books44 Chapter 317: Family Discipline Punishment
Chapter 317: Family Discipline Punishment
Chapter 317: Family Discipline Punishment
The whip in Shen's father's hand fell like raindrops on every inch of Shen Bin's back; even through his clothes, the pain penetrated to the bone. Shen Bin knelt on the ground without uttering a sound, and seeing Shen Bin's silence, Shen's father slowed his movements.
Seeing the bloodstains on Shen Bin's back, his father felt a pang of heartache. Shen Bin's mother had died in childbirth, so his father was very strict with him, punishing him severely whenever he misbehaved. Yet, the child never cried or complained; after each beating, he would remain still for a long time. His father had initially thought Shen Bin would become rebellious as he grew up, but this quiet nature was a surprise to him.
"Father, calm down, don't get sick from anger." Shen Bin said calmly when he saw that the whip in his father's hand had not yet struck his back.
Mr. Shen threw the whip on the ground, put his hands behind his back, and was about to say something when Shen Bin interrupted him.
"Father, Mother passed away when I was born, so if I make a mistake, as long as you think I've done something wrong, I won't complain no matter how you punish me. But, Father, do you know, I'm all grown up now, but you still treat me like a child. Whenever I make a mistake, you immediately use family rules to punish me, never considering my feelings. You just believe whatever others say. Why do you prefer to listen to others' opinions instead of asking about my feelings?" Shen Bin said, his body trembling slightly.
Father Shen had no idea that Shen Bin, who was usually not good with words, would speak so much today. He froze halfway through the conversation. He never imagined that his son had so many things on his mind, while he himself had always been strict and harsh with him. A feeling of shame welled up inside him, but he didn't know how to comfort Shen Bin, who was kneeling on the ground.
Father Shen remained standing there, pondering what to do, while Shen Bin, who had been kneeling on the ground, stood up at some point and walked straight out the door. As he passed Father Shen, he said, "Father, I have some things to take care of. You stay home afterward, and I'll go to court to resume my duties in a few days."
Watching Shen Bin's departing figure, Shen's father didn't know whether to be happy or heartbroken. He wanted Shen Bin to stay away from the turmoil of the court, yet he also wanted him to serve the country. But Shen Bin's words revealed his resolve. Shen's father knew his son well; once he made a decision, it was unwavering.
After saying that, Shen Bin dragged his injured body out the door. Walking alone on the street, he seemed to be struggling. He didn't know where to go; he felt angry, aggrieved, and mostly self-reproachful.
Recalling some things, he was a rich kid who grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth. His father doted on him from a young age. After passing the imperial examination with top honors, Shen Bin said to his father, "Father, the emperor wants me to serve as an official in the court, but I don't want to get involved in the court's troubles."
Shen Bin was raised by his father, so he naturally agreed and said, "Alright, my son, you will pass the imperial examination with flying colors and bring glory to our ancestors. Tell your father what your ambitions are. If you don't want to be an official in the court, I will speak to the Emperor about it."
When asked about his dreams, he told Shen's father that he wanted to open a restaurant, and his father agreed. This displeased the Emperor. The patriarch of the Wu family, like Shen's father, was an official in the court, but he was Shen's father's sworn enemy and always made things difficult for him. Shen's father, on the other hand, was neither competitive nor troublesome, and the Emperor valued him highly, which made the patriarch of the Wu family even more jealous.
Ever since Shen Bin passed the imperial examination with top honors, Master Wu has been green with envy. But when he heard that Shen Bin was unwilling to serve as an official in the court, he would always use Shen Bin as a pretext in court, saying in front of the emperor, "It's a pity that the eldest son of Minister Shen is unwilling to serve in the court despite the emperor's great favor. He really doesn't respect the emperor."
Upon hearing this, a commotion arose in the court, with everyone pointing and whispering about Shen's father. Shen's father remained unperturbed, bowing to Master Wu and then to the Emperor, saying, "Your Majesty's grace is boundless, but my son is still young, and I fear he may have wasted Your Majesty's good intentions. When my son is older and more sensible, he can serve the country and Your Majesty without making any mistakes, and win Your Majesty's favor."
As soon as Shen's father finished speaking, the Emperor looked at him with approval, clapped his hands in praise, and at the same time reprimanded Master Wu for speaking recklessly. Over time, this created enmity between the two families.
It was Shen Bin who was told about this by his father's old friend. At that time, Shen Bin only knew how to expand the restaurant and didn't care about his father's affairs. But when he heard others say this, he felt very guilty.
Shen Bin didn't know what to do. The wound on his back was tearing and hurting, but he still gritted his teeth and kept quiet.
Originally bored while staying in the restaurant, Ji Meiqing and Lu Yu went out for a stroll. They weren't sure what to buy. Lu Yu spotted a stall selling candied hawthorns in the distance and walked over. Ji Meiqing didn't notice Lu Yu leaving, preoccupied with looking at the trinkets on the street.
"Boss, give me two candied hawthorns." Lu Yu said as he walked to the stall. The stall owner immediately handed Lu Yu two candied hawthorns with a smile. Just as Lu Yu was about to pay the owner, the stall owner angrily shouted to the side, "Hey, hey, hey, what's wrong with you? Don't you watch where you're going? What if you bump into my stall?"
Lu Yu looked to his side and saw a young man with his head down, clutching his shoulder and walking unsteadily. He noticed whip marks on the young man's back and found it strange. He was about to pay and leave, but the man looked familiar. He went over and helped him up, and upon seeing his face, he said in shock, "Young Master Shen, how could it be you?"
Ji Meiqing turned around but didn't see Lu Yu. She looked around nervously and then at Lu Yu's figure not far away. She walked over quickly and found that there was another person next to Lu Yu. The person had his head down and she couldn't see his face clearly. When she saw the injury on the person's back, she covered her mouth with her hand and almost cried out, but she managed to control herself.
"Brother Lu, who...who is this? If you don't know him, just leave him alone." Ji Meiqing was quite frightened when she saw that the man was seriously injured. She thought that the man was being chased or had encountered enemies. Worried that Lu Yu would get into trouble, she hurriedly pulled Lu Yu away from the place.
Ji Meiqing pulled Lu Yu along, but Lu Yu stood still, supporting the stranger without moving. Ji Meiqing looked at Lu Yu with some annoyance, thinking to herself, "Why didn't he used to be so nosy?"
“It’s Shen Bin,” Lu Yu explained, as if he knew what Ji Meiqing was thinking.
"Shen Bin? How could it be him?" Ji Meiqing said in disbelief. Still not convinced, she stepped forward for a closer look and confirmed it was Shen Bin. She wondered who Shen Bin had offended to be whipped like that.
"We shouldn't stay here any longer. Let's take him back to the restaurant." Lu Yu said, carrying Shen Bin on his back and heading towards the restaurant. Ji Meiqing followed behind, looking at the wound on Shen Bin's back, cursing the person who had done such a cruel thing to Shen Bin in her heart.
Ji Meiqing and Lu Yu arrived at the restaurant. Yin Lie, seeing the two at the counter, didn't think much of it. But when he saw another person—a man with whip marks all over his back, bloodstains on his clothes, and a sudden aura of ferocity emanating from him—he quickly went around the counter to Ji Meiqing, helping the man in his arms. He caught a glimpse of the man's face and looked at Ji Meiqing and Lu Yu with some confusion. Just as he was about to ask something, Lu Yu interrupted him, saying, "Take him to the back hall to check his injuries." Lu Yu helped Shen Bin to the back hall, with Li Meiqing and Yin Lie following behind.