Chapter 1

After carrying a few packages into the room, I was sweating profusely. Before I could light a cigarette, my mother followed in with a cardboard box in her hand.

“Mom, there is no boiled water, just make do...” I handed her a bottle of mineral water. But my mother didn’t take it. Her curved eyebrows were pressed together, and she paced back and forth in the room of less than 30 square meters.

“How can people live in such poor conditions?” Mom muttered to herself, with a hint of resentment in her tone...

“It’s nothing! I’m grown up, and I have to learn to take care of everything!” I comforted her softly, opened a few cardboard boxes, took out the utensils inside and lined them up on the bed.

Mom sighed quietly and stopped talking. She quickly put her hair behind her head, went to the balcony to change into slippers, rolled up her trouser legs, and helped me mop the floor. There are only two rooms. It seems that the previous owner was not bad, and it was generally kept clean. I only brought some simple utensils, and soon my mother and I finished cleaning the room.

Seeing that it was getting late, my mother and I went to the small restaurant downstairs to eat. We ordered a few small dishes casually, and my mother and I didn’t say anything.

This time I proposed to move out too suddenly, and my mother always suspected that it was because I was alienated from her, and she has been a little uneasy all the time. I really want to swear that all this is indeed related to her, but it is definitely not because of the estrangement from my mother.

After the dishes were served, the atmosphere was a little relaxed. Maybe my mother was a little tired. During the meal, she kept repeating the precautions for living alone. Looking at my mother’s caring and loving eyes, I almost wanted to move back immediately, but I finally suppressed this idea. It was almost dark after dinner, and my mother insisted on going upstairs to sit, so I had no choice but to accompany her.

“The water heater doesn’t seem to work well, and the kitchen utensils are not complete. Mom will buy you some more some other day ... And make sure to close the door when you go to bed at night. The world is like this now...” Mom said, her eyes were a little sore, and she wiped them with her hands behind my back.

“Mom, don’t worry! I’m going to your place on weekends, and it’s not far from home...” I felt that my words were choked up, and I could hardly continue.

The traces of time climbed up Mom’s cheeks unconsciously, and there were some fine lines at the corners of her eyes and lips. It seemed that in just a few days, Mom’s hair had added a few silver threads ... After a long time of persuasion, Mom finally left my little house. I will live alone in the future, although this is not completely independent. After all, Mom and I are still in the same city, and I promised her that I would go to her place once I have a break.