My Wife's Parasite Brother

Today is my mother's sixty-fifth birthday.
This morning, I specially went to the cake shop to buy her favorite cake and ordered a table filled with her favorite home-cooked dishes.
I arrived at my mother's house half an hour early, but the moment I opened the door, I didn't see her familiar figure.
The house was neatly tidied up, and the gray coat my mother often wore was still hanging on the clothes rack.
I thought she might have gone downstairs for a walk, but after waiting for more than an hour, she still hadn't returned.
I began to panic and called her friends, but they all said they hadn't seen my mother.
I reported it to the police and spent the whole day searching the neighborhood with them, but there wasn't a single clue.
For the next four days, I wandered like a madwoman, going to every place my mother might have been.
The benches in the park, the vegetable market she used to visit often, even the old factory where she worked before retiring.
On the morning of the fifth day, the police called me to say they had found my mother's corpse deep in the mountains on the outskirts of the city.
When I got to the mountains, it was still drizzling, and mud soaked my pant legs; each step felt as heavy as lead.
Mother lay beneath an ancient locust tree, her eyes gently closed, her face peaceful and without pain.
By her side lay an empty blood pressure medicine bottle and a half-eaten piece of cake.
My knees buckled, and I fell to the muddy ground; my throat felt blocked, unable to cry out, only able to stare at my mother's cold body.
Just as my heart shattered, the phone rang.
It was my wife, Helga Quinn, calling.
I took a deep breath and answered, expecting a few words of comfort.
But the first words I heard were, "Did Mom transfer the house to Luke?"
I was stunned for a few seconds, unable to believe what I was hearing.
Rain mixed with tears flowed into my mouthbitter and dry.
I said nothing, hung up immediately, and threw the mobile phone onto the grass beside me.
The wind blew through the trees, making a mournful sound, as if my mother were crying.
I sat alone in my mother's empty room, clutching the sweater she had knit before she died, recalling the days when I first met Helga Quinn.
It happened in the university library; while searching for a textbook, I accidentally bumped into her.
The books in her hands fell all over the floor. I knelt down to help her pick them up, and when I looked up, I caught the panic and shyness in her eyes.
As we gradually got to know each other, she told me that her family was struggling: her father had passed away early, and her mother had raised her and her brother, Luke Quinn, all alone.
She said Luke was her only worry, always very mature since childhood, just a little introverted.
At that time, seeing the sincerity in her eyes, my heart ached with pity.
I told her that from then on, I would love Luke just as much as I loved her, so they could both live a good life.
After graduation, I married Helga Quinn.
I kept my promise and cared for Luke with all my heart.
When he was in college, I covered all his tuition and living expenses.
He said he wanted to buy a computer, so without hesitation, I bought him the latest laptop available at the time.
When he graduated and started looking for a job, I pulled many strings to help him get into a good company.
Helga Quinn always said Luke was still young and needed us to look after him.
I've always believed that family members should support one another.
But after five years of marriage, Helga Quinn consistently refused to have children.
I brought up wanting a child several times, but she always found excuses to avoid it.
At first, she said work was too busy, then financial stress, and later she simply said she wasn't ready to be a mother yet.
I watched as my friends one by one had children, and I felt an indescribable sense of loss inside.
Once, I couldn't help but ask her if it was because of Luke Quinn that she didn't want to have children.
She became very angry at the time, saying I was overthinking things and that I didn't understand her struggles.
Seeing how upset she was, I swallowed the rest of my words.
But the doubts inside me grew like wild grass, stronger and stronger.

