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墨書 Inktalez
On the weekend, I pushed my grandmother out to bask in the sun. She was drenched in sweat while I happily sipped on a cold cola. My grandmother looked at me with pleading eyes, "Xiao Ran, it's too hot; let's go back." I pretended not to see her and pushed the wheelchair forward.
The small stones on the road made it hard for her to sit steadily in the wheelchair. She could only grip the armrests tightly with her one functioning hand, contorting herself uncomfortably against the seat. Whenever I encountered someone, I would stop and enthusiastically introduce my grandmother, recounting her glorious deeds. For instance, how she stuffed notes into my pencil case and ruined my clothes, among other things. Of course, I never forgot to mention that because of these actions, my father had died.
People around us expressed their sympathy, indignantly speaking out on my behalf. They said things like, "This old lady is too wicked!" "Yeah, she lost her son and still wants to drag her grandson down with her." "An unworthy elder brings disaster to three generations!" "This family is falling apart."
My grandmother's face shifted from pale to red, ultimately glaring at me with resentment. I pushed her to a secluded spot. "Grandma, you finally stopped pretending," I taunted.
"You... you have such a cruel heart..." she spat out venomously.
"Cruel?" I sneered. "Grandma, have you forgotten what you did to my mom back in the day?"
"Have you forgotten what you did to me?"
"Have you forgotten how your son died?"
"Have you forgotten how your grandson became an idiot?"
"All those things were your own doing!"
My grandmother was so furious that her mouth twisted and drool flowed from her lips. At that moment, Cui Jian appeared before me.
He looked even more downcast than the last time I saw him.
"Sis, I was wrong. I want to go home," Cui Jian said to me.
I frowned, "You're an adult; can you just go home whenever you want?"
"Besides, what about Yuhui? She's still waiting for you at the entrance of the community," I added.
Cui Jian gritted his teeth, "I broke up with her."
"What? When did that happen? How come I didn't know?" I asked deliberately.
Cui Jian seemed a bit impatient, "Sis, just forget about that. Can you just tell me if I can go home?"
I sighed, "Alright, I'll try my best. But you better not regret it!"
I appeared troubled on the surface, but inside, I was already prepared.
I introduced Cui Jian to a few job opportunities.
All of them had tough conditions and low pay.
He had worked on construction sites, dug coal in mines, and labored in exploitative factories.
Having been spoiled since childhood, he had never endured such hardships before.
When he came home to complain to me, I kept repeating one phrase: "A small sacrifice leads to a greater plan!"
"You think that because you cheated on your college entrance exam, you can't get into university?"
"I'm telling you, you're wrong."
"If it weren't for your cheating, Tsinghua and Peking University would be eager to have you."
"Now, all you can do is move bricks, dig coal, and work as a laborer."
"All of this is because of your cheating."
"So if you're going to hate someone, hate yourself."
Whenever Cui Jian felt like giving up, I would repeat these words to him.
These words lingered in his mind like a spell.
Finally, one day, Cui Jian couldn't take it anymore.
He cried and said to me, "Sis, I was wrong. I... really was wrong."
Seeing that the moment was right, I suggested he go visit Grandma.
I told him that Grandma missed him very much. He hesitated for a moment but eventually went. Soon, I received a call from the nursing home. The staff on the other end informed me that Grandma had passed away.
I carefully applied a weak-looking makeup and pretended to stumble my way to the nursing home. Upon seeing Grandma's body, I let out a heart-wrenching cry, "Grandma, what happened to you?"
Cui Jian stood nearby, his eyes vacant, mumbling to himself. As I leaned in closer, I realized he was repeatedly saying, "I am a college student, I am a college student..."
"Sis, help me..."
Through the surveillance footage, I learned that Cui Jian had suffocated Grandma. He was sending out a distress signal, hoping I would sign a letter of understanding to absolve him of criminal responsibility. I flatly refused him.
Before he went to prison, I mouthed to him, "You deserve it!"
After Cui Jian was incarcerated, my mom and I never visited him. Suddenly, the prison staff called me, saying Cui Jian had a concussion and wanted to be released for medical treatment. He claimed he could foresee the future and knew many new things that could improve our family situation.
I went to see him in prison. He eagerly said, "Hurry and bail me out. I have great use!"
"You're begging me with that attitude?" I replied coldly.
"Like a dog!"
It was then that Cui Jian realized I wouldn't help him. He despondently hung up the phone and never contacted me again. I resolved to live well with my mom and no longer let him interfere in our lives.
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