Because the Beauty was eager to return to Kuaziba, Shi Dazhuang did not stay in Spring City and Baoteng for long. He only had a simple meal with his old comrades before heading to Ruihekou.
A light rain began to fall in the early morning, and the martyrs' cemetery was quiet.
The graves of Yu Gang and his wife, along with Meng Yan's, stand side by side, their tombstones standing straight, forming a neat line with the tombstones in front, behind, and to the sides, like a square of soldiers marching in formation, proclaiming their determination to protect the peace of the world even in the storms of heaven.
Shi Dazhuang remembered that when he last left, Yu Gang's tombstone was in the very front row; now there were several more rows in front. He said with a heavy heart, "So many comrades have passed away!"
Peng Jiahu, who accompanied them, said, "Don't be fooled by the peace we have now. There are still quite a few small drug gangs, and the anti-drug squad loses its members every year. In addition, in recent years, we have posthumously awarded the title of martyr to comrades who sacrificed their lives within the enemy's ranks and moved their graves. However, many of these are just cenotaphs; after so many years, their remains have long since disappeared."
We have to thank Teacher Qingmu for wiping out Wu Suotun's hideout back then; otherwise, they would have been burdened with the infamous name of "Poison Scorpion " for many years, perhaps never clearing their names.
At this point, the " Tiger," known for its bravery on the battlefield, suddenly felt a lump in its throat, its voice choked with emotion, and its eyes reddened.
Yu Meiren placed a small flower on top of Yu Gang's tombstone, then stood quietly before the grave. Three years ago, when she left, she was only level with the top of the tombstone; now she was a head taller.
She knew her father and mother were lying inside. How wonderful it would be if they could see the outside world! Her mother must be so happy to see how tall she had grown! Her mother had said that she would quit opium smoking when she grew up. But her mother left before she even grew up.
She used to not understand why her mother smoked, and even harbored resentment towards her at one point, but now she understands a little. She knows that some sacrifices are necessary, some happiness requires hardship to achieve, and some love can transcend life and death.
My mother must have hated opium, but she loved my father. She probably already knew what my father was, but she said nothing. She smoked opium with him, demonstrating what love meant through her actions. She provided the best cover for my father through her behavior.
Yu Meiren doesn't remember how tall she was when her father left; she must have been very, very short, probably still a tiny little thing.
My dad would never have imagined I would grow so tall, nor would he have imagined I would read so many books. In Kuaziba, kids this age are still dark-skinned and thin. They walk several miles of mountain road to school every day, and their schoolbags are always full of just a few books. They carefully use a pencil until it's too short to hold between their fingers, but they still can't bear to throw it away.
How can children from the mountains compare to children from the city? Especially in a big city like Wuzhong, which is both beautiful and bustling. But why is her heart always still in the mountains?
Shi Dazhuang knew that the Beauty had a lot to say to her parents in heaven. He felt a little sorry for her when he saw her like that, but he didn't disturb her. Instead, he and Peng Jiahu placed the bouquets of flowers they had prepared in front of the tombstones of their other comrades.
"You just said there are still a lot of small drug gangs. Where do they all come from?" Shi Dazhuang was still very concerned about the drug situation in Mangdian and Kuaziba.
"Most of them are from Masuba, but a small portion are from other places that enter the country and then transit through," Peng Jiahu said.
" Wu Suotun and Mu Ka are both dead, Masuba still not quiet?" Shi Dazhuang asked.
"Hmph, the king changes hands all the time!" Peng Jiahu snorted. "Many people are eyeing that treasure trove of Masuba. Now that Wu Suotun dead, who wouldn't want a piece of the pie? Now it's been taken over by a guy named You Ka, nicknamed Madman. This guy is very mysterious; nobody knows where he came from. We can be sure he doesn't have any special background, but he's actually cleaned up the mess in Masuba. He not only drove away the drug lords from all over the country who came to steal his share, but he also bought off that spineless government in Mianyue."
