"Lionel, a child born on a humble farm steeped in poverty and simplicity, faces life with a heart full of challenges. Each day is a new battle, and every step carries countless obstacles. Amidst the dry fields and cloudy skies, Lionel struggles to c...
Lionel is a child born on a farm in one of the remote, poor villages. He grew up in a low-income family, as his parents were farmers who owned a field. Lionel had three older brothers; the two oldest left school to help their parents in the field, while the third studied at a distant high school and lived in a dormitory, rarely returning home. He also had a younger brother.
Lionel didn't own anything of his own, as his parents struggled to make a living and cover the education expenses of his third brother, in addition to his own. Fulfilling his desires was nearly impossible, but he didn't let that discourage him.
He loved studying and preferred solving equations and reading over playing outside, determined to achieve his dreams and change his future. Sometimes, he felt sad and incomplete, asking himself, "Why do I have to live like this? Why are my parents poor?" Despite everything, he maintained a good relationship with his parents and teachers, characterized by respect and obedience, which prompted some teachers to allow him to access books and exercises that he couldn't afford.
He also went to Joseph's library, one of his father's closest friends. Joseph wasn't rich or particularly kind, but he allowed Lionel to borrow books for free in exchange for helping him organize the borrowing records, arrange the books, and dust the shelves and floors. Once he finished his work, Joseph allowed him to read there.
Lionel's days passed with hardship, but he lived happily until the day that shook his stability. One cold winter morning, especially after a stormy and rainy night, there was a loud knock at their door. When they opened the door, they were informed that the police had summoned them to the nearest grocery store. Yes, it was Uncle Ben's store.
Lionel's mother nearly fainted from the shock, wondering why the police would want them. The family gathered their courage and went to the store.
Upon their arrival, the grocer Ben accused them, saying, "Thieves! How could you raise your son? Aren't you ashamed of yourselves?" Lionel's father interrupted, shouting, "What's going on? What's happening?" One of the police officers then explained that the grocery store had been robbed, the window was broken, and their oldest son, Jeffrey, was the only suspect in this case.
The mother asked, "Why my son?" The policeman replied that Ben's son had claimed to have seen Jeffrey.
During the investigation, Lionel tried to ask the detective what was stolen. The detective, with a condescending tone, told Lionel to stay away because children of criminals didn't belong in such matters. Lionel felt deep sorrow at being excluded, knowing that his brother had been falsely accused.
Just then, Joseph placed his hand on Lionel's shoulder and firmly stated, "He has the right to know; his brother is the suspect." The detective sighed and said that a box of sweets, some snacks, and 80 francs were stolen. There wasn't much evidence, so he decided to close the case by jailing Jeffrey for a few days and imposing a fine.
Lionel cried out, "My brother is innocent!" He then turned to the detective, saying, "The store was robbed last night during the rainstorm. If someone broke in from the outside, why are there no footprints? And the glass was broken from the inside out.
Look at the shards outside the window." He continued, "If someone really tried to enter, they would have been cut by the broken glass." He approached and lifted his shirt, saying, "Look at him! Where are the cuts?" The crowd began whispering, agreeing with Lionel's observations.
Someone from the crowd said, "That's true, there's no evidence that he's guilty; he's innocent." The grocer Ben, still furious, demanded, "Then who is the real thief?"
Lionel continued, "When did you discover the theft?" Ben, now nervous, replied, "Well, we heard the glass break, so we checked and then rushed to the cash register. My son went to the door and saw Jeffrey running away." Lionel quickly asked, "Did you see him yourself?" The grocer shouted angrily, "Are you accusing my son of lying?"
Lionel remained calm, saying, "Look at the door, it's wide open. If a real thief broke in, why would they steal candy? Isn't that strange? If they really wanted to steal, they would have taken all the money in the register.
You claim that my brother broke the window, got in without getting cut, knew exactly where the candy was, took it along with 80 francs from the register, then found the key, unlocked the door, and escaped-all before you came downstairs. That doesn't make sense."
The detective started piecing together the puzzle and asked Ben, "Where does your son sleep?" Ben, still confused, answered, "The first door near the shop's back room." The police went to search the room, and they found the stolen goods hidden in one of his bags.
They even found the shop key there. At first, Ben's son denied everything, claiming he didn't know anything about it. But under the police's pressure, he confessed.
He had felt ignored by the neighborhood kids and started giving them treats to gain their attention. What began with candy soon escalated to stealing money. This time, the kids demanded 80 francs worth of sweets and snacks.
Ben's son had asked Jeffrey for help, but Jeffrey refused, warning him about the consequences. Humiliated and rejected, Ben's son decided to rob the shop himself.
He waited for his parents to lock up, then sneaked back in, taking everything he needed. As he tried to leave, he began panicking, wondering what he would say if his parents found out.
In a rush, he hid the stolen goods in his bag, grabbed a can of tomatoes, and broke the window from the inside before sneaking back to his room. He intended to return the key and stolen goods after Jeffrey's arrest, but his plan was thwarted by Lionel's intervention.
Ben, devastated by his son's betrayal and having wrongfully accused an innocent person, quickly withdrew the charges. To make amends, he paid Jeffrey 150 francs to keep quiet. Although Jeffrey felt wronged, he accepted the money, handed it to Lionel, and told him, "You'll need this more than I do." Lionel hesitated but eventually accepted the money.
In the end, Ben's son was severely punished, and a major dispute erupted between the grocer and the parents of the bullies, each refusing to take responsibility for their child's actions.
As for Lionel, he gained a good reputation in the village for being smart and a hero who saved his brother and preserved his family's honor. Thus, Lionel spent happy days with his family. Will he face another challenge?
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