Chapter 326: Rural Absurd Past Events Chapter 326: Rural Funeral, Simple and Real (2)

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Cremation is now basically universal in rural areas; unlike before, when some people could still be secretly buried underground, everyone is cremated now. Cremation here isn't like on TV, where everything is burned into powdered ashes; instead, only bones remain.

The crematorium staff will even ask you whether you want it burned more thoroughly or not so thoroughly.

Burning it more thoroughly means the flesh is completely incinerated, but the downside is the bones may be shattered.

Not burning it so thoroughly means the bones' integrity is largely guaranteed, but the downside is that some large bones may still have blackened, not-yet-completely-burned flesh clinging to them.

Rural people generally definitely want to keep the bones intact, and crematorium staff are very willing to meet this condition, after all, it saves a lot of fuel.

Liang Xinghua also chose not to burn his father so thoroughly.

He submitted the death certificate and paid the cremation fee.

Liang Yuanchao's body was sent into the cremation furnace.

After burning for about half an hour, a staff member came over and had Liang Xinghua bring the golden urn to collect the bones.

The crematorium sells golden urns, ash boxes, and other funeral supplies, but does not force the deceased's family members to buy their things.

One can only say this crematorium is relatively humane.

Liang Xinghua and a relative carried the golden urn prepared long ago to the exit on the other side of the cremation furnace.

The crematorium staff member, holding an iron hook over four meters long, hooked out the remaining bones from inside the cremation furnace.

When the bones were hooked out, some still had charred flesh attached, and the charred flesh was still burning with flames.

A smell of charred barbecue meat permeated the air.

Some people who couldn't bear to watch this scene hurriedly went outside, and some even vomited.

But many villagers still curiously gathered to watch, without much reaction.

Wang Zhanggen was among the onlookers.

He watched the crematorium staff member hold fire tongs, clamp Liang Yuanchao's bones, and place them inside the golden urn; for those bones still carrying some charred flesh, the staff member even thoughtfully helped pick at them, pulling the charred flesh off.

Wang Zhanggen felt like vomiting upon seeing this, hurriedly turned around and went outside, and quickly lit a cigarette for himself.

It took a long time before he calmed his mood.

His fear of death was much stronger than other people's.

Because he knew he was closer to death than other normal people.

His cerebral infarction and his thyroid cancer made him involuntarily put himself in Liang Yuanchao's position.

Being burned like that must really hurt, right...

Wang Zhanggen thought this again in his heart.

Soon, Liang Yuanchao's bones were completely gathered into the golden urn by the staff member.

The master Li Hongshou put the lid on the golden urn, affixed a seal strip, and then two coffin bearers carried the golden urn away, while Liang Xinghua held the portrait of the deceased, walking at the very front to lead the way.

The band's music played.

The grand funeral procession set off on the return road.

Back in Shangou Village, they carried the golden urn containing Liang Yuanchao's bones down to the gravesite dug long ago on the mountain for burial.

After finishing all this, it was already past two in the afternoon.

Everyone was starving.

The cooks for the flowing water banquet had long prepared the rice and dishes.

They hurriedly set out the tables and quickly served rice and dishes.

Everyone began eating the banquet.

During the meal, Liang Xinghua came to every table to offer respectful tea in thanks.

Liang Xinghua breathed a huge sigh of relief in his heart.

This funeral was finally over.

For him, this was absolutely a kind of relief.

He sincerely thanked everyone who came to help.

Without these relatives, without these villagers, he wouldn't have known what to do.

Birth, aging, sickness, and death are major events in life.

Before, he didn't understand why death was also seen as so important; he thought death was just a momentary thing. Now, after arranging his father's funeral, he deeply realized what a huge thing death is.

Not only is it a major thing for the deceased, but also for the deceased's children and relatives.

He also deeply understood why rural people view funerals as more important than weddings: almost the whole village comes to help with funerals, and they come even without being invited, whereas for weddings, generally only those who were invited come.

After eating this meal, this funeral was considered satisfactorily concluded.

