Li Shi realized he was still soft-hearted and could not bear to let his parents work hard. He always felt sorry for his parents whenever he saw their old and hunched bodies.
Therefore, he was very grateful to his boss's parents for letting him drive the oxcart to Su Teng Village. Li Shi did not know where he would be in his life if it were not for his boss. Perhaps he would have never returned to Northern Song Village to check on his family.
If he continued to be a hooligan and gave up on himself, he would feel inferior and would feel that his parents looked down on him. He would not have thought of returning to the village.
If he did not, he might not even know if his parents were alive or dead. Li Shi felt a lingering fear in his heart when he thought of these things.