Yunfeng was done with work late at night. He hurried back home after changing his clothes. But right by the door, he saw his mother waiting with a worried frown.
"Why are you outside, Mum? The weather is getting cold," he said as he walked through the gate.
She immediately shot up and ran to him. Her slightly trembling hand touched his face. "Where were you? I called you so many times, and you didn't pick up. I thought... I thought something happened to you."
"I'm fine." Yunfeng pulled his phone out of his pocket. He had accidentally put his phone on silent, so he hadn't noticed the calls. But seeing so many missed calls, he frowned. "Is something wrong?"
His mum's expression eased, but soon she started to hit his back. "Where did you go? Why did you get back so late? Don't you know it's not safe late at night?"
His mum still didn't know about his part-time jobs because he had been lying to her, saying it was make-up classes. But since he hadn't been attending school due to his injury, he was caught red-handed.
"I... I was just hanging out with Jai."
She looked at him with narrowed eyes. "Don't you dare lie to me, kid. I know you weren't with him." She sniffed his clothes. "I smell alcohol on you. Did you drink?"
"No, no! I just served them." He shouted in a hurry, but soon realized his mistake.
"Served? Yunfeng..." Mama Lin glared at him intensely. "Get inside. We'll talk more about what you 'served.'"
With his head lowered, Yunfeng trudged in behind her. Inside, he noticed his sister Hana waiting on the sofa with a guilty look on her face.
"Did you tell her?" he mouthed.
She subtly nodded. "Sorry," she mouthed back.
"God…."
"Sit down," she pulled him down onto the sofa beside his sister.
Yunfeng subtly pinched her.
Hana punched him back. "Who told you to be this late? Bozo, it's all because of you."
"You could have lied." He pinched her back.
"If you both don't stop it right now, I'll bring out my slippers," Mama Lin glared at them intensely.
Yunfeng fell quiet, bowing his head in a guilty state.
"Now tell me, why did you both decide that it was such a great idea to work at fifteen and eighteen instead of going to school? Why do you think I work hard every day? I do it for you both! Just so you could get a good education and a reputable job in the future! Not so you can wash dishes or be a waiter."
Yunfeng saw his sister's hand subtly trembling at this shout. He held her hand tightly. "Mum, it's not Hana's fault. I was the one who wanted to try part-time jobs. I wanted to know what working in a team feels like. Plus, I can add it to my portfolio."
"What? That you worked in a restaurant? I know enough to know that kind of experience isn't even noteworthy!" Mama Lin shouted in his face.
Yunfeng lowered his head again.
His mum paced in front of them for a while and then went to the kitchen to get a glass of water.
Taking this chance, Yunfeng gazed at his little sister. "You washed dishes? Why? I thought you said you were working in a café?"
"No one's idiotic enough to hire a fifteen-year-old and get caught. I got this job after so much begging," she said frustratingly. "Why the hell did you come home late, huh? It's all because of you."
"I genuinely forgot, okay?"
"How can you forget?"
"I just did."
"Enough!" Mama Lin stormed out of the kitchen with a glare. "Both of you are grounded for a year. No TV, no internet, no nothing."
"Mum!!" Hana shot up. "But…"
"No means no! You, young lady, are just fifteen, so you better concentrate on your education. And you, young man, just because you're eighteen doesn't make you the man of the house. No one asked you to take on the responsibility to take care of us. I have my own hands and feet and can make money for all of us. Don't you dare think of going to part-time jobs. Go study and get into a good college. Then find a reputable job. Only that will make your mum's hard work worth it," she said, slightly sniffling.
She sat beside them and hugged his shoulders.
For a moment, they all sat in silence.
"Is it because Mum's not giving you enough allowance? I'll raise your allowance, okay? You don't have to work… Look how thin you both have become." She started to cry.
"Mum…" Yunfeng hugged her tightly. "Do you see how thin you've become? Why is it not okay for me to take on a bit of your responsibility? I'm not a child, Mum. And working as a waiter is not a bad thing. I get good marks even though I work. I can do both."
"Stop," she hit his shoulders. "This is all about your dad, isn't it? That bastard, he shouldn't have told you those words. Because of that, you... Who tells a fifteen-year-old child to be the man of the family? You are a child. A fucking child." She hugged them both tightly. "You both are my children. How can I bear to see you working yourselves down? I know how hard service-level jobs are. And I know how detrimental they are to your health. So... don't do it, okay? For me, please get a good office job."
Hana, who had been silently listening, started to sob. "Mum… I just wanted to make a bit of money because you're looking too unhealthy. I know you stress about your job. Please… please let us take care of you. It's the least we can do after everything you've done for us."