In those poor days, it seemed only natural for children to neglect their parents, yet even the basic things they needed, like rice, oil, and salt, were hard to come by. If they fell ill, having someone take them to the hospital, or getting something they lacked while going to the market, seemed like an impossible dream.
Even more outrageous things happened in the villages. An old person would fall ill in bed, with no one checking on them. Only when a neighbor passed by and smelled the stench of decay would the children learn that their parent had died.
Such misfortunes were common. Many people worked hard all their lives, only to end up without a place to call home.
He Suying was one of these unfortunate elders. She had worked hard to raise three sons and two daughters. No, four sons and three daughters. And when she grew old, she didn't even have a place to live...
Even so, one generation kept lifting up the next, sending their children away to the cities. They themselves stayed forever in the mountains, gazing toward the horizon, where their children were, and where their longing rested.
A bit like a literary story