On the bus home, I suddenly got a message from a Q&A app. "My younger daughter graduated college seven years ago and is still freeloading at home. Should I kick her out?" I tapped on the app, and the comments section exploded. The poster continued to complain. "My younger daughter is 28, has no job, is lazy and stupid. She drives me crazy every single day. How can I force her to leave?" "My older daughter, Sarah, is so successful. When I had my stroke, she got me the best doctors. My younger daughter is useless! I birthed them both, how can they be so different?!" "Sarah's family is coming home for the holidays, and there's no room. I've already packed my younger daughter's bags. I hope she gets the hint." I sighed silently to myself. Good thing my mom, who had a stroke, isn't like that. Good thing I can make money from home, so I'm not freeloading. The bus announcement sounded, and I got off, carrying my bags. As soon as I got home, I saw suitcases neatly stacked by the entrance. And Sarah's family sitting on the couch.
The suitcases by the door looked familiar, but I didn't think much of it. "Sarah, you're back." I hadn't expected Sarah's family to return so early. After greeting them, I headed toward my room. But Sarah suddenly spoke. "What are you doing?" Her voice was tense, and I stopped. "Just tidying up my room. Usually, when you guys visit, I sleep on the balcony, and you take the bedroom, right?" We only had two bedrooms. Mom and Dad always had one, and Sarah had the other. I always had to make a small bed on the balcony. It wasn't until Sarah got married and moved out that I temporarily got to use the bedroom. But whenever Sarah came back, I still had to sleep on the balcony. "Chloe, no… no need." Sarah refused, a hint of guilt in her voice. I assumed Mom had already prepared the room, so I didn't insist. Turning around, I handed the toy I'd bought to my nephew. "Leo, look, Aunt Chloe bought you a toy!" But the next second, five-year-old Leo threw the toy on the floor. "No! Aunt Chloe is a freeloader, a parasite! I don't want anything you buy!" My hand froze in mid-air. Instantly, the air in the living room froze. After a few seconds, Sarah chuckled lightly. "Chloe, kids say the darndest things, don't take it to heart." Seeing my expression still stiff, Sarah pretended to be angry and lightly slapped Leo's bottom. "Leo, apologize to Aunt Chloe right now." Leo immediately burst into tears. Mom, who always doted on her grandson, immediately looked displeased. "Apologize for what? Leo's not wrong. Your sister just sits at home doing nothing all day, what else would you call it but freeloading?!" My heart was pierced, and I instinctively replied. "Mom, when have I ever freeloaded? I told you, I make money online from editing!" Mom, comforting Leo, grumbled at me. "You call that a job?! I've never seen you contribute a single penny to the household, and I still have to support you with my pension. What else would you call it but freeloading?!" Mom's monthly rehab costs were around $8,000, our living expenses were $1,500, plus other costs, totaling almost $10,000 a month. I took on jobs day and night, but the money I earned each month was barely enough to cover expenses. There was never any extra to give her. It wasn't until last month, when Mom fully recovered, that I finally had a little savings. A wave of injustice washed over me. "Mom, your pension is $2,000. You give Sarah $1,200 a month and me $300. Do you really think our mother-daughter living expenses are covered by just $300?" Hearing this, Mom impatiently cut me off. "Sarah has a tough life in the city, what's wrong with me helping her out financially? If you're so capable, go get a job in the city too." "And you're complaining about $300? I think you're just after my pension!" I never imagined that seven years of meticulous care would, in Mom's eyes, become a calculated move. My heart turned cold inch by inch, watching her in disbelief. "Mom, have you forgotten? I was working in New York, and I was about to get a promotion and a raise. You had a stroke and pleaded with me to come back." "I hired caregivers for you, but you drove three of them away, insisting I had to come back..." Mom coldly interrupted me. "Enough, Chloe. I was just sick and needed you to take care of me for a bit. Do you really need to keep bringing it up?!" That "bit" Mom mentioned? It was the most precious seven years of my life. A bitter ache