“That won’t do. Brother Cheng must go with the village chief and walk in front, carrying the roast suckling pig, roast chicken offerings, and leading the way with the first team of gongs and drums.”
Xiao Dazhuang stubbornly repeated Xiao Guofu's words.
Liang Lixia pulled him back, saying, "Alright, alright, the ancestors can see us going in and out, so don't be a third wheel."
"What light bulb?" Xiao Dazhuang didn't understand.
Looking at her bewildered son, Liang Lixia sighed, "You'll understand when you get married."
"I want to marry a wife like my sister-in-law, someone who can cook, be presentable in public, and give Brother Cheng a sweet smile." Xiao Dazhuang was honest but not stupid, and immediately revealed his standards.
Liang Lixia was speechless.
With such high standards, can you find someone in heaven?
The Xiao family's old site is located in these mountains, where there are hundreds of clansmen. Even though many have moved out, there are still more than 200 households living there today, and some elderly people are unwilling to move away.
This is the main group of the Xiao family for ancestral worship. More than 300 people gathered in the square early in the morning, diligently roasting suckling pigs and chickens, and preparing offerings such as fruits.
They waited for the Xiao family descendants who were developing elsewhere to return, and then they all went up the mountain to pay homage to the Xiao family ancestral tombs.
People from both inside and outside the mountains are one family. Everyone gathered together for the ancestral worship ceremony, with a total of four or five hundred people.
The large group set off towards the mountains in a grand procession.
The first group cleared the way with great fanfare.
Strong and healthy men carried the suckling pig, roast chicken, fruit, and other offerings.
The men, women, young and old behind them don't need to separate; whoever walks faster can walk faster, and whoever walks slower can walk slower.
There is no such thing as "men in front, women in back".
There is no outdated custom that women cannot perform ancestral rites.
Because the ancestors of the Xiao family here included a female general who led troops into battle, was brave and skilled in fighting, and protected her home and country.
In times of border unrest, female generals stepped forward, and male generals fought alongside them, together protecting the countless people of China.
Therefore, gender equality should be achieved, and outdated customs should be abolished.
We chatted and laughed, talking about everything under the sun. You talked to me about everyday things, and I talked to you about my business.
We should be united, friendly, and help each other.
Bai Lu likes this custom. "Xiao Wei, look, you have so many family members."
Xiao Cheng was eventually invited to the first team by Xiao Guofu, while only Xiao Wei stayed by Bai Lu's side.
Upon hearing her words, Xiao Wei glanced at the Xiao family members around him, who were chatting and laughing, and greeted him with friendly smiles when they saw him looking over. He then nodded slightly.
Even though my parents are gone.
But there's also the eldest brother, and many, many members of the Xiao family.
Bai Lu is right.
"Hey~ Isn't this the White Dew season?"
A gruff voice cut in, and then a round, chubby figure squeezed out from the crowd walking nearby.
Li Shuixian's husband was also from the Xiao family. He hadn't seen Bailu on the way there and thought she hadn't come.
Upon seeing this person, I couldn't help but say sarcastically, "She's pregnant and still coming to worship her ancestors. If she accidentally offends something unclean and gives birth to a monster, it would be a laughing stock."
After being tricked and pushed down by Bai Lu in Xiao Cheng's backyard last time, Li Shuixian turned against Bai Lu.
Since she couldn't get the money back anyway, she didn't need to pretend to be nice anymore; she could just hurl the most vicious curses possible.
How could Xiao Wei tolerate his elder brother's child being slandered? He immediately retorted, "You couldn't even give birth to a demon or monster!"
Li Shuixian's face flushed red, then turned pale, then white, before finally returning to its initial flush of anger and embarrassment.
She got married more than a month earlier than Bailu, but her belly remained flat, and her mother-in-law began to have complaints about her.
Including the last time, she tried to get back the six hundred yuan that Bai Lu had tricked her out of, by trying to get it back from the grocery store's account, but the old woman who came to the store to get salt happened to see it.
