Chapter 4 Deciding to Leave Home

• But to them, he was as disposable as an old shoe.
• How pathetic he was!
• Joshua felt a deep flush of embarrassment as he reflected on his past actions.
• Perhaps to Frankie, the lengths he had gone to in order to please Wendy, Shirley, Maddy, and Maggie seemed utterly foolish and almost laughable. It wouldn't surprise him if Frankie chuckled to himself at night, thinking about how naive Joshua had been.
• He recalled one particularly cringe-worthy moment when he worried that Wendy was too busy with work to take a proper lunch break. In a misguided attempt to be helpful, he sneaked into the kitchen late one night, cooked a bowl of noodles, and delivered it to her office. Instead of gratitude, he was met with an angry dismissal. She had kicked him out on the spot and sternly warned him never to step foot in her office again.
• When Frankie found out about that incident, he couldn't contain his laughter.
• He went on to mock Joshua multiple times, advising him not to provoke Wendy. In front of everyone, he would say that Joshua was only trying to look out for her and urged Wendy to forgive him.
• Seeing how foolish Joshua was, Frankie must have been overjoyed, especially since Joshua had ruined their mother's dress. Hence, Frankie had the audacity to conspire with Maddy to frame him.
• This wasn't the first time Maddy had framed him, either.
• As he thought about his past efforts to win over Maddy, he couldn't help but laugh at his own naivety. It was all so childish.
• Time to focus on my health, find a place to live, earn some money, and prepare for the college entrance exams!
• With that thought, he quickly began to map out his plans in his mind.
• In this life, he had made a decision: he would live for himself.
• He was tired of enduring the nauseating experiences that had plagued him for so long.
• With a sense of urgency, he began rummaging through drawers and boxes before finally uncovering a small stash of cash. Counting it carefully, he found a total of 10,000 dollars. Half of it had come from his part-time jobs, while the other half was a mix of New Year's money and daily allowances.
• Most of the time, he ate meals at home. Hence, avoiding snacks and unnecessary expenses, which allowed him to save this amount. He set aside half of the money and hid the rest away before opening the door to leave.
• As he stepped out, the familiar sounds of his family dining filled the air. David, dressed in shirt and slacks, appeared. The resemblance between them was striking.
• "Joshua, where do you think you're going?" he asked, his brow furrowing in disapproval.
• Joshua could sense that David had heard about the earlier incident as his stern face was evidence enough.
• "I'm going out!" Joshua replied tersely, not wanting to engage in a lengthy discussion.
• "Frankie has been asking your mother to call you back for dinner! What else do you plan to do? Come and eat!" David's voice carried a hint of frustration.
• "Oh, come on, Dad! He probably isn't even hungry! He could survive on air alone!" Maddy chimed in with a laugh, her tone teasing.
• "Joshua, you're really going out. To meet those questionable friends of yours?" Shirley frowned. As a university music teacher, she prided herself on her education and had little patience for Joshua's choice of friends, deeming them unworthy.
• "Think what you want," he said, brushing off their concerns as he strode toward the door.
• "Joshua, how could you talk to your sister like that? What kind of attitude is that?" David was used to commanding others, looking down on them with an arrogant air, with his face twisted in anger.
• Joshua, however, refused to meet his gaze. With a cold indifference, he turned and walked toward the door, leaving his father's fury behind.
• "What kind of attitude is this?" David's voice rose, ready to charge after him.
• But the others quickly intervened, blocking his path. "Dad! Joshua probably isn't hungry. He just stepped out!"
• "Right! He must not be hungry! Let's focus on our meal for now!"
• "I bet he's upset with Mom. She just smacked his hand earlier!"
• "Why should he blame me? He's always so clumsy, and he ruined my dress! If I don't keep him in check, who knows how far he'll go?" Maggie remarked with disdain.
• To her, discipline was paramount. She believed that being strict was essential to ensure Joshua's success, and there was nothing wrong with expecting more from him.
• "Yes, exactly! Mom makes a valid point! He definitely needs to learn a lesson!" Shirley and Maddy chimed in, their faces lighting up with glee.
• …
• With a few crumpled cash and his identification card in hand, Joshua boarded a bus that whisked him away to the outskirts of town.
• It was a good hour's ride from No. 17 Middle School, but with limited funds, he had no choice but to find a place to rent here.
• Fortunately, he was already 18 years old and had an ID card. He quickly spent 10,000 dollars to rent a small room in this small village.
• Though it lacked the luxury and opulence of the Fraser Residence, it was enough for him.
• This would be his home until he finished his college entrance exams and earned enough money.