Chapter 69: Pledge of Love
After some polite refusals, Lu Zheng finally found out that the boy’s name was Hu Zhou, who took his mother’s surname. As for his father, Madam Hu shook her head and skipped the topic.
For over a decade, Madam Hu had been caring for Hu Zhou all by herself, doing odd jobs like washing clothes and assisting others, managing to get by.
Later, as Hu Zhou grew up, he began taking on labor jobs, leveraging his strong physique. However, his straightforward mindset and impulsive personality made him act instead of talking things through, which meant he couldn’t keep a job for long, causing more worry for Madam Hu.
As he got older, he fell in with a group of hooligans, who flattered him and took him as one of their own. Madam Hu tried to persuade him several times, but it was to no avail. Just when she was secretly heartbroken and at a loss, Hu Zhou went through some unknown experience and suddenly became mature.
In recent days, Hu Zhou tempered his temper, joined a group of porters to help others with manual labor, and even earned a hundred or so coins for the family, greatly reassuring Madam Hu.
This relief, however, was short-lived. Years of hard work led to illness, and when her body could no longer hold on, she suddenly collapsed during the day, as if out of oil and a burnt-out lamp.
If it weren’t for Hu Zhou who happened to bring Madam Hu to Renxin Hall and coincidentally met Liu Qingyan and Lu Zheng on their way back, she might not have survived the night.
"But it’s best if you rest for three months, taking medicine daily; otherwise, you won’t last even a year," Liu Qingyan advised.
"Alright, alright!" Hu Zhou nodded eagerly, pulling his mother close. "Mom, don’t work anymore. I’m carrying things for people now, they provide lunch, and I can earn ten big coins a day!"
Madam Hu gave a gentle smile but didn’t reply.
Liu Qingyan softly interjected, "Sister, it’s not easy to save a life. Don’t you want to see Hu Zhou get married and have children?"