Chapter 1714: Network of Relationships
According to publicly available information, Master Solan's mother passed away after she got married. The couple did not live with the mother, but they often visited her, especially during the final stages of her life. Solan stayed by her side throughout, which did not seem like a lack of affection. In District 019, this could already be praised as filial piety.
District 019 has specific survey data on the cultural traditions and emotional attachments of its residents. Due to extended lifespans and the ease of having children—along with the government being largely responsible for raising and educating them—familial bonds are not as tight as in other districts.
The widespread use of holographic projections allows people living in different places to meet face-to-face, and some replacement robots can simulate the body temperature and behavior of living humans. Even if an actual meeting is necessary, aircraft are very convenient. In other words, machines have largely replaced direct human contact, and people in District 019 do not insist on it. That is why Solan's behavior was considered rare.
"Little Solan's mother was a selfish woman," the old lady said. "After her husband died unexpectedly, she moved here with little Solan. She was immersed in the pain of losing her husband and often neglected little Solan. When Solan could barely even run properly, she was already going out to buy food herself, and sometimes she had to take care of her mother."
"When little Solan was a bit older, that woman was taken away by another man and only came back to see her once in a while."
"If she had remarried and lived a good life, setting a good example for her child, I wouldn't say anything. But that woman, even after remarrying, couldn't forget her dead husband. She even refused to take the evolution agent, completely disregarding little Solan, and died early herself, leaving Solan without a father or a mother."
"She should have either lived well, taken care of her child, and lived her own life, or simply died when her husband died. Living like a walking corpse only makes others suffer!"
"People as decisive and clear-headed as you are always in the minority," Xu Huo said. "You and Master Solan are the same kind of people. As for Master Solan's mother, she was another type."
The old lady looked down on Solan's mother, believing that Solan had no need to take care of her at all. She also thought Solan had little real affection for her mother.
Xu Huo did not refute this. The exact situation was hard to trace now; he could only piece together a true image of Solan's childhood and adolescence from the fragments of these neighbors' words.
But the old lady suddenly grabbed his hand. "Not everyone born has a bond with their parents. If parents are unkind to their children, the children shouldn't place too much hope in them. A person can only carry their own life. Placing all hope in others—even parents—will lead to a miserable life."
Xu Huo smiled and held her hand. "I am very satisfied with my relationship with my parents."
"Good, good." The old lady leaned back in her chair and put on her glasses from the side. "You just said someone came to Dingding Flower Town?"
Xu Huo handed her the names he had found from the message collection terminal. The old lady had a good memory; with names and photos, she could say a thing or two about almost everyone.
In her childhood, Master Solan loved running around and playing with her friends, full of boundless energy. At that time, there weren't many children close to her age. Only a few lived permanently in Dingding Flower Town; the others came with their elders to stay for a while.
The four people the old lady mentioned earlier were the ones who had a good relationship with Solan. The others either didn't spend much time with her or had personality issues that led to less interaction.
As for those who appeared in the town during her adolescence, their interactions with Solan were relatively fewer, because children at that age were older and not as easy to make friends with as when they were young.
"There were also children who pursued little Solan." The old lady named a few people. "But little Solan really didn't like them and wouldn't play with them."
"These two even got into a fight." Among the two she pointed out, one was Solan's childhood playmate, also the same age as Solan.
Among Solan's childhood friends were two girls, and Xu Huo also inquired about their family backgrounds.
"Both little girls' parents died in a mine collapse accident. They came to live with their grandparents and were only taken out by relatives to continue their studies when they grew up."
"As for Lai Guang and Xi Xi, one of their parents was injured in an accident and needed long-term hospitalization. Their parents couldn't take care of them, so they were sent to Dingding Flower Town."
"People who could play with Master Solan probably had good personalities too," Xu Huo said. These four died too early, and when they were in Dingding Flower Town, they followed Solan in and out, so naturally, there wasn't much information about them.
The old lady was a kind elder. She nodded and said, "The little girls were just like little Solan—very bold. They dared to sneak into the mountains without robots to steal bird eggs. The two boys were very quiet, especially Lai Guang. While little Solan and the others were running wild, he was already making up stories. The little stories he wrote were quite impressive, and the group would play house together."
She paused here and deliberately said to Xu Huo, "In the stories they played, there was no 'Ember Maiden.'"
Xu Huo couldn't help but laugh. "Go on, I'm listening."
The old lady then talked about some of the stories Lai Guang wrote. Some of them featured people who died in the mines, telling of happy families and praising their spirits. Some imagined they went to a better place after death, seeing higher wormhole points as the final destination of souls. Later, the stories revolved around the group of friends, with Solan playing a very significant role.
"Lai Guang liked Master Solan very much," Xu Huo interjected.
"Many people liked little Solan." The old lady didn't think this was romantic love, but rather being drawn to the innate charm of an outstanding person.
Xu Huo thought for a moment and then asked, "Since Master Solan's mother didn't fulfill her responsibilities, who took care of her when she was a few years old?"
Pity for the young and weak is human nature, especially for a likable child.
"She often went to the neighbors' houses. There used to be a blind woman living near her home. She was in poor health and came specifically for recuperation. After she recovered, she didn't move away. She often bought food and toys for little Solan and the other children in town, coaxing them to call her grandma." The old lady sighed as she said this. "I heard all her family died in an accident. She barely survived, lost one eye, and had a leg amputated."
"Another mine accident?" Xu Huo raised an eyebrow.
"Although she didn't like to talk about it, I don't think so," the old lady thought carefully. "I saw government workers come to replace her prosthetic. Generally, people who have accidents in the mines are taken care of by the Welfare Bureau, which is independent of the government's subordinate agencies."
(End of Chapter)