Mo Wenjie comforted the old man, don't cry, you can tell me what's on your mind, I will try my best to help you.
The old man still couldn't stop crying.
Mo Wenjie said: old man you can't find home or not? Or lonely old man, if you can't find home, you tell me where it is, I will send you back, if the lonely old man, I also sent you back to the local area, arranged for you to live in a nursing home.
The old man, upon hearing this, his tears continued to flow, but he shook his head desperately.
Hearing this, Xu Lijuan said: "Is Wenjie mute? If he is mute at this age, I wonder if he can write. If he can't write, it will be troublesome."
The old man looked at Xu Lijuan and, with a choking voice, said: "I am not mute, and I can also write."
Mo Wenjie heard this and felt relieved. As long as they could communicate, other things would be easy to handle. "Let's go to a restaurant," he said, "and eat while talking about your affairs."
The old man timidly looked at the restaurant, then at Mo Wenjie. "Good-hearted people, I won't go inside the restaurant. Just buy me some steamed buns."
Mo Wenjie said, "Old man, there's no need to be shy. Come inside with us. They're all my family; they won't mind you. What are you afraid of?"
The old man looked at Mo Wenjie and pointed to his own body. "I will give you face if I go inside. Secondly, the boss wouldn't let me in, as it would affect the appetite of other customers. Just buy me some steamed buns. As long as I can eat enough, I will be very grateful to you."
Hearing this, Xu Lijuan suddenly felt a pang of heartache without knowing. She recalled her past self. Although she had not fallen into the role of a beggar, she was hardly better than one. That was when she was still young and capable of working. However, due to her tight living conditions, she had not always avoided collecting vegetable leaves when shopping for vegetables. If she were in her seventies or eighties, without economic support and without children or grandchildren, how much better off could her life be compared to that of a beggar? She wiped away her tears and said with great bravado: Come inside with us and have dinner, old man. If anyone feels that you're affecting their appetite, they can just find another place to eat. If the boss believes he has suffered losses because of this, I will make up for it. Let's go inside and have dinner together."
The old man looked at Xu Lijuan and, with tears in his eyes, said: "Thank you both! I've been here for more than half a year, and I've never met kind people like you."
Mo Wenjie wanted to go and help the old man, but it turned out that the old man's body was still quite sturdy and he didn't need any assistance. He walked into the restaurant by himself, following them.
The restaurant owner's wife saw the old man behind Mo Wenjie and scolded him, "You dare to run into the shop, old beggar! Get out at once, or I'll have someone beat you out!"
The old man heard this and immediately turned to leave. Mo Wenjie grabbed him and then said to the restaurant owner's wife: "He's my guest. What makes you think you have the right to send him away?"
The restaurant owner's wife was stunned upon hearing this. Was this young man's brain damaged? Who didn't know that he was a beggar? He had been here for more than six months, and he hadn't stopped picking up scraps to eat. How could such a person be his guest? She hurriedly said, "Young brother, you're not aware of the situation. He's just a beggar. He's been here for more than half a year, and how can I not recognize him? Please don't let him deceive you. I'm just being kind-hearted and good-natured by reminding you."
Mo Wenjie asked, "We're here to eat. What kind of person it is should be none of your business, right!"
The restaurant owner's wife said, "It has nothing to do with our restaurant, but it does have a very big relationship. If he comes here to eat, it affects the appetite of other customers. My income is not reduced, can it be said that it has nothing to do with me?"
Mo Wenjie said, "From the moment he walked in, if any guests leave the restaurant because of him, I will compensate you for any losses."
The restaurant owner, seeing Mo Wenjie's firm attitude and knowing he was a difficult customer to deal with, decided not to say more.
Mo Wenjie helped the old man into the restaurant and sat down. As he looked at the old man's legs still shaking, he didn't think much of it and said casually: "Boss's wife, bring out the famous dishes in your restaurant. Each dish, please."
The restaurant owner's wife heard this and was overjoyed. This was the God of Wealth! How dare she offend him? She hurriedly said, "All right. Please wait a moment and I'll bring them right away."
Mo Wenjie smiled and said, "Old man, can you tell me about your situation now?"
The old man heard this and wanted to cry again.
Mo Wenjie comforted, "Old man, don't be sad. What's on your mind? I can help you solve your problems."
The old man finally calmed down. "My name is Feng Sibin, I am 74 years old, and I come from Dong Feng Village in Changlin Town, Hexi County of Xin City. I have two sons and three daughters. My elder son is Feng Zhongkai, my younger son is Feng Xiaokai, my elder daughter is Feng Su Yun, my second daughter is Feng Su Mei, and my third daughter is Feng Su Qing. They all have their own families and children now. My wife passed away early; she was 11 when the elder one was born and over a year old when the youngest one was born. She left me alone, so I had to be both father and mother to them. I worked hard day and night, finishing farm work in the fields before working as a day laborer to support them through school and raise them up. I hoped that they would marry and have children. In the end, none of them were willing to support me; they divided up my land and took turns withdrawing my pension. To prevent their children from being laughed at by others, I had no choice but to leave home quietly and make a living by picking through trash. Actually, it's all my fault. As the old saying goes, spoiled children are like killed children; pampered children are always selfish. That's not wrong at all. I was also confused for a while when I thought that since they had lost their mother at a young age, I would always listen to them without any complaints or hardships for you guys. This led them to become increasingly selfish without considering others' feelings at all. Brothers and sisters could turn against each other over trivial benefits; there was no family love left."
