Hu Ni remained silent, not daring to turn around. A mix of emotions—sadness, joy, and everything else—flowed from her eyes, cool and wet. He turned her around, gently wiping away her tears, then pulled her into his arms. The two young people nestled together, watching through the misty windowpane as yesterday's joys and sorrows slowly led them to today.
"Qiuping, I want to get off the bus."
"We haven't arrived yet." After saying this, Qiu Ping started to stand up. "Driver, could you please stop the car? We'll get off here."
"Aren't you going to the county? You haven't arrived yet."
"We have some business to take care of here."
The car sped away, and the two people, dragging their heavy luggage, walked down a side path.
Hu Ni vaguely remembered this road—the panic, the despair, the boundless terror in her heart, and the excruciating pain. Her entire world had shattered on this road. There were few people there that day: Qiu Ping's family, and two others who had helped. At the end of the road, the person she called "Mom," the one who had held Hu Ni, kissed her, dressed her, and cooked for her, was placed in a pit and buried. Hu Ni couldn't accept this separation, couldn't believe her mother had left her life like this. Hu Ni cried until her face turned blue, unable to breathe, but they were still separated. From then on, she no longer had herself. From then on, she began to live alone in this world, insignificant and humble.
From afar, she could see the small mound of freshly shoveled earth, now a desolate grave overgrown with weeds. Her luggage fell to the ground; the years of separation hadn't diminished the pain of the mother-daughter bond in her heart. Hu Ni knelt down, throwing herself onto the prickly weeds, as if feeling her mother's warm touch. "Mom, Hu Ni is back. Your daughter has come back to see you. Are you lonely? Are you alone? Are you still in pain? Poor Mom." The mother bound like a dumpling on the truck, the mother who collapsed onto the pebbles with gray eyes, the mother with wounds on her body, holding Hu Ni and weeping uncontrollably—poor Mom… the once elegant, proud, and ambitious mother… Now grown up, Hu Ni understood and sympathized with her mother even more. A heart-wrenching pain almost robbed Hu Ni of all feeling; she wished that without feeling, she wouldn't experience such shattering agony.
Qiu Ping slowly knelt down beside Hu Ni, pulled the completely exhausted Hu Ni into his arms, and said in a hoarse voice, "Aunt Mei, don't worry, I will take care of Hu Ni for the rest of my life and will never let her suffer any injustice..."
The setting sun slowly painted the sky red. Beside a desolate, overgrown grave nestled in the mountains, a young man and woman sat close together, the sunlight casting a beautiful, soft, and serene glow on their faces. Several bags of luggage lay nearby. Occasionally, a wild rabbit would dart across the dry, scavenging grass, rustling the blades with a crisp sound.
The Lost Child (Part Two)
gold
As dusk fell, a young couple walked along a winding mountain road. They had missed the last bus to the county town and could only hope to catch a ride if one of them passed by.
In the distance, the sound of "Kick-down! Kick-down!" could be heard; it was a horse-drawn carriage.
"Qiuping, there's a car!" Hu Ni suddenly relaxed her pace and breathed a sigh of relief.
Putting down the increasingly heavy burden, Qiu Ping tightened the collar of Hu Ni's coat and asked, "Are you cold?"
Hu Ni shook her head, exhaling white mist. There was no moonlight, no lamplight, and the night was still far from completely dark. They looked back; the mountain world had already begun to rest.
The carriage slowly came to a stop. A man wrapped in thick cotton clothes, wearing leather pants and a baseball cap asked in a hoarse voice, "Where are you going?"
"We lost our car on our way to the county town."
"Consider yourselves lucky. I'm also going to the county town. Come on up!"
"Okay, thank you, driver!" Qiu Ping said, putting the bags and packages into the car.
"So much stuff! Are you taking your wife home for the New Year?"
"yes!"
"Working in another city?"
"Yes, I rarely come back even once a year."
“It’s good to be out there. My son is working out there too. There’s no future in staying at home.”
Are you going home? It's so late.
"Ah, I've taken some New Year's goods to that village up ahead. I'm heading back now; my wife and kids are waiting for me at home."
Qiu Ping took out his phone, but there was still no signal.
"Maybe it will happen in a while," Hu Ni said reassuringly.
"It's okay, I didn't say I'd be home at a certain time." Qiu Ping smiled, put his arm around Hu Ni's shoulder, and said, "We'll be home soon."
Looking up at the sky, I was surprised to see a few stars peeking through the clouds, their light flashing coldly.
The county town was bustling with activity as the Spring Festival approached. Red lanterns and colorful flags hung along the streets, and couplets and colorful lights were posted at the entrances of every unit. Firecrackers could be heard from time to time, and sporadic fireworks pierced the dark sky.
