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The dark sky shrouded the quiet town of Gongzhuling in Jilin Province like an iron chain, and only the street lamps sparsely dotted with a dim yellow glimmer of light in the streets and alleys. Wang Liang sat alone in the duty room of the funeral home, holding his mobile phone tightly with both hands, holding his breath and concentrating, for fear of missing any incoming calls that might bring a turnaround.
As a honorably retired soldier, he once brushed shoulders with death on the battlefield filled with gunpowder, and he was full of enthusiasm and fearlessness at that time. However, who would have expected that many years later, when he returned to his hometown, he would have to take on this job responsibility that is closely linked to life and death alone.
At midnight, the mobile phone rang suddenly, Wang Liang's whole body trembled, and his heart seemed to be clenched by an invisible hand, and it was mentioned in his throat. This was the first time he had worked his night shift independently, and he was tasked with picking up a body in a remote village.
At night, vehicles struggle to navigate the rugged snow-covered roads, which are intimidatingly bad. What is even more frightening is that this is a horrific homicide case, and the victim is covered in bruises and flesh and blood.
Faced with the scene of the deceased's family members taking refuge, Wang Liang could only muster up the courage and carried the bloodied corpse onto the carriage alone.
Along the way, fear followed him like a ghost, and he did not dare to slack off, fearing that the bumps would cause the body to slide into the trunk. This long and terrifying journey undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to this former brave veteran.
Waiting alone in the cold and dark carriage, Wang Liang's heart was full of endless panic and loneliness. He began to question whether he could continue to brave the enormous pressure of the job and whether he would be brave enough to ensure that the deceased would reach their destination safely.
Since that thrilling experience, Wang Liang has had to face the ruthless end of his life every day. Sometimes it is a tragic accident scene, bloody and hideous pictures; Sometimes it is to witness the grief-stricken scenes of the families of the deceased, hugging their heads and crying; There are even tragedies where the elderly choose to end their lonely lives by committing suicide.
Just last year, in the cold winter, Wang Liang received a special task - an elderly man who was nearly eighty years old finally chose to end his life by hanging himself by rope due to long-term loneliness.
At that time, the elderly man resolutely decided to say goodbye to the warm nursing home, and with his weak strength, he stubbornly walked a long way, and only after several hardships did he arrive at the last safe haven of his sister's home.
When Wang Liang carried the old man's body into the car steadily, he seemed to see the confused and helpless shadow of his youth - a person who had been lost due to the tricks of fate.
What is even more heart-wrenching is the unclaimed and neglected remains of the world. They lie alone in the corner of the funeral home, waiting for their relatives and friends who will never arrive.
What is sad is that there are many misunderstandings and prejudices in the world about Wang Liang's profession. No car repair and beauty shop is willing to accept him, and even in his daily life, he has to be careful and cautious when he drives out to run errands.
The source of all these troubles stems from this special work related to life and death that he is engaged in.
In traditional Chinese culture, "death" is often seen as a topic that should not be discussed. Wang Liang himself has been shrouded in the heavy shadow of work, and has never appeared on occasions such as weddings or delivery rooms, lest his appearance bring misfortune to the new students.
However, as one of the last words of a family member of the deceased put it: "Who exactly escorted them to the end of their last journey?" This sentence is like a hammer, striking Wang Liang's deep reflection on this profession.
In fact, in the course of carrying out his mission, Wang Liang often encountered the absence and fear of his family. On one occasion, he was tasked with transporting the body of a young girl's father.
Throughout the journey, Wang Liang held the steering wheel alone, watched the girl cry bitterly in the passenger seat, and repeatedly told her father's endless care for her.
Just yesterday, my father personally delivered food to me and took me to and from work, but now he ...... "The girl couldn't cry, tears were like rain." This scene deeply touched the softness of Wang Liang's heart, and he realized that what he was doing was guarding the last warmth of his relatives.
