Hello Meng Long,
Hello, the boy of light – the one whose name, whenever mentioned, makes us unconsciously smile with the utmost tenderness and respect.
This morning, I woke up just as the clock struck eight. The late-year sun wasn’t harsh, but sweet as honey, filtering through the window to cast golden rays onto my familiar room. The space was quiet, yet it seemed as if the breath of spring had reached the doorstep. The last days of the twelfth lunar month always have a very special flavor: there’s the hustle and bustle of busyness, the warmth of family reunion, and moments of quiet that allow one’s heart to slow down. I started the day by helping my family, cleaning every little corner, rearranging the altar, and preparing the meal to offer to our ancestors. The same routines repeat through countless Tet seasons, but this year, each time I touch these mementos, an indescribable feeling wells up inside me.
Perhaps, the last days of the year are when the thread connecting the past and the present becomes the thinnest. It’s a time when people focus their minds on remembering those close to them, and dedicate a corner of their hearts to reminiscing about those who have passed away.
Today is the 29th of the lunar month. The last day of a cycle of years.
In just a few more breaths, time will turn into a new chapter. Tonight, as the sacred moment of New Year’s Eve knocks on the door, as people joyfully wish each other peace and well-being, I will quietly light a candle just for you. That candle is small, but its flame holds a steadfast promise. I wish you peace, serenity, and happiness in the afterlife, in a truly special way.
You know, even though your body has forever remained with the days of the past year, we will carry you into the new year. You will not be left behind in the solitude of time, nor will you ever be forgotten amidst the hustle and bustle of life. Because for us, the name Meng Long is not just a memory, but a part of life, a light that continues to shine in our hearts.
Remembering you, mentioning you, and patiently waiting for justice for you has become a part of my daily breath. The world outside may change, people may come and go with new concerns, and things may change in ways we can’t imagine. But amidst all these changes, your place in my heart remains unchanged, unwavering. I always hope that everyone will forever remember you – a boy as radiant as the morning sun – so that your name will never fade into oblivion.
Whether justice shines brightly or is obscured by dark shadows, I will still choose to remain steadfast. That belief is sometimes strong, sometimes as fragile as incense smoke, but I will never give up. Because I understand that if we easily forget things, this heart will become utterly empty. The truth may come late, the light may be delayed, but I will still wait, still believe that one day, justice will be called by its rightful name.
Tonight, as fireworks resound across the vast sky, as people gather around a warm New Year’s Eve dinner, I will look at the candlelight and think of you.
May you find freedom and peace in a place free from worries.
May you know that here, there are still souls who cherish you with the utmost sincerity and purity.
The new year will come, but the feelings for you will not remain in the old year. It will accompany us through every spring, through every long and wide year of our lives. No matter what the world becomes in the future, I will always keep you in the deepest, warmest corner of my heart. The light of truth may be slow to arrive, but love is always present. And when the day of true justice arrives, I hope you will smile knowing that there are people who have steadfastly waited for you with hearts that have never grown cold.
Always loving you, Meng Meng.
Not just in the past year, but in every journey ahead. Tonight, as the candle flickers, I hope that light will pierce through space to reach you – the boy of light who will forever live on in our breath.
