When we were at the police station last week, I asked Brother Juyan, and he said they had already broken up and that Sister would meet someone better!"
My dad was baffled, muttering to himself, "So did they break up or not?"
I said, "Oh, I don't know anymore! Anyway, our family’s money should go to Brother Juyan first; forget about Uncle’s family!"
"...Fine."
Hearing him say that, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Being sentimental is a good thing, but it depends on who you're being sentimental toward, right?
People like my Uncle and Aunt, who don't know how to be grateful—what's the point of being good to them? You'll just be bled dry.
My Aunt is always so proud of her three sons; now is the time for those good sons to contribute money and effort. My family is not going to be the sucker who pays off their gambling debts.
As for whether my sister broke up or not, I don't care anymore.
Because of that lie, I’ve been beaten, apologized, and tried my best to fix things between them.
But can a couple who was ready to get engaged really break up because of something I said?
Maybe, just as Yan Luo said, there were already problems between them, and I just happened to be there at the wrong time.
Thinking like that feels a bit heartless, but I’ve got my own problems right now. I’m not in the mood to think about them.
The second mock exam is next week. This test basically reflects our real performance for the college entrance exam. I checked up on Yunda University, and my current scores are a bit shaky. I have to push myself harder.
The next day, after finishing breakfast and preparing lunch and dinner for my dad, I called Yan Luo and headed back to school.
He had to grind through practice problems, too—steady progress is the way to win.
There are definitely geniuses who can get high scores easily, but the top students around me are all very hardworking.
Like Brother Qi, the pile of practice papers he’s finished is taller than he is.
My sister used up an entire box of pen refills in her three years of high school.
Yan Luo, who is always smiling and looks just like his family’s little silly dog, has also gone through his set of prep books several times over.
I hadn't even finished my set once.
With my laziness, why should I even think about going to America?
Forget it!
But I have to reach the score for Yunda University.
The second mock exam was scheduled for Thursday and Friday. Because it was a regional joint exam, the results wouldn't be out until next week.
This week happened to be a weekend, so we were off as soon as the exam finished.
I felt like I did okay this time. Before the test, I did a lot of specialized training and had Yan Luo’s notes to help me. I’d probably score higher than the first mock exam.
But exams are like gambling; you never know if you're winning or losing until the cards are on the table.
Anyway, it was over. Put it aside for now and go home!
In the dormitory, my roommates were discussing the exam and their college choices.
Xiao Lan from the upper bunk asked me, "Lian'ou, wasn't your goal the Imperial Capital? Why did you change it to Yuncheng? Aren't you going to college with Yan Luo anymore?"
The blackboard at the back of the classroom was used as an application board, and everyone’s goal was written there for all to see.
Yan Luo didn't go around telling everyone he was preparing to study abroad, so his goal was still the Imperial Capital; only mine had changed.
I said, "I don't want to go anymore. Yuncheng is great—it's close to home and it’s not cold."
Xiao Lan said, "My mom wants me to take the exam for Yuncheng, too, saying it’s close to home and easy to look after me, but my grades aren't good enough! By the way, Yuansu, isn't your dad a professor in the chemistry department at Yunda University? Why aren't you going there?"
Yuansu said, "Not a chance. I’ve been bossed around by him for the first half of my life; I don't want to see his face in college. I’m going to Xijing. There are lots of museums there and they’re famous for long-legged handsome guys~"
Her upper bunk roommate, Xiao Min, said, "It’s a pity you’re a science student if you like museums that much."
Yuansu said indignantly, "Tell me about it! It’s all my dad’s fault. He studied chemistry himself, so he forced me to study it, too. I feel like throwing up whenever I see chemistry! And he even named me Yuansu (Element)!"
I said, "At least he didn't call you Yuanzi."
Yuansu said, "That was the backup! My grandpa said it sounded too much like a foreign name, so he wouldn't let him use it, and they went with Yuansu."
Xiao Lan said, "Actually, the name Yuansu sounds quite nice. 'Susu, Susu'—it sounds so ethereal."
Yuansu said, "Forget it. At home, my dad calls me 'Barium'—Barium, Beryllium, Magnesium, Calcium, Strontium, Barium!"
The dormitory burst into laughter.
I wiped away the tears of laughter and hoisted my backpack. "Sisters, I’m heading out."
Yuansu called out to me, "I’m going to take some stuff to my dad tomorrow. Do you want to come? I can show you around Yunda and we can eat at the cafeteria at noon."
My eyes lit up. "Sure! I’ll ask my dad when I get home, and if it’s okay, I’ll tell you tonight."
"Okay."
When I got home, the Empress had returned to the palace and was watching TV.
She saw me and asked, "Finished the second mock exam? How was it?"
Her tone suggested she was in a relatively stable mood, but I couldn't let my guard down.
I answered cautiously, "It was okay. I finished all the questions."
"Hm."
"Mom, where’s Dad?"
My mom said, "He just went downstairs to take out the trash. Didn't you see him?"
There are two elevators in our building; we must have missed each other.
I felt a little angry. "How could you let him take out the trash? He’s still on crutches."
My mom was dismissive. "He’s been idle at home with nothing to do all day. Are those few steps really going to tire him out?"
What do you mean "nothing to do"? Dad just got out of the hospital, he has a bum leg—how is he supposed to go to work?
