Flowering Youth's Awakening of Love, Rainy Season Mother and Son's Trouble Arrives

After starting junior high, my brother and I both attended boarding schools.

Father and Mother could no longer discipline my brother constantly, so he began to let himself go. At school, he didn't study properly. With a few like-minded classmates, he read novels during class, slept in class, and harassed female classmates.

Later, he became obsessed with the internet and frequented internet cafes on weekends. This later developed into him climbing over the wall to go online and play games.

Later, he was caught in the act by school security for climbing over the wall. The school issued a circular criticism, and both Father and Mother were called in for criticism and education. However, my brother still showed no remorse.

Because my brother became a problem student, Mother poured a large amount of her energy and time into handling his affairs. She began to be indifferent to me, only frequently admonishing me, "Don't be like your brother, study hard."

Father had to go on business trips frequently and couldn't provide proper education to my brother all the time. It was basically up to Mother to exhort and educate him when she returned home on holidays.

After graduating from junior high, I was successfully admitted to high school. My brother also just scraped by the admission line and entered a high school in the city. In our first year of high school, we were both sixteen years old.

Upon entering high school, it was also a boarding school, even farther from home. We were in unfamiliar surroundings.

Facing these strange people and strange environment, I got used to being lonely. It didn't matter to me, but it was different for my brother. None of those accomplices who were like-minded with him managed to get admitted to high school. He couldn't adapt. In high school life, he basically followed the three points and one line: dormitory, classroom, canteen. No one thought about playing.

When Father and Mother sent us to school, Father said to us, "Now that you're in high school, you must study hard and not waste time. High school is only three short years. Mom and Dad hope you can graduate smoothly and get admitted to a good university. Mom and Dad have high expectations for you."

Then he said to my brother, "Especially you, you were so naughty in junior high. How many times were Mom and Dad called to school by the teacher? Can you make some progress?"

My brother said, "Understood, Old Man. I will correct myself."

Father said, "Correct yourself, correct yourself. How many times have I said that? Huh? Do my words go in one ear and out the other? Are you listening?"

My brother said, "Old Man, I will study hard at school. You and Mom don't need to worry."

Mother said, "If you were half as good as your brother, I would be relieved. You've never let me worry less since childhood."

My brother said, "Mom, I know I was wrong. Give me a chance, and I will perform well."

Mother said, "Now that you're in high school, calm down and study hard. Don't make trouble anymore. If you can't get into university in the future, your whole life will be ruined."

Mother said to me, "Xiao Tian, study hard at school. Get into a good university in the future and bring honor to Mom and Dad."

My brother snatched the words, saying, "I will also get into a good university and bring honor to Mom and Dad." Ai Du Free Novel App no ads, fastest updates. To avoid losing content due to page turns, download:

Father said, "We'll see how you perform. Don't just talk the talk."

I said to Mom and Dad, "Mom, Dad, don't worry. I will study hard."

Time flies. I am sixteen years old, and Mother is thirty-six.

In her youth, she was an extraordinary and refined, stunningly beautiful, unrivaled beauty, beautiful as a fairy.

After marrying Father, supporting her husband and raising children, Mother still possesses a graceful bearing, is ethereal, and maintains an excellent figure. Her waist has no fat, her face is still beautiful as a flower, her skin is as white as snow, and she is stunningly beautiful. Unlike a mother of two children, she looks like she's only twenty years old.

Now, due to the precipitation of years, Mother has an even more unique charm as a mother. Those breasts, which developed further after childbirth, are plump but not huge, still high and firm.

A mother's every frown and smile is soul-stirring. Sometimes, looking at my mother's smile, I would just stare blankly. I liked it when Mom smiled at me, and I liked staying by my mother's side, not going anywhere. So every time I came home for the holidays, I would help my mother with housework, clean, and chat with her. When my father was away on a business trip, I felt very warm and satisfied staying home with my mother.

My mother still looked very young. Now, standing next to me, classmates would think she was my older sister, a fairy-like older sister. But this sister had a unique charm of motherhood that made people want to get close and hold her in their arms to care for her.

High school life was very hard. My foundation wasn't very good, and I barely kept up with the intensity and progress of my studies.

My older brother's foundation was even worse. At first, he relied on his cleverness to barely keep up with his studies. But as the pace deepened, he became truly honest for a while to avoid falling behind, and his grades even reached the top ranks for a period. Mom and Dad were very happy when they heard and saw this progress from their son. They thought he was a prodigal son returning, that he had grown up, and that the change was immense.

To reward my brother's progress and to provide him with better electronic learning resources, they bought him a tablet computer.

My father said that if I were as promising as my brother, he would buy me a tablet too.

I understood my parents' kind intentions. They didn't buy me one at the same time to encourage me and to foster a sense of competition.

But it was precisely this tablet computer that changed everything for my brother and also changed this family.

"Easier to change the landscape than one's nature" – this philosophical saying was perfectly applicable to my brother.

After a year of life at school, my brother made friends with several accomplices who were also poor students and stopped studying seriously.

He didn't dare to sleep in class, but every weekend, he would definitely go to the internet cafe with those accomplices, teasing the female classmates in their grade and the junior female students, and even more so, teasing the senior female students.

