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Hoài slowly stepped out onto the porch and sat down on the cool, red brick steps. The little dog saw her and wagged its tail excitedly, running to lie beside her. The summer morning in the countryside was so clear and refreshing. The gentle morning sunlight spread evenly over the leaves still wet with dew. Each palm frond sparkled as if gilded. The three-petaled vine hanging from the eggplant tree in the corner of the yard had just bloomed with a few pale pink flowers. Along the path, purple and bright red hibiscus flowers intertwined with the golden hues of morning glory vines entwined on the chrysanthemum hedge. From the lush bushes, birds chirped, welcoming the new day. Gentle breezes blew, carrying the pure fragrance of rice, lotus leaves from the fields by the river, and wildflowers along the roadside. And amidst all those familiar country scents, she also detected the aroma of ripe, golden-yellow duoi fruit, a rustic fruit that had been a part of her childhood.
Seeing Hoai awake, her mother hurried out of the small kitchen, a basket of steaming boiled sweet potatoes in her hand. She smiled warmly and told her, "Our sweet potatoes are grown by the riverbank; they're so soft and sweet, my dear!" Hoai took the basket from her mother, placed it on the bamboo table on the porch, and went to the well to wash her face. In her village, tap water had reached every household, but her parents still kept the clear, cool well, using it to wash their hands and feet after returning from the fields after planting and harvesting. Beside the well was a trellis of fragrant jasmine flowers swaying in the breeze. After breakfast and a cup of fresh, thick-leafed tea from the garden behind the house, Hoai took her basket and went to the garden to pick vegetables with her mother. There was a commotion by the pond; she followed the small path covered in lush green vines and met her father and some neighbors fishing. Her father chuckled and said to her mother, "Here, we have plenty of perch and crucian carp for you to prepare and treat your beloved daughter!" This afternoon, the whole family will gather together to enjoy braised perch with ginger leaves, simmered in rice husks until the bones are soft, and crucian carp soup with mugwort. Hoai suddenly felt a lump in her throat. With her parents always doting on her and protecting her like this, when will she ever grow up?
Returning to the city, Hoài carried a heavy bag filled with local treats, along with the sunshine, the breeze, and the sweet fragrance of flowers and fruits from her mother's garden. Throughout the journey, she told herself she would arrange her work schedule to spend more time with her parents. Hoài knew that each time she left, her mother would stand outside the gate, tearfully watching her go. That warmth and love helped her stay strong amidst a life still full of uncertainties and weariness.
Lam Hong
Source: https://baonamdinh.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/202505/nhung-sang-he-trong-treo-b0e6056/
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