Our family was so poor, we often went without proper meals. Yet, a random lottery ticket I bought struck for five million dollars. My brother, eyes blazing with a wild fury, lunged, snatching the ticket, intent on tearing it. My father, who had always doted on me, raised a kitchen knife, its blade pressed cold against my throat. "If you don't shred that worthless paper, I'll hack off your hand right here and now." Even my mother, confined to her sickbed, dependent on funds for her very life, struggled to rise, her frail body trembling as she cried out in terror, "My daughter, you cannot claim that prize!" To stop me, my family bound me in the basement, then released a ravenous wolf-hybrid into the darkness. Ultimately, I was torn apart and killed by that savage beast. Then, I opened my eyes. I was back on the very day I won the lottery. 1 My brother, holding two plain buns, offered them to me with a wide smile. "Starlight, once our family has coin, I’ll take you to the best steakhouse for your favorite prime rib." He paused, his gaze bright. "By the way, did your lottery ticket win anything?" Hearing my brother’s eager voice, I jolted back to reality. The familiar lottery ticket, clutched in my hand, confirmed it. I had been reborn. Back to the day I won the lottery. In my past life. I occasionally bought lottery tickets, and my entire family hoped one day I would win big, and we could finally know comfort. Our family was destitute. I had already dropped out of school because we couldn't afford the tuition. My brother was on the verge of marriage, but if we didn't scrape together enough for a down payment soon, his sweetheart would abandon him. My father, during his security guard shift, accidentally damaged a wealthy client's luxury coach, and now owed a colossal sum in damages. And my mother was suffering from kidney failure, waiting for money to extend her fragile life. Basic sustenance was a daily struggle. Every meal, we counted each grain of rice before it went into the pot. Yesterday, I had dreamt of a set of lottery numbers. The moment I woke, I rushed to the corner store to buy a ticket. After the drawing, I double-checked, then triple-checked, confirming I had won the grand prize. Thrilled, I raced to the kitchen, where my brother was boiling water for plain gruel, and blurted out the news. He took the ticket, his eyes fixing on the numbers. His smile froze, replaced by an expression of pure terror. Without a word, he lunged to tear the ticket. I snatched it back swiftly, urgently pleading: "Brother, once we claim the prize, our family will be rich! You can buy a house and wed your sweetheart, Mother will have money for her treatments, and I can finally return to the academy! This is a lifeline the heavens have sent us!" But my brother seemed deaf to my words, wrestling with me, his eyes wild. In the struggle, desperate, I bit his hand. He cried out in pain, staggering back a few steps. His eyes were bloodshot, his face contorted, as he roared at me, his voice raw. "Starlight, you cannot claim that prize! Tear it up now!" His terrifying demeanor left me frozen, trembling. Just then, my father returned. He saw me cornered by my brother, and without a word, slapped the back of my brother’s head. "You scoundrel! How dare you bully your sister!" My brother’s hand trembled as he pointed at me, his voice a desperate, desperate whisper. "She dreamt of a set of numbers, and the ticket she bought won five million!" My father’s face, etched with fury moments before, instantly contorted into pure terror. His eyes widened. Like a madman, he lunged into the kitchen, seized a meat cleaver, and charged at me. "Shred that winning ticket now, or I'll hack you to pieces!" The cleaver was poised to fall. Thankfully, Mother rushed in, shielding me. "Have you gone mad? To threaten our precious daughter with a cleaver!" Father scoffed, a chilling sound. "Starlight won the lottery." "So what? Starlight has always been lucky, often winning five or ten dollars." "It's the grand prize. Five million." Mother, who had been shielding me moments before, turned deathly pale, as if she had seen a specter. She shoved me from her embrace, shaking her head frantically. "No, you cannot." It was then I realized my entire family wished to prevent me from claiming the prize. I frantically waved my hands, trying to explain. "Father, Mother, this money isn't just mine! With this, Brother can start his life, Father won't have to hide from creditors, Mother can receive her treatments and surgery, and I can return to the academy! This is a lifeline from the heavens!" But my parents ignored me, their brows furrowed as they exchanged panicked glances. Then, Father spoke. "We cannot let this girl leave the house again." Mother’s face darkened. "I have a solution. We'll lock her in the cellar, with the wolf-hybrid." I stood stunned, my limbs numb, unable to believe what I had just heard. I could not fathom why they had transformed so utterly upon learning of my five-million-dollar win. We were desperate for money; this heaven-sent fortune should have been the greatest joy. Why had it turned into this nightmare? Before I could grasp it, my parents dragged me towards the cellar. In a panic, I twisted, trying to escape, but my brother seized me. I wept, pleading for them to release me, even offering to give them the ticket, to let them claim the prize themselves, if they did not trust me. Yet, they were deaf to my pleas, forcing me into the dark, foul-smelling cellar. They denied me food and water, then released a starving wolf-hybrid into the darkness. My entire family knew I had been bitten by a stray dog as a child and was terrified of them. The moment I saw the wolf-hybrid, I was so petrified I nearly collapsed. I hammered frantically on the door, screaming, begging them to let me out. But no matter how I cried, there was no response. The wolf-hybrid lunged at me, tearing