Huo Shaoheng stood alone in his backyard, under a big tree. He took a drag on his cigarette, his expression inscrutable. His tall, strapping silhouette, usually majestic and imposing, now appeared to be shrouded in loneliness.
The tree behind him had already shed all its leaves. Its sturdy branches seemed to claw desperately at the sky.
He had never been one to engage in what he considered to be "pointless gossip." He had made an exception this time and told his mother what his father had been up to, but only because he wanted to get her up to speed and have her back in control of her life as soon as possible.
Song Jinning was missing 16 years' worth of memories. He did not have time to sit around and hope that Song Jinning would be able to regain her memories overnight through some kind of miracle.
He had to inform her of the important issues. The smaller details would have to wait.
