Chen Haisheng was helping a stall owner kill fish at the market when he received the call. The other end of the phone said that his sister had died suddenly. When he arrived at the school, the dean of the Academic Affairs Office handed over a certificate of cremation. His tone was as calm as if he was announcing a make-up exam: "The body has been processed and the ashes will be picked up in three days."
Chen Haisheng froze on the spot. He didn't understand what "processing" meant and thought it was a normal procedure. Later I learned that that afternoon, my sister's body was dismembered, her organs harvested, and sent to the cremator—the entire process took less than four hours.
Reader comments
The author's pen is profound and precise, and he accurately depicts the powerlessness and helplessness of the lower-class people under the pain of losing their sister. The suffocating feeling of being unable to save and crying without tears is overwhelming, which is very relatable.
The author's pen is profound and precise, and he accurately depicts the powerlessness and helplessness of the lower-class people under the pain of losing their sister. The suffocating feeling of being unable to save and crying without tears is overwhelming, which is very relatable.