Grandma Li's world seems to have quieted down all of a sudden after her husband's death. The night sky over the town was eerily quiet, except for the occasional dog barking to break the silence in the empty old house. She often sits upright in a rocking chair, bathed in the hazy moonlight, reminiscing about her time with her husband.
"Mom, you should rest early, don't always stay up late." His son Li Qiang reminded with concern that he knew that Grandma Li's insomnia had become commonplace.
"Hey, if you can't sleep, you can't sleep, you can rest early, work is so busy." Grandma Li always said this, she didn't care about it, but there was unspeakable loneliness and loss hidden in her eyes.
One night, by chance, she posted a post on an online flower raising forum about how to take care of the moon. Unexpectedly, on the other side of the ocean, an old man who loves gardening, John, left her a message.
"Your moon season is so good, my moon season garden and yours can be a companion." John sent a message from the other end of the network.
Grandma Li saw someone praising her garden, and her mood became extremely happy, "Oops, thank you!" My moon season is my treasure, and I take care of it every day. ”
In this way, a single blooming moon in a small Chinese town and a garden carefully cared for by an American old man led the connection between the two old people. They began to exchange ideas about raising flowers on the Internet, and sometimes they would talk about their families and lives.
"My wife also loves gardening, but she's been dead for years." At one point, John revealed his past to Grandma Lee on a video call.
Grandma Li couldn't help but empathize after hearing this, "Me too, since he left, I feel that the whole world has changed." There was a tremor in his voice, and tears welled up in his eyes.
The two talked more and more, not only about raising flowers, but also about their dreams when they were young and their hesitations now, and then about their children and grandchildren.
Grandma Li told Li Qiang about this friend, and Li Qiang smiled at the dinner table and said, "Mom, you have made foreign friends now, you really keep pace with the times." ”
Grandma Li smiled and responded softly, "Well, John... The people are very nice, just a little far away. ”
One evening after dinner, Grandma Li sat in front of the computer again, and John's gentle voice came from the headphones: "You know what? Today my son came to see me, and he said that my orchid grows as strong as the cheat you gave me. ”
"Really? Then I have to plan our garden well, far water can't quench the thirst of the near, I have to go over and guide it myself. Grandma Li joked, with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Two souls who were together in the sunset found each other in the comfort of a distance. Grandma Li's life once again has new expectations, and this friendship across time and space is quietly changing her daily life. As the days passed, the phone calls between Grandma Lee and John became more and more frequent. Whenever after dinner, Grandma Li can always sit in front of the computer on time, smiling and greeting the warm voice on the other end of the screen. Li Qiang noticed this change, and his heart was mixed.
"Mom, you and that Mr. John had a good conversation, I see you're getting better and better." Li Qiang tentatively started the topic after dinner one day.
"Yes, John is a bit like your dad when he was younger, and he's a very funny person." The smile on Grandma Li's face was soft and genuine.
"But Mom, after all, this is an online exchange, and you haven't met him in person, so be a little mentally prepared." Li Qiang cautiously reminded.
"I know, but when I talk to him, my heart is not so empty." Grandma Li's eyes were full of faint glimmers.
Wang Min said to Li Qiang in private: "Qiang, I always feel that this matter is unreliable, what if that old man is trying to do something to our mother, or is it that kind of fraud group?" ”
"I've thought about this too, but my mother said he's not that kind of person..."Li Qiang was also not very relieved, but he didn't want to dampen his mother's fun in old age.
Every time Grandma Li finished the video with John, she had a kind and satisfied smile on her face. Whenever this happens, Li Qiang and Wang Min can only look at each other speechlessly.
However, after the last call, Grandma Li suddenly came up with an idea: "Qiang, I want to go to the United States and meet John." ”
The sudden announcement caught Li Qiang off guard, and he feared it might just be a spur of the moment. "Mom, at your age, what if you go over there and have three longs and two shorts?"
"I'm tough, you look down on me!" Grandma Li insisted on her opinion, but there was a hint of nervousness in her tone.
In the days that followed, the atmosphere at home became a little tense. Li Qiang and Wang Min tried many times to persuade Grandma Li to give up this idea, but it seemed that the more they talked about Grandma Li's mind, the firmer she became.
"Mom, I know you're lonely, but that's not the solution, we're all worried about you." Li Qiang persuaded gently.
"Strong, I know you're worried about me, but I don't want to spend the rest of my days alone." Grandma Li stroked her hair and spoke in a resolute tone.
"If you have to go, at least you have to find out what is really going on there before you decide." Wang Min tried to solve the problem with a more rational attitude.
During the lengthy argument, cracks began to appear in the communication between Grandma Li and her daughter-in-law. The more she felt that her choices were being constrained, and the suffocation made her more and more insistent on her opinions.
