Chapter 4

As soon as school was out that evening, I rushed to the mall to buy Mom a gift.

It was a long journey, and I didn't get home until eight in the evening.

As soon as I pushed open the door, I eagerly shouted into the house:

"Happy Birthday, Mom!!"

"Look what I bought you..."

But what greeted me was Mom's grim face.

Her face was dark as thunder. She blocked me at the doorway, not letting me take a step inside.

She held a thick cane in her hand, staring intensely at me:

"Leo, it's eight o'clock at night! Where have you been?!"

"Do you know how worried the whole family was about you!"

Dad's voice carried a hint of exhaustion:

"It's your mom's birthday today, can't you just calm down?!"

Noah snatched the bag from my hand and threw it to the ground.

"Leo, you're unbelievable!"

"We've been waiting for you for so long, and you were out shopping with your girlfriend!"

I instinctively tried to grab the bag back: "No, I wasn't!"

"That's for..."

But my struggle, in their eyes, was a sign of guilt.

"Not true?"

Mom snatched my bag.

She roughly tore open the pretty wrapping paper, only to find a delicate silver bracelet inside.

Mom froze for a moment, picking up the bracelet blankly: "This is..."

Did Mom understand?

I swallowed, seizing the opportunity to explain.

"It's the birthday present I bought for you!"

"Every time we went to that mall, you always couldn't help but stare at that gold bracelet..."

"Even though you said it was nothing special. But I know, you've always really liked it!"

"I couldn't afford gold, so I could only buy you silver..."

"But I know you won't mind, right!"

I grew more excited as I spoke, unable to resist taking the bracelet.

"Mom, let me help you try it on to see if it fits!"

"If it doesn't, we can still exchange it today!"

Mom coldly pulled her hand back, looking at me suspiciously.

"Really?"

For some reason, her gaze made my heart pound.

But I still pretended to be calm and nodded.

The atmosphere grew heavier, and Dad finally spoke.

"Alright, alright, the kid's heart is in the right place, don't be so suspicious!"

"Leo, go wash your hands, dinner's ready!"

I immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

But the next second, Mom's cane struck my leg.

"Only you would believe his nonsense!"

"I just saw it, this thing costs hundreds!"

"He's just a student, where would he get money for a gift like that?!"

I cried out in pain: "Ah—!!"

"That was, that was my birthday money!"

She froze for a moment.

Then hit me even harder.

"You're still lying!"

"Your annual allowance, maybe a few hundred bucks, it's all spent on workbooks, remember? There's nothing left!"

"Tell me, did some rich sugar mama buy this for you?!!"

"I'm such a failure, how could I raise a child like you!!"

I endured the pain, trying to steady her trembling body.

"Mom, no..."

"You're not a failure, I'm the one who's not good enough!"

"I'm not good enough..."

But the next second, she forcefully pushed my hand away.

"Get out!"

Her voice became very faint:

"If only I had Noah as my only son..."

I looked up at her; she was clutching her chest, struggling to breathe.

"Mom—!!"

The next second, she collapsed.

Dad called an ambulance. Just as I was about to follow them, Noah blocked my way.

"Leo, you practically made Mom pass out, and you still have the nerve to go with them?!"

I couldn't do anything but grab Dad's sleeve, pleading desperately.

"Dad, please..."

"I want to go to the hospital with Mom too!"

But Dad furiously shook my hand off.

"Stop making things worse, will you?!"

"Are you trying to make me die of anger too?!"

I was flung to the ground, but he wouldn't even look at me,

He just turned and got back into the ambulance.

The car sped away, and I ran after it.

"Mom—"

"Mom!!"

But no matter how loudly I shouted, the car didn't stop for a second.

I stared blankly at the receding taillights.

"Can the system be activated early?"

A cold, robotic voice sounded in my ear.

"Your pain perception is not yet fully numb. Activating early may cause unbearable suffering."

"Do you still wish to proceed?"

I nodded firmly.

Less than a second later, a bloody gash appeared on my arm.

The system forcibly implanted a chip under my skin.

A strange sensation surged through my body,

As if someone was seizing my body, seizing my consciousness...

As the pain slowly faded,

I heard my own voice: "Perfect Child System officially activated."