My mother was ill and hospitalized. I took my three-year-old daughter to the hospital to care for her for seven days, paying over $10,000 in medical expenses.

On the day she was discharged, I went to the medical insurance window to settle my bill, but was told that my brother had already paid it.

The reimbursement of over $5,000 had been deposited into my brother's account.

I casually asked him about it, but he pointed at my nose and scolded me:

"You're not going to give me the reimbursement money, are you? Don't forget, I pay Mom's $50 medical insurance premium every year!"

"How can you, a married daughter, come back and ask for money from your parents?"

My brother made me laugh.

So, when my mother was sick, he didn't contribute either money or effort, and yet he still made a profit of $5,000?

——

My brother and I are five years apart. When he got married, I attended university in the south.

When I came home for summer vacation, they had converted my room into a nursery. Since then, I rarely went home, and during holidays I worked part-time. Later, I got married and had a well-behaved daughter. I began to understand the hardships my parents endured in raising a child.

I'd visit my parents’ home from time to time, either giving money or buying things.

My brother and sister-in-law usually didn't harbor any ill will toward me.

I thought we were a loving family.

Until this time, when my mother fell ill, I busied myself taking care of her for seven days and paid over $10,000 in medical expenses.

In the end, my brother took all the reimbursement money.

At that moment, I couldn't help but look at my mother. My mother said nothing about it. Instead, she urged me:

"When you take me home from the hospital, remember to buy your nephew some snacks. He loved the imported chocolate you brought last time!"

"It's not nice to go back to your parents’ home empty-handed. People will think you're asking for money!"

My brother folded his hands and looked down at me:

"Hey, did you hear what I said? You came back empty-handed last time!"

"It's okay with me and your sister-in-law, but there's also me and your nephew. How can you, as an aunt, be so shameless?"

I stared at my brother in amazement.

I didn't buy anything last time because my mother called me at the last minute and said my nephew had diarrhea and asked me to take him to the hospital.

I paid for all his hospital expenses, and after he was discharged, I bought him a bunch of supplements. Doesn't that count? "Brother, ask yourself, haven't I been good enough to Mom and Ramon all these years?"

"You didn't even visit Mom the entire time she was in the hospital. I paid for all the medical expenses, but you took all the money reimbursed by medical insurance. Is it wrong for me to ask?"

I thought I was being kind, but my brother’s face was gloomy, as if he had been putting up with me for a long time.

He clenched his fists and glared at me fiercely:

"Don't you just want this money back? Don't forget, I bought medical insurance for Mom. What's wrong with giving me the money reimbursed by medical insurance?"

"But..."

"But what but? You're just greedy. How can a married daughter come back and covet her parents' money?"

My brother raised his hand and slapped me across the face.

A loud snap.

My face twisted, and I fell to the side of the bed. "Mom..."

My daughter was terrified and rushed forward to block my way. "Uncle, don't hit my mom. She's not greedy for money!"

Seeing this, my mother quickly reached out and pulled my daughter aside.

"Sherry, don't go over there. You don't understand adult matters. Your uncle is just teaching your mom a lesson!"

I covered my swollen face and looked at my mother in disbelief.

Noticing the strange look in my eyes, my mother moved her lips and finally spoke in a persuasive tone.

"Alright, you two siblings, are you really going to become enemies over such a small amount of money? Sherry, get your things downstairs to the car!"

"Marjorie, I'm not saying anything bad, but he's your brother. Why are you fussing with him?"

"Haha, having a brother is like having someone to lean on. If you're bullied by your in-laws, you'll have someone to stand up for you!"

Hehe, that same line again. But when I was actually being bullied at my in-laws’ house, my mother said, "It's best not to tell us about your conflicts. Resolve them behind closed doors. Learn to report good news, not bad news!" I swallowed my discomfort and sent my mother home.

As soon as I entered, my nephew rushed over and hugged my legs. "Aunt Sherry, Grandma just called and said you were going to buy me some chocolate. Where's the chocolate?" He then reached into my pockets, but when he found nothing, his expression suddenly changed. "Hmph, Aunt Sherry, you're so stingy! You didn't buy me anything!"

"I don't want you to be in my house! Get out!" My nephew pushed me back repeatedly, but my brother, acting as if he hadn't noticed, went about his business. My mother came over, grabbed my nephew's hand, and shoved it into mine.

"Hurry up and take Ramon to buy some snacks. I'll cook later. Just tell me what you want and I'll make it for you!"

Seeing my mother's cheerful expression, I swallowed my frustration and said, "Then I want boiled fish!"

My mother immediately agreed, "No problem!"

On the way to the snack shop with my daughter and nephew, I had a thought.

