Before she knew it, the Central Plains Festival was approaching. Yan Qingqing thought about the dead ghost in her family that needed to be worshipped, so she reluctantly called Yuan Huiniang over.
Yuan Huiniang was also concerned about this matter. After all, Li Erniu was her father-in-law, and it was the first Central Plains Festival after his death, so it should be celebrated in a grand manner.
Yuan Huiniang looked at Yan Qingqing and asked, "Mother, this Central Plains Festival is the first festival we've celebrated since Father passed away. Is there anything you need to tell me?"
Yan Qingqing shook her head and said, "I'm not feeling well, so you and Dalang can handle it. Make sure it's a grand affair."
She wasn't the original owner of the body, and she had no feelings for Li Erniu, but since she occupied the body of his wife, she had to show some appreciation.
Yuan Huiniang thought that her parents-in-law had a really good relationship. Not only did her mother, who was so old, have to give birth to a child for her deceased father-in-law, but she also specifically asked that more paper money be burned for him during the Ghost Festival.
In fact, Yan Qingqing originally planned to make some offerings for the Central Plains Festival to sell. In her previous life, during festivals such as Qingming and the Central Plains Festival, many people made a lot of money selling paper money and wreaths on the streets and alleys.
But in the end, she thought, "I can earn so much money from the living, why should I earn money from the dead? She's pregnant now, so I'll just consider it as doing good for the baby in her belly."
The day before the Central Plains Festival, Li Xiangping and Yuan Huiniang prepared meat, fruit, incense, paper money and other offerings for Yan Qingqing to inspect.
Yan Qingqing looked around and saw that everything was quite well prepared. She thought that she had done right by Li Erniu. Li Erniu might not have eaten these things when he was alive, but he got to eat them after he died.
Li Xiang'an did not do business on the day of the Central Plains Festival. This was something he had agreed with the restaurant the day before. Every family has ancestors, and the restaurant was closed on that day.
Yan Qingqing didn't go to Li Erniu's grave. Now that she's a grandmother, with children and grandchildren, she's different from a newly widowed woman. No one will say anything if she doesn't go.
The children were still immersed in grief after returning from the grave. Yan Qingqing didn't try to comfort them; after all, he was their father, and it was normal for them to remember him on this special day.
Yan Qingqing sat in her room pondering. After the Central Plains Festival came the Mid-Autumn Festival. She thought, "I can't make money off the dead, but I can make money off the living."
Since Li Xiangkang was admitted to Xifeng Academy, Yan Qingqing has been racking her brains to make money again. She doesn't dare to make big money, so she can only make small money.
Thinking of this, Yan Qingqing called Li Xiangkang over. The little guy didn't have much affection for Li Erniu, and asked with a grin, "Mom, what do you want to see me about?"
Yan Qingqing replied, "Mother would like to borrow your writing implements."
Li Xiangkang readily replied, "Okay, Mother, wait for me and I'll go get it for you."
After saying that, he ran out of Yan Qingqing's room. Yan Qingqing immediately smiled. Ever since she bought Li Xiangkang the Four Treasures of the Study, the little guy has treasured them very much. He has locked these things in a separate box and won't let anyone touch them.
However, this does not include Yan Qingqing. In Li Xiangkang's heart, although these things are valuable and he cherishes them, what is more important is that they were bought for him by his mother, so he cherishes them even more.
Li Xiangkang quickly ran in carrying a small box and placed it in front of Yan Qingqing.
Yan Qingqing patted his little head and asked, "Today is the Central Plains Festival. Are you feeling unhappy because you thought about your father?"
Li Xiangkang listened, hummed in agreement, and then nodded.
Yan Qingqing sighed. This child lost his father at a young age, so it's understandable that he misses Li Erniu.
Yan Qingqing thought for a moment and said, "Si Lang, don't be sad. If your father knew you were sad, he would definitely feel bad too. Although he is no longer here, he can still turn into a star in the sky to protect you."
Yan Qingqing felt that she was definitely right in coaxing the child this way, because that's what the book said.
To everyone's surprise, Li Xiangkang pouted and said, "Mom, you don't need to lie to me. I'm not a three-year-old child."
He couldn't protect us while he was alive, so how can you expect him to protect us after he's dead?
We are saddened because we feel his death was undeserved; look at the monstrous thing he sacrificed his life for.
Besides, I don't need a father; my mother is enough for me.
Yan Qingqing: ……
Is this child really that intelligent? Look at what he said, he left her speechless.
Helpless, Yan Qingqing had no choice but to change the subject, saying, "Mid-Autumn Festival is in a month, and Mother needs to find a way to earn some more tuition fees for our Silang. Can you grind the ink for Mother?"
Li Xiangkang nodded repeatedly, but he was still young and couldn't control his strength well, so Yan Qingqing taught him how to grind ink while she painted.
The mother and daughter were enjoying a happy time together inside the house.
Outside the room, Yuan Huiniang, her aunt, and her sister-in-law were also whispering among themselves.
Yuan Huiniang said softly, "Mother won't even go to Father's grave, and she's still secretly hiding in the house. She must be heartbroken because she misses Father."
Li Yueniang said, "We're just afraid that Mother will say we're unfilial. We've already pretended to be so sad, so Mother should feel a little better."
Li Xin's mother had a different opinion. She didn't think her mother had any deep feelings for her father. In fact, she saw a hint of disdain in her mother's eyes several times when they mentioned her father.
So he hesitated for a moment and said, "Sister-in-law, isn't it a bit wrong of us to do this? What if Mother isn't sad to begin with, but she gets sad again when she sees us like this?"
The children originally thought that Yan Qingqing didn't go to pay respects to Li Erniu because she was sad, so before they returned, they agreed to act as sad as possible so that Yan Qingqing wouldn't misunderstand that they were unfilial.
Moreover, Yan Qingqing stayed in her room after they returned, which further confirmed their suspicions.
However, after Li Xinniang said that, Yuan Huiniang felt that there was some truth to it.
So he chimed in, "Isn't Fourth Brother in Mother's room? We'll ask him about the situation when he comes out."
If Yan Qingqing knew, she would definitely laugh uncontrollably; these kids are just too funny.
They waited until dark, and Yuan Huiniang couldn't help but knock on Yan Qingqing's door. Yan Qingqing was surprised to see how late it was, and Li Xiangkang was already fast asleep on her bed.
Yan Qingqing looked at her masterpiece, stood up, stretched, and said, "Oh, it's Hui Niang. Come in. I was so busy that I forgot the time; it's almost lunchtime."
Yuan Huiniang nodded and said, "The food will be ready soon. I was a little worried because you haven't left your room all day. So you've been busy."
Upon hearing Yuan Huiniang's words, Yan Qingqing realized that the children had misunderstood and thought she was hiding in the house, heartbroken.
However, she didn't explain, letting them misunderstand.
Yan Qingqing took the drawing she had finished and walked out of the room, saying, "Let's eat first. I'll talk to you about something after we finish eating."
Yuan Huiniang knew that her mother-in-law must have something important to announce, so she nodded and woke up Li Xiangkang, who was sleeping soundly, to go eat together.
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