Lin Xinlan's home had a yard, separated by a wall and a wooden gate. Standing before the gate, she hesitated for a moment, then gently pushed it open.
Her first sight was of a little boy leaning against the living room door, sitting on a small stool.
He watched the entrance with his large, dark eyes, his face clearly expressing anticipation.
Hearing the gate being pushed open, his ears perked up sharply, and his little body straightened instantly as he steadied himself against the wall and asked eagerly with his childish voice, "Who's there? Who are you?"
Lin Xinlan stared at his thin little figure, at the eagerness on his face and the expectancy in his tone, and couldn't help it, she cried.
Wiping away her tears, she walked into the yard and slowly approached him.
The little boy tilted his head slightly to one side, listening with his ears pricked up, and asked tentatively, "Are you Mommy?"