Hearing this, everyone was filled with anger. How can this be considered human? Their own father who brought them up does not receive care from them, and a person who has given so much for you is truly rare on earth!
Some said: In fact, it's not all his children's fault. He spoiled his children too much, and education must start from childhood. This is a truth. If you don't pay attention to your child's education, you will eat a bitter pill in the future. "A tree takes ten years to grow and a man takes a hundred years to grow" - it means that if he had raised his children to be mutual assistance, united, respecting the elderly and loving the young, filial piety, righteousness and virtue, they wouldn't have become like this."
Mo Wenjie said, "Old man, you don't need to be so pessimistic. It's wrong of them not to support you. You can use legal channels to protect your legitimate rights and interests."
Feng Sibin heard this and shook his head. The old saying goes, "A tiger doesn't eat its own cubs." Even if they don't support me, their children are already grown up. If things get out of control and become a big deal in the city, how will their children be able to hold their heads up in front of their classmates? Some of the kids are already at the stage where they're discussing marriages, and if others find out that their parents don't care for their elders, it could have an impact on their children's relationships. What's a little misery to me? I'd rather they all live happy lives."
Upon hearing this, everyone was at a loss for words. You want to help him, but he's worried about his descendants. When you meet such a person, it's hard to know what to do. If you step in, he might not agree, and if you don't, watching him suffer is heart-wrenching and difficult for your own conscience. It's truly a dilemma that leaves you stuck in the middle.
Mo Wenjie looked at Feng Sibin and couldn't help but feel indecisive. On the one hand, if he wanted to help him, he would have to go through legal channels. However, Feng Sibin was unwilling to do that. On the other hand, seeing him at such an advanced age, Mo Wenjie couldn't bear the thought of him not receiving timely medical care and possibly facing life-threatening danger. In the end, it all came down to a matter of life and death.
Mo Wenjie asked: "Old man, do you have any complaints about your children not supporting you?"
Feng Sibin said angrily, "I'm heartbroken and utterly disappointed in them. I can't say whether I have any complaints or not."
Mo Wenjie asked again: "Old man, do you hope for your Feng family to be a generation after another of caring for the elderly and living on the streets as beggars?"
Feng Sibin heard this and immediately became upset. "Young man, although you are kind and buy me food, you cannot curse our Feng family! I admit that you have fed me well, but that does not mean you can defamed my Feng family."
Mo Wenjie looked at him and said, "Now that your children don't support you, yet you are silent and don't intend to defend your legitimate rights and interests, then what will happen to your children in the future when they can't support their parents? And if their children also think like you, and remain silent about it, won't they end up like you, begging on the streets?"
Feng Sibin stood frozen on the spot, and the young man's words were not without reason. Without thinking twice, he recalled that poem.
Through the window, I see my son holding his grandson.
My son only knows his son is his own.
When his son grows up.
Don't let his son go hungry for my son.
The world does not understand filial piety towards both parents.
Even birds and beasts know the nursing care.
If one waits until they have children to understand filial piety!
Parents don't have a hundred years of life.
If things really go that way, Feng Sibin would become the ultimate sinner of the Feng family! As the old man said: "The sparrow lies on the eaves, generation after generation, never to be forgotten!" Will my Feng family really have to live on the streets and beg for survival generation after generation? Absolutely not! I refuse to let such a thing happen. I must change their minds. If things are truly as such, how can I face our ancestors when I die?"
Feng Sibin asked, "Young man, are you really able to help me? First of all, I want to make it clear that even if I agree to sue them, I don't have the money for legal fees. If I win the lawsuit and get compensation, I can repay you. But if I lose the lawsuit and can't get the compensation, I won't have any money to repay you."
Mo Wenjie smiled and said, "As you said, let's do it that way. As long as you follow my arrangements, you don't need to worry about anything else."
Feng Sibin heard this and finally felt at ease.
Mo Wenjie said, "Let's focus on eating now. After we eat, I'll buy you some clothes. Then we'll take a bath and get a haircut. We'll sort everything out, and then I'll go back with you to your village to understand the specific situation and gather enough evidence. We'll then negotiate with them to resolve your issue of support. If they can see reason and actively take care of you, that will be the end of the matter, everyone will be happy, and I'll have helped you all the way through. If they still stubbornly insist on not supporting you, then we have no choice but to take legal action to protect your legitimate rights and interests. At that point, we'll wait for the court's judgment, and they must fulfill their obligations and responsibilities!"
Feng Sibin couldn't help but feel nervous in his heart. "Should I file a lawsuit or not?"
