Chapter 49: Hong Xiaobei’s story (Part 1) (1/2)

Chapter 49: Hong Xiaobei’s story (Part 1)

“How many times have I told you not to gamble anymore?! Do you have to lose everything before you’re willing to quit? Do you have a conscience?” Xiaobei’s foster mother shrieked at the husband of hers. He gambled on a daily basis.

Each time, Xiaobei’s foster father would only sigh and accept the lecture. Afterwards, he would quietly sneak out. He wouldn’t dare to return until his wife had calmed down.

But this time, his expression was a bit unusual.

“Okay, calm down, mom. Don’t be so angry.” Hong Xiaobei hugged her foster mother as she rubbed against her embrace and coyly comforted her, “I am already in University. This is my first year, and my workload isn’t too tight at the moment. I’ve already found a part time job. After I get my wage, I’ll be able to take on some of the financial load for the family.”

“Passing this top ranked University entrance exam was no easy task. I want you to focus on your studies. Don’t work a part time job. I don’t want you to worry about adult responsibilities.” Xiaobei’s foster mother sighed. Her husband was useless, and that’s why she was suffering. But she didn’t want her child to suffer as well.

“But, mom…..”

Hong Xiaobei had more she wanted to say, but her mother cut her off, “Listen to me. As long as you study well and become successful in the future, mom will be satisfied.”

Xiaobei’s foster mother looked outside and then turned to the clock that was hanging on the wall. “It’s almost dark. Go and find your father and tell him to come home!”

“Ai! Okay!” Hong Xiaobei smiled as she ran outside. Everyday, her mother would be worried about her father going out alone. She would always tell her to bring him home before sunset.

She knew that her mother had a sharp tongue but a soft heart.

But goodbye always have a tendency to arrive without a sound.

“Dad? Dad?” Today was different from all the other days. Regardless of where Hong Xiaobei looked, she couldn’t find her father. There was only a little bit of sunlight left. The sky was turning dimmer and dimmer. Hong Xiaobei was beginning to have a dire premonition. She was imagining the worse case scenario. Perhaps the creditors had captured her father and ….

As she was thinking, there were a bunch of people surrounding the river bank in front of her.

“No….it can’t be….it’s not! It can’t be….” Hong Xiaobei mumbled. She warned herself not to overthink. However, she carried her half curious and half unstable heart over as she squeezed through the crowd and tore through all the whispering.

“What happened to that guy? How come he fell into the river?”

“What do you mean fell in? I saw him jump in on his own! Ai, poor man. He was probably going through a hard time so he decided to commit suicide.”

Hong Xiaobei finally broke through the crowd. The first thing she noticed was the person lying on the ground. The man who committed suicide was her father.

“Dad! Dad!” Hong Xiaobei screamed and sobbed at the same time. She fell down onto her knees and tears instantly streamed down her face. She didn’t even realized her knees were gashed by the soil. She wailed and begged. She begged her father to open his eyes to look at her. “Dad, wake up! Dad! It’s me, Xiaobei! Please open your eyes and take a look at me!! Dad! Dad!!”

Sadly, Xiaobei’s foster father could no longer hear her screams. While they were on their way to the hospital, all of his organs had stopped working. He was declared dead.

Meanwhile, Xiaobei’s foster mother was at home preparing dinner for them to return. She finally picked up the phone after a long delay. Initially, she thought it was the creditors calling to demand payment. So the moment she picked up, she yelled, “Why do you guys keep pressuring us? You want to pressure us to death!?”

“Mom….” it was Xiaobei’s tearful voice. She was so emotional that her voice was barely audible. “Mom, come to the h-hospital...h-hurry…! D-dad...he…..”

*Bang*

By the time they met again, it was farewell.

“My child’s dad, how can you leave us like this? Now, your child is fatherless and I’m a widow. How can you be so cruel…?” Xiaobei’s foster mother wept next to the body. Her hopeless coarse cry could be heard in the entire building. Hong Xiaobei will never forget that moment for the rest of her life.

They were already a low income family with a lot of debt. Now that her father had killed himself, it was a significant blow to them. Most importantly, she and her mother loved her father dearly. Yet, he had chosen to abandon them like this…

In the gloom alleyway, Hong Xiaobei felt like she was the most pitiful woman in this world as she withdrew herself into a corner and quietly wept.