He honored his parents as he should, but wished they would pass. At the beginning of the story she said, "I never expected my parents to take so long to die." She had cared for them all her life in her fifties and her parents in their nineties. She was ready to live and free herself from all the rules and duties that had been imposed on her, they were like chains that bound her and held her down. She was ready to explore, go on journeys and adventures, she was already getting old, all she wanted was to be free. The death of her parents left her running free, leaving Hong Kong to start over and maybe find love, in any way possible. perhaps even through food or luxuries. She wanted to be rebellious towards her parents, I'm sure she knew they wouldn't approve, but she didn't care, she wanted change. All his life he had followed so many rules, he had had to fight to teach, to learn, to be with friends, his fight was finally over. Now he had no one to rebel against, now he had the freedom to do so