Era: Starting with the struggle to refuse being taken advantage of

Chapter 220 Tracking
silence.

Perhaps it was because what Wang Chengpeng was saying was too heavy, even the usually mischievous Wang Meiyan became unusually quiet.

Seeing Wang Chengpeng's serious expression, Wang Tieshan still found it hard to accept and asked again to confirm:

"Son, are you serious?"

"It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that this matter is too unbelievable."

"After calling out 'father' and 'mother' for so many years, they're not actually your parents. No one would believe that in this situation."

Nodding vigorously, Wang Chengpeng said with absolute certainty, "There's absolutely no way it could be fake."

"I've been out and about all day for this very reason."

"Dad, didn't you hear anyone talking about you when Grandma came yesterday?"

"I was lucky enough to discover that the person speaking was Aunt Song Sanya, which allowed me to follow the clues and find out the truth."

“Grandpa Wang Jianhua and Aunt Wang Wen know about this. If you don’t believe me, we can go and verify it with them one by one tomorrow.”

Upon hearing such explosive news, Wang Tieshan was momentarily at a loss for words, unsure how to react. He said:

"It's not that I don't believe you, it's just that things are too unbelievable."

“I used to think that my mother was biased towards my older brother, but I never imagined that there was such a relationship between them.”

At this point, Wang Tieshan gave another bitter look and said:

"It turns out that all those years of getting along are still no match for a blood relationship. I have tried my best to do better, but I will never get what I want because of such a ridiculous reason."

At this point, Wang Tieshan's eyes showed a clear understanding, and he stood up and said:
“Son, you did the right thing.”

"It's better not to know the truth. If we already knew the truth, we certainly wouldn't let our own mother's body be left to rot in the wilderness."

"We don't need to wait for any other time. We'll go and bring Mother back for her burial tomorrow."

Even though they had never met, Wang Tieshan still felt admiration for the mother who had unhesitatingly chosen to save her child when her life was in danger.

He even had the immoral thought that if his mother were still alive, he wouldn't have to live such a painful life of being favored.

This feeling, though contradictory, is real; Wang Tieshan probably won't be able to sleep tonight.

Nodding, Wang Chengpeng agreed:
“Okay, I’ll go and inform Uncle Ding later and ask him to come with us tomorrow.”

After Wang Chengpeng left, the room became even more silent.

Faced with this situation, Liu Chunhua didn't know how to comfort her husband, so she could only spend more time with him and show her support through her actions.

It is foreseeable that this will be a sleepless night for the Wang family.

……

Perhaps because he didn't know how to face the Wang family members from the past, Wang Tieshan ultimately chose not to publicize the matter. Instead, he silently took his tools and went to the place where the old clinic used to be.

Times have changed, and the old clinic is no longer what it used to be.

Not only have they moved to a more convenient location, but they've also expanded the area, leaving the original site abandoned.

However, it's a good thing that it's been abandoned. It's better than it becoming someone else's farmland or homestead. At least with the village's consent, they can now do whatever they want with this land.

After carefully observing the surroundings, Ding Kaiyuan said:

"There are still some remnants of the old clinic here, and the location is roughly around here."

"However, we still need to search carefully to find out exactly where it was buried."

"There are weeds everywhere here now, so the location might not be very accurate. It might take a while for everyone to get around to it."

This matter was also a concern for Ding Kaiyuan, so he took it very seriously.

In addition to the kickback Wang Chengpeng gave me yesterday, I followed Wang Chengpeng and his family over early this morning.

Of course, Wang Chengpeng wouldn't treat someone who truly cared for him unfairly. He not only thoughtfully prepared breakfast for them but also gave them a red envelope.

At first, Ding Kaiyuan was unwilling to accept it, but he was persuaded by everyone to do so before he finally did.

If we're lucky, this could be resolved in a morning; if we're unlucky, it could take three to five days or even more than ten days. So we can't let him work for nothing.

While Ding Kaiyuan was confirming the location, Wang Chengpeng was not idle either. He took a sickle and started cutting grass with Zhu Hong.

Before the exact location is determined, clearing away some of the weeds is definitely an important preparatory step.

Sure enough, with the weeds gone, Ding Kaiyuan's view became much clearer.