When Helga Quinn and I got married, we didn't have much money and could only rent a place to live.
Mother saw it all and worried deeply in her heart.
She used her lifelong savings and borrowed some money from relatives to make the down payment, buying us a two-bedroom apartment.
I knew that money was my mother's retirement fund, and I felt terribly guilty, but my mother said that as long as we were doing well, she would be at ease.
Later, my mother retired. We thought she could finally enjoy her golden years, but unexpectedly, the factory where she had worked ran into trouble, and her pension was cut off for several months.
Not wanting to trouble me, my mother kept it a secret and quietly took a cleaning job.
But not long after, she collapsed at work from exhaustion and had to rest at home.
Without any income, my mother had to repay the money she had borrowed from relatives, so she had no choice but to overuse her credit card.
I happened to see her credit card statement, and the amount she owed tightened my chest with anxiety.
I wanted to give her money, but she stubbornly refused, saying she could handle it herself.
Until one day, when I was sorting through my mother's things, I found a transfer agreement for a grave.
I held the agreement in my hands, trembling uncontrollably.
I asked my mother what was going on, and she hesitated before saying that to repay her debts, she had sold the grave she had bought earlier at a low price.
"Mom, how could you do this!" I couldn't help but shout, tears streaming uncontrollably down my face.
Mother patted my shoulder and smiled, "Jasper, a grave isn't more important than the living. Once things get better, we can buy one."
I held my mother tightly, my heart aching with both sorrow and pain.
But not long after, Luke Quinn got into trouble again.
He started dating a girl who demanded he buy a car, or she would break up with him.
Luke Quinn came to me, crying, saying he really liked the girl and asked me to help him figure out a way.
Seeing how pitiful he looked, I felt conflicted.
At that time, I had just changed jobs, had almost no savings, and my mother was still in debt.
I talked with Helga Quinn about whether we could ask Luke Quinn to wait a bit longer until we were more financially secure.
But Helga disagreed, saying I didn't care about Luke, and even said that if Luke couldn't find a wife, as his elder sister, she would be too ashamed to face anyone.
We fought over this and soon entered a cold war.
The cold war lasted for a week; my mother saw everything and was worried sick.
One day, my mother called me over and handed me a bank card.
"There's fifty thousand here. Take it and buy a car for Luke." Mother said.
I asked her where the money came from, and she said she had sold her gold bracelet.
That gold bracelet was a keepsake left to my mother by my grandmother; she always treasured it and rarely wore it.
I looked at my mother's empty wrist and felt as if my heart was being cut with a knife.
I knew my mother had once again sacrificed her most precious possession for us.
After Luke bought the car, his relationship with his girlfriend improved a lot.
I thought the matter was settled, but unexpectedly, not long after, Luke Quinn came back with new demands.
His girlfriend said the wedding required a bride price of one hundred thousand, plus a marital home, or else they wouldn't get married.
Luke Quinn came to me again, looking miserable, saying he really couldn't leave that girl and begged me to help him no matter what.
I looked at him, feeling both angry and helpless.
A bride price of one hundred thousand and a marital homethose amounts were astronomical to me.
I had just finished repaying the money my mother had borrowed from relatives, and I simply didn't have that kind of money.
I told Luke Quinn that I really couldn't handle it, and asked him to talk with his girlfriend about lowering the bride price a bit; we could rent the marital home for now.
But Luke refused, saying I didn't treat him like family, and even threatened that if I didn't help him, he wouldn't want to live.
Helga Quinn also sided with him, criticizing me for being incapable of even helping my own younger brother-in-law.
We had another fierce argument, and the atmosphere in the house turned icy.
Mother watched us like this and sighed deeply every day.

One night, after work, I came home and found that my mother wasn't there.
On the table lay a note, written in my mother's handwriting: "Jasper, about Luke, I will find a way. Don't look for me. Take good care of yourself."
Holding the note, my heart skipped a beata dark premonition washed over me.
Together with Helga Quinn and Luke Quinn, I searched for my mother for three whole days, but still couldn't find her.
It wasn't until the fourth day that the police called me, saying they had found my mother's corpse in the mountains.
When I arrived in the mountains, I saw my mother lying there, with an empty blood pressure medicine bottle and a half-eaten cake beside her.
My heart felt like it was being torn apart; I collapsed to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably, gasping for breath.
While I was consumed by grief, Helga Quinn and Luke Quinn also arrived.
When they saw my mother's corpse, they didn't cry; instead, they started rummaging through my mother's belongings.
Suddenly, Luke picked up an urnthe box my mother had prepared earlier to hold my grandmother's ashes, which she always kept close.
"Is there something valuable inside here?" As Luke spoke, he knocked the urn to the floor.
The ashes were scattered all over the ground, mixed with dirt.
Seeing this, I trembled with rage, rushed forward, grabbed Luke Quinn by the collar, and punched him in the face.
"Are you even human? That's my grandmother's ashes!" I screamed, tears streaming down like broken beads.
Helga Quinn quickly pulled us apart, saying Luke didn't mean it and urging me not to be angry.
Watching Helga protect Luke, my heart completely sank.
I knew this family was already broken.
Mother's funeral was very simple, with only a few relatives attending.
Luke Quinn kept his head down the entire time, saying nothing; Helga Quinn only shed a few symbolic tears.
After the funeral, I went home and locked myself in my room.
I looked at my mother's photo, thought about everything she had sacrificed for this family, recalled how she was forced to sell the grave cheaply, to sell her gold bracelet, and how she lay alone in the mountains at the end; the fury in my heart erupted like a volcano.
I stepped out of my room and saw Helga Quinn cooking in the kitchen, while Luke Quinn sat in the living room, playing on his mobile phone.
"Did you know all along that my mother would end up like this?" I asked coldly.
The spatula in Helga Quinn's hand paused, then she turned around, panic written all over her face. "What are you talking about? How could I have known?"
"Luke forced my mother to demand bride price and the marital home. Not only did you not stop him, you even helped him. My mother was driven to death by you!" I raised my voice, fury pouring out.
Luke Quinn put down his mobile phone and looked up, defiance etched on his face. "I didn't want this either. She was the one who lost her mind. What does that have to do with me?"
"Shut up!" I pointed at Luke Quinn, my hands trembling with anger. "If it weren't for your greed, my mom wouldn't have died!"
Helga Quinn came over and grabbed my arm. "Jasper, don't get upset. Let's talk this through calmly. Luke is still young and doesn't know better. Don't stoop to his level."
"Young? He's already twenty-five, and you say he's young?" I pulled my arm free from Helga's grasp.
"Helga, I finally see the truth: in your heart, there's only your brotherno me, no my mother. Let's get a divorce."
Helga's face instantly changed when she heard the word "divorce."
"Jasper, don't be impulsive. After our feelings last for so many years, how can we just talk about divorce like it's nothing?"
"Feelings? Is there even any feeling left between us?" I looked at Helga Quinn, my heart heavy with disappointment.
"From the moment Mom went missing until now, all you've cared about is the house transfer, your brother's bride price, and the marital home. Have you ever asked me a single question? Shown any concern for Mom?"
Helga Quinn opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, she said nothing.
I packed my things and moved into a rented apartment near the company.
In that apartment, staring at a photo of Mom, an idea took shape in my mind.
I want to take Mom's ashes on a journeyto all the places she longed to visit but never did.
I bought my mother a small train ticket, placed her ashes in a delicate little box, and put it in my backpack.
Before I left, Helga Quinn called me, saying she knew she was wrong, begged me not to divorce, and promised she would change.
Listening to her words, I felt not the slightest flutter in my heart.
"Helga, it's over between us. I'll draft the divorce agreement soon; just sign it." After saying this, I hung up, slung my backpack over my shoulder, and set off on my journey.

