My parents John and Susan gave all the demolition compensation to my brother, David. They even made a will, leaving nothing for me.

Later, John was diagnosed with uremia, and David squandered the family fortune.

The whole family came to me, asking for money to treat John and even suggested I donate a kidney.

I took out my household registration booklet, which had only my name on it. "Sorry, who are you?"

——

On the day of the demolition notice, I went back home. Even David, who I barely saw once a year, returned.

When I entered, Susan was chatting with David, smiling so widely her mouth nearly reached her ears. But as soon as she saw me, her expression changed.

"Why are you back?"

I was no longer surprised by John and Susan's favoritism towards David. I raised the gift in my hand without saying a word.

Seeing the gift, Susan's expression softened a bit. She took it and started complaining again.

"The travel fare is so expensive, you should save money. From now on, send me your monthly salary. You don't need to come back; I'll buy things myself."

David glanced at me with a mocking tone.

"You're only back because the house is being demolished, right? Giving gifts just to get a share of the compensation?"

I sneered, rolling my eyes at him.

"Are you talking about yourself? I come back every month, paying for the household expenses. But you, if you didn't come back this time, I would've thought you are dead."

David's face turned red, and he couldn't respond. Susan rushed forward to hit me.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Your brother will take care of me in the future. What does the money you spend amount to?"

I couldn't stand it anymore and dodged Susan's incoming slap.

"Has he ever spent a penny on medical bills or daily expenses? If you love your son so much, why did you give birth to me?"

Susan glared at me, cursing.

"I gave birth to you and raised you, of course you should give me money. The demolition compensation hasn't even been divided yet, and you're already planning? As they say, daughters are a losing investment."

David, seeing Susan backing him up, laughed gleefully.

John came out of the room, clearly annoyed.

"What's all this noise? Everything in this house will belong to David in the future. Don't expect a penny of the compensation. I'll go to the town tomorrow to get proof that the money will go to David after we die."

I stared at them in disbelief.

"Why? I've been supporting the family for so many years. Now that the house is being demolished, you won't leave me a penny?"

John looked at me righteously.

"Why should we leave it to you? We'll depend on David in the future."

When my brother heard that my parents wanted him to support them, he looked obviously unhappy, but when he heard that all the demolition compensation would be left to him, he regained his arrogance.

I sneered at the cold-hearted family.

"Fine, from now on, you can rely on him for support."

As soon as I finished speaking, John and Susan's faces turned ashen with anger. David was stunned, pointing his finger at me.

"How can you be so heartless? Dad and mom raised you for so many years, and this is how you repay them?"

"If you're so dutiful, why haven't you supported them? If I remember correctly, the committee will record the support of elderly parents by their children. You wouldn't want others to know you've never contributed a dime, would you?"

David's face turned red, and he couldn't speak. John and Susan cursed at me for a long time. I picked up the gift I brought and left.

The next day, John went to town to make the will and publicly announced at the village committee that all the compensation would go to David.

This caused a stir among the neighbors, saying our family was the first to rush to make a will while still alive.

John and Susan cursed me at the village entrance for a month, saying that raising a daughter was useless and only David was filial.

The neighbors knew about our family's situation. One woman of them couldn't help but retort, "Emily is so good, she has been supporting you both. Is David really as good as you say?"

Susan started arguing with her right on the street, accusing her of being jealous because she couldn't have a son.

From then on, that woman and our family fell out, and they started badmouthing each other every day.

To thank her who spoke up for me, I bought new stationery for her daughter. Most girls in the village didn't attend school, so she was very touched by the gift.

The next month, Susan seemed to forget all about these incidents and called me on time, urging me to send her money. I blocked their phone numbers, thinking that if raising me was useless, they could rely on David.

David, surprisingly, called me and started scolding me right away.

"How can you be so heartless? Mom and Dad have run out of money. Send some back immediately."

I sneered, realizing he was still dreaming of easy money.