They quickly got a clue, and soon pointed to a spot and said:

"If we dig here, there's a high probability that this is the place."

"It's just that it's been too long, and my memory is a bit hazy. We'll have to dig it up again to confirm the result."

"We don't need to dig too deep; one or two meters is enough to confirm whether this is the place."

Most of the men who came today were strong and capable, especially Zhu Hong, who was a skilled worker and wielded the shovel with great force.

However, since the group was not there to dig a pit, but to search for the remains that might be buried below, they naturally couldn't just dig randomly.

After digging about half a meter, the group switched from shovels to small shovels and began digging little by little.

After working for an hour or two, looking at the large pit that was clearly two meters deep, Ding Kaiyuan sighed and said:
"It seems this isn't the place."

At this point, Ding Kaiyuan said with some self-reproach:
"If I hadn't been so cowardly and afraid to face the mistakes I've made, I wouldn't have been unable to find even the exact spot."

Seeing Ding Kaiyuan's guilty and uneasy expression, Wang Tieshan, though also looking distressed, still got up to comfort him, saying:
"Your presence here to help us is already a huge help."

"It's alright, this area is only so big, even if we dig it all out, it will only take a few days."

Encouraged by Wang Tieshan, Ding Kaiyuan rallied and began searching in this completely unfamiliar land, following the location in his memory.

The search for his grandmother's remains was far more arduous than Wang Chengpeng had imagined.
After a day of hard work, all they gained was a few more burrows in the earth.

Even Ding Kaiyuan became somewhat insecure, saying:

"The location should be here, but if we haven't been able to dig it up, could it be that she has already turned into soil?"

"After all, we didn't take any protective measures at the time, so it's not impossible."

Wang Chengpeng had also considered this possibility, but according to the knowledge in the book, even in some very harsh environments, human bones are not so easily completely absorbed by the soil.

Therefore, the only reason for not finding the remains of the biological grandmother is that the wrong location was searched.

Of course, it is possible that the remains have been moved by someone with ulterior motives, but judging from Ding Kaiyuan's description, this possibility is extremely small and practically impossible.

Thinking this through, Wang Chengpeng said, "Based on the soil composition of this land, it is unlikely that the remains will be completely digested within a few decades."

“We’ve lived like this for so many years, there’s no rush. Uncle Ding, think about it again and see if you have any ideas.”

"If we can't find it today, we'll try again tomorrow. As long as it's buried nearby, we'll find it sooner or later." Although there were wild beasts around at that time, it was unlikely that they would visit a densely populated place like a clinic.

Under Wang Chengpeng's persuasion, Ding Kaiyuan took a deep breath and finally calmed down, no longer being impetuous.

Looking around, Ding Kaiyuan once again surveyed the surroundings.

Under Wang Chengpeng's guidance, his mindset changed; he became less impetuous and actually started to see some problems.

Slapping his forehead, Ding Kaiyuan spoke up in annoyance:

"Look at my idiot brain, I actually went in the wrong direction for the clinic."

"No wonder we couldn't find anything here; that's where the old clinic's front door is."

After pacing back and forth calculating, Ding Kaiyuan quickly found a spot and said:
"If that is the front gate, based on the distance and location, it is very likely in this area."

"Although I haven't been here for a long time, this incident is like a nightmare to me, and I can't forget it at all."

"I remember, I remember..."

Hearing Ding Kaiyuan's delirious ramblings, Wang Chengpeng didn't hesitate. He picked up a shovel and started digging at the spot Ding Kaiyuan pointed to.

If it's just ordinary soil, as long as you have the strength, you can dig a big hole in no time with a shovel.

However, land that is completely overrun by weeds, land supported by weeds, is very difficult to excavate.

In addition, everyone was exhausted by now, making the excavation extremely slow.

However, this is also good; going slowly has its advantages, as it reduces the risk of accidentally injuring any remaining remains.

Just as everyone numbly prepared to deliver another shovel, Wang Chengpeng keenly noticed a different shade of pale white in the soil and immediately shouted:

"Don't use the shovel, I've already seen something."

"Change to a smaller shovel, and be careful not to damage the things below."

Guided by Wang Chengpeng, everyone was able to see clearly what was buried under the soil.

