Yan Ningke had a long, chaotic dream. First came the interwoven memories of his childhood and growing up. The timid little boy who had so easily shed tears slowly built walls around himself and learned to hide his emotions.
The scene shifted to a dusty farmhouse courtyard, where corn covered the ground. A little boy carried a basket almost as big as himself on his back, crouching in a corner as he wiped away tears and fed the pigs.
"Hurry up! You're so slow! Take your dad some water when you finish feeding the pigs!"
The cotton curtain over the cave dwelling's doorway lifted, and a dark-skinned woman came out carrying a thermos, shouting with a fierce scowl.
The little boy seemed frightened. He shrank back and said timidly, "He's not my dad. I have a mom and dad."
"What did you say!?"
The woman put down what she was carrying and stormed over, kicking the boy. His tiny body could not keep its balance, and he nearly fell headfirst into the pig trough.
The courtyard instantly filled with blows, curses, and wails. The woman whipped him with a willow switch as she cursed, and no matter how the little boy tried to dodge, he could not escape.
The golden sunset shone over the wheat fields, a scene of boundless beauty. People's faces glowed with the happiness of the harvest, while the little boy sat all alone by the river, crying for a very, very long time.
The scenes played in slow motion, frame by frame. The tearful boy gradually grew up and was rescued and brought home. That, too, had been a sunny day. He thought he had seen the rising sun, but what awaited him was endless darkness.
In the end, only numbness remained on his face.
His