Chapter 15 seems to have changed this year.
Tang Mingli woke up after sleeping for less than five hours.
I was woken up by Fu Ci.
Since marrying into the Fu family, except for the initial period, she has slept for eight hours every night, and including her morning nap, she gets at least nine hours a day.
But today she had to get up early and didn't even get a nap at noon, so you can imagine how painful it must have been for her.
But she didn't stay in bed. Even though she was sleepy after being woken up, she jumped out of bed and obediently brushed her teeth and washed her face.
Because today is Qingming Festival, the Fu family has something very important to do.
To clear her head, Tang Mingli splashed cold water on her face.
The cool sensation penetrated through the skin and permeated the whole body, instantly making one feel much more refreshed.
She looked at herself in the mirror, lost in thought.
Even though she didn't get enough rest last night, she doesn't look tired at all; in fact, she looks even more beautiful.
Is this the power of nourishment?
Thinking of last night, Tang Mingli's cheeks flushed slightly. At the same time, she secretly rejoiced that people didn't have the ability to read minds, otherwise her secret of being Huang Xin's little sister might not have been kept.
After washing up and going downstairs, I found that the four elders had already gotten ready and were sitting at the dining table waiting for me to come down so we could have breakfast together.
Seeing Tang Mingli come down, Madam Fu smiled and said, "It's been a long time since you've gotten up this early. Are you feeling a little out of sorts?"
Tang Mingli smiled shyly.
She stopped denying the obvious facts.
After breakfast, the family took the offerings they had prepared the day before and went out.
Every year during the Qingming Festival, the Fu family would accompany Grandpa Fu to pay respects to his fallen comrades.
This is considered an unwritten tradition in the Fu family.
The family compound is neither far nor near the martyrs' cemetery; it takes more than half an hour to walk there. Taking the bus would be faster, but Grandpa Fu always prefers to walk.
Tang Mingli didn't understand it in the first year, but she did later.
Even in his seventies, seeing old friends with whom he once fought side by side would still be very unsettling for him; he would need some distance and time to calm down.
He measured the journey to see his comrades with his own feet year after year.
Along the way, he might have been thinking about what he would say to his former comrades-in-arms when he arrived at the cemetery and stood in front of the monument.
Should I tell them about the changes in the country this year? Or share my own recent situation with them? Or silently reminisce about the days when we sat side by side?
Or maybe I wasn't thinking about anything at all.
Tang Mingli had no way of guessing.
Having spent several years as a corporate slave in her previous life, she thought she had developed a bit of shrewdness, but in the face of the friendship between Grandpa Fu and her comrades, no amount of shrewdness could guess anything.
What I could clearly feel was the overwhelming heaviness in my grandfather's voice as he stood before the monument.
The souls from decades later, born and raised in a time of peace, have far less profound feelings about the war years than Mr. Fu's generation.
She reveres, appreciates, and cherishes the memory of the martyrs.
The martyrs who built national peace with their blood and flesh should be remembered forever.
But for Mr. Fu, many of the names on the tombstone were people who had lived and worked alongside him for a period of time and fought for the same ideal.
Grandpa Fu stood silently in front of the monument for the entire morning.
They were among the first to arrive to pay their respects, and throughout the morning, wave after wave of people came to do so.
The once empty tombstone was now filled with bouquets of flowers.
As time passed, fewer and fewer people came to pay their respects, until finally only the six of them remained.
Grandpa Fu finally said, "Let's go."
Tang Mingli followed the Fu family in giving a final deep bow before leaving the cemetery.
Stepping outside, you immediately experience two completely different worlds.
Outside, the streets were bustling with activity, a vibrant and prosperous scene.
Tang Mingli suddenly had a new feeling.
Perhaps Grandpa enjoys walking this route simply to experience the warmth and life here.
It takes great courage to mourn.
The quiet of the journey was suddenly broken by Old Madam Fu.
She suddenly asked Grandpa Fu, "Are we just going back like this?"
Grandpa Fu was puzzled, and finally turned to look at his wife: "Is there anything else?"
"I wouldn't say we did, but since we were already out, we figured we might as well eat out before going back. Come to think of it, it's been a long time since our family has eaten out."
These words surprised not only Old Master Fu, but also everyone else.
It's worth noting that for decades, the old man has made it a point to pay respects to his deceased comrades-in-arms every Qingming Festival without fail, even postponing the worship of his own ancestors, which shows how important this matter is to him.
Because it is important, it must be taken seriously.
However, this year, my mother-in-law actually suggested eating out on this day.
There's nothing wrong with eating out, but eating out inevitably makes people associate it with eating, drinking, and having fun.
