Wei Zhi did not wake up until eight in the morning.
At the banquet the previous evening, she had mentioned that she would need to take the morning off to get her mother’s prescription filled at the hospital.
“I happen to be calling the financial manager later to confirm some work matters; I’ll let him know,” Ji Qikun had said with a smile.
She left the house at eight, first stopping at a courier station to mail the handbag she had sold the day before, then heading to the city’s largest people's hospital.
Imatinib was not covered by medical insurance; every purchase was made at full price.
The money she had just paid toward her online loans was withdrawn once again. The only thing that increased was the interest.
By the time she finished at the hospital, it was nearly ten o’clock. Not daring to delay any further, Wei Zhi headed straight for the gallery.
In the finance office, her colleagues were already busy at their posts. After a brief greeting, Wei Zhi quickly powered on her computer and dove into her work.
Two hours later, Xiao Cai, the cashier, and the inventory accountant left their desks for the cafeteria one after another. The pudgy financial manager was the last to leave, asking with a jovial smile, “Not going to lunch yet?”
Wei Zhi looked up quickly and replied, “I have just a bit left to finish. Please go ahead, Manager Li.”
Once the manager had left, Wei Zhi worked frantically to make up for the time she had missed that morning.
Because she frequently had to take leave for hospital runs, and because of her relationship with Ji Qikun, the manager always agreed without hesitation. However, Wei Zhi felt guilty and made sure to work twice as hard to compensate for any delays whenever she returned.
The vibration of her phone on the desk interrupted her. She glanced at the screen and decided to answer only because of the name displayed.
“I heard you’re working through lunch again?”
Ji Qikun’s amused voice came through the line.
“I’m not skipping lunch. I just plan to finish this bit of work before I eat,” Wei Zhi said.
“I have a social engagement at noon, so I can’t join you. However, I ordered food from that Cantonese place you like. It should be delivered shortly,” Ji Qikun said. “Remember to eat it while it’s hot.”
Not long after she hung up, a delivery runner arrived with the meal. The amount of food Ji Qikun had ordered far exceeded her appetite; even after clearing her desk, there was barely enough room to set it all down.
Wei Zhi only took out what she could finish. She left the rest in the paper bag, intending to take it home that evening so Wang Lin could heat it up for the next day.
As she ate, she wondered where Ji Qikun’s “I heard” had come from.
He was a considerate boss, a generous male colleague, and a handsome, wealthy, eligible bachelor; the entire gallery was never short of praise for him. When Wei Zhi had first gone public with their relationship, Xiao Cai’s eyes had been swollen from crying for days.
He could have heard it from anywhere.
After finishing her meal, Wei Zhi took the leftovers and trash out of the office to dispose of them, then entered the restroom to wash her hands.
From the two stalls at the end, familiar voices drifted out.
“…Talk about a sparrow turning into a phoenix. I have no idea what Mr. Ji sees in her,” Xiao Cai said.
“It’s enough to make anyone jealous. Being close to the boss really makes a difference. Coming to work is like offering incense—she comes and goes as she pleases, doesn’t even have to ask for leave—” That was the inventory accountant.
“I knew she wasn’t a decent person the moment she started. A finance job at a gallery is easy, but the twenty-five hundred monthly salary can’t compare to what an accountant makes at a big firm. Who knows what she was really after,” Xiao Cai said indignantly.
The sound of flushing came from both stalls in succession.
Wei Zhi calmly turned on the faucet, washed her hands, and walked out of the restroom with an impassive expression.
She returned to the office first. Shortly after, Xiao Cai and the inventory accountant returned as well.
“Xiao Zhi, still in the office? Have you eaten?” the inventory accountant asked with a smile, while Xiao Cai walked straight to her desk without looking her way.
Wei Zhi replied with a smile of her own.
She had long expected her colleagues to gossip behind her back. Compared to their sarcasm and speculation, she was more concerned about something else.
