National Forensic Doctor

Heshan City.

At 4:30 in the afternoon, the sun had already set.

Ren Kuangshan arrived at his trusty BBQ stand. If there was any good to come from the early sunset, it was that the BBQ stand opened earlier, and it could be counted as dinner.

Ren Kuangshan greeted the owner and ordered, "Three grilled fat, a handful of mustard lamb tripe, and five skewers of lamb meat."

"Alright," the owner replied promptly, and soon brought the order, adding a bowl of soup, "Freshly cooked lamb soup made from lamb bones simmered all day, to warm you up."

"Thank you, thank you," Ren Kuangshan felt genuinely warmed inside.

He had spent years driving trucks away from home. As the saying goes, when one leaves their hometown, they become lowly. Truck drivers endure more grievances than hardships, with no outlet to express them. For a while, Ren Kuangshan envied couples who drove trucks together. Two people living in one truck, taking turns driving, cooking meals, and even having a marital life at night.

Later, Ren Kuangshan didn’t envy them much. Kids need schooling, it’s crucial to have the mother around, both parents leaving would turn the child into a left-behind child.

As for himself... Before getting cancer, Ren Kuangshan felt that one must fulfill one’s responsibilities. After getting it...

Ren Kuangshan took a big gulp of lamb soup, grimacing at the heat, thinking, people are not much different from lambs, destined to be consumed by shepherds, one can’t control much.

All he can do is leave some money behind. If he stayed home, the hard-earned money over the years would likely end up at the hospital. In the end, he’d merely watch his wife mourn by the bedside, not knowing if she’s crying for him or for the empty household, for the life ahead.