4

4

The remote control was clutched in my hand for 24 hours, already stained by my blood, but I never pressed down on it.

After 24 hours, the kidnappers were shot dead by the summoned SWAT team.

A group of uniformly dressed people rushed in, led by mom and dad.

I lay weakly on the floor, staring blankly as they hurriedly walked past me.

They even stepped several times on my severed fingers scattered on the ground.

They searched through the corpses of the kidnappers and the surrounding arrangements for something.

"Damn it! Where did the kidnappers hide the video?"

"Forget it if we can't find it; they're all silenced, no one can bring that matter up again."

"What if they left it to someone else…"

Saying this, mom and dad simultaneously turned back, looking at me as I was barely breathing.

Mom squatted beside me, showing a hint of disdain as her gaze swept over my severed fingers.

She reached out as if to touch my face, but in the end, merely straightened my collar.

She said sorrowfully, "Pan'er, I'm sorry, mom and dad came late, this time it's our fault."

"You've been kidnapped for so long, did you hear the kidnappers mention any video or evidence? Where did they put it?"

I looked emptily at my birth mother, my tightly gripped right hand moved slightly.

If my birth mother cared a little about whether my hand hurt or if it could be healed at this moment, she would discover the remote control in my mutilated palm.

But she didn't.

After searching for a long time, she and dad finally confirmed that no evidence was left, and they both breathed a sigh of relief.

At this time, medical personnel came in.

A few nurse aunties surrounded me, their eyes full of tears, gently comforting me, "Baby, it's alright, you're saved now."

"It doesn't hurt, it won't hurt anymore…"

They were crying as they picked up my severed fingers all around.

Even though they knew there was no possibility of reattachment, they still carefully preserved them.

Yet mom and dad had already turned around, ignoring me.

When I was lifted onto the stretcher, a nurse discovered I was clutching something tightly in my hand.

She whispered soothingly, "Baby, let go, auntie will bandage you, it won't hurt as much once bandaged."

Seeing no reaction from me, she tried to pry open my hand, but any force made me bleed, forcing her to give up.

Helpless, she went to call dad: "Chief Fang, the child's right hand is gripping something, and won't let go. I guess it might be something important related to the kidnappers or family… Do you want to take a look?"

Dad's expression became alert, seeming to think of something, and he walked towards me.

Just then, Fang Yale came rushing in protected by the SWAT team, wearing a white princess dress.

She flung herself into dad's arms like a fledgling bird, tears streaming down, as if she was the one who suffered.

After patiently comforting her, dad's gaze fell again on my hand.

Fang Yale's eyes flashed with a hint of jealousy, she screamed, pulling dad: "Dad, sister's hand is so scary! Don't go over, Lele will have nightmares!"

Dad immediately stopped, nervously covering Fang Yale's eyes, ready to take her out.

His superior approached beside him, asking: "Old Fang, that girl keeps looking at you, as if she has something to say to you, do you know her?"

Dad didn't even turn back: "I don't know her."

The superior patted dad's shoulder: "The kidnappers targeted your daughter, you must keep an eye on Lele in the future."

Dad nodded: "Of course, even if something happens to me, I won't let anything happen to my daughter."

Mom also sighed softly:

"Fortunately, it wasn't Lele who got kidnapped…"

I lay on the stretcher like a dead fish, my eyelids twitched, uncontrollably, streams of tears instantly covered my cheeks.

I mustered strength, trembling, and raised my right hand, reaching towards mom.

Mom, isn't this what you're looking for? I've kept it safely for you.

Why not take a look?

Is it because you find me disgusting?

Mom screamed "Ah" and quickly dodged, standing up and brushing off her uniform which didn't even get bloodstained.

My hand froze in mid-air.

Over there, Fang Yale happily urged mom: "Mom, hurry up, dad said the three of us are going to have Western food to celebrate surviving this ordeal!"

Watching the back of this happy family leaving, I couldn't stand it anymore…

I loosened my tightly gripped right hand and pressed the release button with my bloody, mangled fingers.