Episode 7 recap: Chen Maidong comforted Zhuang Jie with past experiences.
He Zhanngyue's accident happened in the factory workshop. He was helping to lift a large machine when unexpectedly it tilted and came crashing down. The injured person was immediately rushed to the hospital. One relative was seriously injured, but He Zhangyue's rescue efforts were in vain, and he passed away. The funeral parlor arranged the vigil area, and Zhuang Jie went home to pick up Zhuang Yan and Niao Niao. All three children found it difficult to accept He Zhangyue's departure, and Zhuang Jie was reminded of her father's car accident scene.
Because Zhuang Jie had lost her father before, she cherished Uncle He deeply. But her biggest regret now is that she never called him "Dad." Even if she shouted it out in the mourning hall, it was too late. Chen Maidong consoled Zhuang Jie, saying that it is precisely because life has its limits that they should strive harder. Being human, they can only grieve and gradually learn to accept what is lost.
The sudden incident caught everyone off guard, and Liao Tao was too overwhelmed with grief to handle the funeral arrangements. Therefore, He Zhangyue's comrades and friends helped set up the mourning hall, and Zhuang Jie would take over when she returned from Shanghai. Zhuang Yan brought Niao Niao to the vigil area, and Niao Niao realized that she would also lose her father. She threw herself into Zhuang Jie's arms and cried, deeply moving everyone present.
Meanwhile, Liao Tao remained at the funeral parlor, waiting for Chen Maidong to prepare He Zhangyue's appearance. When she looked at the cabinet filled with embalmed bodies, Chen Maidong patiently explained that this technique is specifically used to preserve the dignity of deceased individuals with damaged appearances. It would be very difficult to repair them manually. Liao Tao understood and entrusted He Zhangyue's care to Chen Maidong, who promised to do their utmost.
Looking at the black-and-white portrait of Uncle He placed in the mourning hall, Zhuang Jie didn't even have time to grieve. She had to personally handle various matters. Due to local customs, the obituary must be issued in the name of the son and not the daughter or wife. So even though Zhuang Yan was not He Zhangyue's biological son, Zhuang Jie still asked him to go home first and take care of the things entrusted to him by Yang Shu. He would return to keep the vigil with her later in the night.
Once the preparations were completed, Chen Maidong respectfully bowed to the deceased and allowed Liao Tao to personally put shoes on He Zhangyue. Despite Liao Tao's efforts to hold back her sorrow, tears streamed down her face, and in the end, she couldn't control her emotions and collapsed, wailing by her husband's feet. Zhuang Jie received the condolences of the people who came to pay their respects and silently stood at the entrance of the morgue, watching this scene, also crying tears of sorrow.
In the late hours of the night, Zhuang Yan and Niao Niao fell asleep one after another. They had cried all day, and even their energy was depleted. Zhuang Jie, unable to kneel due to her leg disability, struggled to stand up after a while and placed a custom-made banner in front of the portrait. Once again, she broke down in tears. Chen Maidong quickly stepped forward to support her and urged her to rest. Zhuang Jie cried, expressing her biggest regret of not being able to call him "Dad." Even if she shouted that now, it was too late.
Chen Maidong took Zhuang Jie to the resting room in the funeral parlor and accompanied her until she gradually calmed down. Zhuang Jie thought of her biological father and then of Uncle He, who treated her like his own daughter. Suddenly, she had a momentary thought that women in the Liao family were better at coping with hardships than men. Chen Maidong refuted her statement, saying that when loved ones pass away, it might be a signal from fate, reminding them that the most reliable barrier has disappeared, and sooner or later, it will be their turn. It is precisely because life has its limits that they should strive harder to live, create, and love.
Then, Chen Maidong shared a tragic story with Zhuang Jie. It happened when he was seventeen years old and lost his close friend, Song Ran, completely because he missed a phone call. He witnessed his friend's lifeless body lying on the ground. At that time, Chen Maidong couldn't comprehend death; he only felt lost and impulsive. However, his master woke him up with a slap. After handling Song Ran's body, his master personally brushed and cleaned the shoes stained with blood and washed his feet, telling him that death always comes unexpectedly, and regret alone is useless. Someone has to take action.
It was because of his master that Chen Maidong resolutely entered the funeral industry, but he never thought that one day he would personally send off his master. Chen Maidong told Zhuang Jie that the essence of loss is teaching them to gradually accept it. No matter how difficult it is now, there will come a time when they can get through it. Over the years, Chen Maidong has always remembered his master's words: those who are meant to leave will leave, and we cannot hold them back. As humans, we can only grieve.
That night, the door of the He family was covered with an obituary notice, and silence filled the air. There was no sound, and dust floated in the dim light. In the spacious living room, only Liao Tao remained, sitting silently next to a cabinet, playing with the ingredients for braised chicken. Tears kept rolling in her eyes, evoking a sense of heartache for anyone who saw her.
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