Chapter 25: Educating the Son

Hearing the commotion, Li Xiaohai knew his father had returned and said, "Mom, Dad is home."

"Da... Da..."

Li Xiaozhu had slept too much during the day and was not sleepy at all. She was crawling around on the kang, chasing her brother. Hearing her brother say their father was back, she turned her head, staring at the doorway with wide eyes.

"I'll go open the door for your father. Xiaohai, keep an eye on your sister and don't let her fall off the kang."

"I know, Mom. I'll watch her."

Zhou Yuqin put on her coat, walked to the door, and asked in a low voice, "Who is it?"

"It’s your husband. Open the door quickly; there are too many mosquitoes out here."

Li Xiangdong felt that he was particularly prone to mosquito bites. Whenever he was with others, the mosquitoes only targeted him!

"Why are you back so late? It's already nine o'clock."

As the door opened, Zhou Yuqin took the tray from Li Xiangdong's hands. Seeing him turning to head back out, she asked, "Where are you going?"

"There are still things outside the gate; I need to bring them in."

Li Xiangdong explained and made two trips to move the four square stools into the courtyard.

"Tomorrow, wipe these four stools down and put them in our room."

Zhou Yuqin was puzzled. "Why did you bring these stools back? We don't lack any at home. And that table—you still haven't told me what that's about."

Li Xiangdong swatted at the mosquitoes buzzing around his ears. "Let’s get inside first, and I’ll explain everything when we’re in."

He wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulder and nudged her inside. It was much better indoors, as the room had been fumigated with mugwort.

Li Xiaohai stood on the kang and shouted, "Dad, you're back!"

Li Xiangdong looked at his energetic son and daughter. "Why are you two still awake?"

"Sister isn't sleeping, so I’m not either. I want to keep her company."

Li Xiaohai crawled off the kang, his bottom sticking up. Without putting on his shoes, he ran over and circled his father. "Dad, didn't you bring any meat back?"

"Meat..."

Sitting on the kang, Li Xiaozhu echoed the word. After saying it, she was so happy that she covered her mouth and giggled.

"Didn't you eat all of your sister's pig tail already? What kind of meat do you want this late at night? And you're not even wearing shoes—are you looking for a spanking? Don't step on the kang with your feet; sit properly at the head of the bed!"

Zhou Yuqin was furious. She pushed Li Xiaohai down at the head of the kang and told him not to move, or the freshly changed sheets would need washing again tomorrow.

Once Li Xiaohai was sitting still, she grabbed a basin and went to the courtyard to fetch water.

Seeing his mother leave, Li Xiaohai let his feet hang off the edge, lay back on the kang, and began to squirm restlessly.

Seeing his son acting like a giant grub, Li Xiangdong scolded, "Right now! Sit up straight immediately!"

Seeing his father's dark expression, Li Xiaohai immediately behaved, sitting up at the head of the kang and daring not to move.

Li Xiangdong walked over, looked down at him, and tried to soften his tone. "You are the older brother; you need to set a good example for your sister. When your mother tells you to sit and be still, you must listen. Do you understand?"

Li Xiaohai said proudly, "I am very obedient. Grandma says I'm more sensible than Brother Xiaotao."

"Fine, you're the most sensible. Now sit quietly and wait for your mother to come and wash your feet." Li Xiangdong thought to himself that children needed proper guidance. "Did you eat all of your sister's pig tail?"

"Mom told me to eat it. She said sister shouldn't eat that much meat." Li Xiaohai looked at his father, chin held high.

Li Xiangdong walked over, sat beside him, and patted his head. "If your sister couldn't finish it, did you ask your great-grandparents, your grandparents, or your mother if they wanted some?"

Li Xiaohai didn't know how to answer. He hung his head and sat silently at the edge of the kang, looking sullen.

Li Xiangdong decided to let him think it over. He turned to see his daughter sitting cross-legged on the kang, playing with her toes. He leaned over happily and kissed her on the cheek.

Li Xiaozhu frowned and pushed her father's head away. "Stinky... hit you..."

"It’s not stinky. Where is it stinky? Is it your feet that are smelly?"

Li Xiangdong sniffed his daughter's little feet; they weren't smelly at all. Suddenly realizing what she meant, he covered his mouth and exhaled, laughing. "Dad just had a little wine. Could you smell it?"

"Stinky... stinky..."

"Dad will go wash up. You play by yourself."

Seeing his wife enter with a basin of water, Li Xiangdong patted his daughter's head and went to take the basin.

He washed up briefly, sat on the edge of the kang, and scrubbed his feet. He watched as his wife dipped a cloth into the basin and began to wipe Li Xiaohai's dirty feet.

"Why are you crying?"

Zhou Yuqin saw her son with his head drooping, sobbing, with tears rolling down his cheeks. She couldn't help but smile; she had heard her husband scolding their son while she was in the courtyard, and she felt there was some truth to what he had said.

"Alright, stop crying. Go back on the kang and play with your sister."

Zhou Yuqin wiped the tears from her son's face, gave him a couple of light taps on the bottom, and shooed him onto the kang. Then she said to Li Xiangdong, "He's still small. You can teach him slowly later; he'll be more sensible when he's older."

"Sigh." Li Xiangdong sighed, not knowing what else to say.

"I'm going to pour out the water." Zhou Yuqin took the cloth and the basin and walked out.

Li Xiangdong turned back to see his son lying in the middle of the kang. He nudged him and said, "Move over. You're taking up the whole kang by yourself; how is anyone else supposed to sleep?"

"I won't!" Li Xiaohai buried his head in his small quilt and didn't budge.

"You really are a stubborn little guy."

Li Xiangdong gave him a firm push, sending him to the very edge against the wall.

Li Xiaohai poked his head out of the quilt, surprised to find himself against the wall. Seeing his father laughing, he let out a "humph" and buried his head back in the quilt.

Li Xiaozhu thought her brother was playing with her. She wiggled her bottom and crawled over, trying to dive into the quilt, but Li Xiaohai gripped the corner of the blanket, refusing to let her in.

"Bro... play..."

"I'm not playing!"

"Play..."

Li Xiaozhu clutched the corner of the quilt, refusing to give up.

"If your brother won't play with you, Dad will. Let's play horsie."

Li Xiangdong picked up his daughter, lay back with his head against the wall, and placed her on his stomach. Holding her arms, he swayed back and forth, saying, "Giddy-up, horsie! Giddy-up!"