Jiang Zhi and Er Rui exchanged a few words about Xiao Tian and the capital, and then they saw Xiao Man return, followed by a doctor they had invited from the county town.
The two stopped talking and went to Xiaoman's house.
Xiaoman's grandmother hasn't been feeling well lately.
She was 68 years old. It is rare for someone to live to 70, and her age was considered advanced in the countryside.
In fact, Xiaoman's grandmother collapsed after Dazhu was injured, but the family situation did not allow her to fall down. She persevered in doing housework, taking care of her paralyzed eldest grandson, and taking care of three-year-old Nini.
After escaping to the mountains, although conditions were harsh, Xiaoman's grandmother found a rare period of peace and tranquility.
With various herbs to eat and seeing her grandson and Chunfeng reunited and getting better day by day, Xiaoman's health also improved.
But age catches up with everyone, and this time I caught a cold and it didn't fully heal for several months. I always felt tired and weak.
Besides the herbs from his own home, doctors from the county town also came to see him one after another, all saying that he should enjoy his old age.
The doctor came and checked my pulse. He said I still needed to take it easy and prescribed some medicine to nourish my spleen and stomach. Actually, everyone knew that I was nearing the end of my life and had to leave it to fate.
The doctor prescribed medicine, and everyone stepped back. Xiaoman's grandmother called Tian Tao and Chunfeng to sit down by her bedside.
Two months ago, Tian Tao and Xiao Man, who had originally agreed to get married in three years, waited five years before finally holding their wedding ceremony. The wedding was lively and very successful.
Many local gentry and wealthy people came to Lihua Town, since Xiaoman was now serving in Lihua Town, and Xiaoman's grandmother was in good health for a while.
At this moment, seeing her two granddaughters-in-law sitting in front of her, the thin Xiaoman Grandma's eyes were full of joy. She held Tian Tao's hand in one hand and Chunfeng's hand in the other, and said gently, "From now on, you two sisters-in-law should get along well."
We women all come from different families. Leaving our own parents to come to our husband's home, there will always be things we're not used to. We should be more understanding and tolerant.
"Chunfeng, Tao'er has just joined the family. She's young, so please be more tolerant of her if she has a temper. When Xiaoman misbehaves, please help Tao'er punish him!"
Chunfeng lowered her eyes, holding back her tears, and nodded vigorously: "Grandma, I understand!"
Grandma Xiaoman then looked at Tian Tao: "Tao'er, your sister-in-law Chunfeng suffered a lot in the Xu family. The Xu family didn't fall apart because of her."
From now on, you must respect and honor her. Even though she's just your sister-in-law, you should still treat her like an elder.
Tian Tao was already in tears. She hadn't even taken off her new wedding dress yet, and she didn't want her family to lose her most loving grandmother.
“Silly child, don’t cry. Everyone has to go through this day. I have no more worries in my heart now that I’ve seen you come into the world.”
Grandma Xiaoman is truly content and has no regrets, having witnessed her eldest grandson recover his health and her youngest grandson grow up and start his own family.
Thinking of the old clothes and coffin that were already being secretly prepared outside, Chunfeng wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and said somewhat embarrassedly, "Grandma, I might be pregnant!"
Grandma Xiaoman didn't quite hear her: "What did you say?"
Tian Tao, standing nearby, exclaimed with delight, "Sister-in-law, you're pregnant!"
Chunfeng nodded: "I haven't seen a doctor to check my pulse yet. I only know that I didn't get pregnant last month. That was when Xiaoman and Tao'er got married. I just thought I was tired. But now it's time again and I still haven't gotten pregnant."
Xiaoman's face suddenly lit up with joy, and she perked up. She threw off the covers and was about to get out of bed: "I'm going to kowtow to the Kitchen God!"
Tian Tao was also surprised, delighted and envious: "Sister-in-law, you can't tire yourself out. The doctor is outside. Let him take your pulse quickly."
The doctor quickly confirmed that Chunfeng was three months pregnant, and the two families of Sishuitang were overjoyed.
Nini is almost eleven years old now, but Chunfeng's belly has not shown any signs of pregnancy. Everyone just assumes that Xu Dazhu has damaged her uterus, and no one has mentioned it.
