Rust-Lullaby (锈蚀摇篮)

Bound by rules since childhood, we frame life by rigid standards, building walls of indifference until our hearts rust. Forced to obey, compare, and fake strength, we walk alone through concrete cages, forgetting tenderness. Deep inside hides a child weary of worldly restraints, aching to tear down walls, shed armor, and face each other with sincerity — reclaiming the courage to love openly, break free, and embrace an authentic life.

They said…… Be good.
Listen—— the neighbor's door locked three times, upstairs a kid cries memorizing standard answers.
Every window has metal bars, we lock each other in cages, and tell ourselves, this is safety.
Mama said don't talk to strangers, don't you open that door
Papa turned the living room into a surveillance museum piece
I wrote my first crooked poem on the back of a test score, red pen circled it, noted two words: useless words.
Dinner talk is only who bought a new car next door, we learned to compare, learned to grind envy into hate.
But no one taught me when the midnight panic hits, how to comfort my own flickering heart.
Textbooks turning yellow, standards expanding! The words we swallowed built walls that turned us into islands!
Who taught these rules! Who taught these rules! Who taught these rules!
Wrapping soft hearts in three layers of tin! Who drew these lines! Who drew these lines!
Neighbors, just stranger numbers, smiling, measuring, distance!
We learned to guard up, learned to wear armor, learned to hide every scar.
But that kid trapped under the tin skin, is crying! is crying! is crying!
All they want is just a home without locks!
Ha!
Teachers said get good grades and life completes itself
Boss said overtime till midnight is the price to earn this city
At thirty5 I finally bought my first home, the bank said congrats, now pay it back for thirty years.
In the elevator we meet neighbors, we all look down scrolling phones, community group chat fighting over whose dog barked too loud.
We live in the same building but exist in parallel worlds, this is the loneliest crowd, this is the most civilized wasteland.
Trust is rusting, warmth is fading! The people cut apart by doctrine left nothing but defense slogans between us!
Who taught these rules! Who taught these rules! Who taught these rules!
Turning living people into standard parts! Who drew these lines! Who drew these lines!
We got busy building walls and forgot how to open doors!
Lesson one, obedience, lesson two, silence, lesson three, never trust tenderness easily.
But that kid trapped under the tin skin, is screaming! is screaming! is screaming!
All they want is just a reason to be held!
Shh—— do you hear that. The piano next door played a wrong note.
No one corrected them, because no one was really listening.
Have you ever thought we were all raised this way, fed on fear force-fed competition, taught this world is dangerous, but no one taught us how to love a real person.
Listen!
Tear down these rules! Tear down these rules! Tear down these rules!
I don't want the life raised by fear! Tear down this wall! Tear down this wall!
In the cracks of the tin skin, plant a little sincerity!
We learned to guard up but we also learned pain, learned loneliness but that doesn't mean we stop dreaming.
All you kids trapped under the tin skin, hear me! hear me! hear me!
Walk out that locked door, let us start again——
Reach out your hand——