Chapter 4

The delivery workers had just carried the new oxygen concentrator into the yard when several black luxury cars pulled up outside the gate.

Eliana was the first to enter.

Behind her followed more than a dozen doctors in white coats, along with several people carrying imported medical equipment I could not even name.

Father nodded in satisfaction. “Your grandfather’s condition needs to be handled by professionals.”

Mother smiled as well. “Eliana had to turn down several important meetings just to bring these specialists here. She grew up by his side, after all. He’s always been in her thoughts.”

Eliana’s expression remained indifferent as she replied, “It’s only right.”

Alistair then carefully opened the rosewood box in his arms. Inside lay a wild Phoenix Root with all its tendrils intact, accompanied by a gold-plated nameplate.

“Grandpa, I bought this century-old wild Phoenix Root for you at an auction. $1 million is nothing. The most important thing is you getting better.”

Mother immediately took his hand.

“Alistair, you’re always so thoughtful. Unlike some people, who spend every day by Mr. Spencer Sr.’s side but have nothing to show for it.”

I stood by the doorway with a basket of wild vegetables in my arms, instinctively shrinking back.

However, Alistair acted as though he had only just noticed me. He smiled and beckoned me over.

“Zachary, don’t hide. We’ve all prepared something for Grandpa. What did you bring?”

I looked at the specialists Eliana had brought, then at the wild Phoenix Root worth millions. Suddenly, the wild vegetables in my arms seemed embarrassingly shabby.

Still, I spent nine months saving up for that oxygen concentrator. I set down my basket and pointed to the cardboard box beside the wall.

“The old machine broke, so I bought Grandpa a new oxygen concentrator.”

Alistair walked over, glanced at it, and raised his eyebrows in exaggerated surprise.

“Is it domestically made? I’ve seen this brand online. Doesn’t it cost only $1,000 or $2,000?”

The entire yard fell into silence.

Mother’s expression darkened. “Do you expect Grandpa to use a machine this cheap?”

I hurried to explain, “This one cost $1,000. The repairman said it’s good quality.”

“$1,000?”

Father looked as though he had just heard a ridiculous joke.

“Do you think the Spencer family is so hard up that we can’t spare $1,000?”

Mr. Zellen immediately stepped out from behind the crowd.

“Mr. and Mrs. Spencer, I’ve been meaning to report this to you. Master Zachary is incredibly stingy. He washes Mr. Spencer Sr.’s incontinence pads and reuses them, feeds him nothing but rotten vegetables from the yard, and won’t even hire a caregiver.”

I whipped my head toward him.

“That’s not true! The care pads are expensive, so I make them myself. And the vegetables were freshly picked this morning. They’re perfectly fresh.”

Mr. Zellen heaved a sigh. His eyes reddened as though he had been deeply wronged.

“Master Zachary, I know you don’t like me, but you can’t take out your frustrations on Mr. Spencer Sr.’s health. I’ve warned you time and time again not to cut corners when it comes to an elderly person’s care, but you never listen.”

Mother pointed at me furiously.

“Zachary, what exactly are you up to? Your grandfather used to dote on you more than anyone. Is this how you repay him?”

“I didn’t do anything!”

My eyes burned as I desperately tried to defend myself.

“I turn Grandpa over every day. He’s never developed a single bedsore. The vegetables are ones I grew myself, and I raised the chickens that laid the eggs. I even saved up and bought the machine with my own money!”

Alistair gently took Mother’s hand.

“Mother, please don’t be mad. Maybe Zachary just doesn’t like spending money. After all, he still has to support his adoptive father back in the mountains.”

I hurriedly shook my head.

“I don’t give my adoptive father any money. He can dig for medicinal herbs and work the fields himself.”

Alistair gave me a look of exaggerated concern, as though he was trying to protect me.

“Zachary, you don’t have to hide it. How you spend the money the family gives you is your business. But you can’t take all of Grandpa’s life-saving money and use it to support outsiders!”

Eliana’s expression turned completely cold when she heard that.

She walked over to the oxygen concentrator, glanced at the price printed on the box, then looked up and fixed her gaze on me.

“How much did you pay for this machine?”

“$1,000.”

“Whose money did you use?”

“The money I saved myself.”

As though barely suppressing her anger, she asked each word slowly and deliberately.

“The family allocates $100,000 a month for Mr. Spencer Sr.’s care. You’ve been here for nine months. That’s a total of $900,000. Tell me, where did all that money go?”

$900,000?

My mind went blank with a loud buzz.

It had taken me nine whole months just to save $1,000. I could not even begin to imagine what $900,000 would look like piled up in front of me.

Father slammed his palm against the table.

“Hand over your bank card!”

Mother’s chest heaved with rage.

“No wonder you always dress like some penniless beggar. So you’ve been deliberately playing the victim while secretly siphoning off the money!”

Alistair pleaded with red-rimmed eyes.

“Zachary, if you confess now, Father and Mother might still forgive you.”

Mr. Zellen pulled out his phone.

“Mr. Spencer, perhaps we should just call the police. This is far too much money to let him talk his way out of.”

Their accusations came one after another, leaving me utterly dazed.

$100,000 a month? $900,000 over nine months? What did any of that have to do with me?

With trembling hands, I fumbled for my old phone in my trouser pocket.

The screen had been cracked for ages. It took several taps before it finally lit up. I opened my banking history and scrolled backward, checking the transactions one by one.

For nine months, every single deposit had been $150 except for one month, when I had received only $50.

I held out my phone to Eliana. Eliana took it with a grim expression.

Father, Mother, and Alistair crowded around her to look.

The yard fell so quiet that the only sound was the low hum of the old oxygen concentrator in Grandpa’s room.

I stared at them, completely bewildered.

“I haven’t even seen a whiff of that money! I’ve only ever received $150 a month!”