Chapter 403: Can’t Hold Back His Emotions
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Tao Zhenggang was worried about his two sons, who had to work at the docks to earn money. However, the two brothers would no longer have to work at the docks. Instead, they could make pottery at home with their parents.
Moreover, the brothers would get monthly salaries and no longer need to worry about loading goods. All they had to do was work close to home and get paid.
The sky had already darkened when Tao Zhenggang reached the town’s docks.
At that moment, many people were still loading and unloading goods, one trip after another. Some were so tired that they nearly collapsed.
“Watch out! Fortunately for you, those goods are fragile. What would we do if you broke them?”
“Are you all right?”
The fallen person started panting with exhaustion but stood up to continue carrying the goods. Since it was his livelihood, his hard work would have been in vain if he could not complete his tasks.
Meanwhile, the person in charge at the dock kept an eye on everyone. “Hurry up. There’s another ship behind us. Plenty of people are fighting to work at the docks, so if you can’t do it, please go home. The quicker you are, the quicker we can all go home.”
Many were panting from exhaustion, but they had no choice but to continue loading and unloading the goods.
When Tao Zhenggang arrived, he saw the scene from afar. His eyes stung when he saw how hard everyone worked to move goods.
His two sons had worked on the docks for a long time and should be exhausted. Still, the brothers never complained, even though they rarely returned home.
That was because ships sometimes docked at midnight, and the brothers had to carry goods. After all, they would earn more if they moved more goods. In particular, one would make more money moving goods at night than during the day.
Therefore, the workers sometimes squeezed with many others in a thatched house next to the dock. The workers would sleep in the open if the weather permitted. Since that was the case, the workers could not get proper rest.
They could not even afford proper meals since they could not earn enough to buy food. Hence, many only dry food with added water from home. Still, some died from hunger and exhaustion on the dock.
Tao Zhenggang’s lips trembled as he called his sons’ names, “Dayong, Eryong.”
Tao Dayong was moving goods when he heard someone call him. Tao Eryong asked, “Big Brother, do you hear father’s voice too?”
Tao Eryong did not see the stone under his foot and almost fell when he spoke.
However, his eldest brother quickly supported him, saying, “Be careful,
Eryong. Watch where you’re going.”
“I miss our parents, Big Brother.”
The two brothers helped each other, so they could persist. Tao Eryong usually did not want his big brother to worry, so he would always bear with it. When he heard his father’s voice, his tears were about to come out. After all, he was homesick and missed his parents.
Tao Dayong became choked up as he felt the same. Still, he could not say it since he could not control his emotions, and his brother would feel worse.
“It’s okay. We’ll go home in a few days.”
“Yeah.”
The brothers thought they were hallucinating. Moreover, the sky was darkening, and they could barely see what was before them, not to mention people in the distance.
Tao Zhenggang also had trouble seeing his sons, so he walked forward to get a better look. His heart ached when he saw how tired his two sons were from loading and unloading goods.
Tao Zhenggang blamed himself even more. ‘If it weren’t for my lack of abilities, my sons wouldn’t need to work here for money to pay off our debts.’
The man feared something terrible happening to his two sons. He called again, “Dayong, Eryong!’
Tao Dayong and Tao Eryong finally saw their father and were stunned. “F-Father? Why are you here?”
The two brothers were thrilled to see their father. They sincerely missed home, and it was unbearable to them. They would get so homesick at night that they would toss and turn, unable to fall asleep.
No matter how run-down their house was, it was still their home. They also had heated brick beds at home and could at least eat hot meals.
The brothers had been by their parents’ side for a long time and did not enjoy being away from them. They had been away for a long time and could not get used to it.
However, they knew about the situation at home and forced themselves to adapt and survive. The brothers could not bear their parents worrying about them, mainly because they were old.
Tao Zhenggang almost lost control of his emotions when he noticed how skinny his sons were.
Tao Eryong exclaimed, “Father, I miss you and mother!”
Tao Dayong wanted to scold his brother for doing so but could not bear it.
Tears rolled down Tao Zhenggang’s cheeks when he heard his youngest son say such things. He patted his two sons’ shoulders and said hoarsely, “Let’s go home. You no longer need to work at the docks.”
Tao Eryong put down his load and prepared to go home with his father.
Meanwhile, Tao Dayong was a little more rational. He said, “Father, you should bring Little Brother home. I can continue working here?’
“Let’s go back together, Dayong,” Tao Zhenggang said.
Tao Eryong had let his emotions control him just now. Now that he had gathered his thoughts, he looked at his brother’s appearance and father’s grey hair before saying, “I was just kidding, Father. I don’t miss home and will continue working here with Big Brother.”
He would not let his emotions affect his decisions. However, Tao Zhenggang always knew what his sons were thinking. He said, “Our lives will change soon, so you no longer have to work at the docs. Come with me, and I’ll explain everything in detail.”
Tao Zhenggang heaved a sigh of relief when he said that.
Tao Dayong looked at his father’s expression and noticed his father’s typically furrowed brows had relaxed. Tao Dayong said, “Father, I’ll go home after I’ve finished my work. We can still earn a few copper coins.”
Tao Eryong echoed, “Right, we’ll earn a few copper coins after finishing our work.”
Although it was tiring to work at the docks, the brothers would receive a copper coin a day. At least they would have some money. That was the primary reason why people fought to work there. Tao Zhenggang wanted to persuade his sons otherwise, but they insisted on staying.
The brothers claimed their pay when they finally finished their work and prepared to go home with their father. Tao Zhengang told the supervisor, “My two sons will no longer work here.”
The supervisor was surprised. “Why? Are they going home with you?”
“That’s right. My wife and I need our sons to do things at home,” Tao Zhenggang answered smilingly.
The manager waved. “All right then.”
After all, many people worked at the dock, and the work would continue as usual.
Tao Zhenggang and his two sons rushed home through the night. Along the way, the brothers asked how their parents were doing out of curiosity.
Tao Zhenggang and his two sons rushed home through the night. Tao
Zhenggang suppressed his excitement and did not say much. He only said, “Su Teng Village’s Miss Su came to help us. We’ll discuss the details when we get home.”
The Su family of Su Teng Village were no strangers to the two brothers. In the past, the brothers heard their mother talking about the Su family whenever they went home from the docks.
The brothers even heard many people discussing the Su family and their delicious food as they worked on the docks. Su Binglan was legendary in Tao Dayong’s and Tao Eryong’s hearts.
“Father, why did Miss Su come to our house?
“That’s right, Father, you’re not pulling our legs, right?”
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