I cried for my brother 6 timesI was born in a secluded village of a mountain.Days by days my parents plowed the yellow dry soilwith their backs facing the sky.I have a younger brother, 3 years younger than me.

Once, to buy a handkerchief which all girls aroundme seemed to have, I stole 50 cents from my father'sdrawer. Father known about it right away.He made my younger brother and me kneeled againstthe wall, with a bamboo stick in his hand

."Who stole the money?" he asked.I was stunned, too afraid to talk. Father didn'thear any of us admit, so he said,"Fine, if nobody wants to admit, you two should be beaten!"

He lifted up the bamboo stick.Suddenly, my younger brother gripped father's handand said," Dad, I was the one who did it!"The long stick smacked on my brother's backrepeatedly.Father was so angry that he kept on whipped mybrother until he lost his breath.

After that, he sat down on our stone bed and scoldedmy brother, "You have learnt to steal from your ownhouse now, what other embarrassing things you willdo in the future?? You should be beaten to death!You shameless thief!"

That night, mother and I hugged my brother. His bodyfull of injuries, but he didn't shed a single tear.In the middle of the night, all of sudden I criedout loudly.My brother covered my mouth with his little hand andsaid, " Sis, now don't cry anymore. Everything hashappened."I still hate myself for didn't have enough courageto admit what I had done.

Years gone by, but the incident still looked like itjust happened yesterday.I will never forget my brother's _expression when heprotected me.That year, my brother was 8 years old; I was 11years old.When my brother was in his last year of his lowersecondary school, he was accepted in an uppersecondary school in the central.

At the same time, Iwas accepted into a province's university.That night, father squatted in the yard, smoking,packet by packet.I could hear him said, "Both our children have goodresults? very good results?"Mother wiped off her tears and sighed," What is theuse? How can we possibly finance both of them?"

At that time, my brother walked out, he stood infront of father and said, "Dad, I don't want tocontinue my study anymore, I have read enoughbooks."Father swung his hand and slapped brother on hisface."Why do you have a spirit so damn weak? Even if itmeans I have to beg for money on the streets, I willsend you two to school until you both finish yourstudy!"

And then, he started to knock on every house in thevillage to borrow money.I stuck out my hand as soft as I can to my brother'sswollen face, and said, "A boy has to continue hisstudy; If not, he will not be able to leave thisdepths of poverty."Me, on the other hand, had decided not to further mystudy to university.

Who knows on the next day, before dawn, my brotherleft the house with a few pieces of worn-out clothesand a few dry beans. He sneaked to the side of mybed and left a note on my pillow;"Sis, get into an university is not easy. I will gofind a job and send money to you."I held the note while sitting on my bed, and crieduntil I lost my voice.

That year, my brother was 17 years old; I was 20years old. With the money father borrowed from thewhole village, and money my brother earned fromcarrying cement on his back at construction site,finally, I managed to get to the third year of mystudy in the university.

One day, I was studying in my room, when my roommatecame in and told me, "There's a villager wait foryou outside!"Why is there a villager looking for me? I walkedout, and saw my brother from afar, His whole body isdirty, covered by dust, cement and sands. I askedhim, "Why don't you tell my roommate that you are mybrother?"He replied with a smile," Look at my appearance.What will they think if they know that I am yourbrother? Don't they laugh at you?"I felt so touched, and tears filled my eyes. I sweptaway dusts from my brother's body. And said with alump in my throat, " I don't care of what peoplesay! You are my brother no matter what yourappearance is?"

From his pocket, he took out a butterfly hair clip.He wore it on me, and said, "I saw all the girls intown are wearing it. So, I think you should alsohave one."I could not hold back myself anymore. I pulled mybrother into my arms and cried and cried.That year, my brother was 20 years old; I was 23years old.

The first time I brought my boyfriend home, thebroken window had been repaired.And it looked so clean inside the house.After, my boyfriend went home, I danced like a smallgirl in front of my mother, "Mom, you don't have tospend so many time cleaning the house!" But she saidwith a smile," It was your brother who went homeearly to clean the house. Didn't you see the woundon his hand? He was injured while replacing thewindow."

I went into my brother's small bedroom. Looking athis thin face, I felt like there are hundreds ofneedle pricked in my heart.I put some ointment on his wound and bandaged it,"Does it hurt? " I asked him."No, it doesn't hurt. You know, when I was workingin the construction site, stones falling on my feetall the time. Even that could not stop me fromworking and?"

In the middle of the sentence, he stopped. I turnedmy back on him and tears rolling down my face.That year, my brother was 23 years old; I was 26years old.After I got married, I lived in the city. Lots oftime my husband invited my parents to come and livewith us, but they didn't want.They said, once they left the village,they didn'tknow what to do.

My brother also didn't agree, he said, "Sis, youjust taking care of your parents-in-law. I will takecare of mom and dad here."My husband became the director of his factory. Wewanted my brother to get the job as the manager inthe department of maintenance. But, my brotherrejected the offer. He insisted on starting to workasa reparation worker.

One day, my brother was on the top of a ladderrepairing a cable, when he got electrocuted, and wassent to the hospital.My husband and I visited him. Looked at the whitegypsum on his leg, I grumbled,"Why did you reject to be a manager? Manager willnot do something dangerous like this. Look at younow, such a serious injury. Why you didn't want tolisten to us?"

With a serious _expression on his face, he defendedon his decision, "Think of brother-in-law?he justbecame the director, and I almost uneducated. If Ibecame the manager, what kind of rumors will flyaround?"My husband's eyes filled up with tears, and then Isaid, "But you lack in education also because ofme!""Why talking about the past?" My brother held myhand.That year, he was 26 years old and I was 29 yearsold.

My brother was 30 years old when he married a farmergirl from the village.In his wedding reception, the master of ceremoniesasked him, "Who is the one you respect and love themost?"Without thinking, he answered," My sister." Hecontinued by telling a story I could not evenremember."When I was in primary school, the school was indifferent village. Everyday, my sister and I walkedfor 2 hours to go school and go home. One day, Ilost one of my pair of gloves. My sister gave me oneof hers. She only wore one glove and walked for sofar. When we got home, her hand was so trembledbecause of the weather that was so cold that shecould not even hold her chopsticks. From that dayon, I swore that as long as I live, I would takecare of my sister and be good to her."Applause filled up the room.

All guests turned theirattentions to me.Words were so hard to come out from my mouth, "In mywhole life, the one I would like to thank the mostis my brother,"And in this happy occasion, in front of the crowd,tears rolling down my face again.Love and care for the one you love every single daysof your life. You may think what you did is just asmall deed, but to that someone, it may mean a lot.Have a nice day everyone! May this story inspire youin any way!