When she saw the notice in the mailbox, my mother was so happy that she almost fainted.At that moment, she thought that all our problems were solved and would never appear again, and that I was the key to all this change.I don't think of myself as a daughter who likes to fight against my parents, but I also have a limit, and this incident is my final limit. I don't want to be royalty, I don't want to be First Class, I don't even want to try. In this crowded house, I had to hide in my room, because it was the only place where I could escape the sounds of everyone's excited conversation.So far, I have thought of a series of reasons to reject her, but she should not listen to any of them...

It's almost dinnertime and I can't hide anymore.As the oldest child in the family at present, the task of cooking falls on my shoulders.I reluctantly got out of bed and walked into the noisy living room. Mom gave me a hard look, but said nothing. The two of us silently prepped the chicken, pasta and sliced ​​apples, flitting in and out of the kitchen and dining room, setting dinner and five sets of dishes.If I raise my eyes, I will meet her stern eyes. I think she is trying to use this kind of mental oppression to make me change my mind.This is her usual trick.Like the time I wanted to turn down a job because the family was rude to us service staff and she just glared at me like that.The other time, too, she wanted me to do the housecleaning because we didn't have money for a 6th class.

However, her trick doesn't work all the time.Things like today have already exceeded my bottom line. What my mother can't stand the most is my twist, but she should also understand that this is completely inherited from her.But I also know that this is not just about me, it involves the whole family.Mom has been stressful lately as summer is almost over and we are headed for a long period of freezing cold and endless anxiety. My mother put the teapot heavily on the dining table, looking at the lemon tea in the transparent pot, I swallowed hard.I must hold back now, if I can't help but drink my glass, then I can only drink plain water when I eat.

"Will filling out the form kill you?" She finally stopped being silent and asked me: "For you and our family, the election event is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" I sighed deeply and thought to myself: After filling out that form, I might really be close to death. Everyone knows that the Kingdom of Ilia is not peaceful at all. The rebels are already attacking the palace on a large scale and frequently. They are extremely hostile to our young and large kingdom.We also saw what the rebels were doing in the Carolinas, where they burned down a magistrate's house and a lot of Second Class cars.They even planned a mass escape, only to let go of a pregnant teenage girl and a seventh-rank father of nine.To be honest, I think they did the right thing when it comes to jailbreaking.

Potential dangers aside, just thinking about picking Faye makes my heart ache.But when I think of the reasons why I insist on staying, I can't help laughing. "In the past few years, your father has had a hard time. If you have a conscience, you should at least think about how to help him!" She lowered her voice and said sternly. Dad, yeah, I really want to help him, and Mei and Gerald, and of course, I really want to help my mother too.But as soon as she brought the conversation up to that point, I couldn't laugh anymore.Our family is really poor, and we need a lot of money to improve our family's situation. I don't know if my father will also regard choosing Fei as a shortcut to change the status quo.

In fact, the situation in my family is not really that dire. It's not the kind of people who can't survive immediately, but it's not far from it. We are all artists.Artists and classical musicians were only three steps away from the lowest of the untouchables, and because of this, our family had never had enough money, and the family's income depended on the seasons. I remember reading in a very old history book that all the important holidays were concentrated in the winter months, first a festival called Halloween, then Thanksgiving, then Christmas and New Years, all right next to.

It is estimated that it is unlikely to change the birthday of a saint, so now only the day of Christmas has not been changed.After the kingdom of Ilia signed a peace agreement with country C, the new year's date was changed to January or February, depending on the waxing and waning of the moon.And all the previous holidays of gratitude and independence are now simply unified into a celebration of thanksgiving.The festival is in the summer, celebrating the founding of the kingdom of Ilia and giving thanks for the country's survival. I don't know what Halloween is, it's never mentioned again.

So, our whole family has working days, at least three times a year.Dad and Mei make all kinds of handicrafts that their regular customers buy as gifts.Mom and I would perform at parties and events, she would play the piano, I would sing, and we wouldn't pass up an opportunity to make money as long as we could afford it.I remember when I was a kid, performing in front of a crowd would make me pass out with nervousness, but now, I’m used to being the background music player, and to be honest, that’s how our employer sees us: just listen, don’t look. Gerrard hasn't found his interest yet, luckily he's only seven and still has time.

Soon the leaves on the trees will start to turn yellow, and our little world will become restless again.Then, in the five months before Christmas, only four members of the family can earn money, and they may not be able to have a job. Thinking about it this way, the Filipino campaign seemed like a lifeline for us, something I had to grab hold of.That ridiculous notice can not only save me from the darkness, but also pull the whole family out of the abyss together. I looked at my mother. As a fifth-level person, she was slightly fat.This is really strange, she is not a glutton.What's more, we don't have any more food for her to eat openly.Perhaps, when a woman has given birth to five children, her body will naturally deform.Her hair is the same as mine, it is red, and the gray hair on the top of her head came out suddenly about two years ago, and the crow's feet around her eyes are becoming more and more obvious.Although she is not very old, seeing her chubby figure busy in the kitchen is like an invisible burden of life on her shoulders, making her always unable to straighten up.

