For A Mother-Daughter New Life

The crystal chandelier in the hotel's private room shone dazzlingly. The sweet and sour pork ribs on the table were still steaming, and the aroma of fish-flavored shredded pork mixed with the laughter of relatives, filling the entire room. I held a glass of orange-yellow juice, standing beside Dylan Lynn and Hanna Scott, with a faint, perfunctory smile playing at the corner of my mouth. My nails quietly pressed against the glass's side; the cold touch kept me sharp—I was waiting for the right moment. At last, the relatives' congratulations slowly died down, and the private room grew noticeably quiet. I cleared my throat, my voice steady and clear, just loud enough for everyone at the table to hear. "Dad, Mom, before the college entrance exam, you said that if I got into a key university, you'd grant me three wishes." Dylan Lynn paused with his chopsticks mid-air, stunned for a moment, then put them down and nodded, pride of a new father showing on his face. "I did say that. Go ahead, as long as your parents can make it happen." I scanned the tableful of relatives; some were raising their glasses, others froze mid-gesture with food, all eyes locked on me. I took a deep breath and raised my voice a bit: "My first wish is a 200-square-meter school-district house, under my name." The private room immediately went so quiet you could hear the air conditioner humming. Hanna Scott's face changed in an instant; she put down the napkin she was holding, her hand tightening slightly: "Sophia, do you know how much a 200-square-meter school-district house costs? We simply don't have that kind of money." Her voice sounded a little panicked, and she quietly tugged on Dylan Lynn's sleeve. "My second wish is a luxury car, for commuting." Ignoring what Hanna said, I continued speaking, my eyes fixed straight on the wall opposite, avoiding their looks. Dylan Lynn suddenly slammed his hand on the table, causing the wine glasses to tremble and a few drops to spill onto the white tablecloth. "Sophia Lynn! Are you out of your mind? Do you even realize how much that car costs? We're just an ordinary family—we simply can't afford it!" His voice was sharp with anger, veins at his temples subtly protruding. "My third wish: give me 50,000 a month for living expenses—the university costs are high." I pulled back my gaze and stared at Dylan Lynn and Hanna Scott, speaking each word deliberately, like a nail driven into the air. The relatives began whispering among themselves, and Ms. Wilson, sitting nearby, quietly muttered to Mr. Lee, "Why is this kid making so many demands?" "Yeah, a 200-square-meter house—where could an ordinary family even afford that?" Hanna Scott's eyes slowly reddened. She picked up a tissue from the table and wiped at the corner of her eye. "Sophia, how can you ask for something so unreasonable? We really can't do it." "Can't do it?" I sneered coldly and set the juice cup down on the table. The liquid splashed out, spreading a small orange stain across the tablecloth. "Who was the one so sure, promising that as long as I got in, any wish I had would be fulfilled? Now that I've been accepted, you just won't own up to it?" "It's not that we don't admit it, but these demands are beyond what we can handle." Dylan Lynn's voice grew heavy. He placed both hands firmly on the table, leaning slightly forward as if trying to hold back his anger. "Beyond your capability? Then you shouldn't have made the promise in the first place!" I raised my voice, feeling the fire inside me flare up—I wanted exactly this mix of helplessness and anger from them. "Sophia Lynn, don't be unreasonable!" Dylan Lynn stood up, the chair scraping harshly against the floor. "Unreasonable?" I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms—it hurt a little, but what hurt more was the long-suppressed anger inside me. "You lied to me! You don't care about me at all! You only care about yourselves!" After saying that, I grabbed my bag from the back of the chair, pushed it away forcefully, and turned to walk out of the private room. The chair scraped against the floor again, as if protesting. "Sophia! You're back! Let's talk this through!" Hanna Scott called out to me from behind, her voice wavering with tears. I didn't look back and quickly walked out of the hotel. The wind outside was strong, cool against my face, but it couldn't ease the restless feeling inside me. I walked along the roadside, the streetlight stretching my shadow long and solitary.