We received $800,000 in compensation for the demolition of our old house. After talking it over with Michael and Emily, I decided to give $200,000 to Sarah.

The next day, just as dawn broke, I set out with my bank card in hand and a basket of freshly picked vegetables from our garden.

Knowing Sarah loves these homegrown vegetables, and having missed her for so long, my heart was full of anticipation.

After more than two hours on the road, I finally arrived at Sarah’s home.

I had just set the vegetable basket in the entryway when Mrs. Adams stood up from the sofa, glancing at me with clear disdain.

“Oh dear, what did you bring? Look at this basket, it’s getting mud all over the floor! We just cleaned everything, and now it’s dirty again!”

I hurried to wipe it, but David frowned and said.

“Mom, with respect, aren’t vegetables from gardens usually fertilized with manure? They’re filthy! How can we keep them here? Henry is still small—who would take responsibility if he gets sick?”

I froze, turning to Sarah, but she avoided my gaze.

“Yes, Mom, please don’t bring these things next time. Nobody here likes eating them.”

Those words felt like a bucket of ice-cold water poured over me.

My heart went numb. Without saying anything, I silently gathered the things I brought, turned around, and stepped out of her home.

The cold winter wind made me shiver, extinguishing all thoughts of using demolition money to support Sarah.

——

On the day the demolition compensation arrived in my account, I called Michael and Emily over.

“Out of this $800,000, I plan to give you two $200,000, keep $200,000 for Robert and me for retirement, and give the remaining amount to your sister.”

“She married far away, so as her mother, I should still look after her.”

As soon as I finished speaking, Michael smiled and nodded.

“Mom, you’re right. It’s comforting to know our sister will have something to rely on.”

Emily added, “Giving money to our sister makes perfect sense; we fully agree.”

Seeing their response, I felt truly happy.

Back then, we were struggling. When Emily married into the family, we didn’t give her a proper dowry, not even a single valuable piece of jewelry. Yet she never complained and lived simply with Michael.

Looking at the balance in my bank account, I quietly decided that after visiting Sarah, I would withdraw another 200,000 dollars for Emily. It would be a small sign of appreciation from me, something she could use to buy jewelry or anything she liked.

After making up my mind, I began thinking about what to bring for Sarah.

After a long moment of consideration, I concluded that vegetables from our own garden would be the best gift.

Sarah had loved my vegetables since childhood, and besides, I personally took care of the garden without pesticides or chemical fertilizers—they were much healthier than anything in supermarkets.

With that thought, I went into the garden and began picking vegetables. The frost these past days made them taste even better.

I collected several different kinds of vegetables until my bamboo basket was full.

After finishing with the vegetables, I remembered Sarah often said how delicious countryside poultry was, so I went to the coop. I caught two geese and two chickens, tied them with a straw rope, and placed them beside the basket.

Once everything was prepared, I finally took out my phone to call Sarah. When she heard I was coming, she immediately said she had the next day off and would wait for me at the station.

The following morning, Michael and Emily carried my bags to the station and saw me off. Emily even slipped a hand warmer into my palm.

“Mom, it’s cold outside. This will keep your hands warm.”

“Please let me know once you arrive safely.”

I nodded and boarded the train. Two hours later, I finally arrived in New York City.

As soon as I walked out of the station, a light rain started falling. A cold wind, mixed with raindrops, slipped into my collar, making me instinctively hunch my shoulders.

I gripped the hand warmer, eyes fixed on the exit, afraid I might miss Sarah.

Half an hour passed after our agreed time, yet she still hadn’t shown up.

Another half hour went by, and the rain grew heavier. My pants and shoes were soaked, and the hand warmer had almost gone cold. Anxiously, I pulled out my phone and dialed Sarah again and again.

She finally picked up on the twelfth call.

“Mom, I’m really sorry, something urgent happened at home, and I can’t leave to pick you up.” Her voice sounded hurried, and I could faintly hear laughter and chatting behind her.

I was just about to tell her that I had too many things and taking a taxi would be difficult.

Then Sarah said, “There are plenty of taxis at the station. Just take one yourself, I’ll send you the address on Instagram.” Before I could say anything else, the call ended.

I stared at the dark screen, then at the things I brought, and finally let out a long sigh.

What if Sarah truly had something urgent?

Thinking that, I braced myself, managed to hail a taxi, and squeezed myself and all my things inside.

After all that effort, I finally reached Sarah’s place with my bags. But the moment I arrived, I heard bursts of laughter and cheerful voices from inside.

I pushed the door open and saw Mrs. Adams on the sofa, eating sunflower seeds, David leaning against her scrolling on his phone, and Sarah playing with Henry, who was laughing so hard he was rolling on the floor. Nothing about the scene looked urgent.

When Sarah saw me come in, she quickly stood up, rubbing her hands as she explained,

“Mom! You’re here! Henry kept begging me to play with him all day, and I really couldn’t pull away, so I wasn’t able to pick you up.”

I looked at her, then at Mrs. Adams and David lounging comfortably in the room, and I couldn’t help feeling disappointed.

