cool down;

It's not late autumn, nor early winter, but it's really winter.

In cold weather, as long as there is not much wind outside, it is actually much more comfortable to bask in the sun outside than to be in a cold room.

Paul and Ron are sitting in the yard on a small bench at the moment. They were very busy last month, so busy that sometimes they wished to take a nap with the "guest" on the stretcher;

In the past few days, it is considered to be free again.

Of course, as experienced employees of funeral services, they also know that this is the last short period of leisure this year, because many elderly people cannot withstand the hurdle from late winter to early spring.

Maybe in the autumn, we made preparations, and in the early winter, we strengthened our beliefs, but when the real cold wave hits, when the old arms and legs are dragging their old arms and legs to fight against the weather, many old people have to choose Acknowledge your fate, let the rotation of the four seasons sweep like a broom, and sweep yourself into the end of that life.

With a cigarette in his mouth, Ron was playing a deck of cards in his hand, and he kept saying that it was a pity that last night's good card failed to make a real profit.

Paul was reading a book about electricians, taking notes with a pencil from time to time.

Karen carried a pig's head and walked into the yard.

"Hey, young master, what delicious food are you preparing today?"

Ron stood up immediately and leaned over.

Since the young master recovered from his injury and was able to go to the field, the daily work meals are extraordinarily rich and delicate. Various dishes that Ron has never heard of are served on the table at noon every day. The taste is really delicious. Call a comfort.

Paul also closed the book and looked over.

"Ron, get me a basin and fill it with water."

"Okay, master."

In fact, most people in this world do not resist helping chefs.

Soon, Ron came over with an aluminum basin filled with water.

"ah~"

Aunt Mary came out of the living room yawning and handed Karen a gas blowtorch.

Karen took the blowtorch and said with a smile:

"I didn't expect there to be one at home."

With that said, Karen lit the fire and began to roast the hair off the pig's head with the flames of the blowtorch.

Aunt Mary said: "Some customers have a lot of body hair and need to use this to remove it."

Karen asked curiously, "Isn't the more body hair the better, it looks more masculine."

Aunt Mary shrugged. "Not all body hair grows on the chest."

Immediately, Aunt Mary said with emotion based on the countless experiences of "Readers":

"Some people have body hair growing elsewhere, it's disgusting."

"hehe."

Karen smiled and continued to roast the pig's head carefully.

Aunt Mary looked at this scene curiously, and continued the previous topic: "There are still some people who think that their body hair is a very manly thing when they are alive, and even think it is an extremely narcissistic charm, but they can't smell it. The smell on his body, even after death, can still smell the residue, and their wife has been disgusted with this disgusting feeling for many years.

People can't help it when they are alive, so after people die, their wives will often strongly request that their husband's body hair be removed when making a coffin. "

"For good looks?"

"No, I think it's purely out of anger."

"This kind of love is really enviable."

"Who said that the husband usually leaves before the wife?" Aunt Mary straightened her hair, "And there are some men who like to find a wife who is much younger than themselves. It's good if they can't keep their body hair after death. Hatred and complaints at least mean caring, and we have seen a lot of husbands who bring their lovers to the husband's mourning party after death."

If you are not busy and your relatives are all in the city, it will actually only take three days before the person dies to hold a mourning meeting for burial.

"So I don't believe in love anymore," said Ron.

"Where's your little nursing home nurse?" Karen asked.

"God, don't mention her, my heart has already been broken because of her."

"Didn't make an appointment? I remember you wanted to ask her to watch a movie."

"The appointment came out, and we watched six movies together."

"Have you had any popcorn?" Karen asked.

"We lick each other's ten fingers clean, and every time we watch a movie, because the nursing home is closed, in order to take care of her, we have to accompany her to a small hotel to open a room to rest."

"Isn't this great?" Karen put down the blowtorch and began to scrape the pig's head with a knife. "I watched the movie and did the work. Don't you plan to propose to her?"

"I promised her that I would stop drinking and playing cards in the future. I would work hard and hand over all the income to her to manage. She was very moved."

"Then what?"

"Then the day before I was going to propose to her, an old man who was about to be discharged from the nursing home confessed his love to her, and she agreed."

"Oh, what a sad story."

"Who says it's not? I've been sad for a long time because of this. I was actually defeated by an old man."

