Each family is then required by law to take in one of the "gods", who are almost three thousand years old, and the Care Age begins.
A little affection appears when the god confides in Qiusheng's family that the photo he is always looking at is actually a receiver from a spaceship belonging to his lover, which is eighty million light years away.
As the gods leave, Qiusheng's family wonders who will take care of humanity when it grows old.
[2] Jaymee Goh wrote on Strange Horizons, that the short story "emphasizes filial piety, especially with the warning at the end for humanity to safeguard against the problems of old age by having children of its own."
"[3] Gareth D Jones wrote on SF Crowsnest, that the short story "takes a couple of Science Fiction’s classic tropes, alien invasion and the seeding of life on Earth, and ties them in with traditional Chinese values of respect for elders, family loyalty and hospitality."