When the bell of the new century rang, the old lady of the Zhong family suddenly fell ill, and when she went to the hospital for an examination, it turned out to be kidney failure.

This year, Li Chunhua is 74 years old, and her wife Zhong Shulin is three years older than her, 77.

Li Chunhua was admitted to the hospital, and although she was carefully treated, her condition became more and more serious. The doctor said that even if it is the result of the aging of the body, there is no good way. According to Mrs. Zhong's weak physique, she has also undergone cancer surgery, and it is a miracle that she can live to such an age.

Zhong Shan discussed with his father whether to tell his mother the truth, Zhong Shulin thought about it and said, "Let's tell her, if she knows about her condition, she may have something to say to us, so as not to leave regrets behind her." ”

That night, in the dead of night, Zhong Shulin held the withered and thin hand of his wife who had lived together for half a century, and said: "Shanzi Mom, this time I have to tell you the truth, the doctor said, you have kidney failure this time, that is, people are old, body parts are useless, and they don't have any tricks to fix it, this time, you are afraid that you will not be able to escape." ”

Li Chunhua looked at her husband's face, sighed for a while, and said: "His father, as a woman, I have lived to this point in this life, I am worth it, but I have suffered from you, an old guy, and guarded me as a useless woman all my life." As he spoke, he shed two lines of tears.

Zhong Shulin hurriedly looked for a towel, and said while wiping his tears for his wife: "You old woman, you are talking nonsense again, who said that you are useless?" You have served me to eat and dress me all your life, and you have helped me raise my son and grandchildren, what are you sorry for me? ”

Li Chunhua held his wife's hand holding the towel with her thin hand and said: "Speaking of my son, I have already thought about it, before I die, I have to tell him Shanzi's life experience, if he has the conditions, he can go to find his parents." ”

Zhong Shulin smiled and said, "You old woman, you finally figured it out, aren't you afraid of your son running away this time?" ”

Li Chunhua also smiled with tears in her eyes and said, "Run, run, I believe that this kid can't say that we treat him badly when he runs to his parents." It's a matter of Meihui, we did something inappropriate, we shouldn't force the child, and in the end, the two didn't get together. ”

Zhong Shulin said: "You don't have to blame yourself for this matter, I am also responsible, I always impose my own ideas on the child, and I don't respect his own opinions." ”

The next morning, Li Chunhua was already angry when she spoke, called her son Zhongshan in front of her, and said intermittently: "Child, Mom - I can't stand you, with you - I have hidden a big thing, you - yes - I and your father - adopted children from the orphanage. After saying this, Mrs. Zhong no longer had the strength to speak, only gasping for breath.

Zhong Shan saw that his mother's breath was weakening little by little, and his eyes were dimming a little, and he suddenly cried loudly: "Mom, wake up, don't go, you are my own mother!" ”

The son's cries could no longer bring back his mother, who was far away. This female doll begging along the way, this woman who has been transformed from a child daughter-in-law and has taken care of her husband all her life, this kind mother who raised her son, and this loving grandmother who brought up her grandson, told the secret that she carefully guarded for 36 years, in fact, her son had already debunked it 24 years ago, and walked her 74-year bumpy life road.

According to the old lady's wishes, her ashes were buried next to the graves of her parents-in-law in Liushutun's hometown.

On the day of Mrs. Zhong's funeral, it was a cold and windy winter day, and the willows, poplars, and old elms at the head of the village were blown by the old north wind and made a terrible cry, and the mourners wore cotton hats, cotton gloves, and cotton shoes, and their faces were still red from the wind, and their hands and feet were frozen like cat bites.

After sending Li Chunhua away, Zhong Shulin and Zhong Shan's father and son returned to Qingshan from Liushutun and returned to their empty home, their eyes were full of items used by Mrs. Zhong, sighing that things were wrong, and they couldn't help but feel sad.

Zhong Shulin asked his son to sit on the sofa, lit a cigarette, slowly unveiled the veil of family history, and told his son about the dusty past of decades one by one......

(End of Volume III)