1 After my heart surgery, my brother confessed to me, “We gave the heart that matched you to Luna.” “Your surgery wasn’t done; they just opened you up and stitched you back.” I trembled, utterly incredulous. “You gave my heart to her? What about me?” Mom and Dad’s smiles vanished. “Luna has always been frail since she was little, what’s wrong with letting her have it this one time?” “With how full of life you are, you’ll find another heart eventually!” “If we’d known you’d be so calculating, we never should have brought you back.” Luna’s crisp, tinkling laughter drifted in from outside, her voice sweet and cloyingly flirtatious. “Brother, where are you? Weren’t we supposed to take the baby to the Ferris wheel?” I stood frozen, my heart suddenly aching. But the doctor said my body was on the verge of collapse. That heart was my only hope to live. It felt like forever, but I was woken by laughter, having passed out from the pain. I looked up to see them returning, doting on Luna, the fake daughter. She walked in the center, a amusement park bow in her hair. Mom held her hand, Dad and my brother followed, laden with shopping bags. “Baby’s tired of walking, wants milk tea!” Luna stomped her foot, pouting sweetly, her voice cloyingly cute. “The Ferris wheel was so fun just now, Daddy, will you take baby again next time?” “Of course, of course,” Dad readily agreed. “As long as our little Luna is happy.” Mom reached out to adjust her scarf, chiding her softly, “You just had major surgery not long ago, don’t bounce around, be careful of your incision.” Luna stuck out her tongue. “I know, Mommy, but baby’s happy!” She turned her head and kissed Mom. “Thank you, Mommy, for baby’s new heart.” “Brother always said baby was too weak to go diving, but now Brother has no excuse!” She looked back at my brother, grinning. “Next month, Brother promised to take baby diving in the Maldives!” I suddenly remembered that spring when I was first brought home. They used to smile at me then too. Mom took my hand and led me into that house, pointing to a south-facing bedroom and saying it was mine. She said she heard I liked the ocean, so she specially chose curtains as blue as the sea for me. I stood at the doorway, looking at the sun-drenched window, and tears streamed down my face. The voices outside faded, and the phone rang. When I answered, the doctor’s anxious voice came through. “Seraphina, how could you give the heart that finally matched you to your sister?” “If we can’t find another suitable heart, you’ll die!” I gripped the phone, my heart heavy with bitterness. The doctor, sensing my silence, sighed heavily. “Alright, never mind. I won’t ask. You need to come to the hospital immediately. I’ll do another assessment, report your critical status, and put you back on the most urgent waiting list.” “Seraphina, do you hear me? We can’t give up!” My nose stung. After thanking him, I hung up and took a taxi to the hospital. Blood tests, forms, examinations—I’d been through the routine countless times, it was etched into my memory. I sat alone on a cold chair, waiting for the results, while others were surrounded by their families. I looked down at the dense needle marks on my hand, unmoving. I had long grown accustomed to this kind of loneliness. By the time I left the hospital, it was already dark. I hailed a cab home, but when I pushed open my room door, I froze. My bed was piled high with Luna’s suitcases and shopping bags, and her cosmetics and jewelry boxes cluttered my desk. My bedroom had become her storage room. 2 I stood at the doorway for a long time, then knelt to pick up a crumpled paper from the floor. It was covered in my clumsy handwriting from that time, with a heart drawn beside it. “Thank you, Mom, Dad, and Brother, for finding me. I promise to be a good daughter, a good sister.” “Seraphina, you’re back?” Mom’s voice came from behind me. “You can lend this room to Luna for her things for now; after all, the doctor said you’ll mostly be at the hospital for the next six months…” I suppressed the bitterness in my heart. “But this is my room.” Dad and my brother heard her voice and walked over, standing behind Mom. “So what if it’s your room? Luna just had major surgery, can’t you be a little more accommodating? We’re not saying you can’t live here.” I slowly exhaled, my chest tightening again. “She already took my chance at life.” I looked at them, speaking each word distinctly. “Now, do you want to take my room too?” After a brief silence, my brother was about to speak. “Maybe we can put her things in my…” But Luna suddenly peeked out from the stairwell. She wore pink loungewear, looking delicate and well-behaved. “Is Sister unhappy… Then I’ll move my things back.” She teared up, then bent down to pick up the largest suitcase. But as soon as she moved, she suddenly clutched her chest, swaying slightly. “Baby!” Mom was the first to rush over and support her. Dad quickly knelt down. “What’s wrong? Is your chest hurting? Don’t move, Daddy will carry you.” He picked Luna up in his arms, frantically rushing out. My brother followed, pulling out his phone to call for an ambulance. Before Mom left the room, she looked back at me. I’d seen that look before. Disgust and cold fury. “Seraphina! If anything happens to your sister, you’ll be in big trouble!” Watching the three of them leave, my chest suddenly contracted violently. The pain was different from usual; it felt like something deep inside my heart had ruptured. I leaned against the wall, slowly sliding to the floor, raising my hand to clutch my chest. The doctor’s voice echoed in my ears, “In your current condition, if you don’t get a matching heart soon, I’m afraid it will quickly…” I didn’t let him finish, but I understood what he meant. My remaining time was even shorter than I imagined. But I, I probably didn’t need it anymore. 