I followed Chloe outside, where I saw her pull Nina roughly aside and pinch her arm so hard that tears welled up in Nina’s eyes. She scolded Nina harshly.

“Stop crying! You couldn’t even recite one poem – what use are you? Do you know how many gifts I’ve given your teacher, how many favors I’ve asked just so they’d pay extra attention to you? And this is how you repay me?

“You better recite your Spanish lesson next. Don’t you dare embarrass me again!”

Nina’s eyes were filled with tears as she looked at me, desperate for help. But when she saw her mother’s raised hand, she quickly fell silent.

After her mother left, Nina clutched her phone, staring at her Spanish lesson. When I passed by, she grabbed my sleeve.

“Auntie, please help me. I don’t want to recite anything in front of everyone. I get so nervous. I memorized the lesson at school, but when I get nervous, I…”

I cut her off, “Nina, your mom understands you. That’s why she’s training you. She’s doing this to help you overcome your nerves so you won’t embarrass yourself in bigger situations later on. It’s all for your own good. You don’t want to disappoint her, do you?”

Nina looked confused, uncertain if this was true.

I nodded firmly, pulling my sleeve away and walking off without looking back.

Soon, it was time for lunch. Chloe, eager to show off, pushed Nina forward again.

“You wouldn’t believe it, but Nina got first place in her class this time! Her teacher said her Spanish pronunciation is so good, it’s like she’s been taught by a native speaker!

“Nina, say a few words in Spanish for everyone. If your cousins ever have trouble with their Spanish, they can come to you for help.”

Once again, Nina was thrust into the spotlight. Encouraged by my earlier words, she seemed slightly more confident, but only slightly.

Before she could finish her second sentence, she began to stumble.

Chloe’s face turned sour.

Seeing her mother’s expression, Nina grew more nervous, fidgeting with her clothes and speaking more quietly until her voice faded away completely.

The relatives, noticing Chloe’s growing anger, didn’t dare say a word.

The tension in the room was palpable.

Smack!

Out of nowhere, Chloe slapped Nina in front of everyone. Her cheek swelled visibly.

The relatives quickly rushed over to intervene.

“It’s the holidays! Why hit her? She can recite it slowly, no need to rush.”

“Yeah, she’s still in middle school, there’s a long way to go with her studies. Take your time, don’t worry.”

To Chloe, these words of comfort probably sounded like insults. She said nothing, dragging Nina out of the room.

I watched them leave with a smirk.

Someone was going to get beaten tonight.

Thanks to her mother’s tough love, Nina would probably develop a deep fear of public speaking after this.

Forget about being an executive – she’d be lucky to even land a job if she couldn’t speak in public.

I had no idea what Chloe said to Nina when they went outside, but when they came back, Nina’s eyes were red and swollen from crying. She sat alone in the corner, silent and withdrawn.

When it was time for dinner, Nina approached the table. Chloe, as if she couldn’t stand seeing her daughter at peace, started scolding her again.

“The elders are already at the table, and you’re only coming now? Should I send a grand procession to invite you over?

“What kind of manners did your father and I teach you at home? How can you have so little respect? What have you even learned in school? Is this how your teachers teach you?”

My sister-in-law grabbed hold of this opportunity to magnify Nina’s every flaw, making her feel like crawling into a hole.

Nina stood there with her head down, her shoulders trembling, biting her lip so hard she didn’t dare to cry aloud.

Seeing her in such a humiliated state gave me a perverse sense of satisfaction.

I turned away, focusing on my meal, ignoring the fleeting look of resentment in Nina’s eyes.

After Chloe had finished berating her, she dragged Nina back to her seat to eat. The other relatives exchanged glances, pretending nothing unpleasant had happened, and continued to eat together as if all was harmonious.

My mother’s cooking was always exceptional, especially her signature herb-butter poached lobster. As soon as it hit the table, it was gone in a flash.

Chloe gave one to her son, while Nina looked on longingly. “Mom, can I have a small piece, please?” she asked.

“What for? Your brother’s growing, and he needs it more than you,” Chloe snapped.

