"You're useless! You stupid pig!" A pair of chopsticks slammed into the girl's face. Five seconds later, she raised her head without expression and stared blankly at the man who had thrown them at her—her father.
"What did I tell you to make?" The man glared at the girl as if she'd done something unforgivable.
"Tomatoes and eggs." The girl replied calmly.
"And what did you make?" The man slapped the table hard.
"Scrambled eggs with chives."
Her mind raced through the possibilities. There were no tomatoes at home, and her parents hadn't bought any. She had no money, so she couldn't buy them herself.
But dinner still had to be served on time. Eating late would affect their health.
After weighing everything, she had decided to make scrambled eggs with chives. It was the option that caused the least trouble.
The man's chest heaved like an enraged bull. "Since you wanted to make scrambled eggs with chives so badly, you must like eating them, too."
The girl looked at him calmly and spoke in a flat voice. "I don't have any likes or dislikes."
"Hmph." The man pointed at the plate of scrambled eggs with chives and the large bowl of rice, which was still nearly untouched. "If you like it so much, finish all of it. Remember, all of it."
After saying that, he stood up and left with his wife. A few days earlier, their daughter had received her year-end exam bonus. Now they could treat themselves to an extravagant meal without worrying about the cost.
The door slammed. The girl sat down at the table, mechanically pulling the bowl of rice toward herself. She dragged the plate of scrambled eggs with chives over, too.
She swallowed mouthful after mouthful, the food mixing with her saliva. She