Chapter 16

[I’m a little jealous. You get along so well with her.]

[But you’re the most important to me!] I hurriedly typed, [I even talked to Xiaoan about you. Xiaoan said you could actually work and study at the same time, and later take the Gaokao as a social candidate. She has a cousin who did just that.]

[I’ve been working for years. I’ve forgotten all the knowledge.]

I tried to persuade her: [But you’re so smart. I think you can do it.]

[When I get into university, I can work part-time to support you going to a repeat-year school.]

[Let’s talk about it later. You should focus on your own studies first.]

Before logging off, Shasha said: [Xiaoxia, actually, I’m really happy.]

[Hmm?]

[I’m happy you’ve made new friends, happy you’re not alone in high school.]

[Keep it up, Xiaoxia.]

Although Shasha said she couldn’t settle down to study, I still collected a complete set of high school textbooks and exercise books from graduated seniors and mailed them to her.

Not long after this conversation, my brother’s Gaokao results came out.

He was six points short of the Second Tier cutoff.

He could only go to a Third Tier university.

After much consideration, Mom still wanted my brother to repeat a year.

But my brother said the pressure of repeating was too much. If he had to study another year, he’d rather go out to work.

In the end, he applied to a Third Tier university, with tuition costing more than ten thousand yuan a year.

But my parents still let him go.

“Your brother has been weak since childhood. If he doesn’t study, should he stay home and farm?”

“Only by studying can he work in an office and have an easier life.”

Tuition and living expenses were a considerable burden.

Mom set her sights on me again: “Xiaoxia, your dad and I are under too much pressure. How about you stop studying?”

I looked at her coldly:

“A hundred yuan a month for living expenses-is that really such a burden?

“Then you don’t have to give me that hundred yuan either. I don’t need your food!

“Your sense of right and wrong is totally twisted.

“If you treat me like this, don’t expect me to support you in your old age.”

…

Dad, embarrassed and angry, came to hit me: “Out of control! Is this how you talk to your parents?”

“We gave birth to you and raised you. I dare you not to support us in our old age!”

I refused to back down: “Whatever my brother gives, I’ll give a tenth of that-no more!”

I argued with my dad, even picking up a sickle to fight back.

Mom came to break us up and pulled us apart.

She dragged me into the kitchen, wiping her tears:

“Mom knows we’ve wronged you, but your dad and I really will have to rely on your brother in the future.

“Look at the families in the village-they all support their sons.

“At least your dad and I didn’t stop you from studying, or marry you off to someone just to get a bride price.

“No matter how hard things get for us, we’ll scrape together two hundred yuan a month for your living expenses, okay?”