a chunk of flesh from my thigh. The metallic tang of blood filled my nostrils, and I succumbed to the pain, falling into unconsciousness. After a night of terror, my parents and brother came to the cellar to see me. My mother smiled, asking, "Starlight, are you hungry? Mother has steamed some buns for you." I scoffed, unable to comprehend how she could act as if nothing had happened. I screamed, mad with grief and rage, "Why? Why are you doing this to me?" The smile vanished from my mother’s face, replaced by a cold, impassive expression. My father’s face darkened too, his eyes filled with disgust. Then, he kicked me hard in the chest. "Ungrateful mongrel." The pain made it difficult to even breathe. My mother's eyes swirled with a chilling malice, a sinister smile twisting her lips. "Since Starlight doesn't wish for buns, let's bring in a few more wolf-hybrids to play with her." "These beasts are specially trained; they know how to 'entertain' disobedient brats." Then, they released several more wolf-hybrids, trapping me. They tore at me savagely. Both my arms were ripped from my body. In less than a day, I drew my last breath amidst unimaginable agony. To my dying moment, I did not understand why they all wished to kill me upon learning of my five-million-dollar win. The terror of my past life surged, and I gripped the lottery ticket tightly, taking a deep, shuddering breath. This time, I vowed, I would uncover the truth. This time, I did not tell my brother about the win. I thought, as long as my brother didn't know about the five million, nothing bad would happen. But to my surprise, my brother smiled, asking, "Starlight, I saw you bought a lottery ticket yesterday. Did it win?" My heart clenched. I forced a smile. "No, of course not. It's not that easy to win." "You're always so careless. Give the ticket to your brother, I’ll check it for you. Maybe you misread it." "No need, really. I just checked it number by number. It really didn't win. Don't you believe me, brother?" "No, it's just, what if it did win, and you made a mistake? Then our family would lose a huge opportunity, wouldn't we? There’s no harm in me taking another look." I deliberately put the ticket into my pocket. "Brother, you just don't believe me. I'm not going to show you." My brother, thinking I was merely pouting playfully, laughed and patted my head, then handed me the bun. "Alright, if you don't want to show me, don't. Are you hungry? Eat up." I took the bun and walked out, casually saying, "The weather's nice, I'm going out for some fresh air." I decided to leave the house first, to calm my panicked heart. But as I turned into the alleyway, my heart suddenly constricted, and the lottery ticket in my pocket was gone! My blood ran cold. I immediately spun around and sprinted back. As I caught sight of our front door in the distance, I saw my brother, his face ashen, frozen in the doorway. The lottery ticket, which should have been in my pocket, was now in his hand. He raised his hand, poised to tear it. I charged forward, snatched the ticket, and bolted. I heard him roar behind me, "Starlight, you cannot claim that prize!" Until my death in my last life, I never understood why my brother, who had doted on me since childhood, would instantly transform into a stranger, filled with such malice, upon learning of my great win. His eyes held a malevolence I had never witnessed. My brother chased me desperately. I was no match for his stamina, and he soon caught up. I trembled, screaming for help. "Help! My brother is trying to kill me!" The alley was filled with familiar neighbors. Hearing my cries, they emerged to watch the commotion. My brother clearly hadn't expected me to react this way. Seeing no escape, I turned and knelt before him, weeping as I asked, "Brother, we were about to live a good life. Why would you try to tear up that ticket?" My brother gritted his teeth, muttering lowly, "Shut up, you wretched brat!" He tried to drag me away, but just then, onlookers from the neighborhood swiftly approached. Old Man Miller from next door forcefully pulled him away from me. "Why are you hitting your own sister?" Other neighbors also began to murmur, "We heard you shouting about a lottery win. That's wonderful news! Why resort to violence?" "Even if she's your own sister, you can't hit her! Assault is against the law! If you try that again, we'll call the Constabulary!" My brother’s breathing was ragged, veins bulging in his neck, as he glared at me, his eyes full of fury. But with everyone watching, he could do nothing. Suddenly, he smiled, looking behind me. I turned, confused, and saw Father approaching. Father had seen my brother and me surrounded by the crowd from afar, his brow furrowed. No doubt, he knew something was amiss. As Father drew closer, my body tensed, and my nails dug deep into my palms. The neighbors began to complain to Father, telling him my brother had laid hands on me. Father, immediately enraged, raised his hand to strike my brother’s face. Just as the blow was about to land, my brother yelled, "Starlight won a five-million-dollar grand prize!" "That's not true! Brother is mistaken!" My eyes welled up, my voice trembling with urgency. "It's the absolute truth! I even took a picture of the ticket!" My brother’s voice was agitated as he eagerly shoved his scrying device in front of Father. Father’s gaze fell upon the screen, his eyes trembling slightly, then he stared fixedly at the image, frozen in place. I nervously called out, "Father…" When he looked at me again, Father’s eyes were bloodshot. He raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face. "You beast! Your brother told you to tear up the ticket, why did you not obey!" My heart shattered, yet I gritted my teeth and argued, "Our family desperately needs the money! Mother's illness needs treatment, you need money to repay your debts, brother wants to marry, and I want to return