Chapter 16 The Final Cut
After that confrontation, my mom really disappeared.
My high school life returned to calm. When the college entrance exam results came out, I topped the city in science and got into the best university in Beijing.
The day I received my admission letter, our family held the grandest banquet ever.
Aunt invited every relative and neighbor.
She drank until her face was flushed red, going around toasting everyone.
Her words tumbled out in a mess, but the core message was always the same—her Qiaoqiao was the most promising child in the world.
During my four years of university, I never went back to my hometown.
I spent every winter and summer break working part-time jobs and interning, earning enough to cover my living expenses and tuition.
Whatever money I saved, I sent home. Every time, Aunt scolded me, saying the family didn’t lack money and told me to keep it for myself.
Gu Feng’s auto repair skills improved steadily. After graduation, Uncle used every bit of the family’s savings to help him open his own repair shop.
Business started slow and tough, but later, thanks to his solid skills and honest reputation, it grew bigger and bigger.
After I graduated, I joined a top internet company, starting from the lowest-level programmer position. I fought my way up and became a project supervisor.
I had my own apartment, my own car, everything others envied.
I brought Aunt and Uncle to Beijing for a visit. I took them to Tiananmen Square, to the Great Wall, and to eat the most famous Peking duck.
Uncle still didn’t talk much. He just looked at me, his eyes full of quiet pride.
Aunt kept sighing the whole trip, saying her life was worth it now.
Gu Feng’s repair shop even opened a branch. He married a nurse and had an adorable little daughter.
He sent me photos of the child. In the pictures, he held his daughter and grinned like an idiot.
I thought the family tied to me by blood had been completely severed, turned into two parallel lines that would never meet again.
Until one phone call came in.
“Qiaoqiao, your Older Brother gambled away all the family money, and now he’s locked up. Hurry and find a way to get your brother out, then come get me so I can live with you in my old age.”
“Why should I? Have you forgotten how you treated me back then?”
My voice stayed calm.
“No matter what, the Debt Of Giving Birth And Raising is greater than the sky. You can’t just ignore me.”
On the other end, my mom started her usual moral kidnapping routine.
“When did you ever raise me? As for the Debt Of Giving Birth And Raising, didn’t you take all of Dad’s accident compensation money back then and say from now on you’d act like you never had a daughter like me?”
“The people who raised me were the ones who tucked me in at night when I was cold—Aunt. The ones who went hungry themselves but gave me their only tea egg—Uncle. The one who shielded me behind him even when his own head was bleeding—my Older Brother. They fed me every bite, clothed me every piece, paid every cent of my tuition. That kindness is greater than the sky. I would spend my whole life repaying it.”
“You?” I let out a cold laugh.
“Have you ever raised me for a single day? Have you ever washed my clothes once? Have you ever asked if I was cold or warm? Where is your so-called kindness?”
“So stop talking to me about the Debt Of Giving Birth And Raising. You don’t deserve to.”
Her voice started cracking with sobs on the other end. “Qiaoqiao, Mom knows I treated you badly before, but Mom had no choice…”
“No choice? Was someone forcing you to take Dad’s twenty thousand and remarry to have another child? Or forcing you to ignore your own daughter for twenty years?” I cut her off directly.
“Mom really regrets it now, my good daughter, truly regrets it… If only back then I had taken you with me…”
She finally said the words I had expected all along.
But this regret, more than twenty years too late, was worthless.
“You’re not regretting abandoning me back then,” I said, cutting straight through her.
“You’re regretting that what you threw away turned out to be the one who could support you now.”
“No… that’s not it…” She tried to defend herself weakly.
“Qiaoqiao, you can’t treat me like this! No matter what, I’m still your mom! And look how well you’re doing now—surely you can at least spare your mom a mouthful of food?”
“My money will only go to the people who love me and raised me,” I said, my tone calm and final.
“Lin Kai is your son, not mine. You chose him, so you bear the consequences of that choice. As for supporting you in your old age? Sorry, but my parents’ pension has already been paid out in advance.”
“That’s it. Don’t call me again.”
With that, I hung up without a second of hesitation and added the number to my blacklist.
The sunlight outside the window streamed in, warm on my skin.
The scar that had sat in my heart for more than twenty years felt, in that moment, completely smoothed away by the light, every last ugly trace gone.
I picked up the phone again and dialed another number I knew by heart.
It was answered quickly—Aunt’s loud, hearty voice.
“Hello? Qiaoqiao! Why are you calling today? Working overtime again?”
I leaned against the window, watching the endless stream of cars below, a gentle but firm smile on my lips.
“Aunt, I’m coming home this weekend.”
“I miss the pork and pickled cabbage dumplings you make.”