Growing Pains

Children who live under someone else's roof may not necessarily grow up rebellious or overly eager to please, but they inevitably become adept at reading people's moods.

Life in Vine City was far more comfortable than in the small rural town Zora had come from.

The elementary school in the city was much nicer than the one in the countryside, with well-equipped classrooms and kind, approachable teachers. Living with her biological mother gave Zora a sense of security, and the hot climate of Vine City meant winters were mild—no snow, just a couple of sweaters and her school uniform to get by.

For the poor, summer was always easier than winter. Fewer expenses on clothing and heating, a simple shelter, plenty of water, and overly salty food were enough to survive.

Both Zora and Megan liked Vine City.

The new family seemed to get along well enough. Leo was gentle and well-mannered, with no bad habits, but he also took no interest in household matters or the children. After work, he would sit in front of the computer, surfing the internet, playing games, trading stocks, chatting, or watching DVDs. In those days, the power company was one of the most profitable state-owned enterprises, and as a technical employee with prospects for promotion, Leo earned a good salary and enjoyed excellent benefits. The family of four lived comfortably, with staples like rice, oil, and daily necessities provided by his workplace. The children didn't cost much beyond food and drink, and the household had no extra expenses, giving the impression of financial stability.

Megan considered herself lucky to have found a reliable man. She and Leo had started their relationship through online chats, and she admired him intellectually. In the first year of their marriage, she became a homemaker. At the beginning of each month, Leo would give her a fixed sum for household expenses—not a lot, but enough to cover the basics. Megan made it clear she wasn't materialistic and took good care of the family.

On the surface, Megan seemed to favor Jax, treating him with kindness and attentiveness. But Jax was indifferent, his cold gaze flickering with disdain. Even at a young age, he had a fierce, almost menacing air about him, which Megan found deeply off-putting. Privately, however, Zora received better treatment—though it was always hidden. For example, when a chicken was cooked, one drumstick would go to Leo, and the other to Jax, but Zora was always the first to taste the meat.

Over time, Zora learned a phrase: appearances can be deceiving.

No one in the family paid much attention to Jax, and the neighbors often said he was a troublemaker who would grow up to be a hoodlum. He was wild, coming home only to eat and sleep, and spending the rest of his time outside. Near their neighborhood was a garbage dump and a small park, which served as Jax's territory. He was a master at marbles, card flipping, mock battles, and spinning tops, and he was notorious for picking fights, earning a reputation as the local bully among his peers. Zora and Jax attended the same school, but they never walked together or spoke. If they happened to be close to each other outside, he would coldly tell her to go away and keep her distance.

At home, whenever they shared the bedroom, Zora often bore the brunt of his temper. She never knew what might set him off—a sudden punch to her back, a pencil jabbed into her arm, or having her homework torn up. Both Zora and Jax were quiet by nature, but Zora was more timid. Jax would threaten her fiercely, warning her that if she told the adults, he would beat her to death.

The second bedroom had no air conditioning, and Jax monopolized the fan all summer. Zora's bed was by the window, baking in the sun every morning, leaving her tossing and turning at night from the heat. Sometimes, she would glance at Jax, asleep in his tank top and shorts, looking deceptively harmless, like a little devil in disguise.

Zora never reported Jax's behavior to Megan or Leo because Jax also got beaten—by Leo.

In those days, gentle parenting wasn't the norm, and misbehaving children were often physically disciplined. The cries of children being punished could often be heard echoing through the neighborhood, but no one paid much attention. However, the Thorn family was always eerily quiet.

Leo never bothered to reason with Jax or lecture him. Zora once witnessed Jax returning from playing outside at dinnertime. As he dragged his chair noisily to the table, Leo frowned and suddenly kicked him in the stomach. Jax crashed into the corner, the wall thudding like a muffled firecracker. Jax slumped in the corner, his jaw tight, as Leo calmly walked over, delivered a couple more kicks, and then sat down to eat and drink as if nothing had happened. Jax silently picked himself up, retrieved his chopsticks from the floor, and began shoveling rice into his mouth with a fierce determination.

These beatings were always sudden and without warning, like swatting a fly that happened to buzz by. There was no explanation, no reason given—or if there was, Leo couldn't be bothered to share it. Maybe a neighbor had complained, or a teacher had called to report Jax's behavior.

The beatings weren't daily, but they happened often enough—every ten days or so. Leo never hit Jax in the face, usually opting to kick him in the stomach, back, or thighs.

Zora had seen the bruises on Jax's body and found the whole thing terrifying. Megan reassured her that boys needed discipline, especially one as rough and unruly as Jax, who cursed, fought, and stole. Megan told Zora to stay away from him and to report any bullying to Leo.

