Chapter 45: Liu Guangtian

"You still dare to talk back, see if I beat you to death today."

A burst of roaring sound came over.

Having just finished eating the steamed fish, Yang Qing lay on the bed, feeling full and content, lazily enjoying the happiness of a full stomach, when a sudden shout disturbed his good mood.

"Dad, you're playing favorites—why can the older brother eat eggs but I can't? I'm also your child."

Liu Guangtian's stubborn voice penetrated the space clearly, filling the courtyard.

"Your older brother can go to university—can you?"

"Your brother graduated and can get a job assignment—can you?"

"Look at you two, uneducated and useless—you've lost all face for our Liu family, and you still have the nerve to eat eggs."

"I'll beat you to death."

Today was Liu Hai Zhong's time of pride and satisfaction, but suddenly his own son defied him, his good mood vanished instantly, he became especially angry, and his strikes became especially harsh.

Liu Guang Qi sat there, continuing to eat his rice, watching his father viciously beat Liu Guangtian.

And Liu Guang Fu, frightened, shrank to the side, shouting.

"Dad, don't hit him, don't hit him."

Liu Hai Zhong turned his head and scolded.

"Shut your mouth, you good-for-nothing."

Because of his lack of education, he not only couldn't become a group leader, but also suffered endless squeezing; regarding children who don't study well, he is especially intolerant.

As for his two younger sons, whether they're blockheads or something else, they just can't learn; he's utterly disappointed and has placed all his hopes on the eldest son.

He has even less patience with the younger sons; if words don't work, he resorts to violence.

San Da Ma also thinks her children's poor studies are due to not being beaten enough.

Why does the eldest study so well while the two younger ones don't? It can't be that they're stupid; it must be that the two of them just aren't studying properly.

Liu Guangtian was beaten badly and fled outdoors.

"Dad, Mom, look at San Da Ye's family—they're so fair, even with just pickles, everyone gets the same."

"Why are you so biased?"

"You're so biased—on what basis do you demand we study well?"

When Er Dama heard Liu Guangtian say her educational methods were inferior to San Da Ma's, she also got angry.

"You little brat, you study poorly yet still want to eat well—what a beautiful dream you have."

"Mom, if you let me eat the same as the older brother, see if I can study well."

"If you have the ability to study well, then we'll talk about food."

"Let me eat my fill first, then we'll talk about studying."

"In San Da Ye's household, even Jiecheng Brother, who studies poorly, isn't only given steamed buns to eat."

Yan Jie Cheng, who came out to see the commotion upon hearing the noise, clutched his chest and collapsed; even with a courtyard between them, he could have been shot.

Liu Hai Zhong waved a bamboo ruler, chasing and beating Liu Guangtian.

"You're stubborn, you're stubborn, I'll make you stubborn."

Liu Guangtian, beaten, covered his head and scurried away like a rat.

Finally he ran to the back courtyard.

Yang Qing saw the beating had almost ended and hurriedly stepped in to stop it.

"Er Da Ye, enough, enough, it's about right—any more beating would make us a laughingstock."

"Look, the people from the neighboring courtyard have all come over."

"This damages your prestige."

Liu Hai Zhong tried several times to rush forward, but Yang Qing blocked him each time; moreover, as more people came to watch the spectacle, he let himself off the hook.

"You little brat, if you have the ability, don't come back."

"Watch how I'll beat you."

Having said that, he turned his head and shouted at the crowd.

"What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen me beat my son?"

Liu Hai Zhong left, and from beginning to end Liu Guang Qi never showed his face.

After everyone had dispersed, Yang Qing pulled Liu Guangtian into the shed.

With a boom, a clap of thunder, before long rain began to drip down.

Against this backdrop, Liu Guangtian's bruised and swollen appearance looked even more miserable.

"Ah, look at how you've been beaten."

Yang Qing pulled him to the stove, using the residual heat to warm him up.

Then he opened the pot, took out a steamed bun, and handed it to her.

Pitter-patter, the rain began to intensify.

Spring rain is as precious as oil; this rain also foretells that this disaster is beginning to end.

Liu Guangtian, sitting on a stool gnawing a steamed bun, was jolted by this thunder and rain.

He began to wail.

"Brother Qing, you say my dad—why is he so biased?"

Yang Qing sat on the bedside, watching the rain outside.

"Your dad said, you don't study well."

Liu Guangtian didn't accept this excuse at all; it's obviously a brush-off.

"No, it's not that—many people study poorly, yet I've never seen anyone else get beaten every day."

He had just started junior high; how could he understand people's hearts? Favoritism, bias—how widespread it is.

And there are those whose minds are twisted to the heavens.

When people's hearts have turned twisted, anything you do is wrong.

For now you're not harsh enough; once Liu Guang Qi runs away, that's when the real harshness begins—Er Da Ye will then treat his son as an enemy and strike him.

That's how things came to be later—the deaf old lady's saying: "Parents unkind, children unfilial."

In the end, Old Liu's fate also well confirmed that saying.

Thinking of this, Yang Qing joked.

There's another possibility, too: that beating people can become addictive—your father used to love throwing punches.

Although your brother got hit less, he still got hit.

Besides, your father works in forging; seeing anything makes him want to give it two hammer strikes.

At home, if he doesn't hammer, he might get an itchy hand.

Liu Guangtian was dumbfounded.

Ah……

He opened his mouth wide.

Then how am I supposed to live from now on?

He actually took it seriously.

Yang Qing wanted to laugh, but he held it in and kept teasing.

Then you need to practice your escape skills more.

Hitting people is very satisfying, but if you can't land a hit, you not only waste effort, you also feel suffocated.

You might even be laughed at by others.

Think about it: if it were you, even though you can't land a hit, would you still keep hitting?

Standing there stupidly taking a beating is just encouraging your dad to beat you.

It turns out the constant beatings were because he didn't know how to run, letting Old Liu get addicted to hitting him.

I used to be too stupid; only now do I understand.

Then from now on, I'll run at the first sign of trouble.

Yang Qing showed such a teachable demeanor and urged him.

When you have nothing to do, just read the Thirty-Six Stratagems—also known as the Art of War; among them there is a principle: the Thirty-Six Stratagems, fleeing is the best.

Our ancestors long ago said: when you see you can't win, hurry up and run to avoid shame; waiting to get beaten is foolish.

Liu Guangtian nodded firmly.

Yeah, Brother Qing, tomorrow I'll go find the Art of War.

The bottom fire slowly died out, and the air turned a bit cold.

Yang Qing turned over and burrowed into the blankets.

Liu Guangtian looked on with a hint of envy.

Yang Qing pretended not to understand.

Alright, rest a bit then head home; I feel your dad won't hit you anymore.

Be a bit thick-skinned; that's your home, what are you afraid of?

If you're capable, tell Er Da Ye not to stay—do you agree with this reasoning?

Liu Guangtian nodded.

That's also right—that's my home, what right do I have not to go back?

At worst, I'll just run out again.

Knowing he's a favoritism freak, I'll treat myself better.

Yang Qing gave a thumbs-up.

Exactly, that's what a man is like—others may not love us, but we love ourselves; others may not treat us well, but we treat ourselves well.

You've already grasped the essence of being a man.

Liu Guangtian looked at Yang Qing with burning eyes.

I've learned all this from Brother Qing; despite suffering so much, I've still made my days better and better.

Nowadays, many people envy you.

Well, this melon has fallen on my own head.

Take your leave, I won't see you out.