"Mom and Dad said they would rely on you. You wouldn't want people to think you're living off them, would you?"

David, who was incompetent but cared about his face, was at a loss for words. After that, I hung up and blocked his number too.

Susan started badmouthing me in the village again, accusing me of being unfilial because I couldn't get my hands on David's inheritance.

David played the part of a dutiful son, buying groceries daily and boasting about his filial piety to everyone he met. Susan looked pleased, and the two seemed like a loving mother and son.

But where did he get the money? Most of the living expenses I sent to John and Susan had ended up in David's pocket. He had been idling away in another city, living off the money he extorted from them. Now, supporting the whole family, his funds were running low.

The aunt told me that whenever she went to buy vegetables, she saw David arguing with the vendors over the price of wilted greens, often leaving with a livid face. In the end, he was so angry that his face turned blue after hearing the vegetable vendor's words, "How can you buy vegetables if you don't have money?"

A week later, I got a call from the hospital saying John and Susan had been admitted for food poisoning.

When I arrived, they had just finished having their stomachs pumped. David stood there looking guilty, and the doctor asked me to pay the bill.

"Doctor, my parents said they would rely on David in the future, and even left all the demolition compensation to him. I'd love to pay, but they won't let me."

David, infuriated, pointed at me and started yelling.

"Where is your conscience? Mom and Dad raised you for so many years, and you won't even pay their medical bills. If I had the money, I'd rather starve myself than let them suffer."

The hospital, being a place of gossip, attracted a crowd with his words.

"So heartless, abandoning her parents?"

"Daughters become outsiders when they grow up. These poor old folks."

"This son is truly filial..."

The crowd's chatter filled the air. Sensing everyone's disapproval, David looked at me with a smug expression. I calmly took out my phone, showing my transfer and spending records.

"I've been the one sending money to my parents all these years. Even the card my brother uses was arranged by me. I remember there's still some money on it. Before coming to the hospital, there was another transaction. Everyone can see for themselves."

David's smile froze as the crowd leaned in to look at my phone, seeing the most recent purchase—a new gaming console.

The expressions on their faces shifted. I spoke calmly, "While mom and dad were in critical condition, you bought a new gaming console with their money. You're really boy, David."

David's face turned red as the crowd began to look at him with disdain.

"So, he's a parasite, spending his parents' money and trying to scam his sister."

"Indeed, I bet the parents are also at fault. The money sent by the daughter all went to the son."

"He's just a useless freeloader trying to defame his sister. Disgusting..."

David wanted to say something, but the doctor interrupted.

"Please pay the bill. They just said they have only one son and no daughter."

David, under the watchful eyes of the crowd, reluctantly went to pay. He probably had some of the money he took from John and Susan left. If he wanted to put on a show, I'd play along.

As soon as I entered the hospital room, I heard Susan cursing.

"Raising this useless daughter is pointless. She won't even pay our medical bills. At least David is here. Luckily, we decided not to give her a cent of the demolition compensation."

Seeing me enter, Susan wanted to say something, but I cut her off.

"Mom, the doctor said you got food poisoning. I was going to buy you something nutritious, but it seems you prefer what David buys. So I won't insist."

David's face turned red with embarrassment, and John and Susan's angry expressions became awkward.

They didn't know David had been buying cheap food to save money. They had often had diarrhea before, but this time it was serious enough to land them in the hospital.

Susan, defiant, glared at me.

"If it weren't for you not giving money, we wouldn't be in the hospital. How dare you compare yourself to David? He paid the medical bills."

I glanced at David and showed them the purchase record again. Susan was stunned when she saw the gaming console purchase.

"Indeed, David paid. So it seems fair he used your card to reward himself with a new gaming console."

Susan wanted to say something, but John interrupted, scolding me.

"This house will belong to David. What's wrong with him buying a gaming console? Your money is his; he can spend it however he likes."

Susan glared at me in silence. David stammered in defense. Satisfied with the loving family scene, I left the hospital room.