spread through my heart. "Besides, isn't it normal for children to care for their parents? Why else would I have raised you?!" My eyes welled up, looking at her, unwilling to give in. "If that's the case, why didn't you let Sarah come back to care for you then? Why did you even make me keep it a secret from her?" When Mom had her stroke, she was partially paralyzed and hospitalized for six full months. Every morning, I'd help Mom with her daily routine – washing, eating, sponge baths, changing clothes, medication, turning her over, and physical therapy... In the scorching summer, to prevent bedsores, I'd get up seven or eight times every night to turn her. Finally, I collapsed from exhaustion and had to call Sarah, only to be met with Mom's grumbling. "Sarah is busy with work, why are you bothering her? You're so inconsiderate!" ... Now, faced with my distress, Mom's eyes held only disdain. "How dare you compare yourself to Sarah? Why don't you compare who's more successful?" "Besides, when Sarah found out, didn't she immediately arrange for me to go to the best rehab hospital and have specialists consult on my case? How else could I have recovered so well?" "With your clumsy hands, who knows how long I would have been stuck in bed?!" As soon as she finished speaking, Sarah's eyes darted away, a flicker of guilt crossing her face.
My heart gradually cooled, and I just stared intently at Sarah. "Was it you who arranged it, Sarah?" I had booked that specialist at the rehab hospital three months in advance. I even paid an extra $300 to a fixer to rush the appointment. But I never told Mom any of this. "Sarah, Mom's monthly $8,000 rehab fees, you didn't pay those either, did you?" I stared at Sarah. "If not Sarah, then who? You?" Before she could answer, Mom interrupted again. Sarah managed a stiff smile. "Chloe, these are... minor things, not worth... mentioning." Hearing this, Mom again looked at me with displeasure. "Chloe, can't you learn from your sister? You only took care of me for a few years, put in some effort, and you keep bringing it up all the time." "Your sister contributed both money and effort, and she doesn't complain at all. If I'd known you were so useless, I wouldn't have bothered giving birth to you!" Finally, my last shred of reason was shattered. I rushed back to my room, intending to retrieve all the medical bills and payment records from the past seven years to prove my capabilities. But the moment I pushed open the door, I froze. All my things were gone from the room. I stood stunned for two seconds, then turned to Mom's room. My things weren't there either. I slowly backed out, my gaze falling on the suitcases by the entrance. Suddenly, I remembered the post I'd seen on the bus. Those weren't Sarah's bags for coming home. They were Mom's signal to kick me out. I felt like plunging into an ice pit, unable to snap out of it for a long time. Until Mom's calm voice rang out. "Sarah's family is back, there's no room. You should move out for now." "It's good, you need to learn to be independent. I don't want to always have a daughter freeloading." Seeing I still hadn't reacted, Sarah spoke again. "Chloe, David and I are planning to start a business back home. You've taken care of Mom for so long, you can trust us to take over now." "Don't worry, we're still family. You have to come home for Christmas dinner, okay?" Hearing this, Mom disagreed. "Forget it, Chloe. This year, I don't want relatives gossiping about me because of you again." "Just let us have a peaceful holiday as a family." So they were the family, and I was just an outsider. So Mom always thought I was an embarrassment. I gave a mocking laugh, utterly heartbroken. "Fine, I'll go." Hearing this, both of them visibly relaxed. "But from now on, Mom and I have nothing to do with each other." Sarah froze, her voice trembling. "Chloe, what... what do you mean?" I twitched my lips. "Since Mom thinks having me as a daughter is such an embarrassment, then let's just pretend she never gave birth to me." As soon as I finished speaking, Mom shot up from the couch. "Chloe, you... you... what do you mean? Are you disowning me?!" I looked at her coldly. "Isn't that what you've always wanted?" Mom was furious. "Good! I wish I never had a daughter like you!" "From this day forward, I have nothing to do with you ever again!" I said nothing, just dragged my suitcase out the door. Downstairs, Sarah ran after me, breathless.
