It was a sunny afternoon, and I squatted on the dirt slope in front of the door, playing with the car in my hand, completely oblivious to the solemn look of my parents' whispered conversation at the door. It wasn't until my mother called me into the house that there was a hint of seriousness in her voice that I had never noticed.
"Huahua, there is one thing you need to know," Mother Wang Fang sat opposite me, holding my little hand gently, "Your cousin is obviously - his parents have passed away, and he has no one to take care of now." "
My heart shook violently, although I was young and did not have a deep understanding of the concept of life and death, I could feel the seriousness of the situation when I looked at my mother's eyes. I nodded silently, the memory of flying a kite with my cousin Li Ming echoed in my mind.
"So, we decided to adopt Ming Ming," Dad joined in the conversation, his voice firm, "He will be part of our family from now on, you have to treat him like your own brother, you know?" "
I nodded again, both uneasy and expectant. Li Ming is tall and always protective of me, I like him, but will he like our new home?
A few days later, Li Ming moved in. He didn't seem to have changed, but there was sadness in his eyes that I couldn't understand. That night, the atmosphere at the dinner table was a little solemn, and Li Ming ate silently without saying a word. After the meal, my mother asked me to take a bath and sleep as usual, but there was one more Li Ming.
"Obviously, you wash it first, and Huahua will wash it later." Mom said softly to Li Ming.
"No, Auntie, I'll wait for Huahua to wash it together." Li Ming's voice was low but persistent.
Those were the first words he said when he came to our house, and although he was full of restraint, I heard a glimmer of hope in them.
As the days passed, we slowly became familiar with each other's existence. I would walk with Li Ming after school, he was no longer the silent child, and began to take the initiative to talk to me, telling interesting things about school, and about his memories of the past and his parents. Sometimes, he would stop suddenly, his eyes were confused, and I knew he was thinking of his mom and dad again.
Mom is the mediator of our family, and she can always see Li Ming's mood changes.
"Obviously, Mom and Dad went to a far away place," Mom whispered as she sat on the edge of Li Ming's bed one night before the lights went out, "but they want you to be happy, so you have to continue to live well." "
"I know, Auntie." The corners of Li Ming's mouth flashed with a wry smile, "Thank you, I will live well." "
In this way, my cousin and I grew up together as real brothers. My home has slowly become his.
Ten years have passed in a flash, and we have all grown from young children to young people in their prime. Cousin Li Ming's figure became more and more upright, and he was admitted to a prestigious university with excellent grades and left home. After graduating from college, he stayed in the city again and found a decent job. Whenever he comes home, he always brings fresh stories of the city, which makes our ordinary little family full of vitality.
However, just as the trees grow taller and the roots deeper, Li Ming's concern for home seems to decrease. He began to immerse himself in his own world, always perfunctory to his grandparents' holiday greetings, his parents' phone calls, and often absent from family gatherings for various reasons.
"Obviously, I go home less often, is it too busy at work?" One day at dinner, my mother asked tentatively. Her eyes were full of anticipation, but also a thin amount of worry.
"I'm very busy at work, but I'm also trying to find a balance in my life." Li Ming replied unhurriedly, his eyes wandering.
I could feel that behind the long smile on my cousin's face, there was an indescribable alienation. He was the focal point of us, but now there seems to be an invisible wall between us.
Before the Spring Festival, I went to visit my cousin in the city. His apartment was neat and modern, with shelves full of professional books, and he was clearly a studious man. We sat together, chatted over tea, and my cousin recounted his ins and outs at the company.
"Obviously, you don't go home many times, and your mother is always worried." I gently conveyed my family's thoughts.
My cousin smiled bitterly: "I know that everyone in my family is thinking about me, but I also want to have my own world." Maybe it's because I lost my parents when I was a child, so I always wanted to prove something. "
I could hear the helplessness in his words, and I also understood the self-pursuit behind this alienation.
Just when Li Ming spread his wings and was ready to welcome a new chapter in his life, a sudden phone call was like a bolt from the blue - my mother was seriously ill. I remember that day, it was a late autumn evening, and the leaves were falling like yellow butterflies, but the news came from the other end of the phone with urgent and painful news.
"Huahua, your aunt is very sick, you hurry up and tell your cousin to let him go home." Dad's anxious voice made my heart tighten.
