The vision of time crawling away took hold of me. Suddenly I wished mother, father, Mei and Nan could be here all together! They deserved to see the beauty of the Great Wall. Life was way too short, yet their lives were shaded by the struggle for their survival, day in, day out, morning, noon and night. If only survival were not the problem! If only our village were not dying of poverty! If only love could illuminate one’s misery! If only marriage could just bond man and woman for fuck’s sake! If only Plato’s Utopia did exist! If only this country could make things easier for the poor! If only life were stretchable! If only happiness were not the pursuit of life but art!