I knew her burden was heavy, and I understood why she always wanted to control me so much.We were always bickering about these things, and she got even more agitated when the hard autumns crept in.I knew that, in her mind, it was treason for me not to fill out even one form. But in this world, there are some things, very important things, that I cherish.To me, that piece of paper was like a wall that completely separated me from the life I wanted.The life I want may be stupid and not something I can have, but it is my dream no matter what.No matter how important my family is to me, I don't think I can sacrifice my dreams for it.Besides, I have already paid a lot to my family.

Since Kenna got married and Kota started his own family, I am the eldest child in the family, and I try my best to contribute to this family.I have to learn several musical instruments and singing skills at the same time, and I need to practice for a long time every day.Therefore, my study time after returning home can only be arranged in the intervals of various trainings, and everything must give way to training. But from the moment I received the notice, all the hard work I had done was meaningless.In my mother's heart, I am already Faye Wong. If I had been smarter, I should have thought of hiding the letter before Papa, May and Gerald came in, but Mama stuffed it in her pocket, and in the middle of the meal she was cold He took out the letter. "To the Singer family," she read. I immediately reached out to grab it, but she moved faster than me.Although everyone will know about it sooner or later, if she says it, others will take her side. "Mom, please!" I begged. "I want to hear it!" Xiaomei's voice was so excited that her voice was high-pitched.My little sister is only three years younger than me. To outsiders, we look like we were carved out of the same mold.Although we look alike, our personalities are polar opposites.She is different from me, she is very outgoing and optimistic, and she is currently in the stage of being curious about boys.Choosing Fei must be a very romantic thing for her. I felt a heat in my face.Dad was listening intently, Xiaomei was too happy to sit still, and cute little Gerald just continued to eat.Mom cleared her throat and read on: "The latest census shows that there is an unmarried lady in your family between the ages of sixteen and twenty. We would like to inform you of the following who can contribute to the Kingdom of Ilia Chance." Xiaomei screamed again and grabbed my wrist: "It's you!" "I see, little monkey. Let go, my hand is about to break!" But she still grabbed my hand and jumped up and down. Mom went on to read: "Our beloved Prince Maxson Swift reached his crowning year this month, and as he enters a new phase in his life, he looks forward to finding a partner to grow with, a true Elijah woman Get married. If any eligible daughter or sister in your family is willing to become Faye Wong of Prince Ilia, please fill out the attached form and submit it to the local provincial service office. We will randomly select from each province A woman meets the prince." "The selected participants will live in the Elijah Palace in Los Angeles during the event, and each candidate's family will be generously compensated"——she deliberately pronounced these words slowly and clearly— — "To reward them for their dedication to the royal family." She rolled her eyes as she read me.This is how the royal family treats princes, and princesses who are born into the royal family, their arranged marriages are nothing more than a political deal to strengthen diplomatic relations.I understand the original intention of doing this - our young kingdom does need allies, but I don't like this approach, I don't want to see such a happy event, and I don't want to be involved in it.The royal family has not had a princess for three generations.As for the princes, they need to marry a commoner woman to appease our somewhat turbulent society.The purpose of each election is to bring people of all classes closer together, reminding everyone that the Kingdom of Ilia was built from ruins, after all, our people occasionally have rebellious intentions. Don't talk about participating in this nationally watched competition, just think about it, choose the most beautiful and superficial girl from among the many school-age girls, and let her shut up and stand next to that arrogant wimp with a smile on her face ...just thinking about it makes me cringe.Could anything be more insulting than that? Not to mention, I've been to a lot of 2nd and 3rd tier homes and am pretty sure I don't want to live with those people, let alone 1st tier.Except for when I can't get enough to eat, I'm pretty content with my 5th grade.My mom was the one trying to climb up, not me. "Of course he's going to love America! She's so pretty!" Mom was ecstatic. "Mom, please! I'm just an ordinary person at best." "You're not!" Xiaomei said, "You look exactly like me, I'm a beauty!" She grinned, which made me laugh out loud, which is true, because Xiaomei really very beautiful. In fact, it's not as simple as having a good-looking face. Her charming smile and shining eyes make her even more attractive, and the temperament exuding from her whole body makes people want to stay with her.To be honest, I really don't have Xiaomei's charm. "Gerald, what do you think? Do you think I'm pretty?" I asked him. All eyes turned to the youngest member of the family. "No! Girls are disgusting!" "Gerald, please!" Mom sighed, a little annoyed, but who could be angry with such a lovely Gerald, "America, you have to realize that you are a very sweet girl. " "If I'm so cute, why doesn't anyone ever ask me out?" "Oh, who said no one came to ask you out, but I drove them away. My daughters are so beautiful, it's a shame to marry a fifth class. Kenna married