In the end, after some psychological struggle, Li Qiang made a compromise proposal: "Mom, it's better to talk to John again and see what his attitude is." We go online with you to check the authenticity of the information he provides. ”
Grandma Li's expression softened slightly, she knew that her children cared about her, but in a different way than she thought.
Night after night, Grandma Li thought to herself—to go or not to go, this answer seemed to affect not only her own future, but also the harmony between her family. In the memory, the wife and the trembling eyes are mixed together, and her inner struggle continues. The smoke of family controversy lingered for a long time, and finally reached a tipping point after a heated family discussion. Grandma Li's eyes were full of perseverance, and she said to her son Li Qiang: "I have decided, I want to meet John, this is my own business." ”
"Mom, this is too risky, we are not against you living your own life, but..."
"Strong, needless to say, my decision has been decided, and it will not change." Grandma Li's voice was firm and could not be argued.
When Grandma Li was busy preparing her bags and checking her passport and visa, she found that John hadn't been in touch with her for many days. At first, she thought it was just jet lag or that John was busy. She tried several times to get in touch, but nothing came from her.
The anxious Grandma Li finally received a brief email from John on a silent night: "I'm sorry, I don't think we're suitable, let's end this relationship." ”
The whole world seemed to be still again, and Grandma Li's lost eyes were full of incomprehension and doubt. "How could it be...... Aren't we all right? ”
With the patience and comfort of her son and daughter-in-law, she reluctantly told the story. "Mom, look, this is what we're worried about, in case..." Li Qiang was a little helpless.
"I'm so confused, I'm still so old—" Grandma Li snorted, her voice trembling, both remorseful and seemingly looking for some kind of explanation.
Wang Min comforted her softly: "Mom, maybe this is an opportunity for us to understand you better and let you see some things clearly." ”
"But I don't understand, why did he suddenly cut off contact? Could it be that I did something wrong? Grandma Li's eyes were filled with tears, as if the belief she had always insisted on had been uncovered naked.
At this time, Li Qiang proposed: "Mom, let's help you see, there may be some misunderstanding." Don't worry, let's take our time. ”
They began to try to find John's contact information through various online channels, looking at the chats between each other, trying to figure out what the problem was. Later, it was discovered that a small misunderstanding about the travel arrangements made John mistakenly think that Grandma Li did not really want to see him.
"I see, he misunderstood me." After understanding the reason, Grandma Li was a little relieved, but the loss in her heart still did not dissipate.
As Grandma Lee is immersed in her own world, disappointment and loneliness surround her, and she realizes that John may never be a real part of her life again. Although Li Qiang and Wang Min tried their best to comfort them, the air in their homes was still dull. And Grandma Li's mood is like this drizzle, bleak.
Even though the outside world is full of haze, Grandma Li knows that the road of life is still long, and she has to continue to walk, even if her eyes are full of fog and unknown. After countless discussions and family meetings, Li Qiang and Wang Min finally understood the desire and persistence in Grandma Li's heart. "Mom, otherwise, we will help you figure this matter out, and if it is confirmed that he is sincere, you still want to go, we will no longer stop it." There was unprecedented firmness in Li Qiang's voice.
"Really? Strong, Mom has only done one risky thing in her life, and that is to marry your dad. Grandma Li's eyes were filled with tears, but the corners of her mouth were raised, and she smiled happily.
Grandma Lee gets back in touch with John, and she confesses her worries and misunderstandings. "John, I thought I would never see you again, I really wanted to see you."
Sincere words came from John's side: "Me too, I was too anxious to draw conclusions before, I can't wait to see you." ”
After several twists and turns, all misunderstandings were finally clarified, and the agreed meeting gradually took shape under the common expectations of the two. When Wang Min was packing her luggage for Grandma Li, she whispered, "Mom, you have to take care of yourself when you go." ”
"Don't worry, Min," Grandma Li patted Wang Min's hand, "This time, I know what I'm doing." ”
The farewell ceremony at the airport was full of warmth, Li Qiang hugged his mother tightly and whispered in his ear: "Mom, have a safe journey and find happiness." ”
And Grandma Li, on the plane flying to a distant place, looking at the clouds circulating outside the window, her heart was full of anticipation and excitement. She is no longer the lonely old man who guards the rocking chair every day, but an explorer who bravely pursues love.
On a moonlit night, Grandma Li and John walked along the beach, talking about life and planning for the future. The two decided that despite the distance between the two places, they would try to maintain this special relationship. Through video calls, letters, and gifts, they solidified each other's presence in their later years.
Friends came to congratulate and expressed their admiration for Grandma Li's courage. Neighbor Lao Zhang asked with a smile: "Lao Li, have you found the spring in your heart?" ”
Grandma Li looked into the distance, and her heart swelled with indescribable emotion: "Spring? Is it really coming, isn't it already full of flowers in the heart? ”