The offer was in the corner.

To live a better life, I, who only had a high school education, put in ten thousand times more effort than my peers.

When I worked my way up to the CEO of a listed company, I was surprised to learn that my SAT score was the first in the county.

The reason why I didn't receive the offer from Harvard was because my family hid it.

——

I found the offer letter from twenty years ago when I was packing my things.

It was the afternoon of the first day of Christmas, and relatives were coming to visit us to celebrate Christmas.

Early in the morning, my mother yelled at me to tidy up the house.

"Tracy, tidy up the house and look for those old photos. Be quiet, Bruce played cards until dawn last night. Don't wake him up."

I went to tidy up the house without hesitation.

Of course, I knew that my younger brother Bruce played cards until dawn last night because I played cards with him

But I was used to my mother spoiling him for so many years.

I went into the study. I remember that the old photos were in the partition of the study.

But I couldn't find them today.

"Mom, in which part of the study are the old photographs? I've been searching for a long time and still can't find them."

When my mother heard that I was in the study, she ran here from the kitchen in a flash.

“What are you doing in the study?”

Mother was particularly impatient.

“Hey, I'm always away from home. Why are you so impatient when I can't find things?”

I replied to my mother's words as I sorted out things in the study cabinet.

Suddenly, a red file fell out of a folder and landed on the back of my foot.

I was about to bend down to pick it up when I vaguely saw a few big golden letters on the file.

"Offer of Admission to Harvard University."

I froze for a moment. The offer was obviously from many years ago.

The golden letters had been covered with traces of time.

I suddenly felt the afternoon sun was a bit dazzling.

I didn't remember how I opened the file, but it clearly read, [Tracy Blake, we are pleased to offer you admission to the marketing major of Harvard University. If you wish to accept this offer, please confirm online.]

Suddenly, I couldn't read the words clearly on the back.

I turned around and saw my mother outside the study, staring at me and the file in my hand.

I finally understood why she was so anxious when she heard me rummaging through things in the study just now.

And suddenly I remembered what she had just told me about not waking up my younger brother.

I thought of what I had suffered during the three years of high school for the SAT and the disappointment when I didn’t receive any offer even though I thought I did well in the SAT.

All the grievances rushed up in an instant.

“Mom, why? I almost died back then. Didn't you say I didn't get in? What is this?”

I hissed the words with almost all my strength.

I wondered why in the world the parents wouldn't wish their child well.

“Let me explain...”

Maybe my voice was too loud, Father and Bruce came over.

Father was even angrier than me when he saw this scene.

"How can you talk to your mom like this? It's just an offer letter from twenty years ago. Did it hurt you?"

Bruce echoed.

"That's right, sis. You didn't go to that university, but you're doing well. Maybe this is your fate. If you had gone to college, you probably wouldn't have been as good at making money as you are now. Mom and Dad just helped you in that way."

"Do you know how much I have suffered all these years? I have competed for positions with many college students when I only have a high school education. Do you know how much more I'm paying? I can't figure out why you guys hid my notice when I obviously got in?"

After a long silence, my mother said, "You are a girl and you have a younger brother. We can't let both of you work outside. We don't have that much savings. Besides, isn't it better for you, a girl, to stay by your parents' side?"

I was a bit dazed by her words.

My parents had worked in public institutions their whole lives, and they had some positions.

I couldn't figure out how these two people could have such thoughts.

The doorbell rang outside, it should be the relatives arriving.

The scene was too embarrassing and there was no need to meet these relatives.

I went back to my room.

Soon, the laughter of relatives, parents, and my younger brother came from outside.

It was expected that unpleasant talk would soon come.

"David, did Tracy bring a boyfriend back this year? She's already thirty. Why is she still being picky?"

"That's right. What's the use of making so much money? A girl's money will eventually belong to her husband."

"I think Tracy has become weird because she doesn't have a partner. She doesn’t even come out to chat with us."

"Yeah. David, what kind of work does Tracy do outside? How can she make so much money? I heard that the girl next door to our street, from the Zick family, is..."

He was interrupted before he could finish his sentence.

"My old colleague's family has a son. I can introduce him to Tracy. He has a bakery nearby and it seems to be doing well. He's capable and honest, and he does the best business of all the bakeries in the neighbourhood. But, he's divorced and has an eight-year-old son. Men who have been married know how to take care of others!"

Actually, such conversations occurred every year.

They had been introducing the man who owned a steamed bun shop to me since I was 20 years old when he wasn't married.

As I got older, it got worse.

It was just that in previous years I thought that I rarely went back home and Christmas was a time for reunion, I shouldn't get upset with my elders!

But today, because of the incident with the offer letter, when I heard these words again, I felt like there was a fire burning in my heart.

I pushed open the door.

“Uncles and aunties, I don't need you to worry about my affairs. Just take care of your own children and yourselves. Also, your daughters are not married either. Since the son of the bakery owner is a good match, why don’t you let your daughters marry him?”

The air seemed still, and the chattering women suddenly fell silent.

Father suddenly stood up from the sofa, "Is it your turn to speak now? Do you have any manners?"

"Dad, would a well-mannered person hide his child’s college offer letter?"

I saw veins bulge on my father's neck.

"Can’t I, as your father, say anything about you? If you don’t want to stay here, then get out!"

"Fine, I'll get out."

I went back to my room to pack my things.

My mother, who had been submissive in front of my father her whole life, didn't even dare to make a sound.

When these relatives saw such a scene, they said, "David, there's something going on at home, so we'll leave first..."

"We're leaving first, David. Don't be angry with the child during Christmas. Tracy is becoming more and more unreasonable as she grows up!"

...

No one cared about my feelings and no one even mentioned the hidden offer.

Even my mother didn’t speak up for me.

The vacation was short so I didn’t bring many things back.

I quickly packed my luggage.

Before leaving, my father shouted loudly, "Once you leave this house, don't come back! You bastard!"

Mother still remained silent in the corner.

On the plane back, I looked at the city under my feet, and the past came back to me in a flash.