Zhang Hongmei pondered for a long time, but still couldn't come up with a solution. She decided to ask others before making a decision. She had the idea but didn't know if it was feasible.
I spent lunchtime reading, thinking I should take the opportunity to go to the county to look for junior and senior high school textbooks. Chinese is my weak point, so I should memorize all the texts in the textbooks beforehand. I'll also go to the bookstore to see if they have any history books, especially modern history. I absolutely cannot afford to have problems due to inaccuracies in my historical knowledge.
"Hongmei, open the door quickly, we have guests." Liu Maocai led Yu Chenglong over from outside the door.
As soon as Zhang Hongmei thought of the guests, she thought of Xiao Hongmei's parents' comrade-in-arms and hurriedly replied, "Third Uncle, I'll open the door right away."
Zhang Hongmei opened the door and saw Liu Maocai and a man in his twenties wearing a military uniform beside him. "Third Uncle, and this uncle, please come inside and sit down."
"Comrade Yu, please come in and have a seat. This is Zhang Aiguo's daughter, Zhang Hongmei."
"Hello Zhang Hongmei, my name is Yu Chenglong. I am your parents' comrade-in-arms. I came here to bring your parents back to their hometown and also brought their belongings. They are all in the car. I will go and call the comrades from the Armed Forces Department to bring the car over. The car is still at the entrance of the brigade headquarters."
"Comrade Yu, you don't need to run anymore." Liu Maocai saw the villagers who had gathered to watch the commotion and said, "Dazhuang, go to the entrance of the brigade office and bring over the comrade who was driving."
"Okay, Third Uncle, I'm going right now." Da Zhuang turned and ran.
"Comrade Yu, shall we wait here or go inside?"
"Let's wait here." Yu Chenglong really didn't talk much. He wasn't tall, and his face showed that he was a serious and unsmiling person. Anyway, he gave Zhang Hongmei a good impression and seemed quite upright.
Zhang Hongmei also wanted to wait here. In the countryside, there are many customs. When a deceased person returns to their hometown, they should be welcomed into their own home first. As their daughter, she should personally carry the ashes into the house and place them in their room.
A moment later, Zhang Hongmei saw a green jeep pull up. At the door, a young soldier jumped out and saluted Yu Chenglong, who returned the salute. "Commander, requesting instructions."
After returning the greeting, Yu Chenglong didn't give any orders. Instead, he personally opened the back door of the car and took out two jars. Zhang Hongmei immediately ran over, reached out to take them, and tears streamed down her face. Li Cuihua also arrived and reached out to support Zhang Hongmei, saying, "Girl, Hongmei, don't cry. Your parents are finally back. They can finally be laid to rest." She choked out these words before helping Zhang Hongmei walk towards her home.
Yu Chenglong saluted the young soldier and said, "Move everything from the vehicle inside." Then he followed Liu Maocai into the yard.
Li Cuihua helped Zhang Hongmei, who was carrying two jars, into Zhang Aiguo and his wife's bedroom. Zhang Hongmei reverently placed the jars on the kang (a heated brick bed), saying, "Mom and Dad, you're home." She then burst into tears.
At this moment, several more women came in, and seeing Zhang Hongmei crying, they also shed tears. "What a tragedy! Zhang Aiguo and Cui Lin are enjoying their lives without a care in the world, but how will this little one survive? These heartless parents!"
The room was filled with crying. Liu Maocai and Yu Chenglong also came in. The young soldier also brought in two wooden boxes, and Dazhuang helped carry them in. It was really hard work for one person.
Later, several more elderly men and women entered. In Zhang Hongmei's memory, these were the most senior people in the village, and she had to call them "Grandpa" and "Great-Grandma." Liu Maocai quickly invited the elderly people to sit on the kang (a heated brick bed). Someone even helped the oldest woman into the room.
"Mao Cai, now that Gou Dan and his wife are back, you should take care of things. There's no time to prepare a coffin now, so we'll use your uncle's coffin. Find a few strong young men to carry it over."
"It was all my fault for having a mistress. I should have made preparations as soon as I heard the news. I'm sorry to have troubled you and my uncle." Liu Maocai felt ashamed. How could he have forgotten?
"What's the big deal? Go on, hurry up." The old lady waved her hand, telling Liu Maocai to get ready quickly.
An elderly man with gray hair, sitting on the kang (a heated brick bed), spoke up, "Comrade, thank you for bringing Zhang Aiguo and his wife back, allowing them to return to their hometown and be laid to rest. We, the men of Liujiatun, thank you all." After saying this, he got off the kang and tried to kneel down, and all the men in the room knelt down with him.
Before the old man could kneel down, Yu Chenglong helped him up, saying, "Grandpa, you're shortening my lifespan. I can't bear your kneeling. Everyone, please get up. This is what I should do." After saying that, he helped the old man sit up on the kang (a heated brick bed) and then helped the five kneeling men up one by one.
Zhang Hongmei was deeply moved by the scene unfolding in Li Cuihua's arms. She memorized the faces of several people and resolved to repay them in the future. She wasn't without care, and the villagers weren't indifferent. In fact, Zhang Hongmei was unaware that almost everyone in the village had come to see her before she transmigrated.
The old man said to the five elderly people sitting on the kang, "Now that the child has returned, let them rest in peace. But they only have one girl, Hongmei, and there's no one to hold the urn after it's been knocked over."
"Yes, Gou Dan doesn't have any nephews or nieces within the Five Blessings."
Zhang Hongmei sat up straight and looked at the elderly people. "Grandpas and grandmas, I knocked over the pot and broke the basin for my parents. I am their daughter."
The old lady looked at Zhang Hongmei with satisfaction and said, "Okay, let Hongmei come. If Hongmei is married, her son-in-law can come, but she is still a child, so it can only be her."
The elderly people nodded in agreement; it wasn't uncommon for daughters to care for their parents in their final days.
The old man looked at Zhang Hongmei and said, "From now on, you are the head of the Zhang family, and everyone in the village will acknowledge that."
Zhang Hongmei knelt on the kang (a heated brick bed) and kowtowed to the elderly people, saying, "Grandpas and grandmas, I will support the Zhang family."
"Cuihua, go prepare mourning clothes for Hongmei. I have some white cloth; go get it from your aunt. Tell everyone to prepare their own mourning bands. The whole village, young and old, must pay their respects to Gou Dan and his wife. They are the pride of our village; they sacrificed themselves to protect us."
"Yes, Second Mistress, I'll go right away." Li Cuihua got off the kang (heated brick bed) and hurriedly went out.
Zhang Hongmei didn't know what to do next, so she waited for the elders to give instructions. Just then, a commotion came from the courtyard. It turned out that Liu Maocai and the others were carrying the coffin in.
The old lady said to Zhang Hongmei, "Hongmei, bring over a set of clothes that your parents used to wear. We'll put them in the coffin later. We can't wear funeral clothes now, but we can't let them go naked. Come and help Hongmei prepare."
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