Eating, drinking, and having fun on such a day? That would be absolutely impossible in their family.
Fu's mother nervously glanced at her mother-in-law and father-in-law, fearing that the two elders might have a disagreement today.
However, it seems to be alright. Apart from being slightly surprised, my father-in-law didn't seem to have any unpleasantness when he visited.
But will they agree?
Unable to get her husband's consent, Madam Fu said to him, "Actually, I've wanted to say this to you for a long time. Back then, you risked your lives so that the people could live in peace. Now that we can finally live in peace, we who are alive should live well. This is the best way to remember them."
Tang Mingli felt like applauding her grandmother.
The power of "one is influenced by one's company"!
Mr. Fu was taken aback by what Madam Fu said.
Looking at the group of people waiting for him to make a decision, he suddenly felt like laughing.
Am I the kind of stubborn old man who only clings to his own ideas?
The implication is that they don't object.
Visiting his comrades-in-arms every year, his mood was indeed quite heavy, but that didn't make him forget about life.
Understanding what Grandpa Fu meant, Tang Mingli was the first to show excitement and asked, "Then what shall we eat?"
At this time, she was the most suitable person in the family to step forward, since her ability to sleep and eat well was no secret in the Fu family.
After discussing it, the group unanimously decided to choose the nearest option.
Tang Mingli had roughly guessed this would happen. At this time, there weren't many restaurants to choose from, just a few state-owned ones. It was already this late, and if they didn't choose one nearby, there might not be any good food left after the mealtime.
So the group turned around and went to the nearest state-run restaurant.
Tang Mingli walked at the front, arm in arm with her mother, and whispered to each other about what to eat later.
Fu Ci walked at the back with Grandpa Fu, his gaze unconsciously sweeping towards his wife's back several times.
His annual commitment, which he had maintained for as long as he could remember, seemed to have changed this year.
He didn't believe that what his grandmother had just said had nothing to do with his wife.
Living well is the best way to commemorate the martyrs.
Hearing this stirred his heart, let alone his grandfather.
But who can say it's wrong?
-
Tang Mingli couldn't make up for the lack of sleep she got from one day, even after sleeping for two days straight.
She would have liked to continue sleeping if she didn't have to go out on the third day.
For someone as prone to sleepiness as her, lack of sleep is really harmful.
But this was Gu Lin's wedding banquet day, so she had to go out.
The banquet was held at the groom's house, with more than a dozen tables set up in the large courtyard.
For this era, this scale was quite impressive.
Therefore, Gu Lin's parents were all smiles, which showed that they were very satisfied with the importance the groom's family attached to the relationship.
Except for Fu Ci and his son, who were unable to attend due to work, all the other members of the Fu family came and gave a rather generous red envelope, which was considered a show of sincerity.
The man's side was very hospitable, and although the dishes weren't lavish, they were still quite good. However, Tang Mingli didn't enjoy the meal very much.
Well, she finally understood why her grandfather thought the man was dishonest; indeed, a meal was enough to convince him.
She agrees that a mature marriage must be measured, but she does not condone calculation.
She even felt that after Gu Lin went to the countryside, the Gu family would resume contact with the Fu family, which was probably related to this man.
It's clear that Grandpa and Grandma weren't exactly happy after reconnecting.
Decades later, such unpleasant relatives might simply be severed from their ties. But the social environment is different now; people value family ties. Even if they've stabbed each other in the back, they won't sever the bond between them.
They revel in this bittersweet experience.
There's nothing wrong with that. Being loyal and righteous is a shining quality of many people in this era, and it's also a shining quality of the Fu family.
If it weren't for this, given her aversion to trouble, she probably would have completely ignored her uncle's family long ago.
Sometimes it's unbelievable that she was worn down by the cutthroat nature of society, but was gradually repaired in the Fu family.
-
When we left the Gu family home after the banquet, it was almost evening.
Since everyone had had a little wine, Tang Mingli was worried that they would get carsick, so she pulled everyone to walk for a while.
Seeing the world in a slightly tipsy state seems to offer a different perspective, even revealing a sense of a secluded paradise.
Tang Mingli leaned on Fu Ci's mother's shoulder, and, emboldened by the alcohol, said coquettishly, "Mom, if Fu Ci earns a lot of money in the future, you can retire early. Then, you, Grandma, and I can travel around China together, okay?"
The promise was so tempting that even Madam Fu shamefully felt a pang of envy. But thankfully, she didn't forget that it was just her daughter-in-law talking nonsense after drinking too much.
She patted Tang Mingli's head affectionately and said perfunctorily, "Okay, okay, whatever you say is fine."
This scene was so heartwarming, but to someone on the opposite street, it was heartbreaking and unbelievable.
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