Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It hit me all at once-that man was the rapist!

He had only come to the funeral parlor to scout the place out!

But my call to the police was met with nothing but mockery. “Little girl, we haven’t even identified a suspect yet, let alone released a composite sketch. How could you possibly know?”

No one believed me. It wasn’t until the funeral ended that my mother finally arrived, late as usual.

I was terrified and asked to go back to the city with her, but she brushed me off, claiming it wasn’t a good time.

She had remarried after my father’s accident. Grandma had mentioned it to her several times: “The girl is smart. The village school isn’t good enough and will only hold her back. Take her to the city with you; I’ll wire you money every month.”

My mother always agreed verbally, but she had a new excuse every single time.

First it was a new job, then a new relationship, then her second marriage, and then she’d just given birth to a son and was still in her first month of recovery.

This time, I was truly scared. I pleaded with her, but my mother’s expression hardened. “Don’t listen to your grandmother’s nonsense. What rapist? Who would target a little girl like you? She’s just trying to scare you to feel important! Shanshan, it’s not that I’m being heartless, but your Uncle Zhang’s place is small. Your younger brother needs night feedings and cries a lot; you wouldn’t be able to settle in.”

“If you’re really that smart, you can study anywhere, can’t you?”

Eventually, I was the only one left in the house.

Outside, a miserable wind and cold rain lashed against the windows, making the glass rattle incessantly. In the middle of the night, unable to sleep, I huddled under the covers and sobbed into my grandmother’s clothes.

Suddenly, I heard a sharp click from the first-floor bathroom.

Someone had picked the lock. They were inside.