Going Home

Gu Fadian thought about it and finally parted with some money. "Go buy some Wahaha fruit milk. The commercial says it tastes great and is nutritious!"

Ban Xia was examining the house, her eyes filled with novelty. This place was completely different from Qin Xiu's home, which had pink and green painted walls and beaded curtains hanging everywhere. This room had white walls with patterned wallpaper, white furniture, and red wooden floors. Although the items were old and slightly yellowed, they made one feel comfortable and warm.

Her gaze landed on a corner where a small wooden horse was placed. Many children in this residential area had wooden horses, and Ban Xia had seen plenty, but the wooden horse here looked very unusual. It was in her favorite shade of pink, with a small red flower on its forehead. One look was enough to tell that this wooden horse had been specially made for a little girl to play with.

"Drink some water!" Her brother handed her a cup. His expression looked a bit grumpy, but Ban Xia liked it immensely because the cup looked like an adorable carrot.

She tried her best to smile, but her stomach betrayed her, letting out a loud growl.

Her brother frowned. "How long has it been since you last ate?"

"I'm not hungry." Seeing her brother look slightly displeased, Ban Xia hurriedly said, "Mom hasn't cooked in a very long time!"

"Then what did she eat?" Gu Fadian asked.

"Mom and my younger brother went to Grandma's house to eat," Ban Xia answered softly.

"Why didn't they take you along?" Gu Fadian pressed.

She lowered her eyelashes. "Ban Xia had to stand facing the bathroom wall to think carefully about where Grandma hid the silver coins. Mom said that if I eat my fill, I'll become stupid, and only when I'm hungry will my mind be clear. If I can't figure it out, I'm not allowed to go out or eat."

No wonder she was skin and bones, starving to the point where her stomach was growling. It turned out she hadn't just been beaten in the morning; she had also been forced to stand in the bathroom all night.

"Why is your mother so cruel to you?" Gu Fadian asked.

He also used to have a little sister, who was the treasure of the entire family. Because she had a heart condition, everyone doted on and protected her even more. Later, his sister passed away due to his carelessness, tearing the family apart and turning him into a sinner. Compared to the abnormality of Qin Xiu's household, though he was young, he was not stupid. He understood the basic truth: no biological mother would be as vicious to her own child as Qin Xiu.

Ban Xia still remembered clearly that when her grandmother was about to pass away, because she was incoherent, her uncles and aunts had caught her to perform an exorcism and force-fed her medicine, so she couldn't say much.