Duoduo originally did not want to cry, happy that her mother had not forgotten her.
But when her mother hugged her and burst into loud sobs, she couldn't help but start crying too.
Seeing her once beautiful mother now an old grandma with a face full of wrinkles made her even more heartbroken.
As Duoduo cried, Song Qingwei stopped her own tears and began to clumsily comfort her daughter.
It had been many years since she last comforted a child so carefully, not even her grandson; whenever that naughty boy cried, a spanking was enough.
But not only did the comfort from her mother not alleviate her tears, it made Duoduo cry even louder.
Years of grievances seemed to all pour out in this moment.
Fear, grievance, bewilderment, loneliness...
How had she, just a little girl, managed to carry on, even grown-ups would have been unable to persist after so many years and ultimately would choose to let go, returning to nature.