My father passed away, my mother remarried, my stepfather over 60 years old worked hard to raise my three siblings, and finally had a day to 'reap the sweet fruit'.

This article is a sharing from Jian Hao, who lives in Hubei (China). After being posted on Toutiao, his story received a lot of sympathy.

My name is Jian Hao, and I live in a remote rural area in Hubei, surrounded by mountains. My parents are farmers, working in the fields year-round, and our family is quite poor. I am the second of three children. My siblings and I have a very hard life; we don't have enough to eat, and we often have to eat rice mixed with potatoes and cassava. Occasionally, we get to eat meat or eggs. Because of our constant struggle to make ends meet, my parents often argue.

When I was 10 years old, my father suddenly passed away from a serious illness. The family lost its main breadwinner, and all the burdens fell on my mother's shoulders. Every day, she would leave home early in the morning, while it was still dark, and finish her work in the fields and at home late at night.

Two years later, my mother met a man who later became my stepfather. My stepfather was tall, with a healthy tan complexion, bright eyes, and a cheerful and approachable demeanor. He worked at the factory with my aunt. He was a foreigner who had come to Hubei to work many years earlier, and his family wasn't very well-off.

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One day, while delivering agricultural products to the kitchen department at the company, my mother coincidentally met my stepfather, and the two officially started dating and eventually got married. My mother didn't mind that he wasn't very well-off; she only made one condition: that he settle down in the local area and help her raise their three children.

When my stepfather came to live with my mother and my two siblings, gossip spread throughout the village. People made up all sorts of stories, scrutinizing and judging my family. But my stepfather didn't care about the negative comments; he was always cheerful and friendly to everyone. I admire him for that.

Every day after work, my stepfather would help my mother with farm work or housework. He shared all the responsibilities, big and small, in the house with my mother. Since my stepfather came to live with us, my mother has become much happier and more cheerful because she has someone to keep her company. Every word and action of my stepfather showed the love he had for my mother.

Although he didn't father us three brothers, he raised and cared for us. He treated us like his own children. Even though he was very kind, when my older brother first came to live with us, he didn't like him and always acted disrespectfully. Yet, I never once saw him get angry.

Once, my brother got into a fight with a classmate. My stepfather found out and went to the school to resolve the situation, talking to the teachers and the parents of the boy who hit my brother. I don't know exactly what he said, but after that day, my brother's attitude changed; he no longer seemed to dislike him.

My stepfather moving in turned my life around to some extent.

When I was in my first year of middle school, my family moved to the town. My stepfather calmly said, "The quality of teaching at middle schools in the town is far inferior to that in the county. For the sake of our three children's education, it would be better for us to move to the city."

My mother, however, believes that: "Although the cost is high, our children's education is the most important thing. No matter how poor we are, parents cannot let their children's education get in. Later, they will have to take high school and university entrance exams, so they need a long-term vision."

This is a conversation I overheard. Actually, my stepfather had planned to move to town. After our family of five moved to town, we lived in a two-story house, one of which was a basement. Although not large, it was just enough space to live in.

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To support the family, my stepfather started a small business. He cycled through the narrow streets selling various odds and ends like food, children's toys, and clothes. But things didn't go well, so he switched to delivering food to construction workers.

It was only when I happened to visit my father's workplace that I fully understood the difficulties, hardships, and dangers he faced in trying to earn money to support his family. He was truly a kind, compassionate, and hardworking man; I rarely heard him complain about the ups and downs of life.

Not long after, my stepfather accidentally fell from a shelf on the second floor and broke a bone. He stayed home for three months before gradually recovering. Once he was well, he insisted on returning to the construction site to continue working.

After some time, my parents rented a lot of farmland to dig ponds for raising fish, and grow vegetables, corn, sugarcane, etc., to sell to small traders. They started learning how to grow vegetables in greenhouses. They worked tirelessly, day and night, to earn every penny. Gradually, my family's life became more prosperous.

My parents not only had enough money to support my three siblings and me through school, but they also renovated our old house in the countryside and moved us to a new one in the town. That year, when my twin brother and I both got into a top university, my father was so happy that he invited everyone in the village, even strangers, to celebrate with a feast and drinks.

"In the future, children, study hard so that you can have a less difficult life. As long as you live well, that is the greatest gift your parents can give," I still remember what he said at that party.

Love your wife's children as if they were your own.

After I graduated from university, my stepfather was over 70 years old, and most of his hair was gray. He and my mother no longer had the burden of making a living and could live happily together in their old age. We suggested that they sell their land and retire to ease their burden. But he was uneasy: "You children still have your jobs and families to worry about, and besides, your parents are still healthy enough to continue working."

When my younger sister got married, my stepfather gave her 400 million VND as a dowry, along with wedding gold. On her big day, he teared up and said, "My daughter, my means are limited, but I will always try my best to protect you." Hearing this, everyone was moved to tears.

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My older brother and I also received some capital from our father to start a business, and our lives became relatively stable. My mother was the one who changed the most noticeably. From a woman who was always submissive, always sacrificing, and living a hard life, she now looks noticeably younger and happier. My stepfather doesn't let her do heavy work and always cares for her and shares her difficulties. Before my biological father passed away, she almost had to shoulder everything and worry about everything, but now she has a strong shoulder to lean on.

Life went on peacefully until one day, my mother went for a routine check-up and was diagnosed with liver cancer, with not much time left. My stepfather rushed back and forth between home and the hospital to care for her and encourage her during each chemotherapy session. Even we, her biological children, couldn't spend as much time with her as he did because of our busy work schedules. Witnessing that scene, I was moved to tears.

Just six months after her diagnosis, my mother passed away. After her death, my three siblings and I saw our stepfather packing his bags, expressing his desire to return to his hometown. "Your mother is no longer here, it's probably not right for me to stay here," he said sadly. All three of us disagreed because he had lived with us for so long, working hard to raise us and teach us right from wrong. For a long time, we had considered him like our own father.

From then on, we spent our time together with our father in his old age. Even after starting our own families, we still often returned to our hometown to visit and care for him. Recently, seeing how frail he was, I brought him to the city to live with my wife and me. Seeing him happy with his children and grandchildren brought tears to my eyes. Thank you, Dad, for not giving birth to the three of us but always wholeheartedly raising us.

Ung Ha Chi

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/bo-qua-doi-me-di-buoc-nua-bo-duong-ngoai-60-tuoi-nang-nhoc-muu-sinh-nuoi-3-anh-em-toi-cuoi-cung-cung-co-ngay-hai-trai-ngot-172240614083721879.htm