Moments ago, 

The pill had softened; it was a matter of time before Bian expelled it from her mouth. 

Yet, her father, lost in his stubbornness, ignored Bian's every plea.

Bian had already lost her appetite because of the fever, and the pill's bitterness only worsened the situation. 

If only I had syrup on hand, this whole ordeal could have been avoided.

This time, she vomited. It seemed too much for her to bear any longer, and her father's relentless persistence made her fever worse.

As I moved forward to console her, I noticed a sudden rage in my husband's eyes. His uncontrollable anger hinted that he was ready to slap Bian. 

Before I could intervene, he struck her head forcefully, causing her to fall from the bed.

"Have you gone mad?" 

I shouted at him in shock.

"Let go of me." 

I was utterly shocked when I saw him prioritizing his anger over our daughter's well-being.

"Have you forgotten about her fever?" 

I tried to bring him back to his senses.

"Let go. She needs to learn everything through beating." 

His intentions are clear from his response.

"Are you blind? Can't you see she's just a child?" 

With all the strength I could muster, I fought to restrain him.

Trembling with fear, Bian met my gaze as she raised her head. At that moment, I told her to get out of the room, but it was a fatal mistake.

In that fleeting moment of distraction, he broke free from my grasp. He ran towards her for another blow. 

Tears flowed down her face as she fell to the ground once more; her face was full of despair and confusion.

                          **********

I'm confused right now. I don't understand anything that's happening.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I fell to the ground once more. Everything seemed like a blur of bottomless events.

Lots of questions swirled inside my mind.

Did Dad really slap me?

Did he cause my fall from the bed too? The ache in my head only added to the puzzle.

Amid everything, Mom was pulling Dad urgently. My stomach felt queasy, like it was about to turn upside down.

The world seemed strange, and I felt lost in a whirlwind of emotions that I couldn't understand.

It felt like everything was a fog of confusion and disarray, like a puzzle with pieces that just didn't fit together in my mind.

Bleargh…

Despite spitting it all out, the uneasiness refuses to disappear. I tried to get up, but the room swirling around me made me dizzy.

Before I could gather my thoughts, another sharp slap caused me to back down.

Bleargh…

My insides feel like a storm about to burst, but there's nothing left to come out.

The chaos around me only adds to my confusion and emotional turmoil.

                         ***********

"Stop it. Can't you see her condition has worsened?"

"This is how she'll learn to take her medicine."

He's lost in his mind; he is deaf to any reason. How can he be so oblivious to Bian's suffering? I never imagined he could treat her like this.

"Bian, get up! Go to my room and lock the door!”

Bleargh…

The sight of her agony pierces my heart. The scars of this moment will linger for a long time.

I prayed continuously that she wouldn't have to bear a moment like this. However, she still has to suffer like this.

I've lost track of the blows I've taken trying to shield her. Why can't he see that Bian is still a child?

No matter how hard I struggle, I can't restrain him for long. He dragged me toward her and delivered another blow to her.

"Bian, get up! Bian! Biaaan!"

My heart shrank when I didn't see any movement from her.

My head pounds with a mix of fury and fear. I shoved him aside and rushed to Bian's side.

                          ***********

The world spins around me. My ears ring with silence, and my sight is covered by a haze.

I sensed someone touching my body, and it made me tremble with fear. I'm afraid of receiving another blow.

Yet I felt a gentle touch on my head and cheek, a familiar embrace — I knew it was Mom.

But then, a force pulled me away. Suddenly, there was nothing beneath me, just a weightless void. Then came a jolting crash as I hit the ground hard.

"Aaaahhh!"

I started screaming as every inch of my body shouted in pain, leaving me writhing in agony.

Did Dad... throw me? No, it can't be. He wouldn't.

Suddenly, I couldn't breathe because a pressure clamped down on my throat and suffocated me.

I started struggling for air. Overwhelming fear clenched me so tightly that I began calling Mom for help.

I can't breathe. Mom, help. Mom.

However, my voice wouldn't come out. The fear urged me to run away from this situation. I'm strangling because of the terror.

Something is shoved into my mouth, a finger pushing it down my throat.

I can't breathe. It hurts so much.

I gulped it down as I tried to grasp some air. However, the pressure in my throat eased, and the finger withdrew.

Cough…

I struggled to draw breath; each inhale was so painful. Suddenly, a figure covered me in a tight embrace.

After a few moments, they gave me water. As I tried to drink, the water caused me to choke, and it reminded me of what happened a little while ago.

Feeling scared, I braced myself for more beating to come. But instead, gentle pats on my back comforted me.

After a little wait, they gave me the water again. I managed to drink it this time. The person waited and offered me more water a moment later.

Gradually, my vision returned, and I saw Mom embracing me.

She stroked my face, planting soft kisses, tears also falling from her face as she caressed me.

Though I still can't hear her words, her tears speak volumes. Seeing her in pain, I too began to weep uncontrollably.

A torrent of questions and words fought within me. For now, all I can do is cry. Mom holds me close, her embrace a lifeline amidst the agony.

Mom, the pain is unbearable. Why does Dad do this?

                          **********

I constantly wish never to see those haunting memories in my dreams again, yet those vivid fragments flicker before my eyes in this dream.

Each time Dad talks to me like that, these painful recollections flood back. No matter how often I relive these moments, the pain they bring remains as fresh as ever.

A multitude of unanswered questions still lingers in my mind.

Well, with no one to answer them.

I was hospitalized for a few days because of a high fever. Even the doctors were shocked as my fever wasn't reducing, yet I was met with a resounding silence.

In the aftermath, Mom also started to change her behavior towards me. Dad later arrived with apologies and embraced me.

A fragile attempt at reconciliation.

However, he said if I had listened to him, perhaps all of that would never have happened.

His words left me in a world of helplessness and sorrow. Even now, I want to say to him that I was just a child back then.