To save my wife, who was being hunted over debts after her business went bankrupt, I willingly offered myself as payment. They took one of my kidneys and beat me until I was left with a limp.
To pay off the debt as quickly as possible, I had no choice but to sneak out at night and sell fried rice from a street stall.
My son felt sorry for me, so every night he helped out and delivered orders.
Whenever he came by, he couldn't help stealing glances from our dimly lit stall at the grand restaurant ablaze with lights, which looked just like a palace.
“Dad, it's so beautiful in there. The food must be delicious, right? How much money do we have to earn before we can go inside?”
Thinking of how poor we were, I patted his head with an apologetic smile. “Once we can fry a thousand portions in one night, I'll take you there…”
But that day, as my son passed by on a delivery, he looked up and saw Jiang Yuwei, dressed to the nines, walking in hand in hand with a man.
My son hurried after her, but was stopped.
“Uncle, she's my mom. Can I go in…?”
The security guard sneered at him. “You shameless little beggar, trying to pull a stunt like that here!”
“She's the young lady of Jinluan State Hall. You're not good enough for her in this lifetime, so how could she possibly be your mother?”
Seeing my son's eyes red from crying, I suddenly understood. The debts Jiang Yuwei had kept talking about were all an act. She had only been pretending to be poor.
