Rebirth from the Ashes

439-440

Chapter 439: Poor Lady

“My dad later met with a fatal car accident and so my granddad acknowledged our existence and brought me and my mom back. However, the death of my dad was too much for my mom to handle and that’s when her mental disorder reared its ugly head.”

Yu Qiubai paused before letting out a bitter smile.

“I later found out that my dad’s passing was only a trigger to an existing condition. My mom had actually been taking antidepressants.”

Shen Xi lent an ear to his story. It sounded an awful lot like those olden day cliché plots, yet Shen Xi could feel her heart sinking to her stomach.

This was no story. It was his mother’s real-life experience and the reality of it weighed heavily on his shoulders.

“After my mom had an anxiety attack, my uncle and other relatives teamed up to throw us out. Of course, they said it was to prevent my mom from hurting anyone as a result of the panic attack.” Yu Qiubai had no idea why he felt the need to tell her this. There were too many things hanging over his head, suffocating him to the point of breakdown.

Perhaps Yu Qiubai could be sure that she would keep to herself even if he told her.

Maybe he thought of Shen Xi as someone he could trust.

Shen Xi was all ears, ready to be his listener.

“Following the attack, I took her everywhere possible to seek medical attention. She was also admitted to the hospital, but her condition did not improve. In contrast, it got worse. She had been in and out of consciousness during the new year and lately, she doesn’t seem to recognize me anymore.” Yu Qiubai’s tone may be flat, but he was welling up in the eyes.

He was afraid.

Terrified.

Yu Qiubai was unfazed when he and his mother were driven out of the Yu household and forced to live on their own.

He felt no fear when he had to take care of his mother alone, bringing her back and forth to see a doctor.

There was nothing he was afraid of – neither her illness, her hurting people, nor taking care of her. However, his nightmare was her not recognizing him ever again.

Shen Xi asked, “Can you give me an account of her current mental state?”

The question tipped Yu Qiubai slightly over the edge. Shaking his head, he voiced out his despair, “I’m not a doctor. I can’t say for sure but it’s bad. It’s really, really bad.”

“Okay,” Shen Xi responded. With downcast eyes, she turned her attention back to her mobile game, but truth be told, her mind lingered elsewhere.

Studying her through the rear-view mirror, Yu Qiubai somehow managed to simmer down while his breathing steadied.

He did not need anyone to console or pity him. The only thing he needed was someone to quietly lend an ear.

Shen Xi was prepared for the worst, but nothing prepared her for what was to come. It was not at all up to scratch to Yu Qiubai’s description.

Stepping into the pitch-black house, Shen Xi was swallowed into the darkness. It was like walking into prison in which a ray of sunlight was merely wishful thinking.

A pungent smell filled her nostrils. It was damp from unventilated rooms, mingled with a rotting smell.

“I’m coming in, Mom.” Yu Qiubai uttered softly in front of a room. “Don’t be scared. I’m going to turn on the light.”