Sunrise at the sea

by Ba Jin

In order to watch the sunrise, I often get up very early, when it is still not completely bright, and the surrounding is quiet except for the humming of the motors. 

The sky is in light blue, a very pale color of blue.  All of a sudden, a streak of red cloud emerges at the edge of the sky and slowly grows and brightens.  Knowing that the sun is about to rise from the horizon, I start to gaze at it.   

Just as expected, shortly, the sun starts reveal a small part of its face.

The View of my Father’s Back

Zhu Ziqing

It has been over two years since I last saw my father. It is the view of
his back that is most unforgettable to me.

That winter was a double tragedy for us as grandmother passed away and father was dismissed from his position. I left Beijing for Xuzhou to meet up with
father to go back home for the funeral. In Xuzhou, when I saw father, and total mess of disorderly placed items in his yard, memories of grandma came flooding back, and my tears poured down out of control.

Father said, “ Things which happen cannot be changed. Don’t be so sad. There is always a way out.”

Back home, by pawning and selling possessions, father paid off the debts and borrowed more money for the funeral. Those were gloomy days for the family, partly because of the funeral, and partly because father was now unemployed.

After the funeral, father headed for Nanjing to seek work and