Chapter 181 The Most Powerful Friend
Tang Mingli had never had such a profound understanding of the meaning of "the impermanence of life" as she did at this moment.
I saw someone yesterday, and today I learned that they have passed away.
She couldn't accept it, let alone her mother-in-law... Tang Mingli's gaze unconsciously turned to her mother-in-law.
However, her mother-in-law seemed calmer than she had expected.
"How could this happen so suddenly? He was perfectly fine when he came back yesterday," she calmly questioned Wang Tiechui.
Wang Tiechui dared not look his mother's friend in the eye, and stammered, "Unexpected...unexpected."
Wang Tiechui dared not tell outsiders the truth about his mother's death, and only dared to say that it was an accident.
Such accidents are not uncommon in their village. From childhood to adulthood, he has heard many stories of people falling and dying while chopping firewood in the mountains, having accidents while digging for wild vegetables, and getting injured while hunting in the mountains.
They have relied on the mountains for generations, but the mountains also consume them.
My mother is actually quite lucky.
After his mother fell yesterday, he called almost half the village to search in the dark. Luckily, they found his mother's remains after searching for half the night.
Compared to those whose remains have been lost, what is a mother if not fortunate?
The elderly in the village prepare a coffin for themselves in advance as they reach a certain age. My mother was no exception.
Therefore, although the mother's passing was sudden, it did not cause the younger generation any chaos.
"The sun was almost setting when you came back yesterday, why did you still go up the mountain?"
"Country folks go up the mountain when they need something, why ask so many questions?"
After Wang Tiechui said this, some of the villagers who came to help chimed in, "That's right, it's just like you city folks going shopping when we go up the mountain, there's no reason why."
"Xiujuan is not in good health, how could you let her go up the mountain alone?" When she said this, Fu's mother finally became a little indignant.
Wang Tiechui replied, "With so many things to do every day, it's impossible to keep an eye on things all the time."
Knowing the truth, Wang Tiechui's wife spoke softly, "Aunt Yujuan, I know you and my mother are close. But we can't do anything about what happened. Why do you keep interrogating us as if we're the ones who harmed my mother?"
Wei Xiujuan's two daughters, who had rushed back for the funeral, also began to speak up for their brother and sister-in-law.
“My brother is very good to my mother. She hasn’t worked in the fields since she got sick. Ask other people, whose elderly people are so happy?”
“My mother’s medical treatment costs money, and my brother has also spent a lot of money. Most of the elderly people in the village get sick and then die; very few are willing to spend so much money on treatment.”
“Even my mother’s funeral was quite grand. A lot of people wrapped her in a straw mat, carried her to the back of the mountain, and that was it.”
...
They spoke one after another, praising Wang Tiechui and revealing the sorrow of the elderly in rural areas in this world.
Fu Mu could hardly believe that this was the country she lived in; it was completely different from what she had seen over the past few decades.
Wei Xiujuan's funeral was very simple.
Fu's mother thought that perhaps this was exactly what her friend hoped for, as she had always preferred quiet.
But looking at those children crying so insincerely, he couldn't help but ask Tang Mingli beside him, "What is the purpose of having children in this life?"
Everyone says that raising children is for old age security, but all she's seen these past few days is her children complaining about her being old.
What Fu's mother didn't understand, Tang Mingli understood all too well.
Conscience and love are very rare and precious.
Poor families are more likely to experience chaos and disorder.
The saying "poverty breeds cunning, wealth breeds conscience" may not be entirely true, but it does illustrate that if one struggles to survive for a long time, the despicable traits of human beings will be amplified infinitely.
Things that are celebrated are often rare.
My mother-in-law has been lucky in her life.
Although born in turbulent times and experienced material hardship, he has been loved throughout his life.
Her parents loved her, her siblings loved her, her husband loved her, her in-laws loved her, and her children loved her too.
Therefore, she doesn't understand this kind of ugliness in human nature.
Tang Mingli comforted her, saying, "Everyone has a different mission in this world."
Upon hearing this, Fu's mother felt even more distressed: "What is Xiujuan's mission? To suffer?"
This question left Tang Mingli speechless.
Some people seem to come into this world only to suffer.
Tang Mingli couldn't think of any words to comfort her mother-in-law.
Just then, Wang Niuhua, who had been huddled in the corner, walked towards them, her eyes vacant and confused.
When Fu's mother thought that her best friend's greatest concern was for this granddaughter, she quickly squatted down and touched her messy, yellowish hair.
“Niuhua, don’t be afraid, Grandma Yujuan is here.”
With Xiujuan gone, it seems there will be no one to protect this little girl in this family anymore.
But don't worry, since she has accepted her friend's request, she will definitely keep her promise.
With a determined look on her face, Fu's mother took her little hand.
Wang Niuhua grasped her hand, and her empty eyes slowly regained focus.
She grasped the hand that was holding hers as if it were a lifeline, and held it for a whole day and night.
The funeral is over, and it's time for Fu's mother and the others to leave.
However, before leaving, they still had a detailed talk with Wang Tiechui and his wife.
Perhaps their mother's passing was a significant blow to them, because this time they did not object to Wang Niuhua going to school.
However, he made it clear upfront, telling Fu Mu and the others, "You will be responsible for all of Niu Hua's school expenses."
Fu's mother was always gentle to others, but when it came to her friend's son, she would get angry before she even opened her mouth.
She said in a less-than-friendly tone, "Don't worry, you won't have to pay a single penny. But you'd better not change your mind. If you suddenly change your mind about sending the child to school, I can't guarantee what I might do."
This was the most intimidating thing that Fu's mother, who had been gentle all her life, could come up with.
