Original subtitles

She just lies there staring.

Let her eat if she wants to.

- Now you're here, I can go home. - I can't sit here any more.

- It must be painful lying there. - She has bedsores.

She can't speak at all now, it must be awful.

Just lying there.

Let's free her arms.

It's like she's tied down.

How's that?

With her arms under the blanket.

Let's turn her over.

She wants to turn over.

- Why is her mouth open? - It's always like that.

Leave the blanket loose.

The skin on her back is all red and sore.

When you don't move you get bedsores.

Her back's very red.

The buttocks are fine.

- She's lying on her side. - All the time.

She turns on her side and stays there.

How was the game, Guoqiang?

Lao Ye won.

They all won. I lost 400 yuan.

- It was him against the rest. - Two yuan a point?

She seems fine.

Lao Ye gambles the money he earns selling vegetables.

- Maybe we should dress her now. - There's no rush.

- Get my aunt to look at her. - She's fine, her pulse is normal.

Her pulse is fine.

Perfectly steady.

Are you doctors?

He acts like a doctor.

Her pulse seems normal.

- Listen, Guoqiang... - What?

Caring for an Alzheimer patient costs 1,000 yuan a day.

So let's not skimp on the funeral dinner.

That's my bottle!

Pass me some water.

Just remember, uncle,

when you're earning, every penny counts,

but when you gamble, it just slips through your fingers.

You see money differently.

If her arms and legs stop moving, it means she's going.

If you see her move, you don't need to worry.

Xiuying !

Do you recognize me?

You know me, don't you?

- Speak to her, she can hear you. - She can understand.

She just can't speak.

It's strange. Her mind is going, but now she recognizes people.

It might be a bad sign.

She's been widowed ten years...

- Come on, let's sit up. - Straighten her blouse.

Sit her up so we can see her.

She's smiling.

Mother!

- Who's this? - Don't you know me?

- She recognizes us. - I'm not so sure.

Look, she's smiling.

She's changed a lot.

Tidy her hair a bit.

Can she sit up?

Speak to her.

Try again, she'll smile.

She doesn't react.

Mother !

- She's trying. - But she doesn't know.

She must recognize him.

She knows her son.

When she sits up she looks different.

I can hardly recognize her.

Hardly the same person.

Do you know where you are?

Where are we?

She doesn't know, her eyes are glazed.

That's enough.

It's empty.

Her position is strange today.

Look at her neck, it seems she's straining to lift her chin.

She wasn't like this yesterday.

She wasn't craning her neck.

It's from staying on her back.

- Did she take some soup? - No.

I can't tell if she's awake.

- Maybe she's asleep. - Hard to say.

Her eyes are moving.

Her pupils are flickering,

just small movements, as if she's glancing around.

Is she comfortable?

She seems stiffer.

Don't talk rubbish.

Close the door, it's cold.

Can you see?

Is there enough light?

It seems you don't trust me. You think I'm trying to cheat you?

- We could put the tables here. - Why here?

- Under the bridge would be nicer. - It's so hot.

You'd need tents for 30 tables.

- At 250 yuan each. - And the two cooks,

they'll need a tent too.

My arm hurts from that fight.

You really beat up that guy, threw him down by his hair.

He lost some teeth when he hit that rock.

Lend me your lighter for the mosquito coil.

Better go now.

You'll need time to set up the fishing gear.

- Got the small motor? - Yes, with the batteries.

It's better with the batteries.

Or we could just row.

- Just go for smaller fish. - Yeah, we don't need big ones.

No need to bust a gut.

We'll catch some anyway. It's no use if the power's low.

- Do we need two batteries? - No, one pack with two units.

Best to bring two.

- Let's catch some snakehead. - Any fish will do!

If we get snakeheads, I'll cook them.

If I catch a turtle, I'll swap it for some smokes.

Grilled turtle is great.

Everything ready?

- My brother wants a turtle. - No way.

- He'll just sell it. - He ate it last time.

