novelnext Chapter 1: Biased Parents
Chapter 1: Biased Parents
Denver's summers were sweltering, so much so that the city was famous for its furnace-like temperatures.
Leslie Sabbith was sweating profusely as she made her way back home through the blistering heat. As soon as she arrived at the door, she heard her younger brother, Jim, protesting, "I don't wanna go to college!"
Her mom's stern voice boomed through the doors. "You must! You’re the only son in our family. If you don't go to college, who will your father and I rely on when we grow old?"
"Aren’t my sister’s grades good enough? Why don’t you let her go to college?" Jim's goal was to become a top e-sports player. He’d lost interest in studying since well over a year ago.
He originally thought that he could give up his studies and pursue his dreams as soon as he graduated from high school. Unexpectedly, their parents were strongly opposed to his plans.
"Your sister is a girl. No matter how much she studies, she’ll marry into someone else's family in the future."
"And so you’re gonna force me to do things I don't want to do?" Jim rolled his eyes at his mother. "Can you guys even afford to send both of us to college with your meager income?”
Neither of their parents had a stable job. Currently, Mrs. Sabbith worked at a hot pot restaurant, and Mr. Sabbith at a construction site. More often than not, they were idle and jobless for a good part of the year.
The 20,000 dollars their family had managed to save up was barely enough for one person’s tuition.
Their financial situation was why Jim believed his parents would readily agree to let him drop out.
His mother said, "Your dad and I are doing this for your own good. Do you think you’ll have a good future playing games all day? This college might not be an Ivy League, but as long as you get in and study hard, it won’t be difficult to learn some skills and build a stable career.”
"What about my sister?" Jim glanced at his mother. "If I’m going to college, does that mean my sister can’t go?"
"Your sister? She’ll be twenty years old soon. Your father and I have arranged a marriage for her. The groom’s family is quite rich, and they even have two houses!"
Jim asked in shock, "You want to marry her off? Does she even know about this?"
"I haven't told her yet, but I’m sure she’ll agree!"
Leslie stood frozen outside the door, unable to believe what she had just overheard.
Her parents were going to marry her off?
Twenty? Nothing could be further from the truth.
Actually, she was only one year older than Jim.
She was only 19 this year. In the past, the government’s policies ruled that a family could only have a second child after the first daughter was four years old. To avoid getting fined, her parents forged her birthdate and increased her age by two years in order to widen the gap with Jim.
She couldn’t believe that they using her age as a reason to marry her off.
Two houses?
Was her future not as important as two houses to her parents?
In their eyes, getting Jim to college was the most important issue.
And marrying her off was for her own good?
Heh…laughable.
Jim's most recent test scores barely satisfied the admission requirements.
And she… always ranked among the top in the whole high school.
Leslie never imagined that her parents would be so partial.
Having collected her thoughts, she finally pushed open the door and walked in.
Mrs. Sabbith froze for a brief moment upon seeing her, but she quickly broke into a smile. "Leslie, you're back! How's work going?"
"I still have to go in the afternoon." Leslie found it impossible to reciprocate her mother’s gesture. Instead, she asked, "Mom, do you really mean what you just said?"
Mrs. Sabbith replied, "Did you hear all that?"
There was no trace of guilt on her face.
After all, she felt that she had made the best decision for her daughter.