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Third Brother was brought home from Lin County by our father when he was six. That was the first time we saw him—very big eyes, slim arms, and a shy expression. He was holding a large, rough ceramic savings jar about two feet square, shaped like an ugly pig. \ \ When little sister was born, our family had three golden flowers in a row. After mother was taken for a sterilization surgery and returned, she secretly cried, sobbing in the room to father: 'The fortune-teller said you are destined to have no son, yet you wanted me to give birth! Can you really afford to raise so many kids?' \ \ Father was a tough man; he said that no generation in our family had ever lacked a son. He didn't believe in fate. Since mother could not give birth anymore, he went far to find one. At that time, adoption procedures were not so complicated, and for little money, father had a son. Father held Third Brother happily, slipping a big apple into his hand. \ Apples were such a rare fruit then, yet father bought one! My older sister and I watched coldly, thinking that this little bastard was a big threat; in the future, who knows how much he might compete with us for! \ \ In the evening, we gave Third Brother his first lesson in dominance. Father and mother had gone to the fields and would not return until late. They instructed my older sister and me to prepare dinner for the younger siblings. My sister and I proudly served just a bowl of white rice to Third Brother, while the three sisters hid in the kitchen, savoring the meat slices that father had specially bought for him. After finishing, I went to collect Third Brother's bowl and pretended to ask if he had eaten enough. He looked up with watery eyes and gratefully said: 'Thank you, Second Sister, I'm full. The meal you made was really delicious.' I was almost moved, but thought that this was a naughty child here to compete with us, and my heart hardened again. \ \ In the evening, father asked if Third Brother was accustomed to the food. Third Brother still looked grateful and said: 'It's extremely delicious, and both Elder Sister and Second Sister are very kind to me…' \ \ With his tender sincerity, Third Brother won a change in our attitude toward him. My older sister and I discussed it and decided to let him be for the time being.And the true acceptance of Third Brother came after a heavy rain.
That day, Big Sister and I had gone to school, and our parents were busy in the fields, leaving only Third Brother and Little Sister at home. It rained heavily in the morning, and Little Sister had already caught a cold the night before. In the afternoon, she suddenly developed a high fever, and Third Brother gritted his teeth and carried her to the clinic. The rain was really heavy; Big Sister and I could barely hear the teacher at school, yet Third Brother wrapped Little Sister tightly in a single piece of rain cloth and rushed into the rain. According to the nurse at the clinic, Third Brother came in soaking wet, didn't say a word, and fainted.
Little Sister recovered after two days, but Third Brother fell ill. When Father brought him home, we were all standing at the door. Third Brother waved his thin, fragile arms at us and said, ‘It's so cold outside, you'd better come in!' We obediently turned and went inside, and I was at the back, noticing that Third Brother was bent over Father's back, tears already running down his cheeks.
At dinner, Big Sister and I took turns serving him food, filling his bowl to the brim. For the first time, we affectionately called him Third Brother. He didn't respond, just lowered his head and kept eating. Father said, ‘Why hasn't Third Brother said thank you? This child still needs to learn manners.' I was sitting closest to Third Brother, and only I could see that his tears were falling into his food, making it impossible for him to say thank you.
After Little Sister went to school, the burden on Father, which was already heavy, became even heavier. Fortunately, the four of us children knew how to be considerate. Only Third Brother was a bit playful; after school, he would often vanish and wouldn't return home until late at night, covered in grass and debris.
One day, Little Sister wore a red scarf and became a Young Pioneer, and was even selected by the school as the squad leader. Third Brother was very happy and specifically ran to the market to buy her a delicate and beautiful notebook. Big Sister and I secretly wondered: Where did Third Brother get so much money?
Not long after, one night, Third Brother had just returned from playing outside. Big Sister and I blocked him in the living room and questioned him about where he had been. He hesitated, unable to give a clear answer. I understood Third Brother's personality; he wasn't good at lying, so he must have been doing something behind our backs that he didn't want anyone to know about!I pretended to be friendly and asked him, "Don't panic, take your time. Where did the money you spent for your little sister buy a notebook last time come from?" Hearing this, the third brother looked up in shock and lied: "Then...... I saved it myself! I didn't steal it!" I found his reaction suspicious, gave my eldest sister a look, and she understood. She immediately put on a stern face and pointed to the ground: Kneel! The third brother suddenly knelt down with a thud, biting his lip but still insisting: I didn't steal the money! At that moment, our parents came back from outside, and my father hurriedly asked what had happened. The eldest sister told him that the third brother had bought a very expensive notebook for the younger sister a few days ago, and the money might have been stolen. She also asked if father had given him that much pocket money. After hearing this, the father flew into a rage, grabbed a broom, and started hitting the third brother; You unfilial son! I raised you out of kindness and sent you to school, yet you still do such a shameless thing!
