chapter 4

Chapter 4

The day the results were posted, I made it into the top ten of my grade.

After tireless effort, Yao managed to raise her physics score from 18 to 16, and her other subjects weren’t much better-only Chinese was barely acceptable.

My head was pounding as I wondered how I could hide this, but before I could come up with a plan, Mr. Zhao’s phone call had already reached home.

My dad slammed the phone down, fuming with anger: “What kind of results are these?! With all the tens of thousands we spend each month on tutoring, even a dog wouldn’t do this badly!”

Yao clutched her report card, tears streaming down her face.

“Kids from the countryside just have a poor foundation, there’s nothing to be done,” my mom said, standing to the side in her silk pajamas, brewing coffee.

“Is that an excuse? With a poor foundation, haven’t we arranged enough tutoring? Her teacher says she’s often absent-minded at school, not paying attention in class!”

Mom agreed: “Exactly. Even with such expensive tutors, she refuses to study properly-asking her to attend lessons is like asking for her life.”

At that, Yao looked up as if electrified, her eyes filled with grief. But facing her furious parents, her lips moved, yet she said nothing.

Dinner turned into a criticism session for Yao. In the end, my mom summed up,

“Forget it, if she’s not cut out for this, then don’t study. After all, she’s a girl. If she learns to dress up, she can marry a good husband later, that’s more useful than a high degree.”

“But she still has to go to school,” I said softly.

“If you want to study, you can study.” Compared to Yao, anything I said was right since I was in the top ten. In a good mood, my mom served me a chicken drumstick. “Look at you, you’ve been studying so hard lately, you’ve gotten skinny. Tell me what you want to eat and I’ll make it for you!”

“When is your parent-teacher conference?” my dad asked me, not us.

Mom immediately realized what he was getting at:

“Teacher Cai has already invited me! I’ve even thought out what I’ll say on stage! I’ll go to Shuangshuang’s, you go to Yao’s!”

Dad immediately said he was busy that day.

The two started laughing and teasing each other. Yao slipped away from the table and quietly washed her hands at the sink.

I walked over to her. “Is there anything you want to say to me?”

Yao didn’t look at me, just shook her head indifferently.

“My room is over there.” After reminding her, I went online and bought a home surveillance camera, placing it in the corner of Yao’s study, blocking the device with books. It was hard to notice unless you looked closely.

The next day, the tutor arrived as scheduled.

My mom kept apologizing to him, lamenting how dumb Yao was and how much trouble she had caused. The balding middle-aged man replied with polite platitudes.

I passed by with my Da Hong Pao. He sized me up. “And this is…?”

“My eldest daughter.”

“Oh, the two sisters can attend class together.” He smiled kindly.

“I’m in the top ten of my grade.” Ignoring his surprise, I quietly returned to my room and turned on my computer.

Soon, an argument broke out in the hallway.

The screen showed Yao standing in silence, unwilling to enter. Mom, thinking she was an embarrassment, scolded her and pushed her in.

I shook my head, holding my hot tea, and kept watching.

As expected, there was something off about that balding man. He sat directly beside Yao-normally, a tutor should sit across from the student.

As he explained, his elbow would occasionally brush against Yao’s chest. It seemed accidental, but she was obviously trying to dodge him.

I called 110.

While I was reporting it, the situation escalated further.

Because Yao tried to avoid him, the bald man directly grabbed her chest, pressed her against the wall, and touched between her legs.

I rushed over, just in time for Yao to run out the door crying. Her face was flushed as she glanced at me and ran off.

The balding man looked momentarily surprised and rubbed his hands at me:

“Ah, your sister is really dense-no matter how I explain, she doesn’t get it, and just cries…”

“You’re not that smart yourself,” I sneered. “My sister isn’t even fourteen yet. With a situation like this in my family, we can get the best lawyers.”

His expression froze, and he grabbed his bag, trying to run.

I ignored him and went to check on Yao. She was at the washbasin rinsing her mouth, her face streaked with tears.

I feigned curiosity and glanced at her. “What’s wrong?”

Yao wrinkled her little face and said nothing.

I checked the time and started to leave. I hadn’t walked far before Yao ran out and called after me: “Sister…”

After saying this, it was as if she had used up all her courage.

At that moment, police sirens sounded outside the door. Her eyes widened suddenly, as if she was still in a dream.

I walked over and patted her on the head. “You did very well.”

Yao’s expression went from frightened, to aggrieved, and then she threw herself into my arms, wailing loudly.

She must have suffered harassment for some time, but her inborn survival rule was to endure.

She was raised to be an obedient sheep, and whenever she made a sound, she was beaten.

In a strange place, she didn’t know who to trust or rely on, so she depended more and more on her instincts, hiding her voice.

Until she cried out for the first time in my arms.

She finally realized she didn’t live in a sheep pen-this world wasn’t just full of cold onlookers.

Asking for help is the most precious first step.

The bald man was soon taken to the police station. This time, my dad, enraged, rushed over with a team of lawyers.

My mom finally understood why Yao’s grades kept getting worse despite more tutoring. Guilt-ridden, she hugged Yao and cried with her.

While Yao was comforting my mom, I went to the school forum where the bald man taught, posted the news of his arrest, and other victims soon commented and shared their stories, accusing him of being a repeat offender.

I contacted each of them, gathered materials for a joint lawsuit, and, together with the video evidence from our home, and the tireless work of our legal team, the bald man was finally convicted of rape and given a severe sentence.

But that’s all later.

On the third day after everything happened, Yao knocked on my door, clutching her textbook: “Sister, could you teach me… physics?”

Hey, what girl from the countryside doesn’t want to study?