No, he sold it.

You eat it, don't waste it on your brother.

You'd catch a turtle then give it away?

Any fish around?

Over here.

Hold up, the net's getting caught.

Slow down so I can free the net.

Keep going.

Nothing here.

Let's try for a turtle.

That would be great.

They're in the reeds.

You won't catch one.

- What kind of fish is that? - Snakehead.

- Grab it. - It's tiny.

Hold it.

- It's jumping! - Don't worry.

- Hold it still. - I've got it.

I can't hold it with my foot.

- It'll die. - No it won't.

The battery clamps are loose.

It's a silver carp.

- Not many snakeheads here. - Can you see?

Turn around.

You get off.

You can go home now.

Let's go.

Just leave the stuff. Let me sit down first.

- Don't worry, I've got it. - I'll grab the gear.

Put your foot on that rock.

Nice silver carp.

Must be three pounds.

- There's acid on the battery. - Is it leaking?

Yes. Pull the boat up here.

There's a mooring ring.

The acid bleached the fish white.

No need to turn it around.

Leave it here.

- This fish is bleached white. - All of them.

The carp was right in the acid. It's dying.

This fish is half dead.

Lend me that lighter.

I've only got the one.

- I need it myself. - You've got plenty at home!

Go and buy one.

Guoqiang !

This snakehead is creepy. I don't want to kill it.

Are you afraid of it? It has to be killed.

- Throw it away, then? - It's horrible.

- Gives me goosebumps. - So kill it, if it's so scary.

Honglin, take this fish away.

What?

- Go and kill it for her. - How should I kill it?

Just hold the tail and chop.

- I don't like it. - Just do it, OK? I'm off home.

- We're going across the river. - Suit yourselves.

But if you go I'll throw them back.

You're kidding, right?

- Fishing is hard work. - Really?

I'm going home.

No mosquitoes now. Good time to clean the fish.

Just leave us the small fry.

Sure, you can have them.

- Your wife wants some too. - I'd rather not eat them.

If no-one's having any, I'll put them in the freezer.

You can have them later.

Are you making congee tomorrow?

I'll just have rice and vegetables, I don't like fish.

- You all decide. - Do what you like, we don't care.

- Sure, you never care. - Yes, we're fed up.

Are you off, then?

We're going home!

Hi Lijuan, have you arrived?

Are you coming today?

Is that Lijuan on the phone?

She may not come?

Really?

Her expression has changed.

- Is something wrong? - No, she's asleep.

She wasn't like this a few days ago.

She's awake, her eyes are open.

She's not quite asleep.

- All day her face has been red. - She's opening her eyes.

- She's awake. - Her eyes are open.

Half open.

It's strange.

Look, her head and neck are all red.

That's excess body heat rising to her head.

Was her mouth like that before?

Her mouth opens when she falls asleep.

She's having trouble breathing.

Her chest is hardly moving.

Only one left...

I'm good, I just lit one.

- Have you eaten? - Yes, some time ago.

When I last saw her she looked fine.

Her knees are a bit cold.

They've been cold all the time.

Her fingers are OK.

They were cold, they're warmer now.

She's moving slightly.

Has she eaten anything these past few days?

- She had something yesterday. - She drank some milk.

Before that,

she was taking powdered protein supplements,

and her joints were stronger.

She should be buried with her parents.

In Huijiao.

- Not in the public cemetery. - It doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter, both are good.

- She should be near her parents. - If the fengshui is good.

I discussed it with Honglin.

Better call the expert again.

We called him three times already!

- Fengshui's important. - We must bury her there.

Near her father?

Wouldn't that be best?

Yes, near my grandfather.

- Near her mother. - Is there still room there?

Not to the east.

Then she must be near my father.

- Or west of your grandfather. - West of my father.

Are you sure that's possible?

My parents must be together.

Of course, but is there still space?

There's one place left.

Yes.

They cleaned it recently.

- On Tomb-Sweeping day. - That was some time ago.

