After My Cousin Died in a Pearl Milk Bath

My cousin's entire skin was dark, rough, and she was tried all kinds of whitening products to no avail.

Her best friend told her that soaking in a mixture of pearl powder and milk every day for seven days would rejuvenate her skin, making it white and smooth, as if reborn.

Pearl powder is expensive, and her family came to my house to borrow money, threatening and causing a scene.

My parents, thinking it better to avoid trouble by spending money, lent them 30,000 dollars.

But I never expected my cousin would soak in the milk for 24 hours straight!

"People can't stay in water for that long, it's too much for the body to bear."

I tried to reason with her, but her parents threw me out of the house.

"Get out! I think you're just jealous that my daughter will become a beauty! You're not welcome here!"

Three days later, my cousin died from an explosive rupture in the milk bath.

Her parents blamed her tragic death on my family.

"If you hadn't lent us the money, we wouldn't have let her soak in the milk bath! If you had insisted on stopping her, my daughter wouldn't have died!"

Furious, her parents stabbed my entire family to death.

When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to the day when they came to our house to borrow money.

***

"Big brother, if you don't lend us money today, we're not leaving!"

Nora's sharp voice pierced my ears, pulling me back to reality.

I followed the sound and frowned at the sight of the three of them aggressively standing across from me.

The memory of the day we were stabbed to death flashed in my mind. They had the same expressions then as they do now.

"Nora, it's not that my brother doesn't want to help, but this whole idea of mixing pearl powder with milk and soaking in it for seven days to get white skin is just nonsense, a scam!"

"Over the years, you've nearly gone bankrupt trying to whiten Emma's skin. Is it really worth it?"

"Take my advice, stop this now before..."

My dad tried to persuade them, but their faces only darkened.

Maybe my dad's words hit too hard, or maybe Emma was too sensitive, but suddenly her tears started falling.

"Uncle, how could you say it's not worth it for my parents to care about me?"

"What can I do about having bad skin? Is it wrong that I want to be white and pretty?"

"As my family, if you don't want to help me, fine, but why stab me in the heart?"

The more she spoke, the harder she cried, finally throwing herself into Nora's arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

Crying loudly, just like at a funeral.

I clenched my fists, ready to speak, but Jason, her father, with bloodshot eyes, stood up and grabbed my dad by the collar. He picked up the ashtray from the coffee table and swung it toward my dad.

"Jason, we've been asking politely for so long, and you refuse to lend us money. Fine. But why bully my daughter?"

"You dare make her cry, I swear I'll kill you!"

This scene was exactly the same as in my past life.

Jason had a violent temper, but he wasn't actually going to hit anyone.

He just picked up the ashtray to scare my parents.

In my previous life, my parents were so frightened by his behavior that they gave them the money, thinking it was better to avoid conflict.

This time, I wouldn't let my family repeat the same mistake!

Sure enough, my dad was scared by Jason's crazy behavior.

He held onto his collar with one hand, trying to stop Jason's hand with the ashtray with the other, his voice anxious. "Brother-in-law, don't do this, that's not what I meant. Let's just talk..."

"Talk? The one who bullies my daughter must pay!"

Jason pushed the ashtray even closer to my dad's head.

My mom rushed to intervene but was pushed aside by Jason. I quickly caught her.

Jason was taller and stronger than my dad, who was just a schoolteacher. He worked in transport, so his strength was naturally much greater.

Unable to fight back and with my mom and me at risk, my dad finally gave in. "We'll lend you the money! We can lend it!"

Jason's movements paused, but the vicious look in his eyes didn't lessen.

"How much?"