My brother's little cleverness was exhausted, and his grades began to plummet.

The teachers and my mother started to get worried, not wanting such a promising seedling to be ruined. They began to analyze various objective reasons: was it a lack of nutrition, a poor learning environment, or improper learning methods?

My mother found a lot of teaching materials and video lessons from famous teachers for my brother, urging him to study hard. For her son, my mother almost forgot that she had another son, me.

At the age of blooming youth, my brother experienced the awakening of love.

He fell for a senior female student from the third year of high school. That senior student was very delicate and pretty, with a balanced figure, curvaceous, and quite slender and graceful.

With the assistance and instigation of several accomplices, he tried to get acquainted with that senior student. However, the senior student was not interested in this junior student. She euphemistically advised him to focus on his studies and not to have wild thoughts.

But my brother was like dog skin; he wouldn't let go that easily. He pestered that senior student relentlessly. This behavior angered several of her admirers.

They got into a fight with my brother and his accomplices outside the school, and several people were injured.

This created a vile influence at the school. Both sides of the fight received a severe warning punishment, and all their parents were summoned to the school for criticism and education.

Because of this incident, my mother was extremely anxious and earnestly educated my brother.

With a face full of worries, my mother said to my brother, "Da Wen, you need to study hard now and don't have wild thoughts. Think about some things after you get admitted to university."

My brother said, "Mom, understood. I've heard these great principles so many times."

My mother said, "Then why can't you listen?"

My brother replied, "I listen, but I can't do it."

Mother said, "Then how can you achieve that?"

Brother said, "Let me do what I love to do."

Mother said, "Why are you disobedient? Don't you know you're making mistakes?"

Brother said, "What's the big deal? You're getting so worked up."

Mother said, "You've already received a serious warning punishment, and it's still not a big deal? The next step is probation, and if you make another mistake, you'll be expelled."

Brother said, "I haven't been expelled yet."

Mother said, "If you make another mistake, your life will be ruined."

Brother said, "It's not like studying is the only way to be promising."

Mother was almost brought to tears by Brother, and said to him, "I'll have your Dad come back to discipline you."

Brother said, "I'll say the same thing even if my Dad comes back."

I said to Brother, "Just say a few less words. Can you make Mom worry a little less?"

Brother said to me, "You're so long-winded. So motherly and unpromising."

I said to him, "If you make Mom sad again, I'll get angry with you."

Brother said, "I didn't provoke you, why are you getting angry?" Brother was physically stronger than me, tall and big. If I could beat him, I would have already fought him.

Just like that, Mother and I were both extremely angered by Brother.

Brother continued to do as he pleased, and it was the same even after Father returned to discipline him.

Brother became increasingly interested in women, and his studies deteriorated.

Brother was extroverted and usually went out to play during holidays. He couldn't stand staying at home because he couldn't bear Mother's nagging.

One noon, I returned home and saw that the house was quite messy. I started tidying up the room and cleaning. His small room door was ajar. I thought he wasn't home. I peeked through the gap in the door and saw him wearing headphones, with pornographic films playing on his tablet computer, and he was masturbating with a pair of female underwear in his hand.

I pushed the door open and said, "Brother, what are you doing!"

Seeing me push the door open, he covered the tablet computer with one hand and hid the underwear with the other, pulling up his pants.

"Why did you come in without knocking? Get out quickly!" He was a little flustered and very annoyed.

"Whose underwear are you using for such a shameless act!" I questioned him loudly.

"What's it to you! Get out quickly!" He yelled at me to leave.

I said, "I'm going to tell Mom and Dad, and have them take away your tablet computer!"

He said, "If you dare tell Mom and Dad, believe it or not, I'll beat you up and make sure you never have an easy time again!"

He glared at me threateningly, pushed me out the door, then slammed it shut and locked it.

I thought to myself, 'With your thug-like behavior, you constantly worry Mom and Dad. You don't realize how much they ache for you. Mom treats you like a treasure every single day.'

I didn't tell Father and Mother about this, letting him indulge himself like this. But I didn't notice, Mother's underwear that she'd hung on the balcony today was gone.

From that time on, I secretly started observing his behavior. I sneaked into his small room and found some pornographic novels and pornographic magazines under the mattress.

I also secretly tried to access his tablet computer, but unfortunately, it was password-protected and I couldn't open it.

When we were home, every time Mother finished bathing, he would rush to take a shower.

Time passed like this, and I noticed he would sometimes stare at Mother. He would sometimes stare at Mother's chest and backside, his gaze carrying an indescribable heat, just like how he looked at the young, pretty female teachers at school.

I wanted to tell Mother about this situation, but I was afraid Mother would scold me, accusing me of slandering my brother.

Father returned from his business trip, and Brother was quiet for a while.

A few days after Father returned, I sometimes went to the toilet in the middle of the night and always found him at the door of my parents' room.

One night, I deliberately stayed awake past midnight to see what he was doing. I discovered he was actually pressing his ear against the door of my parents' room. I suddenly understood; he was eavesdropping on Father and Mother having intercourse.

My heart tightened. Should I tell Father and Mother?

If I told Father and Mother, would they believe me?