With my mother's ashes in tow, I first went to the seaside she had always wanted to visit.
Standing by the sea, gazing at the endless ocean, I gently scattered some of my mother's ashes into the water.
"Mom, look, this is the sea. Isn't it beautiful?" I whispered softly to the sea.
"You always said, when I had time, I would take you to see the sea. Now, I've brought you here."
The sea breeze brushed against my cheeks, as if my mother were gently stroking my hair.
In the days that followed, I traveled to many places.
I took my mother to the ancient city to see the old buildings; to the snowy mountains to see the pure white snow; and to the grasslands to see the boundless green.
Whenever I go somewhere, I take photos and write a few words, capturing every little moment with my mother, then post them online.
At first, I just wanted to find a place to pour out my longing, but unexpectedly, my posts drew a lot of attention.
Many people left messages to comfort and encourage me, and some shared their own stories about their mothers.
As more people followed the story, Luke Quinn's deeds became known to everyone.
Soon, Luke Quinn's personal information was uncovered by online friends, including his workplace and home address.
His company, under pressure, fired him.
When he went out, someone threw eggs at him and shouted insults.
His car was also scratched all over the body.
Since then, Luke Quinn has hidden at home, too afraid to go outside.
Helga Quinn called me many times, crying and begging me to delete the post, saying it was too unfair to Luke.
I refused her.
"This isn't unfair; it's what he deserves." I said coldly, "He must bear the consequences of his own actions."
After hanging up, I looked out the window, feeling not a shred of sympathy.
I know this might be a bit extreme, but whenever I think about what happened to my mother, I feel that Luke Quinn's punishment is far from enough.
I carried my mother's ashes and continued on my journey.
That day, while in a small town, I received a message from Helga Quinn; she said she wanted to talk to me.
We agreed to meet at a caf in the town.
When I saw Helga, she looked exhausted, her eyes swollen and red, and the usual glow on her face was gone.
"Jasper, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me this one time." Helga Quinn sat across from me, crying.
"Can we start over?"
I looked at her, my heart utterly unmoved.
"Helga, it's too late." I said softly, "Mom is already gone. Some things, once they happen, can never be undone."
"I know, I know Mom is dead. I regret it deeply. I shouldn't have helped Luke pressure your mom. I shouldn't have only cared about the house and the bride price." Helga Quinn cried as she spoke, "But I really had no choice. Luke is my only brother; I can't just abandon him."
"It's allowed, but not if it means hurting others." I looked at Helga Quinn, "Have you ever thought about how much my mother sacrificed for this family?"
"She sold her grave for less than it was worth, sold her gold bracelet. She gave us all her loveso what did we give back?"
"All we give her in return is endless demands and harm."
Helga Quinn hung her head, crying uncontrollably, unable to say a word.
"I've already drafted the Divorce Agreement. Take a look, and if everything's fine, just sign it." I took the Divorce Agreement from my bag and placed it in front of her.
Helga Quinn picked up the Divorce Agreement, staring at it for a long time. Tears fell onto the paper, smudging the text.
"Does it really have to be this way?" She looked up at me, her eyes filled with pleading.
I nodded. "Yes, it has to be this way."
Helga Quinn was silent for a long time, but in the end, she picked up the pen and signed the Divorce Agreement.

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