Chapter 249 Tears
Xie Yun drove fast and steadily. She also prepared mint ointment and other things in the car to help passengers refresh themselves.
In addition, there are snacks such as peanuts and melon seeds to pass the time.
It was Wang Huaqing's first time riding in a car, and she adapted well. She was curious about everything and kept looking out the window, trying to guess where she was going.
She told Xie Yun, "Although I've never traveled far, my father and brother used to go out often. When they came back, they told me that after Taoyuan Town, there's Baima Town, after Baima Town, there's Songshan Town, after Songshan Town, you're in the county. After leaving Qushui County, there's Yuyang County..."
Xie Yun said, "You have an excellent memory. You remember it exactly. It is indeed true."
Wang Huaqing said: "My father and others have told me this many times."
She looked out the window for a long time before she said, "My brothers and their companions died in Rencheng. My eldest brother was only 28 years old at the time, and my second brother was only 24. My eldest brother was not a good student, so he stayed at home to help my father, get married, and have children.
He left home to join the army and never came back. My sister-in-law was pregnant at the time, so Haoyu never saw his father since he was born.
My second oldest brother was a university student at the time. My father wrote him a letter, urging him to defend our country. It took a while for the letter to reach him, but by the time he received it, he'd already gone to war and wasn't even in school. He didn't tell my father, fearing he wouldn't agree. He only left a suicide note for his comrades, asking them to mail it home if he died.
He was so happy to receive my father's letter that he replied immediately. My father also asked someone to send him money as funds to fight the Japanese. At that time, I thought that the suicide note would not be used, but I didn't expect that I would receive it later.
When my mother saw the letter, she fainted.
My second brother was the most promising young man in our area. When he died, it was not only my parents who were heartbroken, but also many others. At that time, our Liushu Village was renamed Wang Huali Village. Wang Huali was my second brother's name. A monument was erected in his honor at the entrance of the village.
After two years of being called Wanghuali Village, the name was changed back to Liushu Village. The stele was also removed, smoothed and used for building houses.
Wang Huaqing looked out the window and talked a lot.
She spoke calmly, but the sadness and despair that permeated her words were still strong.
Xie Yun and Secretary Yang, who were in the audience, were already in tears.
Wang Huaqing listened to their suppressed sobs and started crying too.
So many years have passed, and she no longer cries when she thinks of the past. She even thought her tears had dried up.
She thought her father and brother had been forgotten.
She thought she was the only one who remembered it.
But at this moment, hearing the cries of Xie Yun and Yang Jingxiu, her frozen heart began to thaw.
Perhaps as time goes by, no one will remember her father and brothers anymore, but it doesn’t matter. Their sacrifice is meaningful and valuable. Everyone living on this land has benefited from their efforts, and that’s good.
There were thousands and thousands of people who sacrificed their lives like her father and brother back then. Some of them made outstanding contributions and will be remembered forever, but more of them were ordinary people like her father and brother. Even though they were unknown, they were heroes.
Wang Huaqing wiped his tears and said, "Alright, stop crying. My father was most afraid of me crying when he was alive."
Xie Yun: “…”
Yang Jingxiu: “…”
Okay, I’ll listen to you.
Xie Yun sniffed and reached out to wipe away her tears. Her vision was blurred just now. Fortunately, there were no cars on the road, otherwise she would be in danger.
Qushui County is not far from the provincial capital. If there is a highway, it would take less than two hours to drive there. However, under the current road conditions, Xie Yun drove for a whole day, and it was dark when he arrived at the provincial capital.
Xie Yun drove the car directly to the Finance Department's staff quarters, where Wang Haoyu was waiting for them on the roadside.
When she was in the county, she called Wang Haoyu and told him the approximate time of arrival.
Xie Yun looked at his watch and found that it was more than an hour later than she said.
Considering the health of Wang Huaqing and Yang Jingxiu, she drove a little slowly, and even let them stop to rest for a while and eat something.
Wang Haoyu came forward as soon as he saw the car and opened the passenger door, "Auntie!"
"Why."
"You finally came to see me."
Wang Haoyu was very excited, but also a little aggrieved. He had asked his aunt many times to come to the provincial capital to live with him, but she refused. He wanted to hug his aunt, but the current environment did not allow it, so he could only stand there like a telephone pole.
Wang Huaqing said, "What are you doing? Why do you look like that? Are you not happy to see me?"
"Happy."
"When you are happy, you smile."
Wang Haoyu forced a smile.
While they were chatting, Xie Yun and Yang Jingxiu also got out of the car.
Wang Haoyu greeted them again: "Uncle Yang, Xiao Xie. You can stay at my house today. Uncle Yang, squeeze in with me, and Xiao Xie, you can squeeze in with my aunt and my mom."
Xie Yun said, "No, I'll stay at the guesthouse. It'll be reimbursed. I heard that the provincial guesthouses have shower rooms, so I'm going to try them out. A country bumpkin coming to the city is always curious about everything."
Wang Haoyu laughed and said, "The old-fashioned crowd wouldn't admit you're one of them, would they? But what you said is true. There is indeed a shower room. Go try it. Uncle Yang, what about you?"
"I'll go to the guesthouse too."
How could he, a middle-aged man, have the nerve to live in someone else's house?
Wang Haoyu wanted to persuade him, but Wang Huaqing said, "Don't waste time. Hurry up and get your things. Let Xiao Xie and the others go to the guesthouse to rest early."
"Why."
Wang Huaqing then said to Yang Jingxiu, "Get in the car first, don't stand here. Go to bed early when you get to the guesthouse. If you feel unwell, call Xiao Xie to find a doctor for you. Don't be so curious like a child!"
"Hey hey hey."
Yang Jingxiu agreed repeatedly and obediently got back into the car.
Xie Yun originally thought he would have to make two trips to move things, but unexpectedly, as soon as they started moving, Wang Haoyu's mother and wife, who were waiting at home worriedly, came over and arrived just in time to help.
Wang Haoyu's mother, Ning Qiuye, and Wang Huaqing held hands and looked at each other with tears in their eyes, each wanting to say countless things to the other. Only after Wang Haoyu and his wife, Li Xiuying, persuaded them to calm down did they regain their composure.
The moment their family was reunited, Xie Yun tactfully hid back in the car.
She had always thought she was a somewhat indifferent person, but what she experienced today told her that perhaps it wasn't the case, and her tear point wasn't that high. The image of the sister-in-law meeting her made her nose sore again, and tears flowed uncontrollably.
Yang Jingxiu, who was sitting in the back, was not in a much better condition. He covered his face with one hand and his lips trembled from crying.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