"No, Ron, it's Yugong who competed for you."

"Well, that's right, but my fiancée left me just like that."

"Think about it from another angle, your fiancée watched so many movies with you before getting married."

When Ron heard this, he thought seriously,

Then smile,

road:

"Young Master, after hearing what you said, I suddenly felt that I had made money."

"Not really."

At this moment, Paul suddenly asked, "Master, madam, I have a question for you."

"explain."

Karen continued to shave the pig's head earnestly. He had missed this bite of pig's head for a long time. In his previous life, there were very few special delicacies in his hometown county and city, but this pork head meat was the best one, fat but not greasy.

Because he began to focus on managing the kitchen, the kitchen at home has been slowly "peacefully evolved".

Although the family members were not "shocked" by Chinese food, it was enough for them to realize how simple and boring their previous recipes were.

Paul asked: "If you want to have a better relationship with a lady, what should you say?"

"Watching a movie!" Ron yelled immediately, "The evening show!"

Paul ignored Ron's advice.

Aunt Mary smiled and said, "Is it the lady from the Kuqi family?"

Paul nodded shyly: "Yes, madam, thank you madam."

Aunt Mary helped Paul lead this project. Miss Couch's father was a carpenter in a coffin factory. Although his family background was very ordinary, the whole family was very simple and honest.

Naturally, Aunt Mary would not introduce such a girl to Ron, but Paul's hard work and steadfastness were obvious to all, so Aunt Mary became a matchmaker.

"Have you visited her parents?" asked Aunt Mary.

"I've visited her. Her father is very nice, and her mother is also very kind. My mother also likes her very much. We set the wedding date in spring."

Karen got it

Paul has finished talking about marriage, but is stuck in the "sleep" link.

This is not ridiculous. There are indeed many people in this world who are going to sleep when they talk to each other, but there are also some responsible people who want to go through the legal procedures and etiquette, but because they are too honest or they are called skipping. , I want to go back to find it but I can't find the rhythm.

Karen lifted the pig's head, inspected it carefully, and said to the pig's head at the same time:

"Paul, can you ask her if she wants to watch the moon from the window in your room?"

Aunt Mary looked at Karen with a look of seeing a ghost, and then slammed the pig's head that Karen was holding:

"Your uncle taught you?"

Karen wondered, "No."

"really not?"

"really not."

Aunt Mary snorted: "Sure enough, all the men in your Inmeles family are good-for-nothings, that's how your uncle invited me back then, saying that his room is on a high floor, suitable for watching the moon.

Then Mina was rewarded, and then Lunt was rewarded. "

"hehe…"

Karen couldn't help laughing.

Aunt Mary looked at Paul and said, "Actually, the matter is very simple. If she really likes you, even if you say that there is an elephant in your room, she will 'believe' and is willing to visit your room."

Paul rubbed his head, and said with a guilty conscience: "Really, is it okay?"

Aunt Mary sneered: "She is your fiancée, maybe you are afraid that she will call the police later and let the police arrest you, how should she tell the police: Mr. Police, my **** fiancé forced me to lie on the bed!

If you broke the law, wouldn't those guys taught by Berry be arrested and shot? "

Karen would like to remind her aunt that even coercion within marriage is immoral and illegal;

But after thinking about it, it seems that the law is not perfected to this point.

At this time, a group of students holding banners walked up the road in front of the house. They were generally young, and they were all junior high school students and high school students:

The leading student shouted:

"We want to be environmentally friendly!"

Other students around also shouted together: "We want to protect the environment!"

"We want fresh air!"

"fresh air!"

"We want clear river water!"

"Clear water!"

Everyone in the yard watched the group of students walking over while shouting slogans.

Karen was a little surprised. Are environmental protection organizations so prevalent in this era?

Ron choked his throat and whispered:

"We want rupees."

Today is not the weekend, so these children should have skipped school.

Aunt Mary looked at Karen and asked, "Karen, have Mina and Lent told you about this?"

Before Karen could answer, Aunt Mary said again herself:

"Yes, how can I tell you about the children."

Although Karen is not much older than Mina, as Uncle Mason said, after Karen recovered from an illness, he felt like calling him Uncle Karen;

In fact, the family did not treat Karen as a child anymore.

