My name is Lao Li, I am 50 years old and I have no children. I am a farmer, I grew up in the mountains, and when I was 20 years old, I went to work in the city. At that time, I was full of curiosity and yearning for the city, thinking that I could change my destiny and live a prosperous life.
When I was 30 years old, I was working as a chef in a restaurant and met an out-of-town girl who was a waitress. Her name is Xiaofang, she is very beautiful, fair-skinned, with big eyes and a sweet smile. We fell in love, got married, and rented a house to live in. Although the house is small, we felt very cosy and had our own home.
We always wanted to have a baby, but we never conceived. We went to the hospital for a check-up and found out that it was me who was infertile. I blamed myself and wanted to divorce, but my wife didn't agree, she said she loved me and didn't care if she had children. We can adopt a child, she said, or volunteer to help some people in need. She said that as long as we are together, it is the greatest happiness.
Our lives are uneventful, but they are also very happy. We go to work together, go home together, cook together, and watch TV together every day. We also often go for a walk in the park or go to the cinema to watch a movie. Our friends are very envious of us, saying that we are a natural pair and very affectionate.
We had planned to save some money to buy a small house and enjoy our old age. But fate always plays tricks on people, and a fire took my wife's life. That day, as soon as we got home from work, we heard a ** sound from the next room, followed by fire and smoke. My wife and I rushed out, but the door was blocked by flames. I tried to smash the window, but it was blocked by an iron fence. We were trapped in a sea of fire with nowhere to run.
I hugged my wife, crying and screaming, asking for help to no avail. I felt my ** being burned by the fire for a while, and my wife's body was convulsing. She said to me in a weak voice: "Lao Li, I love you, and I will love you all my life." You have to live, go back to your hometown, find your brother, and he will help you. You have to remember, we will see you again in heaven. With that, she closed her eyes and never opened them again.
I lost the meaning of my life and thought about killing myself, but I held back when I thought of my wife's last wish. I was rescued by firefighters and taken to the hospital. I was covered in wounds and lying in a hospital bed, unable to move. I have no relatives or friends, only my wife's **, to accompany me. I cried every day, crying and calling my wife's name, but she would never answer me again.
I stayed in the hospital for three months and was finally able to get out of bed and walk. I don't have money, I don't have a job, I don't have a home. I could only drag my broken body and carry my wife's ashes back to my hometown. I thought, maybe this is my final destination, maybe there is still a trace of warmth waiting for me here.
When I returned to my hometown, I found that my younger brother was married and had three children, two sons and one daughter. He opened a small shop in the village, and his life was not bad. When he saw me, he was surprised and sympathetic and took me to his house. He said that he had been looking for me, but he didn't know I was *** without me. He said that he was glad that I was back and that he would take good care of me and let me recuperate with peace of mind.
I stayed at my brother's house for a while and slowly regained some of my spirits. My brother's children are very cute and always surround me and call me uncle. I also like them very much and feel like they are my own children. They told me about school, sang to me, painted for me, and brought me a lot of joy. I also started playing with them, chatting with them, laughing with them.
My brother asked me to help out at his commissary, and I agreed. I think it's a distraction and a way to take some of the pressure off my brother. Every day, my brother and I go to buy goods, sell things together, and settle accounts together. I also got to know a lot of people from the village, they were all welcoming, friendly, respectful and caring. I felt like I had regained some dignity, some hope.
Time passed quickly, and a year later, my brother-in-law became pregnant and gave birth to a boy. I looked at this little life, and a warm current welled up in my heart. I decided to take him as my own son and named him Xiao Li. I swore that I would take good care of him and give him a happy home. I thought maybe it was a gift from heaven from my wife, who wanted me to start over and live again.
I hugged Xiao Li, to the sky, to my wife's **, and said, "Xiaofang, look, we have a son." He's cute, smart, and a lot like you. You can rest assured, I will love him well, educate him well, and make him a useful person. You have to be good too, don't worry about me, I will be strong, I will live. I love you and will love you all my life. ”