The man didn't answer but took me from Carl's arms.

With a loud bang, he shut the door.

"Patrick, why are you here?"

I mumbled softly, but my eyes couldn't help but glance at the peephole.

Carl hadn't left; he stood at my door with his fists clenched.

He looked almost exactly like he did six years ago.

That day, Carl stood at my front door with a ring, kneeling to propose to me.

The bright light shone on his face, and his eyes sparkled like stars in the sky.

But I told Carl, "Let's break up. You can't give me what I want."

The light in his eyes instantly dimmed.

He didn't say anything and stood at my door for a long, long time.

When I finally opened the door again, my young love had already left me forever.

A vast distance had formed between us, and a wall had grown around our hearts.

Even if the seas and mountains could be flattened, that wall would be hard to overcome.

"I came to check on your grandmother."

Patrick's voice brought me back to reality.

My grandmother came over, urging me to keep Patrick company while she busied herself in the kitchen.

It hadn't been long since I last saw her, but my grandmother's back seemed to have grown even more hunched.

"Has your condition improved?"

As soon as he spoke, my mother's voice echoed from the bedroom.

Hysterical, almost insane.

"Janet, who told you to come back? Get out, get out! I hate you! I hate you! If it weren't for you, your father and I wouldn't be like this. I don't want to see you! Get out!"

My grandmother dropped her spatula with a clatter and hurried to the bedroom.

She closed the door tightly, but the harsh words still slipped through the cracks and into my ears.

Patrick looked awkward, as if he wanted to comfort me.

"It's okay. There's a good chance this illness can be cured."

"30% chance of lifelong paralysis, 30% chance of complications, 30%..." I paused, "Do you think I could be one of those 10% against all odds?"

Patrick didn't speak for a long time.

We had once been dance partners for many years, and now he was the only one who still visited me.

"I'll help you get in touch with an experienced doctor of traditional Chinese medicine."

"Sure."

I wanted to live.

If possible...

Patrick went to help in the kitchen.

When all the dishes were finally served, my grandmother came out of the bedroom.

Her cloudy eyes were brimming with tears. "Janet, don't hold it against your mom."

I nodded and took a bite of the beef stew, but it was a bit overcooked.

No one spoke during the meal.

My grandmother hesitated before asking, "Janet, have you made up with that boy?"

A strong taste of blood filled my mouth.

I suddenly vomited everything I had eaten.

Patrick quickly poured me some water.

But I kept vomiting more and more, tears streaming down my face.

I pushed Patrick's hand away and slowly said, "No."

In my current state, I didn't want to be a burden to anyone.

My grandmother helped me up, and as I got closer, I noticed how much thinner her hands had become and how much more of her white hair had fallen out.

Suddenly, a deep sadness washed over me.

Grandma had aged so much; she didn't even look like herself anymore.

At an age when she should be enjoying the company of her grandchildren, she was instead taking care of her sick family members.

This once happy and harmonious home was now shrouded in the shadow of death.

My aging grandmother, my sick mother, and I—we were all just waiting to die.

After Patrick left, Grandma asked me to stay with her for a while.

"I'm old. Every time we see each other might be the last. I can't leave your mother's side, and I can't go to the hospital to take care of you." Grandma's rough hands kept stroking my cheek. "I'm sorry, my dear..."

Grandma couldn't visit me in the hospital.

I didn't have the strength to come home on my own.

After this, Carl probably wouldn't bring me back again.

As I thought about it, the pain in my body started up again.

Seeing my discomfort, Grandma sang a lullaby to soothe me to sleep.

Her song, mingled with the curses from the next room, filled my mind.

"Sleep, sleep, my dear baby."

"Janet, why don't you just die!"

"Sleep, sleep, Mama loves you."

"I hate you, Janet, I hate you!"

The mixture of comfort and curses was like a slow, painful cut—a brief moment of sweetness followed by bone-deep pain.

……

As I was drifting off to sleep, I heard Grandma mention Carl.

"That boy was so good to you. If only he could stay with you, I could rest easy."

I closed my eyes as tears slipped out uncontrollably.

Carl had been so, so good to me.

So good that even on the brink of death, I couldn't forget him.

I met Carl when I was six years old.

He came from a very poor family, and no one wanted to befriend him.

But I liked playing with him.

To me, he was the most handsome child around, second only to myself.

I would bring him home to eat and have him play house with me.

From a very young age, he took care of me. When I wanted to climb a tree, he would kneel down and let me use him as a ladder.

When my parents wouldn't buy me ice cream, he'd save up money from collecting trash to buy it for me.

Later, we grew up.

I became a dance major and was accepted into an arts school without having to take the entrance exam. Carl's family couldn't afford to send him to high school, so he used his excellent grades to get into a vocational school to study nursing.

We went our separate ways and gradually lost contact.

The next time we met was five years later at a class reunion.

Carl had become highly skilled and was noticed by a wealthy patient.

He started as a private nurse, and within a few years, he had established his own company and quickly rose to success.

That night, a drunken Carl grabbed my hand, fueled by the courage from alcohol.

"Janet, I finally have the right to pursue you."

The entire street was covered in roses, and Carl was practically willing to dig out his heart and give it to me.

After playing hard to get for a while, I finally accepted Carl's pursuit.

The way he looked at me, it was as if he were gazing at the moon.

When we first got together, many people doubted us.

"Carl is just a lackey living off the scraps of wealthy businessmen. He's destined to serve others his whole life. He has no background, no education, and that little company of his won't last long."

I didn't listen to any of it.

I believed that someone like Carl would achieve great things one day.

And the time I spent with him was the happiest of my life.

Back then, both my parents were alive, and our family was harmonious.

I was the princess held in the palm of their hands, the shining white swan on the stage, and the lover Carl cherished with all his heart.

Carl watched every one of my performances, clapping for me and bringing me flowers.

I told him my dream was to become the greatest dancer in the world.

He said, "My dream is to make Janet the happiest person in the world."

But then my dream was shattered.

During one of my performances, I lost control and fell.

After that, my father died, my mother lost her mind, the house was sold, and we had no money left.

I didn't want to be a burden to Carl, so I broke up with him.

My happy times ended forever.