A Billion Dollar Exchange

Liling watched as her mom was laid to rest. The priest said some words which she was not even interested in.

Her dad had been discharged two days before, when he returned home, she had made sure she didn't meet with him. She was always locked up in her little room. He didn't go to work, but in the evenings he would go out to meet with friends.

He had prepared for his wife's funeral and had told the neighbors and family members.

So on the day of the funeral, there was a little crowd.

Some were weeping, others were consoling the crying ones.

All in all, everyone was sad.

Liling didn't cry, she wore black rimmed glasses and bent her head low.

Though people came around her to say words of encouragement, she didn't even look at them, at a time they stopped coming.

After her mom was put in the ground, her dad entertained the guests.

They sympathized with him before leaving for their various homes.

By four in the evening, the crowd had already dispersed. It was just left Liling and her dad.

When Mr Liang stepped into the living room after sending the last guest off, he saw Liling standing with her traveling bag.

He was caught off guard.

He had been thinking about what had transpired between them. In the first instance, if she had slept with any man for money, it was purely to save him, so why was he lashing out on her?

She had lost her mother too, why was he so hateful?

He had sought for a perfect opportunity to tell her that he was sorry and decided he would tell her after the funeral, but it seems she was already prepared to leave.

Mr Liang stopped in his tracks when he saw her.

She had packed her hair into a ponytail and had already removed the glasses she wore.

That was when he realized that she hadn't even shed a single tear. Her eyes were as clear as crystal.

"Father..., I'm leaving."

Those three words were like needles piercing his heart.

He wanted to tell her not to go, he wanted to tell her to stay that he was sorry but his lips only moved. No words came out.

Liling waited a while for her dad to say something, but he didn't speak. He just continued looking at her.

They stood there for about two minutes before Liling finally took her bag by the handle and started walking out of the house.

She took small steps in case he would call her back or say something, but he didn't. She felt sad, so sad but she didn't show any emotions on her face. As she approached the door she stopped.

"Dad"

"Thank you for being a dad to me, just know that I loved you the way I loved mom and you will still be my dad no matter what..." Her voice derailed as tears formed in her eyes.

'No tears, Liling don't cry! '

She took in a deep breath and said finally.

"Goodbye"

She immediately walked out as fast as she could not looking back for once.

When Mr Liang heard her, his heart stopped for a second.

'Does that mean he wasn't going to see her again?, was that a last goodbye? '

He felt his heart beating rapidly, he immediately turned to look at her but she had already left.

She was gone.

He fell to the ground as he wept his eyes out.