The man was infuriated by Leland’s mockery, his head boiling with rage. He grabbed Leland and dragged him into the restroom, forcing him into the sink as if to drown him.
The intense suffocation caused pain in his chest, but Leland remained silent, enduring it.
The man vented his anger, pressing Leland’s neck against the mirror, exerting so much force that cracks appeared on the mirror.
“I am your father, your blood runs in my veins. You must obey me no matter what I say. If you dare threaten me, let me tell you, when I get drunk, I will take your mother, strip her naked, and leave her on the street to beg. She can still earn me money that way. I will make her endure humiliation but not let her die. If you are not afraid to die, then just go ahead and die. Leave your mother to suffer alone.”
To force a woman like this, especially his own wife, was an insult to even the lowest of creatures.
Leland clenched his teeth tightly, unsure if it was from the cold, anger, or fear. His teeth uncontrollably trembled, his whole body cold as ice. He hated his own inadequacy, unable to kill this man, unable to safely take his mother away.
“Oh, I remember.” As if struck by a worse idea, the man gripped Leland’s face, leaning in close and said coldly, “If you die, I’ll tell your mother you’re still alive. That way, she won’t dare to die, only thinking of you every day, alive. She loves you so much. I bet she would go to any length for you. Lying outside, begging for information about you, feeling the stares of others. She has a strong sense of dignity, but these years of paralysis and loss of control of her bodily functions have slowly destroyed her dignity. You live for her, and she is living for you. Perhaps, for you, she really would strip naked and willingly beg for money.”
The taste of blood suddenly rose in Leland’s mouth, nauseating him. It was sickening, sickening this man, even sickening the blood on his own body.
After a while, the man felt his hand tire from gripping, so he threw the wet Leland on the ground, looking down at him from above.
A child was just a child. Threats were useless. Did he think that once Leland was gone, everything would be over?
“I’m going out to eat, remember to continue working tonight. If I come back and see you still at home, you’ll pay for it!” With that, he kicked Leland and said, “Don’t entertain any crooked thoughts. I know everything you’re thinking. When you have free time, think about how your mother gave birth to you, how she held you and calmed you down. Now that she’s sick, you have to let her live well.”
The sound of the door closing echoed from outside. Leland didn’t know how long he had been sitting on the ground. His clothes were wet from the rain and soaked again from being held underwater by the man. He stood up, still dripping water, and returned to the room.
The woman was even colder than before, all her clothes removed, lying naked on a wooden plank. She was paralyzed, the blanket within arm’s reach but she couldn’t grab it.
Leland’s nose tingled; the pain caused by the man’s blows earlier didn’t make him want to cry, but seeing his mother now almost made him shed tears.
He had returned early today, and the woman hadn’t wet the bed. The bed was clean, so he dressed her, covered her with the blanket, and held her cold hand.
“Why… are you back so early today?”
The woman’s hearing was impaired after being paralyzed, unaware that Leland had been beaten outside. She saw the redness on his face and tried to touch it but couldn’t move her hand, only laying there in frustration.
“I have the day off today.”
“What happened to your face?”
“I tripped on the way, accidentally scratching it.”
“Leland, you have to study hard, pass the exams, and go to another province. That way, you can leave this place…”
Her speech was unclear, and she still didn’t know that her son had dropped out of school to take care of her.
Leland never told her. There was still some rice left at home, so he cooked and fed her, then left.
How could he find money? Where could he find money?
Leland aimlessly walked the streets, with sympathetic glances from passersby now and then.
Did these people truly not know his situation? It was impossible. Every family had its own struggles, and others wouldn’t meddle where it didn’t concern them. Pretending ignorance was easier.
It was better to depend on oneself than on others. Leland looked up at the misty sky, the wind cutting into his face like a knife, the cold air filling his lungs, causing intense chest pain. But he didn’t dare to stop. He ran all the way to the Dawson family gate, panting heavily.
“Miss, that boy has come back again.”