Chapter 1

Ever since I turned ten, on every birthday, my parents would deposit a gold bar into a bank safe deposit box for me.

Everyone said I was incredibly lucky to be born into such a family, that I had the best parents in the world.

But they never gave me the key to the safe.

I went hungry, wore thin clothes, guarding a mountain of gold while living like a beggar.

To pay my tuition, I threatened them. If they wouldn’t give me money, I’d go sell my blood.

Instead, they scolded me one after another, accusing me of playing pitiful to gain sympathy.

"Not satisfied even after we save a gold bar for you every year? Do you even know how much gold prices have gone up?"

"You’re so ungrateful, not knowing you’re already blessed!"

"Have you been messing around with shady men out there? Did they teach you to pretend you’re poor?"

Then one day, my father got into a car accident and became a vegetable. The treatment cost 200 thousand dollars.

My mother cried and begged me to sell the gold to save him.

She said the only key was missing, and it had to be with me.

I spread my hands and shrugged.

"If you can’t find it, neither can I."

"Mom, did you forget? You never gave me the key."

"I can’t open that safe deposit box either."

*****

I wore a heavy mascot costume and handed out flyers on the street, exhausted.

The suit was suffocating, and with the blazing heat outside, it felt like I was being steamed alive in there.

Sweat poured off me, my clothes sticking to my skin.

I was so dizzy I nearly blacked out.

But I could only bear it.

If I didn't take on part-time job, I'd literally go hungry.

After busting my ass all morning, I barely made 15 dollars.

I clenched the money in my hand, walked over to a street stall, and bought a one-dollar cold noodle dish.

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I ate.

And today, of all days, was my twentieth birthday.

Not a single flower, no cake, not even a birthday wish.

Just me, alone and worn out.

Right then, a notification from the family group chat lit up my phone.

It was a picture of my mother and father at the bank, stashing another gold bar in the vault for me.

Another 100-gram gold bar, same as always.

Gold prices these days are over 300 dollars per gram.

That single bar was worth over 30 thousand dollars.

The family group chat instantly exploded with envy and praise.

[George and Grace really are amazing. They dote on their daughter so much!]

[Lily is so lucky! She's been getting gold bars for her dowry since she was little. She really hit the jackpot in life!]

[From age ten till now, that's ten gold bars. It's over 300 thousand dollars already!]

Some relatives even pinged me, just to make sure I got the message.

[Lily, remember to take good care of your parents in the future!]

I looked at the cold noodles in my bowl, my throat tightening, and felt even worse.

I didn't say anything in the group chat. I just shoved my phone back in my pocket.

Later that afternoon, my homeroom teacher called.

"Lina, your tuition's already a week overdue. If you don't pay up soon, you'll have to drop out."

I gripped my phone, my fingers turning cold, and quickly checked my bank balance.

After working hard for a whole month, and after paying for meals, I was left with just a little over 200 dollars.

Tuition was 2 thousand dollars, and I was nowhere close.

I was really hoping for the scholarship this year.

But the scholarship still hadn't come through.

I had no choice but to call my mother.

As soon as she answered, I tried to sound calm, not wanting to seem too desperate.

"Mom, can you help me out? I don't have enough for tuition."

But before I could even finish, she cut me off, her voice rising sharply.

"Seriously? We just put another gold bar in the vault for you, and now you're asking for cash again?"

"How can you be so greedy? Is there ever enough for you? You can't just keep wanting more and more!"

"What, do you think we owe you everything?"

"Are you here to hound us for money like some debt collector?"

I couldn't take it anymore. My voice got louder, frustration pouring out.

"Mom, you never gave me the key to the vault! What does all that gold have to do with me if I can't even get to it?"

"I haven't had any pocket money since I was ten!"

"Ever since I started college, you haven't given me a single cent for tuition or living expenses!"

"I've been surviving on part-time jobs and scholarships, and now the scholarship hasn't come through. I'm about to drop out!"

"Just give me the money, or hand over the key."

"If I sell just one gold bar, I could pay for college, no problem!"

"If you don't, I'm seriously out of options!"

But my mother snapped back, her voice even sharper.

"Don't lie to me! The scholarship's always been on time. Why would it be late now?"

"You must've gotten mixed up with some sketchy friends and picked up some bad habits! Bet you blew your scholarship money!"

"You think you can just grab those gold bars and splurge? No way! You're never getting that key from me!"

"Unless your dad and I both dead, you don't get to run this family!"

With that, she hung up the phone.