Fiction: Group 4
Boqin and his mother managed to carry him to a doctor who lived nearby. Unfortunately, they were
too late.
The both of them sat by his father’s side, with his mother sobbing quietly.
“I’m sorry, father.” Boqin whispered. He repeated the words again and again, until he finally broke
down in tears.
“I will take over your farm, okay father?” he said. “I’ll do as you say!”
His mother placed her hand above Boqin’s clenched fist.
“Boqin, no, you must not do that.” His mother said softly. “Your father would get even more furious.”
His eyes looked at her in bewilderment.
“Your father,” she continued, “did not mind if you wanted to be a teacher.”
Boqin was taken aback by what he had heard.
“He worked very hard for you to get a good education, even though he knew that he was not in his
best condition. He knew you weren’t as fond of farming as he is. Of course, he felt upset when he heard
your disinterest of farming coming from your own mouth, but at the end, your father would have accepted
it. If he were here with us right now, I am sure he would say ‘Whatever, do what you want!’”
Boqin let out a chuckle. That was what his father would always say when he lost an argument. He
would always say that, even if he knew that he was wrong since the very beginning. It was his way of saying
that he was fine with it.
A few years later, after selling his father’s farm, Boqin graduated university with a degree in Education.
He then finally reached his dreams of being a teacher, and many of his students went on to become
successful in their lives. To him, the best part of being a teacher was to see that the knowledge he obtained
was passed on to more people.
And every year, Boqin and his mother would visit his father’s grave and they would talk with him as if
he were still with them.
With Boqin’s remaining strength, he gave his daughter his widest smile.
“Take care, Jiqin.”
Then his vision faded away, and the last sounds he heard were the monitor beeping and the weeping of
his daughter.
Epilogue
It has been two years since the death of Jiqin’s father. She couldn’t help but be saddened by the fact that
her father would not be the one to walk her down the aisle on her wedding day.
“What is the matter, Jiqin?” Xuanzang asked.
“Oh, it’s nothing, Uncle Xuanzang.” She replied. “I was just thinking of my father.”
Xuanzang placed his hand on her shoulder and gave her a warm smile.
“I am sure your father would be very happy for this day.”
After the wedding, Xuanzang and his wife, Chuntao, were about to leave, when Jiqin caught up with
them.
“Wait, Uncle, Aunt!” Jiqin called. The two were greeted with a tight embrace.
“Thank you for coming.”
The elderly couple giggled at her affectionate gesture.
“I must go now. Who knows what Robert would do with his wacky group of friends?”
And so, Jiqin went off, back to dancing on the ballroom floor.
And this was the story of three men filled with great adventure. Little did they know that they would
somehow be connected one day. But life is full of unexpected surprises. And one day, maybe you will meet
someone with great stories to tell. Who knows? That someone may be you.
