Qiu Hua only discovered in middle age that death smells like rust.
She stumbled into this familiar home and suddenly forgot how to get to her mother's room.
She even forgot how to walk and how to lift her feet, as if she had returned to her infancy.
She wanted to go back to that time when her mother came out of the room and greeted her with open arms.
Qiuhua's legs were weak and her body was tilted. Wu Xin hugged her, supported her, and walked over step by step.
There were a lot of people gathered in the room.
"Why are you all here?" she asked bewilderedly.
No one said anything, just watched her come and silently made way for her.
"Everyone should go get busy, why are you all here?"
she repeated, forcing a smile.
The room was filled with a strong smell of rust, and she felt her stomach churned, the intense discomfort making her retch.
"Qiuhua is here, Mom, Qiuhua is here! Open your eyes and look!"
It was my sister-in-law's voice, but it was hazy and unclear through a layer of fog.
Both the brother and sister-in-law were there, and they were talking about something, but she couldn't hear it.
Everyone is crying, what are they crying for?
Mom was lying on the bed, looking peaceful, probably asleep.
But the smell of rust became stronger and stronger, and Qiuhua could hardly breathe.
Why is the pillow under Mom’s head bright red?
"What's going on?"
Qiuhua's heart beat faster and faster, thump, thump, thump, thump, and the whole world was filled with this sound.
"Qiuhua, Qiuhua." Wu Xin's voice came in, and she seemed to be more awake.
She looked at the bed again, and yes, it was blood, all over the bed!
"Mom!"
She rushed over, her hands were sticky and covered in blood!
"Go and call Xiaohua!" someone shouted.
In order to carry the last load of vegetables, Qiu Zhen still went out. She carried the load happily and planned the big things for tomorrow.
A motorcycle roared over. Perhaps the young man had something bothering him today and had a few drinks.
The car hooked the rope, which was connected to the shoulder pole, and knocked Qiu Zhen down.
The hole on the back of her head was connected to a revolving lantern, blood was flowing out, the revolving lantern was spinning rapidly, and her life flashed before her eyes.
"Wu Xin, come and see Mom! Bandage her!" Qiuhua pulled him.
Wu Xin hugged her, feeling heartbroken.
"Go! I beg you, Wu Xin, please save her! You're a doctor! You're a doctor!"
"Qiuhua—Qiuhua—"
Wu Xin pressed her against his chest, unable to do anything.
"Let me go—"
Qiuhua burst into tears and struggled to throw herself beside her mother, holding her mother's hand tremblingly.
"It's hot! Wu Xin, my hands are hot!" She asked Wu Xin for help again.
Wu Xin shook his head cruelly. Qiu Hua felt that his face was so unfamiliar.
"Xiaohua is here! Xiaohua is here!"
There was a commotion in the room. Xiaohua rushed in, unable to utter a word, and fell to his knees.
"Mom..." He moved his knees and knelt over.
"Open your eyes and look at me!"
He rushed forward and someone held him back.
"Auntie!" Xiaomei knelt beside Xiaohua, her tears real.
"Mom," Dahua sobbed, "Don't worry, everyone is here and everything is fine. We've already sent someone to pick up Chunhua, and she should be on the way. Just close your eyes."
He reached out and gently stroked Qiu Zhen's cheek. Her eyes, which had been slightly open just now, were now closed.
There were cries everywhere and white cloth was hung on the gate.
Liang Genfa collapsed on the side of the bed and did not respond no matter how he was called.
A group of monks and Taoists chanted sutras for three days, and everyone in Hetou Village came to see her for the last time.
Qiuhua fainted from crying, then woke up, then fainted again from crying.
Fanfan timidly grabbed Wu Xin and asked, "Dad, why is Haopo lying there motionless? Why isn't she talking?"
Why is Mommy crying?"
Wu Xin picked her up and whispered, "Good mother-in-law is asleep."
Fanfan looked at his father, tears welling up in his little eyes.
"My good mother-in-law won't make me pumpkin and frog head porridge anymore, will she?"
The little guy burst into tears after he finished speaking, and Wu Xin also shed tears.
She used the back of her small hand to wipe away her father's tears: "Dad, I'm scared."
Fanfan didn't say what he was afraid of.
She was not afraid of her mother-in-law lying there, she was afraid that her parents would lie there motionless like her mother-in-law, and in the end Fanfan would be the only one left.
Xiaohua called Xiaomei outside and said, "Go ahead."
His voice was hoarse, his face was a little swollen, and his crew cut looked a little messy.
Xiaomei was still sobbing, her eyes swollen as big as walnuts.
"I'm not leaving."
"Look at the situation at home. I won't give you any betrothal gifts or gold jewelry. I'll let you go, child..." He choked.
The young man had just lost his mother and was about to lose his child.
Sadness can come again and again.
"I won't leave, Xiaohua, I won't leave." She cried even more sadly, "Aunt treats me like her own daughter, I won't leave."
"Are you feeling sorry for me?" Xiaohua laughed bitterly.
"I didn't! Please don't chase me away, please! Let me see my aunt off for the last time!"
If you are willing to keep me, we can live a good life with our children. If you are not willing, I will leave.
I was wrong, I had evil intentions, you can do whatever you want with me!"
Xiaohua took a deep breath and said, "I know your feelings for my mom, they are real.
For me... I don't know. It's up to you. Mom would probably like you to see her off."
On the day of the funeral, the children wore mourning clothes. Xiaomei put herself in the position of the daughter-in-law who had not yet married into the family, and also wore white cloth and a sack.
The altar was placed outside, the white cloth on the door was lifted, and the person was about to be carried out. The children knew that they could not keep her, and they cried out in their throats and could not stop.
Dahua and Erhua were the first to kneel.
The two grown men cried and kowtowed, one, two, three... and refused to get up.
Someone tried to pull him away, but Dahua stood up and knelt again. Erhua pushed the man away, crying and cursing, "Get out of here! I'm kneeling to my mother!"
Behind them were Xiaohua and Wu Xin kneeling.
After the men knelt, Qiuhua and Chunhua led the women to kneel.
Qiuhua cried until she lost her voice and called out hoarsely. From her mouth shape, one could tell that she was calling out "Mom".
She had no strength left and couldn't get up after kneeling down. Chunhua held her and half-carried her, and the two sisters cried together.
Xiaomei knelt behind them and said, "Mom, I have long regarded you as my own mother. Don't worry, I will take good care of Xiaohua's child!"
Dahua lifted the jar and threw it heavily to the ground. The funeral procession was so bright that it hurt people's eyes.
In the end, man becomes nothing more than a handful of dirt.
When a person’s whole life is put into a square box, it suddenly seems meaningless.
The cemetery is located on a small hill, very close to the top of the mountain, and can get sunlight when the weather is good.
The little old lady can enjoy the sunshine there, and when she has nothing to do, she can look at the small yard at the foot of the mountain where Guoguo will do homework and play.
Another child will be born in the near future.
How far are life and death apart?
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