“Manager Li, did you record my leave for yesterday and this morning?” Wei Zhi knocked on the open glass door and stepped into the financial manager’s office. “I’m about to head to the administration office. If it hasn’t been recorded yet, I’ll go do it myself.”
The manager looked up, his face a mask of surprise and confusion.
“You want to record it? Well, I’ll write the leave slip for you now then.” The manager rummaged through his drawer for the specific pad of slips. “What made you think of writing a slip all of a sudden?”
“Manager Li, do you remember how many times I’ve taken leave this year?”
“This is the first time, isn’t it?”
“Then for the times I wasn’t here before, was I marked as absent without leave?”
Wei Zhi’s words gave the financial manager a start. His fountain pen jerked, and he looked at her in a panic.
“Of course not! How could we count it as an unexcused absence? Didn’t you make up all the time afterward? This… this counts as flexible working hours. Mr. Ji agreed to it, so we have no reason to object!”
“What exactly did Mr. Ji say?” Wei Zhi asked.
“Mr. Ji didn’t say anything specific.” Manager Li quickly finished writing the slip and handed it to her with a forced smile. “But saying nothing is a directive in itself, isn’t it?”
Wei Zhi took the slip and smiled. “Thank you, Manager Li.”
“Oh, don’t mention it, don’t mention it.” A hypocritical smile hung on the manager’s round face.
***
After finishing work at five, Wei Zhi boarded a bus and went straight to the delivery station for her second job.
She had considered buying an electric scooter to use for deliveries and commuting. However, she worried that if she parked it in front of her house, it wouldn’t be long before Wei Shan or Wei Lai stole it to sell.
In the end, she chose to continue renting a scooter from the delivery station.
On a sweltering summer night, the temperature remained at thirty-five degrees Celsius even after ten o'clock. Clad in her delivery uniform, Wei Zhi ran up and down stairs and in and out of buildings. Her undershirt clung to her skin, damp with sweat; as she rode the scooter, the cold wind would partially dry it, only for it to be soaked through again moments later.
At one in the morning, she finally finished her shift. When she pulled off her helmet at the station, her hair was plastered to her head as if washed in sweat, and invisible heat rose from her in waves.
The last bus had long since passed. Fortunately, the delivery station wasn't far from home, and Wei Zhi made the trek back on foot, her body heavy with exhaustion.
Tonight, the grocery store’s rolling shutter was unusually down. Wei Zhi thought Wang Lin had finally given in to exhaustion and gone to rest, but when she pulled out her keys and entered, light was shining from behind the wooden door leading to the inner rooms.
Carrying the packaged Cantonese food and Wang Lin’s medicine, she walked slowly through the door. The inner room was as bright as day; everyone was there.
Wei Lai sat at the small dining table playing mobile games. Wang Lin sat beside him, her expression strange, looking as if she were sitting on pins and needles. The tabletop was scattered with many colorful flyers.
Wei Shan was dozing on the only sofa. Hearing the sound of Wei Zhi opening the door, he scrambled upright. His bulging, perpetually bloodshot eyes flickered with an unusual excitement.
“Oh, our family’s hero, Xiao Zhi, is back!” he said with a nauseatingly affectionate tone. “Look at you, exhausted again today, aren’t you?”
Wei Zhi frowned and dodged his hand as he tried to clap her on the shoulder, looking at him and Wei Lai with deep suspicion. “Why aren’t you all asleep yet?”
“Aren’t we waiting to discuss a major family matter with you!” Wei Shan walked toward the small table first. Seeing that Wei Zhi hadn’t followed, he beckoned again. “Come on, sit! Sit and let’s talk!”
Wei Lai also uncharacteristically put down his phone, looking as if he were eager to listen.
Wang Lin’s eyes met hers, filled with both helplessness and dread for what was about to happen.
Wei Zhi walked to the table, set down the medicine and the food, and then picked up one of the flyers. Flipping it over, she saw two lines of bold text:
*“Noble and Extraordinary, Standing Above the Rest.”*
*“The Dream Home Tailored for You.”*
She grabbed the other flyers on the table and realized they were all advertisements for high-end residential developments in Jiangdu City.
