Zhao Daming had just fallen asleep when, in the middle of the night, he felt someone touching his leg. He rolled over, intending to go back to sleep.
However, a chill made him fully awake. He opened his eyes to see a dark figure pressing down on him.
Zhao Daming pushed hard, and the person, unprepared, fell to the ground. Fortunately, his cellmates were fast asleep and no one was disturbed.
Before Zhao Daming could even cry out in fear, the person quickly jumped up and covered his mouth.
"Don't scream, I'm human."
The room was pitch black, and even at such close proximity, Zhao Daming couldn't see the person's face.
He could only nod fearfully and helplessly. Seeing his compliance, the person let go. Knowing he couldn't succeed tonight, he quietly returned to his own bunk.
Zhao Daming didn't dare to sleep for the rest of the night. Recalling the voice he had heard, he was certain it was the same person he met in the mess hall that day.
He planned to report the situation to the prison guards the next day, requesting a room change, to get away from that pervert.
After hearing his ordeal, the prison guard changed his room. The people in this new room were visibly thinner.
They even took the initiative to greet him, their gazes not as fierce as his previous cellmate's. They all seemed easy to get along with.
This was the beginning of Zhao Daming's nightmare. He was often pranked and bullied, no one would help him, and his cellmates would only watch coldly.
Once, when he was beaten severely, he fought back. Both sides suffered heavy losses, and several of them were sent to solitary confinement. After being released, Zhao Daming was like a walking corpse.
A new round of prison bullying began. Even if Zhao Daming didn't resist, they wouldn't find it boring.
They would continue like this until new inmates arrived, and they lost interest in Zhao Daming, only then would they stop.
...
Wu Guihua returned home that day with a discernible smile on her face. She carried a bag of potatoes, estimated to be about twenty catties.
"Sanhua, hurry and come out to start the fire. We're boiling potatoes today."
Eating in this household, Jun Jiuli felt obligated to help. While Sanhua went to start the fire, she washed the potatoes and put them in the pot to boil.
Potatoes were about a jiao per catty now. This amount would cost only a few yuan, and boiling them would last the family quite a while, making it more cost-effective than buying other things.
Zhao Erming only got up after they were cooked. He really had no strength, feeling dizzy from hunger, and so did Sanming.
Without good dipping sauce or chili powder, they could only dip them in salt. Wu Guihua was now too stingy to even bring out soy sauce.
Zhao Erming picked a relatively smooth, yellow-fleshed potato. After peeling half of it, he eagerly took a large bite.
Only after finishing the potato did he feel alive again. He looked at Wu Guihua, whose brows held a hint of joy, with some surprise.
"Mom, did you find a job today?"
"Found it, found it. It's just a bit far from home, and the salary isn't as high as before."
Hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhao Erming: "How much is it per month?"
"30 yuan, for street sweeping."
"Mom, there's no such thing as a job being noble or lowly. You must not get stuck on that thought, feeling inferior."
Wu Guihua smiled, "Silly child, what are you thinking? Am I that kind of person? My job is to raise you kids, I'm willing to endure any hardship."
Her eyes were already filled with tears. The room was silent, and her children all felt a heavy burden pressing down on them.
"Why are you all so quiet? Never mind, let's eat first. You've all suffered these past few days. I picked these potatoes one by one."
Sanhua couldn't help but cry first, "Mom, I won't go to school anymore. You don't have to work so hard. Let the younger brothers go."
Wu Guihua patted her head, "Silly child, why are you crying? You and your brother must both go. Mom can afford it; elementary school doesn't cost much in tuition."
"Mom, I will definitely study hard and repay you in the future. I'll do housework after school and never be lazy."
Zhao Wuming: "Me too, I won't be lazy either."
"Good children, good children, you are all good children."
Zhao Siming found the scene familiar. The potato in his hand felt very dry.
"Where's your second sister?"
Zhao Sanhua: "Second sister went out to look for a job."
"Good, good, it's good that she's come around."
Now, when Zhao Erhua went out, the neighbors in the yard avoided her, afraid of accidentally provoking her.
Her little scandals had only caused a stir within her circle of acquaintances. Over the years, she had saved quite a bit of private savings, so she didn't suffer much when she went out.
She looked for jobs far away, and even if people heard about her story, they wouldn't know what she looked like. There were too many people with the same name.
After several tries, she found a drawing studio and applied to be a model. The salary was only 13 yuan, but she was quite happy.
Zhao Erhua encountered everyone eating potatoes when she returned home.
"Er Hua, how did it go with your job search?"
Zhao Erhua was radiating an aura of happiness. Otherwise, Wu Guihua wouldn't have asked.
"I found it, I can start working tomorrow."
"Oh, that's wonderful, my daughter is so capable. Come over quickly and eat potatoes; they won't taste good when they get cold."
Zhao Erhua looked at the food on the table with some disdain, but her stomach was empty. She could only pout and go over to make do.
"What do you do? What's the treatment like?"
"Model."
This answer made Wu Guihua frown, "What's a 'temo'? What kind of work is that?"
"I just sit there and let people draw me. It's quite easy anyway. It's an affirmation of my appearance, and I really like this job."
"Besides drawing, there's nothing else, right?"
Zhao Erhua gave Wu Guihua a sideways glance, "Mom, what are you thinking? Being a model is a proper job. Don't view us young people with your old-fashioned ideas."
"Fine, I won't say anything more. Do as you please. However, things are tight at home now. Could you give me ten yuan every month? Sanhua and the others still need to study, and my salary isn't enough to cover everything."
Zhao Erhua's face instantly fell, "Mom, I only get 13 yuan a month. If you want me to give 10 yuan to the family, what will I use for myself?"
Wu Guihua also frowned, "13 yuan, why is it so little?"
"Then I'll just sit there. The working hours are also very flexible, so the salary is naturally less."
"Then see if you can find a better job. Yours isn't worth it."
"I won't change."
"Then give me 8 yuan. 5 yuan is enough for your pocket money. You live at home, don't you incur expenses? Renting a place outside would cost eight or nine yuan a month."
Zhao Erhua abruptly stood up, "Mom, I'm your own daughter, and you want to charge me money for living at home?"
"Mom also has to pay rent for this house. Now that you're earning, do you expect me to continue supporting you?"
"Hmph, you've finally shown your true colors. You're biased towards boys. Second brother is older than me, but you don't ask him to earn money, and now you're eyeing my wages. Aren't you ashamed?"
Wu Guihua was enraged by this outburst and slapped Zhao Erhua across the face.
"How can you speak to me like that? Touch your conscience and tell me how I've treated you all these years.
With the family in such difficult circumstances, when you have the ability, you don't lend a hand? Can you bear to see Sanhua and the others unable to go to school?"
Zhao Erhua's tears flowed uncontrollably, "I hate you!"
After saying this, she ran into the house. She slammed the door shut and buried her face in the covers, sobbing uncontrollably.
The soundproofing of the house was poor, and the people outside felt extremely awkward. Wu Guihua sat down in a daze.
She mumbled, "How did it come to this? How did it all go wrong like this?"
As she spoke, she also covered her face and cried. Sanhua tried to comfort her helplessly, while Zhao Siming followed Jun Jiuli back to their room.
Zhao Erming: "Mom, don't be too sad. Er Hua will come around. Please stop crying."