If Father and Mother found out, would they beat him up? Would he beat me up?

I was in an internal struggle.

I thought about these questions all night and couldn't sleep.

I decided I should let Mother know about these things, but I wanted Mother to discover it herself.

Father went on another business trip, and Brother went out to play with his accomplices. I casually said to Mother, "Brother's room is too messy, and he doesn't clean it himself. It's such a chaotic environment. If it were me, I wouldn't be able to focus on studying."

Then I went out to play too. I couldn't stay home; if I did, he would definitely know I told Mother. I deliberately came back very late.

As I walked to the front door, I heard an argument coming from inside the house. Mother was loudly scolding Brother, "What are you thinking about in your head? Why are you looking at all those messy things?"

"I'm going to tell your Dad, have him come back and teach you a lesson, so you don't go down the wrong path!"

"I'm confiscating your tablet computer, and I'm going to burn all those dirty things."

Brother shouted, "You don't need to manage me!"

"If I don't manage you, who will? I'm your Mom," Mother said loudly.

I had never seen Mother so angry. I stood there, not daring to interrupt, but I knew Mother must have gone to clean up Brother's small room and discovered his secret.

"This is my business. I'll handle it myself." Brother snatched the tablet computer and rushed out of the house.

"If you have the guts, don't come back!" Mother shouted furiously.

Brother left, and Mother, alone and furious, was sobbing there. I knew what was going on. I still felt sorry for Mother. I wanted to comfort her but didn't know how to start.

"Mom, what happened? Why did Brother argue with you?"

"It's nothing, it's about your Brother's studies. This scoundrel, he never studies properly all day, and now he's full of bad ideas. You don't learn from your Brother, this scoundrel, do you hear me?"

"Mom, don't be angry. It's not good for your health to get so worked up."

"From childhood to adulthood, haven't your Father and I treated him well enough? We raised him, and we worried ourselves sick for his progress. Now he's doing such scoundrel things. Your Father is also useless, only going on business trips all day, only home for a few days a year. He doesn't even come back to educate the child. You two grew up, but what has he worried about?"

As soon as Father was mentioned, Mother became even sadder. For the first time, I felt Mother was alone and helpless, with no one to care for her.

I looked at my sobbing Mother, not knowing how to comfort her.

I said, "Mom, I'm still here at home. I'm not little anymore, I can share some of your burdens. Brother is just going through a rebellious phase, he'll be fine in a while."

Mother said, "You must be obedient, don't be like your Brother, this scoundrel."

I knew Mother must have discovered the pornographic books Brother had hidden, and even the pornographic videos on the tablet computer. But it shouldn't have made Mother this angry. At most, she would have burned the books and confiscated the tablet.

That night, Mother was in a bad mood and didn't cook. Brother didn't come back either.

I cooked, coaxed Mother to eat a little, and then asked where Brother had run off to.

Learning that he was staying overnight at a classmate's house, I told Mother not to worry, Brother hadn't run away from home.

For the next few days, Mother was visibly worried, her complexion very poor. Brother hadn't come home for several days.

A few days later, Brother returned home. He seemed a little intimidated by Mother, his gaze timid.

Except for necessary interactions, Brother had almost no communication with Mother.

I said to Mother, "Mom, don't be angry all the time. Getting angry makes you old easily. You've become so haggard during this time. Brother is in his rebellious phase, he's just that annoying. Don't argue with him. He'll be an adult in a few years, and he'll have to be responsible for his own actions."

Mother said, "You're also in your rebellious phase. Will you be like him, always annoying people? If you're also disobedient, I'll really be angered to death."

I said, "Mom, no, I'm so filial, I'll be obedient. If I'm disobedient, I'm afraid Dad will come back and deal with me. If Brother is disobedient, you can let Dad come back and deal with him."

As soon as I mentioned Dad, Mom started complaining, "Your Father is really something. He only knows how to work and doesn't care about anything at home. You two grew up, and he doesn't know the hardship of raising children. He doesn't even care what kind of people the children have become. I'm going to call him right now. Does he still want this family?"

When I heard Mother complaining about Father too, I quickly said, "Mom, it's not that serious. Dad works hard outside too. If you say that, Dad won't be able to concentrate on his work. He works outside, and his working environment isn't very safe. If you complain like this, Dad will lose focus and easily get distracted. I'll wash some grapes for you, eat some fruit to calm down."

I went to the fridge and got two bunches of grapes. After washing them, I brought them to Mother and said, "Mom, you've been stressed lately. Have some grapes to calm down. Eating grapes can also make you more beautiful."

Mother said, "Where did you hear that nonsense? If eating grapes makes you beautiful, then all the girls in Xinjiang must be beauties."

"You shouldn't disbelieve it. There are indeed many beautiful girls in Xinjiang, perhaps it's from eating grapes. Today, I overheard a conversation about grapes. An uncle said to his niece, 'How do you describe someone who deliberately says something is bad because they can't get what they want?' The little girl said, 'If you can't eat the grapes, you say they're sour.' The uncle's son said, 'Don't listen to my dad's nonsense. Our grapes are very sweet. He just doesn't want you to come to our house to eat grapes, so he's teaching you this on purpose.'"