The exhaustion of the entire day surged into a wave of fury.
Wei Shan, still oblivious to the approaching storm, wore a disgusting smile as he rubbed his rough hands together and handed one of the flyers to Wei Zhi.
“Your brother and I went to look at a few developments today. This is the one we like best.” He could hardly contain his excitement. “Not only is the view great, but there’s a park right next to it, and it’s close to the city center. Plus, it’s large. When Xiao Lai gets married later, there will even be a room for the kids…”
Wei Zhi interrupted him, throwing the flyer back onto the table.
“A house for Wei Lai? Why are you telling me?”
“To have you pay for it, of course—” Wei Shan said without a hint of guilt, maintaining that sickening, fawning smile. “Your brother is twenty-four; it’s time for him to get married and have kids. Without a house, what girl would marry him?”
“That has nothing to do with me,” Wei Zhi said coldly, suppressing her rage. “I don’t have any money.”
“I know you don’t have money, but you can take out a loan.” Wei Shan puffed out his chest, looking as if he had already planned everything for her. “Before, I asked you to get a loan to buy me a used car so I could do ride-hailing to help with the household expenses, and you refused—fine, let bygones be bygones. But you can’t refuse this time, can you? If your mother and I could still borrow money, I wouldn’t be asking you.”
“Consider this money a loan from your father. Once I get my payment for the construction project, you’ll be the first person I pay back,” Wei Shan said. “Even if I can’t pay it back in a year or two, aren’t you about to marry Ji Qikun? Once you have a child, just let your husband help you pay it off.”
“Impossible!” Wei Zhi said. “Don’t even think about it!”
Faced with a refusal that left no room for negotiation, Wei Shan finally showed his true colors.
“Why are you siding with outsiders?” His pleasant facade vanished, and his bulging eyes filled with rage once more. “Wei Lai is your brother. You’re the older sister; you’re supposed to help him buy a house for his marriage! Look at the sisters in other families—which one isn’t rushing to contribute money and effort? You heartless white-eyed wolf, an ungrateful dog that can never be tamed! You only ever think of yourself! I’ve never seen anyone as selfish as you!”
“What a coincidence!” Wei Zhi’s fury finally burst forth, every word laced with deep loathing. “I’ve never seen anyone as shameless as you! Why on earth should I borrow money to buy him a house? I didn't give birth to him!”
“Because I gave birth to you! You should be contributing to this family!” Wei Shan roared. “You’ve got some nerve! Don’t think I won’t teach you a lesson just because you’ve climbed a high branch. You’ll always be my daughter! Even if I beat you to death, no one can do a thing about it!”
“Wei Shan! Wei Shan!” Wang Lin, her face deathly pale, blocked Wei Shan to keep him from reaching Wei Zhi, but she was immediately kicked aside by him.
“What are you doing!” Wei Zhi’s head buzzed as she lunged forward in a fit of rage.
Wei Lai crept up from behind and pinned her arms behind her back, preventing her from moving.
“I’m telling you, I won’t hit you today. Because if the child isn’t taught, it’s the mother’s fault. Your mother didn’t raise you right! That’s why you’re so selfish, disobedient, and unfilial!” Panting heavily, Wei Shan pulled the leather belt from his waist.
“I won’t hit you; I’ll hit the culprit!”
*Crack!*
Accompanied by the sharp sound of whistling air, the two-inch-wide belt lashed violently across Wang Lin’s back. She instinctively curled her body into a ball.
“Stop it!”
Cold fear overrode her burning anger, and Wei Zhi couldn’t help but scream.
Wei Shan ignored her. He put all his strength into the belt, lashing it down heavily onto Wang Lin’s body.
That feeling of total paralysis, of being abandoned by the world, returned to Wei Zhi’s heart. Wei Shan, his face contorted and no longer looking human, was not the terrifying part; what was terrifying was the onslaught of pain and despair that had repeated for twenty-six years.
The places struck by the belt would swell rapidly.
