Chapter 4 Funeral Rain
Wen Yu's mom was being buried.
It rained that day.
Wen Yu held an ornate box with his mom's ashes inside.
He looked more fragile. His already pale lips went white from pressing them.
When people die, they turn into a small handful of ash. No matter how fancy the box, it didn't matter.
I held an umbrella for Wen Yu, but rain slanted onto him.
I hated it. He got damp.
Lots of people there.
I saw Wen Yu's dad. He reminded me of Xun Qiang a bit.
A beast in human skin.
He brought his new woman and illegitimate son, which killed Wen Yu's mom from rage.
Wen Yu's mom just died, and he wanted to remarry, with a bastard two months younger than Wen Yu.
Wen Yu's stepmom was like a vixen, wearing a red skirt under her plain qipao.
That bastard wasn't good either. He kept staring at Wen Yu with a hateful look.
The ashes went in. Wen Yu's name was carved in the tombstone corner.
Wen Yu looked like his mom.
In the photo, she had gentle brows and a warm smile.
Wen Yu didn't smile today. He was sad.
When my mom left, I was sad too.
Being abandoned or choosing to leave both hurt.
I knelt with Wen Yu and whispered to the tombstone.
"I won't abandon Wen Yu. I'll guard him for you."
Wen Yu's lowered lashes trembled, wet.
Like butterfly wings, fragile and beautiful.