Chapter 6

Mom’s weak voice filled the livestream.

“The property must go to Qingwei.”

“You handle my care.”

“Tell people he pays. He can’t be called unfilial. A little unfairness to you is nothing.”

She went rigid before the camera.

My brother’s mouth hung open. He couldn’t speak.

The platform quickly locked his account.

Using my police report and the livestream evidence, officers came to investigate.

The media accounts that helped him removed their videos that night and hurried to explain that he had approached them. They provided payment records and screenshots of messages.

Messages were being deleted one after another in the relatives’ group.

My aunt sent a voice note.

First she said he had deceived her. Then she urged me not to pursue it.

“You’re siblings, after all.”

“He’s lost face. If you keep going, aren’t you driving him to death?”

I didn’t reply. I blocked her.

My son’s form teacher soon called.

The school had reviewed its security footage. It would deal with the students who bullied him and apologize.

I bought him a new bag and placed it before him.

He touched the zip, his head still lowered.

After a long while, his eyes reddened.

“Mom, do they know you didn’t do anything wrong?”

I held him.

“Yes.”

He clutched my clothes, still uneasy.

“Then will you bring Grandma home?”

Chen Zheng stood outside the door.

He paused at the question too.

Both waited for my answer.

I had disappointed them far too often in my previous life.

“No.”

I held our son tightly.

“Whoever took everything from her must bear the consequences.”

But Mom wouldn’t accept it.

The next day, she sent a message through her aide.

If I stopped pursuing my brother, she would publicly admit I was the daughter who truly wanted to care for her.

After hearing that, I hung up.

Even now, she thought her acknowledgment was a favor.

I no longer needed it.

06

At the care home, Mom began refusing food.

She wouldn’t eat or cooperate with rehabilitation.

The aides called more than a dozen times a day, hoping I would persuade her.

I paid my share under the agreement and didn’t go.

On the third day, the director contacted me personally.

Mom accused me of taking two hundred thousand yuan of her pension and threatened to call the police.

Chen Zheng was drinking water.

Hearing it, he put his glass down too hard. Water splashed across the table.

Scowling, he took tissues.

By the time I hung up, he had controlled his anger.

“I’m going with you.”

This time, I didn’t refuse.

At the home, a flicker of unease crossed Mom’s eyes when she saw him.

She immediately straightened and attacked first.

“You’ve come at the right time.”

“Your wife won’t even care for her own mother. You dare keep a woman like that?”

He stopped before her wheelchair.

His clenched hand slowly relaxed. He didn’t raise his voice.

“She has paid what she owes.”

“Your son took the houses and money. If you want care, ask him.”

Mom slapped the armrest.

“I’m her mother!”

“I gave her life. Isn’t serving me only natural?”

I laid the bank statements before her.

Eight hundred thousand into my brother’s account.

The 1.2 million from her old house into his account.

The shop’s mortgage money used for his business.

Every yuan of the two hundred thousand she accused me of taking had an invoice from a hospital, rehabilitation center, or care home.

She turned the pages more and more slowly.

The evidence was clear.

After a long silence, she still didn’t apologize.

“Qingwei is young.”

“He owes so much already. Care expenses can’t crush him further.”

She pushed the statements back, sounding reasonable again.

“You have a house and jobs. Would it kill you to help him?”

At that moment, I couldn’t even feel anger.

“Go ahead and sue.”

She stopped.

I put the lawyer’s card before her.

“You can sue me for taking pension money. I’ll sue you for defamation.”

“And I’ll keep requiring Qingwei to honor his agreement.”

She hadn’t expected me to mean it.

After a few breathless seconds, she pulled documents from beneath her pillow.

“I already filed!”

Her complaint demanded twenty thousand yuan a month and that I take her home to care for her personally. It also claimed I had taken the eight hundred thousand after Dad’s death.

A week later, the neighborhood organized mediation.

My brother came too.

The livestream incident had cost him his eligibility for promotion. His company had suspended him pending investigation.

From the moment he entered, he struggled to contain his anger.