My boyfriend took me home for the holidays to meet his parents. On the way, he handed me a glass of plain water. Two sips later, my vision went dark. When I woke up, I heard my boyfriend haggling with a human trafficker. "I swear to God! I guarantee she's a virgin!" But I wasn't panicked at all, because the human trafficker was actually... my childhood friend's dad! I had been trafficked back to my own hometown! Right into my childhood friend's house! 1 My head throbbed with a dull ache, and it was hard to breathe. I groggily opened my eyes and tried to move, but I was completely immobilized. Alarm bells went off in my head. I frantically checked my body. I found a large wad of rough cloth shoved into my mouth, leaving me only able to make muffled whimpering sounds. My hands and feet were tied tightly together, the purple bruises and rope marks clearly visible. There was absolutely no way I could break free. "Tell me the truth! Have you slept with her yet?!" "I swear to God! I, Luke, have absolutely zero interest in women! I never sleep with women! I guarantee she's a virgin!" "Alright, kid. Here's twenty grand." "Deal!" A conversation drifted in from outside the window. I followed the sound and saw two silhouettes. One of them was the boyfriend who had drugged and sold me! And the other, an older man... looked a bit familiar? I scanned the room. In the bottom corner was a large, brick-built wood-burning stove. The cupboard had two tiers. On a wobbly wooden stool with a broken leg, there were some faded pink marker scribbles that read: "Caleb is a..." I remembered perfectly. That was a sentence I secretly wrote when I came over to play at Caleb's house when we were kids: Caleb is a big idiot! It suddenly hit me. This was Caleb's house! That other silhouette was Caleb's dad! Bad news! I was trafficked into a backward, remote mountain village by my college boyfriend! Good news! I was trafficked back to my own village! Right into my childhood friend's house! I struggled to shift my body, using the wall for leverage to straighten my back and stand up. I hopped over to the wooden door and slammed my body against it, making a loud bang, bang noise. Uncle John! Open the door! It's me, Lily! When I was little, I helped you pick pears! Don't you remember?! Come look at me! Let me out! I shouted frantically, but the words were trapped behind the cloth, coming out as low, muffled whimpers. "Shut up, you stupid bitch! Keep quiet! Keep making noise and I'll take care of you right now!" Uncle John yelled at me impatiently and kicked the door twice from the outside as a warning. The old wooden door shook a cloud of dust all over me. Waaah! It's not fair! It's me, Lily, Uncle John! Just look at me! "Dad, who is he?" "Oh, son, you finally decided to come back. That's the delivery guy. Go to the kitchen and keep an eye on the goods for me." "Okay." That voice! Even though it lacked the youthful innocence of the past, I could still tell—it was Caleb! 2 I obediently hopped backward a few steps, trying hard to squeeze out some tears and look pitiful, waiting for Caleb to come in and untie me. With a creak, the door opened. Caleb's face was backlit, his features sharply defined in the shadows. I instantly held my breath. Caleb really lived up to his title as the village heartthrob back then! He was even more handsome now! I blinked my large, teary eyes, hopped frantically over to him, and shoved my face right in front of his. Look at me! Caleb! I'm Lily! Untie me! But Caleb just frowned. "Who are you? Why are you in my house?" I froze for a second, then realized how much a girl changes as she grows up. Since I was twelve, in the seventh grade, I had gone to the city for school and never returned to the village. I hadn't seen Caleb in nine years. Just looking at my face, he didn't recognize me! I whimpered loudly again, my eyes darting desperately to the gag in my mouth. Caleb! Take this out so I can speak! We grew up together! I know so many embarrassing stories about you! Just let me tell two of them, and you'll definitely recognize me! Caleb backed away a few steps, looking disgusted. "Why are you acting like this in my house? Are you trying to pull an insurance scam?" I almost passed out. Scam your giant gorilla! Why don't you go ask your dad why I'm like this? Isn't your dad the village