Go and see, it's overgrown again.

- She's breathing faster. - It started this morning.

Xiaoying,

I think you should rub her down now.

I just did.

- We should do it every day. - I did it this morning.

Rub her again this afternoon if she doesn't look too well.

Have you seen this tendon? It's stiffened.

The muscle's hard.

Oh, the aircon's on.

I can't see much change since this morning.

She seems a bit worse.

If she could see how devoted her family is…

- Especially her two children. - Her whole family.

They've left their jobs to care for her.

- Nothing more we can do. - It's all up to her now.

She should eat something.

She can't swallow.

I thought she'd have 7 or 8 more years.

I thought so too.

But she's got worse since her stay in the hospital.

- She has to eat. - She can't swallow now.

For months now she's had no solid food.

Her throat has shrivelled,

she can hardly swallow.

She's had liquid food only.

And just a few drops at a time.

Damn this disease...

She must be suffering.

Sure.

Yesterday she was still moving a bit.

- Today her mouth is open like this... - It's a breathing problem.

And today her lips are white and dry.

Her head keeps moving back and forth.

She's got so thin.

It's been so sudden.

She's sinking slowly. Like a boat in the river.

She can't take so much at once.

She's looking at me.

She can't speak,

but she keeps looking at us.

Her hand is always moving, as if trying to grasp something.

We should get more fish.

Do I have to clean them?

It has to be done.

- As soon as they're caught. - Put them in the freezer.

They'll still stink by tomorrow.

I'll prepare them tonight.

Then soak them in brine.

Same as yesterday.

We caught three whitefish.

Yup, three.

- The biggest is three pounds. - Right here?

Is that possible?

Only when it rains.

Don't you ever stop talking?

Any whitefish in this river?

Nope.

Nothing.

A big whitefish can make waves.

Nothing for us here.

Let's call it a day.

Have you got a tenant?

Lot of people renting these days.

From where?

Mengxianggang, apparently.

That year when they were fighting,

Her husband wanted a divorce. Mine went to talk to him.

She'd packed two bags,

she was heading into town to file the divorce papers.

My husband came back from the fields with his shovel,

and heard about the divorce.

He couldn't believe it.

He gave him a beating.

You shit, he said, you have two kids, just you try divorcing her.

- Punched him out. - Her husband was close to his mom.

She and her mother-in-law were both good, hard-working women.

Mostly they got on well.

But sometimes they'd quarrel over some little thing.

They'd reallly fight.

I remember that time in the mulberry patch...

We were all hungry back then.

- Things were tough at home. - I was working too.

You, Honglin?

I was digging mud by the river.

You were working then?

When Guoqiang was born, you weren't working yet.

That's right.

They were twelve years apart.

When he was born, I was twelve.

Her father-in-law was brigade leader.

I was only ten.

- You worked after school? - Yeah, on one-third pay!

For three years. Then I left school.

We only studied when it rained.

It was no way to learn.

None of this was my mother's fault.

Things were tough for them both. I was there when they fought.

My sister-in law fought back, too. So was it all my mother's fault?

Well, she wasn't that bright. She often got cheated.

One's gone, the other's dying. Drop it.

My brother was a village official. He had to keep up appearances.

Let's call her grandson.

Yes, call Weiwei.

Don't let him go home.

He should stay the night.

If she gets worse, there's nothing we can do.

- Let's get the doctor. - Should we call Weiwei?

Let's just get through the night.

She won't make it, believe me.

- Who doesn't believe you? - You.

How can we know?

- She may still live a few days. - If she gets through today.

Why not get Weiwei here?

It's like when my brother passed.

My eldest never came, but he held on till dawn.

Same thing.

- Shouldn't we tell everyone? - We told them already.

She's fading.

She was fine during the day.

I told Weiwei to stay, but he wouldn't.

I didn't see him go. I thought he would stay.

He'd rather play cards. Where's his humanity?

- I'll go and see. - Will that change anything?