Without further hesitation, after switching to small shovels, everyone began to clean the soil more carefully.

As for the exposed wreckage, Wang Chengpeng carefully picked it up and placed it in the basket he had prepared beforehand.

In their excitement at finally finding the remains, it took them more than an hour to collect all the debris buried under the soil.

Wiping the sweat from his brow with a sigh of relief, Wang Chengpeng said to Ding Kaiyuan:

"Uncle Ding, I'm really sorry to trouble you this time."

"If it weren't for your help, we really wouldn't have been able to find our family's remains in such a short time."

"Why don't you come back with us for a simple meal? It would be a way to express our gratitude."

Faced with Wang Chengpeng's invitation, Ding Kaiyuan waved his hand in refusal, saying:

"No, no, this is absolutely not allowed."

"I received a large red envelope from your family before I came, so it's unethical to eat and take things as well."

"This matter is finally over, and the huge weight that was pressing on my heart has been lifted."

"I'm going home now; my family is waiting for me to eat."

"If you need any help next time, just let me know, and I will never say no."

Who wouldn't want to help Wang Chengpeng?
There were two large red envelopes, one in front and one behind, each containing a full two hundred yuan.

It's worth noting that Wang Yinshan only got the idea to build a house after receiving the two hundred yuan from Wang Degong. In those days, two hundred yuan represented something far more extravagant than one might imagine.

With the help of bicycles, the group got home quite quickly.

The atmosphere on the way home was rather heavy, and for a moment no one spoke.

After dinner, Wang Chengpeng's family held a rare family meeting, with all three members present.

Looking at his bright and clever son, Wang Tieshan hesitated for a long time before finally asking, "..."

"Son, what do you think we should do to dispose of my mother's remains?"

“Wangjia Village has its own rules. If you want to bury her in the Wangjia Village cemetery, I’m afraid you don’t have the right to do so.”

At this point, Wang Tieshan, a grown man, actually had tears welling up in his eyes and said:

"The thought that my own mother died in childbirth because of me makes me incredibly sad."

"I don't know if I can ask the village if there's any chance to bury my mother there."

Hearing Wang Tieshan's voice, which was tinged with tears, Wang Chengpeng didn't know how to comfort him for a moment, so he could only start by talking about burying his grandmother:
“Father, Wangjia Village has its own rules, so there are some things that are not easy to ask for.”

"Most importantly, Grandma wasn't from Wangjia Village, and she might not even want to be buried in the Wangjia Village cemetery."

Looking at his large courtyard, Wang Chengpeng hesitated for a moment, then said:
“If you’re not afraid, burying Grandma near home is actually the best option.”

“With her father here, this is definitely the place she wants to be most.”

"Only our family members are Grandma's only concern in Wangjia Village, and I believe she would like to live with us."

After being reminded by Wang Chengpeng, Wang Tieshan belatedly realized that he had been a resident of Wangjia Village for too long and had unconsciously adopted the mindset of the villagers.

For this respectable mother, her wish might not be to be buried in the unfamiliar Wangjia Village, but rather to continue to accompany and protect her family.

"Fear? How could I possibly be afraid?"

At this point, tears finally streamed down Wang Tieshan's face.

Wiping away the tears from the corners of his eyes, Wang Tieshan continued:

"With my mother's protection, I feel at ease."

Liu Chunhua felt only admiration, not fear, for this relative she had never met before, and said:
"I thought the same thing."

“Cheng Peng is a sensible person. He even helped his mother collect her remains today. I suppose he isn’t afraid.”

"It's just that Meiyan is still young, and I'm afraid she'll be scared."

Seeing that his parents agreed to his plan, Wang Chengpeng breathed a sigh of relief. He was really afraid that his father would be stubborn and insist on burying his grandmother in Wangjia Village.

He immediately patted his chest and assured everyone, "Since everyone has no problem with my suggestion, I'll take care of my sister's side."

“This is family. Even if they really become ghosts, they will only protect us. They are much kinder than those monsters and demons outside.”

"This is also a form of education, and it's best to teach it from a young age."

"Besides, my younger sister is also our family, and she should have the right to know about this matter."

(End of this chapter)