Chapter 4

I shouted back even louder. “Because I have debt to pay! Because my parents would rather spend money on an outsider’s party than lend me money in an emergency!”

“If I don’t work hard to earn money and pay my debt, what choice do I have?”

“Give me my phone!”

My words stunned my mother, then my aunt quickly took the phone and handed it to me.

I called back, briefly explained what happened and then stood by the road, waiting for someone to come pick up the laptop.

The woman who had been riding the bike looked around and chose to settle the matter privately. She quickly transferred one hundred and fifty dollars to me.

She said nothing. She just patted my shoulder and glanced at my mother.

Everything was understood without words.

My mother’s face turned red, this time from shame.

She stayed with me while I waited, but she still couldn’t stop talking. “Stefan, your main task now is to study. After you finish your studies, you will have many good jobs to choose from.”

I showed her my call records.

“Every day, I get more than ten debt collection calls. Do you think I can study peacefully like this? I’m not asking you to help me anymore. Please just stop interfering with my work.”

My mother moved her lips several times before she finally spoke, her voice dry. “Stefan… do you hate us?”

I looked at her.

“I’m just very disappointed.”

That day, my mother left in a daze.

Not long after that, I saw my father on TV.

Celine was crying as she thanked him, calling him her second father.

My father was also in tears.

I only glanced at the screen before returning to my even busier work.

From my last project, I earned seven thousand dollars. It eased my pressure a lot. I became even more driven. I wished I could split every minute into two.

In the past few days, my mother seemed to have thought things through and sent me some money.

Ten thousand dollars.

I stared at the transfer on my phone for a long time before accepting it.

Yes, I needed money. I needed a lot of money. That was why I wrote an IOU and mailed it to my mother.

She called me right away. “Stefan, that money is from a mother to her son. You can just take it. You don’t need to write an IOU.”

“It’s better to be clear.” I insisted that I would pay her back in the future.

My mother had no choice but to change the topic. “Stefan, Celine told us that she feels that your relationship with your father became tense because of her. She feels very sorry and wants to apologize in person. Could you make time to meet her?”

After receiving the ten thousand dollars, it was hard to refuse.

Anyway, it would only take a few words to ease her mind, so I said, “Pick a time and send me the address.”

I arranged my work and took a taxi there. But when I opened the door, I saw someone I truly did not want to see.

My father was sitting calmly in the main seat. Beside him were my uncle and aunt.

I immediately looked at my mother.

She lowered her head in guilt and did not dare to meet my eyes. Still, she pulled me down into a seat.

No one spoke. The air grew heavy.

Celine then stood up to break the silence. “Stefan, the professor helped me, but hurt you. The real fault isn’t your father. It’s me. I’m really sorry.”

She raised her glass to drink.

My father stopped her.

He looked at me with anger and disappointment.

“Look how sensible Celine is. Not like you, who loses your temper so easily. Let’s forget this. From now on, you should help her more. She came from a small place and is still getting used to life here.”