- He's got 36 yuan left. - Enough to gamble with.

- It's just superstition. - What do you mean?

His way of dealing with it.

So did he win?

A woman's dying,

and no-one's there. No grandchildren.

He left around lunchtime, what can I say?

I told him to stay, but Guoqiang let him go.

Her own grandson!

With him at her bedside, she could go peacefully.

It could explain her breathing. She misses him.

She can't see him there.

Who can tell?

Forget about it. Have a drink.

Some things need to be said.

Will that save her?

- Would it change anything? - Her grandchildren would help her pass.

- You're all here with her. - Sure. Except the kids.

- What are you saying? - No point discussing it.

No point?

My brother died waiting for his nephew.

Weiwei was here, and she didn't die.

- Let's drop it. - He should be there, that's all.

- Her time hadn't come. - That wasn't his problem.

- He's done his duty. - Who knows when she'll die?

You're in charge of your son, Guoqiang's is his business.

He should get him back here.

If they want him to come, they should call him.

He should have come to sit with her.

When she dies doesn't change that.

What counts is that the children are there.

- Whenever she died. - The children should be there.

When his great-grandmother died, he wasn't there either.

He let her die alone, as if she meant nothing.

But I'm here, aren't I? Let's just drink.

I'm just telling it like it is.

I know.

I could have just gone fishing.

Go then, forget about it.

Tell Lijuan to fetch him. It's not up to you.

- It's up to him. - But it needs to be said.

Already at dinner I lost my temper.

Why get angry?

I have to get it off my chest.

He doesn't have exams to take, he can come over.

- It doesn't matter. - He should be with her!

Right?

When he was a kid, she held him every day.

His grandad's gone, there's only her left.

When you raise kids, you need discipline.

That's how I was raised.

I gave my eldest a whipping, The young one got the message.

Now he knows what's what.

Why spoil them?

- Damn right. - Spare the rod, spoil the child.

A grandson should be there.

Especially her only grandson.

If he had a test at school, his mother would know.

- His grandmother's dying. - You weren't so strict with your son.

Bullshit! You ask him, he'll tell you.

- She's short of breath again. - It's worse now.

She's hardly breathing.

That's it.

She wasn't like this this afternoon.

Maybe it's time.

We need to dress her.

- Her eyes are open, she's awake. - That doesn't mean anything.

Her eyes are wide open, there's strength left in her.

Yesterday her eyelids were fluttering, now they're still.

Why is that?

She can hardly keep her eyes open.

Yesterday her eyes were still lively.

We must get ready.

Let's see if she responds to Weiwei.

She's breathing very slowly now.

That means it's nearly over.

It's a bad sign.

Another long sigh...

Her chest has stiffened.

It seems swollen.

The flesh is withered, so the ribcage seems to bulge.

She's so thin, her ribs stick out.

There's no flesh on her bones.

- The kids should stay here tonight. - You too.

The aircon's on too high. Turn it off.

- She can hardly open her eyes. - One eye is half open.

Yesterday she was still looking around.

- That's right. - Now her eyes are too weak.

No use straightening her head,

she'll move it around anyway.

Leave her as she is.

Her eyes are closing.

She's changed in the last two days.

- She looks very pale. - Her lips are white.

We should change her for the funeral.

Let's wait a bit.

- Look at her ears. - They seem normal.

But very pale.

Her hands are still.

She wants to move them.

The soles of her feet are still warm.

- Her ankles are cold now. - Not really.

They're alright.

Her eyes are moving.

Her eyes are moving.

She could go anytime, it's hard to say.

- Twenty past twelve. - Could be any time now.

When it's quick, it's very quick, when it's slow, it's very slow.

That's how it is.

Call Weiwei. She may not last the night.

Hard to tell.

Auntie!

Don't cry.

Don't.

The water's come up high.

How long has it been since Mrs. Fang died?

Nearly three months now.

On the hundredth day we'll hold the prayer ceremony.

English subtitles: Robin Setton