19 Days’ Mothers Appreciation Post
Zhan Zheng Xi and Zhan Zi Qian’s mother
We don’t know much about her but she seems like a warm, caring mother. And really, all you need to do is look at her children to know that she’s done a good job being a parent. Both Zhang Xi and Zi Qian are responsible and caring. She seems like a mother who listens in on the kids playing while doing dishes or cooking and smiles a little to herself, savoring the moment and restoring it in her heart. Then she’s brought back by a little hand tugging on the hem of her apron and finds a pair of dirty chubby faces peering up at her. “How did you end like up this~,” she says and crouches down to wipe the little faces with a corner of the rough kitchen towel, wondering where on earth the kids had found - was that sand?
Headcanon that one day after kindergarten Zhang Xi brought home a boy with messy wisps of fair hair, puffy red eyes, and scrapes on his bony knees. He was clinging to her son’s jacket sleeve and peeking at her carefully behind him. Gently, she disinfects the kid’s wounds and tells that she’s proud of Zhang Xi for standing up for his friend but violence is bad. Afterwards, munching on chocolate chip cookies dunked in cold milk, the little boy starts to open up. She smiles at his animated gestures and how her son seems very protective of this boy, Jian Yi.
When she heard of Zhang Xi getting hurt - that he’s unconscious in the hospital kind of hurt - she could already guess what had happened. Years ago, he had told her about his promise to always protect him. She had kissed the top of his head - while the little boy had furiously blushed and tried to resist the affection - and never been more proud of him. But she had also been scared. And now she was here, trying to peel the apple to keep her hands from shaking. It helped how upset and scared Zi Qian was. Comforting and calming her down helped her to keep her own panic and worry at bay.
Jian Yi’s mother
Anyone trying to come between this woman and her son should think twice because she will come at you with the ferocity of a tigress. She’s been through a lot and most probably dealt with a lot of dangerous people to protect her child. She’s smart and independent. She’s learned to take care of herself. Out there, she needs to be tough and intimidating, to carry herself with confidence but her son allows her to show affection and vulnerability.
As a mother she’s had to make tough, no doubt painful choices between being the kind of mother she wants for Jian Yi but also keeping him safe. She hasn’t had the luxury of always being there for him, and every time she’s had to leave him crying after her, I’m sure the ache in her heart has been nearly unbearable. I’m sure she’s felt guilty about that many times.
This woman demands respect and wouldn’t hesitate to fight even the gods themselves to keep her little cub safe. Unfortunately, the world she lives in doesn’t work like that. She knows it will catch up to her and Jian Yi eventually, so he needs to be prepared. I’m sure she wishes he could live a carefree life but she will make sure he’s ready.
Mo Guan Shan’s mother
This woman has made sure that no matter what the world said about Guan Shan, she would never ever stop believing in him. No matter what happens, she wants him to know he can always come to her. It doesn’t matter if he gets in trouble, she knows how much good there is in him. If it hadn’t been for her, Guan Shan could have ended much, much worse.
She’s worked incredibly hard to raise Guan Shan on her own while having her partner put away. I’m sure she’s missed the support of another adult countless of times. To not have that emotional place of relying on someone must have kept her awake on many nights. It’s also difficult to see her partner withering in prison. His shame and how much both the father and son miss each other must have pained her very heart. All the times she’s been to see her husband must have also been tough. The stigma must have burned her cheeks but she just squeezed the strap of her purse a little tighter and held her head high. None of it was fair but she couldn’t waste time thinking about that.
Seeing her son have some friends probably made her incredibly happy and relieved. She knows Guan Shan isn’t easy to approach but she’s grateful for the kids who have managed to overcome his walls and seen what she sees.
He Tian’s mother (presumably)
We don’t really know anything about her but her memory seems to be close to He Tian’s heart. Visiting the grave and picking a flower for her was something private for him. What kind of a mother was she? Did she give He Tian comfort and love in the world they lived in? Did she know he is afraid of the dark? And now his own darkeness? What would she say if she could see her son now? Would she be proud? Scared for him? What kind of a future did she want for him? What kind of memories He Tian has about her?
She Li’s mother
Everyone has a mother, even the antagonists. She Li’s mother is another character we know very little about but I’m curious about her relationship with her son.
It seems the marriage is complicated and stormy. The family seems well off but all the money in the world could never make up for the presence and warmth of your partner. He says he’s working hard for them but is she deprived of him actually being there for them? Does she feel trapped in the expensive house? In her marriage? How well does she know her son? Has she lost touch with him? Could she even take her resentment and frustration out on him?
Bonus round:
The mother in place of a mother
The I-don’t-get-paid-enough-for-this mother