"Chloe, don't blame Mom. She just wanted to push you a little. How could you really cut ties with her?" "You're old enough now, you should find a job. Staying home all the time isn't right." Listening to Sarah's seemingly caring words, I gave a cold laugh. "Sarah, when I quit my job to care for Mom, didn't you praise me for being so devoted?" "After Mom was out of danger, I suggested hiring a caregiver and splitting the costs between us sisters. Didn't you say a hired caregiver wouldn't be as devoted as her own daughter? Didn't you tell me not to work and to keep taking care of Mom?" Sarah's face stiffened, her lips trembling for a long time, unable to utter a single word. "Seven years, a full seven years. When Mom was bedridden and unable to care for herself, did you ever feed her a single meal, or empty her bedpan even once?" "You graduated from a prestigious university, worked for an international company, earning hundreds of thousands, but you wouldn't even pay Mom's monthly $4,000 rehab fees. What right do you have to accuse me?" Sarah's face flushed crimson. "I... I have... my own family, you know." I gave a cold laugh. "So, you can righteously abandon your sick mother, yet claim all the credit for yourself?" Sarah's face turned beet red. I continued. "Sarah, more than Mom's blatant favoritism, I despise your hypocrisy!" "But since you want to play the devoted daughter, then play it well. Don't let anyone see through your hypocritical facade!" With that, I dragged my suitcase away. The moment I turned, tears I had suppressed for so long spilled out. The biting wind felt like knives against my skin, but it couldn't compare to the pain in my heart. Just then, my phone buzzed. That post from earlier had been updated. Every word oozed with the poster's happiness. "Alright, I've kicked my younger daughter out. This year, we can finally have a joyful holiday!" I tapped on the poster's profile. The background image was a picture of my nephew's back. I silently wiped away my tears and took my suitcase to a nearby convenience store. I picked up a cup of instant noodles and a hot dog. After checking out, I quietly calculated my account balance. After buying holiday essentials, I only had $3,000 left. I needed to find a job and start before the holidays, otherwise, in another week, all companies would be on break. I pulled out my phone and called Lily, my best friend. "Lily, you said your company was looking for an editor, could I try?" "Chloe, you finally came to your senses?! You wouldn't believe how impressed my boss was with your previous edits." "But, it's almost the holidays, why are you suddenly looking for a job? Aren't you always worried about your mom?" Lily asked hesitantly. A faint ache throbbed in my heart. I swallowed all my emotions and slowly spoke. "My mom kicked me out." After a few seconds, Lily's indignant voice came from the other end. "What?! Chloe, how could your mom do that to you?!" I managed a bitter smile. "She said I was freeloading at home all day with no job, and she couldn't hold her head up in front of others. Plus, Sarah's family was coming home for the holidays, and there was no room, so she kicked me out." "'Freeloading'? You edit videos day and night, earning two or three thousand a month, and she calls that freeloading? What if Sarah's successful? From the moment Mom got sick until now, she hasn't contributed a single penny or a single bit of effort!" "If it weren't for you, paying and putting in all the work to care for her, how could Mom's stroke recovery have been so good?!" Lily grew angrier as she spoke. "Chloe, why didn't you explain? You did all the work, how did the credit go to Sarah?! Your mom is too biased!" I took a deep breath, calming the indignation in my heart. "It's no use. She wouldn't believe me." "Forget it, we have nothing to do with each other anyway. Now I can pursue my own life without any strings attached." There was a moment of silence on the other end, then a sigh. "You're such a fool. So, when are you coming to New York?" I thought for a few seconds. "Give me a day to get some good sleep. I'll be in New York the day after tomorrow." After chatting with Lily for a bit, I hung up. Immediately after, I booked a plane ticket. Just then, messages popped up in the family group chat. Mom had posted a picture of herself eating seafood. "My older daughter is so good, she takes me out for lavish meals as soon as she's back." Immediately, relatives in the group chat chimed in. "Sarah is so successful, well-educated, and has a great job! She's truly the pride of our family!" "Exactly, Eleanor, you're so lucky! To have such a wonderful daughter!" "I always tell my granddaughter to learn from Sarah, not Chloe..." The relative's words trailed off. I knew that because my education wasn't impressive and I didn't have a "proper" job, relatives had always looked down on me. "That's right, don't learn from Chloe, freeloading at home at her age." "And always going on about not getting married or having kids, she should look at herself, what right she has to be so picky. She's an embarrassment to me, but thankfully, from now on, I only have Sarah as a daughter! I won't have to feel ashamed because of her anymore!" Mom finished the relative's unspoken words. Her tone was full of disdain. I said nothing, just quietly left the group chat.
