When I returned home for the New Year, my mom subtly asked me about my savings.
To stay low-key, I deliberately downplayed my wealth, claiming I only had three hundred thousand when I actually had thirty million.
My mom keenly noticed the three hundred thousand I had just withdrawn from my account and didn't doubt me at all.
Soon, my brother brought his entire family, knelt before me and begged me through tears to help him repay his gambling debts.
To help him quit gambling, I refused and even lined up a job for him with a monthly salary of over ten thousand.
But to my shock, on New Year's Eve, they poisoned my food. I died on the spot. By New Year's Day, they had hastily cremated me and buried my ashes.
After my death, they inherited all of my assets and lived a carefree life. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself reborn on New Year's Eve.
***
In my previous life, tonight was the night my parents, brother and sister-in-law all begged me for help, I refused. There's a saying, "Help for emergencies, not poverty." Gambling was a bottomless pit. Helping once only leads to countless more times.
I resolutely refused my brother and promised to arrange a job for him after the New Year with a monthly salary of over ten thousand. They quickly smiled and agreed, even bringing out red wine and food, saying it was rare for us all to gather.
I cheers with them without hesitation, but little did I know they had poisoned the wine and I died instantly.
On New Year's Day, they spent a fortune to have the crematorium turn me into a pile of ashes. After I died, they inherited my tens of millions in assets and lived a carefree life together.
My parents lounged in my luxurious villa, basking in the sun and sighed, "Raising her was finally worth it. All the effort we spent on her paid off."
Thinking about this, I couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
It was the morning of New Year's Eve when I got home. Exhausted from the trip, I didn't rest but instead joined my mom in the kitchen to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner.
No matter what topic we talked about, my mom would always steer the conversation back to my savings.
I hadn't been home in three years, during which I'd endured countless hardships and earned a fair amount of money. But this time, I didn't foolishly tell the truth.
I deliberately downplayed it, "Mom, I've saved three hundred thousand."
Sure enough, within an hour, my brother entered with his wife and child. As soon as they came in, they knelt before me.
"Natasha, please, I'm begging you! This is the last time. I swear I won't gamble again. Just help me out this once." Clay was slapping himself in self-reproach as he begged for my help.
"Natasha, please help Clay this one time. He was just led astray. Deep down, he's not a bad person." The one who was speaking was my sister-in-law, Clay's wife, Agnes Duvall.
She was also kneeling on the floor, clutching my pant leg, pleading. Behind them, their young son was kneeling too.
At this moment, my dad spoke, "Natasha, your brother and his whole family are on their knees. Why are you standing there silent? You're part of this family. You'll help whether you want to or not."
My mom's face tightened as well, "We asked you nicely and you didn't agree. So you just have to watch your family kneel to you? Do you even have a conscience?"
My mind raced. I suddenly fell to my knees with a thud, repeatedly bowed my head to them, tears streaming down my face, "Dad, Mom, Clay, Agnes, I'm begging you to save me!" They stared at each other, dumbfounded.
My dad slapped the table in frustration, "Enough, Natasha! What are you playing at? It's New Year's Eve. What's with this nonsense?"
My forehead was already hurt from the bow, but if I didn't make this performance convincing, I'd probably still end up unable to leave this house alive in this lifetime.
I knelt and lunged toward my mom, clutching her arms tightly.
