Chapter 4

I heard a gasp on the other end, and Mom's voice trembled.

"Lily, my Lily, you finally reached out to me."

Hearing her voice again, I was already sobbing uncontrollably.

But afraid of being discovered, I couldn't make a sound, just cried silently.

"Mom, can… can you come get me?"

"I've had enough of living here."

"I miss you so much, Mom."

After suppressing it for so long, I finally spoke my heart. Dad's suffocating love was truly choking me.

Mom listened to my trembling, tearful voice, and her own tone became urgent.

"Okay, where are you now? Mom will be right there..."

Before Mom could finish, the call was deliberately hung up.

I looked at the rough hand pressing the disconnect button, and my whole body started to tremble.

The person stood in the shadows, looking down at me.

"Lily, what are you doing out here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?"

Dad's figure blocked the warm light of the phone booth, his face obscured by shadows, making him look terrifying.

I couldn't make out his expression, only feeling my blood run cold through my veins.

"Who were you calling?"

Tears welled in my eyes again, my throat felt squeezed, and I couldn't make a sound.

Dad's voice suddenly rose. "Tell me! Who were you calling? Was it that ungrateful mother of yours?"

Afraid of being discovered, I quickly shook my head, denying it. "No, no, it wasn't, I didn't..."

Standing under the dim light of the phone booth, I looked at Dad's dark, menacing face, and felt frozen to the core.

He snatched the piggy bank I was clutching from my arms—the little piggy bank Mom had secretly given me before she left.

"Wasn't it?"

Dad's voice was cold as ice. "Then tell me, what are you doing out here in the middle of the night with this broken jar?"

My mouth opened, but no sound came out.

Tears blurred my vision. I could only see Dad's rough hand gripping the piggy bank, his knuckles white from the grip.

He grabbed my arm, so hard I stumbled.

"Come back with me."

Back in that rented room, Dad placed the piggy bank heavily on the table, making a dull thud.

I stood in the center of the room, head bowed, not daring to look at him.

"Kneel."

I obediently knelt on the cold concrete floor, a sharp pain shot through my knees immediately.

Dad paced the room, his worn-out work boots clomping on the floor, each step crushing my spirit.

"I know you've always thought about your mother."

He stopped, his voice filled with suppressed rage. "But she abandoned us long ago. Abandoned you. Understand?"

I bit my lower lip, fighting back the tears.

My fingers tightened around the hem of my shirt, until they were white and aching.

He suddenly raised his voice. "Who am I working so hard for? Huh?"

"I worked myself to the bone on that construction site, all so you could make something of yourself, not end up like me!"

"But what about you? Sneaking calls in the middle of the night? Are you trying to run off with her?"

I abruptly looked up, hastily explaining, "No, Dad! I just, I just..."

He took a step closer, his shadow engulfing me. "Just what?"

I finally broke down, tears bursting forth. "I just missed her so much..."

"I'm hungry every day, and so tired. I try my best, but you're never satisfied."

"I just wanted to hear Mom's voice..."

His expression softened for a fleeting moment, but quickly hardened again.

He picked up the piggy bank, staring at it for a long time.

His voice suddenly became very soft. "She left when you were only six. She didn't even look back."

This was the first time I'd heard Dad voluntarily mention the day Mom left. I held my breath, afraid to interrupt him.

"She said she was sick of the hard life."

Dad gave a bitter laugh. "She said I was worthless, and that my child would suffer because of me."

He turned to me, his gaze complex. "I can't let you end up like she said, worthless your whole life. Do you understand, Lily?"

I stared at him, and suddenly noticed deep wrinkles around his eyes and his hair was far grayer than I remembered.

He said softly, "I know you hate me, but one day you'll understand!"

"You were still wrong today. Tonight, your punishment is to kneel and do problems. No sleep until you finish!"

I thought that by honestly telling Dad my feelings, I would receive his understanding.

But my sincerity didn't awaken the tender fatherly love I hoped for; instead, it led to even harsher punishment.

I knelt on the cold, hard concrete, my knees slowly going numb.

To save electricity, Dad didn't even allow me to turn on the light.

One tear after another fell onto my exercise book, while from the next room, Dad's snoring already filled the air.

Under the moonlight, my vision blurred with tears, and before I passed out, I thought I saw Mom coming to take me away.