My aunt's family lives in the same neighborhood as mine. Ignoring my parents chasing after me, I ran quickly to her front door and knocked loudly.

"Why are you knocking? Who is it? It's the middle of the night, are you crazy!"

I heard my aunt's grumbling voice. She angrily yanked open the door but froze when she saw me:

"Xin Xin, why are you here?"

She showed an awkward smile and touched her nose guiltily.

I ignored her words and looked inside the house.

My cousin Wang Xue was sitting on the sofa soaking her feet, with a plate of dried plums in her lap.

Feeling my gaze, she suddenly looked up and, like a thief, placed the dried plums aside, stammering:

"Cousin."

I stepped into the house.

My aunt called from behind:

"What are you doing here? Hey! You haven't even changed your shoes!"

Walking up to Wang Xue, I stared at her slightly protruding belly:

"Wang Xue, it seems you're living quite comfortably."

Wang Xue hurriedly grabbed a cushion to cover herself:

"Cousin, why are you here so late?"

"Why cover up? It's already on the confession wall. Everyone at school knows I'm pregnant. Do you think you can hide it from me?"

Wang Xue's face turned as white as a sheet. She turned her head and shouted towards the door:

"Mom..."

Like a mother hen protecting her chick, my aunt quickly ran in front of Wang Xue and shouted at me:

"What are you here for?"

"Don't you know why I'm here? Your daughter spread rumors about me at school using my photo. I'm here to hold you accountable."

"You're talking nonsense!"

My aunt blinked rapidly and tightly shielded Wang Xue:

"Do you have any evidence? You have no proof and want to blame it on Xiao Xue? Where are your parents? Why didn't they come?"

"Evidence? Does the police count as evidence? The police station has already called me. This account was registered by Wang Xue. She's the one spreading rumors about me!"

I stepped closer to my aunt until she was so frightened she fell onto the sofa:

"Wang Xue, you're really something. Not only are you pregnant out of wedlock, but now you're committing crimes. Why did you suddenly think of framing me? Oh, having a child gave you the idea. Did your clever brain not realize that rumor-mongering is a crime and can land you in jail?"

Wang Xue screamed in fright at my words:

"So what if I did? I won't go to jail. I've checked. I'm a pregnant woman; I won't be jailed!"

"What about having a criminal record? Facing disciplinary actions? I forgot, you're just here as a transfer student, right? Too bad. Do you think the school authorities will let you stay after finding out?"

Watching her face filled with fear and panic, I felt a wave of satisfaction.

My aunt stood up and pushed me hard:

"Shut up! Where are your parents? Call them here! I want to ask how they raised you, treating your family like this. Do you have any conscience?"

"Did my cousin think about her conscience when she was spreading rumors about me?"

"You... you... she didn't do it on purpose!"

My aunt screamed in anger. Just then, my parents finally arrived.

My mom hugged me as soon as she came in:

"Xin Xin, are you okay?"

My dad followed closely behind:

"Why are you so impulsive? We hadn't even finished talking yet!"

Seeing my parents, my aunt seemed to see her saviors, straightening her back and bossily saying:

"Brother, you're finally here. How did you raise your daughter? She comes to my place creating havoc late at night?"

My dad looked at me, then at my aunt, and reached out to pull me:

"Xin Xin, why did you come to your aunt's place? Let's talk at home."

I chuckled and looked at my self-satisfied aunt:

"Not here? Fine, I'll talk at the police station or at school."

As expected, I saw her face change drastically.

"No way! You can't! Li Dafeng, will you control your daughter or not?"

Shouting my dad's name in a high-pitched voice and seeing his hesitant expression, she anxiously said:

"Li Dafeng, I dropped out of school at 14 to work in a factory to support your education. Other girls were enjoying life at home, marrying early and starting families. You finished college and stayed to work in the city. I stayed in the countryside to take care of dad because I was fulfilling your duty as a child. I suffered all my life, was looked down on all my life. Finally, Xiao Xue is about to graduate, and the hardships are ending. Are you really okay with your daughter ruining my and my daughter's lives?"

My dad seemed to remember the hard old days and softly coaxed me:

"Xin Xin, stop it. We're all family."

With my arms crossed, I sneered at him:

"Family? Only you and aunt are family. I have no family spreading rumors about my pregnancy. Aunt, how long will you keep bringing up dropping out? You didn't support my dad; you borrowed money with IOUs. Besides, hasn't dad treated you well all these years? He gave you money and helped you. The house, the car—it was all him. Even if you paid for his education, he's repaid you a hundred times over. He's been repaying your kindness all his life, and now I have to continue? What, do I have to sell my life to you too?"

The commotion at my aunt's house was loud, and the door wasn't closed. Neighbors around were peeking to see what was happening.

I looked around and calmly said:

"I'm already an adult and a victim with full civil capacity. Do you think my parents stopping me from going will work? Let me tell you, Wang Xue's out-of-wedlock pregnancy and spreading rumors about me won't go unresolved. I've already notified the police and the school, so wait for her criminal record and disciplinary action!"

Releasing all the anger suppressed over the years, I was about to leave when Wang Xue grabbed my pants leg.

Realizing the seriousness of the situation, she knelt on the ground crying:

"Cousin, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. Please forgive me this once. If I get a criminal record, my life will be ruined!"

"Get lost!"

I spat the word out, looking at the few neighbors standing outside.

Wang Xue, didn't you enjoy spreading rumors about me?

Now the whole neighborhood knows about your disgraceful acts.