Despite the force of Leo's kicks, Jax never showed any sign of pain. He would simply get up, his young face expressionless, his eyes like cold, hard stones, filled with a fierce determination. Zora used to think it didn't hurt much, but later she noticed Jax whimpering in his sleep, sometimes clutching his stomach and groaning. She realized he was in pain but endured it silently. In his sleep, he would mutter incoherently, occasionally calling out for his mother.

As time went on, Zora grew increasingly uneasy in the household.

One day, a neighbor came to complain that his car had been scratched, and someone had seen Jax using a stone to make the marks. The owner demanded compensation, and after settling the matter, Leo calmly brought out a device he had made.

Jax bolted into the room and cowered in the corner, his eyes filled with fear, like a trapped animal.

It was some kind of electric shock device Leo had rigged up. He worked with electricity, so it was easy for him to create a tool for punishment. When the device touched Jax's body, he began to tremble, his shoulders hunched, his face pale, and his eyes red.

"I'm doing this for your own good," Leo said gently. "If you keep this up, you'll end up in serious trouble. I can't have you disgracing my name. You're not my son, and I'm not your father."

Zora watched as Jax's body convulsed unnaturally.

Megan, looking equally shocked, dragged a trembling Zora out of the room and onto the balcony. "Don't be scared," she said. "This has nothing to do with you. Jax's mother wronged Leo."

After that, every time Jax got into trouble and was punished, Zora would have nightmares. She would wake up in the middle of the night, her legs cramping, gasping for air. Sometimes, her struggles would wake Jax, who would pull back the curtain and stand by her bed, watching her with a cold, mocking grin.

"If you keep watching, I'll gouge your eyes out in the middle of the night," he said.

Zora whimpered and covered her eyes.

He smirked at her cowardice. "What are you so afraid of? He's not going to hit you."

"He's a psychopath," Jax muttered before turning over and going back to sleep, pulling the blanket over his head.

As Zora grew older, she began to piece together the story of Jax's mother from neighborhood gossip and Megan's vague hints.

Jax's mother had drowned. She had gone to the river to wash bedsheets and was found days later. It was unclear whether it was an accident or a choice. Before her death, there were rumors of an affair, that she had cheated on Leo and been caught. She had wanted a divorce, but Leo refused, and the couple fought constantly. There were even whispers that Jax wasn't Leo's son, as Leo had been diagnosed with a low sperm count and was unlikely to father children.

Megan had studied Jax's features closely, even asking Zora if she thought he looked like Leo. The neighbors said Jax resembled his mother, who had been very beautiful, but there were also traces of Leo in him—the high nose bridge, the double eyelids.

There were no photos of Jax's mother in the house, or if there were, Zora had only glimpsed one—a small black-and-white ID photo tucked between the pages of one of Jax's books. When Jax noticed her looking, he shoved her away.

Over time, Megan and Leo began to argue as well. Leo only gave her a fixed amount for household expenses each month. While the family savings were supposedly substantial, Leo kept tight control over the money, leaving Megan with little to spare. If she wanted more, she would have to find a job. Additionally, Leo continued to flirt with various women online.

Megan wanted to have another child. With Leo and Jax's relationship deteriorating, she knew it was only a matter of time before they cut ties. If she could have a child with Leo, it would secure her position in the family.

Zora was an excellent student, consistently ranking among the top in her grade. She earned numerous awards each semester and participated in various academic competitions and extracurricular activities. Though her quiet personality didn't make her particularly popular, her academic achievements earned her the attention and admiration of those around her. Over time, she even managed to form close friendships with a couple of classmates.

At school, no one knew about her relationship with Jax. Despite his young age, Jax was already known for his rebellious and unruly behavior. He wasn't a terrible student—his grades hovered around the middle of the pack—but he was more famous for his wild antics. By fifth and sixth grade, he already had girls chasing after him, calling his name loudly, and competing to do his homework for him.

Even at such a young age, the girls would gush about how good-looking Jax was, how his smile was even more captivating, and how, despite his rough and sometimes annoying demeanor, he had a sense of loyalty that made him seem like a hero from a martial arts novel.

Sometimes, Zora would catch sight of Jax on the playground, darting from one end to the other, his forehead glistening with sweat, his dusty cheeks lit up with a carefree grin, his dark eyes sparkling. In those moments, he didn't seem so terrifying.

When Zora graduated from elementary school, Jax moved on to the local middle school. The school wasn't far from home—just a thirty-minute walk—but Jax chose to live in the dormitory.

