klisemfg Chapter 328: Li Ming as a Child
Chapter 328: Li Ming as a Child
Chapter 328: Li Ming as a Child
Two days passed, and seeing that Li Ming was still staying in his room and not coming out, Madam Li became quite anxious. That morning, she got up early to cook, thinking that after a few days Li Ming should have come to his senses and should have long forgotten about Rouge.
Mrs. Li busied herself preparing a table full of dishes, looking at the food with great satisfaction. She then ladled out two bowls of rice, one of which was piled high. After finishing everything, Mrs. Li went to Li Ming's room, knocked on the door, but there was no response. She knocked again, but still no one answered.
"Ming'er, get up and eat! I've made you lots of delicious food today!" Madam Li called out towards the room, but there was no response. Madam Li turned to leave, assuming Li Ming would come out for dinner soon. She had only taken a few steps when she heard Li Ming's voice coming from inside the room.
"Mother, if you don't accept the rouge, cough cough... then please forgive me... cough cough cough... forgive your unfilial son." The voice was very soft, but Madam Li heard it clearly. When she heard Li Ming cough, tears streamed down her face. She never imagined that her actions would drive her son to his death.
Li remained silent and returned to the living room. Looking at the steaming food, she had no appetite. She sat alone at the table, lost in thought, contemplating the past.
Li Ming's father died early, and Li Shi raised him alone. Whenever she saw other families where the male head of the household was in charge, she only had Li Ming to rely on.
When Li Ming was very young, he would always look up at Li Shi's tall figure with a blank expression and ask, "Mother, where is my father? Other children have fathers, why don't I?"
Li looked down at Li Ming, a wave of heartache washing over her, and she couldn't help but cry. She tried not to cry, she tried to be strong. But the tears flowed like a river bursting its banks. She looked at Li Ming through her tears and laughter, then hugged him and said, "Ming'er, be good. Your father has gone to a very, very far place. He will come back when you grow up."
Li Ming's small body was held in Li Shi's arms, and Li Shi's body was trembling uncontrollably from crying. Li Ming broke free from Li Shi's embrace and saw that Li Shi's face was already covered in tears. Li Ming gently wiped Li Shi's tears with his soft hands and said, "Mother, what's wrong? Don't cry. I will never mention Father again. Mother, please don't cry." As Li Ming spoke, he hugged Li Shi.
Seeing how young and sensible Li Ming was, Mrs. Li wiped away her tears and forced a smile. From that moment on, Li Ming never mentioned his deceased father again.
One day, as usual, Mrs. Li leaned against the door, gazing out into the distance, but still couldn't see Li Ming. Li Ming was six years old then, an age when he loved to play. He would go out to play every afternoon and wouldn't return until around evening. He loved to play, and Mrs. Li didn't stop him.
But today, for some reason, the last rays of sunlight disappeared, and it was getting dark, yet there was still no sign of Li Ming. Li Shi panicked and went out with a lantern to look for him. She searched for a long time, looking everywhere she could think of, but still couldn't find Li Ming.
Li didn't give up. She wandered around the streets, and as she passed through a small alley, a basket moved. Li slowly approached, hoping it was Li Ming.
Lifting the basket, she saw a small figure crouching on the ground, knees buried in the ground, covered in wounds, and dressed in tattered clothes. Li's lantern fell to the ground, and she frantically hugged Li Ming, saying in a panic, "Child, why aren't you home so late? Do you know how worried your mother is?"
"Mother, is my father dead? Am I a child without a father?" Li Ming, facing the sudden embrace, leaned slightly closer and hugged his own shoulders. His voice trembled slightly as he spoke. Li Shi felt liquid flowing down her shoulder, her body stiffening, unsure of what to say.
She discovered that her lie had convinced Li Ming that his father would return when he grew up. But she hadn't expected the truth to be exposed so quickly, catching her completely off guard. All she could do was hold Li Ming and cry; she realized that since Li Ming's father died, crying had become her primary form of expression.
Li Ming wiped away his tears, sniffed, and said, "Mom, let's go home."
Hearing Li Ming's calm voice, Li was somewhat incredulous. Was this incident ultimately good or bad for him? She nodded and said, "Okay, let's go home." Li picked up Li Ming, gathered the fallen lantern, and headed towards Jia.
By the time they got home, it was already dark. Li Shi found some clothes for Li Ming to change into, and after changing, Li Ming prepared to cook. But Li Ming grabbed her clothes and said, "Mother, I don't want to eat, I want to sleep."
Seeing that Li Ming seemed very sleepy, Li heated up some water for a bath. After Li Ming finished bathing, she told him to go to bed, and he quickly went to sleep. Li then went to mend Li Ming's tattered clothes.
It was late at night when Li finished mending the clothes. As she lay down in her room, she noticed traces of tears on Li Ming's face. She tucked him in and looked at his little face, thinking deeply. She wanted to do everything she could to make Li Ming's life better, to never let him suffer. But Li Ming had grown up amidst a chorus of insults and abuse.
once.
"Li, your son stole our things!" The neighbor's woman grabbed Li Ming, saying that Li Ming had stolen her things, and then added, "A widow is a widow, and her child is also dishonest."
Then many neighbors came to look and point at Li.
"She brought death to her husband and doesn't even properly educate her children!"
"Who knows if this child is her husband's?"
"Look at her seductive face, tsk tsk tsk..."
Amidst the jeers and curses of the crowd, Li kept apologizing to the woman. She then pulled Li Ming back into the house, closed the door, and made him kneel on the ground.
"You've gotten bolder, even learning to steal now." The speaker said, spanking Li Ming's bottom with a broom. Li Ming didn't cry, stubbornly replying, "I didn't! They're framing me!"
Li ignored him and continued to beat his buttocks with the broom, but he remained kneeling on the ground without uttering a sound. Only when Li saw blood on Li Ming's buttocks did she stop.
Kneeling on the ground, she hugged Li Ming and cried, "Child, you must be obedient and not let people criticize you anymore." Li Ming nodded, seemingly understanding, though Li Shi's blows seemed a bit heavy. Because of his injured buttocks, Li Ming spent more than half a month in bed. During those days, Li Shi took meticulous care of Li Ming.