A fish costs about forty or fifty dollars. My mom just got out of the hospital. What if she doesn't have any money…

Thinking this way, I picked up my phone again and transferred a hundred dollars to my mother's account.

I then sent her a voice message:

"Mom, Sherry wants to eat the chicken legs from your place downstairs. Buy a few while you can. Keep the rest for your spending money."

My mother quickly took the money and said "OK" in return.

Once inside the snack shop, my nephew was like a wild horse, letting go of my hand and starting to shop. Soon, he'd filled a basket to check out. Many of the items were very expensive, but he didn't usually eat them.

"Hello, a total of $170. Do you have a membership?" the clerk asked enthusiastically.

Looking at the only $100 remaining in my account, I squatted down and negotiated with my nephew:

"Ramon, Aunt Sherry’s low on money today. Can we put some back?"

To convince him, I even showed him the remaining balance.

I thought he'd understand, but he immediately threw a tantrum:

"No! These are all my favorites. I want them all!"

"If you don't buy them for me, I'll go back and tell my dad you're mistreating me!"

I was so angry I pulled out a box of macarons from the basket:

"I remember you don't like these. Can you put them back?"

My nephew quickly defended them: "These are my classmates' favorites. I can't put them back!"

I looked at the price of the box of macarons. It only had nine small ones, but they cost almost $25. So I said firmly, "If your classmate likes snacks, let him buy them himself. I don't have that much money today. Put it back quickly, or don't buy anything!"

My nephew burst into tears, stamped his feet, and ran out:

"I'm going to tell my dad that I'm a stingy person. I promised to buy myself snacks and then broke my promise!"

I quickly apologized to the clerk and took my daughter after him.

My nephew had disappeared.

The snack shop was three stops away from his home. Worried about him, I braved the scorching heat and searched for him along the way, but couldn't find him.

Finally, I texted my mom, "Mom, is Ramon home yet?"

It took a while for my mom to reply, "He's home!"

My heart finally settled.

But when I got home with my daughter, a teacup flew towards me.

I couldn't dodge in time, and it hit me on the head. The pain was intense, and blood rolled down my forehead.

It was my nephew sitting on the sofa. My brother had gone to pick up my sister-in-law from work, and my mom was cooking in the kitchen.

My nephew came home and couldn't find anyone to complain to, so he took out his pent-up anger on me, who had just arrived.

My daughter was terrified: "Mom, does it hurt?"

Then, with a clenched fist, he rushed over to my nephew and asked, "Why did you hit my mom?"

My nephew grabbed my daughter's hand and bit her wrist.

"This is my house. You, a little girl, don't get to yell at me!"

"She's not my aunt. She's just a meanie!"

"My mom said you and her are both worthless little brats!"

I was furious. I rushed over and covered my daughter's ears to stop her from hearing these words.

At the same time, I sternly scolded my nephew:

"That's enough! Who taught you to talk like that? I think you need a lesson!"

With that, I let go of my daughter and sat on the sofa. I grabbed my nephew and pinned him to my lap, ready to spank him a couple of times to teach him a lesson. Unexpectedly, before I could even lower my hand, my mother shoved me hard from behind.

My head hit the coffee table. The pain so intense I saw stars.

My mother, however, held my nephew, who had jumped from my lap, in her arms and yelled at me with an annoyed look:

"Marjorie, why are you, as an adult, arguing with a child?"

"He's your nephew, can't you just give in?"

I covered my head, endured the dizziness, and stood up to confront my mother:

"He just called Sherry and me worthless little brats!"

My mother glared:

"I heard it!"

"Children's words are innocent, you're just taking it too seriously!"

I was stunned.

My mother's words pierced my heart like a sharp knife.

She heard it?

So, she had been secretly observing the living room from the moment I walked in? She saw my nephew hit me with a teacup, heard him scold me and my daughter, and pretended to be oblivious the entire time. But just when I was about to teach my nephew a lesson, she suddenly stood up and pushed me from behind, slamming me against the coffee table.

I gasped, but continued to stare at my mother in disbelief, pointing at the bloody hole in my forehead.

"Mom, he hit my forehead like that, and you're really not going to do anything about it?"

My mother said, "Why did he hit you? Don't you know why? You promised to take him to buy snacks, and what happened?"

My mother narrowed her eyes and looked at me with a determined expression:

"Marjorie, you're actually quite nitpicky!"

"Because your brother didn't give you the money reimbursed by his medical insurance, you're angry and deliberately not buying snacks for your nephew! Am I right?"

"You're my child, don't I know you?"

"Your brother and sister-in-law will be home soon. I advise you to put away your petty thoughts!"

As I spoke, the doorbell rang.

My nephew immediately ran to open the door.

It was my brother, who had taken my sister-in-law home for lunch. As soon as my sister-in-law walked in and saw my red eyes, she immediately started to panic: