The snow in the courtyard hadn't completely melted.
Beneath the trees, patches of grayish-white snow lingered, melting slowly in places where the sunlight couldn't reach. On the damp earth, droplets occasionally fell from the eaves, softly tapping the ground and leaving faint rings of water. At the corner of the wall, wintersweet bloomed quietly, its pale yellow flowers exuding a subtle fragrance in the cold air. From afar, the occasional hum of a passing car could be heard. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the roof, scattering tiny points of light across the snow.
Early in the morning, her elder brother called.
His voice was tired as he spoke slowly about their father's health: his high blood pressure remained uncontrolled, and since his stroke in the winter, he had been bedridden almost all day. After a pause, he added quietly, "Dad can barely get out of bed these days."
Li Ming held the phone, her heart heavy. Since their mother's passing, their father seemed to have aged all at once. The responsibilities of the household had fallen entirely on her elder brother. On the phone, he spoke calmly, as if he had long grown accustomed to bearing it all.
After hanging up, she sat in the living room for a long time. It wasn't until late at night that she realized—it had been a very long time since her last trip home.
The next day, she told Dawei that after the current project at her firm progressed for a while, she planned to return to Harbin and leave the follow-up work in his hands.
The morning flight cut through the thin mist as the city slept. The Potomac flowed silently like a quiet ribbon. Li Ming leaned against the window, watching the ground recede, and a long-forgotten feeling rose in her chest…
During the flight, time felt blurred. Half-awake, half-asleep, she noticed the cabin lights flickering, the flight attendants slowly pushing the service cart down the aisle. Memories washed over her: early springs from her childhood, the ice on the Songhua River beginning to loosen, the wind still biting. Her father had taken them to watch people chisel the ice, while her mother wrapped their scarves tightly. Images flickered in her mind like an old film, gently swaying.
By the time the plane landed at Harbin Taiping Airport, it was already evening.
Stepping out of the cabin, a dry, cold wind struck her face, sharp and biting. The airport had grown much larger than she remembered, bright and spacious, with people rushing about with their luggage. The city had seen a few generations pass, but in her mind still lingered the old streets: low-rise buildings, partially melted snow, water dripping from rooftops, steam rising from boiler rooms.
Her elder brother came to pick her up.
As she exited, she recognized him immediately. The years had left their marks: his hair grayed, wrinkles deepened, yet his expression remained steady.
Driving through the old district, the streets suddenly narrowed. The old buildings remained, small shops glowed with dim yellow light, and red plastic curtains hung over some entrances. For a fleeting moment, she felt as though she had returned many years into the past.
The car stopped below the old dormitory. Her elder brother whispered, "Dad is at home."
Inside the stairwell, the dim lights reflected faintly off the worn concrete steps. The door opened quietly, and the house was still, save for the soft murmur of the television.
Her elder brother said in a low voice, "Dad, Li Ming is back."
The elderly man on the bed slowly turned his head. Li Ming approached; her father's face was pale, his eyes half-closed. Yet upon hearing her voice, he slowly opened them, a faint glimmer shining through.
"Dad…" she whispered, her voice catching.
She held his hand; it was cold, his pulse weak, but still brimming with quiet strength. The room was tidy, his daily belongings neatly arranged, yet it lacked the warmth of earlier years.
Memories surged: her mother alive in her childhood, her father silently bearing the weight of responsibility. After her mother's passing, much of the family's burden had fallen on her elder brother and father. Since the stroke, her brother had become the pillar of the household.
Footsteps outside were soft. Her elder brother entered quietly, nodding to show all was in order. Li Ming gently stroked her father's hand, tears brimming. The final years of her mother, her sister lost, her younger brother bullied… all the weight they had silently carried over the years.
"Dad, Li Ming is here with you," her elder brother whispered.
The elderly man nodded slowly, lips moving as if trying to call her name. Li Ming softly responded, assuring him she would stay for a while. Time in the room seemed to slow. Home was not just walls and possessions; it was the connection of blood.
Outside, the night deepened, a cool breeze slipping through the window. She tucked the blanket tightly around her father, understanding in her heart that this visit home was both a comfort for him and a way to answer the long-held concerns in her own heart.
The next morning, Harbin's air carried the chill of early spring. Thin fog hung over the old streets, streetlights reflecting off the damp ground, sparkling faintly. Li Ming woke early, wrapped a scarf around her neck, and went to the window. People moved about on the street, and the occasional electric bike stirred up a little wind and dust.
Her elder brother was busy in the kitchen, the aroma of soy milk and pancakes drifting into the bedroom. Li Ming sat at the table, watching him expertly maneuver the spatula.
"Little sister's back. Dad looks much more lively," he said softly.
After breakfast, she helped her father move, gently supporting him to the balcony to bask in the sunlight. His hands trembled slightly, but seeing her there, a spark of recognition appeared in his eyes.
Outside, the wind stirred softly, sparrows landing on snow-dusted branches. Li Ming suddenly realized that the home she hadn't visited for years had never truly left her memory. Every street, every courtyard, held traces of her childhood.
At noon, her elder brother took her to his own place. Xiao Ming, mostly cared for by their mother, sat on the floor playing with a pile of building blocks, his eyes full of childlike curiosity. Li Ming knelt beside him, assembling blocks together. Slowly, her younger brother relaxed, showing a rare smile.
She and her elder brother sat in the living room, talking about family matters and reminiscing. He recounted the hardships of their mother's later years and the changes the household had undergone. Li Ming listened quietly, eyes moist.
"You've worked so hard all these years," she said softly.
Her elder brother shook his head, "It's all what I should do…"
That evening, Li Ming sat by her father's bedside, watching him sleep peacefully. The cold wind blew outside, yet with her presence, the house seemed to regain warmth.
In her heart, she made a quiet resolution: during her time in Harbin, she would spend as much time as possible with her father and younger brother, and together with her elder brother, protect this home—slowly restoring the lost warmth to their lives.