"What's the matter, Auntie?" Karen asked.

"The environmental protection girl from Wayne Kingdom came to Ruilan the day before yesterday." Aunt Mary said.

"Environmental protection girl Doris?" Karen remembered seeing her name in the newspaper. She was keen to promote the concept of environmental protection and was very popular among young people in Wayne.

The mayor election of Luojia City is about to enter the final voting session. The candidate who challenges the old mayor advocates environmental protection. Judging from the information obtained in the newspaper, this environmental protection girl is coming to Luojia City at the moment, it should be to stand for the candidates.

Of course, it can also be understood as a celebrity walking a hole.

Paul said: "Environmental protection is also a good thing."

Aunt Mary glared at Paul, pointed at the group of students who were leaving, and said mockingly:

"They know what environmental protection is, they just don't want to go to class."

…

Karen carried the pig's head to the kitchen on the second floor, ready to cook.

The staple food for today's lunch is lentil rice. Because the hard vegetables contain pork head meat, Karen added less diced meat to the lentil rice.

The side dishes are egg custard, fish-flavored eggplant, seaweed and egg drop soup.

Also, because the family really loves spring rolls, Karen fried some more.

When the food was served, Dees took the main seat, and Aunt Mary and Aunt Winnie, together with Paul and Ron, began to eat.

Uncle Mason was not at home today. He went to treat the officials in charge of the auction of the Hughes Crematorium to dinner, but he specifically asked Karen to save food for him before leaving.

My cousins ​​are at school today.

Cooking for the family can give yourself a great sense of satisfaction, similar to the fulfillment and happiness of feeding pigs.

Karen went downstairs and first added dog food to the golden retriever's rice bowl.

Then put a plate of braised small miscellaneous fish in front of Pu'er, along with a cup of coffee.

The Golden Retriever looked at the plate of braised small miscellaneous fish in front of Pu'er, drooling, and suddenly felt that the dog food in his dog bowl was not delicious at all, but he didn't dare to compete with Pu'er for food.

Pu'er took a sip of coffee happily, and then ate the fish slowly.

Karen was used to this strange cat-style collocation. When he went upstairs, he happened to meet Diss who was coming down.

"The lunch is delicious, especially the pork head. I have something to do in the church in the afternoon, so I have to go there first."

"Grandpa, be careful on the road."

"Um."

When Karen walked to the second floor, Ron and Paul were already leaning on chairs patting their bellies, while Aunt Mary and Aunt Winnie were drinking tea.

"Auntie, auntie, drinking tea after eating just now is not good for digestion." Karen reminded.

"Oh, that's right." Aunt Mary hesitated for a moment, but put down the teacup anyway.

"Karen, don't you want to eat?" Aunt Winnie asked.

"I was full when I tried the dishes." Karen began to prepare to clean up the dishes.

"We're coming, we're coming."

Aunt Winnie got up to help clean up.

The phone on the first floor rang, and Aunt Mary went downstairs to answer the phone. After a while, Aunt Mary's voice came from downstairs:

"Hans Hospital!"

Ron and Paul, who had been in the sun for a morning and had just had a full meal, immediately went to work. The two went downstairs quickly. Karen also put down the plate in his hand, wiped his hands with a wet towel, picked up his coat and followed suit. building.

Generally, there are three people in the car, the uncle plus two guys. When the uncle is not at home, Karen will consciously go up to fill up.

Paul went to start the hearse,

Ron went to carry the stretcher,

Karen gathered the brochures and quotations of the Inmeles Funeral Society,

Time is life, time is money.

Then everyone get on the car as fast as possible,

The hearse departs, the destination is Hans Hospital.

…

Hans Hospital is only a quarter of an hour's drive away from Mink Street. After arriving, Paul and Ron stayed in the car and waited. walk in.

After finding the "connector" head nurse, the head nurse responded:

"The patient is being rescued, and he probably won't come back."

Karen sat on the bench outside the operating room and waited. There were many family members anxiously waiting for rescue on the bench next door. Karen noticed it, but did not come forward at this time.

Without him, I am afraid of being beaten.

He sat quietly with his back straight, as if waiting for an interview;

In fact, it is indeed waiting for the interview.