pear farmer? Why is he running this kind of racket?! "What scam? Son, you misunderstand. She's my new wife! Your new mom!" Just as I rolled my eyes at Caleb, Uncle John walked in, beaming happily. "Oh, son, you know your mom passed away so many years ago. I haven't had a woman in all this time. This time, I got the matchmaker to find me a young, pretty one. We're getting married and throwing the banquet tomorrow!" As Uncle John spoke, he excitedly rubbed his hands together and reached out with a sleazy grin to touch my face. Furious, I dodged backward, glaring at him viciously. What matchmaking?! You literally bought me! You're trafficking women! "You dare glare at me, you little bitch?! Think you're special?! I'll beat you to death!" Uncle John's face instantly changed. He raised a hand to slap me across the face. But Caleb stepped forward, shielding me, and caught his hand just in time. Hiding behind Caleb, my sense of security skyrocketed. Thank God! Caleb is still as smart as ever! He saw through Uncle John's lies! He knows I was trafficked here! He's definitely going to save me! But it turned out I was overthinking things. 3 Caleb just stared coldly at Uncle John. "Dad, it's fine if you want to remarry, but why are you tying her up? Have you forgotten how Mom died?! She committed suicide because she couldn't take your domestic abuse anymore! "Now, since you're marrying someone new, I won't stop you. But you have to promise me you won't repeat the same mistakes. You have to treat her well." Caleb's words sent my hopeful heart crashing straight to the bottom of the abyss. He actually believed it?! Where did his perfect-math-score brain go?! "You got it, son! Dad listens to you. I promise to treat this woman well!" Caleb didn't say another word. He actually just brushed past Uncle John and walked out, clean and decisive. My vision went black. It felt like the sky was falling. Sigh. I guess there was no other way. Caleb wasn't going to save me, so I had to save myself. I hopped over to one of the kitchen walls with great effort, bent my knees, and bumped against the wall, signaling Uncle John to look at a chalk drawing up there. It was from when Uncle John turned thirty. I had secretly taken a bunch of colored chalk from school and drawn a ten-tier cake for him on that wall. Underneath, in very neat handwriting, it read: Lily wishes Uncle John a happy birthday. He had patted my head and praised me then: "Haha, little Lily drew this so well! Uncle John is going to take you to town to buy your favorite basket cake!" It was pouring rain that day. He pedaled his little tricycle, having me sit in the back under an umbrella. He rode for over ten miles on muddy roads to take me to town, saying he was going to buy me a basket cake from Mr. Miller's bakery. Unfortunately, before we even entered the shop, I was picked up by my uncle from the city. My parents passed away when I was very young, and I was raised by my grandmother. But in my seventh-grade year, my grandmother, my only remaining family, passed away too. My uncle, taking pity on me being all alone, came down to the village and took me back to the city. Even though my parents died early, the villagers were all very kind to me, often bringing me meat, vegetables, and rice. Especially Uncle John, who frequently smiled and told me: "Lily, you have to grow up well." I was raised by the whole village. Now, as if by some twist of fate, I had been trafficked right back to my own village. 4 "Get over here! What are you jumping around for, you stupid bitch! Trying to run away?! I'll break your legs!" Uncle John stormed over, grabbed me by the neck, slammed me hard onto the ground, and started kicking my legs. My head hit the cold concrete floor. A dull, throbbing pain shot straight to my brain, and it felt like my kneecaps were shattered from the kicks. I lay on the ground, fighting through the pain, trying my hardest to lift my head and whimper at him continuously. Uncle John! It's me, Lily! How can you not recognize me?! But seeing me resist only enraged Uncle John further. He stepped on my head, grinding the side of my face into the dirt. "You cheap slut! Let me tell you, if you dare try to run, I'll scatter your entire family's ashes!" As if stomping on me wasn't enough, Uncle John pulled an old bamboo whip from the top