Foreword:
Everychildknowsthatthereisnogreaterlovethanamother'slove.Amother'sloveisunconditional,selflessandenduring.Amothersacrificeseverythingforthesakeofherchildren.Thisstoryisaboutamother'slovethatknowsnobounds.Onceuponatime,inasmallvillagenestledamidstthemountains,livedamothernamedLiMei.Shewasakindandgentlewomanwholovedherchildrenmorethananythingelseintheworld.Shehadtwochildren,asonnamedXiaoLongandadaughternamedMeiLing.LiMeiwasawidowwhohadtoworkhardtomakeendsmeet.Shewasafarmerwhoworkedlonghoursinthefields,tendingtohercrops,andraisingherchildren.Despiteherhardships,shealwayshadasmileonherfaceandneveroncecomplained.
XiaoLongwashereldestchildandheronlyson.Hewasabrightandambitiousyoungmanwhodreamedofgoingtothecityandmakingsomethingofhimself.Hewasdeterminedtogivehisfamilyabetterlife.MeiLing,ontheotherhand,wasashyandtimidgirlwholovedtospendhertimeinnature,admiringtheflowersandthebutterflies.Shewascontentwithhersimplelifeandneveronceaskedformore.Oneday,XiaoLongreceivedanacceptanceletterfromauniversityinthecity.Hewasoverjoyedandcouldn'twaittosharethenewswithhismother.LiMeiwasthrilledforhersonbutalsoworriedabouthowtheywouldpayforhiseducation.Sheknewthatitwouldbeagreatexpense,butshedidn'twanttodiscouragehersonfrompursuinghisdreams.
Despiteherworries,LiMeidecidedtosellherlandandusethemoneytosendhersontoschool.Sheknewthatitwasabigsacrifice,butshewaswillingtodowhateverittooktosupportherfamily.XiaoLongwastouchedbyhismother'ssacrificeandpromisedtoworkhardandmakeherproud.Hepackedhisbagsandleftforthecity,leavingbehindhismotherandsister.Monthspassed,andLiMeiworkedtirelesslyinthefields,tryingtomakeendsmeet.Shemissedhersonterriblybutneveroncecomplained.Oneday,shereceivedaletterfromXiaoLong,thankingherforeverythingshehaddoneforhim.Hetoldherthathewasdoingwellinschoolandpromisedtocomebackandvisitassoonashecould.
LiMeiwasoverjoyedandcouldn'twaittoseehersonagain.Shecontinuedtoworkhard,countingthedaysuntilhisreturn.Yearspassed,andXiaoLonggraduatedfromuniversitywithflyingcolors.Hefoundagoodjobinthecityandstartedsendingmoneybackhometosupporthismotherandsister.LiMeiwasproudofhersonandgratefulforhissupport,butsheneveronceaskedformorethanwhathecouldafford.Sheknewthathehadhisowndreamsandgoalstopursue.MeiLing,meanwhile,hadgrownintoabeautifulyoungwomanwhohadinheritedhermother'skindnessandgentlenature.Shehelpedhermotherinthefieldsandlookedaftertheirhome.
Oneday,XiaoLongcamebacktovisithisfamily.Hewasaccompaniedbyhisgirlfriend,asmartandsuccessfulyoungwomanwhohadcapturedhisheart.LiMeiwelcomedthemwithopenarmsandtreatedthemlikefamily.Shecouldseethathersonwashappyandinlove,andthatwasallthatmatteredtoher.Astheysataroundthedinnertable,MeiLingnoticedthathermotherwaslookingtiredandpale.Sheurgedhertorestandtookoverthecooking.Laterthatnight,LiMeicollapsedinherbed.MeiLingcalledforthedoctor,whodiagnosedherwithaseriousillnessthatrequiredimmediatetreatment.
XiaoLongandhisgirlfrienddecidedtostayandhelpwiththeirmother'scare.Theytookturnssittingbyherbedsideandmakingsureshehadeverythingsheneeded.LiMei'sconditionimproved,andsheslowlyregainedherstrength.Shewastouchedbyherchildren'sloveanddevotionandknewthatshehadraisedthemwell.AsXiaoLongpreparedtoleave,LiMeihuggedhimtightlyandwhisperedinhisear,"Remember,myson,nomatterwhereyougo,orwhatyoudo,Iwillalwaysloveyou."Andwiththosewordsofloveandwisdom,LiMei'slegacyofloveandsacrificecontinuedtoliveon,inspiringfuturegenerationstocome.
