The old man's body was never found. The mountain stream under the chain bridge was too deep. No one dared to go down to look for it. When Yu Fan and others arrived, many people had gathered around the bridge. A group of children were crying loudly there. The desolate voice made some parents’ eyes turn red.
Looking at the iron cable bridge in front of him, Yu Fan himself felt palpitations. The long iron cables connected between the two peaks. The iron cables were already rusty. The entire bridge deck was only paved with some simple wooden signs. Some are already in a state of decay.
Because the distance between the mountain peaks is very long, the chain bridge seems very long. From one side of the bridge, it is difficult to see the figures on the other side. Amidst the whistling of the mountain wind, the chain bridge also makes a rattling sound. Yu Fan thought that he would not dare to walk on such a bridge. It was really hard for him to imagine a dying old man leading a group of children back and forth on the bridge every day. It would be like walking back and forth on a cliff every day. Like a tightrope several times.
After getting off the bus, Bi Jun quickly asked the villagers how things happened. And through his understanding, Yu Fan gradually understood what happened. The mountain wind was very strong today, and the old man was as usual. Sending children from other villages across the chain bridge after they have finished school. This is something he has been insisting on for three years. Such a bridge. If an accident happens to the children on it, what will it mean? The elderly are better than anyone else. Be clear.
In fact, Bi Jun, the deputy head of the township, discovered this situation early on and was very worried and tried to persuade the old man. Normally, as long as he had nothing to do, he would send these children off for the old man. But he was a deputy head of the township after all. Especially now that the whole township is undergoing construction, he comes less frequently. But he comes here once a day to see how the elderly are doing.
An old man over seventy years old lived alone in the village for the sake of those lovely children. This situation made Bi Jun sometimes moved and felt guilty. Even during festivals, he tried to persuade the old man He can go back and enjoy his old age. Although he feels very reluctant to give up. After all, half of the villages in the township live in the mountains. And these villages only have one school, Niujiao Village. If the old man goes back, he doesn't know where to start. Find another teacher.
Of course, Bi Jun's persuasion did not persuade the old man. Instead, he made the old man laugh and scold him. According to the old man's original words, he was already in his twilight years anyway. He still had a few days to live well. .As long as one more child can learn knowledge, it will be of great benefit to them in the future. I can finally fulfill my responsibility as a teacher.
Hearing this, Yu Fan couldn't help but burst into tears. He had cried once since Liu Li's car accident. He also felt that he had become stronger over the years. He never expected that he would be so unbearable for an old man he didn't know. He couldn't help crying. In fact, Yu Fan understood that the old man relied on such a belief to persist in the mountains for three years. This is a sense of mission as a teacher and a responsibility. It has been deeply imprinted on the old man. It’s deep in his bones. Maybe the old man also hopes that this can be a kind of inheritance.
Looking at the iron cable bridge swaying in the wind, Yu Fan was silent for a long time. He seemed to see the figure of a kind and simple old man who had been picking up and dropping off these children between these two peaks for many years. And he seemed to also see the figure of a kind and simple old man. He saw the old man's anxious expression when he sent the children across the bridge for the last time and risked his own life to save a child who fell outwards. He also seemed to see the happy expression on the old man's face after the child was saved. But he himself was He fell under the bridge and could no longer see the school where he worked and those simple and lovely children.
Yu Fan believed that the old man was in a calm mood when he fell. It is impossible for the old man not to have expected such a thing. He has lived here for three years and walks back and forth on this bridge every day. The bridge is old and The old man knew the risks he faced best. That's why he insisted on sending these children across the bridge every day just to protect them with his old and weak body. Thinking of this, Yu Fan seemed to see the old man falling. His expression was always smiling. His eyes were full of attachment and reluctance for these children. Maybe there was also worry. After all, he was the only teacher in this school. He just left. Who should leave those children?
Yu Fan and others were not the only ones standing by the bridge. As more and more people got the news, villagers from various villages gathered on both sides of the chain bridge. Perhaps because the children's cries were too sad. The black people on both sides Sobbing could also be heard from the crowd from time to time, and the sounds became more and more frequent. Until finally, the sound of the mountain wind blowing across the Iron Lock Bridge was completely covered up.
A kind of strength, a responsibility and a touch. It is not only the passing of a hero that makes people shed tears. An old man over seventy years old risked his life to educate children for three years in the mountains. Even for the sake of living. Already a little numb, city people will be moved. What’s more, these simple mountain people living in the mountains.
