I told Chen Xiaoqiu what had happened, and she agreed right away. She took her phone outside to make a call, and that settled things on her end. I also called home and told my parents I'd have to work overtime.
I could hear the hesitation and worry in my mother's voice, but under the circumstances, I couldn't refuse.
I didn't know what had gotten into me, but I blurted out a question about our family.
"My grandparents on both sides... We haven't visited their graves in years, have we?" Once the words were out, I could only steel myself and finish the thought.
My mother fell silent on the other end of the line.
"I barely ever hear you and Dad talk about them..."
As far as I remembered, I'd met all four of them when I was little. None of them had been only children, and my parents had cousins on both sides, too. Maybe some family conflict had broken out when my sister and I were still young, and everyone had stopped keeping in touch after that.
It wasn't uncommon for siblings to grow distant after their parents died, even to the point of never speaking again. And that was before you got to more distant relatives.
Working in relocation, I'd seen plenty of cases like that.
But I didn't remember any arguments. Maybe I'd forgotten all about it along with Xiao Bai and my childhood.
The thought of Xiao Bai made me freeze.
I didn't know whether Xiao Bai had been reincarnated.
If it hadn't, maybe now...
My heart missed a beat.
Just then, my mother sighed, and my heart resumed its rhythm with a thud.
"It wasn't anything good. They got sick and passed away. Those last two years, taking care of them every day