The person who had just come to pay her respects was none other than my mother.
If she hadn't covered her face, I would have recognized her at first glance.
"Mom!"
I chased after her, calling out and searching for her.
But she seemed to have left already, or hidden herself. She still didn't want to see me.
Before long, Song Xiaotian and Meng Yifan ran out.
"What happened?"
"What are you shouting about?"
I told them I'd seen my mother.
Both of their eyes widened.
"Are you sure you didn't mistake someone else for her?"
"I didn't. I really saw my mom."
I grabbed Song Xiaotian, growing agitated. "I saw her. She came to pay her respects to my dad and grandpa. She's aged, and there are wrinkles on her face, but I could still recognize her."
Song Xiaotian hurriedly patted my shoulder to soothe me. "Okay, let's look. Let's all look for her first. Your mom probably hasn't gone far."
With that, we split up and searched the entire area around the funeral home.
But I still couldn't find her.
She was deliberately avoiding me.
When I returned to the entrance of the hall, Song Xiaotian and Meng Yifan had returned too. Both shook their heads, indicating that they hadn't found my mother.
"Fifteen years. It's been fifteen years. Why does she still refuse to see me..."
I stood rooted to the spot, at a loss. "Even if she just said a few words to me, told me how she's been all these years... Does she dislike me that much..."
Song Xiaotian comforted me. "Don't overthink it. Everyone chooses their own path. She has her own values, so respect them. Perhaps she came because she was afraid you couldn't take the blow and wanted to check on you."