"Secretary Cui, this bridge will be called 'Shi Bridge' from now on." Yu Fan said quietly. Even he himself didn't know why he said such a sentence. Maybe it had something to do with the crying all over the sky.
Cui Hanming's eyes were also red at the moment. He nodded vigorously when he heard Yu Fan's words. But it was also because of these words that Yu Fan woke up from his grief. The dead are gone, but the dead should get the benefits of the living. In memory, he glanced at Bi Jun who was crying bitterly. Yu Fan said solemnly: "Head of Bi Jun, now is not the time for you to cry. Immediately organize people to go to the mountain stream to find the old man's body. No matter what method is used, we must do it. turn up."
This kind of thing is naturally obligatory. Bi Jun shed tears and turned around to greet people. Yu Fan also glanced at Huang Lin, the mayor of Yeshan Township beside him, and said: "Chief Huang, decorate the mourning hall and open the memorial service. I'll leave the meeting to you. The deceased is gone. But those of us who are alive must know how to be grateful. The old man died for our children in the mountains. The common people should have a place to pay homage to the heroes. In addition, we must think We need to notify the old man's family as soon as possible and ask them to get here as soon as possible. The attitude must be good." Huang Lin nodded and turned around and left with a sad look on his face.
Finally, Yu Fan looked at Yeshan Township Secretary Cui Hanming and said: "Secretary Cui, please report to the county immediately. We can't let these children take such risks again. The sacrifice of the old man. This is a bloody lesson. Let the county educate The bureau and the county finance bureau must allocate funds to build another school on the other side of the mountain no matter what. If it can't be built in one day, let the director of the county education bureau walk on the bridge for a day. If it can't be built in a month, let him walk on the bridge for a month. ." Cui Hanming nodded after hearing this and was about to leave. Yu Fan sighed and said, "Get ready. The county is going to hold an on-site office meeting here."
Ignoring Cui Hanming's doubts, Yu Fan turned to Gao Yang, who was standing aside and wiping tears, and said: "You call all the standing committee members in the county immediately and ask them to get here as soon as possible. We are going to open a standing committee meeting. We will. Also ask people from the County Public Security Bureau to send people here to maintain order. Ask leaders from the County Education Bureau and the County Finance Bureau to rush here."
After the grief, Yu Fan felt sad in his heart. A school, a teacher in his seventies, had been here for three years, but no one cared about this situation. This made Yu Fan feel helpless after the grief. Angry. But who should he blame for this kind of thing? In the end, Yu Fan could only blame himself. He had promised Bi Jun to rebuild the school. Although the school was now built, a school did not It's not just the school building. Teachers are the most important part of the school. Thinking of this, Yu Fan felt guilty again. There are still many places where his work is not in place.
The mourning hall was quickly erected. But not one but two. What happened on the cable bridge made many people feel intimidated by the bridge. No one dared to walk on it. I saw that the mourning hall was erected on this side of the bridge. The bridge The people there also spontaneously built a simple mourning hall there.
An old man. Two mourning halls. This made Yu Fan feel all kinds of emotions. Yes, our people are the most grateful. No matter what others have done for them, in fact, they all have a strong balance in their hearts. Hum. Some people say they are ignorant. I think those people are truly ignorant. Maybe they have little knowledge and do not understand the big principles of life. But they describe their own life with their simplicity.
As the sun set, cars drove to Niujiao Village one after another. All the county committee members rushed here after receiving the call from Yu Fan. Also coming with them were those from the county TV station. This is Chu Qin's idea. We are not just going to pay homage to the old man's deeds. We want more people to know that there is such an old man in Dapu County. At least let the people of Dapu County know.
Another search still failed to find the old man's body. The mountain gorge was too deep. The person responsible for the search really couldn't get down. When he heard the news, Yu Fan also sighed. He didn't expect that they would pay homage to the old man. But it was Even the old man's body was not found. That's fine. The old man has paid too much for the people in the mountains. Let these two peaks be the old man's destination. Let the people in the mountains remember him from generation to generation.
This meeting of the Standing Committee of Dapu County was held in the newly built school in Niujiao Village. This is also the place where the old man has taught students for the past three years. However, except for the newly built classrooms, the other desks and other items in the entire school are in dilapidated condition. It was extremely broken. Some of the desks were even made of adobe bricks. All the members of the Standing Committee who walked in felt sour in their hearts.