He was originally going to join the army with his father and brothers, but he was too young to join the army. Because he was born lame and could run fast, people tactfully told him that he could not join even if he grew up.
In his situation, he would just go and die. There's no need for that.
It was because of this lame leg that he escaped death.
The rest of his family were not so lucky. All the male members died, and it was estimated that all the female members of his family ran away when the village was massacred.
Yes, at that time, how could the devils let the women go when they entered the village?
So... all his family members are gone?
The village chief was moved after hearing this, and felt sad.
"I heard from the elders that this village was indeed massacred and my family moved here later."
“So, did everyone migrate here?”
"Yes, almost all of them have migrated here. But they are all from nearby areas, so they are relatively familiar with the village. When they arrive, you can ask around. Maybe they can even find out where your family members are buried."
"Okay, thank you."
Soon the first old man came and after asking, I found out he was 68 years old.
Sixty-eight? I was too young then, I definitely don’t remember anything.
"I moved here from Chenjia Village. I have many brothers and sisters in my family, and my house is big enough for us. Since I am the eldest brother, I decided to move out and give it to my younger brothers and sisters."
After some calculations, it is estimated that his brothers and sisters were born after the war.
Xie Linan asked: "Uncle, do you still remember the original people in this village?"
"I remember a little bit. I heard from the elders at home that there was a soldier hiding in their village, and he was massacred."
Lin Xinghua clenched his fists and tightened them.
"No one is left alive?"
"Yes, there was a pair of sisters-in-law who hid in the cellar and survived."
As soon as he finished speaking, the village chief said, "Look at my memory. Oh, yes, there are two people who survived. Wait a moment, they will come over and I will go and invite them."
After a while, several old people came one after another.
Unfortunately, they are either younger or have migrated from other villages, and the information they get is much different from that of the first old man.
After waiting for a long time, the aunt and sister-in-law they mentioned finally arrived.
One was in his eighties, the other in her seventies, and they came together.
The village chief said enthusiastically: "They are here. They are the only survivors in this village."
The two men stared at Lin Xinghua for a long while, but no one recognized whom.
"Who are you?" the person on the other side finally asked.
Lin Xinghua rubbed his eyes, put on his reading glasses again, and said, "I'm Lin Xinghua, the son of Lin Yue's family at the east end of the village. Sister-in-law, do you still remember Lin Yue's family?"
He was asking about his sister-in-law who was over 80 years old.
The old woman thought about it for a while, but couldn't remember anything.
She shook her head and said, "I don't know, everyone in this village has the surname Lin, I just can't remember whose family it is."
"Do you know Lin Zhenhua? My eldest brother is Lin Zhenhua."
"Oh, Lin Zhenhua? I know. My husband went to the war with Lin Zhenhua, and he never came back. So you are one of their family members?"
"Yes, I am the youngest son in their family. I am a cripple, born crippled."
He took off his shoes and took a few tentative steps.
When the other party saw the limping look, he suddenly remembered.
"I remember you. You are the little cripple from Lin Zhenhua's family."
Finally remembering it, Lin Xinghua was so happy that tears streamed down his face.
"Yes, it's me. Sister-in-law. I didn't expect you still remember me!"
The old lady said, "Whenever I mention Lin Zhenhua and Little Cripple, I remember. Little Cripple, my husband is Lin Hao, the one who joined the army with Lin Zhenhua. I know you still remember him."
"Remember, remember, you are the daughter-in-law of my second aunt's family. I went to eat the wedding candy when your brother Hao got married."
Now they were on opposite sides of the fence, and the two old men were so excited that they burst into tears.
Once they started talking, they couldn't stop. The two of them began to reminisce about the past and talked for more than an hour.
The old sister-in-law talked about what happened that year, when the villagers rescued a soldier, which led to the massacre of the entire village.
She escaped the disaster by hiding in the cellar of her home with her sister-in-law.
The cellar in her house is quite special, with two floors.
My mother-in-law hid behind a layer of paper as a cover. After she was caught, the other party thought that there was no one there and did not continue the search.
They hid in the inner floor, so they escaped.
Talking about these things, the two cried non-stop, and the handkerchiefs in their lap were wet with tears.
"What about my family...?"
"Little Cripple, they're gone, all gone." She wiped her tears and said, "Those murderers were simply inhuman. When I brought Xiaoying out of the cellar, I saw the whole village covered in blood, not a single person alive."
Even though he already knew that all his relatives were dead, he still cried with sadness when he heard his sister-in-law say it again.
"Then...then do you know where they are buried?"
"I know. After the ghost left, people from nearby villages came to help and buried everyone in one place. Do you want to go and pay your respects?"
"Yes."
"Then come with me, 놊远, it's at Niu 껚 ditch."
"Okay, sister-in-law, thank you."
The old man walked towards the Niugougou with his walking stick, and many people in the village followed him to watch the excitement, and a line of people walked by.
Xie Linan took out some money and bought some candles, paper money, and other items for worship from the village chief.
Fortunately, most families have this kind of stuff ready, so it's a good time to buy some.
He carried the candles and paper money he had bought from the village chief's house and trotted after 껗.
They walked very slowly, and soon he caught up with Lin Xinghua.
Niugougou is indeed far away. It is just on the other side of the slope behind the village. It is a huge ditch separated from the opposite slope. It is Niugougou.
The slope opposite and this slope together look like two horns on a bull's head. Perhaps it is for this reason that this ditch is called the Cow Ditch.
"This is it. They are all buried in this ditch."
"Here?"
"Yes, all the people killed by the living ghosts in the vicinity in those years were thrown into this ditch."
Lin Xinghua remembered that the ditch seemed to be deeper. How many people died to fill it to this extent?
He stretched out his hands tremblingly, and the wind blowing on his heart felt like the caress of a loved one.
He staggered for several times. If Xie Linan, who had eye disease, had stepped forward to support him quickly, he would have fallen.
"Grandpa, please sit down and rest for a while."
Lin Xinghua shook his head and said, "No, bring the things here."
"Why!"
He took out the candles, paper money and other things he had prepared, and was willing to help Xie Linan.
Take out everything yourself, arrange it, light it, and burn paper.
He kept muttering to himself.
He remembers every member of his family.
From grandpa to nephew, grandma to niece, all the more than ten people in the family were invited.
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