The Road Home Page #3

Did it belong to someone special?

You could say that.

Who?

I'm doing it for my daughter.

The man who used it left...

...and took my daughter's heart with him.

I want to repair it

to keep the memory alive for her.

I'll make it all perfect again.

Your daughter will have a perfect memory.

Di, what are you doing?

Nothing. I need some water.

Two times two equals four.

Two times three equals six.

Two times four equals eight.

Two times five equals ten.

Two times six equals twelve.

Two times seven equals fourteen.

Two times eight equals sixteen.

Two times nine equals eighteen.

Three times three equals nine.

Three times four equals twelve.

Three times five equals fifteen.

Three times six equals eighteen.

Three times seven equals twenty-one.

Three times eight equals twenty-four.

Three times nine equals twenty-seven.

My father told my mother,

when he was teaching the kids...

...he could always look up

and see the red banner.

The banner reminded him

of my mother in her red jacket.

The mayor kept insisting

on covering the ceiling properly...

...but my father never let him.

That's why the ceiling

was never completed.

My mother sat in the classroom

for hours that day.

The door was open,

and the mayor saw her there.

He understood what it meant.

Once he knew,

the news got around the village quickly.

Back then, arranged marriages

were the norm.

Mother was the first in the village

to express her love freely.

On the day my father promised to return...

...my mother started waiting at dawn.

She remembered his promise...

...that he would return on the 27th...

...before the school holiday began

on the 28th.

He had to be back before that.

It's so cold outside. Where have you been?

Get into bed to warm yourself up.

You're burning up! You have a fever!

I know you went to wait for the teacher.

Everyone says he's in trouble

and won't be back.

You've got to let go.

I'm going to the city to find him.

Are you crazy? You're ill!

Di! Come back!

My mother didn't make it to the city.

She fainted by the road.

Someone saw her

and got word to the mayor.

The mayor and my uncle

brought her home on a cart.

The mayor said that day

my mother's hands were like ice.

She was wrapped in a heavy blanket

on the way home.

But they couldn't get her hands warm.

I don't think it's too serious.

It's a bad chill, but she is strong.

Mayor, is the teacher coming back?

I don't know the answer.

He should have been back by now.

Maybe someone can write to him.

I don't know how to help her

if he doesn't come back.

Even one glimpse of him

would be good for her.

"Spring is here.

"It melts the snow.

"The grass turns green.

"The farmers sow.

"The oxen plough the field.

"The wild geese return.

"The frogs begin to hop..."

Di, you're awake.

You've been sleeping for two days.

Di, the teacher is back.

He came back last night.

He came straight here.

He sat with you for a long time.

Isn't it good news?

He came back for you.

"Full of energy...

"...our spirit comes alive...

"...full of new hopes...

"...full of new wishes.

"Spring is here.

"It melts the snow.

"The grass turns green.

"The farmers sow.

"The oxen plough the field.

"The wild geese return.

"The frogs begin to hop.

"Robins start to sing.

"Spring is the season to sow.

"Everything starts to grow again..."

Mr. Luo!

Luo, Di is here to see you!

Sir!

Di is here!

That evening my father had to leave again.

He left the city without permission

just to see my mother.

He couldn't stand it

when he heard about my mother.

So he sneaked back.

For this disobedience,

my parents were kept apart...

...for another two years.

Someone told me

that on the day my father...

...finally returned,

my mother put on her red jacket...

...my father's favourite...

...and stood by the road, waiting for him.

From that day on,

my father never left my mother again.

This is the story

of my father and my mother.

This road is a part of their love story.

This is a dirt road that leads

to the city from our village.

My mother had waited for my father

on this road...

...with love and trust, for many years.

So she wants to walk this road

with him for the last time.

Mr. Mayor?

- Who is it?

- It's me, Yusheng.

What is the matter, Yusheng?

- I need to see you.

- Come in.

It's cold out there.

How can I help you?

I've thought it through.

- I want to do what my mother wishes.

- Carry him back?

It's still a problem, though.

We don't have enough men, right?

How about hiring some men

from the neighbouring village?

Hiring people sounds easy...

...but how do we pay them?

Just tell me how many men we need.

For a short distance, about 10.

But this is a long trip.

I think we need about 16.

We need two shifts. That's 32 men.

And we'll need others to carry chairs...

...so people can rest along the way.

That comes to about 35, 36 men.

How much per person?

100 Yuan each should do.

35, 36 people.

How much in total?

That's 3,500 or 3,600 Yuan.

We need to buy cigarettes.

And wine, too.

Got to ward off the cold.

We'll also need a little extra

for emergency use.

Let me think.

Around 4,000 Yuan.

Here's 5,000 Yuan.

- Is that enough?

- It's plenty.

Mrs. Luo, come and see Mr. Luo.

Please don't cry.

Don't let tears fall on him.

Mr. Luo, we are going back to the village.

That day, over 100 people

came to the ceremony.

The mayor told me

they were my father's students.

They heard about his death

and they all came back.

Many came from other towns.

Some drove from the city.

The mayor said

some came from as far as Guangzhou.

Some tried to come but didn't make it

in time because of the snowstorm.

I didn't recognise most of them.

Many of them were older than me.

I don't know when my father taught them.

I didn't know how to address them.

Anyway, as the mayor said,

they were all my father's students.

Take the money back.

Why? Didn't you pay them?

They won't take it...

...not even the ones we hired.

No one wants the money.

Take it back.

At my mother's request...

...my father was buried

next to the old well.

The village has running water now.

No one draws water from the well now.

My mother said that my father

can overlook the school from here.

She asks to be buried next to him

when the time arrives.

After my father's funeral...

...the mayor came to talk

about rebuilding the school.

He said the city had granted funds...

...and the village families

had donated money.

He said we must fulfil my father's wishes.

Yusheng, give me your money.

Mayor, we've saved over the years.

Take it to rebuild the school.

I can't take it. You need it for yourself.

With my husband gone,

you have to take it.

All right, I'll take it then.

You are the first,

but surely not the last to help.

I am leaving tomorrow.

Mother has asked me

to go to the schoolhouse one last time.

Mother said the next time I come back,

the school we know will be gone.

Your father helped build this school.

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