"Are all kids these days this clever? So smart, but so much trouble."

"Mom, let me ask you a question. When you eat grapes, do you pick the best ones first or the worst ones first?"

Mother said, "Does it make a difference?"

"It does. Tell me."

"I pick the best ones first, leaving the bad ones for last. If they're not good, I won't eat them."

I said, "Mm, that's a scientific way of eating. Psychologically speaking, if you eat the best ones first, you'll always eat the best of the remaining grapes, so you'll always see the good ones. If you start with the worst ones, you'll never get to eat the best grapes, and you'll never see the good ones. Life is the same. You have to look at the bright side, or it becomes boring. People should live happily. Am I making sense?"

"Mm, it seems to make sense."

"Of course. Who do you think I am, your son? I inherited your beauty and talent."

Mother smiled, hearing me praise her indirectly, and said, "Sarcasm. That's just your cleverness." Ai Du Free Novel App updates fastest, no ads, Old Bookworm customer service helps you find the books you want to read!

"Mom, you look younger when you smile. A smile can make you ten years younger. Now you're only the age of my sister. Sister Xia, you should smile more often from now on. Let me give you a back rub and shoulder massage. Eat more grapes, they're good for beauty."

Seeing that I had successfully diverted Mother's attention from her troubles, I struck while the iron was hot and continued to appease her. "Sister Xia, what would you like to eat tonight? I'll cook for you as a filial gesture."

Mother said, "Forget it. With your cooking skills, you'd just be wasting food."

"I won't. But I can learn."

"Alright, I know you're filial."

In the evening, Brother came home.

He immediately shut himself in his room. Mother ignored him. I always thought Mother was angry because Brother was disobedient and reading pornographic books. I never imagined he had done anything outrageous. I wanted to mediate the relationship between him and Mother, with the goal of helping Mother escape her sadness.

At dinner, Mother asked me to call him. I knocked on his door and said, "Brother, we're calling you for dinner. She made your favorite dishes. Don't make Mom angry anymore. Dad and Mom both dote on you. Apologize to Mom, be obedient from now on, and don't make Mom and Dad angry, and everything will be fine."

"I'm not hungry. I don't want to eat."

"Don't lie to me. You haven't eaten anything all afternoon. Hurry up and come out to apologize to Mom."

After that, I went to the dining table to help Mother serve the dishes. Soon, Brother came out to eat. At the dining table, the three of us ate in silence, without speaking.

As we were finishing dinner, I kicked him forcefully under the table and gave him a look, hinting that he should apologize to Mother. He glared at me.

He lowered his head and said to Mother, "Mom, I'm sorry. I'm a bastard. I shouldn't have done that, and I shouldn't have made you angry."

She glanced at him and said, "Don't apologize to me, I don't have a son like you! I'll just pretend I never had one! What kind of scoundrel behavior is that! Do you even consider me your mother? You... you're deliberately trying to make me angry to death!"

She wanted to say more but stopped.

Seeing the atmosphere was wrong, I quickly said to Mother, "Mom, please calm down. Brother already admitted he was wrong. We're starting school soon, and he won't bother you anymore."

Mother said, "Looking at what you've done, I really want to slap you a few times. This is the last time. If you do that kind of thing again, I'll have your Dad come back and deal with you, and clean house! Do you hear me?"

Mother was furious. I had never seen her so angry.

What kind of thing?

What was so serious that watching a few pornographic videos and reading a few pornographic books would lead to "cleaning house"? I thought about how I had also accidentally seen some before. I didn't dare to ask, nor did I dare to speak. I just quietly ate my meal. What was supposed to be a mediating dinner ended in this weird and suppressed atmosphere.

For several days, everything was peaceful, and the atmosphere at home gradually returned to normal. In high school back then, second and third-year students started school a month early for extra classes.

The second semester of the second year was about to begin. Tuition and miscellaneous fees were paid in advance, and living expenses were deposited into our bank cards.

During this time, Brother didn't anger Mother. He started helping with some housework, cleaning, and tidying up. Mother's opinion of him gradually changed.

A few days before returning to school, we were about to choose between liberal arts and science in the second year. I chose liberal arts, and Brother chose science. There weren't any study tasks yet, so I went out to play with classmates.

I didn't return until evening, time for dinner.

When I got home, I saw the sun rising in the west today. Brother was actually cooking! I said, "Brother, are you feeling alright today? I've never seen you cook before. What's wrong today? Did you hit your head?"

He seemed startled and also a bit guilty. He cursed at me, "Your head is the one that's wrong! Do you speak to people like that?"

I asked him, "Where's Mom?"

"In her room."

"Are you done? Can we eat now?"

"Almost."

"I'll go call Mom for dinner."

I went to Mother's room door and knocked, saying, "Mom, the sun is rising in the west today! Brother is actually cooking. Come out for dinner."

Mother came to the dining table and saw a sumptuous dinner spread. I said to Mother, "Mom, hurry up and eat. Look, we have another filial son at home now. It's not easy to eat his cooking. Eat more tonight."

Mother picked up her chopsticks and started eating. After tasting the dishes, she said, "The cooking is good, but you used too much salt and MSG. The taste is a bit strange. Was the vegetable for the soup spoiled? The taste is off."

