Chapter 1

In the cold winter of Seoul, the temperature at night had already dropped to minus three degrees. On such a freezing night, in a neighborhood called Moon Street in Mokpo City, Jeolla Province, a boy of about 14 years old placed the last piece of coal into the stove, sighing helplessly. Now, he could only pray that this last piece of coal would warm the house a little more, as his mother was sick.

Moon Street, a name that sounds beautiful, is in fact a genuine slum in Korea. The low, shabby houses and narrow roads make it obvious how poor the area is.

The boy had just walked into the house when a little girl's joyful voice suddenly rang out, "OPPA! OPPA! Mom is awake."

Excited, the boy's mother was awake—this was the best news he had heard all day. Their mother had been unconscious for a whole day. He immediately went to the stove, carefully ladled out a large bowl of meat porridge that had been simmering for who knows how long but which they had been too reluctant to eat, and happily rushed to the only room in the house.

Indeed, as his sister had said, his mother, who had been unconscious, was now lying on the floor bed, smiling gratefully at him. Although her face was still frighteningly pale, the boy thought it was the most beautiful smile in the world.

He held back his tears, rushed to his mother's side in two steps, and slowly placed the bowl down. Then, with all his strength, he gently lifted his mother and propped a cushion behind her back. With a smile, he said, "Mom... it's good that you're awake. Are you hungry? Eat some meat porridge quickly."

After saying this, he smiled, picked up the bowl, and scooped out a spoonful of meat porridge, blowing on it hard before feeding it to his mother.

Watching his mother slowly eat the porridge he had cooked, the boy was happier than if he had eaten it himself. His mother, An Mi-jung, took small sips of the food, a smile of satisfaction on her lips. An Mi-jung, who had been overworked and unable to afford medical treatment, had been running a fever for two days and had fainted twice!

However, just as the boy was about to feed his mother a second spoonful, the needle marks on his arm made An Mi-jung pause. Her eyes slowly turned red as she took his arm and said with concern, "Ji-ho, you went to the black market to sell blood again, didn't you? You're only 14!"

Hearing this, An Mi-jung's tears could no longer be held back.

Seeing her mother cry, the little girl immediately wiped her mother's tears with her hand, murmuring, "Mom, don't cry, mom, don't cry."

The boy, Park Ji-ho, immediately patted his body hard to comfort his mother, saying, "Mom... my body is very strong. Although I'm 14, my physical condition is not just 14. It's fine to draw a little blood. You're still very weak, so you should eat more."

Then he said to the little girl, Park Ji-yeon, "Ji-yeon, be good. Don't lie on mom. Go eat the candy OPPA bought for you."

"Okay... Ji-yeon loves candy!" After saying this, Park Ji-yeon got off An Mi-jung and went to find the candy Li Hao-yu had bought for her.

Then Park Ji-ho wanted to continue feeding An Mi-jung the porridge, but Li Hao-yu was taken aback when An Mi-jung shook her head with a bitter smile and said, "Ji-ho, mom can't eat anymore. Mom is really not doing well and is going to leave you. So don't waste your efforts."

Hearing his mother suddenly say she was not doing well, Park Ji-ho was frightened and could no longer hold back his tears. Large tears slowly fell from his eyes. He looked at his mother in disbelief and said, "No... no, mom, are you feeling unwell somewhere? I'll call an ambulance right away. Don't worry, even if I have to sell myself, I won't let you die, because Ji-yeon needs you."

Looking at Park Ji-ho, her adopted son, who could do so much for her, An Mi-jung was deeply moved. She used all her strength to gently touch Park Ji-ho's face and said, "Ji-ho, don't waste your efforts. Mom knows her own body. Listen, I'm glad you became my son. Although we only had a few years of mother-son affection, Ji-ho, you should know that I have long considered you my own son!"

"Know... know... I know, mom, don't talk anymore. I'll go ask Aunt Luo next door to call an ambulance. You'll be fine!" Park Ji-ho sobbed.

"It's no use...!" An Mi-jung took a deep breath and said, "I can't hold on until then. Now, Ji-ho, listen to what mom is saying. No matter what happens, you must not abandon your sister. This is what mom is asking of you! Okay?"

Without immediately answering, Park Ji-ho choked back his sobs and nodded hard, "Okay... okay... I swear to mom, I will never abandon my sister. Even if I die, I will make sure my sister lives well in this world."

Hearing Park Ji-ho's words, An Mi-jung finally smiled again, her face pale. Then she tightly grabbed Park Ji-ho's hand and repeated, "And remember, don't seek revenge for your father."

"Why... mom? Dad was clearly killed by that person. Why can't I seek revenge? I understand I can't do it now, but when I grow up, please believe me, I will definitely make a name for myself. Then I will repay the blood debt with blood!" Park Ji-ho said loudly, his face twisted.

"I know my son is a genius. Everyone says you are a genius, and I believe my genius son will definitely make a name for himself in Korea. But son, when will the cycle of revenge end? I don't want you and your sister to be trapped in the hatred of your parents. So mom begs you, don't seek revenge. Just protect your sister, okay?"

Park Ji-ho looked at his weak mother but did not immediately agree. In his heart, he was determined to make that man pay with his blood. This was his responsibility as a man!

Seeing that Park Ji-ho did not agree, An Mi-jung, fearing he would seek revenge, urgently asked again, "Okay?" She coughed hard, perhaps because she was too anxious, and a trace of blood appeared in her throat. Seeing his mother cough up blood, Park Ji-ho panicked, "Okay, okay! As long as mom is okay, I'll do anything you say!"

At that moment, hearing Park Ji-ho say "okay," An Mi-jung slowly stopped coughing, and her hand that was holding Park Ji-ho's face slowly fell.

"Mom...!" Park Ji-ho shouted, seeing his mother close her eyes with a smile. Then he ran frantically to the next door to ask Aunt Luo to call an ambulance.

Half an hour later, the ambulance arrived, but unfortunately, An Mi-jung had already lost the chance to be taken to the ambulance. She had gone to heaven. Seeing the paramedics shake their heads, indicating that his mother had no more breath, Park Ji-ho fell to his knees with a thud and wept helplessly.

At that moment, Park Ji-yeon hurried to Park Ji-ho's side, using her small hand to wipe away his tears again and again, and comforted him with a cute voice, "OPPA, don't cry. Did someone bully you? Ji-yeon will kiss OPPA. Now mom is sleeping. When mom wakes up, Ji-yeon will ask mom to help OPPA beat the person who bullied you!"

Hearing Park Ji-yeon's words and seeing that she still thought her mother was just sleeping, Park Ji-ho completely broke down. He tightly hugged Park Ji-yeon and sobbed uncontrollably. The sound of his extreme grief, the heart-wrenching cries, made Park Ji-yeon, who was in his arms, also feel deeply sad and soon started crying too.

On that cold winter night in Seoul, on Moon Street, a brother and sister with no blood relation hugged each other and cried helplessly and sadly.