That's enough. To Wang Tiechui and his group, Fu Mu and her family were unapproachable dignitaries, people they absolutely couldn't afford to offend.
After Mrs. Fu and the others left, the couple looked at their daughter tending the fire in the kitchen and couldn't understand why this little girl was so lucky. Why couldn't it be a son?
Ultimately, it was Mother who was confused, but she's already gone, so there's no use blaming her now.
Wang Tiechui's wife said to her husband, "If we register in September, it will be the same year as our eldest son's first grade. I don't know if they will be in the same class. Knowing our son's personality, he definitely won't want to be in the same class as his sister."
Thinking about this, she also felt worried.
However, neither of them expected that when Fu's mother and her group came to the village again at the end of August, the school they registered Wang Niuhua for was the central primary school in the town where she could board.
My older sister went to study in town and could live at the school and eat in the school cafeteria, but my son was really unhappy about it when he found out.
He threw a huge tantrum, insisting on going to school in town and eating the delicious food in the school cafeteria.
Wang Tiechui couldn't reason with him, so he slapped him to calm him down.
But that's a story for another time.
After Tang Mingli and her group returned from the countryside, they were probably traumatized, and Fu's mother fell ill, developing a high fever that very night.
This greatly worried the Fu family, who rushed him to the hospital that very night.
Fortunately, after a check-up, it was confirmed that there was nothing seriously wrong.
As for why the fever occurred, the doctor could only speculate that it might be due to excessive travel and fatigue, which the body could not handle.
After confirming that his mother was alright, Fu Ci returned to Shenzhen.
This delay meant that half a month had passed before I returned to the factory, and a mountain of things had piled up, keeping me incredibly busy.
It was only after Fu resigned and returned that Tang Mingli was able to sit down and tell her grandparents about what had happened during that time.
Knowing that their daughter-in-law had just reconnected with her friend and then witnessed her friend's death, Madam Fu and Mr. Fu understood why their daughter-in-law had suddenly fallen ill.
"This is a huge blow, a devastating blow," said Madam Fu with a sigh.
Grandpa Fu sat silently to one side with a solemn expression.
Seeing this, Madam Fu asked with some concern, "Old man, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Grandpa Fu shook his head and only said, "I feel a little heavy-hearted."
It's not the old society anymore, yet so many girls still can't afford to go to school.
This made him very sad, feeling sorry for his fallen comrades who had died, because the living had not built a new China.
Having lived with him his whole life, Madam Fu understood what he was thinking upon hearing this. She sighed again and comforted him, "Some changes take time."
Tang Mingli added, "Yes, our country is already making efforts. Didn't the Compulsory Education Law come into effect this year, stipulating that every school-age child must go to school? Things will get better overnight; it requires the efforts of generations."
After she finished speaking, she was stunned.
It's unbelievable that she could say such things.
However, these words did successfully appease Mr. Fu.
After thinking about it, he realized that made sense.
Decades ago, the Chinese people shed blood and sweat to protect their country. Now, decades later, at least the people live in a peaceful era, shedding blood and sweat for a better life.
But he still desperately hoped that everything could be done faster.
During the conversation, young Fu Yu fell asleep in her mother's arms.
Seeing this, the nanny came over and tried to lift her up to sleep.
Tang Mingli, who hadn't seen her child for several days, missed him terribly and couldn't bear to let go. She told the nanny, "I'll sleep with the child tonight."
The nanny, having been through similar experiences herself, understood Tang Mingli's feelings as a mother.
After chatting with her grandparents for a while, Tang Mingli carried the child upstairs.
At this moment, only the mother and daughter were in the large room.
Looking at the child's peaceful sleeping face, Tang Mingli's mind kept replaying the faces of the children she had seen in the village over the past few days.
The idea that all men are born equal is a lie.
However, her daughter was lucky in this life, as she was born into a good family.
In the past, she might have just felt fortunate.
But after returning from the countryside, she couldn't think that way.
People are born unequal, but what makes us human is our humanity.
Tang Mingli felt that after being pampered by the Fu family for several years, she seemed to have regained some of her humanity.
Otherwise, looking at her daughter's peaceful sleeping face, how could she so desperately wish that all children in the world could grow up safely and happily?
-
At the end of August, it was time to register for the new school year.
Tang Mingli and her husband accompanied her mother-in-law to Aunt Xiujuan's village again.
It had been a while since I'd seen Wang Niuhua; she had grown taller and looked thinner.
Seeing them, her joy was palpable.
I wonder if, during this period of waiting, the young girl was worried and afraid that these people who seemed to have fallen from the sky to help her would never appear again.
Their purpose in coming here was, of course, to discuss Wang Niuhua's schooling.
Thanks to compulsory education and their financial resources, Wang Niuhua was able to enroll in the town's central primary school despite not having an urban household registration.
On the day I took Wang Niuhua to school, she was exceptionally excited. Her usually thin face was flushed with joy.
Upon arriving at the school gate, Fu's mother remembered that she still had some things to buy for her child, so she went to a nearby grocery store to buy them.
Fu Ci was worried and went to help.
Before leaving, he told his wife, "You two wait at the door and don't wander off."
Tang Mingli smiled and said, "Go help Mom quickly, or she might get lost."
Wang Niuhua thought the joke was true, so she raised her head, blinked, and asked, "Grandma Yujuan is so old, how could she get lost?"
Tang Mingli laughed and said, "Is there an age limit to getting lost?"
Wang Niuhua scratched her head: "But Grandma told me that Grandma Yujuan is the most amazing friend she knows."
"Yeah?"
The best friend... Tang Mingli's smile suddenly froze on her face.
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Author's note: [Laughing and crying while covering face] Do you all feel sleepy all day and only become energetic at night?
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