Chapter 93 New Graves and New Sprouts
The weather was unusually good on the day the graves were moved.
The late autumn sun shone gently, there was no wind, and the sky was a clear, bright blue.
Since it's not winter yet and the ground hasn't frozen, digging isn't too difficult.
Zhao Fei had made all the arrangements in advance.
The cemetery is located on a hillside in the suburbs. The newly selected burial plot faces south and gets sunshine, and is surrounded by pine and cypress trees.
Li Rui's urn was carefully taken out, wrapped in red cloth, and placed in the new white marble tomb.
Zhou Lanying held Wen Xiaoxiao's hand tightly, her eyes fixed on the small box, as if her daughter would disappear in the blink of an eye.
Seal the earthen mound and erect a monument.
The brand-new tombstone is inscribed with "Tomb of my beloved wife Li Rui", below which are her birth and death dates, and the inscription reads "Respectfully erected by her husband Zhao Fei and daughter Zhao Yidi".
Everything has settled down.
Zhou Lanying walked forward shakily, touching the cold tombstone again and again, from top to bottom, as if she were stroking her daughter's face.
She didn't cry out loud, but tears streamed down the wrinkles on her face.
“Rui…” she finally choked up, “Mom has come to see you… This time it’s closer, Mom will come often in the future…”
Wen Xiaoxiao stood behind her, her eyes also red.
Zhao Fei walked over and took Zhou Lanying's other arm: "Mom, Li Rui is here. We can come to her anytime we want."
Zhou Lanying turned around, looked at her son-in-law, and her tears flowed even more fiercely.
She patted Zhao Fei's hand: "Good boy... Mom knows you haven't forgotten her..."
Zhao Fei nodded, his eyes also a little red.
Zhao Yidi stood in front of the tombstone, looking at the unfamiliar name.
She slowly squatted down, reached out her hand, and gently touched the two characters "Li Rui" on the tombstone with her fingertips.
“Mom…” she said softly, as if confirming the connection between the name and the stone.
Then tears started falling.
Unlike Zhou Lanying, who cried in suppressed sobs, she sobbed like any wronged child, her shoulders trembling.
"Mom...Mom..."
Wen Xiaoxiao couldn't bear to watch any longer, so she came over and helped Zhou Lanying up: "Auntie, let's get in the car first, and let Yidi talk to her mother."
Zhou Lanying nodded, and then, with Wen Xiaoxiao's help, walked towards the parking lot.
Zhao Fei didn't leave; he stood a few steps away, watching his daughter cry.
After a while, Zhao Yidi finished crying, wiped her face with her sleeve, and stood up.
She turned around and saw Zhao Fei, and whispered, "Dad, I'm all better."
"Okay." Zhao Fei walked over. "If you want to come again in the future, Dad will come with you."
"Um."
The father and daughter walked side by side down the mountain, the sunlight casting long shadows on them.
A mountain breeze blows, and the pine trees rustle like a soft echo.
Xiao Junkai came again on Saturday afternoon.
He was riding his own bicycle, with a plastic bag hanging from the handlebars.
When I entered, I saw Zhao Yidi sitting behind the counter, looking dazed, with her eyes a little swollen.
"What's wrong?" Xiao Junkai propped up his bicycle and came in carrying a bag. "Who bullied you?"
Zhao Yidi shook her head: "No."
"Your eyes are all swollen." Xiao Junkai sat down opposite her and took out two books from his bag. "Here, a new workbook. I asked someone to buy it for me from the provincial capital." He then took out a paper package. "And this, roasted chestnuts, fresh out of the pan."
Zhao Yidi stared blankly at the steaming chestnuts on the table.
"Eat up." Xiao Junkai peeled one for himself and popped it into his mouth. "It's so sweet."
Zhao Yidi picked one up and slowly peeled it.
She suddenly felt that a cold place in her heart seemed to have warmed up a little.
Fu Yunrou arrived later.
When she entered the room, she saw her son lying on the table, listening to Zhao Yidi explain a problem.
"Sister Fu is here." Wen Xiaoxiao went up to greet her.
"Boss Wen," Fu Yunrou said in a low voice, "I came to check on things and also to tell you some good news—Jun Kai improved his math score by fifteen points in this month's exam!"
"Really?" Wen Xiaoxiao was also happy. "That's a good thing."
"Absolutely." Fu Yunrou looked at her son with relief in her eyes. "This child has finally come to his senses. He wouldn't listen to anything I said before, but now he knows to study hard on his own."
As they were talking, Xiao Junkai looked up and saw his mother, grinning, "Mom, you're here? Can I have dinner at Yidi's house tonight? I've already told Yidi."
Before Fu Yunrou could speak, her phone rang.
She answered the phone, said a few words, and looked somewhat helpless.