Now that she's pregnant at this crucial juncture, Xiaoman's grandparents are overjoyed.
It took Nini a while to understand from the adults' excited and frenzied chatter that she was about to have a younger brother or sister. She wasn't happy, but angrily said, "How come that little pig is even lazier than Brother Xian? What has he been doing all these years? Why didn't he come sooner? From now on, I'll call him Xu Xingzhi!"
Xian Ge was the child of Xu Gensheng and Pi Shi. He was born after seeking medical treatment and was even lazy when crying. Aunt Xia gave him the nickname "Xian Ge".
Nini is now educated and knows that walking slowly means "taking it easy." The baby in her mother's belly hasn't appeared for almost ten years, so even a worm should be crawling out by now.
Thus, the child, whose gender was still unknown, was given a name: Xu Xingzhi, and nicknamed "Zhuerchong".
Chunfeng's pregnancy allowed Xiaoman's grandmother to survive for another month. After the rice harvest and the summer heat subsided, with the autumn rains falling, Xiaoman's grandmother refused to eat or drink anything for three consecutive days.
All the grandchildren and great-grandchildren knelt outside. Grandpa Xiaoman held his wife's hand, both of them with tears in their eyes, but neither of them could utter a single word.
After a long while, Grandma Xiaoman mustered her last bit of strength and said in a weak voice, "Old man, I... have to go first!"
Xiaoman nodded: "That place is dark and cold. Don't walk too fast. Wait for me a while. I'll take you up the mountain and then come with you."
News of the funeral at Sishuitang quickly spread throughout the village. Errui, along with all the Xu family nephews and nieces, including Xu Gensheng, Xu Genbao, and Xu Genyou, as well as their in-law, Tian Gui, all busied themselves setting up the mourning hall and sending out funeral notices.
Xiaoman's maternal family had long since fallen into decline, and this time it was still distant relatives who came.
Despite his grief, Grandpa Xiaoman directed Dazhu and Xiaoman to do things: "Your grandma worked hard her whole life, she just loves excitement."
A geomancer was hired to perform a grand funeral procession, and the funeral hall remained brightly lit for several nights in a row.
Although no one wept bitterly before the coffin, everyone in Sishuitang had red eyes.
It wasn't until the last day of the ritual, when the geomancer recited the eulogy and told the story of my grandmother's life, that the grief I had suppressed for days was suddenly released.
The sound of weeping was deafening. Everyone in Xujia Village, whether from the Xu family or not, couldn't help but shed tears. Dazhu even collapsed to the ground in tears.
Jiang Zhi and Liu tried their best to comfort Chunfeng, telling her not to be too sad and upset her unborn child, as the living are more important than the dead, and they couldn't afford any accidents.
On the last day of the religious ceremony, Li Laoshi returned home with Qin Shi and the children, looking travel-worn.
He had come back once before to visit her in the hospital, and said that as soon as Xiaoman's health improved a little, he would go to Jincheng Prefecture to find a good doctor to treat her. But this time he came to attend her funeral.
At this moment, Li Laoshi cried the loudest in front of the coffin.
He fled to Xujia Village, and the most satisfying meal he had was a stewed soup served to him by Xiaoman's grandmother on Laoyun Cliff. He was so full that he had to hold his stomach as he walked.
It was also at Laoyun Cliff that he found a sense of home and never wanted to leave again.
Jiang Zhi, Liu Shi, and Qin Shi, who rushed back, had no time to grieve; they were busy preparing food for the funeral procession and for all the relatives and friends.
Xiaoman's coffin should be buried at Laoyun Cliff, the place she longed for during her lifetime.
Grandma Xiaoman said that place had a way out and was a place with good feng shui. She said that only by sitting high could one see far, and she liked that place.
Xiaoman's grandfather naturally obeyed her wishes and had already found a burial site on the cliff and dug two pits. Even the old mule that died a year ago was buried there, so the three old guys could keep each other company in the future.
Because the cemetery was far away, a large number of people were prepared to carry the coffin. Led by the geomancer, Dazhu and Xiaoman carried the funeral banners and other items at the front. The funeral procession set off before dawn.
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