There were so many people in the house; even if Henry was clingy, couldn’t they have asked Mrs. Adams or David to pick me up?

The words reached my lips, but I held them back.

Just then, the goose I brought suddenly flapped its wings, tipping the bamboo basket over, sending vegetables rolling everywhere and feathers drifting all over the floor.

The laughter stopped instantly.

David shot to his feet. He glanced at the mess near my feet, and his expression darkened at once.

“Mom, what exactly are you doing?”

“We just had this floor waxed, it cost thousands! Look at this stuff you dragged in, making such a mess. Can you even cover the cleaning and maintenance costs?”

He bent down and nudged the vegetables on the floor, his brows knitted, stepping back in disgust.

“And these wilted vegetables you brought, grown with manure—are they even safe to eat? What if Henry gets bacteria from them? He only eats imported organic produce; he can’t touch things with such questionable origins!”

Seeing the stains on the floor, I felt a wave of guilt, but I still hoped Sarah would speak up for me.

But Sarah avoided my eyes and went to her husband, gently saying, “Mom, don’t get upset. It’s really easy for us in the city. We can buy anything we need just downstairs. You don’t have to go through so much trouble bringing things from the countryside next time. It’s tiring, and nobody at home really eats them anyway, so they just end up being thrown out.” Seeing her expression, my heart sank, yet I still explained, “

“I deliberately didn’t kill this goose first, just in case it wasn’t fresh enough. I thought I would slaughter it right away for you to eat immediately, so you could enjoy the freshest taste.”

“And these vegetables, they’re not dirty at all—they’re all homegrown and very fresh.” Halfway through my explanation, I noticed the feathers scattered across the floor and went to the kitchen to look for a rag to clean things up.

“Mrs. Adams, which rag is used for wiping the floor? I’ll clean this right now.”

I smiled and asked Mrs. Adams and David twice, yet both acted as if they hadn’t heard me. David stared out the window, while Mrs. Adams kept cracking sunflower seeds without even looking up.

I took a rag from the shelf by the kitchen door and was about to crouch down to wipe the floor when Mrs. Adams suddenly yelled, “Hey!” and hurried over, snatching the rag from my hand.

“This isn’t for wiping the floor, it’s for wiping the table! How could you use this for that?”

She turned around, took another rag from the bathroom, and tossed it to the floor near me.

“Use this one.”

I stood there for a second, the rag at my feet, feeling awkward but still determined to clean up the mess.

I picked it up just as the memory of earlier flashed through my mind—the phone call with Sarah, her voice rushed, laughter faintly drifting behind her words.

I had wanted to tell her that I was carrying too many things, that taking a taxi would be difficult.

But she simply said, “There are taxis everywhere at the station. Just take one yourself, I’ll send you the address on Instagram.” And before I could say another word, the call had already ended.

I stared at my dim phone screen, then at all the things I had brought for her, and finally sighed.

What if Sarah really had an urgent issue at home?

Thinking that, I forced myself to flag down a taxi, loaded all my things inside, and tried to ignore the cold wind soaking my clothes.

By the time I finally reached Sarah’s doorstep, tired and carrying bag after bag, I hadn’t expected to hear loud laughter and cheerful voices echoing from inside the house.

I opened the door and saw David, leaning back scrolling on his phone, and Sarah playing happily with little Henry, who was laughing so hard, he rolled across the floor. Nothing in sight looked urgent at all.

When Sarah noticed me entering, she quickly stood up, rubbing her hands awkwardly as she explained,

“Mom! You’re here! Henry kept begging me to play with him the whole day, and I just couldn’t pull myself away, so I couldn’t come pick you up.”

I looked at her, then at Mrs. Adams and David relaxing comfortably in the room, and disappointment quietly settled in my chest.

There were so many adults at home. Even if Henry was clingy, would it really have been so hard for David to pick me up?

The words hovered on my lips, but I forced myself to swallow them.

Just then, the goose I brought suddenly flapped its wings, tipping the bamboo basket over and scattering vegetables all over the floor, feathers drifting through the air.

The laughter in the room stopped immediately.

David sprang to his feet, glanced sharply at the mess in front of me, and his face clouded over.

“Mom, what are you doing?”

“We just had this floor waxed—spent thousands on it! And look at this junk you dragged in, messing up everything. Can you even cover the cleaning and maintenance costs?”

He bent down and nudged the vegetables with his foot, frowning deeper as he stepped back in disgust.

“And these wilted vegetables you brought, grown with manure—are they even safe? What if they transmit bacteria to Henry? He only eats imported organic produce; he can’t eat things from who knows where!”

Seeing the stains spreading across the floor, guilt washed over me, yet I still hoped Sarah would defend me somehow.

But she avoided my eyes and moved to stand beside her husband, gently saying, “Mom, don’t be upset. Life in the city is very convenient. We can get anything we need just downstairs. Really, you don’t need to trouble yourself bringing things from the countryside anymore. It’s tiring for you, and honestly, no one at home really eats them, so they just end up being thrown away.”