It's the voice of my aunt, Li Chunxiu.

Since I can remember, my aunt has always mentioned how she gave up on her studies and dropped out of school to work in a factory to support my father’s education.

Therefore, over the years, her job was arranged by my father, her husband was introduced by my father, and even her house was allocated by my father’s work unit.

Back then, my father performed well at work and was given a quota when houses were distributed.

When my aunt found out, she went to my father and made a scene, insisting on taking the house. She argued that if it wasn’t for our grandfather favoring boys over girls, she wouldn’t have had to drop out to work while my father continued his studies.

"You owe me this!"

This was her catchphrase after every unreasonable tantrum.

But I knew that back then, my aunt didn’t love studying; she fought at school every day and was finally expelled.

She scorned studies and insisted on going to work in a factory.

It wasn’t because our grandfather favored boys over girls, nor did my father snatch her chance to study.

But it's true that my aunt did contribute financially when my father went to college.

Hence, my father always chose to cater to her unreasonable demands.

He even took care of my aunt's daughter, Wang Xue, in every way possible.

I didn’t want my mother to be caught in the middle between my aunt and me.

[Who are you? Is that your real profile picture?]

[Spreading rumors can land you in jail.]

I quickly typed the last line on my phone, then stood up and walked to the living room.

Seeing me come out, my mother smiled and went to the kitchen to serve the soup:

"I'll bring out the rib soup, and the meal will be ready."

I looked at the array of dishes and my gaze fell on my cousin, Wang Xue, who was busy eating fish.

Since my mother and I hadn't sat down yet and the dishes were not all served, no one had started eating.

Only Wang Xue had already begun enjoying the food.

She was quite picky, only eating the meat from the fish's belly, leaving the fish a mess.

Noticing my gaze, Wang Xue rolled her eyes at me and continued picking at the fish.

My aunt, sitting next to Wang Xue, picked the lean meat from the braised pork and gave it to her daughter, discarding the fatty meat back into the dish while shouting towards the kitchen:

"Sister-in-law, why does serving soup take so long? You're so slow; everyone is waiting for you."

"Haven’t you started eating already? Why say you’re waiting for my mom to sit down?"

I casually picked up the chopsticks from the table and knocked on the scattered fish and the plate of braised pork full of fatty meat.

"What is wrong with you? Only your cousin had a few bites; no one else ate. How could you say you’re not waiting for your mom?"

My aunt slammed the table and glared at me:

"It's not that you were dawdling in your room and didn’t come out, your mother is slow at everything. We adults are holding back from eating; Little Snow is too young to bear hunger."

Too young?

Wang Xue is 21 this year, only a month younger than me.

Since childhood, my aunt has compared everything between Wang Xue and me.

Seeing me get into a top university for law.

She used all her money and connections to get my cousin, who only got into a second-tier university, to transfer into the same top law university as me.

Glancing at the apron on my mother and the brand-new suit on my aunt, I coldly spoke:

"She’s 21, and you call her young? Why not feed her? If you think my mom is slow in cooking, why don't you cook?"

Wang Xue slammed her chopsticks on the table, crossed her arms, and looked at me;

"Are you serious? It’s just a few bites, does it warrant such harsh words? Don’t you know common courtesy to treat guests well?"

Just as I was about to retort, my mother brought out a steaming bowl from the kitchen and placed it in the center:

"The soup is here, the soup is here. It’s my fault for being slow in cooking, age and all make my movements slow."

She gently tugged my sleeve, signaling me to sit:

"Everyone, let's eat quickly; you must be hungry."

I sat down with a blank expression, but my aunt snorted coldly:

"It’s not right for you to speak while the elders are talking. Where’s your manners? Brother, is this how you taught Xinxin?"

My father smiled in an attempt to mediate:

"It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s partly my fault for buying the groceries late. I went to Donghu Market specifically to buy fish for Xiaoxue, and it took some extra time. Since we are all here for a family holiday, let’s have a drink first."

With that, he stood up and raised his glass of white wine.

Seeing my mother's concerned look and my father's forced cheerfulness, the fire in my heart burned even stronger.

Every time I couldn’t stand watching my aunt bully my parents and wanted to argue, my parents would take the blame on themselves.

Perhaps it was the earlier message about the miscarriage that provoked me, so I sat motionless in my chair:

"It’s not my place to speak when adults are talking, but is it okay for your daughter to start eating before the elders do? And you call yourselves guests? You’ve been barking orders and complaining, but it didn’t stop you from eating."

"Your cousin isn't feeling well today. What's wrong with eating some fish? Brother, I dropped out of middle school to work and put you through college. Now you’ve made it, and you're starting to disdain me. My daughter eating a bit of fish leads to your daughter's rebuke."

My aunt slammed the table and started scolding my father, once again bringing up the hardships she went through to support his education.

This familiar moral blackmail.

"Aunt, how long are you going to keep bringing this up? Weren’t you the one pointing fingers and scolding me and my mom? Now you’re acting like the victim. If you don’t want to be scolded, you should control your own mouth first."

Want to argue?

Who’s afraid of whom?

My aunt rolled up her sleeves, ready to lash out:

"Alright, I worked hard to put you through education, only to raise an ungrateful family. Today, I'll teach you a lesson for your father."

Just as the confrontation was about to escalate, Wang Xue suddenly threw up.

My aunt's face immediately turned from anger to panic as she supported her daughter:

"Xiaoxue, Xiaoxue, what’s wrong with you?"

"Mom..."

Wang Xue spoke and then vomited all over the place again.

My aunt shrieked at my father:

"Brother, are you just going to stand there? Quickly, take Xiaoxue to the hospital."

Startled by her shouting, my father instinctively picked up my cousin and rushed to the door.

My mother anxiously grabbed the car keys from her bag and followed:

"Drive, drive to the hospital."

In an instant, everyone in the household ran off protecting my cousin, leaving me alone with a table full of dishes.

Opening my phone, the user with my profile picture seemed scared off by my earlier message and hadn’t replied.

Losing the appetite to eat, I hastily tidied up the living room before heading back to pack my clothes and luggage.

At ten in the evening, I heard the subtle sounds from the living room.

My parents were back.

My mom opened my room door, speaking with a hint of guilt:

"Xinxin, you didn’t eat much tonight, did you?"

Already in my pajamas and ready for bed, I answered from beneath the covers:

"It’s fine, mom. How’s my cousin?"

"She should be okay, we registered her at the hospital and then came back. Your aunt is staying with her."

I turned over without responding.

My mother sighed softly:

"You have to return to school tomorrow, so sleep early. I'll turn off your room light."