Please quietly finish reading this article. I don't seek any particular comments, I just want the trauma-stricken boy in the article to come back earlier.
Written by Muxi Mu
My cousin married a barber from a neighboring village. Back then, she was so infatuated with that man that nothing could stop her. My uncle and aunt tried to persuade her, telling her that man wouldn't bring her happiness. They said he moved here from another place and they knew little about his family background. Despite all these opposing reasons, none of them could sway my cousin's determination to marry that man. Eventually, when my uncle and aunt couldn't oppose it anymore, they agreed to the marriage. And thus, my cousin married the man she loved.
When I started remembering things, my cousin already had her own child, a boy with a lovely nickname - Kangkang. I was probably around three years old at that time. My mother told me that the little boy was my nephew and that he called me 'Auntie'. Therefore, I should take care of him and not bully him. Time flew by, and slowly, Kangkang and I grew up together. He often played with me. When he was eight or nine years old, he listened to me the most. He would always pull on my clothes and follow behind me, calling out 'Auntie' non-stop. I took him to many relatives' and friends' houses and was surprised to find how sweet-talking he was. Every time he came to my house to play, he would ask me to take him to my grandmother's house. Then he would snuggle up next to my grandmother and make her laugh as if there was no one else around. My grandmother said that this child would definitely grow up to be an excellent kid.
When Kangkang was ten years old, he started spending more time at my house for food and lodging. Although I liked having him stay at my house to play with me, I still asked my mother why Kangkang didn't often stay at his own home. My mother quietly told me that his parents often fought at home, which wasn't suitable for him to stay there, and it would affect his growth. I asked my mother that if they knew this, why didn't they stop fighting? My mother then said that Kangkang's father was very wasteful, gambling away all the money at home. My cousin had high expectations, running the barber shop herself, but the money wasn't enough for his father to keep taking out. Well, my mother helplessly said that these were adult matters that children didn't understand.
At that time, I didn't really understand what the adults were talking about, nor did I understand how much these matters hurt Kangkang. All I knew was that from then on, I cared for him even more, taking him everywhere with me and saving food for him. He began to depend on me more. He told me stories about his childhood. He said once when he followed his father out to play at night, his father didn't keep an eye on him. A car passed by him, brushing against his leg, and then he rolled into a tree ditch. No one found him, and he climbed out of the tree ditch himself. Listening to his words, I felt a chill down my spine. He was so young, yet his young heart was unusually strong.
He was a child with character, sensible and strong. He didn't like sleeping with others on the same bed. Since there was no extra bed for him at home, he put two small sofas together, slept in the middle, and covered himself with thick blankets. I asked him if he could stretch out in there, and he happily replied that Auntie didn't know how comfortable it was inside, unfortunately, Auntie had grown too tall to experience it.
My brother, who is also Kangkang's uncle, always had conflicts and disagreements with him. Whenever that happened, he would shout that he wanted to go home, back to his own home. My brother and I would hide at the door, watching him walk away and then turn around to secretly look back. As soon as we showed our heads, he would hide behind the tree. Each time, I had to pretend not to know he was hiding behind the tree and search around aimlessly. When he was happy, he would jump out, laughing and saying, "You two are so stupid, you can't find me," and then he would go home with my brother and me.
Later, I didn't know what happened, but Kangkang was taken back by my uncle. My mother said that Kangkang was leaving, and my uncle wanted him to stay with him for a few more days. I didn't understand what 'leaving' meant. I thought it was just going to school or that his parents reconciled and he was going back home, so I lived day by day without worrying. Whenever I missed him, I would walk half an hour to my uncle's house to find him and play.
One evening, suddenly, a car came outside the door, and Kangkang came with my cousin. Excitedly, I asked if Kangkang was coming back to live at my house. Then there was silence, and no one answered me. I looked at my cousin's haggard face and stood aside knowingly. My cousin brought a set of clean clothes and shoes, making Kangkang sit on the sofa to change into them. She said that he should listen to his father and not always be stubborn. Listening to these seemingly irrelevant words, I started to feel sad, as if I understood something. Kangkang just sat on the sofa, lowering his head silently without saying anything. I stood next to him, pulling his hand without speaking, but he still ignored me.
Not long after, Kangkang's father came in the midst of my cousin's murmurs. He didn't say much when he entered, picked up the things prepared for Kangkang, and carried him away. My cousin couldn't control her emotions and started crying. My mother, with red eyes, seemed to be saying something about treating this child well, otherwise there would be retribution or something. At that moment, I couldn't hear anything. I only focused on Kangkang's every move. He struggled to stand on the ground and walked towards the door himself. Just before stepping out, he finally turned back and looked at me for several seconds, then got into the car and disappeared into the vast night, leaving no trace.
For so long, it was the first time I saw his cold expression. Wasn't he someone who liked to smile, talk a lot, and love to jump around? My mother said that Kangkang was like that in front of his father. He actually knew everything, but kept it bottled up inside, never saying it. Later, I really never saw Kangkang again. During this period, I heard some random talk. It turned out that Kangkang's father had run away with a married woman from the same village, back to his hometown in Henan. In his village, there was a serious preference for boys over girls. So, he came back to take Kangkang, often beating and scolding my cousin. Unable to bear seeing his daughter suffer such torment, my uncle persuaded her to let him take Kangkang away.
News gradually diminished, and my sister remarried. I thought Kangkang would thus fade out of my life and no longer be mentioned sorrowfully. That year, after working outside for a long time, I went back to my uncle's house and unintentionally saw a letter written by Kangkang's stepmother to my cousin. The content roughly stated that Kangkang was now in junior high school. However, the child was strong-willed and didn't study well. Many other things were mentioned, ultimately implying the desire to send Kangkang back. At that time, my sister had just had a baby after remarrying. The letter was sent to my uncle's house, and I guessed my uncle must not have told my cousin.
Two more years passed, and my mother told me that Kangkang had run away from home in Henan. Kangkang's father didn't dare to tell my sister, but eventually, he had to admit it. By then, Kangkang had been gone for more than a year. This news hit me hard. Many nights, I woke up from dreams, dreaming that he was wandering on the streets, with nothing to eat or wear. Every day, I prayed that he would be alright. I told my mother that I wanted to find Kangkang, but she said it wouldn't be that easy. Kangkang was a sore subject for our large family that no one dared to mention. Whoever mentioned it would make the family sad. We had searched for many years and still hadn't found him. We didn't know if he had met with misfortune.
I fully understood my mother's meaning. But I think as an adult, as his aunt, I have the right to call him back, back to my side. I told my mother that I must find him, even if I can't, I should try my best, right? After growing up, he will surely become an excellent young man. Although I don't know what he's like now, after much deep reflection, I sat in front of the computer, tears streaming down my face as I thought about things from over a decade ago, and wrote this story. I hope everyone can pay attention and see if there is such a runaway child around them, to save this innocent and pure teenager. I also hope that Kangkang sees this and contacts me as soon as possible.
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