Brother lowered his head, not daring to look at Mother, and said, "The soup isn't good. I also made Douzhi. I'll pour you a cup."

I watched Brother go to pour the Douzhi and said softly, "Mom, please don't say anything. It's hard enough to get him to cook. If you criticize him, he won't do it next time."

I didn't care how it tasted. It wasn't easy to be treated like a master today. I'd eat it no matter what.

Mother might not have had much appetite and didn't eat much. She tasted a little of each dish and drank a cup of douzhi before stopping. I ate most of the food and drank a large cup of douzhi.

After dinner, Mother said, "I need to go to school. You two pack your luggage."

I said, "Yes, ma'am. I'll pack in a bit."

Mother watched TV in the living room while we went to our rooms to pack.

I organized the clothes I was taking to school and put them in my suitcase. I stayed with Mother in the living room to watch a TV series for a while. Soon, I was yawning nonstop, my eyelids getting heavy. I glanced at the clock on the wall; it was only a little past 8. Why was I so sleepy today? I thought to myself that I was tired today and shouldn't go out and have fun for so long in the future.

I said to Mother, "Mom, I played today. I'm going back to sleep."

Mother said, "Go ahead. You've infected me with your yawning. I'm starting to yawn too. Get to sleep early."

I drank some water and went back to my room to sleep.

In the middle of the night, while I was dazed, I felt thirsty, and my head was pounding, like it was going to explode. I got up and found the fan was on, and I wasn't covered by a quilt.

I thought I was sick. I got up to find Mother. When I reached the living room, I called out to her, "Mom, my head really hurts. Do we have any medicine for headaches at home? Mom..."

I heard waves of crying coming from Mother's room. The lights were off. I thought about knocking on her door. As soon as I knocked, the door opened. I turned on the light in the room and saw Mother curled up under a summer quilt, crying. The quilt was a bit messy, and there were many tissues on the floor. I asked, "Mom, what's wrong? Why are you crying in the middle of the night? You'll easily get sick like this."

Mother poked her head out from under the quilt. Her hair was messy, her eye bags were swollen, and her voice was trembling and sobbing. Seeing Mother so heartbroken, I felt a deep ache for her. I handed her the tissues from the bedside table. I suppressed my headache and asked, "Mom, don't cry. Wipe your tears first. Tell me what's wrong."

Mother just kept crying, seeming wronged and very sad, her voice hoarse.

I said, "I'll get you a glass of water."

I went to the living room and poured a glass of hot water. I glanced at Brother's room and thought, "He's really heartless. Mom's been crying, and he doesn't even know what's going on or come out to see."

I just had a good impression of him, and now it's all gone.

I returned to Mother's room and placed the cup on the bedside table. I said, "Mom, get up and drink some water. Stop crying; you'll catch a cold easily."

After a while, Mother finally stopped crying. She took tissues to wipe her tears and nose water and asked me in a hoarse voice, "Why are you up?"

I said, "I was thirsty and had a headache. I wanted to ask if we had any medicine for headaches at home."

Mother said with a crying voice, "There are Ibuprofen Capsules in the cabinet on the living room wall. Go get them. I need to take two pills too."

I said, "You have a headache too?"

Mother didn't speak. I went and found the Ibuprofen, gave Mother two pills, and took two myself.

Seeing the floor covered in tissues, I bent down to pick them up and put them in the trash can. Suddenly, Mother said to me, "Don't pick them up! It's too dirty. Go get the broom and dustpan and sweep them into the trash can."

I cleaned up the tissues on the floor and dumped them into the trash can in the living room. Mother said to me, "Go back to sleep."

I said, "Okay. Mom, you were fine yesterday. What happened all of a sudden? Are you sick?"

Mother didn't say anything, just told me to go back to sleep. My head was throbbing, so I went back to my room to rest. I originally wanted to think about Mother's situation, but my brain couldn't function. I drifted off into a dazed sleep.

Daybreak came, and I vaguely heard Mother shouting in the living room: "Do you even want this family anymore? You don't care about anything at home, you need to discipline your own son! If you don't come back, you can live by yourself!"

I had never seen Mother so angry.

I quickly got up to see what was happening. Mother had just finished bathing, her hair still dripping water. I had no mind to admire Mother's beautiful figure; I was just wondering what had happened. Wasn't everything fine yesterday?

Could that bastard have angered Mother while I was asleep?

She was so angry that she called Father early in the morning to complain and vent her anger.

Mother shouted into the phone: "If you can't come back tomorrow, then don't ever come back!" With that, she hung up the phone directly.

Mother said to me: "Make yourself something to eat. I'm not in the mood to do anything." Then she went back to her room and closed the door.

I was completely confused, not understanding what had happened.

I looked at Brother's room. The door was open. I went inside and saw that he wasn't there, and his suitcase was gone.

I thought to myself, this bastard must have angered Mother and caused trouble, running away from home early in the morning!

After making breakfast, I ate some myself. I wanted to ask Mother if she wanted any, but thinking of her angry face, I didn't dare knock on the door. I ended up just putting the breakfast on the dining table.