3 That very night, I was admitted to the hospital. I lay in bed, and the door to my room opened. My brother stood in the doorway. He walked to my bedside, carrying a paper bag. “I brought you some osmanthus cakes.” This was my favorite dessert. Back when I was first brought home, I once stared at osmanthus cakes in front of a supermarket for a long time, but didn't dare to ask for them. My brother noticed, and the next day, he bought a large box and put it in my room. That was the first time I felt that maybe there really was a place for me in this family. “Thank you, Brother.” My brother smiled and ruffled my hair, softening his tone. “Seraphina, I know you’re upset.” As soon as he said that, tears almost welled up in my eyes. But his next sentence made my tears recede. “I know you’re upset, but you have to understand, Luna’s bond with us is different from yours.” “During all those years you were growing up outside, Luna was always with us. Even though she’s not our biological child, eighteen years of affection aren’t fake.” My brother turned to look at me, his eyes carrying a pleading quality. “She’s always been in poor health since childhood, constantly running to the hospital, but she never complained. She’s so innocent and kind.” Seeing my silence, his voice dropped. “Seraphina, I’m not saying you’re bad.” “I just hope you understand that our bond with her was built day by day over eighteen years. You’ve only been back for less than two years; some things truly can’t be treated the same.” Eighteen years. Built day by day. I sat on the hospital bed, my heart aching as if it were being squeezed. When he said these words, he seemed to have completely forgotten how I spent those eighteen years. After being swapped at birth, I was abandoned at a rescue station, then sent to an orphanage. It wasn’t until I was almost an adult that I met a kind foster mother. But these things, they didn’t know, and didn’t want to know. In their eyes, those years I was “lost” outside were merely an insignificant interlude that could be lightly dismissed. “I know you’re angry,” my brother sighed, “But Seraphina, for the sake of this family, can you just try to get along with her?” I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything, my brother’s phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID, and a smile unconsciously curved his lips. “Brother, do you think the swimsuit I picked out is pretty?!” Luna’s voice came through the receiver, sweet and cloying. “Baby searched for so long, my eyes are tired, come quickly and help me choose!” My brother smiled, that gentle smile he only reserved for Luna. “Alright, Brother will be right there.” He stood up, pushed the chair back into place, and glanced at me. “Seraphina, I’ll come see you another day; you rest for now.” He turned and walked towards the door. Just then, a sudden, excruciating pain erupted in my chest. I grabbed the bed railing, arching my body from the agony. “Brother…” The monitoring equipment began to alarm wildly. My brother’s footsteps paused; as he started to turn, Luna called again. “Brother, do you like this one?! Baby thinks this one makes me look whitest!” He hesitated for only two seconds before making his choice. “Seraphina, I’ll have the nurse come right away, just bear with it…” By the time the nurse rushed into the room, his figure was no longer visible at the end of the corridor. I lay there, tears finally falling. That night, I took out a medical record sheet from the drawer and began to write my will. Before I could even put pen to paper, the door to my room was suddenly pushed open. The nurse ran in, panting, her eyes shining brightly. “Seraphina! You have it! A new match has been found!” 4 I shot up, pulled on my jacket, and ran to the doctor’s office. The on-duty doctor saw me, a rare smile on his face, and turned the computer screen towards me. “Seraphina, look, a new match has been successful.” “This heart donor is very young, all indicators are excellent. It’s arguably the best opportunity.” My eyes welled up instantly. The feeling of being pulled back from hell almost suffocated me. “However,” the doctor paused, “the surgery fees need to be settled as soon as possible, including the heart transplant and subsequent anti-rejection treatment, initially estimated at four hundred thousand dollars.” I froze for a moment. Four hundred thousand. I instinctively reached for my phone; ‘Dad’ glowed on the screen in my contact list. Even though they had done those things to me, at the brink of death, they were still my only hope. The phone rang for a long time before it was answered. “Dad…” “What? More about Luna?” Dad’s voice carried an impatient edge. “Seraphina, can you not be so sensible? The heart matter is settled; there’s no point in making a fuss.” “No, Dad, I have a new match.” I gripped the phone. “The doctor said this heart is especially good, but the surgery fee is four hundred thousand dollars, I…” The other end of the phone fell silent for a few seconds. I heard Mom’s voice in the background: “Who is it? Seraphina? What’s she making a fuss about again so late?” Then Luna’s sweet, syrupy voice: “Is it Sister? Is Sister still mad at baby…” Dad’s voice resumed. “Alright, I know about this. We’ll