Chapter 4
A few days later, Dad came home from his business trip.
As soon as he arrived, he announced to Mom and me, “Zhao Zixing and Zhao Zixuan stay with me. You take the youngest, Zhao Zirong. We’re getting divorced.”
Mom froze.
She’d thought he’d come home and start another argument about her brother. But now, looking at him, she could tell he’d made up his mind.
It took her a long time to react.
She stared at him with a miserable smile. “You never even looked at our eldest before. Now she’s got into Zhejiang University, you want to take her from me? Why should I let you?”
My sister had been doing homework in the other room. Hearing Dad come home, she rushed out to greet him, her face full of delight.
Her enthusiasm was met with our parents’ cold calculations.
Mom eyed her shrewdly.
“The youngest is the smallest and the ugliest. Her grades are bad too. You can tell she’ll never amount to anything! What will I have to look forward to if I take her?”
Dad spat at Mom’s feet. “So you still expect someone to look after you in comfort? Haven’t you been supporting that useless brother of yours? You give him everything. Go live with him and let him look after you! What’s that? Don’t tell me they’ve never even invited you in for a meal?”
Over the years, Uncle had taken a great deal of our family’s money.
But it was also true that he’d never once invited us over for a hot meal.
Dad had struck exactly where it hurt. Mom screamed, “Who doesn’t have a brother? Think about yourself! Aren’t you always running yourself ragged for your brothers? Why is it wrong when I do it?”
That finally sent Dad over the edge. “Because I’m nothing like you! You empty this house of everything we have! In the years we’ve been married, you’ve bought your brother a car and paid his mortgage behind my back. I suppose all the money I send home every month isn’t even enough for you to give him!”
The more he said, the angrier he became. “We’re divorcing. That’s final! Otherwise you’ll sell the house out from under me next!”
Mom dug in her heels. “Fine! Divorce me! You can have both girls. But my son comes with me!”
Dad looked at her coldly. “You haven’t worked a day since you married me. What will you support Zixing with? If this really goes to court, do you think they’ll give you custody when you don’t earn a penny?”
At those words,
Mom was completely stunned.
She rushed into the bedroom and clung to Zhao Zixing, sobbing as though they were being parted by death.
My sister and I stood right in front of them.
Neither of them could spare us so much as a glance.