Chapter 46: A Son Travels Thousands of Miles, a Mother's Worries

  "One by one, they're all crying like that." Although Zhao Hu's tone was very stern, his expression showed that he was just barely holding on. "It's not a matter of life and death, Xiaofei being able to go into the city to work is a good thing, what's there to cry about? Are you afraid that you won't see each other again in the future or something? Zhending City isn't far from here, if you miss your son, your son misses you, can't he just come back?"

  "I'm just worried about Little Fei, you also know he's never been out of the village before, I'm afraid he'll be bullied when he goes out." Li looked at Zhao Fei with a worried face, her heart tangled in unspeakable knots. She knew that Zhao Fei went to work in the city to reduce his own burden, and she knew that the job he found was not bad, it's better than staying in the village, but she just couldn't bear to part with him.

  "Xiao Fei has grown up and can take care of himself. You can't take care of Xiao Fei for his whole life, can you?" Zhao Hu tried to persuade Li Shi with a bitter tone.

  "It's all right, Mother, don't worry. Father is absolutely right. I'm not young anymore and can't stay in your and Father's arms forever. You and Father have sacrificed a lot for me, and from now on, I will work hard to take care of you and bring you and Father to the city." Zhao Fei said firmly to Li Shi.

  Zhao Hu looked at Zhao Fei and showed a satisfied expression. Li also comforted him by stroking his head, "You're still young, don't overexert yourself, just do what you can handle. Your parents are still able to move around, there's no need for you to work so hard."

  "Got it, mom." Zhao Fei nodded and agreed verbally, but in his heart, he didn't think so. When there's an opportunity, you have to seize it. Suddenly, Zhao Fei thought of that fleeting shadow again. Wait for me, I'll work hard, Zhao Fei kept repeating silently in his mind. In fact, Zhao Fei himself didn't even realize that his mindset was changing bit by bit. He wasn't just thinking about avoiding the world or escaping anymore, but choosing to strive and make progress. He himself didn't even know that he still hadn't given up.

  "Alright, alright, stop nagging!" Zhao Hu reminded Li Shi with good intentions, but ended up getting a cold stare and could only smile wryly, hastily changing the subject. "Has Xiao Fei's luggage been packed? You know this is Xiao Fei's first time leaving home, not like last time." Before Zhao Hu finished speaking, Li Shi's eyes reddened again. Realizing he had misspoken, he quickly shut his mouth.

  "Alright, don't cry anymore." Zhao Fei hastily consoled Li Shi as he saw her welling up again. He also quickly stretched out his hand to help Li Shi wipe away her tears, but accidentally disturbed the sleeping Duer in his arms. He hastily withdrew his hand. It turned out that Duer had just cried herself to sleep and was now snoring softly in Zhao Fei's embrace. Duer rubbed her big, watery eyes and stared at Zhao Fei, staring so intently that Zhao Fei felt a chill run down his spine.

  "What...what's wrong Duer?" Looking at Duer whose face still had tear stains on it, Zhao Fei didn't even dare to breathe.

  "Brother, Duer is hungry. I want to eat." Duer said pitifully.

  Zhao Hu looked at the sky and found that it was already late. "It's her mother, it's not early either, hurry up and cook dinner."

  "Right, Mother. Now that you mention it, I'm hungry too." Zhao Fei hastily took the opportunity to divert Li's attention to avoid her from crying again.

  Li didn't think much and heard Zhao Fei say he was hungry. He nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go start a fire and cook dinner, you stay with Duer for a while." After finishing speaking, he turned around and walked out. Zhao Fei cherished this rare time and accompanied Duer wholeheartedly. Duer was obviously very happy, once she started playing, she forgot how sad she had cried earlier. The sound of Duer's cheerful laughter echoed everywhere.

  After lunch, lying on the bed, Zhao Fei was again unable to fall asleep for a long time. He didn't even know what he was thinking about. Until morning, Zhao Fei was still dazed. As usual, Zhao Fei did everything and then went back to his room to check his luggage again. Before long, Zhao Hu and Li Shi came out of the house, but they didn't see Duo Er. No wonder, Duo Er had been crying, it would be difficult to deal with.