of the cupboard. This thing was a staple in every household in the village. If a kid misbehaved, a serving of "bamboo shoots and pork" (a beating) would set them straight. "I'll beat you to death! Do you know my favorite thing to do is beat pretty women?! You better behave!" Uncle John looked possessed, getting happier the more he beat me. The whip came down like rain, lash after relentless lash. I felt like the skin on my back was being flayed open. The agonizing, burning pain forced tears from my eyes. All I could do was curl up on the floor and desperately shake my head. A thousand urgent explanations turned into nothing but muffled whimpers. Uncle John... stop hitting me. If you keep hitting me, I'm really going to die... I don't know how long he beat me before Uncle John rubbed his elbow and spat at me. "Ptooi! My arm is sore from beating you. For a cheap slut like you, it's not worth it! Sit tight and wait for the whole village to come for the banquet tomorrow! I'm going to marry you in style!" I curled up on the floor, trembling all over, the pain pushing me to the brink of unconsciousness. "Don't play dead! We're getting married tomorrow! Here's two slaps to wake you up!" He yanked me up by the collar and slapped me hard across the left and right cheeks. Before I passed out, my hazy vision caught the fading light as the wooden door shut. 5 "Hey. How are you holding up? Eat some porridge." At the crack of dawn the next day, someone gently patted my cheek. I forced my eyes open. It was Caleb. "Caleb! It's me!" I couldn't help but cry out anxiously, only to realize I could actually speak. The gag in my mouth had been removed. "How do you know my name?" Caleb set the bowl of porridge on the floor and asked, looking confused. "I'm Lily!" After holding it in for so long, I could finally say my own name. All the grievances in my heart burst open like a broken dam, and I started wailing out loud. "Waaah, Caleb! Uncle John beat me so badly last night! I'm never going to forgive him! I'm never drawing him birthday pictures again! Hurry up and untie me!" But Caleb glanced at the writing on the wall and just shoved me. "Shut up! How dare you impersonate Lily?!" I stumbled and fell backward, furious and resentful! I swear! This father and son pair are dumber than a box of rocks! "Caleb! I really am Lily! Have you forgotten?! We grew up together! We're childhood sweethearts!" Caleb glared at me in disgust and took the bowl of porridge away. "Get lost. Who's your childhood sweetheart? If you dare impersonate Lily again, I'm feeding this porridge to the dog!" I looked at his fierce expression, feeling disappointed and stubborn. Tears rolled down my face as my voice shook violently: "Caleb, when your old yellow dog had puppies, we delivered them together. Have you forgotten? "When you turned thirteen, I folded a hundred origami cranes for you, each with a hidden wish written on it. Have you forgotten that? "Back then, you spent three days and three nights writing a hundred love letters for me. Have you forgotten that too? "And now you don't even recognize me! Our ten years of friendship were completely wasted on you!" I enunciated every word clearly, and Caleb listened, absolutely dumbfounded. He swallowed nervously. "Are... are you really Lily? Why don't you look anything like her?" He was still doubting me?! Completely disappointed, I sat up straight, leaned into his face, and yelled: "Haven't you ever heard of puberty, you idiot?!" Seeing him still staring blankly, seemingly unconvinced. In a fit of rage, I deployed my ultimate weapon: "Caleb! You wore split-crotch pants and showed everyone your wiener!" 6 When I was three, my parents were still alive. They carried me to Caleb's house to buy pears. But we couldn't find anyone in the house, so we eventually went to their pear orchard. Caleb, with his little stubby legs, came running all the way out to meet me, but I just pointed at his split-crotch pants and laughed. His mother came running up behind him, frantically trying to put a diaper on him. My mom just smiled: "Lily, do you like your Caleb? Should Mommy arrange an arranged marriage for you?" I vaguely remember nodding. As we grew up, whenever Caleb made me mad, I would lean in and secretly tease him about it. Every time, his face would turn bright red. He'd cover his