The father hit him hard, and the third brother's body swayed from the broom, but he stubbornly remained motionless. Father was tired from beating and stopped to catch his breath. Only then did the third brother finally relax his jaw, his voice trembling as he said, "Dad, you must be tired just getting back. Sit down and rest for a while."
The third brother struggled to stand, poured a glass of water for his father as usual, and staggered over to kneel before him again. Father, face dark, reluctantly took the tea, setting it aside without even looking. The younger sister was terrified, trembling as she held out the notebook and pleaded for him: "Dad, Third brother is doing this for my own good, please let him off this once!"
\ Father snatched the notebook and tore it into several pieces with a loud crash. The third brother didn't cry; he tidied up the torn notebook, neatly stacked it in his arms, and held it in his arms, looking just like when he first arrived holding a piggy bank. He knelt upright, even smiling as he said, "I've never forgotten how hard it was for my parents to raise me, so I worked hard at my studies." The old man at the crossroads promised me to help him pull the weeds in the entire courtyard every day, giving me thirty yuan a month. I'll save up all the money—half for the family's rice, and not save the other half for when the family is in trouble...... The third brother slowly stretched out his palms, the hands of a nine-year-old child as rough as tree bark.
The little sister cried and threw herself at her third brother: "Third brother, why didn't you say so earlier!"Father, with tears streaming down his face, also reached out his hand to help the third brother up and choked on his words, saying, 'Child, we're sorry for making you suffer.' Mother hurriedly took out medicinal wine, pulled down his pants, and saw a large purple bruise on his buttocks. The whole family was in a flurry. Father cooked, I boiled hot water, the eldest sister applied a warm compress for him, mother applied the medicine, and the youngest sister, unable to help in any other way, carefully sewed the notebook back together on the side.
The third brother finally burst into tears: 'You are all so good to me, how can I ever repay you in a way that doesn't let you down!' Hearing this, the eldest sister and I felt our faces burning hot with shame.
Later, the four siblings all successfully graduated from college. Soon, the eldest sister and I got married and moved to other cities, and the youngest sister also worked elsewhere, leaving only the third brother at home. The eldest sister and I were busy with work and taking care of our parents-in-law and children, leaving no time to visit our parents. Fortunately, the third brother held no grudges and always called us back home during holidays.
When the third brother's wedding invitation arrived, I was truly startled. He came with his fiancée, a girl of ordinary appearance and short stature. I pulled the third brother aside and asked disapprovingly, 'Third brother, why didn't you find a prettier girl?' The third brother scratched his head bashfully and said, 'Rolan is a good girl; she is willing to spend her life taking care of our parents with me.' My throat tightened, and I could not say a word.
The wedding was very simple, but what left a deep impression on the guests was seeing the third brother and his fiancée kneel before their parents and respectfully kowtow three times. The scene didn't feel like a wedding, but more like a birthday celebration for the two elderly parents. The three of us sisters felt our noses sting as we realized our own children had never shown this level of understanding and gratitude, and we felt deeply ashamed.
Years later, after many years of hard work, father fell ill. We were all busy, and only the third brother and his fiancée were by father's bedside. Mother called and asked us to return home to discuss father's medical expenses and arrangements for his passing. The eldest sister and I were both paying mortgages, and with children in school, we had no extra money; the youngest sister even less so. The whole house fell into an awkward silence until the third brother stepped in front of his fiancée and took up the responsibility. 'I'll take care of Dad. I understand that all of you have difficulties at home.'
The third brother broke open his ceramic piggy bank, inside were bills folded into very small pieces.One by one, the family slowly unfolded the money, totaling 11,400 yuan. We were stunned—who would have thought that such an ugly and rough porcelain jar could hide so much money inside? I saw my sister-in-law trembling as she tried to hold back her excitement, while our third brother comfortingly patted her shoulder and told everyone: 'This piggy bank, I brought it from our original family. They told me to keep your kindness in my heart and to put what I could use to repay you in this bank. Always remember the kindness, and take out what's inside only in the most difficult times without hesitation.' Mother, upon hearing this, burst into tears.
Finally, we learned of the sad news that Father was at death's door. All the children gathered by his bedside. Father, with trembling hands, only called the third brother forward. The third brother knelt by the bed, and Father said just one sentence: 'Number Three, you're a good son. I only have four small houses, and I leave them all to you...' It felt like a blow to us sisters—after so many years of worry, it finally happened: the third brother had taken our family inheritance for himself!
Until Father's funeral was over, we didn't really pay much attention, and after it was done, everyone went back home. Later, Mother came to visit my home and let the three of us sisters know that we could come back and stay for a few days whenever we had time. The third brother hadn't touched any of your rooms; he always cleaned them and left them ready for us to stay there during the New Year or holidays. Mother was chattering away and didn't notice my unnatural expression of shock. As it turned out, we had all misunderstood the third brother. He accepted Father's bequest to make it more convenient for us to return to our maternal home! Though he broke the piggy bank, an unbreakable piggy bank has always been kept in his heart. It is his lifetime of love poured into us and this family!
