FM-V2-19

Chapter 19 Fallen Mother Volume Two: Continuation 

I lit a cigarette I hadn’t touched in a long time, then turned off the surveillance screen. 

After finishing my smoke, I went straight to bed. 

In the middle of the night, I woke up not because I needed to pee, but because I was hungry. 

I put on my slippers, opened my bedroom door, and headed to the kitchen. 

Opening the freezer, I found some frozen dumplings and started cooking them for myself. 

Suddenly, I heard the security door quietly open. My hand paused. I crept to the door, listening carefully, and confirmed someone had come in. 

A thief? I peeked out and saw a figure entering from outside my eyes widened. 

But it wasn’t a thief. 

It was… Mom! Yes, it was her. 

At first, I couldn’t be sure it was so dark but I was too familiar with her silhouette. Within seconds, even in the darkness, I recognized her. 

But what puzzled me was: why was it her? Why was she out so late, and why was she coming in from outside? 

She’d gone out just now where did she go? What did she do? These questions swirled in my mind, stirring my curiosity. 

I hid by the kitchen door. Luckily, I’d already turned off the stove and lights after boiling the dumplings, or Mom might have noticed me how awkward would that be? 

It seemed Mom didn’t notice me. After coming in, she went straight to her bedroom. 

I forgot all about the dumplings. Out of curiosity and concern, I waited until Mom entered her room, then quietly slipped back to my own. 

I quickly opened my phone’s surveillance app and switched to Mom’s bedroom camera. 

As soon as it loaded, I saw her room lit by a bedside lamp. Mom sat on the edge of the bed, taking off a face mask. 

I was puzzled why would Mom wear a mask out so late? The only explanation was she didn’t want to be recognized. 

After removing the mask, she took a packet from her nightstand it looked like medicine, because I saw both a pill bottle and a box. 

She took out a box of medicine, but I couldn’t see what it was. 

Even with a high-definition camera and audio, I couldn’t zoom in or out, so I couldn’t read the label just had to stew in frustration. 

Mom seemed to hesitate with the pill box. After about a minute, she finally opened it, popped out a few pills, and put them in her mouth. 

Maybe because there was no water, she looked pained as she swallowed them. 

But she managed to get them down. 

After taking the pills, her previously tense expression finally relaxed a bit. 

Watching Mom on the screen, I didn’t know what to say or do. I just watched as she lay down and fell into a deep sleep. Only then did I climb into bed, tossing and turning until I finally drifted off. 

The next morning, I vaguely heard sounds outside, but since I’d gone to bed so late, I didn’t wake up and paid no attention. 

When I finally woke up, it was already after ten. 

Maybe I’d slept too long my head felt groggy, my body weak. 

I left my room, planning to wash up, but as soon as I came out, I heard a commotion from the living room someone was watching a movie, very loudly. 

I went to the living room and was shocked by what I saw. 

Old Jiao was sprawled on the sofa, shoes off, feet up on the coffee table, shaking his legs, looking completely at ease. He watched TV, and when I entered, he burst out laughing at something funny. 

My expression darkened. I glanced at the TV sure enough, it was an old, corny comedy. 

Old Jiao was totally absorbed, not caring about my presence. 

Suddenly, he sat up, grabbed a pack of cigarettes from the table, pulled one out, and lit it. 

I noticed the brand over fifty yuan a pack. No ordinary person, let alone an old drunk from the village, could afford that. Where did he get the money? 

Where did he get the money? 

No need to guess Mom must have given it to him. Otherwise, how could he have any? 

But what made me angry was that Mom trusted him enough to give him money, and he just spent it on expensive cigarettes didn’t he care about money at all? 

“Yo, Xiao Fan Fan, you’re up,” Old Jiao said, cigarette in his mouth, grinning at me. 

I gave him no response, just snorted and walked away. 

In the bathroom, I slowly unclenched my fists. 

Stay calm I told myself. 

After washing up and changing, I planned to go out for food, but when I tried the door, I found it locked, and the key from the shoe cabinet was gone. 

That shouldn’t be! Mom would never leave me without a key. 

“Xiao Fan Fan.” 

Old Jiao, watching TV, suddenly called out, “Your mom told me to watch you not to let you go out.” 

My fists clenched, veins bulging, and I turned to glare at him, anger burning in my eyes. 

“What are you looking at? Your mom told me to watch you. If you don’t believe me, wait till she’s back we’ll see who’s right.” 

He wasn’t scared at all, just smiled like an adult teasing a child. 

I walked over slowly. “I want to go out to eat.” 

“Here, eat this good for you.” 

He handed me an apple. 

I didn’t take it I’d just seen him touch his feet. 

I glared at him, but he didn’t care. In the end, I had no choice but to go back to my room. 

At noon, Old Jiao didn’t call me for lunch, but through the surveillance, I saw him open the door and bring in takeout roast duck and two meat dishes. 

Then he opened an unopened bottle of red wine and drank alone, eating happily. 

I desperately wanted to rush out and fight him, but I knew I was no match. 

Old Jiao wasn’t even afraid of a grown man if I tried, I’d just get beaten up. So I went hungry that afternoon. 

Finally, by evening, Mom came home. 

I didn’t go out right away I kept watching the surveillance. 

Through the camera, I saw Old Jiao act completely different from how he was during the day. As soon as Mom walked in, he brought her slippers, knelt down, and helped her take off her high heels. 

Mom’s face was expressionless at first, but seeing Old Jiao so attentive, the corners of her lips faintly curved into a subtle smile.