Hanging up the phone, I took a deep breath of cold air and dialed Li Ming's phone. At that moment, I knew that no matter how wonderful Li Ming's life was, he could not escape the truth that he had to face - home will always be the harbor of our concern.
When I heard my father's painful phone call, I felt chaos and panic. I know that for my cousin Li Ming, this news will be a huge shock. I dialed his phone and heavy words came out of my mouth: "Cousin, my mother is very sick, can you come back?" ”
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a long time, and Li Ming's voice sounded unusually trembling: "I... I got it, I'll go back as soon as possible. ”
Hanging up the phone, I looked out the window at the hurried autumn leaves, my heart filled with uneasiness about the future. Although my cousin has not returned for many years, every time he mentions home, his eyes always reveal an invisible concern.
A few days later, Li Ming hurried back home. Beneath his flamboyant exterior, I saw a hint of visceral vulnerability. Walking into the ward, he looked at the familiar faces on the hospital bed, and at that moment, a touch of sadness flashed in his eyes.
"Auntie, I'm sorry, I came back too late." His voice was low and self-reproachful.
Mom shook her head, raised her hand weakly, and gently patted the back of Li Ming's hand: "Mingming, don't blame yourself, I'm very relieved to see you." ”
In the ward, I stood quietly aside, witnessing the inner struggle of my once prosperous cousin Li Ming at this moment. He was like a lost child, the indifference and strength that he had been holding up for years seemed to all collapse at this moment.
By his side, I can clearly feel his inner struggle: on the one hand, he longs for a free life in the outside world, and on the other hand, he is deeply attached to and reluctant to give up his family. In countless nights, perhaps he can always see the lights of his hometown from the stars and feel the warm call.
"Huahua," Li Ming suddenly turned to me, his voice full of pain and confusion, "I'm so stupid, I thought I could prove myself by leaving, but I forgot that no matter where I go, I can't cut off the connection with home." ”
I stepped forward and patted Li Ming on the shoulder: "Cousin, no matter what happened in the past, home will always be your support." ”
Li Ming nodded silently, in his eyes, I understood a mature sensibility and firmness. From grief to acceptance to relief, it took my cousin too many years to finally find his way to the harbor of the soul in this trickle.
The air in the ward was filled with the smell of disinfectant water, mixed with the pungency of medicine, and everything seemed unusually quiet. My mom lay there, pale and breathing evenly but weakly. My cousin Li Ming and I sat around the bed, and we all had words in our hearts that we wanted to say, but we didn't know where to start.
Li Ming held his mother's hand tightly, bowed his head and said nothing, the tears in the corners of his eyes hung there, shining with crystal light. Mom gradually opened her eyes and swept weakly over the two of us, a smile barely raising into the corners of her mouth.
"Obviously, it's good for you to come back, everyone in the family is waiting for you," Mom's voice was weak but firm, "No matter what happens, remember, you will always be welcome at home, and you will always be a part of this family." "
Li Ming choked up, nodded, and finally let go of all the burdens in his heart, "Auntie, I really regret it, in the past so many years, my neglect of home ......"
Mom shook her head and motioned for him not to talk about the past, as long as he was here at the moment, it would be enough.
On that day, we sat around the ward for a long time, no one said much, but each other's hearts were tightly connected, and the warmth of home made this cold ward seem to become warm.
Day after day, after my mother's condition stabilized, Li Ming said to me before leaving: "Huahua, I will come back often, after all, home is everyone's ultimate belonging." ”
What is home? Home is the father's steady arm, the mother's warm food, and the silent greetings between brothers. Home is not only a house and a dining table, it is also a harbor of the soul, always ready to embrace lost children.
The news of his mother's serious illness was like a beam of light, illuminating Li Ming's confused heart. He finally realized that whether it is smooth sailing in the workplace or unlimited scenery in social life, it is not as important as the warmth and care of the family. The true destination is not external achievement, but inner peace and contentment.
So, where exactly is home? For Li Ming, the answer is clear - home is an indispensable shelter in life and an eternal reliance on the soul.
Li Ming slowly walked out of the ward, and on the white corridor, his back looked particularly firm. And I know that from now on, no matter where he goes, this recognition and protection of his home will accompany him throughout his life.