My headache hadn't gone away, so I went back to my room to rest.

I vaguely heard myself sleeping until the afternoon.

My body felt better.

I got up and saw that the breakfast was still there, untouched. Mother hadn't gotten up to eat, and the living room hadn't been cleaned today.

I was starving, and it was getting late. I called out to Mother's room: "Mom, are you feeling any better? What do you want to eat tonight? I'll make dinner."

I finished making dinner and called Mother to eat. Mother sat at the dining table, her eyes red and swollen, looking very unwell and extremely haggard. She ate a little and then went back to her room.

I was cleaning up the kitchen trash when I suddenly noticed some powder on the soy milk maker in the kitchen. I thought, I haven't cooked with flour for the past two days, so where did this powder come from? I smelled it, but I didn't know what kind of powder it was. I wiped it clean.

Just as I was about to put the trash bag into the trash can, it was torn, and the trash spilled all over the floor.

I suddenly discovered a box that had fallen out, labeled Zopiclone. I was curious, what illness did Mother have that required her to take such medicine? I took the box back and searched online: "Zopiclone tablets, a Western medicine name. It is a hypnotic drug used for various types of insomnia... Adverse reactions: occasional somnolence, bitter taste, dry mouth, muscle weakness, forgetfulness, drunken state. Some people experience abnormal fearfulness, aggressiveness, being easily stimulated, or psychosis, headache, fatigue. Sudden discontinuation after long-term medication will cause withdrawal symptoms (appearing relatively quickly due to the short drug half-life), possibly mild agitation, anxiety, myalgia, tremor, rebound insomnia, and nightmares, nausea, and vomiting. Rare severe spasms, muscle trembling, clouded consciousness..."

My heart trembled. I had a terrible premonition. Hypnotics, headache, fatigue, the tissues on the floor in Mother's room last night, Mother taking a bath so early this morning, her abnormal reactions, and that bastard leaving home with his suitcase this morning... I felt waves of dizziness. I quickly ran to the trash can where I had just been and frantically searched for the tissues I had cleaned up last night, confirming that dreadful answer. I smelled some of the tissues, and the smell was the same as when I had a nocturnal emission. I'm not an ignorant child anymore. A shattered voice echoed in my heart. A chill ran down my spine. My mind went blank. I don't know how I got back to my room. Tears streamed down my face. My most beloved goddess had been defiled, assaulted, and snatched away. I was filled with anger. I wanted to kill that bastard with a knife right now, but a sense of helplessness surged within me. I just wanted to ask that bastard, why, why did he do it!

I had been trying to repair my relationship with Mother for him!

I really regret it and am so annoyed!

I roughly understood what happened last night. No wonder Mother was in such a bad mental state today, shouting at Father who was on a business trip. I was in my room, crying under the covers. My beloved Mother was assaulted, defiled, and I was only aware of it later, unable to protect my beloved Mother, the goddess in my heart, in time. I felt like killing someone, and at the same time, I regretted my powerlessness last night. Why did I eat the food he made? If I had eaten less, perhaps Mother wouldn't have been harmed!

I'm going to find that bastard, I'm going to beat him up!

If Mother knew I had already guessed what happened last night, what would she think?

How do we get along at home?

Tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

The second day, I had dark circles under my eyes and my eyes were red and swollen. I called Mother to wake up for breakfast. Seeing my dark circles and red eyes, Mother asked me, "What's wrong?"

I said, "It's nothing. Seeing you so haggard and looking so bad, as your son, I felt sad."

Looking at Mother's haggard complexion, I wanted to ask her, "Mom, Brother..." As soon as I said it, Mother loudly interrupted me, "Don't call him Brother. I don't have a son like that."

I swallowed back what I was about to ask. I decided not to let Mother know I had guessed. It wasn't until many years later, when I had firmly won Mother's heart, that I carefully asked, "Sister Xia, that summer... I guessed the next day what might have happened... Did Brother, that bastard, do anything bad to you? If you don't want to say it, forget it."

Mother was silent for a moment and said, "He didn't get inside before I woke up. He didn't succeed, but he messed all over me."

I was overjoyed and kissed Mother passionately. It turned out Mother hadn't truly lost her virginity. Besides Father, only I could enter Mother!

I changed the topic and said, "I heard you on the phone yesterday. Did you quarrel with Dad?"

Mother said, "None of your business. Don't you worry about it."

I had no choice but to shut up. A moment later, someone knocked on the door. I opened it and saw it was Grandparents. Seeing Mother's outburst yesterday, I estimated Father had asked them to come over and see what was going on.

When they saw Mother's and my mental state, they thought Mother and I had quarreled and that I was disobedient. They started scolding me severely, "What's wrong with you, ah? How could you quarrel with your Mom and make her so angry? It wasn't easy for your Mom to raise you!"

I was full of grievance and said, "It wasn't me. Brother made Mom angry."

"Don't push it all onto him. You two probably both made your Mom angry! Where's your Brother? Call him out!"

"Brother isn't home. He went out. He didn't come back yesterday."

"What's wrong? Not returning home at night!"

I said, "How would I know? I guess he went to a classmate's house."

