Ha Jin's novel "Waiting" brought him the National Book Award. However, this work has received mixed reviews. Some critics argue that it presents a negative and stereotypical view of Chinese culture, while others praise it as a work of great value. As I delved into the pages of "Waiting," I found myself constantly waiting for what I expected to be a fulfilling and rewarding ending. But alas, that was not the case. The protagonist in the story, who squanders his own life, has two women waiting away their lives for him. Worse still, he manages to involve his adult daughter as well, so there are now three women at his beck and call, if I'm not mistaken. Ha Jin's narrative vividly illustrates the fact that a life spent waiting is a wasted life, and this is indeed a universal truth. But the question remains: did he really need to elaborate at such length on the frustration and futility of waiting for rewards that will never materialize? Since I persisted in reading "Waiting" until the very end, I suppose the answer is a resounding yes.