Betrayed by Blood My Family Threw Me to the Wolves

It was Chinese New Year, and I was killing time at the airport when I scrolled past a post asking for help:

“An estranged cousin insists on tagging along on our trip. Hotels are too expensive—what do I do about booking her a room?”

The top comment offered a solution:

“Just say everything’s fully booked for the Spring Festival and get her a cheap hostel bed!”

I had just raised my phone, about to screenshot it and send it to my mom as proof of how outrageous relatives could be these days.

Then my mom’s message popped up.