Chapter 765 Gratitude for Birth vs. Gratitude for Raising
How could Li's father's words not move his elder brother?
Even though he was well past thirty, Brother Li could still recall the scene when he was a child, with his father holding a book called "The Classic of Herbs" and teaching him to read.
When Brother Li was young, his father had not yet acquired such a large house from the scoundrels. At that time, the Li family was poor. Because of the grudges of the previous generation, Brother Li's father was suppressed by his uncle's family and could only make a living by treating bruises and sprains for the street thugs.
Even in such difficult circumstances, Li's father never mistreated his elder brother Li in the slightest.
Even after Li's mother became pregnant with Li's second brother, Li's father still treated Li's eldest brother like his own son, always saving the best food for him.
Just as Li's father said, "The bond between father and son has lasted for thirty years." Yes, it's thirty years, not three years, not three days, but thirty years!
Thirty years of father-son affection—how could a single letter from Sun Hongniang possibly change that?
"Father, son..."
Mr. Li waved to his eldest son, whose eyes were already wet with tears. Seeing his eldest son in such a state, he himself felt like crying.
After stopping Li's elder brother, Li's father said with a choked voice, "Tomorrow you should ask your superior for leave, and we'll take the household registration certificate to get this done."
They listened to Third Sister's advice and decided to separate the households but not the family.
Okay, let's call it a day.
After Li's father spoke, no one else said anything more. Li San Niang watched as Li's father, carrying a lantern, and Li's mother helped each other out of the courtyard.
"Second brother, is Father going to cry? Is that why he made us disperse if he didn't want us to see it?"
Li Erxiong winked at Li Sanniang, who then looked at Li Daxiong, who was still sitting on the stool. He covered most of his face with his large hands. Li Sanniang's eyesight was excellent; even in the dim candlelight, she could see the glistening traces of tears on Li Daxiong's face.
Li San Niang's eyes widened. Apart from when she was young, she had only seen her brother Li cry once before. The only other time she could remember seeing him cry was when her sister-in-law gave birth to her son. She had never seen him cry again since.
Li San Niang quickly stopped talking. She and Li Er Xiong quietly left the house, leaving the space to Li Da Xiong and Li Da Sao.
Just as Li San Niang said, Li's father really did cry.
When only Mr. and Mrs. Li were in the room, Mr. Li finally couldn't hold back his tears in front of Mrs. Li. He took the handkerchief that Mrs. Li handed him and muttered to her with a sob in his voice, "Big Brother, Big Brother, he never cries."
Seemingly seeking approval from Li's mother, Li's father looked at her and said, "Did you see? Dalang's eyes are all red!"
Even when the villain slashed him with a knife, leaving a deep wound that exposed bone, he didn't shed a tear!
How painful it must have been for him! How much pain must have been in his heart!
"Big brother, big brother..."
Li's mother couldn't bear to look at Li's father in this state. If it were ten or twenty years ago, when Li's father's face was still presentable, Li's mother might have comforted him a bit.
But now, facing her father, who was covered in wrinkles and kept grumbling to himself, Li's mother simply couldn't bring herself to offer any words of comfort.
Li's mother brought a glass of freshly poured, still slightly warm water to Li's father, saying, "You... quickly drink some water to soothe your throat."
After saying this, Li's mother picked up the scissors and trimmed the dim wick of the lamp. After putting the scissors away, she sat down and said to Li's father in a leisurely manner, "Dalang is no longer a teenager. He is over thirty years old. His behavior today was just a spontaneous expression of his feelings."
Why do you feel sorry for him?
Instead of feeling sorry for this rough and tough guy, you should feel sorry for Tiger Head.
"Alright, soak your feet and go to sleep. Tomorrow, go find someone to inquire about this separate household matter. Don't go with your eldest son and still end up with things not going well."
Li's eldest brother, who had been deeply distressed by his father, had now calmed down.
He sat there motionless, staring blankly at the teacup on the round table.
After coaxing Xiao Liulang to sleep, Sister-in-law Li looked at Brother Li, who was still sitting at the round table in a daze, and put on her clothes and got out of bed.
Sister-in-law Li really didn't know what to say, so she didn't say anything. She just reached out and held Brother Li's rough hands, wanting to warm his cold fingertips with her own body heat.
Although Brother Li's eyes didn't move, he squeezed Sister-in-law Li's hand in return. Then, as if he had thought of something, Brother Li turned to Sister-in-law Li and asked softly, "Mei Niang, how do you choose between the kindness of giving birth and the kindness of raising?"
My father treated me like his own child. Even though I am now over thirty, I still remember how he took care of me when I was young.
I remember one winter when it snowed heavily in Chang'an and it was especially cold. At that time, our family was not well-off, and my second brother and I slept in the same bed with our father and mother at night.
My father put my cold feet on his belly to warm them up.
When I get up to use the toilet at night, my father always carries the chamber pot to the bedside and then braves the cold wind to carry it out of the room, just so that the smell of urine won't affect our sleep.
Mei Niang, when I think back now, all I can think about are the things Father did for me. As for my own father, I really can't remember anything about him.
At this moment, Sister-in-law Li understood Brother Li. "When your mother brought you to Chang'an, you were less than two years old. You were just a little child. What could you possibly remember?"
It's normal not to have any recollection of this.
Dalang, don't be too hard on yourself.
We have never forgotten to worship our father (Sun Datou) every day and every year. Father (Li's father) and mother have never hidden this matter from you. As for sister (Sun Hongniang), didn't mother tell us about it a long time ago?
"Brother, as long as you have a clear conscience, that's enough."
Brother Li lowered his head and remained silent for a while. As if he had figured something out, he raised his head and looked at Sister-in-law Li, saying resolutely, "Mei Niang, Father treats me like his own son. I cannot be heartless."
"Even if we were to separate households, though we wouldn't be officially separated as family, I'd still feel like something's missing in my heart," Brother Li touched his left chest. "So, Mei Niang, I don't want to be separated."
It's true that Brother Li was feeling conflicted and frustrated. The Guo brothers, who were still living in the Li family home, especially Guo Sanlang, were also feeling extremely frustrated at this moment.
Guo Silang, on the other hand, was quite easygoing. He grabbed a thin, crispy sesame seed cake and ate it. They had bought it at the West Market that day, and it smelled delicious.
The aroma of the sesame seeds is even more intense after chewing them.
While eating his pancake, Guo Silang saw Guo Sanlang's brows furrowed so deeply that they seemed to reach the sky, so he tried to comfort him, saying, "Brother, why are you like this?"
I think the Li family are all easy-going people, and they should be able to do as we wish.
Besides, look," Guo Silang pointed to the small porcelain bottle on the table, "Uncle Li Er has brought over the pills he made for your cough again. It's clear he cares about our family."
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