The Final Letter to My Family

The whole family got food poisoning and was hospitalized, so I cooked century egg and lean pork congee and brought it over.

My younger sister, who had always liked my cooking, suddenly said, “Today’s porridge tastes awful.”

My hand trembled as I held the bowl.

She went on, “Even though Ryan is Dad’s illegitimate son, I like him more.”

“Don’t think that all your running around matters—this family is the same with or without you.”

Her cold tone didn’t sound like she was joking.

I couldn’t help but ask, “Have I treated you badly?”

Emily shook her head. “What’s the point of being good to me? That’s not what I want.”

“Do you know? This time, when I ate those undercooked green beans with Ryan and had to get my stomach pumped, I was smiling the whole time.”

So, she was taking Ryan’s side—just because I had scolded him a little for not cooking the beans properly.

I turned to look at my mother.

Not only did she not speak up for me, but she turned her head away.

In that moment, I suddenly felt my sister was right.

…

I put down the bowl and chopsticks, dumped all the porridge into the trash can, and turned to leave.

Neither my mother nor Emily cared.

But just as I opened the door, I saw my father in the hallway, handing Ryan a brand-new phone.

“My good son,” he said warmly.

“If you’re short on money or need anything, just tell me.”

The moment he finished doting on Ryan and saw me, his face hardened.

“What are you standing there for? Go pay the hospital bill!”

Just moments ago, he’d been so generous—yet suddenly he couldn’t even cover the medical expenses.

“I’m out of money,” I said.

The repeated blows made it hard to breathe, my voice weighed down with exhaustion.

A flicker of surprise crossed Robert’s eyes.

He hadn’t expected me to refuse.

“Ethan!”

“What are you sulking about?”

After remaining silent for a long time, Margaret finally spoke.

“So Emily had a little spat with you—big deal! You’re her older brother, you should let her win. And you can’t take it out on the family!”

“Besides, aren’t you partly at fault? If you hadn’t been so petty and nagged Ryan, Emily wouldn’t be upset with you.”

I stood there, not sure whether to cry or laugh.

Last night had been my parents’ wedding anniversary. When I was cooking, Ryan insisted on helping fry the green beans.

I reminded him over ten times to blanch them first, then cook them long enough, otherwise they’d be undercooked and cause food poisoning.

But before I could even sit down to eat, my parents and sister were clutching their stomachs in pain. The hospital said it was because the beans weren’t cooked through.

I’d been anxious and scolded Ryan a couple of times—who would have thought it would become fuel for my sister to attack me.

“Sorry, big brother, I didn’t know green beans had to be fully cooked. Don’t be mad,” Ryan said, dodging the real issue as he pretended to apologize.

“An honest mistake is no fault!” Emily raised her chin and declared, “The one who should apologize is Ethan.”

My eyes swept across my parents’ faces.

Last night, they had been right there when I warned Ryan.

Yet my mother smoothed things over, saying, “Alright, alright, it’s just a small matter. Let’s all take a step back.”

My father, on the other hand, looked impatient, only caring about pushing me to pay the hospital bill.

Looking at them, I suddenly smiled.

It was a smile at my own foolishness—thinking I’d ever truly been part of this family, when in reality, I’d been pushed out long ago.

That enlistment invitation letter in my drawer—it was time to sign it.

Ryan saw my expression and quickly stepped in front of the family, speaking warily, “Big brother, calm down, don’t lose your mind!”

“You can be upset with me, you can hit me or yell at me, but you can’t take it out on the family!”

So responsible—earning the admiring looks of the whole family.