After boarding the plane, the old lady held onto Zhang Hongmei's hand tightly and pulled on Liu Jingze with her other hand.
Xiao Wu and the other two sat obediently beside Zhang Hongmei, their faces filled with sorrow. On the other side, Liu Jingze was accompanied by Chongyu and Yuhui.
Over there, Liu Jingxiang and his wife were beside Liu Changhe and his wife. The two elderly people were also forcing themselves to be energetic. In fact, the two of them were not sick or ill, but their lifespan was coming to an end, and they were holding on to see the old lady off.
Liu Aimin and Hu Aifen sat on one side, heartbroken. For so many years, regardless of right or wrong, they had always been there for the three elderly people. They were both nearly seventy years old and knew that everyone must die eventually, but now that it had actually happened, they felt as if there were still many things they hadn't taken care of, and that they hadn't fulfilled their filial duties enough.
The plane arrived in Liujiatun after four hours. The weather was exceptionally bright today, but everyone's mood was the complete opposite, particularly gloomy.
Although the weather was dry and cold, everyone's mood was even colder than the weather.
The current village chief is Qiangzi, whom Lu Jing had already called this morning. So, before they even got off the plane, Liu Yuqiang had already led the entire village over.
There were nearly a thousand people in Liujiatun, and the welcoming procession was quite impressive. Although the young wives and children didn't recognize the old man, the elders in the family did.
The old man said that without the old lady and Zhang Hongmei, it would be questionable whether they could even survive.
They knew how many people died during those years of famine, so even though they had never met the elders, the newlyweds were still grateful.
Everyone in the village, except for the young children who stayed at home, waited on the sidelines.
The cabin door opened, and Liu Aimin and his wife were the first to disembark. Stone's father and several other people of similar age gathered around.
Although they were from different degrees of kinship, they were all members of the Liu family. The bodyguards carried the stretcher, and the old lady was covered very tightly with blankets.
"Everyone's going home, it's too cold."
Liu Yuqiang ran over and said, "Uncle, everyone has come to greet the old lady."
"Okay, let's go back. It's too windy here. Please thank everyone for me."
The old lady still held Zhang Hongmei's hand, and Zhang Hongmei understood what the old lady meant. Upon arriving in the village, she said, "Let's go straight to the brigade headquarters. It's spacious there. I think Grandma wants to see everyone."
"Okay." Liu Aimin immediately went to the front to make the arrangements.
The old woman was carried into the brigade headquarters. Zhang Hongmei helped the old woman up.
Da Shan's father arranged for the villagers to come in one by one to pay their respects to the old man.
Every household has elderly people, and although they are all the old lady's nephews, they all have to be helped over.
Every household that came in knelt down and kowtowed to the old lady.
Zhang Hongmei sat with her arm around the old lady, tears streaming down her face. Xiao Wu held a handkerchief and wiped away his mother's tears.
Seeing her family members made the old lady feel much better, and sometimes she could even exchange a few words with people she knew.
Wang Hongxi then introduced the elderly man to his unfamiliar daughter-in-law and children.
By the time this was all over, it was already 7 p.m.
Liu Aimin thanked the villagers. Da Shan's mother and several other women had already gone back to tidy up the house. The fire had been lit that morning, so the house wasn't cold.
The old lady was carried back home, and her spirits improved even more.
The young people didn't know, but Liu Changhe and his wife panicked; this was a final burst of energy before death.
“Grandma, you have to stay a few more days. My brother Er Lengzi is on his way back. You have to wait for him. You absolutely have to wait for him. I called him, and this grown man cried his eyes out, begging you to wait for him, to wait for him.” Zhang Hongmei said, crying as she spoke.
The old lady smiled and said, "Okay, I'll wait for him, I'll wait for him, and I'll definitely see him come back."
Zhang Hongmei's eyes were already swollen from crying, but she couldn't stop the tears. Liu Jingze, with red eyes, sat next to Zhang Hongmei.
"Alright, you all go and rest. Just let Hongmei and Jingze stay and keep me company."
Li Cuihua, Er Ya, and Jiang Yan came over; the whole family needed to eat, so they had prepared it at home and brought it all over.
But who can eat? “Sister-in-law, you have to eat. Look, the old man is not doing well, and my uncle and aunt also seem to be not doing well. If you don’t hold on, and you collapse from exhaustion, the children will be even more exhausted.”
"Cuihua, my heart aches. I've spent so many years with you, my whole life, and now you're leaving. I'm so sad."
"Sister-in-law, everyone has to go through this, you have to hang in there."
As the two were talking, a commotion came from the courtyard, and they heard hurried footsteps.
Two middle-aged men helped the old man in.
"Mother, Mother, your unfilial son has returned to see you. I've come, Mother." Liu Changhai knelt before the old lady's bedside and wailed loudly.
The old lady opened her eyes and gestured for Liu Jingze to help her up.
The old lady leaned against Zhang Hongmei's chest, looked at her youngest son by the bedside, and tears streamed down her face.
"Mother, Mother, I've come back to see you. Please forgive me, Mother."
An elderly man, over seventy years old, knelt on the ground and wept bitterly.
The old lady understood perfectly well, "Get up, there's no need to forgive or not."
"Mother, after all these years, are you still angry with me? Mother."
"Changhai, it's all in the past. When a person dies, it's like a lamp going out. I'm going to go find your father. I don't know if he's still waiting for me after all these years."
Changhai, go back now. We've seen each other one last time, and there are no regrets. Go back.
Liu Changhai remained kneeling on the ground, weeping bitterly. The six middle-aged men who had followed him also knelt behind him.
"Changhai, ah, go back. I told you, I don't need you to wear mourning clothes for me, I don't need you to kneel before my spirit. Go back."
The old lady closed her eyes after speaking. Zhang Hongmei gently put the old lady down, but still held her hand.
Hearing his mother's words, Liu Changhai felt even more distressed and lay on the ground, sobbing.
Liu Aimin came over and helped Liu Changhai up, saying, "Third Uncle, let's go out and let Grandma rest for a while."
After Liu Aimin persuaded the family to leave, the old lady opened her eyes and said, "Hongmei, you shouldn't have let him come over."
"Grandma, I don't want you to have any regrets. Let my third uncle come and see you. He's already this old."
“I have wronged your uncle my whole life. Now that I am here, I will not leave him any trouble. After I die, I will not need them to send me off. That way, everything will belong to your uncle.”
"Grandma, I understand. Don't worry, there will definitely be no problem."
Liu Jingze remained silent, knowing that the old man was making it up to his father.
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