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Hu Dala, recalling her own past, thought of how her stepmother mistreated her. Back then, when she was bullied, she would go to her mother’s grave and cry, questioning why her mother didn’t take her with her, leaving her to suffer alone.
So, Hu Dala wondered if Manman felt the same way and had gone to find her father! Everyone looked at Wu Zhiqiu and Li Mancang, thinking that it could really be possible. Wu Zhiqiu also felt that what Hu Dala said made a lot of sense. The cemetery was in the outskirts, and it was dark and slippery on the roads. Wu Zhiqiu didn’t want Grandpa Ge and Liu Dajie to go. She took out ten yuan and handed it to Liu Dajie. “Grandpa Ge, Liu Dajie, please buy some vegetables and make some food for us to eat when we come back!”
It was cold, and everyone had been running around for a long time without even a sip of hot water. Grandpa Ge and Liu Dajie understood their own limits and quickly agreed. Wu Zhiqiu told the others to wait at home, but they insisted on helping. This was the time for neighbors to lend a hand.
“We’re also worried at home; let’s go together. It’s dark and slippery, so we’ll accompany you,” Hu Dala said as she marched out. Wu Zhiqiu wiped her eyes. Usually, they would bicker about trivial things, but at this moment, everyone was so warm-hearted.
A group of people rode their bicycles toward Yu Jianmin’s grave. Li Fenglan sat on Li Mancang’s back seat, her eyes swollen from crying. Why was this child like this? How could she be so oblivious? Their family had never had such a person.
It was slippery and difficult to walk at night, and it took over an hour to reach Yu Jianmin’s grave. There were quite a few graves in the area, and in the dark of night, it sent chills down one’s spine. Everyone was worried about Manman, forgetting their fear.
The newest grave in the back was Yu Jianmin’s. A group of people quickly ran over with flashlights. In front of the dark grave, a small figure was pressed tightly against the tombstone.
“Manman!” Li Fenglan cried out, rushing forward. She stumbled over a stone and fell but didn’t care, rushing to her daughter. Manman’s little face was pale, and her lips had turned slightly purple.
“The child is frostbitten; hurry, get her to the hospital!” Zhang Fugui quickly told Li Mancang. He took off his thick cotton coat and pulled Li Fenglan away, wrapping it around Manman and picking her up to run outside.
Everyone else quickly followed, relieved to find the child, but worried that she was frostbitten. Li Fenglan cried behind them.
“Shut your mouth!” Wu Zhiqiu shouted at her eldest daughter. Crying wouldn’t help. What good was crying? If it weren’t for her own foolishness, could the child have suffered like this? Li Fenglan choked on her sobs, unable to cry any longer upon seeing her mother’s fierce expression. Li Xing’an hrank his neck, not daring to breathe!
It was almost midnight when they arrived at the hospital. The on-duty doctor examined Manman and found she had caught a chill and would need to stay in the hospital for a few days. Everyone finally relaxed; as long as she was okay, that was good.
“Thank you so much, everyone!” Wu Zhiqiu expressed her gratitude. “Don’t mention it; distant relatives are not as good as close neighbors! We may not be able to do much, but we are glad that we can help!” Zhang Fugui waved his hand.
“Right! We’ve lived together for decades; there’s no need to be so polite,” Hu Dala pretended to be displeased. “Let’s just eat first; we’ll figure out the rest later!” Wu Zhiqiu said, feeling grateful for everyone’s support.