Meng Yan's Transformation

Mr. Cao slowly opened his eyes as the production team leader and fellow villagers called out to him. There seemed to be a layer of mist floating in his eyes, and he looked around the crowd for something...

"Mr. Cao, Mr. Cao! I...I..." Zhan Ziqiang pushed through the crowd, stepped forward, shook Mr. Cao's hand, choking with sobs and unable to speak.

Mr. Cao's eyes became clear, full of warmth and love...

"Zi Qiang, you are a good and kind child. You have made efforts to save your brothers and sisters from hunger... I knew about your coming to the entrance of my tunnel for the first time. Today, the smoke from your barbecue rushed to my house... I should have drawn the tunnel map earlier... You have a disability and you should practice martial arts to strengthen your body... I will give you the nunchakus... and... I..." Zi Qiang listened carefully.

Mr. Cao gradually closed his eyes, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, that smile was like a signal of death.

After hearing the stories told by Zhan Ziqiang, Zheng Fu, Zhan Zixun, Yingying and Xiao Mengyan, the production team leader and the villagers suddenly realized that it was Mr. Cao who sacrificed his life to save the children!

"How is that possible? Aren't all capitalist-roaders bad people?" Zheng Fu's mother still looked puzzled.

"Foolish man, stupid woman, you believe what those bastards in the commune say? The facts are clearly laid out here! It was Mr. Cao who saved your son's life, and saved the only child of our Cao family! It was really the miracles of our ancestors! They sent a noble man to save us! What a pity for our noble man, Mr. Cao... wuwu..." Grandma Zheng Fu started to cry as she spoke, and tears left crooked traces on her dry face...

Afterwards, the production team leader and villagers in the village found an unfinished "Aobao Fourth Team Tunnel Map" at Mr. Cao's residence, on which dangerous areas were marked with red pen...

The production team leader convened a general meeting of all members of Aobao Team 4. The main topics of the meeting were: first, whether to apply for the title of martyr for Mr. Cao. Second, whether to block all the tunnel entrances to prevent children from entering and leaving. Third, whether to "invite" the two fellow villagers of Zhan Yu's family to leave the village of Aobao Team 4, because they wanted to eat all the dog meat in the village.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" All members shouted, one after another.

After the general meeting of all members of Aobao Team 4, the villagers were divided into three groups. The first group, led by the production team leader, went to the commune to apply for the title of martyr for Mr. Cao and sent a condolence message to Mr. Cao's children and relatives. The second group, led by Zhan Yu, the young and strong members of the village blocked the entrances to the tunnels. The third group, led by the women's team leader and more than a dozen middle-aged women, went to find "Dr. Han" and An Zhirui to persuade them to leave Aobao Team 4.

A few days later, Aobao Team 4 held another general meeting of all members. All three groups of members from the last general meeting spoke. Zhan Yu reported on the situation of blocking the entrance to the tunnel and expressed the Zhan family's gratitude to the villagers. The women's team leader reported on the process of persuading "Old Doctor Han" and An Zhirui to leave, which made everyone laugh and cry. Finally, the production team leader told the story of the failed application for martyr status for Mr. Cao at the commune, and everyone was indignant...

The production team leader went to the commune several times to apply for Mr. Cao's martyr title. In the end, he failed. The reason was that Mr. Cao was a capitalist roader and could not be selected as a martyr!

Mr. Cao's son also called back to say: "Thank you to all the members of Aobao Team 4 for taking care of my father for many years. My father's death was a worthy death and a way of repaying the villagers. I cannot attend the funeral, and I hope the villagers will give my father a respectful burial..."

The members of Aobao Team 4 were discussing the decision of the commune and the reply from Mr. Cao's son. The members all expressed their confusion...

"Since Mr. Cao saved the life of our Zheng Fu, I don't care why those bastards in the crappy commune give Mr. Cao the title of martyr or not. Our Zheng family's ancestral motto says, 'When someone gives you a drop of water, you should repay them with a spring of water.' What's more, this is not an ordinary favor, but a life in exchange for a life. Therefore, our Zheng family has the obligation to bury Mr. Cao with honor. I will give Mr. Cao my coffin tomorrow!" Grandma Zheng Fu said to her son and daughter-in-law righteously.

"Mom, your coffin is the result of your lifetime savings. You can use all your money to buy a good coffin! Can you really bear to do that?" said Zheng Fu's mother.

"Lanying, are you forcing me to use family rules against you? You slandered Mr. Cao as a bad man who loves to eat children's hearts, so I should punish you. Now you are talking too much!" Grandma Zheng Fu scolded Zheng Fu's mother.

"Mom, don't be angry! I'm just thinking about you. I want you to think it through carefully so that you won't regret it in the future and blame your daughter-in-law for not reminding you, right?" Zheng Fu's mother Lan Ying explained.

"I'm not so senile that I need your reminder! Stop nagging me here. Go find the production team leader and bring some people with you. Give the coffin to Mr. Cao first so that the deceased can be buried in peace as soon as possible!" Grandma Zheng Fu instructed her daughter-in-law.

The older generation is more influenced by old ideas. In their view, coffins have the meaning of "promotion and wealth". Because coffins are also known as "longevity coffins", preparing a coffin at home in advance can accumulate blessings for future generations. Many elderly people in the village start saving money for their own coffins after the age of 60, and they will also keep them at home. Many people have the experience of feeling the coffin to explore the way forward when they get up at night when they were young. Weddings and funerals are the two major events in life. Weddings refer to weddings, and funerals refer to funerals. In order to let the deceased go decently, in most cases, a grand funeral will be held under pressure. The coffin prepared for the funeral is no less important than the cemetery in the cemetery. The old man feels more at ease when touching the coffin he prepared with his own hands.

"This old lady is really crazy. She is going to give away the coffin that she has kept for more than ten years to a 'completely unrelated' person. She has been smart all her life, but now she is getting confused as she gets old." Zheng Fu's mother Lan Ying grumbled uncomfortably.

"What are you mumbling and dawdling about for?" said Grandma Zheng Fu as she raised her pipe and was about to hit Zheng Fu's mother.

"Mom, let's go find the production team leader now!" Zheng Fu's father Zheng Jiahao pulled his wife and ran.

Grandma Zheng Fu missed her attack and staggered, almost falling.

"Mom, are you okay?" Zheng Fu's father Zheng Jiahao turned around, left his wife behind, and supported Zheng Fu's grandmother.

"You are such an unfilial thing, you only know how to protect your wife. Can I really hit your wife hard?" Grandma Zheng Fu said pretending to be angry.

Zhan Yu's family was also very busy. First, Zhan Yu beat up Zhan Ziqiang. Yun Qing was injured while protecting Ziqiang's leg. Yingying, Zhan Zixun, and Xiao Mengyan were also beaten and scolded by Zhan Yu to varying degrees. Yun Qing was busy protecting this and that. Every child was Yun Qing's favorite. She couldn't bear to see them being beaten. Zhan Yu's family was filled with crying, shouting, and cursing...

Finally, the production team leader came and stopped Zhan Yu's atrocities.

Yunqing treated the children's wounds and began to make funeral clothes for Mr. Cao.

A memorial service for Mr. Cao was arranged under the leadership of the production team leader, and all members of Aobao attended.

Mr. Cao was wearing the funeral clothes made by Yunqing. He lay neatly, quietly and kindly in the coffin sent by Grandma Zheng Fu. There was still a smile on his face as if he was asleep. People walked around the coffin and said their final goodbyes to Mr. Cao...