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Maternal Love's Cruelty
墨書 Inktalez
When I received the community's call and rushed to my doorstep, I found my dilapidated courtyard surrounded by people. A community worker cast me a meaningful glance. Just as I was about to ask what had happened, a middle-aged man parted the crowd and approached me, followed closely by an elderly woman. The woman's face was etched with sorrow, and she seemed vaguely familiar, though I couldn't recall where I had seen her before.
The middle-aged man stood in front of me, scrutinizing me from head to toe with an arrogant expression. He then asked, "Are you Liu Ming?"
Though I was annoyed by his demeanor, I nodded. "Who are you? Why are you at my house?"
Instead of answering my question, the man pointed at the elderly woman behind him and said, "Your mother claims you refuse to support her in her old age. We are here to mediate." He looked me over again and continued, "Your behavior is not only immoral but also illegal. Do you know that failing to support your elderly parents can land you in jail?"
"Oh my God! Is she really Liu Ming's Mom? It’s been nearly twenty years since I last saw her!" The crowd murmured in response to the man's words.
Ignoring the commotion around me, I focused on the elderly woman standing behind him. As her figure began to merge with my memories of my mother, my breath quickened. When they finally aligned completely, I could no longer contain my emotions. I stared at her intensely and shouted with trembling fingers, "How dare you come back? Why are you here?"
"You are my son. I'm old now; you must take care of me," the woman said softly, yet her words reached my ears clearly. I took a deep breath and asked slowly, "What did you say?"
She glanced around at the crowd and straightened her back, saying again, "I’m old; you must take care of me." Her voice was louder this time, though she still couldn't meet my gaze.
Hearing this made me laugh bitterly as I pointed at her nose and questioned with a shaky voice, "You want me to take care of you?" Then I demanded sharply, "My father and sister are gone! You caused it! You have the nerve to come back and ask me for support? How can you face them?"
The woman paused for a moment before defiantly replying, "What does that have to do with me? That was their fate."
At those words, it felt like my breath had stopped. My father's kind smile and my sister's weak grin from her hospital bed flashed through my mind. In that moment, the emotions I had been trying so hard to suppress completely shattered. I lunged toward the woman but was quickly restrained by those who had been prepared for such an outburst. All I could do was wave my arms at her and roar, "You think they deserved it? How could you say that?"
Tears blurred my vision as I stopped struggling and sank helplessly to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. "Dad and Sister are gone! They're gone!"
In a daze, I recalled my father's fragmented words echoing in my mind: "You are a man! No crying! Take good care of your sister from now on!"
Yes! I'm a man; I can't cry!
I looked up at the sky, hoping the tears would stop flowing. But this familiar gesture failed me now; the tears surged even more fiercely than before.
Perhaps seeing that I was no longer agitated, the middle-aged man spoke again: "Regardless of everything else, she is still your mother. It is your duty to support her..."
I turned to him sharply. His unfinished sentence caught in his throat as he took two steps back at my glare. With just a glance at him, I turned back to the woman. Though I could no longer see her expression clearly, I fixed my gaze on her with all my strength and shouted at the top of my lungs, "Get lost! Get the hell out of here!"
After shouting that, I swayed as if trying to stand up but failed several times. The people who had restrained me attempted to help but were waved off by me. After several attempts, I finally managed to stand up unsteadily and staggered toward my crumbling house without anyone daring to block my path.
"Liu Ming! Supporting your elderly parents is your obligation; you can't escape it!" The middle-aged man's voice came from behind again. I didn't look back but instead focused on a broom standing against the wall. Rushing over, I grabbed it and turned around to swing it down toward him. "To hell with your obligations!"
I was already at a distance from him; combined with his preparedness for retreating quickly, I missed him with that swing. But there was no way I'd let him off easily—I chased after him with the broom raised high as people scattered away.
When I reached the courtyard gate, I stopped and saw someone preparing to step forward. With a sweep of the broom in hand, I glared at everyone and shouted furiously, "Get lost! Get the hell out of here!"
After that shout, everyone took a few steps back again, watching me from afar without daring to approach further. Lowering the broom, I stood there at the gate; perhaps seeing that I had calmed down somewhat, the middle-aged man pointed at me from a distance and yelled, "Unreasonable! Liu Ming, think carefully; I'll be back!"
With that said, he turned and left with the woman.
I stood there unmoving; tears had dried up in my eyes. I'd imagined a hundred different scenarios for reuniting with my mother but never thought it would turn out like this today. I knew this result wasn't an ending but merely a beginning.
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