Care and Its Distorted Forms

Acts of care in the novel range from service and feeding to family provision, coercion, and the difficult effort to preserve another person’s future.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A Mother’s Education

Care as Investment Schooling preserved Wu Dawang’s mother keeps him in school until he is sixteen despite the family’s hardship. Her support gives him the literacy that makes his later accounting work possible. A path beyond poverty Her care is practical and costly, directed toward a future she may not live to see. It becomes the foundation for his military career and marriage prospects.

A Letter About Their Son

Care from a Distance Zhao Ezi’s labor Her letter describes working through harvest while trying to protect their son. The child nearly chokes after putting a locust in his mouth while she is in the field. Wu Dawang’s response He imagines the danger and weeps. The letter briefly draws him toward his family even as his emotional life remains far from home.

Soup and Tenderness

Service Returned A meal prepared Liu Lian makes egg soup and feeds it to Wu Dawang after their night together. The gesture turns his ordinary kitchen duty into reciprocal care. A new emotional measure Wu Dawang experiences her attention as a gift rather than a demand for advancement. The scene contrasts with the conditional intimacy of his marriage.

Money for the Family

Provision and Complicity A larger remittance Wu Dawang sends Zhao Ezi more money than usual, using small amounts he has saved from household shopping. He hopes the transfer will ease his marital conscience. Care with a hidden cost The money supports his family but comes from manipulated household accounts. His attempt to fulfill one obligation creates another breach of trust.

A Ticket and Farewell Money

Liu Lian Provides An orderly departure Liu Lian arranges a journey and gives Wu Dawang money to buy clothes for his wife and gifts for his son. Her attention extends to the family he will return to. Care amid separation She insists despite his refusal, placing the money in his briefcase. The gesture shows tenderness, but also confirms that she is sending him back into a life from which she will remain absent.

Before Wu Dawang joins the army

During Wu Dawang’s early army years

In the first days of the affair

During the field-training period

Before the Commander returns