In fact, after working in this industry for a long time, you will gradually get used to it. You may feel that other people’s family members are waiting for the rescue of patients, but it is inhumane for you to come here early and wait for orders...

But is it kind to open a restaurant and kill chickens and sheep?

So be it, so be it.

A stretcher was pushed in from the outside, and a pair of parents were on both sides, cheering up their daughter who was about to undergo an operation. The operation had certain risks.

When the stretcher cart passed in front of Karen, the little girl turned her face and looked at Karen, showing a shy smile.

Although he is young, he has a natural affection for beautiful things and people.

The younger brother will instinctively want to get closer when he sees a beautiful woman, and the younger sister will also show joy when he sees a handsome guy. This kind of simple preference was natural when he was young. got hidden.

Karen also smiled at the little girl and made a cheering gesture.

The little girl smiled even more happily.

Another half hour passed;

The doctor in charge of the "client" Karen was waiting for walked out of the operating room and took off his mask:

"The patient has been rescued."

"oh!!!"

"Thank God, God bless!"

"Mom, my mother, oh my god, my god..."

The customer "jumped the order",

There was no look of disappointment on Karen's face,

stand up,

I started to move my body slightly, and I felt a little numb after sitting upright for a long time.

Since she didn't need herself anymore, Karen turned around and prepared to leave quietly.

But at this moment,

The lights in the corridor suddenly went out.

"The power is out, the power is out!"

"Where's the backup generator!"

"Backup generator, generate power quickly."

The little girl's operating room door was pushed open, and the doctor shouted angrily:

"Generate, hurry up, the operation is not over yet!"

There was some confusion in the hospital.

There was news that there was a problem with the backup generator of the hospital, and the electricity could not be supplied for a short time.

Another news came that it was the environmental girl Doris who organized a student parade and surrounded a thermal power plant. The students who were obsessed with environmental protection clashed with the staff of the power plant, which eventually led to a power outage.

Karen stood in the corridor,

He saw the little girl's father anxiously pacing up and down while nervously signing, and the little girl's mother sobbing;

In the operating room, doctors came and went, and Karen could feel that the situation was not optimistic from their eyes that were not covered by their masks.

he turned around,

Looking at the bench behind him that he sat on earlier,

He looked at the briefcase under his arm again,

He felt that he should sit back now and continue to wait;

But he was somewhat resistant to sitting back at this time.

He just stood, and kept standing.

There was a huge change in the planned operation and it was switched to rescue;

With the passage of time, he saw that the expression on the face of the little girl's mother was fading, and her eyes became hollow and numb. The little girl's father ignored the environment here, took out a cigarette, wanted to light a cigarette, but kept lighting it. No, the lighter fell to the ground.

Karen stepped forward, took out her own lighter, and helped the little girl's father light it.

"Thank you, thank you." The little girl's father thanked Karen, and at the same time asked in a numb manner, "What do you do?"

"Medical representative."

"Oh, oh, um."

The little girl's father kept smoking heavily while staring at the door of the operating room.

Finally, the power supply came up, and it was not known whether the power plant was back in operation or the hospital generator was functioning.

But at this moment,

The doctor came out and said to the little girl's father:

"sorry."

"No..." The little girl's mother passed out directly.

The little girl's father knelt on the cold corridor tiles.

Karen silently walked to the bench next to her and sat down.

He felt that he was used to seeing corpses at home, and he was even able to joke with Aunt Mary casually when he was helping Aunt Mary. He thought he should be used to it.

but actually not;

The true meaning of life and death does not lie in life, nor in death, nor in its state, but...the process of its transformation.

day, gradually to dusk.

Because of the power supply problem, all the operations in the afternoon were canceled, and the doctor seemed to recognize the profession of "Karen", so the body was not pushed into the morgue.

The little girl's mother was hugged by her father, and the two of them looked sad.

Karen has been sitting, sitting there.

The head nurse came over, knelt down to comfort the parents, and then pointed to Karen, she was kind, at least for the Inmeles family, she was.

But she mistakenly thought that Karen, a "new face" and a "young man", had a thin face and didn't know how to actively solicit business, so she introduced him.

At this time,

The little girl's father stood up and walked in front of Karen;

Karen looked up and looked into his face.

"What do you do?"

