I squatted beside the stove in the Chen family's kitchen, holding half a cold steamed bun in my hand and stuffing it into my mouth.
The steamed buns were leftover from yesterday's banquet. They were so hard that they could kill a dog, but they were already a rare good thing for me. Three years after I got married, I have long been accustomed to this kind of life - as long as I can eat enough, I don't have to choose.
"Chen Fan!"
A loud shout exploded from behind me. Before I could turn around, I was slapped on the back of my head. I fell forward and hit my forehead on the edge of the stove, leaving a bloody gash.
I covered my forehead and turned around to see Chen Xiao's livid face. He was wearing a brocade robe, with a jade pendant hanging around his waist, and three jade rings on his fingers. "I am a rich man" was written all over his body. At this moment, he was staring at me, his eyes almost bulging out.
"Who told you to touch things in the kitchen?" Chen Xiao kicked over the bucket next to him and poured cold water all over me. "You're a waste, you don't even deserve to eat!"
I wiped some water on my face and said nothing. Over the past three years, I have long learned a truth - in the Chen family, silence is more effective than talking.
Seeing my silence, Chen Xiao became even more angry. He reached out and grabbed my collar, picked me up, and slapped me in the face.
"Crack!"
The sound echoed in the empty kitchen. The left side of my face hurt, and a trace of salty smell oozed from the corner of my mouth.
"Dad, that's enough."
A cold voice came from the door. I turned to look and saw Chen Xue standing outside the door, wearing a plain white dress, her hair pulled up, and her face expressionless. She glanced at me, glanced at the blood on my forehead, and then looked away.
