Chapter 2

The livestream camera was pointed at my face. Comments scrolled rapidly.

"Stop playing dead and do the problems. One problem equals one donation. Keep it up, streamer."

"Her eyes can barely stay open. Is she about to die?"

"Shut up! This kind of waste deserves to be punished, or else she won't appreciate what her parents are doing for her."

My heart felt like it was being squeezed. Each contraction brought a stabbing pain.

Mom had told me before that if I didn't feel well, I should tell her so it wouldn't affect my study efficiency.

I remembered.

I used all my strength to squeeze a few words from my throat.

"Mom, my chest hurts."

If she'd just let me rest for a moment, even just five minutes, I would definitely solve the next problem.

Mom was staring at the livestream data on Ethan's phone. She didn't even look up.

"Cut the act."

Her voice was cold.

"Your brother once had a fever of 104 degrees and still kept working through competition math problems. He didn't get a single one wrong."

"You've only done a few problems and you're already hurting here and there?"

Ethan smirked mockingly.

He explained smoothly to the camera. "See this, everyone? This is typical avoidant personality. When faced with difficulty, she tries to gain sympathy by playing weak."

After saying that, he muted all comments.

The entire livestream fell silent, leaving only a blood-red banner pinned at the top.

"No eating or sleeping until all problems are finished!"

The mocking voices around me gradually faded.

The whirlpool before my eyes grew larger and larger.

I thought of Grandma back in the countryside.

She used to fan herself on summer nights and tell me that when people die, their souls become very, very light and can fly up to the sky and become stars.

I really wanted to become a star.

That way, I could see Grandma.

Snap.

The sound of my pen tip breaking.

Then my throat turned sweet. Warm blood surged out and sprayed onto the blank test paper in front of me.

I'm sorry, Mom.

Today's problems... I can't finish them.

The world suddenly went quiet.

My chest stopped hurting.

My body really did seem to become lighter-so light that it floated up from the chair.

I floated near the ceiling, watching myself still slumped over the desk, motionless.

Mom finally walked over.

She saw the blood on the test paper, and a flash of panic crossed her eyes.

But that panic lasted only one second.

She probably thought I'd deliberately knocked over red ink.

Mom, that's not red ink.

I'm sorry I got your test paper dirty.

I watched the panic in her eyes quickly turn to rage.

"Alysa! You've gotten bold now, haven't you? Playing these little tricks!"

"Fine. I'll see just how long you can keep up this act!"

"Click."

The door was locked from the outside.

Mom's icy voice came through the door, piercing.

"You're not leaving this room until you finish every single problem!"