Karen hesitated for a moment before replying, "Inmeles Funeral Society..."

"boom!"

Karen was punched in the face and fell sideways on the bench.

"It's because of you, it's because of you, curse my daughter to death, curse my daughter to death, you demons, you **** who make dirty money!"

Karen sat up slowly, wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, and continued to straighten his back, as if he wasn't the one who was beaten just now.

Seeing him like this, the little girl's father let go of the second punch he was about to throw at her. He turned around and continued to comfort his wife.

sky,

It's starting to get dark.

Karen still sits here;

When he came, he was for the list, for the business, for the money;

Now, it's actually not anymore, it's just a list. On the premise that he was beaten, if he left directly, his family would not say anything about him.

However, business has become a kind of responsibility at this time.

finally,

The little girl's father put his arms around his wife who was leaning in his arms, and walked up to Karen again;

Karen looked up again and looked into his face;

"Hey, what are you doing?"

Karen moved his aching cheek on the left side, showing a faint professional smile, opened the briefcase and took out the brochure while saying:

"Inmeles Funeral Society, send your family the last companionship."

…

"Master, your face?"

Paul found the wound on Karen's face.

"fine."

Karen shook her head.

After the hospital completed the formalities, Paul and Ron sent the little girl's body to the hearse. Behind, the little girl's parents would drive their own car and follow the hearse to Mink Street.

They have to prepare and arrange for their daughter's funeral overnight, because only in this way can they still feel that their daughter is still by their side, like taking their daughter to the mall to choose clothes.

Ron glanced at the car driven by the little girl's parents, licked his lips, and said:

"Look, it's Suntland."

He intended to remind the young master that this was a big order, but seeing that the young master was still sitting there quietly, he stopped talking.

The hearse drove back to the Inmeles house on Minke Street, and the Suntland behind it also stopped.

"Lift carefully." Karen reminded.

The parents, standing under the hearse, waited to "pick up" their daughter.

"Understood, master."

Paul and Ron gently lifted the stretcher out of the car;

When everyone entered, Aunt Mary and Aunt Winnie took the initiative to step forward, comforting and introducing business.

Karen covered her side face with the corner of her clothes, and went straight upstairs.

He was a little tired, he wanted to lie down and rest, and hoped that the parents would not order psychological counseling services.

"Brother, you are back, thank you brother."

Mina brought Karen a glass of iced water. Her brother didn't like black tea or coffee, but water with ice cubes.

Karen didn't enter the room, but took the water first.

"Brother, your face?" The careful Mina noticed the injury on Karen's side face.

"fine."

Karen wasn't ready to explain.

At this time, the bedroom door was opened, and Karen's cousin, Lunt, who lived in the same bedroom, came out holding an environmental protection slogan, showing off to Karen:

"Brother, I went to participate in the environmental protection parade organized by Doris today. UU Reading www.uukanshu.com Doris is really cool. Look, she even signed me an autograph, hehe."

Karen froze.

"elder brother?"

Lent approached Karen curiously, wondering why his brother suddenly didn't respond.

Then,

Karen directly splashed the water in the glass on Lent's face.

"Snapped!"

Lent, who was splashed with ice water, looked at Karen in a daze:

"Brother...what's the matter..."

"Snapped!"

This time it's not water,

It was Karen's slap.

Lent was drawn to the ground, covered his face, and looked at his brother who also had scars on his face in disbelief but fear.

At this time,

Grandpa's study door was opened, and Diss stood at the door.

Mina immediately supported Lent, who was still sobbing slightly, to stand up.

"Grandpa, it's okay, it's okay, we're just kidding." Mina hurriedly explained to her grandfather.

Diss looked at Karen and said:

"What's wrong?"

Karen looked at Diss and replied:

"He owes a fight."

"oh."

Diss nodded, turned around and walked back to the study, the door of the study was closed immediately.

"elder brother?"

Mina tried to call Karen twice, but seeing that Karen didn't respond, Mina led Lent to the second floor.

"You are sad."

Pu'er's voice came from the window sill behind Karen,

"It's good to get used to it, because you will find that you can't do anything else."

Karen shook her head;

Pu'er smiled and said, "You don't agree with me?"

Karen propped her hands on the windowsill behind her,

road:

"I'll ask my aunt to give you a discount."