Chapter 2. The Beginning

“I do not want chemotherapy or the medications . They will only make me go through pain when I can just die at nature’s dictated time,” I blurted.

“No,” Dad argued.

“I have made my decision, and you are not changing it this time. I cannot be healed, so why go through all the stress?” I said. “I want to go home,” I said. “If you want me to at least listen to your plans, then I must go home,” I guess death was the only thing strong enough to push me into making such demands.

Dad was going to refuse, but Mom stopped him. I got discharged with a lot of medications and endless appointments for when I was going to start chemotherapy.

“So, you will follow the doctor’s instructions,” Dad said immediately after we got into the house.

“You know I should be given a chance to decide my life. I have been protected, and you have decided everything I did since I was a baby. Let me do something for myself for the first time in my life. You guys have had 22 years of my life, let me have this one year,” I pleaded.

Mom’s eyes were already red, and I could tell she wanted to continue crying. No, I will not let her push me into agreeing to what they wanted this time.

“You have more than a year, my love. With chemotherapy and all the treatments, you can survive. People have fought cancer, and you will not be the first. We will be by your side,” Mom pleaded.

She came close to me and held my face. She was crying. I have never seen my mom cry so hard, but they are not listening. I pulled away from my mom’s hands and looked at my dad. He stood in the corner, looking away from the whole commotion. Mom was crying louder, and I could no longer hold mine. I let them fall as I walked away from my mom towards my dad.

“Father, are you even listening to me? Are you people listening to me?” I asked Dad.

He turned to look at my mom and gave her a stern look. “You have to stop all this nonsense, Mei Xing. You need to focus on your treatment. And if you want to have this freedom you seek, I will find you a husband,” Dad said and left the room.

Hell no, I did not just have an argument with my parents to end up with my dad picking a husband for me. What does having a husband have to do with anything?

“If you didn’t want me, you should have aborted me and waited for the perfect son you and your husband so desired,” I yelled and left the room.

I got into my car and drove off. I sighed and parked the car. What have I done? I do not know how to drive a car. I do not have a driver’s license, and the last time I threw a tantrum, I was five. I screamed and kicked the tires of the car.

I sighed and got back into the car. I grabbed my phone and called my driver.

“Miss Xiao Ming, where are you? Your father will have my head if he finds out you left without me,” he said in a panicking voice.

“I know, I am sorry. I was angry and needed fresh air. I am not too far from the gate, please find me without alerting anyone,” I pleaded.

“I do not want to lose my job,” he said.

I sighed and locked the door.

The tapping sound on my window scared the hell out of me. I turned and saw my driver. I don’t think I have ever been so happy to see my driver. I moved to the back seat and opened the door to let him in.

“Where to, ma’am?” he asked.

“Anywhere but home,” I said and let him drive me into the city.

The city was my escape. I loved how there were a lot of people, and no one cared about me.

“Thank you,” I murmured.

He nodded and slowed down.

“Look dude, you can’t fire me. I need the job,” someone yelled.

I looked out the window and told my driver to slow down. I was fascinated by the young man.

“I will be back,” I said to my driver and got out of the car before he could protest.

“Hey,” I said to the man after tapping him.

He turned to me, looking angry. “Didn’t mom teach you how to talk to strangers?” he asked and started walking away from me.

Mom, my mom, and Dad were conniving to get me married because I was about to die, and he thinks he can talk about manners. I followed the stranger and said the most stupid thing I have ever said in my life.

“Marry me?” I said.

He looked at me and started laughing. “You want me to marry you?” he asked me, and I nodded. I already started this, but I have to go with it.

“You don’t even know my name,” he said.

“We can talk about that later. I will pay you a hundred thousand dollars if you do,” I said.

“That desperate?” he asked me.

“You need the money,” I said, referring to the job he just lost. I handed him my business card and urged him to think about it.

Turning around, I was met with the realization that I just asked a random stranger to be my husband. I do not know his name. I turned around, but he was already gone. I guess I do not have to worry about it anymore. He probably thinks I am psycho and will not want to end up with me. What was I thinking? I wasn’t thinking. I walked to my car and ordered the driver to take me back home.

“My dad must not know that I went into the city without his permission or that I spoke to a stranger, or you lose your job and I get grounded for the rest of my life,” I said and laughed at my stupid threat. I was only going to be alive for a year or less.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said and smiled.

“You drove me to the woods,” I said and walked into the house.

My mom was pacing around the living room while my dad was staring at the door, waiting for the next person to come in, and unlucky I just had to be that person.

“Young woman, where have you been?” he asked me.

“I am not ten, you know,” I said and folded my hands.

“You are my daughter, and you will respect my rules as long as you still live under my roof and have no man to call your husband,” my dad said, and that really upset me. Words I was sure of came spilling out of my mouth.

“I am getting married!”