He couldn’t help lamenting in his heart. Since the ancient times, no one had been able to live forever, so passing at the age of 11 was fine with him since it didn’t change the fact that he was a good person!
“Take off your pants!” Han Qingsong’s voice was cold, somehow much colder than the October breeze.
Dawang silently unbuttoned his belt, took off his pants and leaned against the wall.
Han Qingsong said loudly, “Gambling within 2 Yuan, no fines, 15 strokes. Gambling more than 2 Yuan, no fines, 30 strokes. Making a confession minus 10 strokes, so there’s 20 left— remember this.”
Dawang gritted his teeth and hummed.
Han Qing took out the three-foot-long vitex stalk from his waist. Not even seeing when he raised his hand, he merely flicked his wrist before a ‘swat’ sound was heard.
The sound of the cane being swatted against skin was painful even to those who weren’t the receivers.
Dawang gritted his teeth in pain.
Han Qingsong gave Erwang a look.
Erwang immediately went to find a corncob for his brother, “Eldest Brother, bite.”
Dawang had no choice but to bite onto it, still trying to grit his teeth.
After a short pause, another ‘swat’ was heard.
Dawang’s forehead began to sweat.
He thought it would be better to finish the beating in one go instead of beating and pausing , because it was doing nothing but amplifying the pain.
Lin Lan originally thought that there was a loophole in Dawang’s words, but before she could figure out what was wrong, Han Qingsong had already caught onto it.
After hitting the child three times, Lin Lan couldn’t take it anymore as her heart throbbed in pain. Xiaowang didn’t dare to look, so he laid on Lin Lan’s lap whereas Maisui’s leaned on her mother’s arm to wipe her tears from her reddening eyes.
Sanwang burst into tears, “Wahhh… Mother, father, don’t hit him anymore. I made a mistake too, hit me too… Wahhh…”
Although distressed, Lin Lan didn’t run over to protect her child or stop her husband.
She also felt that Dawang needed to be taught a real lesson.
Hitting a child was not an everyday occurrence and it should be done when it mattered. That way, one lesson would be equivalent to the power of a hundred usual hits.
Today was one of the days where it was needed.
After being hit 6 times, Lin Lan shouted, “Report!”
Han Qingsong paused for a while before he swatted the stalk down again. Then, he raised his eyes to look at her, “Speak.”
Lin Lan wiped off her sweat, choking on her voice as she spoke, “Can you… consider his meritorious services? Fortunately, he hasn’t made any irreversible mistakes. As long as we correct it in time, can I…can we take the reward for turning him in to consideration? Dawang…”
Dawang sniffed— it really hurt! He used to think that his father’s beating was painful, but now he knew that they were mere tickles. This time, it hurt properly.
Han Qingsong nodded and hummed, expressing his willingness to lessen the punishments due to the child’s meritorious services.
Lin Lan said, “Director Han, see, student Dawang confessed to his crimes and turned himself in. How about you give him a chance?”
Han Qingsong pinched the vitex stalks and said, “The strokes would be reduced by 10 due to his merits; there are 3 left.”
Lin Lan knew that although Han Qingsong usually listened to her when it came to most decisions, he would not be influenced by others when it came to matters of right and wrong.
She didn’t say anything more.
The punishment being 20 times less for her sake was already him respecting her wishes.