Chapter 5

The next day at noon, I picked up my parents at the train station.

My mother looked a bit older than the last time I saw her, and my father's back seemed a little more stooped.

For a moment, a wave of guilt washed over me.

"Dad, Mom, are you tired from the trip?" I took the suitcase from my father.

"It's fine, the train was fast, only three hours." My mother looked me over. "Jade, you've lost weight."

"Work's been busy, haven't been paying much attention to my diet." I managed a faint smile. "I'll take you to lunch now. I took half the day off."

In the restaurant, the atmosphere was a bit heavy. We all knew the purpose of their visit, but no one spoke first.

It wasn't until after we finished eating that my father cleared his throat. "Jade, you know about your brother's wedding, right?"

I nodded. "Yes, he told me last month."

"The family has already put in all our savings, but we're still seventy thousand short," my father cut straight to the chase. "Can you help?"

I gripped my knife and fork tightly. "Dad, my salary is definitely higher than back home, but New York living expenses are sky-high too. I haven't saved much over the years, just a little over fifty thousand."

My mother immediately cut me off. "Jade, you've been working for so many years, making two to three thousand a month. How can you have only fifty thousand saved? Are you saying you don't want to help your brother?"

"Mom, it's not that I don't want to help, but I really don't have that much money." I tried to keep my voice steady. "I've had my own expenses over the years, and…"

"And what?" My father stared at me. "You're single, not getting married, not buying a house. Where has all that money gone?"

His words stung.

In their eyes, I seemed to always be that little girl who needed to be told what to do. My life plans, my hard work, my dreams — none of it mattered.

"Dad, I have my own life and plans." I took a deep breath. "I can give Leo fifty thousand to help, but I truly don't have any more than that."

My parents exchanged a look, clearly dissatisfied with my answer.

"Fine. Let's go back to your place first." My father's tone hardened.

Sitting in the taxi, my heart pounded.

I knew the real test was just beginning.

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