Whenever he witnesses the scene of relatives laughing and frolicking with their deceased relatives, and the strong contrast formed by the cold body behind him, Wang Liang will ponder the true meaning and value of life.
Despite the deep isolation he often felt under the cold and fearful gaze of others, he remained steadfast in this duty, inspiring the value of life in a unique way, affectionately and sincerely.
Among the countless experiences of bidding farewell to life, there is one scene that Wang Liang feels powerless for a long time: that is the tragedy of witnessing the death of a young child. Whenever he heard the mourning cries of his parents for the loss of their loved ones, and saw that immature life was gone, he always couldn't help but cry like rain, as if he had witnessed the dimness of the light of life.
I still remember one time when he was assigned to escort the body of a 13-year-old boy. The boy who was supposed to be full of youthful vitality and beautiful dreams left this world prematurely due to the ruthless invasion of heart disease.
When Wang Liang picked up the toys and schoolbags that the teenager cherished before his death, his eyes seemed to reappear his figure playing happily in the garden, and the innocent laughter still lingered in his ears.
At the funeral scene, the family members wept silently. The boy's father was even more grief-stricken, and he clung to the child's body, refusing to let go as if he had waited by the cradle for countless nights as a baby, tears streaming down the child's thin cheeks.
Such a picture made Wang Liang feel the pain of empathy. Life is so fragile and so precious, why does the heavens so cruelly deprive children of their future? His heart swelled with endless admiration for life, but at the same time, it was also full of helplessness and sadness.
He also felt powerless about the elderly who died due to sudden accidents. Once, an elderly man who lived alone was in the middle of an accident outdoors, his elderly body lying on the side of the road, and his children were far away from home and could not arrive in time.
Wang Liang could only wait alone in the funeral home, staring at the body that was about to be laid to rest, as if the last glimmer of the fire of life was gradually extinguished, which was shocking.
Perhaps due to the excessive pressure of work, Wang Liang often chooses to share his daily life through live webcasts in his free time and find solace in his soul. Unexpectedly, this move unexpectedly won the enthusiastic pursuit of more than 30,000 loyal fans, who affectionately called Wang Liang "Gongzhuling Internet celebrity".
These consistent "fans" can usually only catch a glimpse of Wang Liang's trouser pockets and a series of strange and profound images in the mysterious live broadcast room, because he is resolutely unwilling to show the tragic scenes he faces in front of the public.
With great reverence, they also respectfully called Wang Liang "black and white impermanence" - this is a warrior who walks between life and death and defends the bottom line of life with a fearless attitude.
During the live broadcast, Wang Liang always affectionately conveyed this message to everyone: "Respecting and cherishing life is the most important thing. Whenever it was revealed that a new mission was about to be carried out, the audience was terrified for fear of witnessing those familiar but harrowing scenes again.
A fan with the screen name "Xiao Ming Sauce" left a message on the barrage: "Uncle Wang, be careful today, we all support you!" "
"Don't worry, Xiao Ming, I will be cautious." Wang Liang comforted softly, his tone full of determination and hope.
It may be difficult to understand why a once brave and fearless soldier would be so sensitive to the issue of life and death. However, Wang Liang knows that in the face of this special profession, only with a sense of awe can he maintain the necessary restraint and respect and avoid falling into a state of numbness.
One day, after receiving the body in a remote mountain village, he set out on his way home after dark at night. Along the way, the car was empty, only Wang Liang held the steering wheel alone, and only the sound of windshield wipers touching the windshield was left in the silence.
At this time, the dense barrage in the live broadcast room suddenly came from the mobile phone screen.
"Uncle Wang, come on! Be sure to return safely! "
"Take care! Looking forward to it! "
"Black and white impermanence is on the road, escort!"
Looking at these heart-warming words, Wang Liang's eyes couldn't help but burst into tears. Indeed, he is not alone, these long-term companions are like family members, always silently cheering him on behind his back and resolving the fear in his heart.
With their support, Wang Liang firmly believes that no matter where he is, he has enough courage to meet the challenge.