Chapter 871

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Li Xiaohe's funeral proceedings were underway, yet Wang Zhanggen was discussing blind dates with Wang Erhai.

Reality is like this — a so-called matter of life and death is only a big deal to you; to outsiders, it is merely an ordinary banquet.

Chatting about other things at the banquet is perfectly normal.

Zhang Zhongtian bustled back and forth.

Greeting guests, directing the flowing-water banquet, and coordinating procedures with the coffin bearers and the master of ceremonies.

His son Zhang Zhiqiang only needed to keep vigil inside the house.

If Zhang Zhiqiang were made to handle these matters, he wouldn't be able to manage them.

In the realm of human relations and social graces, Zhang Zhiqiang had not inherited any of Zhang Zhongtian's ability.

At nine o'clock in the morning, firecrackers sounded.

Li Xiaohe's coffin was carried out.

After a simple ceremony, it was loaded onto the funeral car.

Neither Wang Zhanggen nor Wang Erhai followed to the crematorium.

Instead they stayed in Shanggou Village, helping with odd jobs.

Such as setting up tables, carrying dishes, and the like.

Around two in the afternoon, Zhang Zhongtian and the others returned from the crematorium.

Li Xiaohe had already become bones placed inside a golden urn.

This vibrant life flashed by in an instant, leaving a faint trace, then departed.

Her son Zhang Jiajun was still in high spirits during lunch.

Only after eating did he try to find his mother, yet discovered he could not find her no matter what, and that was when he began to cry.

Grandmother Yao Aina kept comforting her grandson, but could not console him.

Perhaps this was the first time in little Zhang Jiajun's life that he felt sorrow.

When he grows up and recalls this memory, who knows what he will feel.

After the funeral banquet dispersed, Shanggou Village quickly returned to calm.

Zhang Zhongtian personally saw Li Jianguo and Zhāng Huìjuān off, and with his own hands placed 200,000 into their hands.

He also said:

"In-laws, no matter what happens from now on, my son is still your son-in-law. If you have any matter needing help from my side, just call — I will certainly do my utmost to help!"

Li Jianguo, eyes red:

"Kind of you... you people are so good, so why did Xiaohe have to... sigh!"

Zhāng Huìjuān said instead:

"Don't bring up those sad things anymore; it's all in the past."

After Zhang Zhongtian saw Li Jianguo and Zhāng Huìjuān off and returned, this matter was finally settled, and he could at last breathe a sigh of relief.

Meanwhile, his son Zhang Zhiqiang was secretly contacting Ma Xiaolin.

He wanted to tell Ma Xiaolin that things here were settled and he could return to Dongguan tomorrow.

But at this moment he discovered that Ma Xiaolin's phone could no longer be reached.

Sending a WeChat message brought up a red exclamation mark.

Searching QQ contacts, Ma Xiaolin's QQ could no longer be found.

Only then did Zhang Zhiqiang realize that Ma Xiaolin had deleted all his contact methods — she had definitely run off.

Yet he still couldn't accept it.

So early the next morning, he went to Dongguan.

Arrived at the house they rented.

Discovered Ma Xiaolin had already packed all her luggage and clothes and vanished without a trace.

Only then did Zhang Zhiqiang have to accept this cruel reality.

For this woman Ma Xiaolin, he had caused his own wife's death.

Result: Ma Xiaolin, seeing trouble on his end, fled without a word.

Not even a single notification to him!

So-called love turns out to be this fragile.

Zhang Zhiqiang became depressed because of this.

Not that he loved Ma Xiaolin that much.

It was just that Ma Xiaolin dumping him like this made him very unwilling to let it go.

"Ma Xiaolin, don't let me see you again — if I see you again, I'll absolutely beat you to death!"

Zhang Zhiqiang shouted into the empty rental house.

Finally he packed up and returned to Shanggou Village that same day.

Ma Xiaolin was already gone; staying in Dongguan to work held no meaning.

Back in Shanggou Village, his father Zhang Zhongtian learned he was no longer doing that job in Dongguan, yet did not blame him at all.

Instead he said:

"Not doing it is fine too; working outside, you won't earn much money. Better to come back and follow me — I'll teach you some things hand in hand, and in a couple of years when I can't work anymore, that New Era Restaurant in town will be handed over to you to manage. Additionally, you can make preparations in advance and build good relations with the town leaders, to prepare for running for village cadre later."

Zhang Zhiqiang nodded:

"Okay."

That night, he lay on the bed.

Facing the empty ceiling.

His heart was a mix of five flavors.

Li Xiaohe's image appeared in his mind from time to time.

Making him toss and turn, unable to sleep.

He turned over once, and his gaze unintentionally swept toward the window.

A white human face was stuck right against the window!

Terrifying beyond compare!

It was shockingly Li Xiaohe's face!

"Ah!"

Zhang Zhiqiang was scared into a violent shiver.

He hurriedly sat up from the bed.

Only then did he discover that he had fallen asleep at some unknown time, and then had a nightmare.

The next morning, Zhang Zhiqiang ate breakfast listlessly, and told his parents about last night's nightmare.

Yao Aina heard this, and immediately worried incessantly:

"It seems Xiaohe left unwillingly; she still carries resentment. Old man, you say what to do?"

Zhang Zhongtian's face was heavy, and he said:

"It seems we can only invite Wu Banxian over to perform a ritual."

So that day, Zhang Zhongtian went to the neighboring town and invited Wu Banxian over.

After Wu Banxian understood the situation, he set up a ritual altar in the villa and performed an exorcism ritual ceremony.

Then he also used peach branches and xianglu, bundled them into a small bunch, and hung them on every door and window of the villa.

Additionally, at the main courtyard gate, he hung up a cactus, as well as a bagua mirror.

Besides that, he also gave Zhang Zhongtian, Zhang Zhiqiang, Yao Aina, and even the child Zhang Jiajun each a cup of Fúshuǐ to drink.

This ritual ceremony completed, Zhang Zhongtian spent seven or eight thousand yuan.

This price, in the rural area, counted as very high.

But he felt it was worth it.

Li Xiaohe's ghost should not come to disturb them again.

But for some reason.

Ever since Zhang Zhongtian drank the Fúshuǐ, he started coughing.

No medicine he took had any effect.

His body grew weaker day by day.

In just half a month, he had weakened a lot.

Seeing things getting more and more wrong, Zhang Zhongtian decided to go to the county town Renmin Hospital for a full-body inspection.

The result: not inspecting, you don't know; one inspection, a shock.

The inspection report came out, discovering a problem in the lungs — should be cancer, and quite large. The doctor suggested Zhang Zhongtian go to a third-class hospital in Guangzhou for a detailed re-examination, to see if there was still a chance for surgery.

Zhang Zhongtian was immediately badly frightened.

The next day, accompanied by Zhang Zhiqiang, he made a trip to Guangzhou and registered for an expert appointment.

The expert had Zhang Zhongtian redo a CT; after getting the results, he shook his head incessantly:

"Yours is very likely small cell lung cancer; the situation is not good."

Zhang Zhiqiang hurriedly asked:

"Doctor, what is small cell lung cancer?"

The doctor said: "Lung cancer commonly has three types: adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, small cell carcinoma. Small cell carcinoma is the rarest of these three, but also the highest in malignancy. It has a characteristic: it is extremely prone to recurrence and metastasis, and many patients, once discovered, are already in late stage, because generally before discovery, they are all without pain or itch."

Zhang Zhongtian could barely breathe, his hands trembled, his spine turned cold:

"Doc... doctor, then mine... is already late stage?"