The setting sun's afterglow passed over the city, stretching all the way to a small mountain village.
Wei Yunhai sat on a stone stump in front of his door, puffing on the pipe he held in his hand. Wisps of smoke rose, dyed gold by the sunset's glow, completely indistinguishable from the clouds on the horizon.
This was already the second pouch of tobacco Wei Yunhai had smoked. His gaze remained fixed on the ground at his feet, unmoving.
"Dad, you should smoke less," Wei Dayong said, nagging as usual as he walked over from the field ridge.
"When your mom was still around, she scolded me plenty over this habit. Now that she's gone, you've taken her place," Wei Yunhai lifted his head, looking toward the gold-rimmed horizon. A smile pulled at his orange-peel-like face. "This is my only pleasure. How could I just quit?"