to the academy!" "You ungrateful, worthless wretch! Still dare to talk back to me!" Father charged at me, pressing my head violently against the wall with one hand, while the other reached for my pocket. Just then, Mother rushed over, shoving Father away and shielding me. "What are you doing? Starlight’s forehead is bleeding!" Mother roared at Father. But Father wasn't angry, merely sneering, "You care for her, but this ungrateful wretch doesn’t deserve to be our child." At Father’s words, the neighbors were shocked. Everyone knew that Father doted on me, his daughter, more than anyone else – holding me in his mouth for fear of melting, in his palm for fear of dropping. No one could believe he would speak of his own daughter in such a way. Mother, clutching her chest in anger, demanded, "What exactly happened?" Brother handed her his scrying device. I frantically blocked Mother, looking at her with pleading eyes. "Mother, don't look. Don't believe Father and Brother." I knew that if Mother saw the device, and learned of my grand prize, she would immediately disown me. Mother pulled me into her embrace, gently soothing me. "Don't worry, it must be some misunderstanding from your father and brother, these two brutes. Once Mother clarifies it, everything will be fine." I shook my head desperately. "No, Mother, don't believe them. If you believe what they say, you won't love me anymore." "Starlight, rest assured, no matter what happens, I will stand by you. Mother is the one who loves you most in this world." She looked at me gently, trying to reassure me. Just then, Father, impatient, shouted at Mother, "She won a five-million-dollar grand prize! The ticket is in her pocket!" Hearing Father’s words, Mother’s face suddenly changed. Her once gentle features twisted into a grimace, a chilling malice flickering in her eyes, making me tremble uncontrollably. Her face pale, she forced a stiff, bitter smile as she looked at me. Unlike Father and Brother’s agitation, Mother’s unnatural calm sent shivers down my spine, chilling me to the bone. Her voice was cold. "This is good news, Starlight. Come, let's go home and celebrate." But there was no joy in her words, no smile on her face, and the hand she extended towards me trembled slightly. She was clearly struggling, desperately suppressing her emotions. "No, I don't want to go home." I hastily stood, stumbling backward into the crowd. Mother’s brow furrowed into a dark cloud, her eyes filled with malice and cruelty, as she coldly demanded, "Starlight, what are you doing? It's almost dark, where are you going if not home?" Seeing Father and Mother about to grab me, I quickly seized a neighbor, begging, my voice choked with tears. "Please, save me! I cannot go back with them, they will kill me!" The neighbors exchanged bewildered glances, their faces full of confusion. Everyone knew that our family had always doted on me, their daughter. Even if I had made a mistake, parental discipline was understandable, and outsiders truly could not interfere. Just as everyone hesitated, Old Grannie Liu stepped forward. "This child seems to have something troubling her. Don't force her." "Yes, Starlight is usually such a sensible child. Speak calmly, don't use force. Look how terrified the child is." But Father and Mother seemed blinded by rage, completely deaf to any dissuasion. Their faces contorted, they advanced on me. "Starlight, are you ill? Don't speak nonsense here!" "Hurry and come home with us! Don't shame us here!" Before they finished speaking, Father and Brother forcibly grabbed me. Seeing this, Old Grannie Liu quickly stepped in front of me. "Don't be so rough with the child! What if you terrify her beyond repair!" "I'm disciplining my own daughter, it's none of your business!" Father roared at Old Grannie Liu, his eyes red. Old Grannie Liu, being elderly, could not stop my young and strong brother. I felt my wrist gripped tightly, and I was forcibly dragged away, the rough ground scraping my knees, a burning pain. Even the kindest neighbors would not rashly contend with my parents for me. Just then, a pair of hands blocked my brother’s path. "Who gave you the right to drag a young girl like this!" Hearing the sharp rebuke, my brother released his grip. It was the Constabulary. A neighbor had summoned them. Seeing the officers, Mother quickly explained, "Officers, this is our daughter. It's getting late, and she refuses to come home. We were worried for her safety, so we were trying to bring her back." The officers looked at me. I immediately retorted loudly, "That's not true! I won a grand prize, and they want to take me back and imprison me!" The three figures behind me froze, their expressions indescribably eerie. "If you don't believe me, you can ask the neighbors how abnormally my family reacted upon learning of my win." The officers questioned the crowd, and the neighbors corroborated, confirming my family's strange behavior. Upon receiving confirmation, an officer, his expression stern, questioned my family. "Why are you preventing the child from claiming her prize? Are you worried she'll keep the winnings for herself? But the child has already said the money is for the whole family." My parents, hearing this, scoffed disdainfully. "We don't care about any winnings, we just want to take our daughter home." "Unlawful detention of another's person is a crime," the officer’s voice grew increasingly serious. Yet, they maintained an air of indifference. My heart racing, I tugged at the officer’s sleeve. "I just want to know why they would rather break the law than let me claim the prize, why they insist on locking me up?" Under the officers' stern questioning, Father reluctantly handed over his scrying device, his movements full of resistance. When I saw the content on the screen, I finally understood why they wouldn't let me claim the prize.
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