They would beat and scold her constantly, calling her a barren hen, a cunning and lazy woman, and a spendthrift.
Thinking that all of this was caused by Bai Lu, Li Shuixian wanted to slap Bai Lu, but the lesson she learned last time made her dare not act rashly, so she could only curse at Xiao Wei.
"Children without parents are ill-mannered!"
Bai Lu's eyes suddenly turned cold, and she retorted sarcastically, "You have manners, yet you teach others to drink pesticide to cheat people out of money and instigate them to abort their unborn children. Is this the manners of an executioner?"
Li Shuixian blushed deeply after being mocked.
With so many people around, she spoke in a low voice, but Bai Lu did not lower her voice at all. The Xiao family members who heard her words all shot her sharp, cutting blades.
"Who is this person? How could they be so vicious!"
"Not only did she instigate others to drink pesticide to cheat people out of money, but she also instigated others to kill young lives. She's simply a poisonous woman!"
"This woman's face looks unfamiliar. She's not from the Xiao family, is she? Whose daughter-in-law is so vicious! We must have had the worst luck in eight lifetimes to let her into the family."
Although Bai Lu spoke coldly, her face was solemn and serious, and her demeanor was like that of a fair and impartial judge.
It makes people believe it without even realizing it.
The surrounding aunts, uncles, and other relatives all launched a denunciation meeting against Li Shuixian.
They nailed her to the pillar of shame, silencing her completely.
Li Shuixian came to pay respects to her ancestors today, but she had more important things to do and knew she couldn't leave a bad impression.
Not daring to refute, he could only hurriedly smile at Bai Lu and say, "You must be mistaken," before fleeing in panic.
Xiao Wei looked at Bai Lu with disbelief, astonishment, and surprise in his eyes, but not with fear.
Bai Lu is usually easy to talk to and seems to have no temper. Even if she does have a temper, she won't swear.
At most, I'll stir-fry some chili peppers.
When Xiao Wei first saw her speak coldly and sarcastically, he didn't find it offensive; instead, he felt a sense of warmth and familiarity.
The warmth of being protected.
My heart suddenly felt warm, and I didn't feel awkward at all as she led me up the mountain.
This is the mountain... it's a bit high.
The tombs of the Xiao family ancestors are still on the mountaintop.
Bai Lu and Xiao Wei climbed to the top of the mountain, too tired to speak, and the two of them leaned against a tree, massaging their legs.
Carrying hoes and shovels, the Xiao family members began clearing away the weeds and low bushes around the ancestral tomb.
The tall, imposing man was also holding a shovel, clearing the weeds beside the grave. Someone was chatting with him enthusiastically, but he seemed a little uncomfortable. He replied a few words and then picked up the shovel and went elsewhere.
Unexpectedly, there were also enthusiastic members of the Xiao family elsewhere.
The businessman, who had just returned from Nanshi, struck up a conversation with him in a very familiar manner: "Why haven't I seen you in Nanshi lately? I heard that the big boss recently opened up a new avenue, a legitimate business path. You're so young and capable, you could ask him to try your luck on this alternative route."
“There’s no future in the small town, and the development of Pingcheng is already at a dead end. There are more opportunities in Nanshi. If you go to Nanshi to pave the way, we will definitely have the opportunity to benefit each other in the future.”
Anyone doing business in Nanshi, as long as the market isn't so bad that they can't make a living, has heard of big bosses.
Those in really bad situations will have an even deeper understanding of Xiao Cheng, the ruthless debt collector under the big boss.
Xiao Penghui's business is doing well, and he has a long-term vision. If Xiao Cheng were to pave the way in Nanshi, his business would definitely be able to ride the fast train that no one dares to mess with.
Xiao Cheng had his own ideas and looked down on Nanshi, whom he knew well, and he was also aware of Xiao Penghui's little schemes.
We have different views, so I won't say more.
His gaze fell on the girl massaging her legs under a tree not far away, and his reasons for refusing were quite valid.
“A home in a small town.”
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