A few years ago, Pig Three had always felt that he was still a child. Truly.
For so many things, all he had to do was tell his parents, and they could help him solve them—especially matters of everyday life.
That emotional dependence was impossible to put into words, but with his parents there to help, he truly felt like a child, rather than the main pillar holding up a family.
On Lunar New Year's Eve four years ago, while we were drinking, Father suddenly asked me which relatives we would visit for the New Year, which day we would go to Uncle's family and Aunt's family. In that instant, I suddenly realized that the person I depended on was gone. At some point, my parents had begun leaning on me instead. I had taken Father's place and become the pillar of the family.
Making money, staying busy, working hard to make money, creating better living conditions and security for my family—these became my motivation, and also my excuse.
Back then, Pig Three had treated Mother's and Father's occasional nagging as wind passing by his ears.
At mealtimes, Mother often said that she did not know how Ba Fu was doing and that she wanted to go see her.
Pig Three's replies were perfunctory too: when I'm free, when I have time, I'll take you to Liaoning.
Gansu to Huludao, Liaoning, was quite far away—2,700 kilometers one way.
Mother kept bringing it up, but Pig Three only grew busier and busier, updating, attending meetings, studying.
That "when I have time" was like tomorrow after tomorrow—there would always be another tomorrow.
And so, she kept mentioning it for four or five years.
Until Pig Three fell ill last year, and time suddenly seemed to slow down.
That year, lying in a