Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Mom and Dad came to visit me at the nursing home again.

This time, it was to celebrate my tenth birthday.

They brought a cake and a little dress, and they sang me the birthday song.

Then they asked me, “Guo Guo, what wish do you want to make?”

I said casually, “Let me go home and stay for one night.”

Mom’s face immediately hardened. “No.”

“Pei Guo, we agreed. You have to live at the nursing home.”

“With you out of the house, there are fewer germs at home, and your sister won’t have to get sick.”

In storybooks, fathers were strict and mothers were gentle.

In our family, it was the other way around.

Mom was always stern, while Dad was the softhearted one.

He looked at Mom and said quietly, “If it’s only for one night, it should be fine.”

“It’s Guo Guo’s birthday today. Let her be happy for once.”

But Mom slapped his arm.

“No means no.”

“What if Qianqian has another allergic reaction?”

“There’s a birthday banquet later, too.”

That was how I found out that even though Pei Qian and I were twins, today, she had a banquet, while I only had a cake.

Just then, Pei Qian stood up too.

With a miserable look on her face, she said, “Mom, Pei Guo’s room stinks. I need to go outside for some air.”

Pei Qian had a very sensitive sense of smell.

When she needed fresh air, she really did need it.

Otherwise, she would faint.

When it was serious, she would collapse and not be able to get up.

So Mom immediately said, “All right. I’ll go with you.”

But I was still wearing my birthday hat, and I hadn’t even blown out the candles yet.

I stared at the flickering flame, a little lost.

I didn’t know what part of my room smelled bad.

I showered and changed my clothes every day.

Fortunately, Dad noticed my embarrassment. Smiling, he patted my hair.

“Come on. Dad will cut the cake for you.”

That was fine too.

With Mom and Pei Qian gone, the strawberries decorating the cake were all mine.

So I directed Dad as he cut me slice after slice.

At first, Dad was still smiling. “Slow down. It’s all yours.”

But when he saw me wolfing it down, he sighed again.

“Your sister hasn’t had any of this cake yet.”

“Guo Guo, why don’t you know how to share?”

My mouth was full of cream.

But all at once, bitterness surged up inside me.