I widened my eyes in disbelief, staring at the man in front of me. He had a beer belly and wore a suit jacket every day, but I struggled to recognize him.

In the blink of an eye, after all these years, he seemed to live so freely, even his face had developed some jowls.

I stared blankly, nodding, unable to muster a smile. Turning my head, I bowed three times solemnly to my grandmother’s altar.

In my heart, I silently vowed that I would listen to her and live my life well.

My father’s home was in the city. He told me to pack a few clothes and come back with him, but what was there for me to pack? I could only carry a small bundle, containing a few worn-out clothes patched together, and got into his car.

I shrank into the corner, afraid to make a sound. The entire journey, I was filled with dread, unsure of what awaited me in the city.

I knew very well that he didn’t like me—he probably even despised me—but due to legal reasons, he was obligated to take care of me until I turned eighteen.

When I saw the small two-story house in front of me, a flicker of awe crossed my eyes.

It was such a beautiful house, far better than the small wooden cabin I shared with Grandma, which was always at risk of collapsing.

As I pushed the door open, I saw a well-maintained woman sitting on the couch.

The moment she saw me, a soft, almost fragile smile appeared on her face.

“Honey, you’re back. This is Wendy.”

Her words were warm, but when she saw my shabby clothes, she instinctively covered her nose, as if I reeked of something foul.

This stepmother of mine was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, but the disgust and disdain in her eyes were just as evident as her beauty, displayed clearly on her face.

“What is that smell on you? There’s a bathroom upstairs. Go wash up first. This is the city, not your backward little village.”

I stood frozen, awkwardly rubbing the hem of my clothes.

My father frowned, speaking in a tone that sounded almost annoyed. “Yes, you really should take a good shower. Since you’re living in the city now, you need to clean up your act. Don’t go out and embarrass me.”

I wanted to ask, what exactly was so embarrassing about me?

Ruth, my stepmother, glanced at me, then suddenly stood up and went upstairs to grab something—a white bottle.

“This is disinfectant. When you shower, make sure to disinfect yourself properly. I don’t want you bringing any germs that could infect Anna.”

That’s when I finally looked at her properly.

I knew who Anna was—my father's precious daughter, treated like royalty. She was my half-sister.

In a soft voice, I asked, “Is there anything else I need to pay attention to?”

Ruth spoke, her tone cool and commanding. “After your shower, throw out all those rags you’re wearing. They’re probably bad luck. And when you go out, spray yourself with alcohol disinfectant every day. I don’t want my house, which I’ve worked so hard to keep clean, to be tainted.”

Bad luck.

The words hit me like a slap, and a cold gleam flashed in my eyes.

To Ruth, I was the source of all the problems in her perfect family, and my life here would never be easy.

Though I knew the truth, I still forced a meek smile and nodded.

“I’ll remember your advice, Aunt Ruth.”

Ruth continued, her voice sharp. “Be smart, have some awareness. Don’t be like a wooden block. Now that you’re in this house, you need to become part of the family. I don’t want to have to treat you like some unwanted guest.”

I nodded again.

I didn’t say anything else and followed the direction she pointed, holding the disinfectant she gave me as I headed upstairs.

Under the stream of hot water, I felt the tension in my body ease, and for a moment, I could breathe a little easier.

Ruth would surely find a way to get me out of here. She didn’t like me, and she especially didn’t want me living in this house. That was an open secret.

But I wouldn’t give her the satisfaction.

While I was in the middle of my shower, the hot water suddenly stopped. Immediately after, the light in the bathroom went out.

The abrupt cold water made me shiver involuntarily.

But I still hadn’t rinsed off all the soap.

With no other choice, I called out, gritting my teeth, “Aunt, there’s no hot water!”

In response, I heard a much younger voice.

“You’re the daughter Dad brought back from his ex-wife, right?”

It was Anna at the door.

The hot water cutoff and the lights going out? That was definitely her doing.

I answered, “There’s no hot water in here. Do you know what to do?”

Without hesitation, Anna replied, “If there’s no hot water, just use cold water. Don’t tell me that in the city, you’re too fancy for that now? Didn’t you use cold water to bathe in your village every day?”

When I had gone upstairs earlier, I didn’t see her. It turned out she’d already set up this little trap for me.

But either way, I couldn’t go out with soap all over me, so I gritted my teeth and washed off with the cold water.

Though we didn’t have hot water in our village, every summer, my grandmother would fill a big basin with water and leave it in the sun to warm up. That way, at least I could have warm water to bathe with.

The cold shower left me shivering, and when I stepped out, I saw a little girl standing at the door, her expression full of contempt.

She was beautiful, the kind of girl who looked like she had everything. Dressed in a fancy, frilly pink princess dress, with a crown on her head, she stood there with her nose in the air, a true little princess.

She eyed me disdainfully, scanning me up and down before huffing.

“As expected, a country bumpkin is a country bumpkin. You can tell just by looking at her, she’s poor and uncouth.”

I stood frozen in place, not knowing how to respond.

Anna shoved me aside and walked straight into the bathroom, tossing the towel I had just used into the trash without a second thought.

“Who allowed you to use my towel? What if you have some dirty disease and you infect me? What then?”

I quickly shook my head and explained, “I don’t have any disease.”

“Your words don’t mean anything. What if you have something and you give it to me? What am I supposed to do?”

Anna glared at me.

“Next time, don’t touch my things. If you dare again, I’ll throw you out. There are plenty of beggars outside, one less won’t make a difference.”

I lowered my head, feeling guilty, and said, “I’m sorry. It’s the only towel I had. I didn’t have a choice.”

“Hmph. Let me tell you something. In this house, if you offend me, you won’t have a single good day. Dad already said that bringing you here means you’re going to be my maid. Whatever you do, you’ll follow my orders. Got it?”

As she spoke, Anna suddenly pointed to the ground.

“If you kneel and bark like a dog three times right now, maybe your life here will be a little easier.”

I froze at her words.

Anna couldn’t have been more than a teenager. Where had she learned such cruel ways to humiliate someone?

Kneeling on the ground and barking like a dog?

Was this really something a child her age would come up with?