The midday sun beat down relentlessly on Chen Wei as he tried to carry the heavy cement block with precise ease, having done this task for a while now.
He sighed, a little tired from the day's work, since he hadn't eaten since morning. He lifted the block onto his shoulders and walked toward a pile of bricks he had been arranging neatly since the start of the day.
Once he set the block down, he straightened up and huffed in annoyance as a bead of sweat trickled down his face.
"A few more blocks to go," he muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow with his shirt as he licked his parched, dry lips, which were begging for water.
"Chen Wei, wouldn't you take a break?" one of the construction workers called out.
The others were gathered around, enjoying the lunch that had been brought for the break.
Chen Wei turned to him, waving him off with his hand to show his reluctance to eat.
"I'll take a break when I finish this," he replied, which was a lie. In truth, he hadn't planned to eat just yet. He was saving that for when he went home, after he'd been paid a few yuan by the end of the day.
He had to hurry up with carrying the blocks, and then finish off the sand. Once that was done, he would get more pay.
He didn't want his family to worry about the food, the money, clothes, or his sister's school fees.
Turning back, he continued with his work.
...
"This is for you, Chen," the man said, reaching out his hand and handing him a few bills.
Chen Wei let out a weak smile, giving a small bow as he crumpled the money into his pocket, immediately leaving the site. It was already five in the evening. He planned to buy dinner before heading home.
"They must be starving by now," he thought, looking both ways to make sure no cars were coming before crossing to the other side of the street.
He took a few bills out, checking what he could buy and how much change would be left for other things.
He could walk home to save the money, but he couldn't let them starve any longer, he thought with a sigh. He had to buy something to bring back, even if it meant stretching his already limited funds.
Walking past the bustling street, the sounds of vendors calling out their prices and the hum of the city only seemed to remind him of his reality. Every penny mattered, and yet it was never enough. His mother was sick, his sister was still too young to understand how hard life had become, and he was the one who had to carry it all.
The weight of his circumstances pressed down on him with every step. He glanced up at the neon signs flashing in the distance, thinking about the dream he once had before life became this relentless struggle. The dreams of a better life had slowly faded, replaced by the harsh reality of survival.
"I'll get them something decent today, at least," he muttered under his breath, pushing the thoughts aside. There wasn't much time for regrets. His family needed him.
Reaching the small food stand, he glanced at the options before him. The vendor, a middle-aged woman with a warm smile, greeted him.
"What can I get you?" she asked.
Chen Wei hesitated, then pointed to a simple meal, a rice dish with vegetables and a bit of meat. The food would be enough to fill his mother and sister's stomachs.
"Two servings of rice," he said, handing her the bills.
As he waited, his mind wandered to his life—the endless cycle of work, the barely enough wages, and the constant struggle to provide for his family. He wished he could give them more than just scraps, more than this endless fight for survival. But at least he could still give them something tonight.
The woman handed him the food, and he tucked the containers carefully into his bag, feeling a small sense of relief that he could at least provide for them, even if it was only for one more night.
...
"Chen! You're back from work!" his sister, Mei Mei, called out as she ran toward him when he finally reached the front of their small, rundown apartment.
"Mei Mei!" he said with a smile, opening his arms wide to embrace her as he bent down slightly. Mei Mei jumped into his arms, wrapping her little arms around his neck.
She had no idea just how hard life was for her older brother.
"I miss you already, Chen. I thought you weren't coming today, too. We're hungry," she said, her voice full of innocent worry.
He hadn't always come home on time; there were days when he stayed at the construction site overnight, leaving some money at home so they could fend for themselves. It was one of the many sacrifices he made to ensure his family could survive.
Now, with his mother's sickness worsening, she was weaker than usual, unable to walk as she once did. He had spent most of their money on medicine, leaving little left for food.
Chen Wei gently set Mei Mei down before he stood up, wiping the exhaustion from his face. "I'm here now, Mei Mei," he said softly, "Let's get inside."
As they entered their small apartment, the familiar musty scent filled the air. It was nothing but a modest place, with peeling paint on the walls and creaky wooden floors. His mother was lying in bed, her once-bright eyes now dull with fatigue.
"Ma, I'm home," he called softly as he walked toward the bed. His mother's gaze flickered up to meet his, her lips trembling into a weak smile.
"Chen, you're home. How was work today?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"It was fine, Ma. Just a long day," Chen Wei replied, as he gently helped her sit up, propping her up with a pillow. His hands shook slightly from exhaustion and worry, but he didn't let her see that. "You should rest now, okay?"
His mother nodded weakly and closed her eyes, resting against the pillow. Chen Wei turned to Mei Mei, who was already pulling out the containers of food he had bought earlier.
