Chapter 1-5 (25k words)

"Slap!" A heavy slap landed on my face, leaving a red mark that burned with a searing pain.

"Get out! I don't have a worthless son like you!"

The man before me roared. A life of long-term alcoholism and debauchery had left him with sunken eyes, a darkened forehead, and a withered face. Coupled with his tattered clothes, of unknown age, the whole man was like a good-for-nothing, roaring impotently.

This man was my father, Zhou Wen. After he divorced my mother three years ago, he had barely left the house, surviving on takeout and alcohol every day.

"Fine, I'll go! I never want to see you again!"

I covered my burning cheek, and unbidden tears welled up. I didn't want him to see my tears, so I turned and immediately went to my room to pack my things.

In truth, I didn't have much to pack, just some books, textbooks, a teacup, and stationery. I was done quickly, packing two bags before storming out.

The living room was piled high with garbage, God knows how long it had been there. If I didn't clean, the house would forever remain in this state. I was utterly disgusted with this filthy little room and couldn't bear to stay another minute, so I stormed out.

As I rushed out, my father was still gulping down his alcohol, not even sparing me a glance.

"Bang!" The iron door slammed shut behind me. I took large strides down the stairs, tears still glistening in the corners of my eyes.

I thought back to many years ago, when I had such a happy family: a refined and cultured father, a gentle and virtuous mother, a large and impressive house, and a life free from want. In just a few short years, it had all come to this. In my heart, I felt only resentment for everything.

***
A few years later, when I was about ten, my grandfather passed away from a serious illness. My young father took full control of the family business, becoming the youngest head of a household in Jingzhou City, enjoying a period of great prestige.

But in reality, his previous business success had relied heavily on the connections and experience accumulated by his grandfather's generation. His own abilities were insufficient once he was in charge. Furthermore, our family's main business was large-scale physical shopping malls, which were hugely impacted by the rise of e-commerce in the 21st century. My father failed to adjust his strategic thinking in time, clinging to the old strategies left by his grandfather, and was quickly defeated by emerging competitors like e-commerce businesses.

***
After divorcing my mom, my dad's mental state deteriorated further, and his business grew worse and worse. My grandmother was so angered by the situation that she fell ill and passed away. Under these multiple blows, my father lost all motivation to run his business properly. He gradually accumulated a mountain of debt, and in the end, loan companies and the bank seized all his assets. All that was left was the small, dilapidated house where he and I had lived, and we still had many debts to pay off.

My dad also became addicted to alcohol due to his career's downfall, and the conflict between us grew increasingly intense. Finally, on this day, I couldn't bear it any longer. I returned home and had a fierce argument with him, which led to the scene described at the beginning.

Outside, it was another gloomy, rainy day. I could only rush out, letting the rain mix with my tears. Fortunately, the rain wasn't too heavy; it was just a drizzling, almost imperceptible shower. The cold drops on my face were unpleasant, making my mood even worse.

Where was I going to live now? I couldn't seriously live under a bridge or on the side of the road, could I? Wouldn't I become a little beggar? I, who had always been pampered and lived a life of comfort, was at a loss.

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