: One Million Yuan
4
This life-changing opportunity was right in front of me. I was determined not to let these people ruin it.
My mom saw that I was refusing to hand over the $30,000.
She raised her hand high and brought it down toward my face.
This time, I didn't hold back. I raised my hand, gripped her wrist tightly, and blocked her slap.
My mom froze for a second, then started squawking like a mad hen.
"Fine! You wretched girl, you've gotten bold now, haven't you? See if I don't slap the life out of you."
My mom yanked her hand back forcefully, ready to leave a bright red handprint on my face.
I gritted my teeth, glaring at her hand.
Suddenly, my dad's voice came from the doorway.
"What's all this racket? I could hear you shouting all the way from the front gate. Have you no shame?"
My dad kicked his shoes aside and strode in.
He stood in front of me, patted my shoulder lightly, and gave me a fawning smile.
"Not bad, Pan Nan. First in the Province. I hear a lot of universities are fighting to recruit you."
I furrowed my brow, staring nervously at my dad.
In this family, I wasn't afraid of my mom, because all she did was screech.
It was my dad, on the other hand, that I was wary of. He wouldn't say much, but you could almost hear the beads of his mental abacus clattering away.
If I wasn't careful, one of those beads would fly off and hit me in the face.
"I hear the city university is offering you $150,000 to enroll."
"$150,000."
"$150,000."
My mom and my brother cried out at the same time. They looked at me like wolves that had just seen fresh meat, as if they couldn't wait to tear me to shreds and devour every last piece.
'Heh. A regular university. They're such wonderful parents.'
'Prestigious schools that countless families could only dream of mean nothing to them.'
My brother led my parents back to his room. I didn't have to guess; I knew the three of them were going to scheme about how to sell me for the best possible price.
'How pathetic.'
I went back to my room as well.
'Heh. My "room." It was just a converted storage closet, a freebie that came with the apartment. It doesn't even have a window.'
When I shut the door, dust rained down from the walls, making me choke and cough for a good while before I finally fell silent.
'I've always been the unwanted one in this family.'
'It's as if they've never considered me their child.'
'My brother, on the other hand, is treated like he's the only one.'
One time, I had a fever. It was almost 104 degrees, and things were starting to get blurry.
I was terrified, so I went to find my mom.
I wanted her to take me to the hospital.
My brother was throwing a tantrum, refusing to eat. She was holding him and cooing, "Be a good boy, Jason. After you finish eating, Mommy will take you to the amusement park, ride the carousel, and buy you ice cream, okay?"
My brother's tantrum escalated, and he repeatedly hit our mom on the head. "No! I want a hamburger! If you don't buy me one, I'll beat you to death!"
His little hands thumped against our mom's head.
It looked painful even to me, but my mom just kept smiling.
She kissed my brother's cheek. "Okay, okay, okay. Mommy will take you right now."
She picked up my brother and stood up without even glancing at me.
I collapsed to the floor with a THUD, grabbing the hem of her pants. "Mom, I feel so sick."
"If you're going to die, then go die somewhere else."
My mom kicked my hand away and took my brother to get a hamburger.
'But I guess she was afraid I might actually die.'
Before she left, she tossed a fever reducer at me.
