Understanding Yuxiao was introduced by a friend. We all came to Beijing from our hometown to study and stayed here after graduation. Sometimes we get together to talk about recent situations and share some interesting things. Slowly, we change from friends of friends to partners with good relationships. She is a cheerful and enthusiastic girl who occasionally brings me local specialties or gifts for business trips, sometimes dates from Ningxia, sometimes black tea from Iran.
Yuxiao’s family are all in their hometown. Although they are married, due to the nature of their husband’s work, they have been living apart from each other for a long time, and the number of days they meet each month is limited. Yuxiao’s own work is also very special, and there is a period of time spent abroad every year. This state of life allows her to be exceptionally independent and take good care of herself without relying on anyone.
I asked her, if she said a song that made her feel the most special and unforgettable, which song would she choose? A bit out of my expectation, she gave a very simple song, “Father” by the Chopsticks Brothers.
Yu Xiao said that he spent his university in Chengdu, his graduate students were in Beijing, and the other half were from Anhui. For various reasons, he has rarely returned home since he was eighteen or nine years old. One Spring Festival, my parents brought my sister and nephew to Beijing for the first time. The whole family made dumplings together, went out together, and finally had time to sit down and share the details of life. In winter in Beijing, the wind outside is chilly, but the heating inside the room is turned on sufficiently, and the laughter of the family is warmer. The whole room is filled with a taste of happiness.
It was a night when her family left Beijing. Yuxiao escorted them to the railway station. As she watched them turn around, tears almost burst into her eyes. She used all her strength to control the urge to cry and waved her hand through the window and smiled to say goodbye to her family.
Sitting in the taxi home, the driver was listening to the song he downloaded, which happened to be playing the song “Father.”. She finally burst into tears when she heard the lyrics “Slow down time, don’t let you get old anymore. I’ll use everything I have for your years to stay”. The long night is silent, thinking about another year, thinking about the regret of getting together less and leaving more. The years are fleeting, but there is nothing one can do. She allowed her tears to flow freely in the driver’s stunned eyes.
Yu Xiao said that there are actually many songs related to family love, but this one is not very special, and times have changed. When she goes to listen to “Father” again, she doesn’t want to cry anymore, only feels touched. Just the mood of that night, the uncontrollable sadness of the moment I heard this song in the car, is still firmly engraved in my memory and unforgettable.