crotch and haughtily huff at me, "Fine! I can't mess with you!" Over time, this joke became a secret shared only between the two of us. "Caleb! Do you believe me n—" Before I could finish yelling, the light in my line of sight was blocked by a figure frantically lunging at me. Then, my arms were filled with a trembling body that felt like it was going to shatter. Caleb pulled me into a fierce, desperate hug. "Lily, you heartless jerk. Nine years and you never came back to see me. Did you forget about me? Do you have any idea how much I missed you..." Caleb buried his face in my shoulder. His voice shook pitifully, and I could clearly hear the choked-back sobs at the end of his sentences. I could even feel the fabric on my shoulder getting soaked by a warm liquid. Caleb was actually crying? Suddenly, I didn't dare yell at him anymore. Then, thinking about it carefully, I realized something wasn't right. Wait, why is HE acting like the victim?! What does he have to be upset about?! He's the one who didn't recognize me! And I got a brutal beating from his dad! I was about to scold him, but I realized I couldn't catch my breath. "Caleb, don't hug me... so tight. I'm suffocating..." 7 "Hey! Son! Is she awake yet?! The whole village is here for the banquet!" Right then, Uncle John walked in, his face beaming with joy. The next second, the smile vanished from his face instantly, and he quickly shut the wooden door. "What?! Son, what are you doing?! Let go of her right now! If the villagers see this, people will talk!" Caleb stood up, his face dark. "Dad, this is Lily!" "Oh, son. I know you miss Lily, but you can't just grab a random person and say it's her. It's impossible for her to be Lily. They don't look alike at all. Just look at the writing on the wall. She's definitely playing tricks trying to escape!" I rolled my eyes, unable to hold it in anymore. "Uncle John! Have you forgotten that on your thirtieth birthday, besides drawing this picture for you, you rode your tricycle to take me to town to eat a basket cake?!" Uncle John shuddered violently, his eyes widening like saucers. "You... you're really Lily? The college student I bought is actually you?!" Caleb instantly caught the glaring issue in that sentence. "What do you mean 'bought'?! Dad?! Explain yourself?!" "Uncle John! Trafficking women is a felony! You can't be involved in this kind of racket! Where's the ex-boyfriend who sold me yesterday? We need to catch him!" I shook Uncle John's shoulders violently, trying to shake some sense into him. He immediately dropped to his knees, sliding right to my feet. "Whatever Lily says, goes! I'll never do something this stupid again! "Uncle John was so foolish. I didn't recognize you yesterday and I hit you. I'm so sorry, Lily." After saying that, he slapped himself hard on the left and right cheeks. Two red handprints instantly bloomed on his face. Caleb kept his head down, a vicious glint hidden beneath his messy bangs, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his fists. "Who sold you? I'm going to deal with him." I pointed at a young man sitting at a large round table outside, tapping his chopsticks, waiting for the banquet to start. "That's him! Luke!" Caleb shot out like a bolt of furious lightning. 8 "Hey, you're his son, right? You want a pretty college girl? Since you're repeat customers, I'll only charge you..." Before Luke could finish his sentence, he was hoisted into the air and slammed against the wall by Caleb. "What are you doing?! I found your dad a beautiful wife! Why are you hitting me, you psycho?!" Caleb's eyes were as cold as a frozen lake. He tilted his head, leaning close to Luke's face. "Do you have any idea who you just sold?" "Her..." Luke pointed a trembling finger in my direction. I stood a short distance away, frowning deeply. From my angle, it seriously looked like they were kissing! I yelled anxiously, "Caleb! Don't go easy on him!" I grabbed a stool and charged out. I was aiming to hit Luke in the stomach. But my aim was apparently terrible, and I just smashed the stool into the wall! "Hey, John, I heard your son came back. And you're getting married today! Double blessings!" "Where's the new bride? Is she prettier than your last one? Bring her out so we can see!" At that moment, the villagers arriving for the banquet started