"We'll eat now, Ma," Mei Mei said cheerfully, though Chen could tell she was holding back her hunger.
They sat down together, the simple meal filling the room with a comforting scent. Chen Wei watched as his mother and sister ate with quiet satisfaction. His own stomach rumbled, but he ignored it.
"I'm not that hungry," he said, reaching for a loaf of bread on the table instead. "I already ate at the site."
Mei Mei looked up at him with big, innocent eyes. "Really? You didn't get too tired, right, Chen?"
Chen Wei smiled gently, though his heart ached. "I'm fine, Mei Mei. I've eaten enough for today."
His mother looked at him, concern in her eyes. "Chen, don't overwork yourself. I don't want you to get sick too."
"I won't, Ma," he said, his voice soft but firm. "I promise."
They ate together, the sound of Mei Mei's joyful chatter filling the room. Despite the hardships, Chen Wei cherished these moments. They were all that kept him going—the thought of his family, the love they shared, and the hope that things would get better, even if only for a little while.
"I'll be resting for a while," he said after chewing into the hard bread, which felt like it was on the verge of decay.
Mei Mei and his mother nodded in understanding, and he smiled at them before walking into the small room he shared with Mei Mei. The room was modest, with worn-out furniture and barely any space to move.
He sighed heavily as he dropped his bag onto the floor, the weight of the day's labor still pulling at him. His body ached, his muscles sore from the endless lifting and carrying. He collapsed onto the small, creaky bed, the springs creaking under his weight. He lay on his back, staring at the cracked ceiling, trying to block out the overwhelming tiredness that pressed down on him.
His eyes grew heavier with each passing moment. The exhaustion from the day's work mixed with the hunger and the stress he had been carrying for so long. His eyelids fluttered, struggling to stay open, and eventually, they closed. He thought to himself, Just a moment... I'll rest for a little while...
But the moment stretched on, and before he realized it, his thoughts blurred. The world around him faded into the quiet darkness, the kind of deep, peaceful sleep that was free of pain, free of worries. His last conscious thought was that he was just too tired, that this was finally the rest he so desperately needed.
However, the silence wasn't peaceful for long. A sudden weight pressed on his chest. His breath grew shallow, his heart beating erratically. But he couldn't bring himself to open his eyes, couldn't muster the energy to react. The world spun in endless circles before everything went black.
---
His mind flickered in and out, as if trapped in a dark tunnel with no escape. It felt as if time had stopped, his very existence suspended. His body, cold and heavy, felt distant, as though it didn't belong to him anymore. A strange pressure surrounded him, yet there was no pain. He could hear muffled voices, distant and unclear, but it didn't matter. It was as though he was floating, unanchored, with no beginning or end.
Suddenly, a sharp, bright light flooded his senses, pulling him from the blackness. He gasped as if waking from a nightmare, his body jerking forward as he opened his eyes. The sterile white walls of a hospital room met his gaze, and he blinked several times, disoriented.
His chest tightened, panic rising in his throat. What... Where am I?
The beeping of a machine beside him was the only sound. His body felt strange, like it wasn't his own. The sharp scent of antiseptic filled the air, and he could hear hushed voices from the hallway outside, but they seemed far away. He tried to sit up, but his limbs felt heavy, sluggish.
His heart pounded as he tried to piece together what had happened. Was it a dream? Did I fall asleep?
But it couldn't have been just sleep. The feeling of blackness... the weight pressing on his chest... that wasn't just sleep.
The door to the room creaked open, and a nurse stepped inside. Her eyes widened when she saw him awake.
"You're... awake?" she said softly, as though she couldn't believe it. "That's... that's great news."
Chen Wei could only stare at her, his mind still reeling. His throat was dry, his head aching. The confusion clouded his thoughts. How did I get here?
The nurse seemed to sense his distress, her expression softening. "You were in a serious accident," she explained, her voice gentle. "You've been unconscious for a while now.
The words barely registered in his mind. Accident?
Chen Wei's heart skipped a beat as a thought struck him like a bolt of lightning. The accident... the construction site...
His hand reached up, touching his face, his chest. His body felt foreign, like it wasn't his anymore. He wasn't sure what had happened, but the uncertainty clawed at him. The reality of his situation hadn't fully sunk in yet, and he was left with nothing but questions.
"Who am I...?" he muttered, his voice barely a whisper.
The nurse looked at him, her face filled with concern. "Don't worry. You'll be okay. Just rest for now."
But his mind was spinning, and all he could do was lie back, staring at the ceiling, the questions multiplying in his mind.
What was going on?