a fourth class, I believe you will It's better to marry." Mom said as she took a sip of tea. "Brother-in-law's name is James, please don't use numbers instead? When did those boys start looking for me?" I heard my voice getting louder. "It's been a while," Dad said his first words, a touch of sadness in his voice, his eyes on the glass in his hand.I want to know what happened to make him so upset, is it a boy asking me out, or is my mother and I fighting again?Or am I not willing to participate in the election?Or can't bear to let me go so far away? He raised his head and gave me a quick glance, just one glance, and I suddenly understood.He couldn't open his mouth, he didn't want me to go, but he couldn't deny that if I was selected, it would be a great help to the family, even if it was just for a day. "Ami, be reasonable." Mom continued, "We must be the only parents in the country who need to persuade their daughter to run. Think about what a great opportunity this is! You may become the queen !" "Mom, let's not say that I don't want to be a queen at all. Even if I really want to, there are countless girls who fill out the form to sign up in our province alone. That's tens of thousands of people. Even if I am really drawn I won, and besides me, there are thirty-four other girls who are finally selected, and they all know how to seduce men better than me." Gerald's ears immediately pointed up: "What is seduction?" "Nothing." We replied in unison. I concluded: "After considering these factors, it is impossible for you to think that I will really win?" My mother pushed the chair back, stood up, and leaned over me. "Someone will win, America, and you have the same chance as everyone else." She threw down her napkin and left her seat. "Gerald, You have to take a shower after eating." He let out a wail. Xiaomei continued to eat silently. Gerald wanted to have some more after finishing his plate, but there was no more food left.After everyone got up after eating, I started to clear the table, and my father sat on the sidelines drinking the tea in the cup.His hair was painted again, and that tinge of yellow made me want to laugh.He stood up and patted the crumbs off his shirt. "Dad, I'm sorry." I picked up the plate and said softly. "Don't think too much, sweetie. I'm not crazy." He smiled and put an arm around me. "I just……" "You don't need to explain to me, baby. I know." He kissed my forehead. "I'm going back to work." Just like that, I went to the kitchen and started cleaning.I packed up and wrapped up the untouched food on my plate and hid it in the refrigerator.Everyone else basically ate their share. Sighing, I walked back to my room to rest.This thing really annoys me. Why does my mother always push me?Has she never been happy?Does she not love Papa?Isn't that enough? Lying on my crumpled mattress, I was trying to make sense of Chofee.There must be many benefits to this matter, just being able to eat for a while is already very tempting; but what's the point of such a toss, I can't fall in love with Prince Maxson.It can be seen from the "Ilia Capital Report" that it is impossible for me to like this kind of boy at all. Midnight seemed like it would never come.I got up and went to the mirror, straightened my hair, and put on some lip gloss.Mom usually only allows us to wear makeup for performances or public events, but some nights I will sneak a simple makeup. I tiptoed into the kitchen, trying to be as quiet as possible, got my leftovers out of the fridge, grabbed another bag of bread that was about to expire, and an apple, and wrapped them all up.In the middle of the night, it is impossible to walk quietly back to my room without making a sound, but even if I go to get food earlier, I still have to be so careful. Open the window of the room, which is a small piece of backyard behind our house.There is no moon tonight, so I need to wait a while for my eyes to adjust to the dark.The small tree house is at the end of the grass, and in such a dark night, only the outline can be seen clearly.When we were kids, Kota would tie the sheets to the tree, and the little tree house was like a boat, and he would be the captain and I would be his first lieutenant.My duties were usually sweeping and cooking, which was, of course, nothing more than dirt and twigs on my mother's griddle.He'd scoop up spoonfuls of dirt and "eat" melodramatically while throwing it back over his shoulders, so I'd have to sweep the floor again afterward.But I don't care, as long as I'm on the boat with Kota, I'm happy. Looking around, the lights in the neighborhood are all turned off, and no one will see me.I climbed out of the window carefully. I didn't master the trick before. I always made myself black and blue. Now it's very simple. After several years of hard work, I have become very proficient. Now the only thing to pay attention to is not Dirty food. Hurrying across the lawn in my cutest pajamas, knowing that I don’t really care what I wear and I could have changed into my day clothes, I feel good in these brown shorts and tight white top. Now I can easily climb those steps nailed to the tree with one hand. This is also a skill I have acquired in recent years, and I feel a little easier with each step.Although the distance is not very far, it makes me feel far away from the noise at home.Here, I don't have to be anyone's Faye Wong. As I climbed into this safe haven, I immediately felt that I was not alone.In the far corner, someone is hiding in the night.My breathing was getting faster and faster and I couldn't control it.After putting down the food in my hand, I squinted and looked over there. The man moved and lit a candle. There was only a faint light-no one in the room could see it-but enough.Finally, the person in the corner finally spoke, with a sly smile on his face. "Hi, beauty."