The guests gradually dispersed, and inside the Liang family courtyard, it went from noisy and bustling back to cold and quiet.

Liang Xinghua came to the side room where his father's portrait was placed and offered incense before the portrait.

"Dad, I only took three days off, and I have to go to work tomorrow, so I'll have to leave soon."

Liang Xinghua hurried back to Shenzhen that same afternoon.

The huge house was left with only a mess and the lonely Zhou Aidi by herself.

Zhou Aidi sat in the courtyard in a daze, looking at the sunset red enough to bleed, and couldn't help sighing.

Originally, the two elderly spouses staying in the rural area were already very lonely; now that her old partner Liang Yuanchao had passed away, she was even lonelier.

To pass the time and dispel this loneliness, early the next morning, Zhou Aidi began going to the fields to do farm work.

Even without work, he had to find work to do.

She could not stay idle, because once idle, the feeling of loneliness would quickly swallow her, causing her emotions to collapse and her to cry without stopping.

So she became more diligent than before.

On the other side, Wang Zhanggen, accompanied by Li Xiulan, came to the County People's Hospital again.

"Doctor, I've decided to have the surgery."

Wang Zhanggen told the doctor in Thyroid and Breast Surgery his purpose.

Because Wang Zhanggen had visited before and there were records at the hospital, the doctor still had some impression of him, and he answered with a smile:

"It's good that you've figured it out. Once you have an illness, you must face it openly; avoidance is not a method. This surgery should definitely be done as early as possible. I'll arrange a bed for you right now. Fill out this risk consent form, then go pay."

The doctor wrote out the form, and the surgery cost more than twenty thousand.

Li Xiulan said in surprise:

"Wasn't it said that around ten thousand would do?"

The doctor explained:

"If you use Cooperative Medical Care for reimbursement, it's around ten thousand."

The doctor also said:

"Cooperative Medical Care is not like Medical Insurance; it cannot be deducted now. You have to return to Town, go to the relevant units there, go through the process, and then you can get reimbursed."

Li Xiulan said "oh," thinking to herself how troublesome it was.

But she said nothing more. She and Wang Zhanggen understood nothing; whatever the doctor said, they would obediently do as told.

As for that Preoperative Risk Consent Form, they did not look at it closely either. The dense text, so many pages, so many technical terms—even if they looked carefully, they would not understand much.

After paying the surgery fee in advance, the doctor handled the admission procedures for Wang Zhanggen.

Wang Zhanggen came to the Ward to stay, first underwent a preoperative physical examination, and after the results came out, he could have the surgery the next day.

The doctor instructed Wang Zhanggen that after ten o'clock tonight, he could not eat anything, nor drink water.

Wang Zhanggen obediently nodded and said he understood.

The Wards at this hospital were not Single Rooms; there were three other patients, all there for thyroid surgery.

Among these three patients, only one was older than Wang Zhanggen. The other two were a man in his thirties and a young girl only in her twenties.

The Nurse said that in recent years, many people have gotten Thyroid Nodules; there weren't so many before, and no one knew why.

The Nurse also comforted Wang Zhanggen and the other patients, saying this was just a very small surgery, it would be done quickly, and after being discharged, resting for ten days or half a month would lead to recovery. As long as it was not a Total Thyroidectomy, it would basically have no effect on daily life.

At past nine in the evening, Li Xiulan bought Wonton from Outside and brought it back, letting Wang Zhanggen eat his last meal, because after ten o'clock, he could not eat anything anymore.

Wang Zhanggen had no appetite at all; he ate a few bites and could not eat anymore.

Bottom line, it was his first time undergoing such a major surgery, and he was still very nervous and afraid.

"Should we call Dashan and Erhai now, or wait until after the surgery to call them?"

Li Xiulan asked this sentence at this time.

Wang Zhanggen thought for a moment:

"Let's wait until after the surgery tomorrow to talk about it."

In the simple values of Rural People, it was customary to report joy but not sorrow, whether it was children to parents or parents to children; they were all like this.