The two young robbers screamed and ran away, separating at a fork in the road. Su Xiangyang thought he had hidden himself well and should be safe after they parted ways.

He pressed his hands against his knees, panting heavily. He hadn't heard his mother's voice; she probably hadn't caught up.

Meng Shuyun maneuvered the car, and the wheels ran over a rock, sending it flying high into the air, where it struck Su Xiangyang squarely in the buttocks.

Su Xiangyang stumbled and fell face down on the ground in a spread-eagle position.

The old bicycle sped past, leaving a tire track in the middle of the white shirt.

"Oh my God..."

The pig-like screams startled the elderly men and women in their seventies and eighties who were living in the alley and came out to watch.

"Oh my, with his head covered, he's obviously not a good young man. He's screaming so pitifully, he must have been run over by a ghost."

"I saw it run over by a bicycle with my own eyes. It even flew up. I thought I was seeing things."

"You got caught stealing, didn't you? Call the police and take you to the police station to rid the people of this scourge!"

Meng Shuyun picked up the fallen wooden stick and lashed it hard across Su Xiangyang's buttocks, then ripped off the hood and began cursing.

"Why aren't you running away? You've got the guts to rob your own mother! Why don't you just rob a bank for more money? Why don't you just fly to the sky?"

"I worked so hard to send you to school, and all that money went to waste! Come on! We're going to the police station now."

He spat and slapped the numb tendon on Su Xiangyang's thigh with a stick. "Su Xiangyang, is this how you repay society?"

I think you're getting worse as you get older.

"If I'd known you were such a menace, I would have drowned you in a chamber pot back then. Keeping you around only causes trouble for society."

Su Xiangyang roared and fought back fiercely, his eyes filled with a frenzied and surging hatred and ruthlessness.

"Meng Shuyun, are you really my mother?"

No wonder my father would rather divorce you than be with that widow; you're a vicious woman.

If you hadn't driven me to the brink of despair, would I have done something like this?

"It's all your fault that I'm like this, you've driven me to this point!"

The onlookers pointed and whispered, and the elderly even sympathized with Su Xiangyang after hearing his remarks, and began to criticize Meng Shuyun.

"Young lady, your child is all grown up now. A harmonious family brings prosperity. You're so old, why are you still talking about divorce? How pitiful is that child? How can you be so heartless!"

“Look how pitifully he’s crying. Every family cherishes their son. He hasn’t done anything wrong, so there’s no need to take him to the police station.”

"What kind of mother are you? If it were my son, I would dote on him. He's counting on me to take care of him in his old age. How can any son not feel heartbroken by your decision!"

When Su Xiangyang heard someone speak up for him, he looked indignant, as if he had suffered a great injustice, and began to recount his recent experiences, embellishing his grievances.

These people are idle and have nothing better to do than gossip. They listen intently to the gossip, and then point fingers and condemn it from their moral high ground.

Meng Shuyun grabbed a few of the loudest voices, pushed Su Xiangyang in front of them, and said loudly.

"Older sister, if you can't bear to do it, I'll take you back as my grandson. If you can't be my grandson, I'll take you as my son."

And you, you're so fond of boys, it seems your family is well-off. You should take pity on him and treat him like a pampered young master.

I'm such a heartless mother; I can't take good care of him, so I'm giving him to you for free.

At this age, to have such a grown son and grandson delivered without any pain or injury, she's probably crying tears of joy tonight.

The onlookers dispersed, and the elderly woman, in her seventies or eighties, leaning on her cane, kept her distance from Su Xiangyang with a grim expression.

"What are you saying? He's not my son, what does it have to do with me? My grandson is waiting for me to go back and feed him. I'm leaving now."

“I wouldn’t dare take the son of a robber. I think you’re right. He should be sent to a labor camp for proper reform.”

Meng Shuyun dragged Su Xiangyang, that good-for-nothing, to the police station, true to her word.

Su Xiangyang panicked. He struggled, resisted, and even cried, but it was all in vain. Instead, he received several hard slaps to the face.

His heartless mother had really changed; she had never hit him once.

He's like a completely different person these past few days. Not only did he beat people up, but he also wanted to send himself to the police station for labor reform!

If he goes in, what will happen to Shanshan? No one will bring her breakfast, no one will help her with her tuition, and what if she gets bullied?

Su Xiangyang was filled with lingering fear. He knelt on the ground, hugged his mother's leg, and cried out for forgiveness.

"Mom, I was wrong. I will never do it again. If I go to a labor camp, I will be finished."

I promise I'll change and it won't happen again. Please forgive me this time, since I'm your son!

I will study hard and get into university so you can be proud of me.

Please, Mother…

Meng Shuyun ruthlessly shook her leg. Her youngest son, whom she used to love like the eyeball of her eye, was now crying and wailing at her feet. How could she not feel pain in her heart?

In his previous life, he fell and was left with a bloody head; his heart was not only aching, but also chilled to the bone.

“I sent you to school not hoping you would become successful, but just hoping you would be an honest person. But what have you learned?”

If they steal money and rob people, will they dare to kill someone with a knife next time?

If you dare to easily cross the line of basic human decency, how will your neighbors view you in the future? Will you still be able to stand tall with your back straight?

Did you steal money?

With a single outstretched hand, what is being snatched is face, reputation, and integrity!

From now on, you'll have to hunch over and keep your head down when you go out; you could be drowned by everyone's spit.

Su Xiangyang sobbed uncontrollably, wiping his tears and snot on Meng Shuyun's trouser legs.

"Mother, I really know I was wrong. I will never do it again..."

Seeing him cry so hard, Meng Shuyun knew he might be harboring resentment towards her. She had said everything she needed to say; whether he could mend his ways was up to fate.

"Do you want to walk to the police station yourself, or do you want me to personally escort you there? Choose one."

Su Xiangyang's face was covered in snot and tears. He looked up in disbelief, his pupils dilating in shock.

He's already admitted his mistake! Why do we still need to take him to the police station?

Was it because I didn't cry miserably enough?

It's still not loud enough, why do we have to go to the police station!

"I, I..." Before Su Xiangyang could finish speaking, a boy and a girl dressed as students entered from outside the alley, carrying books in their hands. They were talking about something, which made the girl shyly lower her head and smile.

Meng Shuyun looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was Xiang Shanshan, the white moonlight of her stupid son, and the boy next to her was a senior from the year above.

Xiang Shanshan was dressed very ladylike. Her cloth shoes were clean, her clothes were without a single patch, she had shoulder-length short hair, and wore glasses. At first glance, she looked like a well-behaved and quiet girl.

Su Xiangyang's gaze was too blatant. The boy next to him, holding two steamed buns, asked, "Shanshan, do you know this person? He doesn't look at you very friendly."

Xiang Shanshan shook her head in fear and quickly left, saying, "I don't know him, let's go quickly."