Qiu Ping had already made the phone call, which eased the worries of those waiting at home.
There were many people relaxing by the roadside, as well as children wearing new clothes and with snot hanging from their noses. They ate various snacks from their bags, and then occasionally took out a firecracker, lit it, threw it out, stood there watching the firecracker explode, and then clapped and cheered with great enjoyment.
"How lively!" Hu Ni exclaimed. This was the first time she had experienced the festive atmosphere of the Spring Festival since her mother's passing, the first time she had truly immersed herself in the festivities, instead of merely watching others' celebrations from afar, feeling utterly desolate. Qiu Ping had given her so much.
Qiu Ping jumped off the carriage and walked briskly forward. In front of the large iron gate of a building, an old woman stood looking ahead.
"Mom!" Qiu Ping took the old woman's hand. In the Chinese way of expressing themselves, they didn't hug or do anything out of joy. They expressed their happiness and love for their loved ones in a very subtle way.
Hu Ni also dismounted from the carriage and slowly moved forward. Through the marks of time, the old woman's face still faintly revealed her appearance and expression from yesterday. Hu Ni was once again vividly pulled back to the past, to that space where ashes flew in the old sunlight.
"Hu Ni, come here!" Qiu Ping urged excitedly.
Hu Ni slowly walked over and saw the old woman's arm slowly rise, her chin trembling, waiting like a loved one. Hu Ni rushed into the short, plump arms, rushing towards the sorrowful past of her virginity.
"Auntie!" came a low murmur from her throat, tears streaming down her face.
"Hu Ni! Come here, let Auntie see you!" Qiu Ping's mother pushed Hu Ni aside, took her hand, and looked her over carefully with a smile, her face also wet with tears. "Hmm! You've grown up, so beautiful, just like your mother when she was young..." As she spoke, her smile froze, she realized it was better not to say it, "Come on, let's go home, are you hungry? Uncle is cooking dumplings at home."
"Teacher Li! Don't you recognize me? I'm Gou Dan's father!" the carriage driver suddenly shouted.
"Oh! It's you. Come down quickly and have a seat at my home."
"No, my wife and kids are waiting for me at home. I'll come to wish you a Happy New Year another day."
"well!"
"These two children must be your son and daughter-in-law, right? You're so lucky!"
Qiu Ping's mother laughed, "Then you should go back quickly, thank you for your trouble."
"Don't mention it, Teacher Li. You taught all my children! We are so grateful to you."
Carrying my luggage, I walked through the iron gate to a central school that was deserted during the holidays. But the school's staff building was still bustling. A dormitory room on the third floor was not closed, and warm light shone from inside, neatly divided by the door frame.
As I walked down the corridor, the noise startled the people inside. A fairly upright elderly man wearing an apron came out and came to greet me.
"Old man, look who's here!"
"Hu Ni! Oh dear, look... your mom has been saying every day that you're coming back. Come on in, come on in."
"Dad," Qiu Ping called out.
"uncle."
"Hey! Come inside, come inside!"
The dormitory was a two-bedroom suite. A large bookshelf took up a significant portion of the living room, along with two desks, presumably occupied by the elderly couple—their daily battleground for preparing lessons and grading assignments. The simple furnishings exuded a scholarly atmosphere. A table laden with dishes appeared on the table. Qiu Ping exclaimed, "Mom, you've made so much again! How long will it take us to finish eating?"
"It's not for you, it's for Hu Ni," Qiu Ping's mother said with a playful laugh. "Go wash your face, then eat first. You must all be hungry."
"Go wash your faces, I'll run you some hot water." Qiu Ping's father walked towards the bathroom.
"Dad, it's not like I don't know how to put hot water in. We can do it ourselves. You and Mom can rest for a while."
"I'm worried that Hu Ni won't be able to find her."
"I'm here for you," Qiu Ping said with a smile, putting his arm around Hu Ni's shoulder.
Sitting at the table, feeling a bit disoriented and not quite used to the situation, Qiu Ping's father was busy pouring red wine, muttering that this was a day worth celebrating. Qiu Ping's mother put a large chicken leg into Hu Ni's bowl.
"Auntie, please eat, I can do it myself." Hu Ni quickly offered, though she was also a little nervous and uneasy.
"Hu Ni," Qiu Ping's father put down the wine bottle and said solemnly, "You two are getting married soon, so stop calling me 'uncle' and 'aunt.' It's time to change how you address me!"
