Zhao Yiman - Patriotism Education Reader

Author: Zhang Lin, Shu Yang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Zhao Yiman returned to her hometown. The scenery remained as it had always been: the pine groves whispered, the green bamboo swayed in the wind, the well was covered with moss like a fluffy ball, and wild grasses and flowers grew in the gaps of the stone steps. However, her mother had become almost unrecognizable. Her face was wrinkled with age, her hands had withered and stiffened, and her eyes had sunk deep, appearing as two dark holes from a distance. Her hair was messy and dry. Her mother was nearing the end of her life. She lay there groaning alone, unnoticed by anyone. When she saw her youngest daughter, a spark flickered in her eyes, but it quickly died out. Zhao Yiman rushed to her mother, tears wetting her mother's back of the hand. It was only then that she realized how important her mother was to her in her heart! She looked at this dirty, uncleaned room, slowly stood up, opened the window, shooed away flies, sprinkled water, swept the floor, wiped the dust off the table, and moved some broken jars and bottles (which had almost accompanied her mother her whole life) outside. She even fetched water to wash her mother's face. That night, she slept beside her mother.
—Her mother murmured, perhaps trying to speak, but no sound came out. After dinner, Li Xiru arrived. He had already heard about the commotion in the city.
"How about it? Did they drive you back?"
"You don't have the right to speak to me like that! I came back to see my mother, not you!" Zhao Yiman stared at Li Xiru, saying each word clearly: "You've tortured my mother like this, yet you still have the face to see people!"
"Do you think you can lecture me?" Li Xiru flew into a rage, "You've been drinking some kind of potion and forgotten your own name!"
"Who has the time to lecture you! In my eyes, you're nothing!" Zhao Yiman spat, then turned and locked the door.
Three days later, her mother died, and the last connection with the family was severed. Zhao Yiman's eyes were swollen from crying and she stayed hidden in the room. Li Xiru criticized her for lacking filial piety, not staying to mourn, and not attending to the guests. With a heart full of grief and anger, Zhao Yiman wrote a eulogy.
"Without overthrowing the feudal system, gender equality is just empty talk!" She repeatedly recited these words before the coffin, as if declaring war on the entire society!
Just back from the cemetery, Li Xiru insisted on formally dividing the family property. Zhao Yiman was also given a share of the dowry, but it was to be managed by Li Xiru.
"When you marry, I'll give you the money," Li Xiru said, "If you don't trust me, I'll write a promissory note and pay you interest. I won't let you lose out."
"Forget it!" Zhao Yiman didn't want to hear any more, "You're such a filial son, do whatever you want. No one lives forever, and wealth eventually runs out. I don't want to live a comfortable life off others' hard-earned money!" At that point, her tone softened: "Brother, you put all your mind into making money, and I pity you!"
"Who doesn't want to get rich except fools? Women always marry, and I can't let this family fall apart under me!" Li Xiru said with conviction. He was not even slightly hurt but regretted agreeing to pay interest earlier. As they say, money dripped from every pore of his body, but when pricked three times, no blood came out.
For a long, long time, Zhao Yiman couldn't shake the longing for her mother, her mind restless. No one came to comfort her. Her youngest brother, who could have been someone to talk to, had recently fallen into depravity. At home, like her older brother, he had taken up gambling and smoking opium. When she kindly tried to advise him, they argued. To ease her worries, her second sister invited her to stay with her, but when they tried to comfort each other, they found their sorrow only doubled.
P40-41