5
I stayed there for three years. For three years, I worked day and night with the team until our project made some progress. I had to go back to make a report, so I boarded the return flight.
Before leaving, the project team returned my phone to me. When I turned it on and heard the familiar sound, I couldn’t help but raise an
eyebrow..
The screen showed over a thousand messages and missed calls. I was about to put it away when I saw a message from my mom: “Sarah, Mom was wrong. Mom shouldn’t have treated you like that. Can you come back and let Mom apologize to you?”
“We had our reasons. Will you listen to my explanation? Sarah, I miss you so much. I don’t know where you’ve gone. Can you tell me if you’re
still alive?”
“Sarah, have you really given up on me?”
I found it somewhat amusing. There was a time when I cherished every moment with them.
From high school onwards, I was already self–sufficient. Because of our poor family conditions and the heavy academic pressure, I felt
suffocated.
But I was still worried that this month’s living expenses wouldn’t be enough. I didn’t even dare to get meat dishes in the cafeteria because my parents looked exhausted every day.
I was young then and didn’t understand that people who are chronically tired can’t have a healthy glow.
In my memory, my parents hardly ever got sick. Even when they had some ailment, they would tough it out and recover quickly.
I also overlooked the purple needle marks on the back of their hands, and even the supplements that shouldn’t have appeared at home. They always said these were given to them by their boss who felt sorry for them.
I was so stupid then, I didn’t notice at all. Now thinking about it, I shook my head and blocked their number, deleting all their contact
information.
As soon as I got off the plane, I was spotted by reporters.
<
Our research team had made a major breakthrough, and the entire team received attention upon returning to the country, so exposure was normal.
The moment I saw the reporters, I knew my parents would find me again.
I gave interviews along with the team. After it was over, just as I was about to go to the hotel, my mother broke through the crowd and came directly in front of me.
She didn’t approach me, but faced Professor Lin: “Professor, I know your project needs a lot of research funding. I can provide it. I’m Cathy Johnson, Vice President of Jade Corporation! If possible, I’d like to have a detailed discussion with this young lady.”
She took the initiative to talk to me. I immediately smiled, “Professor Lin, she is my mother, but she always raised me poorly. Now she’s offering hundreds of millions in funding. Don’t you think this is a scammer?”
My words made Professor Lin react immediately, “The students I recruit are all from relatively poor families and can endure hardships. If you really are the Vice President of Jade Corporation, how come Sarah still needs to apply for poverty scholarships every year?”
“Vice President Johnson, right? Don’t try to falsely claim relationships!”
Professor Lin waved his hand and she was separated. She watched me leave, crying out heartbreakingly behind me: “Sarah, Mom just wants to say a word to you!”
She chased after me shouting, and was also caught on camera by reporters, directly uploaded to the internet.
Unable to find me, she could only use the internet to apologize to me.
When netizens pressured her to explain what happened, she refused. I really didn’t want to watch her play the victim online, so I took the initiative to meet her to resolve the issue.
Learning that I was willing to meet her, she was overjoyed and immediately arranged the location at the old house.
Entering the villa again, I couldn’t help but feel emotional, but I quickly composed myself.