Nina’s eyes filled with tears, but her mother didn’t care. In fact, she even slapped Nina’s outstretched hand, leaving a red mark.

A small smile played at my lips. The scene was playing out exactly as it had in the past.

In my last life, I had reacted very differently to this. I’d flipped the table in front of everyone and told Nina, “If you can’t get something, destroy it. If you can’t eat the lobster, then no one else should either.”

Back then, I nearly got beaten to death by my mother for my outburst, but I never regretted it.

“Mom, let me explain – Nina’s just too timid because of Chloe’s strict parenting. Sometimes, you need extreme methods to fix it.”

Human nature is odd. If you ask someone politely to open the window, they might refuse. But if you kick down the door, they’ll agree to the window.

It was the same with Nina’s personality. Chloe had such a tight grip on her, with impossibly high expectations, that Nina had to “rebel” a little to make her mother back off and reach a more reasonable middle ground.

Back then, I genuinely thought I was helping Nina, but I forgot one important truth – children are like blank canvases, and it’s their parents who paint the first strokes.

By the time Nina reached middle school, she had already been molded by my Chloe’s overbearing ways. I couldn’t correct that.

I stayed out of it, and no one else wanted to interfere either. My cousin quickly changed the subject to lighten the mood.

“So, Tessa, how’s it going for you these days? Psychology seems like a new, booming field. I heard it pays really well, right?”

I waved my hand modestly, saying, “Not really. It’s just honest work.”

Chloe, who couldn’t stand seeing me get any attention, chimed in with a passive-aggressive comment, “What good is a high salary? At the end of the day, a girl’s true value lies in marrying well. Isn’t that more useful than any paycheck?”

My cousin, clearly annoyed, set down her fork with a sharp clatter. “That’s nonsense. By that logic, since we’re all going to die eventually, why don’t you just drop dead right now? Why bother living at all?”

Bang!

Chloe slammed her fork onto the table, her face darkening. “Tell me I’m wrong. I know someone who didn’t even finish high school, went to work in another city, and came back married to a wealthy businessman. Now she lives in a big house and drives luxury cars.

“Tessa could work her whole life and still couldn’t afford the emblem on that car. What’s the point of hard work? What’s the point of an education?”

I noticed Nina’s eyes light up with interest. I bet this was the moment in my past life when Chloe’s words started to poison her mind, warping her perspective.

What utter nonsense.

Education isn’t the only path to success, but effort and hard work are always necessary.

When you become the best version of yourself, you attract others who are at their best, too.

But these weren’t lessons I planned to teach Nina. If anything, I’d prefer her to continue down this misguided path.

“You’re right. So, why not send Nina to a big city after she finishes high school? Who knows? Maybe after two years of working, she’ll bring home a wealthy husband. Just don’t forget about us when she does.”

My mother slapped my hand, nearly making me drop my poker face.

“Shut up with your bad ideas. Nina will still be a minor after middle school. What kind of work would she even do?”

She pinched my leg hard enough to make me wince, and I had no choice but to keep quiet.

To my surprise, though, both Chloe and Nina seemed to take my suggestion seriously.

Chloe even moved her seat to sit beside me, patting my hand as if we were close. “You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, Tessa. Nina’s not cut out for academics anyway. Might as well have her start working early.

“She’ll ease the financial burden on the family and gain work experience. It’s a win-win, don’t you think?”

What utter nonsense!

I had to stop myself from laughing out loud.

It genuinely amazed me how Nina, once someone who became a high-ranking executive in my previous life, could be this dense in this one.

In my previous life, the wealthy men Nina encountered were drawn to her because of her stable career and income. But at this rate, she wouldn’t even make it through the front gates of their upscale neighborhoods, let alone catch the eye of any “rich suitors.”

As the winter holiday came to a close and I prepared to board my flight back, I received a message from an unknown number.

“Don’t interfere in my life anymore. I’ll prove I can succeed without you.”

It didn’t take a genius to figure out that it was from Nina. I laughed to myself. After everything I went through in my last life, I had no intention of helping her this time.

The plane took off, and I deleted the message, blocking the number as well.