As he entered adolescence, it no longer seemed appropriate for the two of them to share a room, especially given Jax's volatile temperament. It was better for him to live on campus, leaving Zora to have a room to herself. She was a good student, quiet and timid, and deserved a bit more care.

Jax's single bed was moved to the living room, a rectangular space with a corner that had previously been cluttered with large boxes. After clearing it out, they placed the bed against the wall and hung a curtain to create a small, private area.

Jax spent most of his time outside anyway, coming home only to eat and sleep. After starting middle school, he returned even less frequently—maybe once a month, usually to ask for pocket money.

He was growing rapidly, his clothes suddenly too short, his boyish features giving way to a more striking, angular look. His personality became even more defiant and reckless, fully embracing his rebellious phase.

Living at school didn't ease the tension between Jax and his father. Jax got into fights, skipped classes to play video games at internet cafes, and gathered with friends to play cards. It seemed like he was always in trouble, and the school frequently called home to report his behavior. When Leo tried to discipline him, Jax fought back, standing his ground, his jaw clenched, his eyes blazing as he cursed at his father. He even smashed the electric shock device Leo had used to punish him, confronting Leo's kicks with his bare hands.

Leo caught off guard, stumbled back a few steps, his face pale with shock and fear. But he quickly recovered, resorting to tools like a belt or a wooden stick. He was taller and stronger than Jax, and he wasn't ready to admit defeat to his son just yet.

The most serious incident happened during Jax's second year of middle school.

Leo was called to the school after Jax got involved in a fight between two groups of teenagers. Someone had brought a knife and stabbed another student in the stomach, landing the victim in the ICU. While the main instigators were arrested, Jax had also participated in the brawl. However, he had the sense to avoid hitting vital areas and even called an ambulance before slipping away.

The school wanted to expel the students involved, but thanks to the protection of compulsory education laws and a sympathetic homeroom teacher who saw potential in Jax, he was allowed to stay with a major disciplinary mark on his record.

That time, Leo beat Jax severely, breaking a belt in the process. The beating took place in the living room, both father and son gritting their teeth in silence. Megan cooked in the kitchen, while Zora stayed in her room, covering her ears to block out the dull thuds.

After the beating, Jax lay on his bed in the living room, the curtain drawn tightly. The three of them ate dinner in the dining room as if Jax didn't exist. When Leo went to the bedroom to play on the computer, Megan placed a bowl of food by Jax's bedside. She noticed Zora's wide, anxious eyes and gestured for her to go back to her room and do her homework.

In the middle of the night, Zora went to the bathroom. As she passed the living room, the silence was suffocating. She was terrified that Jax might be dead, but as she crept closer, she heard his shallow, labored breathing.

Summoning her courage, Zora pulled back the curtain. The bowl of food by the bed was untouched. Jax lay on his back, his head turned to the side, his limbs sprawled out like a lifeless corpse. Zora's throat tightened as she stood frozen, her heart pounding. Slowly, Jax turned his head. His lips were cracked, dried blood staining the corner of his mouth. In the dim light, his dark, hollow eyes glistened with a fleeting hint of tears as he stared at her, expressionless and cold.

Zora went to the kitchen and poured a glass of water. She carried it carefully to Jax's bedside. His eyes fixed on the glass, and after a moment, he slowly turned onto his side. His dry lips touched the rim of the cup, and he exhaled a shaky breath. Zora tilted the glass gently, letting the cool water moisten his lips. He sipped slowly, eventually finishing the entire glass.

In the darkness, there was a faint sound—perhaps from his throat or his stomach.

The food by the bed had gone cold. Zora tiptoed into the kitchen, found two eggs, and lit the stove. In the faint blue glow of the flame, she nervously prepared a bowl of steamed egg custard, a dish her grandmother used to make for her when she was sick. She mixed the smooth, warm custard with a bit of leftover rice and carried it carefully to Jax's bedside. Sitting down, she blew on each spoonful to cool it before feeding him.

They barely spoke, and there was no real affection between them—just a child's sense of sympathy and duty.

Jax's eyes were half-closed as he accepted each spoonful, chewing slowly. The bowl was emptied in silence, not a single sound breaking the stillness of the night.

After he finished, Zora hurried to the kitchen to wash the bowl, then slipped back to her room.

The next day, when she returned from school, Jax was gone.

He came back occasionally after that, usually when Leo wasn't home, to grab a few things. He didn't use the front door, instead climbing in through the balcony or a window. He seemed taller, and more agile, moving like a parkour athlete as he leaped and climbed, startling Megan and Zora.

That summer, Zora graduated from elementary school and enrolled in the same middle school as Jax. She was in seventh grade; he was in ninth. She chose to live in the dormitory, wanting to escape the nightmare of sharing a home with him.