Niu Tengyu's Mother: Diary of a May 2026 Trip to Guangdong: Night Thoughts by the Longjiang River

Preface / Notes on Writing

Over the years，I have come to Sihui again and again，just to be a little closer to my son，a little closer。Before every visit，I stay at the Longfeng Hotel beside the Longjiang River。When I open the window on the tenth floor，that quietly flowing river lies below。By day，it carries my footsteps；at night，it reflects all my longing and tears。

My son is being held in Sihui Prison，only a few kilometers from the hotel。Separated by high walls，I cannot see him，and can only use this river to entrust it with a mother's most humble yet deepest love。I walk along the riverbank，entrusting to the river，again and again，the gifts I bring him，as well as the words I cannot say；I stand on the balcony，watching the hotel lights shatter across the river into a glittering chain of light，as if seeing the days when we were torn apart，and also the faint glimmer of our family's reunion in the future。

《Watch by the Longjiang River》and《Longjiang Night·A Mother's Vigil》are the feelings I wrote down during those sleepless nights。The words are simple，but they are my most genuine pain and vigil。I have no ornate phrases，only a mother's day-after-day longing、waiting and perseverance。The river knows all my tears，and it also knows the faith I have never abandoned——one day，I will bring my son home，and the two of us will stand together beside the Longjiang River，watching the same lights reflected in the water，and then there will be no more high walls，no more separation。

When writing these words，I am often streaming with tears。After finishing，I leave them by the hotel window、in the river breeze，and in my heart。I hope that one day，Tengyu will be able to read them，and know that Mom has never left him，no matter how long the night，no matter how far the road，Mom is here watching over you and waiting for you。

Thank you，Longjiang River，for becoming the gentlest yet most steadfast bridge between my son and me。

May everyone who reads these words feel the deepest love of a mother。

Niu Tengyu's Mother　 May 2026　in Sihui · Longfeng Hotel

Watch by the Longjiang River

I am staying at the Longfeng Hotel in Sihui，and that quietly flowing Longjiang River lies just outside the window。At night the lights fall into the water，shattering into a trembling chain of light，like my broken heart over these years。

My son，you are being held in Sihui Prison，only a few kilometers from me。Every morning I open the window，watching the river flow toward you，and silently call your name again and again——Tengyu。

The hotel room is very quiet，so quiet that I can hear my own heartbeat。Sometimes I walk along the Longjiang River，across that bridge，to the place where I can see the prison's high walls。

The wind blows across the river，carrying the damp chill of the water，and I entrust to it the clothes and food I have brought、as well as the things I want to say to you，hoping it can carry a little of them inside on my behalf。

At night I cannot sleep，so I stand on the balcony watching the reflections in the river。The hotel lights and the shadows of the high-rises sway back and forth in the water，like the days when we were torn apart。

I often think，if you could stand beside me，and the two of us could look at this river together，how wonderful that would be。

Tengyu，Mom is here waiting for you。The Longjiang flows every day，and it knows all my tears，as well as all my perseverance。

I stay at this hotel，turning my days into one long river，just so that one day，I can bring you home。

River，please embrace my child for me，and tell him that Mom's love has never left him，no matter how thick the high walls，no matter how long the night。

The River Knows My Heart: A Mother's Vigil by the Sui River

I have been staying at the Longfeng Hotel in Sihui，for several days and nights now。When I open the window of the room on the tenth floor，the night wind carrying moist water vapor rushes into my face，and below is that quietly flowing Longjiang River。Lights pour down from the hotel and the buildings on both banks，breaking across the river into glittering fragments of gold and silver，like countless tiny wishes trembling in the water，then slowly carried away by the flowing river toward the distance。

My son，you are in Sihui Prison，not far from me。Every day I stand here，watching the river flow toward where you are，and a pain arises in my heart: you are within reach yet so far away。By day，I walk along the banks of the Longjiang，the wind lifting my hair，and I silently recite to the river again and again the gifts I have prepared for you，along with the words pressed deep in my heart。I hope it can pass through the high walls，embrace you for me，and tell you that Mom is right here。

The Longjiang at night is the gentlest，and also the cruelest。The hotel's neon lights、the lights of the high-rises、and the headlights on the bridge are all reflected in the water，gently crushed、stretched and swayed by the ripples。Those lights and shadows are like the days when we were torn apart，sometimes clear，sometimes blurred。I often gaze at them for a long time，as if seeing your smiling face as a child，and the ordinary times we once shared。The river says nothing，but flows silently，drawing all the longing、all the tears、and all the waiting into its embrace，carrying them toward the unknown downstream。

Everything here is touched by water vapor，and even my dreams are damp。When I cannot sleep late at night，I put on my clothes and stand on the balcony，letting the Longjiang's night breeze brush my face。Now and then a cold light appears in the direction of the distant prison，and my heart tightens with it。My son，Mom knows you are suffering，but this is the only way I can accompany you——keeping watch beside this river，at the window of this hotel，turning myself into a river that refuses to stop flowing。

Longjiang，you have witnessed all my tears，and please also witness my perseverance。One day，I will bring you home，and the two of us will stand together by this river，watching the same lights reflected in the water，and then they will surely no longer be broken，but whole and warm，as if we had never been separated。

The river flows slowly，the night deepens。I am here，waiting for you。