In the first few days, they would be mountain-like ridges of red swelling. But over the next week or two, those two-inch-wide marks would turn into striking, dark purple bruises.
Summer was the season Wei Zhi hated most.
She had to wear long sleeves and long pants in the sweltering heat just to hide the scars that never seemed to fade. Even so, she would endure strange looks because of it.
Once upon a time, whenever her eyes met a stranger’s on the street, she would pray in her heart with a near-moan—
*Take me away.*
No one ever answered her plea.
The only adult who ever asked about the bruises on her arms was her primary school homeroom teacher. Upon learning her biological father had done it, the teacher looked slightly taken aback. After a moment, she said:
“This isn't the way to educate a child. I’ll have a word with your father.”
Wei Zhi had been full of hope.
Yet, nothing changed.
It was just something the teacher had said in passing at the time; only Wei Zhi had taken it to heart.
No one thought it was violence.
“There are no parents in the world who don’t love their children. Your father loves you, too.”
Everyone said that.
Even the old grandmother living next door said the same thing when she came to break up a fight.
The one in the wrong wasn't Wei Shan for hitting her; it was Wei Zhi for being hit.
Not a single person stood on her side. Even Wang Lin would only cry.
Ever since the screams had drawn the neighbors to intervene, Wei Shan had forbidden them from making a sound while being beaten. The more they cried out, the worse the beating would be. Over time, everyone learned to grit their teeth, tense their bodies, and silently pray for the pain to end quickly.
Day after day, she had to be beaten by Wei Shan over trivial matters or watch helplessly as Wang Lin was beaten. She wanted to drop out of school to work and escape this home, but she was too young; no one would hire her even if she quit. She wanted to call the police for help, but she couldn't find a single instance online of a parent losing custody due to long-term domestic violence. Even if she told a teacher, it would result in nothing more than a superficial talk, followed by an even more vicious beating from Wei Shan.
She had nowhere to go.
The only way to survive was to deaden her inner emotions and flatter Wei Shan to buy a moment of peace.
Pain and despair repeatedly eroded her soul. As a child, she had prayed to every god and even every demon, but received no response.
From then on, she knew that living was a painful and lonely affair. Humans are born alone; concepts like reliance and support are nothing but self-deceiving lies used to paint over a grim reality.
Her connection to the world of the living had snapped at that moment.
Even if the belt marks faded with time, the scars etched into her soul never would.
After dozens of lashes, Wei Shan was out of breath. He took a step back to steady himself against the table, one hand clutching his chest.
As she grew into adulthood, the number of times Wei Shan laid a hand on her had decreased. It wasn't because he had reformed, but because his body no longer allowed him to become so agitated.
Domestic abusers do not change their ways; the only thing that can stop their violence is something they themselves cannot fight against.
Wei Zhi looked at him and suddenly began to laugh.
She laughed louder and louder until tears came to her eyes.
Wei Lai was frightened by her and involuntarily released her arms, backing away a few steps.
Even Wang Lin, curled in the corner, couldn't help but look at her through tear-filled eyes.
“What are you laughing at?!” Wei Shan roared.
“I’m laughing at your wasted effort… You want me to take out online loans? Fine, I’ll do it.” Wei Zhi pulled her phone from her bag, unlocked it, opened the private space, and threw the phone to Wei Lai behind her. “As long as you can get the money out, I’ll borrow as much as you want for you.”
She laughed through her tears.
Confused and angry, Wei Shan looked at Wei Lai, who was fumbling with the phone.
A moment later, Wei Lai’s panicked voice rang out: “Dad! She’s already maxed out every online loan! This—this looks like she owes over a million!”
Wei Lai’s words were like a massive boulder crashing through ice; the stone sank into the freezing water, and the cracks continued to spread.
Shocked, panicked, and incredulous gazes converged on Wei Zhi from all sides.
“I told you she was a psycho!” Wei Lai screamed in rage. He rushed to the balcony where the folding bed was kept and pulled a handful of blister packs from under the pillow, hurling them at Wei Zhi.