“That’s right, Hu Ni, you have no idea how happy Qiu Ping’s dad and I were to find out about you two. We’ve never treated you like an outsider since you were little, and after Qiu Ping called and told us about you two, we treated you even more like our own daughter. It’s time to start calling you that,” Qiu Ping’s mother chimed in.
Hu Ni glanced at Qiu Ping shyly, who was looking at her with a happy smile.
The affectionate greetings, "Dad! Mom!" brought tears to Hu Ni's eyes.
It was a wonderful dinner. The television was playing festive programs, a bit cheesy, but very fitting for the occasion. The family sat around the table, enjoying each other's company with a blissful atmosphere that made one feel lightheaded.
Qiu Ping was put on a cot in the living room, while Hu Ni stayed in Qiu Ping's room.
While the elderly couple went to wash their faces, Hu Ni quietly asked, "Don't Mom and Dad know we live together?"
"I know, I told them. I guess they were afraid you'd overthink it. Besides, they're teachers, so they definitely don't encourage cohabitation before marriage." Qiu Ping chuckled mischievously as she said the last two sentences. Back home, she unconsciously revealed many childlike traits and expressions—the kind of behavior only a loving child would have.
Qiu Ping's bed was soft and dry, and the sheets still smelled of sunshine and soap—a very clean scent. After a long day of running around, Hu Ni quickly fell asleep.
She dreamt of her mother again, standing in the faded sunlight bathed in ashes, smiling as she asked, "Hu Ni, you're back?"
Hu Ni wanted to speak, but couldn't. Her mother asked again, her voice as soft as a feather: "Hu Ni, you're back?"
Hu Ni wanted to get closer, but couldn't take a step. Under her feet were scattered petals on the dry grass, and all around her was the dazzling, old sunlight, the ashes in the sunlight reflecting a strong light.
"Hu Ni, you're back?" Mom asked, standing in the sunlight, still smiling as always, her hair shimmering with the light.
Hu Ni was unusually quiet. She desperately wanted to answer, to run over and snuggle up to her mother, but she couldn't move or speak. She could only stand in her corner and hear her mother say again, "Hu Ni, you're back?"
The Lost Child (Part 3)
gold
The next day, Hu Ni and Qiu Ping's family went to her mother's grave. They burned many offerings at the tombstone, which brought Hu Ni some comfort; in "the other side," her mother was content. Qiu Ping's family would visit three times a year to sweep Hu Ni's mother's grave: on Qingming Festival, Spring Festival, and the anniversary of her death.
At this moment, Hu Ni felt a mix of sadness and relief: her mother must be feeling the liveliness now, and her mother is not alone anymore.
For a long time, Hu Ni was unwilling to leave.
"Let's go," Qiu Ping said, putting his arm around Hu Ni's waist. "We'll come see Mom again in a couple of days."
Hu Ni nodded and followed Qiu Ping's family toward the main road. A cold wind blew, making the scene quite desolate.
The Lost Child (Part 4)
gold
Life at Qiu Ping's house was peaceful and comfortable. Every day, students and parents came to wish them a Happy New Year, and the house was always bustling with activity. The family of four would watch TV together, chat, go to the market to buy groceries, and also buy some New Year's goods that they had missed before. Along the way, people kept greeting the elderly couple; all sorts of people came, and it was clear that they were two highly respected retired teachers.
Time flew by, and it was New Year's Eve, a day often tinged with melancholy. But this year was clearly different; Hu Ni felt she was part of the festivities, part of the joy. Yet, this feeling often turned somber when she thought of her lonely mother. But ultimately, it was a very happy time.
Food is an essential part of any holiday, and the table was laden with all sorts of steaming, fragrant dishes. The Spring Festival Gala was playing on TV, and although it was disappointing year after year, it seemed to be the only choice for many families to celebrate the Spring Festival—a fitting program that was both lively and filled with blessings. A glass of red wine sat before everyone; even Qiu Ping's mother, who never touched a drop of alcohol all year, raised her glass. This was a truly special day.
The TV was showing a not-so-funny sketch comedy, but people today are more forgiving. The family ate and chatted, occasionally glancing at the TV and laughing tolerantly at the programs that seemed to be trying to tickle the audience's armpits.
"Hu Ni, do you work hard?" the mother asked.
"It's alright, we don't have to work overtime much. Qiu Ping, on the other hand, has a tougher job; he often works overtime."
Do you often work in front of a computer?
Yes, it will.
"It's best to keep a distance from the computer, as computer radiation is bad for your health."
"Ai!"
“Go back and get your marriage certificate. Being together will give you peace of mind,” Qiu Ping’s father said.
"Yes, yes, let's get the marriage certificate first, and then I'll ask someone to help you pick a date to get things done."