Though she was referred to as a woman, she could actually be called an old lady now; her hair had turned silver, and her face was full of the marks of time. Even the clothes she wore had been washed to a faded white. Hearing Gong Mingxia’s Mandarin, which lacked any local accent, she was at first taken aback. Squinting her eyes, she looked for a long while before seeming to recognize her eldest daughter.
"Mi-, Mingxia? Are you Mingxia?"
The old lady’s voice trembled a bit as she reached for the bed edge, trying to stand. Whether it was from sitting too long or something else, her legs didn’t seem to cooperate, failing to lift her twice. In the end, it was Gong Mingxia who walked over and gently pushed her back down.
"Mom, don’t stand up. It’s fine, just sit down, just sit down."
Since the last time mother and daughter had seen each other, seven years had passed. The old lady’s eyes had grown blurry, so she strained to make out her daughter’s appearance. After looking her over, she noted that Mingxia’s complexion was fair, her attire sharp, and her color healthy—she seemed...
"Where have you been all these years? Why only send money without even a way to contact you? If it weren’t for the money, I wouldn’t have known whether you were dead or alive. So much time has passed; are you still holding a grudge against me?"
Gong Mingxia shook her head, about to speak, when she suddenly heard her father struggling to talk. Only then did she remember she had not yet greeted her dad.
Worn down by illness, the old man was frail. His bones seemed only to have a thin layer of skin over them. Upon recognizing Mingxia, he was so overcome with emotion that he burst into loud tears, but because of the tubes inserted in him, the crying sounded muffled, causing Gong Mingxia’s heart to ache. She quickly took her father’s hand, nodding repeatedly.
"Dad, I’m sorry, I’ve come back late," ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel fire.net
Mr. Gong mumbled something indistinct, and Gong Mingxia could hardly understand. She looked towards her mother, who was wiping away tears while speaking.
"Your dad is asking about Xiao Xiao. Didn’t she come back with you?"
Mingxia shook her head, "Dad, Xiao Xiao is at school now; she didn’t come back. When she’s on holiday, I’ll definitely bring her to see you, okay?"
"Isn’t it summer vacation now?" the old lady, with many grandchildren, knew it was the time for summer vacation. Mingxia offered a kind lie; she couldn’t very well say Xiao Xiao had gone to Beijing to play with her brother, could she?
So, smiling, she explained, "Mom, you’re right, the kids are on summer vacation, but they still have their extracurricular classes. She’s learning the piano now!"
The old lady and the old man looked at her with a puzzled gaze, and Gong Mingxia immediately realized they might not know what a piano was. She quickly explained again.
"It’s a kind of musical instrument," she said, and gestured the way one plays the guitar and lute. The old couple finally understood and couldn’t help but smile.
"Good, good, Xiao Xiao is really talented; she knows how to play an instrument? Mingxia, so you are now... in H state?" The city was listed on the postal money order form.
Gong Mingxia did not conceal the truth and related everything that had occurred in those years to her parents. After hearing her story, they were moved to tears.
"That’s wonderful, you’ve remarried and even had a son? Such great news; why didn’t you tell us at home?"
Gong Mingxia looked down somewhat embarrassedly: "Mom, I’m sorry, I always thought that you hadn’t forgiven me, and I felt guilty for the problems I caused for my two little sisters’ marriages. I didn’t dare to come back, so I only thought to send you some retirement money. But I neglected your health. Then, one night, I had a dream. After waking from it, I hurried straight to my hometown. And sure enough, dad... he had an accident."