Summary
The first year after my death.
My daughter, not yet a year old, cried for her mother. Jiang Ran, flustered, held her and tried to comfort her.
His usually immaculate shirt was covered in wrinkles.
The second year.
My daughter learned to walk, her steps unsteady.
Jiang Ran took her to my grave, pointed and said, “Mian Mian, this is your mother.”
The third year.
Jiang Mian started kindergarten and was shoved to the ground by her classmates.
“Your mother abandoned you, you poor thing!”
She cried, too afraid to speak.
Jiang Ran left work to take her home.
The child looked up and asked, “Daddy, why am I the only one without a mother?”
The man was silent the whole way.
The fourth year, I appeared at Jiang Ran’s blind date dinner.
He said to the woman across from him, “Then let’s give it a try.”