"So the situation is very serious?" Shi Dazhuang said with concern.
"It's not clear yet. His goods are mainly sold to South Asia and Europe. According to sources from there, You Ka specifically instructed that no goods should be shipped into China."
"That's strange?"
"Perhaps they're still haunted by Wu Suotun's fate back then. With someone as formidable as Teacher Qingmu around, even the biggest drug lords have to be wary! Of course, we can't rule out the possibility that he's just putting on a smokescreen, which is why our anti-narcotics bureau has been fully prepared. Oh, by the way, where's Teacher Qingmu? Why didn't you invite him? Everyone's been missing him!"
Shi Dazhuang sighed and said, "He disappeared not long after we got back, and I don't know where he is."
Peng Jiahu paused for a moment, then asked, "Didn't you look for it?"
Shi Dazhuang said, "We searched, but if he didn't want to be found, who could find him?"
Peng Jiahu nodded. "That's true. A man like him should roam the world like a chivalrous knight, his whereabouts naturally unknown to ordinary people. I hope he can take down a few more drug trafficking groups. The Golden Triangle, the Silver Triangle, the Golden Crescent —those places are the drug traffickers' paradise and hell on earth. I can't get out; my heart is willing, but my strength is insufficient!"
Shi Dazhuang looked up at the gloomy sky and said, "I hope so."
It was still drizzling, and the little white flowers on the tombstone were quickly soaked. Yu Meiren took a few steps forward and used her black umbrella to shield the flowers from the rain. She suddenly remembered her father's grave on Kuaziba Mountain, where these little white flowers bloomed all around.
Through wind and rain, through spring, summer, autumn and winter, flowers bloom and wither, wither and bloom again.
Back then, she thought her father was Poison Scorpion, a bad person. She hated him, but whenever she felt down, she would still go to his grave to talk to him and look at the little white flowers.
"Dad!" Yu Meiren called out as she turned around, "Can I go buy a chicken for my dad?"
Shi Dazhuang was taken aback, then looked at Peng Jiahu with some difficulty, "Isn't it true that only flowers can be offered at the martyrs' cemetery?"
Peng Jiahu glanced at Yu Meiren, then at Yu Gang's tombstone, slapped his thigh, and said, "You wait here, I'll handle this. Damn it, the brothers are all dead, what's wrong with eating a chicken!"
He started to walk out. Yu Meiren called him back, took out a crisp hundred-yuan bill from her pocket, and said, "Peng Yeye, this is money I saved up. It's a reward from the school for the Outstanding Progress Award I received."
Peng Jiahu glanced at Shi Dazhuang, and seeing Shi Dazhuang nod, he said, "Alright, use the Beauty's own money to buy it."
Peng Jiahu jogged away, and somehow managed to bring back a roast chicken and two bottles of wine in no time. He gave the chicken to the Beauty, then returned the rest of the money to her, saying, "The chicken was bought with your money, and the wine is on me; it's for us adults."
Yu Meiren nodded, squatted down in front of the tombstone, gently unfolded the oil paper wrapping the roast chicken, and said to the photo of Yu Gang wife on the tombstone:
"Dad, I was naughty when I was little and stole your chicken. It was specially prepared for you by Mom. Now that I'm grown up, I bought this with my own money."
Dad, Mom, I'm in Wuzhong now, with Uncle Shi. Uncle Shi is so good to me, as are Sister Xing, Aunt Jingjing, and Aunt Hua. They're all so kind to me. And Xia Tian and Meimei, they're all my good friends. Sister Xing even bought me a Space Box, it's so magical! As long as I wear it, I can see you all often.
Uncle said that you are in heaven and can see everything on earth. So, can you see me too? And can you see Qingmu Yeye? He has been gone for a long time. If you see him, please tell him to go home. Everyone misses him very much.
Dad, Mom, I miss you both! I miss you so much!...