offering their congratulations. Caleb seemed to get even angrier hearing that. He threw a punch straight down at Luke. And smashed his fist right into the wall. The skin on Caleb's knuckles instantly tore, seeping blood. "Caleb! Today is your dad's big day! Seeing blood is bad luck!" "Oh, what a sin! John, come control your son!" "Who is that boy wearing glasses? He looks so delicate and pale. Stop hitting him, let me take him home and love on him properly." I was in the middle of pulling Luke's hair. Hearing these familiar voices, my heart twisted, and I abruptly stopped what I was doing. I looked down the line at their faces. Nine years had passed, but I still recognized every single one of them. Aunt Sarah, Uncle Tom, Grandma Liu, Grandpa Miller... The smiling faces that had showered me with love when I was a kid flashed before my eyes. My vision blurred with tears. I felt both overjoyed and deeply sad. Overjoyed because I got to see them again. Sad because I was about to be separated from them again. "Oh my, why is this child crying... it breaks my heart." "Is she the new bride John is marrying?" Caleb roared at the top of his lungs: "What new bride?! She's Lily!" 9 "Wh... what? She's Lily? Little Lily finally came back?! Oh my, let me look at you. You've grown so much!" "Lily, you came back and just stayed at your Uncle John's house?! You didn't even come around to visit us! Did you forget all about us?!" "Aunt Sarah's peaches are ripe again! Come to my house tomorrow to eat peaches, Lily!" "Uncle Tom just slaughtered a pig for the New Year! Come to my house tomorrow, I'll stew some pig trotters for you!" "I didn't forget you guys... I came back to find you..." I sobbed, hugging them one by one. "Wow, you guys are something else! Playing me for a fool?! Hiring me to buy someone, and it turns out you all know her!" While I was catching up with the villagers, Luke seized the opportunity and bolted. Clang, clang, clang! Before I could even chase after him, the sound of a gong echoed through the courtyard. I whipped around. It was Uncle John. He was beating a gong to get the villagers' attention. "Catch him! Everyone! That brat who just ran away tried to sell Lily for cash!" "What?! He dared to bully Lily?! I'm going to break his legs! Don't run, you bastard!" Uncle Tom exploded with rage, ran into Uncle John's house, grabbed a hoe, and chased after him. "Beat him to death! How dare he bully our Lily! Doesn't he have eyes?!" "Everyone, chase him! He's not getting away!" Aunt Sarah hoisted a rake over her shoulder and chased after him, cursing a blue streak. "I'm going too! I'm going to get revenge for Lily!" Grandma Liu raised her cane high, ready to join the pursuit. I quickly grabbed her and made her sit down. "No, no, no, Grandma Liu, your health isn't good. You shouldn't go." 10 The village was full of narrow, winding dirt paths. The houses were close together, each fenced in to raise chickens, and everyone had a fierce guard dog. Hunted from all sides, Luke sprinted desperately through the village, causing absolute chaos everywhere he went. More and more villagers came out to help. It was practically the entire village mobilized. "Everyone come out and catch him! That animal sold Lily!" "Grab your weapons and get him!" "I'm begging you, please spare me! I won't take the twenty grand, okay?! "Please let me go! Ahhhhh!" Luke ran for his life while screaming and begging at the top of his lungs. But two fists are no match for dozens of hands. He was eventually surrounded by the villagers, caught in the middle of the crowd, and beaten mercilessly. "Ow! Why are you pulling my hair?!" "Stop scratching! Ahh, it hurts!" Watching the villagers exact revenge for me, I was moved to tears and snot. Waaah, the villagers are so good to me. They really are my family. They are my family! After my touching moment, I clapped my hands gleefully. "Haha! Luke, when you kidnapped me, you never expected this day would come, did you?!" "Here, you must be hungry." Before I could stop grinning, Caleb walked over holding two massive chicken drumsticks. He shoved one into my mouth. Then he sat down next to me. His deep eyes were locked onto the scene of the villagers beating Luke, and he violently chewed the chicken in his mouth to pieces.
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