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“Meteor! Brother Er, Meteor!” Wen Xin exclaimed, pointing with joy. “I made a wish for Brother Er to always be safe! What you said just now, the gods can’t hear it!”
Wen Sheng gently wrapped his arm around Wen Xin’s shoulders. “Even if the gods heard it, I wouldn’t be afraid! Am I still scared of retribution? I just can’t bear to part with you and Mom!” He let out a long sigh, unable to help himself.
The wind gently swayed the treetops, and the night felt a bit still. The occasional chirping of insects seemed so lonely. The night was somewhat empty and dim, with the long road ahead stretching endlessly. Wen Sheng took a deep breath of the cool air, filling his lungs.
“Wen Sheng, Wen Xin…” The lonely night sky echoed with their mother’s hoarse calls.
Seeing that Wen Sheng hadn’t returned home so late, Wen Xin went looking for him but found no trace. Their mother searched all the neighbors’ homes but couldn’t find any sign of Wen Sheng.
She began to feel anxious; it was so late—where could the two children have gone? Had Wen Xin found Wen Sheng? Where could she have gone again? Their mother’s heart was in turmoil. What if Wen Sheng was feeling hopeless? What if Wen Xin encountered bad people? Her heart was a tangled mess, and she didn’t dare urge Wen Sheng’s father to go out searching. She feared that if he found Wen Sheng in a bad mood, he might lash out at the children. Borrowing a flashlight from a neighbor, she searched the streets for her two kids.
“You should go look for the children; they must have gone out in anger! If something happens to them, you’ll regret it!” Grandma urged Wen Sheng’s father, tapping her cane on the ground.
“I’m not going to look for him! He won’t die!” Wen Sheng’s father shouted from inside the house.
“If you won’t go, I will!” Grandma trembled with anger.
“Grandma! Don’t go out! It’s too dark!” Wen Hao shouted at her.
“That won’t do! I have to go look for them! It’s late at night; is he foolish?” Grandma complained.
“If Wen Sheng is filial in the future, I’ll give you my head!” Wen Hao yelled toward his father’s room.
“That’s nonsense! I don’t believe that when I’m old, he won’t take care of me! The old folks won’t allow it!” Wen Sheng’s father replied, his voice drawn out from inside.
“Anyway, I won’t take care of you! Hehe!” Wen Hao laughed sarcastically.
“I never had any hope in you!” Wen Sheng's Father said coldly.
“Who knows, maybe in the future Wen Sheng will be better than me! I see he’s a lot more cunning than I am; he just listens to you for now! When you start crying, just wait and see!” Wen Hao shouted.
“You unfilial child! Your father is still young; when he gets old, you might take his life! You little wolf cub!” Grandma scolded, striking Wen Hao with her cane.
“I’m not! I’m Wen Sheng!” Wen Hao grinned, grabbing Grandma's cane playfully.
“Wen Sheng is definitely stronger than you!” Grandma replied as she continued to wave her cane.
“Let’s wait and see what happens in the future!” Wen Hao nodded confidently.
“I wonder if your mother has found Wen Sheng yet?” Grandma said, watching as Wen Hao wouldn’t let go of the cane, sitting beside his bed and chattering away.
It was getting quite dark, and Mother appeared very anxious. The dirt road in the village was uneven, and her thin figure stumbled slightly as the beam of the flashlight swayed back and forth. She first went to the riverbank at the front of the village; the water flowed clear and gently, while the wind softly rustled the willow trees along the shore. The night felt eerie. Mother shivered as she glanced at the vast graveyard across the river. Images of dead people kept flashing in her mind, and at every little sound, her heart would tremble! She always felt like someone was following her, constantly turning around to look back. It seemed as if a ghastly face was right beside her; the wind stirred her graying hair, making her scalp feel cold and tingly. Mother felt a bit scared.
Yet a deep concern for her child gave her courage to keep searching. Only by seeing her child safe would her heart find peace.
After searching around the river for a long time, Mother’s voice echoed far away with the flow of water. Her calls grew hoarse, and her steps became a bit disordered. The flashlight didn’t shine as brightly as it had at first. Where could this child have gone? Could something really have happened? Her heart grew increasingly uneasy.
Where could Wen Xin have gone? This child—why wouldn’t she come home if she couldn’t find her brother? I shouldn’t have let Wen Xin come out to look for Wen Sheng; it’s late at night for a girl! Mother scolded herself repeatedly in her chaotic thoughts. Her hand holding the flashlight trembled slightly, and she felt sweat forming in her palm.
Mother continued searching along the dirt path, where the corn had grown tall, casting shadows over the fields. The wind blew gently, creating a rustling sound all around. The breeze continued to tousle Mother’s disheveled gray hair.
She searched tirelessly along the road, calling out for both Wen Sheng and Wen Xin. The starlight appeared faint against the vastness of night. The empty fields echoed with Mother’s calls, while the wind blew on relentlessly; even her arm holding the flashlight began to feel sore.
It was unclear who had dug such a deep ditch in the field, but Mother had accidentally fallen into it. The lantern slipped from her grasp and fell as well, leaving her unable to get back up. Struggling, she managed to prop herself up, dusting off the dirt from her clothes and picking up the fallen lantern.
"Where could those children have gone?" she muttered to herself.
As she turned back towards the village, the lights were few and far between; many homes had extinguished their lamps, and the night was already deep.
"When I get home, I’m going to give them a good beating. They’ve driven me mad!" Mother was clearly angry.
"Wen Sheng! Wen Xin..." she called out, but all that returned was the echo of her voice in the night sky. Occasionally, she shone the lantern into the dark void, hoping that her children would somehow know she was searching for them. Perhaps it was cruel; there was not a single response.
Could it be that Wen Sheng and Wen Xin had truly encountered some misfortune? A sense of unease began to creep into Mother's heart.
The back of the village! What if they had gone there? With a sudden spark of hope, she turned and hurried down the path leading out of the village. She made her way directly to the area behind the village, shining her lantern into the dense grove of poplar trees.
"Wen Xin!" Mother called out, her voice strained and hoarse.
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