Part 2Echoes of an Empty Home

From then on, watching the news became my unbreakable habit.

They weren't on the news every day, but whenever they were, I would always have a good dream that night.

In the dream, my parents took me with them, and we went exploring together.

They would hold me in their arms, rub my head, and call me their sweet girl.

Later, I started middle school in the town.

By then, cell phones had slowly become more common.

One day after school, I dug out that old cell phone from Grandma's nightstand that hadn't been turned on in a long time. I charged it, and when I found the number saved under my parents' names in the contacts, my heart pounded uncontrollably.

The call didn't go through; the phone plan had been out of minutes for a long time.

Later, I saved up my allowance for a long time, silently reciting that string of numbers that represented my parents every day.

Finally, on my birthday, I gave a ten-dollar bill to the owner of the convenience store at the edge of town and borrowed her phone to dial that number.

The phone rang for a long time. Just when I thought no one would answer.

That gentle male voice that haunted my dreams day and night sounded.

"Daddy!" I shouted his name excitedly, telling him it was Chloe.

But he was silent for a long time. It seemed he couldn't even remember that he had a daughter named Chloe back in his hometown.

When he finally spoke, his voice was rushed. He said, "Chloe, Daddy is busy with work. I'll call you back later. Be a good girl and listen to Grandma."

After saying that, he hung up directly without waiting for my reply.

Holding the phone, which had been warmed by my ear, I felt a deep sense of loss.

That was the first time in my memory that I had spoken to my father.

A child's intuition is actually very sharp. On that very day, I suddenly realized something.

My parents didn't miss me as naturally as I missed them.

From then on, I couldn't break the habit of waiting in front of the TV for the news, but when I waited, I was never as excited as before.

I used to imagine I was a loved girl, thinking my parents also wanted to see me through the screen.

But now, I finally understood that they didn't seem to love me.

To them, I was a stranger who left little impression because we had been apart for so long.