She was afraid. She was afraid that this sudden shock would cause something to go wrong with Little Tang Mo again.
The August weather was brutally hot. Little Tang Mo was covered in sweat from being bundled up, but his face was still deathly pale.
His body was trembling slightly, and his eyes were vacant. On his small face, besides a coldness, there was a trace of hostility.
"Little Mo, look at Mama. Little Mo, can you hear me?"
Su Li’s heart leaped into her throat. She spoke again, her voice trembling.
Little Tang Mo’s eyes finally moved.
He came back to his senses, looked at Su Li, and wrapped his arms around her neck, burrowing into her embrace.
Su Li’s heart twisted in pain. She held him tight. "Little Mo, don’t be scared. Mama’s here, don’t be scared."
Little Tang Mo held her without speaking.
Seeing Little Tang Mo remain silent, Su Li’s heart seized with anxiety.
"Little Mo, you can hear Mama’s voice, right? Can you answer me, please?"
’What if this shock makes him unable to speak again?’ she thought, terrified.
Little Tang Mo, still hugging Su Li, felt her trembling and took a deep breath before speaking.
"Mama, I’m okay."
His voice was quiet, but to Su Li, it was the most beautiful sound in the world.
"As long as you’re okay, as long as you’re okay." The heavy weight on Su Li’s heart finally lightened a little.
Certain childhood experiences, especially terrifying memories, could often have a lifelong impact.
Many childhood traumas follow a person for their entire life, becoming things they fear forever.
Being locked in a dark, enclosed space as a child could lead to claustrophobia and a fear of the dark in adulthood, conditions that would follow them for life.
If you were badly frightened as a child, you would continue to be afraid as an adult. What’s more, what Little Tang Mo had experienced was far more terrifying than that.
How could Su Li not be worried?
"Don’t be scared. Mama’s here."
She stroked Little Tang Mo’s back over and over, comforting him in a soft voice.
Little Tang Mo leaned against her with his eyes closed, listening to her voice and her heartbeat. The color finally returned to his face.
"Mama, I’m okay. I’m not scared."
Little Tang Mo spoke up. ’I wasn’t scared. I’m not scared. I just wasn’t mentally prepared for it, that’s all.’
Su Li looked at the serious-faced Little Tang Mo and chose to ignore his small, trembling, clenched fists, nodding emphatically.
"Mhm, Little Mo isn’t scared. Little Mo is the bravest boy in the world."
Hearing her affirmation, Little Tang Mo swallowed and nodded.
"Mhm, I’m not scared."
’I’m not scared. I won’t be scared. I know how to box now. I’m growing up, getting taller. I’m not scared.’
Su Li held Little Tang Mo, comforting him softly. The room was warm and quiet.
In Su Li’s arms, soothed by her comfort, Little Tang Mo gradually calmed down.
"Mama, I’m okay now. I’m fine. Don’t you be scared."
Once he had calmed down, he began to comfort Su Li in return.
Just as he had done before, he copied Su Li and patted her on the back. But with the very first pat, he heard her suck in a sharp breath.
Although she immediately went back to normal, the sensitive Little Tang Mo still noticed.
"Mama, you’re hurt."
Little Tang Mo had been held tightly in Su Li’s arms, but he still had an impression of what just happened.
"You were hit, weren’t you!"
In that instant, he forgot his fear and rushed to check Su Li’s back. "Mama, take off your shirt. Let me see."
Getting hit by that rock naturally hurt, but Su Li had been so anxious before that she had forgotten all about the pain.
Little Tang Mo’s pat had landed right on the most heavily impacted spot on her back, making her let out a muffled groan before she could stop herself.
Hearing Little Tang Mo’s demand, she quickly shook her head.
"It’s nothing. It’s not that serious. Don’t worry."
But Little Tang Mo didn’t believe her.
"If you don’t let me see, I’ll call Uncle Wu."
Little Tang Mo said bluntly.
After Wu Sheng learned about Su Li’s habit of never admitting she was in pain, or always saying it didn’t hurt, he had discussed it with Little Tang Mo.
If Su Li got hurt anywhere, even if it was just stubbing her toe or getting a small cut on her finger, Little Tang Mo was to tell him. He wouldn’t be at ease until he came over to see it for himself.
Little Tang Mo and Wu Sheng were constantly vying for her affection, a battle of wits where they were evenly matched, sometimes even seeming as incompatible as fire and water.
But in certain aspects, they had a tacit understanding—like right now.
The moment Su Li heard Little Tang Mo was going to call Wu Sheng, her head started to ache. "Don’t. Don’t call your uncle."
Wu Sheng would definitely drag her to the hospital for a bunch of tests, which would waste at least half a day.
Besides, the injury was on her back. If Wu Sheng insisted on looking, how awkward would that be?
Wu Sheng was a normal, red-blooded man. Back in Wu Family Village, when it was too hot one afternoon and Su Li went into the water to play with Little Tang Mo, Wu Sheng had even gotten a nosebleed...
’So, it’s better if he doesn’t see my back...’
Hearing Su Li tell him not to call Wu Sheng, Little Tang Mo pressed his lips together. "If I don’t call Uncle Wu, then I’ll look. I need to confirm how bad the injury is."
He gritted his teeth, a flash of self-blame in his eyes.
It was all because she was protecting him; he knew that.
He was always making solemn vows to protect his mother, but in the end, it was always Su Li protecting him.
He was frustrated with himself for being useless, frustrated that he hadn’t grown up yet, and frustrated at how slowly he was growing.
’If I were just a little older, I wouldn’t be scared anymore, and I could protect my mother!’
Su Li understood Little Tang Mo’s thoughts perfectly, feeling both helpless and heartbroken.
"Alright. Little Mo can help Mama take a look."
Su Li took off her blouse, leaving only a short-sleeved shirt underneath. Little Tang Mo pulled down the back of her shirt and saw it immediately.
With just one look, Little Tang Mo sucked in a sharp breath.
On Su Li’s back was a dark, bloody bruise larger than his fist. It was reddish and swollen, and it looked painful just to look at.
Besides this large one, there were also bruises on both of Su Li’s shoulders and on her arms.
They were all from being hit, but the one on her back was by far the most severe.
When Little Tang Mo saw it, he could barely hold back his tears.
"Does it hurt, Mama?"
There was a choked sob in his voice, and he didn’t even dare to touch the bruise.
"A little, but it’s not that bad. Little Mo, don’t cry."
Su Li quickly turned to comfort him, but the movement pulled at her back, and it really did hurt quite a bit.
"Mama, don’t move! This injury is too serious. We should go to the hospital."
Little Tang Mo felt guilty and heartbroken. If it weren’t for him, his mother could have dodged or run away, but because of him, she had taken the hit head-on.
"I don’t think I broke any bones. It’s fine." Su Li moved a little. "Putting a towel on it or rubbing some safflower oil should do the trick."
"I’ll go get it," Little Tang Mo immediately volunteered.
"Mama, hurry and lie down." Little Tang Mo held back his tears and busied himself.
Su Li saw that busying himself seemed to cheer him up, so she didn’t say anything more.
’This is good. It’s better this way. It’s good for him to be busy.’
Little Tang Mo applied a cold compress for Su Li, and then, following her instructions, gently rubbed safflower oil on her.
Even though Su Li said she was fine, Little Tang Mo still felt uneasy looking at the bruise.
It was such a large bruise, all clotted and swollen. It looked so painful. In the end, he secretly called Wu Sheng.