In rural areas, the so-called "spiritual bed" is generally a bed-like thing made of a door panel placed on a few stools.
After Old Man Shen’s reminder, Shen Chunshu finally remembered this taboo.
He quickly ordered his two sons to take down the door of the utility room and to temporarily build a coffin in the outer room.
For a moment, the only sounds in the house were people crying and Shen Chunshu's shouting.
After the coffin was set up, Shen Chunshu and Shen Qiushu carried Old Lady Wang onto it.
Next, Shen Chunshu asked Old Man Shen with some embarrassment: "Dad, what are we going to do about Mom's funeral?"
Logically speaking, at least a coffin should be bought, and the body should be kept at home for three days before the funeral.
But before this, both Old Man Shen and Old Lady Wang were in good health and did not prepare any funeral supplies in advance.
Later, the Shen family gradually ran out of money, and no one mentioned this matter anymore.
Chen Chunshu actually wanted to ask if he could just wrap himself in a mat.
But Old Man Shen kept his head down and remained silent for a long time. It was unclear whether he was feeling guilty towards Old Lady Wang or out of grief for the loss of another.
He said, "Your mother has worked hard all her life. We can't let her die without a proper coffin. Let's see if anyone has one. Let's borrow one first."
It is definitely too late to make a coffin now, but some elderly people in the village will prepare funeral supplies for themselves in advance.
Old man Shen thought of borrowing a coffin from someone first, and then returning it later, either by paying for it or making a new one.
But after he finished speaking, no one in the room moved.
They all looked at Old Man Shen in silence.
Wang Huilian was too busy pretending to cry. She wiped the nonexistent tears from her face and asked with a choked voice, "Who should we borrow from? We are in a lot of debt now. Who is willing to lend us a coffin?"
Old man Shen suppressed his anger and did not get angry at his eldest daughter-in-law. Instead, he looked at Shen Chunshu steadily.
He wanted to see how his eldest son would see his mother off to the end of her life.
Shen Chunshu also noticed the old man's gaze.
Of course, he also wanted to handle his mother's funeral in a dignified manner so that he could have face when he went out.
It’s just that reality doesn’t allow it!
Thinking that after borrowing the coffin, he would have another debt to pay, he turned his head away silently.
Old Man Shen looked at Shen Chunshu with bloodshot eyes, then stared at Shen Qiushu with red eyes: "Where is the third brother, what do you say?"
Shen Qiushu looked at Old Man Shen, then at Shen Chunshu, and replied hesitantly: "I'll listen to you, Dad. I'll do whatever you say!"
"Okay, okay, all of you, your mother and I have really raised three good sons!" Old man Shen pointed at the eldest and the third son with a smile on his face.
This is when I am still here.
When the day comes for me to die, will they be too lazy to even wrap me in a straw mat?
He stood up on one foot, holding onto the edge of the kang and ready to jump out: "If you don't go to borrow it, I will."
"Even if I have to sacrifice my reputation, I will never let your mother die without even a coffin to be buried in."
Chen Qiushu quickly stopped him: "Dad, aren't we all discussing this? Why are you like a firecracker, igniting at the slightest touch?"
Old Man Shen caught up with Shen Qiushu and said, "Then go and make a coffin for your mother. It will be worth it for her to give birth to you and raise you to this age!"
"This...how can this be my turn? Big brother is still here, how can I go over him?" Shen Qiushu shrank back when he heard it.
Chen Chunshu is the eldest son, so he should be the one to go.
Besides, there is Chen Xiashu, so it’s never my turn!
When Old Man Shen saw that his two sons were unwilling to borrow money, he slapped Shen Qiushu, who was closest to him, in the face.
Then he pointed at the eldest and the third son and cursed, "I really raised you two ungrateful wolves for nothing. You two unfilial things, I'd better die here today, so that you won't be angry to death in the future."
As soon as he finished cursing, Old Man Shen pretended to bang his head against the wall.
The people around him were so scared that they rushed forward to hold him back.
Finally, Chen Chunshu had no choice but to bite the bullet and said, "Okay, I'll go borrow it, but we have to make it clear in advance that when we pay it back in the future, we will all pay it back together."
After saying this, seeing that no one objected, he had to turn around and leave quickly.
Seeing that his eldest son had finally left, Old Man Shen calmed down and directed Shen Qiushu to go out and report the news.
Although we are not planning a big celebration, we still have to notify the villagers.
It would also be a good opportunity for people to come and pay their respects when they get off work.
He also asked the three daughters-in-law to clean Old Lady Wang's face and tidy up her clothes.
Before Li Xiang went to work, she helped Chen Xiashu from the ground to the kang.
Seeing his red eyes, he couldn't help but comfort him: "Boss, take it easy, people get old, there will always be such a day."
Chen Xiashu looked up at Li Xiang in a trance, then suddenly raised his hand and slapped her in the face.
"Ah~~~" Li Xiang screamed and fell to the ground. She had no idea how she had offended Chen Xiashu.
But she didn't dare to ask, so she could only stand up silently, cover her face and go to the outer room to help Old Lady Wang clean up without saying a word.
The slap that Chen Xiashu just gave was more like a slap on his own face than a slap on Li Xiang's face!
He felt sad.
But I don’t know who to blame?
Are you blaming your mother for stealing food rations?
Or do you blame your own father for suffocating your mother to death?
Or is it myself who is unable to redress the injustice done to my own mother?
Chen Xiashu kept pulling his hair with his hands, and he felt so conflicted that he wanted to die.
When Old Man Shen saw him like this, he quickly moved to his side and pinched him hard.
Chen Xiashu slowly turned her head and looked at him, her eyes filled with sadness.
Old man Shen was stunned.
The second son looks really sad.
He was a little dazed.
Unexpectedly, when the old woman passed away, among the three sons, only the second son, who was the least favored, was truly sad.
I wanted to blurt out a warning, but I couldn't say it.
He touched Chen Xiashu's arm with some sadness and said, "Second brother, it's Dad's fault..." Then he started crying.
Tears kept rolling down like beads that had broken off the string.
Chen Xiashu wanted to raise his hand to comfort his father, but his hand felt as if it was weighed by a thousand pounds and he couldn't lift it.
When other people looked at the two of them, they just thought it was because of Old Lady Wang's death, and no one thought about it too much.
As Shen Qiushu informed every household, it didn't take long before everyone in the village knew that the old lady of the Shen family had passed away.
Because it was during the lunch break, after a while, someone came to pay their respects.
But at this time, Chen Chunshu had not yet borrowed a coffin, so Old Lady Wang's body was just left on the door panel of the outer room.
The people who came to pay their respects were also very embarrassed. They bowed twice, said a few words of condolences, and then left.
Old man Shen stared at the gate anxiously, wondering why the boss had been out for so long and hadn't come back yet?
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