“Don’t worry, mother. Everything will be fine. I’ll get the money.” Mei repeated the words that had been said many times. But this time each word sounded too hollow. She could barely listen to herself. The wall of her glazed heart was starting to crack. Only her meager belief leeched her slender energy, as she spluttered, “The happiness... The happiness will come after the bitterness.”
“Yes. Let’s go to eat.” The barefooted mother at once straightened her body, almost running as she suddenly realized, “The food is getting cold.”