Grandma asked Mother, "Where did our eldest grandson go? Why didn't he come home yesterday?"

Mother said, "Don't worry about him! He can go wherever he wants! I'll act like I don't have this son!"

Grandma advised Mother, "You can't educate a child like that. What do you mean act like you don't have this son? He's always your son. Children reach a rebellious age, they make mistakes, just let them correct them. They're just children. Besides, he didn't grow up with you, so his personality hasn't changed yet."

Mother said, "You're speaking up for him! Do you know what outrageous thing he did? He... Ask Jun Tian to come back and discipline his son!" Mother suddenly stopped speaking, unable to say it out loud.

In my heart, I knew Mother's grievance, sadness, and anger, but I couldn't say it out loud. Family shame should not be spread. I took over the conversation and asked Grandparents, "Grandparents, why did you come over?"

Grandpa said, "Your Mom and he had a huge fight. The project was at a critical juncture, and he couldn't come back, so they asked us to come check on things at home. What's wrong at home?"

I said, "These days I've been playing outside every day, not doing my summer homework, and not doing housework. Brother sometimes doesn't come home at night either. Maybe we all made Mom angry. So Mom called Dad."

I didn't dare say that bastard ran away from home with his luggage. I was afraid Grandpa and Grandma would ask for details, and afraid Mother would be embarrassed then.

Grandpa said, "You two, how can you not make your parents worry-free? Your Dad works outside, is it easy? Your Mom worked hard to raise you, is this how you honor your Mom?"

When I heard the word "honor," I felt a wave of sarcasm, and my complexion turned ugly.

Grandpa saw my expression and thought I couldn't listen. He angrily scolded, "You still can't listen? Do you think your wings are strong now? You don't have to obey your Mom's discipline anymore?"

I said, "No."

Grandma said, "School starts in a couple of days. You only have two days left at home. Listen to your Mom, don't make her angry, understood?"

I said, "Understood."

Grandma said to Mother, "Qiu Xia, children need to be guided slowly, not disciplined too harshly. Look, Xiao Tian's attitude in admitting his mistake is quite good. Home should be harmonious to be a home. Jun Tian isn't having an easy time outside. If you make such a fuss, how can he concentrate on his work?"

Mother and I didn't know how to respond. After a lecture and some guidance, Grandpa and Grandma returned to their hometown that day.

Mother and I were each lost in our own thoughts. I had to pretend I knew nothing and get along with Mother as usual.

School started, but Father couldn't come back. No matter how I tried to cheer her up, Mother couldn't be happy. She didn't dare to sleep soundly at night, waking up at the slightest sound.

Seeing Mother like this, I felt both anxious and heartache.

I said to Mother, "Mom, school has started, I have to go to school. Don't think too much about it, Dad will be back. I'll come back as soon as school is out on the weekend."

Mother said, "Be careful on the road. At school, observe discipline, study hard, and don't be like that bastard who ran away from home."

I said, "I found out. He's been hiding at a classmate's house these past few days. Should I notify him to report to school?"

Mother said, "Don't bother with him. Let your Dad come back and discipline him."

I said, "Mom, I'm leaving then."

On the third day of reporting to school, I finally saw that bastard. Thinking about what he did to his beloved mother, waves of anger surged within me. Thinking of Mother's haggard appearance, I lost control.

I don't know where I got the courage, but I punched him on campus. He was stunned, not understanding what was happening. My second punch landed on his face. He reacted and started fighting back, and then we were fighting fiercely on campus. The surrounding classmates were all scared silly. Those who knew us didn't dare to step in to mediate. They didn't even know why we were fighting.

After this incident, we both became "famous" at school. Others are "father and son soldiers on the battlefield," while we are "fighting brothers."

The school notified Mother to pick us up. Mother called Father and asked him to come back to school to pick up his two sons. Father flew back that day.

At school, we listened to the director's lecture at the Academic Affairs Office: "Because of the fight, the influence is very bad. You violated school discipline and were uncooperative with school education. As parents, how do you discipline your children at home?"

Father said, "Yes, yes. We were negligent in our discipline at home and have caused trouble for the school."

The director said, "It's only been the start of the semester. If you couldn't solve your problems at home, why come to school to solve them? Is school a place for you to fight? If you want to fight, you two brothers go home and fight. Settle it, then come back to school."

Father said, "I'll definitely discipline them properly when I take them back."

Because my own brothers fought at school, it was considered a family matter. The school issued a warning punishment to me separately.

Father's complexion was grim in the car on the way home, and he didn't say a word.

When we got home, Father ordered us to stand there, then he grabbed his slipper and started hitting us. The slipper hitting us hurt, but neither of us dared to cry. Tears streamed down our faces from the pain.

Mother was in the bedroom, having a cold war with Father. Grandparents weren't here, so no one cared if we lived or died. When Father got tired of hitting, he put down the slipper and started asking, "Tell me, what did you fight about?"

He said, "He started it!"

Father said to me, "You tell me! Why did you fight?"

How could I answer?

If I said I hit him because he bullied Mother, first, Mother couldn't face the family. Second, he would probably be beaten to death by Father. Although I was full of anger and felt wronged, I didn't make a sound.

