Watching Mr. Gu and Mrs. Gu walk out the door, Gu Xiaoqing, Gu Xiaoying, and Gu Xiaojie embraced Gu Ruhai, cheering loudly.
"Dad, you're amazing, you're truly the hero in our hearts."
This was perhaps the sweetest thing Gu Ruhai had ever heard, marking the first time he felt proud of himself.
He patted the children's heads, feeling a complex array of emotions.
Seeing the distant figures of his parents, he felt somewhat uncomfortable inside.
Although the children's admiration replaced this guilt, it still brought Gu Ruhai a hint of regret.
Li Xuemei clapped her apron and called out, "Kids, dinner's ready."
The family dispersed to busy themselves.
Mr. Gu and Mrs. Gu returned home, closed the door, and sat in silence under the electric light on the kang.
Mrs. Gu was too aggrieved to cook, pulled the quilt over herself, and lay on the kang without making a sound.
Mr. Gu sat gloomily on the stool, smoking his cigarette.
