Chapter 60: Return to Battle When Weary

Little Mountain couldn't utter a word; he could only cast desperate glances at Little Stone and Little Shun, pleading for help.
His heart was heavy with sorrow and despair—it was Great Aunt who wanted them to have children, so how could his parents punish him without understanding the situation?
Was the child in his belly even safe now?
If the child was lost, what would happen if Great Aunt blamed him?
Little Shun and Little Stone caught Little Mountain's look for help, but seeing the fierce way his father was disciplining him, neither dared step forward.
The two exchanged glances; Little Shun's eyes asked Little Stone, "Should we go?"
Little Stone shook his head, "I don't dare."
Little Shun's eyes flickered and suggested, "Let's wait for a bit—when Mountain's father tires out, we can rescue Little Mountain."
"That sounds right. Anyway, we're here. If Mountain's parents really try to drown him in the pig cage, we can call for help."
Having settled on their plan, the two waited nearby, ready to act.
Fortunately, although Little Mountain's mother was fierce, she wasn't truly heartless; seeing things had gone far enough, she stepped forward and pulled her husband back.
"Come, take a break, let me handle him."
Mountain's father was already parched from all the beating, so he nodded and went to drink some water.
"Have you learned your lesson? Will you keep talking nonsense?"
Little Mountain wanted to speak, but his mouth was stuffed, so he could only shake his head repeatedly.
Seeing her son shake his head, Mountain's mother got angry and shouted into the house, "Mountain's father, come back out! This rascal still hasn't learned his lesson."
Little Mountain's eyes widened in panic, trying to shout something, but no one could make out his muffled words. His father came out, saw him shaking his head, and with his wife explaining beside him, his fury ignited again.
"You little rascal, today I won't stop until I've taught you a real lesson..."
As he endured the beating, Little Mountain despaired—why didn't either of his parents see that his mouth was stuffed?
He remembered his parents were clever; perhaps they were doing this on purpose?
It must be deliberate—since they couldn't drown him in the pig cage in front of Little Shun and Little Stone, they chose this method instead.
Mountain's father beat him for quite a while before stopping to ask, "Do you know you were wrong?"
Mountain's mother added, "Will you keep talking nonsense?"

Little Mountain hesitated, then nodded.
"Oh! He nodded! He still dares to talk nonsense; he doesn't know he was wrong."
Hearing this, Mountain's father needed no more prompting and continued beating him.
Mountain's mother even handed him a stick, saying, "Use this, so you don't get tired."
Little Mountain was hopeless now; his parents must want to beat him to death, then ask Great Aunt for pumpkin seeds to have two more sons.
From then on, whether Little Mountain nodded or shook his head, the beatings continued.
At first, Little Shun and Little Stone admired Little Mountain's stubbornness, but as they looked closer, they realized it wasn't that he refused to speak—his mouth was stuffed.
What should they do? Should they point it out?
"You go?"
"No, let's go together!"
So the two held hands and clung to each other's sleeves, slowly approaching.
They secretly admired Mountain's father's stamina—how long had he been beating, yet he wasn't tired.
But they didn't realize that being country folk, used to daily labor, beating a child tied up was hardly exhausting.
Their approach went unnoticed by Mountain's parents; Mountain's mother continued scolding furiously, since earlier, when she asked, Mountain shook his head—this showed no repentance. This stubborn child needed punishment.
Thus, Mountain's father, spurred on by his wife's anger, kept beating.
"Uncle, Aunt,"
"We think Little Mountain definitely knows he was wrong."
Mountain's father snorted, "He doesn't know; he's very stubborn."
Little Shun quickly said, "Uncle, Little Mountain knows he's wrong, but his mouth is stuffed, so he can't admit it."
"That's right!" Little Stone nodded in agreement.
Little Mountain nodded vigorously too, his gaze toward Little Shun and Little Stone filled with gratitude.
He cursed them inwardly—these two shameless fellows finally thought to rescue him after all this time. He was nearly beaten to death, and who knew how the child in his belly was faring.

But then he thought, Little Shun and Little Stone had just had children themselves and were weak; once you have a child, you have worries—you couldn't blame them.
They hadn't even rested after childbirth, yet rushed over—how loyal! Thinking this, he looked at them with even more gratitude.
If he weren't tied up, Little Mountain would have pulled Little Stone and Little Shun aside to swear brotherhood.
Mountain's parents had no idea what Little Mountain was thinking; if they did, they'd surely be furious.
Prompted by Little Shun and Little Stone, Mountain's parents finally noticed the situation and paused in surprise—it was true.
But as adults, they wouldn't let three children see their mistake.
Mountain's father dropped the stick and went for more water; Mountain's mother, grumbling about her son's lack of progress, pulled the cloth from his mouth.
"Do you know you were wrong?"
At last, the correct answer could be given.
Earlier, Little Mountain had hesitated, not knowing whether to nod or shake his head, and thus was beaten. Every time, his parents asked opposite questions—no matter how he responded, one was always wrong, so he was punished.
Now he could finally speak—even with his numb mouth, he dared not delay and quickly said, "Mother, I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong."
Mountain's mother snorted, "Will you still talk nonsense?"
"I didn't talk nonsense, I just want to have a child—"
"Ahem, ahem..." Little Stone hurriedly interrupted, "Aunt, don't worry, you and Uncle have taught him well; he certainly won't talk nonsense again."
Little Mountain was anxious—he had never lied or talked nonsense, how could he be falsely accused?
"I didn't talk nonsense, Mother, ask them, they—"
Little Shun nearly rushed over to cover Little Mountain's mouth himself.
Fortunately, Little Stone, standing closer, pinched Little Mountain hard before he could finish, stopping him from saying more.
Despite the pain, Little Mountain didn't understand why Little Stone pinched him, since he hadn't lied, and why Little Shun kept signaling him to stop.
But though confused, they'd grown up playing together since childhood; he didn't let them down and chose to remain silent.
Mountain's mother noticed Little Shun and Little Stone's little gestures, but felt her son had suffered enough and learned his lesson, so she didn't bother to expose them.

(I think, unless something unexpected happens, there could be another chapter later—what do you all think?)