Seeing that I remained silent, Father got even angrier. "Are you deaf? Can't you hear me asking?" As he spoke, he raised his slipper and hit me again...

I finally couldn't help but cry out. I felt so wronged. I said loudly, "I just can't stand him! I just want to beat him up!"

Father yelled at me, "You're still defiant after hitting someone! You're going too far!"

He raised his slipper and hit me again.

Mother opened the bedroom door and shouted at Father, "Can this house ever have some peace? You came back just to hit people, didn't you? Why don't you slap me a few times first? Are you even a man?"

After saying that, Mother went back into the room, leaving a confused Father. He never knew what had happened, and he never would.

Father glared at us furiously and said, "Kneel there and reflect on your mistakes!"

Father went into the bedroom, and I could only hear the sound of my parents arguing from inside.

Mother said, "I told you, I called you a few days ago, and you didn't come back. You can live alone!"

Father said, "Didn't I come back?"

Mother said, "It's too late! You live alone! You don't have this family in your heart, you don't have me in your heart. You can live with your work!"

Father said, "What's going on? I don't even know what happened. It's just those two brats being disobedient. I disciplined them, so you don't need to get so angry!"

Mother said, "You should discipline them! If you could, it wouldn't be like this!" As she spoke, Mother felt wronged and started to cry.

Father said, "What are you crying about? Tell me what's going on! Why are you so unreasonable now? Did you take the wrong medicine or are you going through menopause!"

Mother said, "Get out! Get out!" Mother pushed Father out of the room, then locked herself inside. Ai Du Free Novel App updates fastest, no ads, Old Bookworm customer service helps you find the books you want to read!

Father roared at us, "What the hell did you two do to make your mother so angry! Disobeying orders and fighting!" Then he sat on the sofa, sulking.

The house was filled with a strange atmosphere. In fact, besides Father, the three of us knew why Mother had gone from gentle and virtuous to irritable and prone to shouting and making a scene; except for me, the three of them didn't know why I had fought.

What was once a relatively warm family had developed cracks due to this incident: I began to secretly resent the scoundrel who bullied Mother and the Father who beat me without understanding the truth; Mother hated Father for not disciplining his son, which led to her being harmed, and she also hated her eldest son, whom she doted on; Father complained that Mother had become unreasonable and was making a scene without regard for the family; and the scoundrel who had caused the current family situation was the least affected. He lowered his head, saying nothing, and no one knew what he was thinking.

My arms, thighs, and back were bruised and swollen from Father's beating. I glared at him fiercely. Because of him, Mother was harmed. Because of him, I was innocent yet beaten. Because of him, the family was falling apart.

In the evening, Mother came to apply swelling relief potion to me and asked, "Why did you fight with him? Didn't I tell you to obey discipline and study hard at school?"

I said, "I feel like you were wronged because of him. He is unfilial, disobedient to you, and talks back to you. I ache for you. Mom, Dad doesn't understand you, but I do. I am filial to you."

Hearing this, Mother looked at my bruised body and suddenly hugged me, sobbing.

I reflected at home for over a week. During this time, Father and Mother were in a cold war, and they occasionally quarreled. Father never understood what had caused this, what he had done wrong to make Mother so angry with him.

Grandparents and maternal grandparents came to mediate the fights, but what did they know?

And how could they mediate?

A week later, I submitted a self-criticism letter to the school's academic affairs office and returned to school. Father went on a business trip for work again. At that moment, I asked myself, could our home ever return to the way it was?

At the end of August, the school would have a short break, allowing students to go home for two days of rest.

I hadn't seen that scoundrel for a month, and I didn't ask him if he wanted to go back. It was better if he didn't, so Mother wouldn't be annoyed when she saw him.

To my surprise, he actually had the nerve to come back. Father was not at home. When I saw him return, I didn't dare to leave home for a moment. That night, he said to Mother, "I'm not going to school anymore. I signed up for conscription, passed the physical examination and political review, and will enlist in September. The notification should come in the next two days. I'll be staying out for these two days."

I was caught off guard by this news. Mother, however, was calm and unconcerned, as if it had nothing to do with her. Mother had no more words for him.

Father returned to send him off to enlist. I also took a few days off, and Grandparents and maternal grandparents all came.

At the farewell party, he said to Father and Mother, "Dad, Mom, your son is unfilial. Please forgive me."

Father said, "You are serving the country. Mom and Dad support you. Control your temper in the troops from now on; the military has its rules. Qiu Xia, say a few words to your son too."

Mother and Father were still in a cold war, but she said to the son who had caused her harm, "Train well in the army and become a useful person."

He bowed to us and said, "Mom, Dad, Grandparents, maternal grandparents, I have to return to duty. Xiao Tian, I'll rely on you to be filial to our parents at home from now on."

I looked at him with complex emotions, not knowing what to say, and just nodded.

After he joined the army, our family's relationship temporarily returned to normal. However, the relationship between my parents was no longer as close as before, and they would occasionally quarrel. It was probably because of the matter Father didn't know about, and Mother couldn't forgive Father's inaction in educating their children; and my mother and I became closer than before. I had to thank Father for his inaction in our education, because that allowed me to win Mother's heart.