Let's discuss Chapter 65.
Wu Hai escorted Wu Peng and the other man directly to the village chief's doorstep, and even shouted into the yard.
Wu Peng slipped a pack of cigarettes to Wu Hai.
The old village chief was eating in the courtyard when he saw the person standing at the door and was a little dazed, thinking that Wu Tian had returned.
"Come in, come in and sit down." The village chief told his wife to quickly fetch two stools.
"Wu Tian, is that you? You must be from Wu Tian's family."
Wu Peng nodded. "Wu Tian is my grandfather, and I am Wu Peng. This is my wife, Yao Fanghua." He remembered the village chief.
"Good, good, a perfect match, a blessed couple. Wu Tian will be overjoyed to know." As they drew closer, the old village chief scrutinized Wu Peng more closely. "You look just like your grandfather. Just like him when he was young."
When you were little, I held you when your grandfather came back to pay respects to our ancestors.
So many years have passed in the blink of an eye, and we've all grown up.
"Have you eaten? Sit down and eat with us. Make yourselves at home." The village chief pushed Wu Peng and Yao Fanghua to sit down and told his wife to quickly get some bowls and chopsticks.
Unable to refuse, Wu Peng pulled Yao Fanghua down to sit and ate a few things as a token gesture.
After finishing his meal, Wu Peng got down to business.
“My grandparents and parents died far from home, and I’m thinking of moving their remains back to our ancestral grave in a few days.” It’s quite far, and it will take several days to go back and forth.
Wu Peng took out two thousand yuan and said, "Please trouble the village chief to find someone to help repair the grave."
Then he took out another two thousand, saying, "These are for repairing the ancestral hall in the village."
Looking at the two stacks of money on the table, the old village chief's hand holding his pipe trembled slightly. "There's no need for so much."
Seeing these two thick stacks of paper, the old village chief was filled with doubt and suspicion. Had Wu Tian's family become rich again? The village chief looked Wu Peng up and down, wondering if this face indicated a life of wealth and honor.
In recent years, so many rich people have been brought down, but ordinary people haven't gotten rich. Where did all that money go? Well, that's not something ordinary people like them can ponder.
All he knew was that after all this commotion, the poor people hadn't turned their lives around; they were still poor. Instead of everyone achieving common prosperity, those people had become poor alongside them.
"The village chief knows that my grandparents and parents suffered a lot later on. I was useless, and I handled their funerals hastily. When they were alive, they were most worried about me. Now that I have the ability, I just want to give them a proper burial and let them know that I am doing well. They can rest in peace in the afterlife, and only when they are at peace can I be at peace."
This is just a small token of my filial piety; I hope the village chief will grant my request.
“You are a filial son.” The old village chief tapped his pipe. “Since you have such a filial heart, then leave the money here.”
I'll repair it to the highest standards for you. I'll find more people and get it done before the busy farming season. I'll put all the costs on your tab, and you can pay the rest back.
"As for repairing the ancestral hall," the old village chief said, his expression becoming emotional. "I feel ashamed before my ancestors. The ancestral hall was demolished a few years ago, and I," the old village chief said, his eyes filled with tears, "if I can rebuild the ancestral hall in my lifetime, I can die in peace."
The old village chief stood up to give Wu Peng a deep bow, saying, "This old man of mine really doesn't know how to thank you."
Wu Peng quickly stopped him, saying, "You're shortening my lifespan. According to seniority, I should call you Great-Grandpa. Besides, I'm also a member of Wu Family Village. My roots are here, and my ancestors are here. It's only right that I do my part and fulfill my responsibility in repairing the ancestral hall in the village."
The old village chief wiped away his tears, and he was happy at the thought of the ancestral hall being rebuilt. "The village still has some money, so let's contribute it all. Men, women, and children in the village can contribute money or labor as much as they can, and we'll try to build the ancestral hall as soon as possible. The family genealogy is still there. Once the ancestral hall is built, I'll have someone recarve the ancestral tablets and put them in there."
After chatting with the village chief for a few minutes, Wu Peng got up to say goodbye, saying he was going to visit the old house. "Grandpa Village Chief, don't worry about us. We'll just go see the old house and then leave. Tomorrow I'll set off to pick up my grandparents and parents. If all goes well, I should be back in five or six days."
"Alright, alright, after you've finished looking at it, go find the sea and have him take you there in a tractor."
Yao Fanghua followed Wu Peng to the old house, and along the way they encountered several people who greeted them.
Finally, when no one was around, Yao Fanghua couldn't help but ask, "Didn't you know your brother got the ancestral home back?"
Wu Peng remained silent.
"You and your brother?" They're not very close, are they?
Wu Peng remained silent.
Hmm, she understands. Everyone has siblings, and everyone has their share of grudges and disagreements. It's good if they're not close; very few people become enemies. Of course, there are definitely close and extremely close relationships.
"Your brother doesn't have those pictures either, does he?" This was what Yao Fanghua really wanted to ask. They were all descendants of the Wu family; there was no reason to favor one over the other, especially since he was the eldest. Don't wealthy people always favor the eldest son? Even if they were, they usually favored the eldest, right?
"Definitely not. Those things were all left to me, and only I have the maps. Grandpa said that everything in the Wu family belongs to me, including my grandma's and my mom's private savings."
Yao Fanghua was surprised. Was it really that biased? Why wasn't she so lucky to have so many kind and loving relatives?
"Want to know why?"
Yao Fanghua nodded vigorously.
Wu Peng glanced at her and said arrogantly, "It's not something I can't say. I am the legitimate son!"
Wu Peng spoke the words "legitimate son" with the air of a crown prince.
Yao Fanghua: ...It's a pity the Qing Dynasty fell.
Wu Peng's legitimate son? Doesn't that mean his elder brother isn't? Secrets? Wives and concubines? Two women fighting over one man, or perhaps two men fighting over one woman? Hiss~
Having read unofficial histories, Yao Fanghua's eyes suddenly lit up with a gossipy gleam. "Tell me about it."
"Wu Kun is the son of my father and another woman."
Yao Fanghua waited for Wu Peng to continue. But Wu Peng said he was done.
Yao Fanghua: "Tell me more about it?"
"We'll start talking about it whenever we get our marriage certificate. If you don't mind, I'll tell you all night on our wedding night." We'll strip naked and crawl into bed together, and you can say whatever you want, even things you're not allowed to say.
"You scoundrel." Yao Fanghua shut up.
Wujia Village is high in the north and low in the south. The old Wu family house is located at the northern end of Wujia Village, where the terrain is the highest.
Wu Peng quickened his pace. Although Wu Kun didn't have a picture, he suspected that Wu Kun might know something.
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