During her postpartum confinement, Xing Zhaozhao had been constantly thinking about that door. Now that her confinement period had finally ended, she prepared to go there again to investigate the situation.
“Da Fei, Mom is going into the mountains to see if we can get some more game. Stay home and watch your younger siblings carefully, especially your sister. Make sure she doesn’t fall off the heated brick bed or cover her face while sleeping. I’ll try to be back before lunchtime.”
Before leaving, Xing Zhaozhao specifically instructed her eldest son Hongfei.
In the past, she wouldn’t have dared to leave her newborn daughter in the care of her two sons.
However, after experiencing many hardships recently, the two mischievous boys who used to be carefree and only knew how to play wildly had now become sensible and steady.
Especially the eldest, Hongfei. Ever since they moved out of the Gao family, it seemed like he had grown up overnight. During her confinement period, he not only helped Aunt Hao with various chores but also learned to take care of his younger siblings and his mother who was still in confinement. He even found time to have Aunt Hao help him get two chickens to raise.
“With Dad not here, I’m the oldest man in the family, the pillar of the household. Of course I need to take good care of my younger siblings and Mom,” he had once said seriously to Xing Zhaozhao.
Therefore, Xing Zhaozhao now felt assured that even in her absence, her eldest son could take good care of his younger siblings.
“Understood, Mom. Don’t worry, I’ll watch my sister carefully,” Hongfei said, looking at Xing Zhaozhao and nodding seriously.
Not just watching his sister to prevent falls or suffocation – he had even learned from Granny Hao how to feed her water and change her diapers, having practiced several times to ensure proper care.
Xing Zhaozhao smiled and patted her son’s head. As she prepared to leave, she looked around but didn’t see her younger son. “Where’s Xiao Yuma?”
“He went out to dig for earthworms to feed the chickens. I told him not to go too far – he should be right outside. You’ll probably see him when you leave,” Hongfei said.
Xing Zhaozhao went out to look and indeed saw the little fellow digging in the mud near their newly cultivated vegetable patch beside the house. Not wanting to disturb him, she closed the door and quietly headed toward the cellar in the backyard.
What Xing Zhaozhao didn’t expect was that shortly after she left, Hongyu – who had been digging for half the day but only found a few earthworms – returned with his earthworm container just in time to see his mother heading toward the backyard.
Though he didn’t know what his mother was going to do, wanting to help her like his brother did, he immediately hugged his earthworm container and chased after her: “Mom…”
But his mother didn’t seem to hear him and continued walking quickly. By the time he reached the backyard, his mother had already disappeared, and he saw that the always-closed cellar door was open.
Curious, he walked over and descended the cellar stairs. But before he had taken two steps down the staircase, he saw his mother in the corner of the cellar – with a “whoosh” sound, she passed through the wall and disappeared?!
Hongyu: “???!!”
The little boy was completely terrified. The earthworm container in his hands fell with a crash, shattering “crack!” on the ground. The earthworms inside spilled out, scattering and wriggling everywhere.
Hongyu couldn’t care less about that now. With a loud “wah,” he burst into tears and ran off to find his brother. “Brother, brother, Mom is gone…”
Inside the house, Xiao Hongling was sleeping soundly on the heated brick bed.
Suddenly, the sound of sobbing came from outside.
She furrowed her little brows restlessly.
Seeing this, Hongfei also frowned and turned to look at Hongyu, who was running in crying. He scolded in a low voice, “Keep it down. Don’t wake your sister.”
Hongyu abruptly stopped crying, but a sob caught in his throat, and he couldn’t hold back a hiccup.
Hongfei quickly went over to pat his back, poured him a cup of water to drink, and helped him calm down. Then he asked, “What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
Hongyu clutched his brother’s hand tightly, tears streaming from his reddened eyes. Afraid of waking his sister, he held back his sobs. “Brother, M-Mom is gone…”
Hongfei wiped his tears with his sleeve. “Nonsense. Mom went hunting in the mountains. She’s just not home, not gone.”
Hongyu shook his head vigorously. “She didn’t go hunting. She’s really gone. I just saw Mom go to the cellar in the backyard, so I followed her. I saw her disappear through the wall with a ‘whoosh’.”
Hearing this, Hongfei’s little face turned pale, and he tightened his grip on his brother’s hand. “Really? You saw it with your own eyes?”
“Mm-hmm.” Hongyu nodded.
“Take me to see.” Hongfei said, pulling Hongyu along as they hurried to the cellar.
“Right here.” Hongyu pointed to the spot where Xing Zhaozhao had vanished.
Hongfei furrowed his little brows, walked over, and patted the wall. It was solid—just a wall.
“Are you sure it was here?” he asked, turning to Hongyu.
Hongyu nodded emphatically. “Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.”
“Brother, was Mom taken by a monster?” he asked Hongfei.
Hongfei shook his head. “There are no monsters in this world.”
“Then how did Mom disappear so suddenly?” Hongyu asked.
“…” Hongfei had no answer.
“Mom must have been taken by a monster.” Hongyu insisted on his belief.
“No, I’m going to find Granny Hao and rescue Mom.” With that, he turned to run off and get Aunt Hao for help.
Hongfei quickly grabbed him. “No, you can’t.”
Hongyu glared at Hongfei, puffing out his cheeks. “Why? Don’t you want Mom to come back?”
“You just said Mom came here on her own. Even though I don’t know how she disappeared, she definitely wasn’t taken by a monster. If you bring Granny Hao here and Mom suddenly reappears, what if someone sees her and thinks she’s a monster? What if they take her away and parade her through the streets wearing tall paper hats?” Hongfei said.
Hongyu had seen those paraded through the streets wearing tall paper hats before. The memory sent a shiver through his little body, and he shook his head vigorously. “I don’t want Mom to be paraded through the streets wearing tall paper hats.”
“Then just wait here quietly for Mom to come back.” Hongfei patted his little head to comfort him.
Hongyu’s expression softened slightly. “Will Mom come back?”
Hongfei nodded firmly. “She will. Mom said she’d be back before lunch.”
Even as he spoke, Hongfei stared at the solid wall, his heart filled with fear: Mom will come back… right?
Xing Zhaozhao had no idea her secret had been discovered so quickly by her sons. After passing through the gate, she followed the reservoir and took another path down the mountain.
When she reached the foot of the mountain and saw the scene before her, she was utterly stunned.
Looking at the smooth, wide, and straight highway, along with all kinds of cars—big and small—running back and forth on the road…
Was this really still their Huaxia?