Chapter 3

The relatives' stares felt like daggers. Some shook their heads, others pressed their lips tight.

Grandma Evelyn bowed her head slightly, twisting the hem of her shirt, her voice barely audible:

"It's fine, really... She's just young."

I tuned out their muttering, sitting on the couch and playing with the wallet Grandma had given me.

Feeling its weight, I suddenly noticed it was too thin. I opened it to find only a twenty-dollar bill inside.

Fury flared up inside me.

I stood up and threw the wallet at Grandma Evelyn's feet: "What's this supposed to be?"

Uncle Mark immediately bent down, picked up the wallet, stood up, and snapped at me: "What's your problem, Sarah? Is twenty bucks not enough for you?"

Grandma Evelyn quickly took the wallet back from him, her trembling hand reaching into her pocket and pulling out three neatly folded twenty-dollar bills.

She took out two bills, fingers shaking as she offered them to me: "Sarah, honey... Grandma only has sixty dollars on her. Will forty be okay? I still need bus fare to get home later..."

I swatted the money out of her hand: "I don't want it. You might as well give this to Aunt Lisa's son."

Aunt Lisa suddenly stormed out of the kitchen: "Sarah, what's your issue? I just made a comment—do you have to be so petty?"

Mom also rushed over: "When did you get such an attitude!"

The relatives started in with the judgment again.

"So disrespectful!"

"All that education and she's still like this!"

Grandma Evelyn, eyes red, slowly bent to pick up the money from the floor.

Uncle Mark scoffed from the side: "You've coddled her too much. Now she can't even stand forty lousy dollars!"

I let out a bitter laugh: "Yeah, I can't stand it. If you've got money for a wallet, why not add enough to buy something new? Who wants this used junk..."

Before I could finish, a hand suddenly grabbed my collar from behind, and then a hard slap landed across my face.

I staggered and fell to the floor, a metallic taste spreading in my mouth.

Dad had come home at some point and was now standing over me, face crimson with rage.

Grandma Evelyn immediately hobbled over with her cane, pushed Dad away, and knelt down trembling to touch my face: "Sarah... Does it hurt? Let Grandma see..."

Dad was still shouting: "How could I have raised such an ungrateful kid! Don't you remember how your grandma took care of you when you were little?"

I wiped the corner of my mouth, looking up at him: "Yeah, you're right about everything. I'm the ungrateful one. At least, that's how you've always seen me."

Dad, livid, started to step forward again, but Grandma Evelyn turned and blocked him: "Okay, okay... Let's eat first. Sarah must be starving."

The other relatives quickly jumped in to mediate:

"She's still young. Hitting her won't fix anything..."

"Talk to her calmly. Teach her right from wrong..."

Grandma Evelyn gently took my hand: "Come on, let's eat something."

I stayed quiet and pulled my hand away.

She didn't say anything else, just slowly followed behind me. When I sat down, she quietly took the seat next to mine.

Grandma Evelyn slowly moved the egg drop soup, which was across the table, in front of me and said softly: "Sarah, you always loved this."

As she spoke, she used her slightly trembling hand to spoon two large servings into my rice bowl.

Aunt Lisa chimed in with a sarcastic tone: "Some people have all the luck. Get everything they want and still act picky."

Dad also spoke up in a deep voice: "Alright, your grandma's being so good to you. Let it go already."

I looked at the soup and suddenly felt my stomach twist.

The next second, I stood up abruptly, unable to stop myself from dry-heaving. Then I grabbed the soup and dumped it into the nearby trash can.

"I never eat this," I said coldly.

The dinner table erupted instantly.

Uncle Mark slammed his hand on the table and stood up: "Sarah! I've had enough of your attitude! What has your grandma ever done to you to deserve this?"

Grandma Evelyn also stood up, eyes red, lips trembling:

"Sarah… Grandma's dirty. Grandma collected bottles to buy you those secondhand things. It's Grandma's fault… I won't come back anymore, I won't come… You have to eat well, okay?"