NABC Chapter 56 - 56 - 055: A Stern Lesson
Chapter 56 - 56 - 055: A Stern Lesson
Chapter 56 – 055: A Stern Lesson
Slap! Slap!
Mother Xiao raised the whip and lashed down fiercely. Two strikes later, Xiao Han felt as though his back wasn’t his own. He clenched his teeth tightly as sweats began to bead on his forehead. At this moment, he absolutely couldn’t scream in pain. Nor could he continue to anger his mother. It would be better to let her vent.
“Right, you shouldn’t have lied to me,” Mother Xiao said with a livid face, “You can neglect your studies, skip classes, even fail to attend school, or be the last in exams. You are still the son I am proud of inside. But you deceived me, you are a liar, and there’s no child like you in Xiao’s family!”
“Mom, I was wrong,” Xiao Han said hastily.
“Acknowledging your mistake now is useless!” Mother Xiao said through gritted teeth, “From now on, you’re no longer a member of Xiao’s family, nor are you my son, Li Hongmei’s son!”
“Mom, I was wrong, I really was wrong,” Xiao Han cried out urgently.
“Get out!” Mother Xiao was almost fainting from anger.
After cursing, Mother Xiao threw the blood-stained whip aside and turned to walk into the house.
Xiao Han was panicked and quickly ran after his mother.
Bang!
The door of the house slammed shut, hitting Xiao Han right on the nose. He was dumbfounded instantly.
“Mom, please open the door,” Xiao Han felt an ache in his heart. He knew he had deeply hurt his mother with his actions. Otherwise, she would not have done such a thing. His mother had always doted on him. And today, to think she was actually kicking him out was something unimaginable.
Xiao Han stood at the door and shouted, “Mom, I was wrong, please open the door, you can hit me or scold me, but please don’t be angry...”
A group of neighbors watched with great sorrow.
This mother and son had depended on each other. The mother was kind, the son was good, though the family was poor, they should have been happy. But now, things had turned out like this.
At this moment, Old Liu couldn’t watch any longer, he hurried over and took Xiao Han’s hand, saying, “Xiao Han, get up. Your mom is just angry for now. She’ll calm down later. It’s cold outside, and your clothes are torn, come sit in my house for a while.”
“No!” Xiao Han shook his head, saying, “I can’t leave. I have to apologize to my mom!”
“But, your mom is really angry right now.”
“Exactly, you should come back later instead of just standing here.”
A group of neighbors began to persuade him. Alas, Xiao Han was as stubborn as they come. No matter what anyone said, he refused to leave. He turned and walked back to the door, stopping five steps away before he knelt down heavily.
Thud!
A man’s knees have their own gold, and Xiao Han understood this. However, a man can kneel to the heavens, the earth, and his parents.
Xiao Han needed to apologize; he knew it was the only way to somewhat ease his mother’s heart. Similarly, it was the only way to lighten the guilt in his own heart. Little did he know that Mother Xiao was also struggling inside the house.
Being deceived by her son was a deep pain in the heart for a mother.
By six in the evening, the sky darkened. The pitch-black sky suddenly began to flutter with what seemed like cotton-like snowflakes.
“Wow, it’s snowing.”
“It really is snowing.”
People passing by lifted their heads to glance at the pitch-black sky, and then, like vast clouds of cotton, the snow began to fall. In bunches and clusters.
Old Liu, with a pipe in his mouth, stood at the front door, his eyes filled with concern as he watched the heavy snow falling outside.
“Old man, why are you standing there instead of eating?”
“Ah, I wonder how that Xiao kid is doing!” Old Liu glanced at his wife and said, “You know how stubborn Mei Hua can be; I guess she won’t forgive Xiao Han anytime soon. Do you think Xiao Han is still kneeling outside?”
“Well...” His wife hesitated, then said, “How could he? Xiao Han isn’t foolish; who wouldn’t seek shelter in such heavy snow?”
“But, I tell you, the boy is as stubborn as his mother,” Old Liu said helplessly. “If those two are both being stubborn, won’t that be troublesome?”
“Let’s eat first,” his wife urged quickly. “The food is getting cold, and it’s freezing out.”
“Alright, let’s eat first!” Old Liu decided not to think about it any longer.
However, today’s meal didn’t seem to suit his taste. After a few bites, as Old Liu noticed the snow outside getting heavier, he quickly stood up, saying, “No, I have to go check on Xiao Han. What if something bad happens to him?”
With that, Old Liu quickly grabbed his military coat, put the pipe in his mouth, and thrust his hands into the coat’s sleeves. He briskly walked out into the heavy snowstorm.
“Old man, you haven’t finished your meal!” his wife called out urgently.
Unfortunately, her voice was soon buried in the howling wind and snow.
In just half an hour, the ground had already accumulated a considerable amount of snow. Old Liu trudged through the snow towards Xiao’s family’s house. If it continued to snow all night, it might accumulate up to half a foot. Old Liu’s pace was not slow; in fact, he walked rather quickly.
Sinking deep with each step, then shallower.
The sky was very dark, and Old Liu, wrapped in his military coat, held a dim flashlight in his hand.
Finally reaching the entrance to Xiao’s house, Old Liu shone his flashlight towards the distance. From afar, he didn’t spot Xiao Han, after all, if he were kneeling somewhere, he would probably be very visible.
Seeing no one, Old Liu sighed in relief, just as he was about to walk back. He hesitated for a moment but decided to enter Xiao’s house to see the situation inside. He didn’t know whether Xiao Han had gone home or left the place. It would be fine if he were home, but if he had left, that would be troublesome.
Old Liu walked slowly towards Xiao’s house, puzzled by the fact that the house was pitch black with not a single light on. Could it be... Thinking this, Old Liu quickened his steps.
Ouch...
Suddenly, Old Liu stepped on something and fell down.
“What is this?” Old Liu was stunned.
He hurriedly got up, and with snow flying all around, whatever was on the ground was already covered by the snowflakes. Old Liu quickly dug through the snow with his hands and discovered that what was hidden underneath was a person. Xiao Han’s entire body was lying on the ground, tightly wrapped in snow.