I ate my instant noodles completely, not even leaving a drop of broth. After eating, I found a motel, checked into a room, and took a hot shower. Before getting into bed, I turned off all the alarms on my phone. 6:30 AM: Prep breakfast for Mom; 7:00 AM: Give Mom her medicine; 8:00 AM: Take Mom to physical therapy; 10:00 AM: Cook lunch; ... 8:00 PM: Massage Mom; 10:00 PM: Help Mom with her nighttime routine... For seven years, my life was filled with alarm bells. Now, I could finally get some proper sleep. After doing all this, I turned off my phone, snuggled under the covers, and comfortably drifted off to sleep. I woke up a full day and night later. I packed my luggage and headed to the airport. While waiting for my flight at the airport, I idly scrolled through my SnapChat feed. I happened to see Sarah's latest post. "Today, I personally cooked all of Mom's favorite dishes." The dining table was incredibly lavish: pot roast, creamy mashed potatoes, fried chicken, bacon, a rich lasagna... Mom's bowl was piled high with rich, high-fat, high-sodium foods. My brow furrowed. After Mom's stroke, the doctor specifically warned her to eat less high-fat, high-sodium foods to prevent another stroke. I instinctively left a comment, "Seniors should eat lighter." Three seconds later, Sarah replied with a crying emoji. Immediately after, Mom's voice message came through. I tapped it open, and a harsh, shrill voice filled my ears. "Chloe, who told you to criticize your sister?! Are you jealous of me living well, is that it?!" "When I was with you, I ate bland food every day. Sarah came back and felt sorry for me, giving me good nutrition. What's wrong with that?" "You're such a killjoy! Besides, we've cut ties, why are you still bothering with me?!" I took a deep breath, about to type an explanation. But the next second, a red exclamation mark appeared after my message. It was glaring. Mom had blocked me. I scoffed at my own foolishness. Just then, the boarding announcement sounded. I grabbed my bag, passed through security, and from that moment on, I had no connection to that city anymore. A few hours later, I arrived in New York. Lily came to pick me up and took me straight to the company. After the interview, I signed the contract on the spot. I immediately breathed a sigh of relief. "Chloe, you can stay at my place first. Once your probation period is over, you can move out." After leaving the company, Lily spoke directly. I was about to politely decline, but she pulled me into her car. "It's fine, Chloe. I also started out struggling in the big city." With that one sentence, I knew she understood my predicament. I no longer hesitated, but that day, I sent her a $1,500 e-red envelope via PayPal. After that, I completely said goodbye to my past, throwing myself into work, even applying for overtime during the holidays. Soon, the holiday break began, and I was the only one left in the office. My SnapChat feed was filled with photos of family reunions. Only I went to and from work, and ate, alone every day. Though it was a bit lonely, my heart was incredibly peaceful. Eight days later, the company reopened. Lily often took me out to dinner with her friends, and my life gradually became more lively. Just as I thought my life would continue this way, the day after Valentine's Day, I received a call from Sarah. Her voice on the other end was frantic. "Chloe, it's terrible! Mom had another stroke and is in critical condition, hurry back!"
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