I was extremely scared and ran back to the room without saying hello to anyone.

I opened the door and went straight to my brother's room. There was still an oil lamp inside.

I felt my way to the wall next to the bedside in the dark, holding my head and constantly pulling my own hair.

Tears fell one by one, and my crying became harder to hide.

Suddenly, my brother spoke, "Why are you crying? My little Yi. Come here quickly, brother has prepared braised pork for you today."

As he spoke, he handed me another greasy piece of paper, and when I opened it, I could smell the aroma of braised pork.

But even though I usually loved braised pork, now the smell made me nauseous. I couldn't stop the feeling of vomiting rising up and down my throat, and the sour liquid bubbling up in my stomach.

More and more tears streamed down my face, and my nose felt sour. I grabbed a piece of braised pork and stuffed it into my mouth.

The more I ate, the more I remembered the times when my brother and I studied together, and he always protected me and taught me.

Later, when I lay in bed, he always left me something to eat, a few pieces of braised pork, a few pieces of candy, whatever it was, I had my share.

I wiped away a tear with the back of my hand, grabbed my brother's hand, and said excitedly,

"Brother, being a brick laborer will kill you. It's not like what Mom and Dad said. I don't want you to die. Let me take you away, okay?"

"We don't need wealth and glory. We're good together. I'll take care of you. I have strength."

My brother didn't say anything,

After a long sigh, he spoke in a warm and gentle voice, "You know, don't you?"

I widened my eyes and muttered, "What do you mean?"

My brother, just like when we were young, touched my head and said,

"I know, I know. I knew it before I was brought here."

"Yi, you can't take me out of here. It's a big mountain and a village, and they all agree on this. They are all xenophobic, and there's no escaping."

He paused, "So, after I finish this batch of bricks, you take the money and go out! Run far away. Go to school, live your own life. This money is for you, I won't be losing."

I kept shaking my head and holding onto my brother, "Brother, what do you mean?"

My brother shook his head, "Yi, go away! There's a way out when you leave. It's no good without money, I'll worry about you. Take the money and fly out of this little village."

"Besides, look at how much good food your brother has eaten. Who knows, he might live longer than Dad."

My brother didn't want to leave with me.

But I really wanted to take him and see the outside world together.

To take him to school.