Many unboxed blister packs flew through the air. One of them grazed Wei Zhi’s cheek, its sharp metallic corner stinging her already numb pride.
The ensuing chaos escalated again. A thoroughly provoked Wei Zhi and a Wei Lai, whose dreams of a new house had been shattered, began to brawl. Between them, after years of snitching and competition, not a shred of sibling affection remained. Every one of Wei Lai’s kicks and punches was delivered with full force, as if he wanted to kill Wei Zhi on the spot. Even Wang Lin, trying to break them up, was struck by several stray blows.
Wei Shan didn't care at all about the fight in front of him; he was still holding her phone, stubbornly checking the loan limits.
Wei Zhi kicked Wei Lai in the groin. Taking advantage of the moment he let go in pain, she rushed into the kitchen.
Wei Lai instinctively went to chase her but stopped abruptly at the kitchen door, backing away.
“Xiao Zhi…” Wang Lin cried out.
Wei Zhi walked out slowly, gripping a meat cleaver. her chest heaved violently, her rapid breaths like those of a bull that had lost its mind at the sight of a red cloth.
“What… what do you think you’re doing?” Wei Lai panicked, instinctively retreating behind Wang Lin. “I’m telling you, if you dare touch me, you’re finished too!”
“Wei Zhi! Put it down!” Wei Shan finally put down the phone and barked.
Wei Zhi held the cleaver and stepped toward the small balcony where she had lived for twenty-six years.
“…Whoever stops me, I’ll cut.” Her own dry, raspy voice startled her.
Was that really a sound coming from her throat? Or was it the cry of a corpse that had been rotting underground for years?
She dragged her suitcase out from the corner and began packing her things.
With trembling hands, Wang Lin picked up a fallen blister pack from the floor, struggling to make out the small print without her glasses.
“Escitalopram Oxalate Tablets.”
It was a complex drug name that Wang Lin had never seen before.
She looked up, her eyes filled with terror and pleading as she looked at Wei Zhi. “Xiao Zhi, what kind of medicine is this? What’s wrong with you?”
“She’s a psycho! Didn’t I say it? There’s something wrong with her head!” Wei Lai shouted.
“Xiao Zhi? Say something… what kind of medicine is this?” Wang Lin’s voice trembled.
As if she heard nothing, Wei Zhi quickly stuffed the clothes and bags Ji Qikun had given her into the suitcase. Other than those, there was nothing else she wanted to take.
What kind of monster was now left in the world under the name of Wei Zhi, even she herself couldn't quite see.
When she was little, her greatest hope was to grow up and naturally escape this long-dead home. Once she actually grew up, she realized that what had trapped her wasn't a lack of financial independence.
It was Wang Lin’s love—a love that had done its best to lift her out of the swamp—that had kept her firmly in place.
*“Why did she have to love me? She should have just treated me like Dad did. Then, I could have left this place without a shred of guilt.”*
She wished she had never been loved, so that she could have allowed herself to be saved alone.
She hated love. Love had trapped her. Love had also killed her.
Dragging the suitcase that felt light despite its size, she stepped over the threshold she should have crossed eight years ago, never looking back.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 伊马替尼 | Imatinib | A targeted therapy drug used to treat gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). |
| 闲鱼 | Xianyu | A popular Chinese second-hand trading platform owned by Alibaba. |
| 小蔡 | Xiao Cai | The gallery's cashier. |
| 跑腿 | Delivery runner / Errand runner | A service where people are paid to deliver items or perform small tasks. |
| 江都市 | Jiangdu City | The fictional or specific city setting of the novel. |
| 草酸艾司西酞普兰片 | Escitalopram Oxalate Tablets | A common antidepressant medication (SSRI). |
| 砍骨刀 | Meat cleaver / Bone chopper | A heavy, broad-bladed knife used for butchering. |
Enjoying the story? Rate this novel:
When the Dolphin Sinks | Chapter 7 | Breaking the Chains | Novela.app | Novela.app