I threw down my bag in a huff. "I’m going to find him!"
The mother-in-law on the TV started hitting her daughter-in-law, and my mom couldn't bear to look away. Without turning her head, she shouted, "Buy some more mint on your way back! I’ll have your dad make mint-topped noodles tonight!"
"..."
Sigh, my poor dad.
I didn't see my dad downstairs, so I called him, and he was at the vegetable market.
I went to the nearby market to find him.
When I walked in, I saw not only him, but Mom Yan and Yan Luo, too. Mom Yan was walking beside my dad, and Yan Luo was carrying a basket overflowing with vegetables.
When Mom Yan saw me, she waved immediately. "Xiaohe! Over here!"
I ran over happily. "Why are you here, Auntie? Yan Luo, is it heavy? Let me carry some."
Yan Luo said, "How heavy can it be? Just follow along."
Mom Yan said as we walked, "Yan Luo and I saw your dad while we were shopping. He’s on crutches and can’t carry heavy things, so we just walked together."
I said, "Thank you so much, Auntie."
Mom Yan asked, "Is your mom still at Xiao Xun’s place?"
I looked at my dad inquiringly. "Well... she..."
My dad gave a bitter smile. "She hasn't come back yet."
It seemed he was too embarrassed to say that my mom had sent him out to run errands while she stayed home to watch TV.
Yan Luo caught the look we exchanged and turned his face away, amused.
I poked him in the waist.
Mom Yan didn't know what was going on, but she said with genuine concern, "Brother Lian, I’m not trying to meddle, but Xiao Xun and Xiaohe are both grown up—one is getting married and the other is going to college. They’ll need money for a lot of things, you should really consider them. You’ve done enough for your brother over the years. Don't worry about this mess this time; they have plenty of people in their family, they’ll figure it out!"
I chimed in from the side, "Exactly, exactly."
Mom Yan continued, "And that eldest nephew of yours—what he did was awful. Let him stay in there for a few years to reflect, quit gambling, and when he gets out, he’ll only be in his thirties and can start over. Everyone has their own fate; you can't manage everything yourself."
I said, "Right, right."
Seeing the two of us singing from the same hymn sheet, my dad couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, I won't worry about it anymore. Xiaohe said almost the same thing to me last week. Sigh, when you get to my age, your energy isn't what it used to be. I really can't handle it anymore."
Mom Yan laughed. "That’s right. Living your own life well is better than anything else. You should hurry and have Sister Ding come home, too. Xiao Xun is dating, and if she’s always there, it might get in their way..."
Just as she was speaking, my mom’s chilly voice came from behind us. "Who am I getting in the way of?"
Hearing her speak so suddenly, we were all startled. We turned around and saw it really was her. Mom Yan greeted her, "Oh, Sister Ding, we were just saying we should have Brother Lian pick you up, and here you are."
My mom walked up to separate her from us, deliberately helping my dad. "I’ve been back for a while. You two weren't back, so I came down to check."
Then she looked at my dad, smiling without any warmth. "You two were chatting quite happily. Were you bad-mouthing me?"
Mom Yan quickly explained, "You didn't hear it all. I was just saying that you being at Xiao Xun’s place might get in the way of the young couple building their relationship."
My dad also felt my mom was being aggressive. "No one was bad-mouthing you. They were just showing concern for us; don't be so jumpy."
Although my mom stopped talking, she still looked like she was ready for a fight. Mom Yan, sensing this, patted Yan Luo on the shoulder. "Brother Lian, Sister Ding, I haven't finished shopping yet, so I’ll head off. Yan Luo, you take Xiaohe and them home."
Yan Luo nodded.
I looked at Mom Yan longingly. "Auntie..."
Mom Yan patted my head. "If you want to eat anything in the next couple of days, don't make your dad cook. Come to Auntie’s place; I’ll cook for you."
After saying that, she left.
My mom glared at me and then offered a fake smile to Yan Luo. "Yan Luo, just let Xiaohe carry the basket. You should go catch up with your mom."
"Oh."
Yan Luo didn't want to be around her either, so he handed me the basket and said bye before leaving.
I watched him and Mom Yan disappear into the crowd, truly understanding what it felt like to pine for someone.
Mom Yan! Yan Luo!
Don't go! Don't leave me behind!
As soon as we got home, my mom began criticizing Mom Yan, saying she was gossiping behind people’s backs and meddling in other families' affairs.
I couldn't help but retort, "Auntie isn't like that at all. She didn't say anything bad about you..."
My mom shouted at me, "If you like her so much, why don't you have her be your mom instead!"
I would love nothing more!
But I couldn't say that out loud.
I held back my anger and went to the kitchen to help my dad.
As a result, because I was distracted, the knife I was using to cut peppers slipped and cut my hand.
"Ouch!"
I put my hand under cold water, stomping my feet from the pain.
Dad hurried over with his crutches to find medicine, while my mom watched from the doorway, mocking me, "Traitor! That’s your karma!"
My mom had been nagging like this all day, and my dad had been letting it go in one ear and out the other.
But hearing this, he couldn't take it anymore and, without turning his head, said, "Enough! The kid is hurt, can you stop for once!"
My mom choked, gave a huff, threw down the remote, and went into the bedroom, slamming the door shut with a bang.
The cut on my index finger wasn't very deep, and after applying pressure for a while, the bleeding stopped.