talk later.” The call was disconnected. I stared at the call-ended screen for a long time, stunned. My chest began to ache faintly again. I squeezed the phone tightly, comforting myself. Maybe they were just busy; maybe they would come tomorrow. Early the next morning, I called my mom. “Mom, did Dad tell you yesterday? The new match…” “He told me, he told me,” Mom’s voice was a little unnatural. “Seraphina, honey, we’ll figure out a way for that surgery fee.” “But the doctor said we can’t delay…” “I know we can’t delay, but you have to be considerate of the family’s situation, don’t you?” Her voice rose a few decibels. “Your sister just had major surgery; the medical bills alone were hundreds of thousands. Now she needs to recuperate at home, and everything costs money. The family’s money doesn’t grow on trees.” I opened my mouth, hearing footsteps and Luna’s voice on the other end. “Mommy, look at this handbag, isn’t it pretty?!” My brother’s voice followed immediately: “If you like it, buy it. Brother will get it for you.” The call was disconnected. I sat on the hospital bed, my eyes burning. Taking a deep breath, I turned and went home. When I pushed open the living room door, I froze. The sofa was piled high with shopping bags. Luna was nestled on the sofa, holding her phone and taking pictures. Mom sat beside her, helping her find angles. Dad leaned on the sofa, reading a newspaper. My brother was bending over, unpacking a box of macarons from a bag. Sunlight streamed in through the French windows, making the scene impossibly warm. “What… are you doing?” My voice made all four turn their heads simultaneously. Luna was the first to react, holding up the bag in her hand. “Sister, look! Mommy bought me a new bag! Is it pretty? It cost over thirty thousand, it’s a new, limited edition!” Thirty thousand. That was one-tenth of my surgery fee. Mom’s face changed. She put down her phone and stood up. “Seraphina, why are you back? Didn’t the doctor tell you to stay in the hospital?” “I came back to talk to you about the surgery fees.” I tried to keep myself calm. “The doctor said the new match was successful, but we can’t delay. The sooner the surgery…” “Alright, alright,” Dad’s face was displeased. “You come back and immediately talk about money. You’re always calling from the hospital talking about money. Four hundred thousand isn’t a small sum; how do you expect us to suddenly get that much?” I stared at the shopping bags on the sofa. “Then this bag…” “This is a post-surgery recovery gift for Luna,” Mom quickly interjected. “Luna just had such a big surgery; we have to make her happy. A good mood is beneficial for recovery. Don’t you understand that?” I understood. They spent thirty thousand to buy a bag for Luna after her surgery, to make her happy. But I hadn’t even had my surgery. I was almost out of time. 5 “Mom, my surgery only costs four hundred thousand.” “This match… it’s my last hope.” Silence fell over the living room for half a second after I said that. Then Luna gasped, covering her mouth, her eyes wide. “But Sister, you can still live for half a year, aren’t you just trying to trick Mom and Dad out of money?” All the blood rushed to my head. “What did you say?” “Did I say something wrong?” Luna shrank back towards Mom, her voice timid. “Sister, don’t be angry… I didn’t mean it like that, I just think Sister is lucky to have another matching heart so quickly.” “Luna!” I stepped forward, but my brother immediately blocked me. His tall body stood between Luna and me, looking down at me. “Why are you yelling at Luna? She didn’t mean any harm.” “She didn’t mean any harm?” My voice distorted. “She said I was trying to trick money out of you!” “Enough!” Dad stood up, his face clouded. “Seraphina, are you done with your tantrum? Luna was just joking; do you have to get so angry?!” “I’m not throwing a tantrum! I just want my surgery money! That’s my life savings!” “Life savings, life savings, isn’t it just money you want?” My brother looked at me coldly, pulling his car keys from his pocket and throwing them on the coffee table. “I can keep the car, but that’s only two hundred thousand, still half of your four hundred thousand. Are you going to sell the house we live in to pay for your medical treatment too?” “Seraphina,” Mom’s voice suddenly dropped very low. “Your sister just had surgery, her body is still weak. If you come back and make such a fuss and make her sick, can you take responsibility for that?” “The doctor said you can live for at least another six months, what’s the hurry? You’re not going to die tomorrow.” I stood there, my chest feeling like it had been violently struck by something. An intense pain began to spread from my heart to my limbs, making me almost unable to stand. “I really can’t wait any longer…” My voice began to tremble. “The doctor said I can’t wait, that match really can’t be delayed… Please believe me…” Luna peeked out from behind Mom, tilting her head and looking at me. “Sister, there you go again. Last time you were like this too; you pretended to be in pain when Brother went to see you. Now you’re pretending again.” “I’m not pretending!” In a rush of anger and frustration, I couldn’t help but charge towards Luna. “Seraphina, what do you want?! Stay away from Luna!” My brother slapped me across the face. I was knocked sideways, a metallic taste flooding my mouth. Just then, an unprecedented, excruciating pain erupted from my chest. Finally, my vision blurred, and I collapsed.
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