Chapter 3: Returning to the Homeland

Huo Tiantian sat on the ground, lost in painful memories, unable to extricate herself.

"Aunt, why are you sitting on the ground?" Zhou Zhicheng looked at his aunt Huo Tiantian sitting on the ground. "Are you feeling unwell?"

Huo Tiantian woke up from her daze and said, "I... I'm fine... I'm fine..." While speaking, she quietly put the recorder in her pocket.

Zhou Zhicheng helped his aunt Huo Tiantian to the living room to rest and poured her a glass of water, saying, "Aunt, have some water. If you're not feeling well, just let me know, I'll take you to the hospital."

"I probably just didn't sleep well last night, it's nothing serious. You're all sweaty, go wash up quickly," Huo Tiantian kept her head down, not wanting Zhou Zhicheng to see her helpless and resentful expression.

In this family, she was an outsider and they would never stand up for her.

"Okay, I'll go take a shower. Aunt, if you're not feeling well, just tell me," Zhou Zhicheng, who grew up in his grandmother's house, was very close to his aunt Huo Tiantian.

After Zhou Zhicheng left, Huo Tiantian, with trembling legs, returned to her bedroom and listened to the recording again.

Tears streamed down Huo Tiantian's face as she choked back sobs, struggling to breathe.

She had lived her life like a clown, trapped in carefully crafted lies by others.

Now she finally understood why she had never seen her parents, leaving them to die with unresolved grievances.

Now she finally realized that her childhood sweetheart had not abandoned her.

Now she understood why the Qi family was harsh towards others but "tolerant" towards her, an outsider who had not borne children.

She felt an overwhelming sense of self-blame and resentment towards the Qi family who had deceived her.

Huo Tiantian felt suffocated by the lies and a voice in her head urged her to escape the cage made of lies.

She put the recorder in her bag, grabbed it, and left the house.

Her mind was blank as she unconsciously arrived at the train station, bought a ticket to Nan City, and boarded the train.

She wanted to visit her hometown, the place where her parents had lived, to seek her childhood memories, the most real experiences of her life, and the happiest time of her life.

Nan City was about four hours away from Huai City by high-speed train, a journey that used to take a day and a night.

Huo Tiantian sat on the train, resting her head on the small table in front of her, silently shedding tears. Her phone in the bag kept ringing repeatedly.

"Sister, your phone is ringing!" a middle-aged man next to her reminded her, thinking that Huo Tiantian was asleep.

Huo Tiantian lowered her head, took out her phone, and saw the two glaring words "Husband" on the screen. She suddenly felt absurd and ridiculous, and without answering the call, she turned off her phone.

The middle-aged man next to her noticed the situation but pretended not to see it and continued talking to someone else.

Looking at the dark screen, Huo Tiantian felt a little less suffocated in her chest. She would never forgive the Qi family, no matter what.

The train arrived at the station, and Huo Tiantian followed the crowd off the train and out of the station. Nan City was very different from her memories. It had been more than ten years since she had last visited Nan City.

Standing in the bustling square, she saw busy business people, intimate lovers discussing their plans, families waiting for trains, and beggars, children, and disabled people begging for alms.

In this vast square, she could see the various facets of life. Some were struggling to survive, some were living their lives. But no matter who they were, no matter how hard they struggled, they were all living in the real world.

Huo Tiantian looked around and her eyes fell on the large LCD screen in the square, where a host was interviewing the richest man in Su Province.

This man was Huo Yingjie, whom Huo Tiantian knew, or rather, knew when Huo Yingjie was young.

His appearance hadn't changed much, as if time had been kind to him, leaving little trace of the years on his face. His strong square face, thick eyebrows, straight nose, and wise eyes seemed to see through people's hearts. His occasional smile always warmed people's hearts.

The death of her parents had caused her immense grief. At a time when she needed comfort the most, she received a letter from Qi Jianguo, imitating Huo Yingjie's handwriting, declaring their relationship over. She hated herself for being useless and hated Huo Yingjie for his heartlessness.

In those days, compared to life, emotions seemed trivial and insignificant. She chose not to trust, chose to give up, and fell into the trap of lies.

For so many years, in her dreams, she still resented Huo Yingjie, his heartlessness, his betrayal of his promises, and his fickleness.

Now she knew she had resented him for the wrong reasons.

"Once missed, it's a lifetime lost!"

Stumbling out of the square, I hailed a taxi and, in my hometown dialect that had long since lost its flavor, I uttered a place name: "Driver, go to Dayushu Lane!"

The taxi driver was an old hand at the wheel, and from my sweet hometown accent, he could tell that I had been away from my hometown for many years.

"It's been many years since you've been back, hasn't it? Dayushu Lane is about to be demolished. The richest man in our province, Huo Yingjie, is going to build a villa there." The taxi driver was very talkative, driving and explaining the changes in the city over the years.

As I looked at the constantly receding buildings, trees, and the low-rise buildings from my memories, everything was so different, and it was overwhelming.

Even though I didn't speak, the taxi driver continued to be very talkative.

Listening to the familiar hometown accent and seeing the different environment, my restless and resentful heart also quieted down.

"We're almost there," the taxi driver said. "The most famous thing about Dayushu Lane is the two large elms at the entrance. It's said that they're several hundred years old, dating back to the Ming Dynasty. Now Dayushu Lane is also going to be demolished. When the locals negotiate the demolition, they specifically include these two trees in the contract, saying that these two trees have been around for hundreds of years, have become spirits, and have brought blessings to the local people. Demolition is acceptable, but these two trees cannot be cut down."

The taxi turned a corner, and there were the two tall elms, still lush and growing strong.

In the summer, many people would move their dining tables under the trees to have a meal and cool off.

On ordinary days, these two large elms were also the favorite play area for the kids. Boys would roll hoops and marbles under the trees, while girls liked to play games like throwing sandbags, jumping rope, and playing handkerchief games.

In the evening, adults would come out to chat, boast, and gossip, making the place lively.

Except for when it rained, there would always be laughter and joy under these two large elms.

"Sister, we're here. That'll be twenty yuan," the taxi driver said with a smile. "These two elms have grown even bigger, haven't they?"

I nodded and said, "Yes, they have! Thank you!"

I paid the fare and got out of the car.

Walking to the foot of the elms, I looked up at the graceful branches and leaves. The elms were still strong and resilient, but I was no longer the person I used to be.

Things have changed, people have changed!

Now, I have a deeper understanding of this phrase!

Walking through the middle of the two elms, the alley was still narrow and long, but the bluestone pavement was no longer as shiny as it used to be. Near the walls, layers of dark green moss had grown.

The hustle and bustle of people and the laughter and joy from my memories were nowhere to be seen. The houses on both sides had all been vacated, leaving only dilapidated old buildings and overgrown weeds.

My eyes felt sore as I looked around. The desolation of Dayushu Lane was just like my life, both losing their luster and vitality.