After the heartbreaking betrayal by Alicia, Edward felt as if his soul had been torn to pieces. He could not bear to stay in the province for another single day. Every corner of the school campus, every path he walked, and even the familiar voices of the villagers just reminded him of the humiliation and pain he had suffered. The triumphant smirks of the bullies, the whispering stares of his classmates, and the painful memories of the girl who had pretended to love him were like sharp knives stabbing into his heart over and over again. That night, he packed his few belongings into a tattered bag and stood outside Aunt Nena's wooden house for a long time. He wanted to say goodbye to the only relative who had taken him in, but shame and pain choked his words.
When he was about to leave quietly, the door suddenly opened. Aunt Nena stood there holding a kerosene lamp, her face full of worry.
"Son, where are you going at this hour? It's dangerous out there," she asked softly.
Edward lowered his head, not daring to look into her eyes. "I…I can't stay here anymore, Aunt Nena. Thank you for taking care of me, but I just have to leave."
Aunt Nena stepped forward and held his arm gently. "Did something happen? Tell me, child. I know life hasn't been easy for you, but running away won't solve anything."
Tears finally rolled down Edward's face. "They all hurt me... everyone I trusted just used me or hurt me. I just want to go somewhere where no one knows me."
Aunt N‐ena sighed deeply and handed him a small bundle of bills and some bread. "I won't stop you if you've made up your mind, but please take care of yourself. Remember, no matter where you go, you still have a home here if you want to come back."
Edward took the things she gave him and nodded silently. Without looking back, he started running away into the dark night, carrying his pain and a burning anger that seemed to consume him entirely. He had no destination, no plan, and no hope. He just wanted to escape from all the memories that were destroying him.
Edward traveled for days and weeks, moving from one place to another without rest. He took crowded and uncomfortable buses, hitchhiked on passing delivery trucks, and sometimes walked for miles under the scorching sun or heavy rain. The small amount of money Aunt Nena gave him was soon used up. His clothes became dirty, torn, and worn out. His face was pale and gaunt, and his hair was messy and unkempt. He looked just like any other homeless wanderer wandering around the roadsides.
Eventually, his feet led him back to Malberry, the city where he was born and abandoned. Seeing the familiar buildings and streets brought back a flood of bitter memories, but he didn't dare to go to the wealthy district where his family lived. Instead, he walked toward the other side of the city—the slum area where the roads were broken, street lamps were dim, and buildings were old and shabby. This was the place where society's discarded people lived. Under a rusty steel bridge, in a dark and damp alley, Edward made his temporary shelter.
Without proper food or shelter, his body and mind were deteriorating day by day. Depression was like a thick dark cloud covering his heart, making it hard to breathe or think positively.
One day, when he was sitting against the cold wall and watching the crowds of people passing by, he felt more hopeless than ever. He saw well-dressed businessmen walking confidently, happy couples holding hands, and young people laughing and chatting together.
"Why do they all have a good life while I deserve to suffer like this?" he whispered to himself, tears blurring his vision. "No one cares if I live or die. It would be better if I just disappeared from this world."
The thought of ending his own life started appearing in his mind more and more often. But soon, his physical condition also began to worsen. He started to feel severe pain all over his body, high fever, and dizziness. He thought it was just because of hunger and tiredness, but the pain didn't go away and only got worse. He started vomiting everything he ate and could hardly stand up anymore.
Fortunately‐‐‐‐, an elderly woman who sold vegetables nearby found him unconscious in the alley. She called out to some neighbors for help and carried him to a small community clinic nearby.
When he woke up, the doctor looked at him with a serious face and said, "Young man, you're lucky someone found you in time. You have a serious rare disease, and it's damaging your internal organs. If you had come a day later, it might have been fatal."
Edward was stunned. "Doctor…how long do I have? Can I be cured?"
The doctor sighed and said, "To be honest, your condition is critical. Without proper treatment and medicine, you might not survive more than a few weeks. But even with treatment, the chance of full recovery is still quite low."
Hearing this news, Edward felt a cold chill running down his spine. For a moment, he felt relieved that his suffering would finally end soon. But then, a sudden strong anger burned in his heart. "No! I can't die like this! I still have so many things to prove! I can't let them be happy while I die in such a pathetic way!"
He grabbed the doctor's hand and said firmly, "Doctor, please save me! I will do anything to survive! I won't give up no matter what!"
The doctor was surprised by the sudden change in his attitude and nodded slowly. "Okay, son. I'll do my best to help you. But you have to be strong too."
In that moment, a tiny but bright spark of hope was ignited in Edward's heart. The desire to survive, the determination to prove his worth, and the ambition to make everyone who hurt him regret their actions gave him the strength to fight against death. This was the starting point of his rebirth.