  Li looked at Zhao Fei, her eyes turned red again. She hurriedly ran to Zhao Fei's side and hugged him in her arms.

  "Mother..." Zhao Fei choked back a sob, unable to speak.

  "Alright. Let's set off, if the little one wakes up later it won't be easy to walk." Zhao Hu looked at the mother and daughter in front of him, his eyes also getting a bit moist. But he still reminded them.

  "It's all right, Mother, I'm leaving." Zhao Fei wiped away the tears from his eyes. He steeled himself and pushed away his mother who was hugging him tightly. Li Shi wiped away her own tears and walked over to Zhao Hu, then took out a pouch of money from him and stuffed it into Zhao Fei's hand.

  "Mom, I don't want it. My family needs money too, how can I take it?" As soon as the bag was handed over to him, Zhao Fei knew what was inside and hastily pushed it away.

  "Li glared at Zhao Fei, 'How can this do? Listen to me. This time is not like last time, this time entering the city, everywhere needs money, bring some just in case.'"

  "But mother..." Zhao Fei hadn't even spoken, when Zhao Hu also chimed in: "Then listen to your mother's words, take it. If you don't take it, your mother won't be able to bear it either." Seeing that his father was saying this too, Zhao Fei couldn't refuse anymore, thinking to himself that he could just return the money later to his parents. With that thought, he quietly put away the pouch of money.

  "Be sure to put it away safely." Seeing Zhao Fei finally putting away his wallet, Li said hurriedly.

  "Alright, it's been a long delay, let's hurry up and get going." Zhao Hu looked at the time again, then turned his head to say to Li Shi: "You stay here and watch Duer, I'll go see off Xiao Fei." After finishing speaking, he also gave Zhao Fei a signal with his eyes.

  "It's just that, Mother, what if Duer wakes up and can't see you, she'll probably make a fuss again." Zhao Fei understood Zhao Hu's meaning and hastily advised. Originally, Li Shi was still hesitant, but after hearing Zhao Fei's words, Li Shi also reluctantly gave up.

  "You must be careful when you go out." Li said as he sent Zhao Fei out the door, reminding him. And Zhao Fei kept nodding in agreement. After walking out of the courtyard, Li grabbed onto Zhao Fei's sleeve and couldn't let go for a long time.

  "Mother..." Zhao Fei's call awakened Li Shi, who was still a bit dazed, and she let go of Zhao Fei. Then, she patted Zhao Fei's head. "In the future, Mother can't be by your side, you must be more careful and take good care of yourself."

  "I understand, Mother." Zhao Fei could no longer hold back his tears and burst into sobs in Li's arms.

  "Alright, alright, don't cry anymore. You're a man now, how can you still be so tearful?" At this time, Li comforted Zhao Fei, who had finally calmed down.

  "I'm leaving." Zhao Fei gritted his teeth, steeled himself, and turned to walk away without looking back. Zhao Hu hurriedly followed him. Li watched as Zhao Fei's figure disappeared into the distance, her heart heavy with sorrow for a long time. Knowing she had lost Zhao Fei, Li refused to enter the house. As the saying goes, "A mother's worry can span a thousand miles," Zhao Fei's departure was bound to leave Li heartbroken. Although she had prepared herself long ago, when the moment of parting finally arrived, it was still hard for her to bear the pain of separation.

  Just as Li was gazing out the door for a long time, Duer rushed out quickly. "Mother, where is my brother?" Unable to see Zhao Fei, Duer's mood became extremely anxious.

  Mrs. Li patted Duo'er's head. "Your brother has left." Before she had even finished speaking, Duo'er burst into tears. "Duo'er wants her brother, Duo'er misses her brother." Duo'er wanted to rush out the door to find Zhao Fei, but was tightly held in Mrs. Li's arms. "Duo'er be good, brother is busy. Don't disturb brother's affairs, brother will definitely come back to see you when he's done." But Mrs. Li's words did not comfort Duo'er, who continued to cry while staring in the direction Zhao Fei had gone. Mrs. Li was at a loss and could only carry Duo'er back into the house, but Duo'er kept looking back as she cried.