Late-life Companions
Due to similar experiences, they developed many delicate feelings for each other out of mutual sympathy. After being widowed for many years, she decided to marry him.
When others congratulated her, she said lightly, “We are just two unfortunate people joining forces to get by,” but her eyes inevitably sparkled with a smile.
She glanced at him stealthily, and he chuckled, agreeing, “Yes, we are just joining forces to get by.” The glimmer of expectation in her eyes dimmed. She knew he still couldn’t forget his wife, the woman who had left him years ago due to a car accident.
Feeling disheartened, she thought they were, after all, just companions who met halfway through life. However, on second thought, this also showed he was a devoted person, just as she was. Moreover, wasn’t it precisely this devotion and the remembrance of past loves that had drawn them to each other?
Moving into a new environment, suddenly having someone by her side, brought more confusion than joy. She often felt at a loss, and he would stand around for a long time, not knowing what to say.
While cooking, she inadvertently added spicy seasoning, only to realize it was her late husband’s preference, forgetting to ask him. He, however, smiled and said, “It’s good, really good.” Then there was silence.
They ate in silence, the air so heavy it was suffocating. Before they got married, their exchanges were filled with joy and familiarity due to shared experiences. But now, living under one roof, why did everything feel so awkward and distant?
He got up, turned on the TV, and switched to the opera channel, happily saying, “Look, your favorite Kunqu opera.”
She looked up in surprise, and his voice dimmed, “Oh, you don’t like it… Yes, you don’t like it.” She knew he had mistaken her for his late wife again.
Days drifted by like the gentle winter sun, seemingly warm but with a deep chill. Neither of them knew how to proceed. They treated each other with more respect and formality, more caution. He paced around the house, puzzled why it felt lonelier with two people than it did when he was alone.
She couldn’t help but return to her own home, crying over her late husband’s photo, feeling utterly desolate. She cried, “Tell me, what should I do?”
The neighbor was the first to notice her distress. After listening to her lament, the neighbor pondered for a moment and said, “Since you are companions halfway through life, why carry the baggage of the past? You are together for the future, not the past.”
She stopped crying and said, aggrieved, “How can I forget the past? How can I make him forget the past?”
The neighbor said, “Why not try to change yourself first?”
She was doubtful, “Can I? Is it possible?”
His son came to visit and saw the deep furrows on his brow. He asked if his health was poor. He shook his head. The son asked if the woman was unkind. He quickly waved his hand, “No, it’s not that.”
The son asked why then. He sighed, “I guess I keep treating her like your mom… and I’m afraid she’ll overthink it.”
The son sighed, “That’s because mom has been gone for so long, and you’ve been accustomed to longing for so long.”
He was stunned, thinking, isn’t that true? The son held his hand and said, “Dad, mom is gone, but you still have to live well. She’s a good woman, don’t always treat her like mom. Lighten up, it will be easier for everyone.”
He shook his head, pondered, then nodded.
A week later, she returned. He awkwardly followed her, rubbing his hands, saying, “It’s good you’re back, good you’re back…,” then, with a pained heart, added, “You’ve lost weight, it’s my fault.”
She raised her hand to cover his mouth, “No, no, it’s my own emotional knot.” He was stunned and said, “I have the same.”
After a pause, he suddenly said, “Starting anew together, journeying forward.” She smiled. When cooking, her hand holding the seasoning paused, then she decided to make a pot of pork rib soup with radishes and his favorite cilantro. He praised, “It’s been a long time since I smelled something this good.” She smiled, looked at him, her eyes brimming with warmth.
As they ate, he turned on the TV to her favorite skits and crosstalk shows. The lively sounds filled the room like blooming flowers, instantly brightening the whole house.
Watching the skits, he laughed heartily. She then said loudly, “Old man, I cook the food, you wash the dishes. You wipe the table, I’ll sweep the floor.”
He feigned anger, “Old woman, you’re really haggling over such small tasks!” But he joyfully went to the kitchen to fetch a rag.
Sunlight streamed in, shining on their faces. Their hearts were filled with contentment. They finally understood that as late-life companions, there was no need to forget the past, but they must not let it weigh heavily on their shoulders. Journeying forward together, only by being unburdened and free could they find happiness and warmth in this mundane world.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
