Chapter 7
When I woke up, I was in the hospital-I’d had my stomach pumped, and my life was barely saved.
It was the Village Chief (Uncle Li) who rescued me.
My parents had intended to die; the amount of poison they ingested was huge. By the time the Village Chief arrived, both of them were already beyond saving.
I vomited some out, and that saved my life.
Bai Xue didn’t eat much, so by luck, she survived too, though she remained in a coma.
My parents had no relatives, so after I was discharged, the two of us moved into the Village Chief’s house.
He and his wife were both over fifty and had no children, so they took us in.
Uncle Li and Aunt Li were truly wonderful people. They treated me with special care and gave me a kind of affection I’d never experienced before.
They helped me recover from the helplessness and grief of losing my family.
They handled my parents’ funeral arrangements. Since Bai Xue was still unconscious, Aunt Li took care of her with great patience.
What surprised me even more was that they found my hidden university admission letter at my house, paid my tuition, and personally took me to school.
The semester had actually already begun, but I’d missed registration because I was in the hospital. They had contacted the school early to ask for leave on my behalf.
On the day I finally stepped onto the university campus, Uncle Li and Aunt Li stood at the school gate, reluctant to leave, just like any ordinary parents would.
October had turned chilly, but the autumn breeze on my cheek felt so warm.
Back in high school, I was a day student so I could hurry home and help my mother take care of my sister.
Now my university was in the city; it took half a day to get back to the village, so Uncle Li and Aunt Li arranged for me to live on campus.
With Bai Xue still in a coma, I didn’t need to stay by her side at all times as before.
I finally regained my freedom and began a normal college life.
How could I describe how I felt then?
It was like nearly drowning in the ocean, only to be suddenly pulled out, gulping down air in huge breaths.
That’s right-it felt like being reborn.
The terrifying memories in my mind gradually faded away, replaced by a fulfilling academic life and a long-lost sense of ease.
But good times don’t last long. Three months later, Bai Xue woke up, and the very first thing she did was hurt Uncle Li and Aunt Li.
When I got the news and rushed home, my sister had already been tied up. Uncle Li’s left eye was bruised, and Aunt Li had a large bump on her forehead.
They shouldn’t have had to endure any of this.
My guilt made me feel utterly ashamed.
I wanted to take my sister away, but where could we go?
Uncle Li must have seen my thoughts. Worried I’d blame myself, he handed me a peeled egg and said, “Go and rub this on Aunt Li.”
Aunt Li also gently comforted me, “We’re all right. We’re rough folk, tough and thick-skinned.”
They said they treated me as their own child and told me not to overthink things.
I suddenly burst into tears. I so badly wanted to stay with them.
People aren’t afraid of hardship; what they truly fear is that after bitterness ends, they realize it was just a fleeting dream.
Once you’ve tasted sweetness, it’s really hard to go back.
Bai Xue was chained up again. Whenever I didn’t have class, I’d hurry back to watch over her.
On the last day of the semester, I came home early and accidentally overheard Uncle Li and Aunt Li talking.
Uncle Li was smoking, his face clouded with worry. “Should we send Bai Xue to a psychiatric hospital?”
Aunt Li was pressing the calculator, frowning. “We’d have to hire a caregiver. That would cost a lot. The government subsidy is nowhere near enough, and we still need to support Xiao Jie’s education.”
Uncle Li let out a long sigh. “Xiao Jie is a good kid, but she’s really been dragged down by her sister.”
“Why did you save both of them back then?”
“There were other people watching.”
“So what do we do in the future?”
……
After all, they weren’t my real parents. Caring for a mentally unstable child every day must have pushed them to their limit.
I walked in, pretending nothing had happened, and quietly entered my sister’s room.
“I really envy you, not knowing anything,” I forced a bitter smile.
Bai Xue was having another episode, staring at me furiously and making even more of a scene than usual.
She didn’t calm down until deep into the night.
I heard Uncle Li and Aunt Li’s bedroom door open and close many times – they must not have slept well.
In the quiet darkness, the clanging of the iron chain suddenly made me unbearably irritable. That chain felt as if it were locked to me, impossible to break free from.
How nice it would be if I didn’t have a sister.
It was the first time I’d ever had such a thought.
After Bai Xue fell asleep, I walked over to her and stared at her blankly, just as she had glared at me that rainy night when she tried to slash me.
As if possessed, I picked up the pillow beside her and pressed it down over her face, shutting my eyes and pushing hard.
There was no resistance, which struck me as odd. I opened my eyes and saw my sister’s hands clutching the bedsheet tightly.
She didn’t make a sound – as if she was ready to die.
Was she awake now?
At last I realized what I was doing and hurriedly moved the pillow away.
Her hands relaxed, but her eyes remained closed, as if she were still asleep.
I wanted to apologize, but I didn’t know what to say.
Perhaps the seed of tragedy was sown right at this moment.