The article is shared by Kien Hao, who lives in Hubei (China). After being posted on Toutiao, his story received sympathy.
I am Kien Hao, living in a remote rural area in Hubei, surrounded by mountains. My parents are both farmers, working hard all year round, our family is quite poor. I am the second child in a family of 3 children. My siblings and I have a very difficult life, we don't have enough rice to eat, we often have to eat rice mixed with cassava. Occasionally, we get to eat meat or eggs. Because we live in a "hand-to-mouth" situation, my parents often quarrel.
When I was 10 years old, my father suddenly passed away due to a serious illness. The family lost its breadwinner, and all the burden fell on my mother. Every day, she left the house early in the morning, when it was still dark, and finished her farm work and family chores late at night.
Two years later, my mother met a man who would later become my brother and I's stepfather. He was very tall, with healthy brown skin, bright eyes, and a cheerful and approachable personality. He worked at the factory with my aunt. He was a foreigner who had come to Hubei to work many years ago. His family was not very well off.
(Illustration)
One time when she went to the company to deliver agricultural products to the kitchen department, my mother coincidentally met my stepfather and the two officially dated and got married. My mother did not mind that he was not well off, she only had one condition: she hoped he would settle down in the locality and help her raise her three children.
When my stepfather came home to live with my mother and I, there was a lot of gossip in the village. They made up all sorts of stories, scrutinized and judged my family. But my stepfather didn't care about the bad things, he was always cheerful and generous with everyone. I admired him for that.
Every day after work at the company, my stepfather helps my mother with farm work or housework. He and my mother shoulder all the big and small tasks in the house. Since my stepfather came to live with us, my mother has become much happier and more cheerful because she has someone to keep her company. Every word and action of my stepfather shows his love for my mother.
Although he did not give birth to us three brothers, he raised and took care of us. He treated us like his own children. Although he was very good, when he first came home, my brother did not like him and always had impolite attitudes and actions. However, I have never seen him angry.
One time, my brother got into a fight with a classmate. When my stepfather found out, he went to the class to resolve the matter and discussed it with the teacher and the parents of the person who beat my brother. I don't know what my father said, but after that day, my brother's attitude changed and he no longer showed any signs of hating my father.
Stepfather's move in turned life upside down
When I was in my first year of junior high school, my family moved to town. My stepfather said gently: "The quality of teaching in junior high schools in town is far inferior to that in the district. For the education of our three children, it would be better for us to move to the city."
My mother said: "Although the cost is high, children's education is the most important. No matter how poor they are, parents cannot affect their children's education. Later, children will have to take high school and university entrance exams, so they need to have a long-term vision."
This is a conversation I overheard. Actually, my stepfather had intended to move to town. After our family of five moved to town, we lived in a 2-story house, one of which was a basement. Although the area was not large, it was just enough to live in.
(Illustration)
To sustain his family’s livelihood, his stepfather started a small business. He cycled through the small streets selling various items such as food, children’s toys, and clothes. But the business did not go well, so he switched to delivering food to workers at construction sites.
Once by chance I went to my father's workplace and saw all the hardships, difficulties and dangers he faced when trying to earn money to support his family. He was truly a kind, tolerant and hard-working man. I rarely heard him complain about the ups and downs.
Not long after, my stepfather accidentally fell from a shelf on the second floor and broke his leg. He stayed home for three months before his body gradually recovered. After he recovered, he asked to go back to work at the construction site.
After a while, my parents rented a lot of land to dig ponds to raise fish, grow vegetables, corn, sugarcane, etc. to sell to small traders. My parents started learning how to grow bamboo shoots in greenhouses. They worked hard, day and night, to collect every penny. Gradually, my family's life became better.
My parents not only had money to support the three of us, but also renovated the old house in the countryside and moved to a new house in town. That year, when my twin brother and I both passed the entrance exams to top universities, my father was so happy that he invited everyone in the village, even those who were not close, to celebrate and drink.
"In the future, you children, please study hard to have a less difficult life. As long as you live well, your parents will see that as the greatest gift," I still remember what he said at that party.
Love wife's children like his own
After I graduated from college, my stepfather was over 70 years old and most of his hair had turned grey. He and my mother no longer had to work hard to make a living and could live happily together in their old age. We told our parents to sell their land and rest to reduce their hardship. But he was not reassured: "You still have to worry about work, getting married, and your parents are still healthy so they can continue working."
When my sister got married, my stepfather gave her 400 million VND as a dowry, along with wedding gold. On the big day, he had tears in his eyes: "Daughter, my ability is limited, but I will always try to protect you." Hearing this, everyone was moved to tears.
(Illustration)
My eldest brother and I were also given some capital by our father to do business, and our lives were temporarily stable. My mother was the one who had the most obvious changes. She had gone from a woman who was resigned, always sacrificing, enduring, and living a hard life, to now looking younger and happier. My stepfather did not let her do hard work, and always cared for her and shared her hardships. Before my biological father passed away, she had to shoulder almost everything and worry about everything, but now, she has a strong shoulder to lean on.
Life went on peacefully, until one day, my mother went for a routine check-up and discovered she had liver cancer and didn’t have much time left. My stepfather was rushing back and forth between home and the hospital to take care of her, encouraging her during each chemotherapy session. Even we, his biological children, couldn’t spend as much time with her as he did because we were busy with work. Witnessing that scene, I was moved to tears.
Just 6 months after discovering her illness, my mother passed away. After she passed away, my three siblings saw my stepfather packing his suitcase and expressing his desire to return to his hometown. "Your mother is no longer in this world, it might not be good for me to stay here," he said sadly. All three of us did not agree because my father had been with us for a long time, working hard to raise us, and teaching us good and right things. For a long time, the three of us had considered him as our biological father.
From then on, we gathered around Dad in his old age. Even when we had our own families, we still often returned to our hometown to visit and take care of Dad. Recently, seeing Dad getting old and weak, I took him to the city to live with my wife and I. Seeing Dad happy with his children and grandchildren, I cried tears of joy. Thank you Dad for not giving birth to my three brothers and me but always wholeheartedly raising us.
Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/bo-qua-doi-me-di-buoc-nua-bo-duong-ngoai-60-tuoi-nang-nhoc-muu-sinh-nuoi-3-anh-em-toi-cuoi-cung-cung-co-ngay-hai-trai-ngot-172240614083721879.htm
Comment (0)