In the living room, the woman flung an old book from her hand onto the floor, pointed at the head of the boy kneeling before her, and roared, "Zhang Yu! What is this?! I gave birth to you, raised you, and spent so much money on your education, all so you could read novels?!"
"Did you take it to school? Were you reading it in class? No wonder your grades dropped this time. Do you even want to keep studying?"
The boy kept his head lowered, his eyes hidden in the shadows, his expression impossible to make out.
"Cat got your tongue? Who gave you this book? He's trying to harm you! Tell me, I'm going to have a word with his parents! If their own child refuses to study properly, they shouldn't drag others down with them!"
The boy still said nothing. His hollow gaze fell on a photograph in the corner of the table, its frame's glass cracked apart.
It showed two boys with their arms around each other beneath the setting sun. One smiled brightly and cheerfully, an arm draped over the shoulder of the thin, somewhat restrained boy beside him.
The boy's thoughts drifted away as he recalled the friend he had not known for long. The novel in his mother's hand seemed to have been given to him by that friend.
Unfortunately, he was no longer around.
When he had come to invite him out to play, his mother had discovered him. After she caused a scene at school, he had been forced to transfer...
"I'll let you read! I'll let you read! I'll tear them all up! I'll burn them all!" Seeing that the boy still would not respond, the woman finally flew into a rage. She spread open the thick novel and tore