After hanging up the phone, she said to Xiao Junkai, "Your dad wants you to go home early."
Xiao Junkai's smile faded: "He's here again..."
"Ignore him." Fu Yunrou waved her hand. "Old-fashioned. Just eat your meal here, and ride your bike home after you're done. Be careful."
Xiao Junkai then smiled again: "Thank you, Mom!"
Fu Yunrou walked over to Wen Xiaoxiao and whispered, "Old Xiao is worried that the kids are dating too early. I told him that the two kids are studying properly, and he's just worrying unnecessarily. Boss Wen, please don't mind him."
"No," Wen Xiaoxiao said with a smile. "Yidi also likes Junkai to come. She said that having a study partner makes studying more efficient."
"That's good."
There was a boy who was about to turn 18 at dinner, which made the meal a bit more lively.
Xiao Junkai was very sweet-talking, calling Zhao Yidi "Grandma," "Auntie," and "Uncle" affectionately, and even served her some food, saying, "Eat more, you're too thin."
Zhao Yidi blushed slightly and said softly, "I can do it myself."
After finishing the meal, Xiao Junkai offered to clear the dishes, saying, "Auntie, I'll wash the dishes, you can rest."
Wen Xiaoxiao tried to stop him, but Zhao Fei gave her a look: "Let him do it, boys should learn from him."
Xiao Junkai actually put on an apron and started working by the pool, looking quite professional.
After washing the dishes, he walked up behind Zhou Lanying and said, "Grandma, let me massage your shoulders. I learned it from my grandma."
Zhou Lanying was amused by him: "This child is so sensible."
Zhao Yidi sat on the sofa, watching Xiao Junkai busy himself, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up.
The flower in her heart that had never bloomed seemed to suddenly sense a hint of spring.
As the Lunar New Year approaches, the city is starting to feel festive.
That afternoon, Wen Xiaoxiao was in the store discussing with Wu Jia about ordering a batch of red sweaters for the Chinese New Year when the phone rang.
It was Wenbin calling, his voice trembling with excitement: "Xiaoxiao! She gave birth! Manjuan gave birth!"
Wen Xiaoxiao almost dropped the notebook in her hand: "She gave birth? So fast? Wasn't it supposed to be another two weeks?"
"It's ahead of schedule, but everything went smoothly!" Wenbin was beaming with joy on the other end of the line. "It's a girl! Six pounds and six ounces! Mother and daughter are safe!"
"That's great! Congratulations, brother!" Wen Xiaoxiao exclaimed happily. "Which hospital are you in? I'm coming right away!"
"Municipal Women and Children's Hospital, 3rd floor, Obstetrics 302."
Wen Xiaoxiao hung up the phone and said to Wu Jia, "Sister Wu, my sister-in-law has given birth, I have to go to the hospital. Please look after the shop."
"Go quickly!" Wu Jia laughed, "Congratulations!"
Wen Xiaoxiao hurriedly went upstairs, told Zhou Lanying, and took out the red envelopes she had prepared beforehand, a thick stack wrapped in red paper.
This is a token of appreciation from the aunt.
When they arrived at the hospital, Han Manjuan had already been transferred to a regular ward.
She lay in bed, her face somewhat pale, but in good spirits.
Wenbin sat on the edge of the bed, staring intently at the baby in the crib next to him, grinning foolishly.
"Sister-in-law!" Wen Xiaoxiao tiptoed over, "How are you feeling?"
"It's alright, just tiring." Han Manjuan said softly, "Xiaoxiao, you're here."
Wen Xiaoxiao walked to the crib and looked at the little guy wrapped in pink swaddling clothes.
Her little face was all wrinkled, her eyes were closed, and she was fast asleep.
"So pretty," Wen Xiaoxiao whispered, "She looks like my sister-in-law."
"Like me? I think she looks like her dad." Han Manjuan laughed. "Her nose and mouth are just like mine."
Wenbin leaned closer and said, "Xiaoxiao, look at this girl, her fingers are so long, she'll definitely be smart in the future."
Wen Xiaoxiao placed the red envelope next to Han Manjuan's pillow: "Sister-in-law, this is for the child."
"This is too much..." Han Manjuan tried to decline.
"It's nothing, just a token of my aunt's affection." Wen Xiaoxiao pressed her hand. "Have you named the child yet?"
Han Manjuan and Wenbin exchanged a glance.
“I’ve chosen her,” Han Manjuan said. “Han Jing. Jing as in quiet.”
"Han Jing?" Wen Xiaoxiao repeated, "It sounds nice."
"I hope she can live a peaceful and quiet life." Han Manjuan looked at her daughter with gentle eyes, "Don't let her be like her mother, who struggled until she was an old maid before getting married."
“Sister-in-law, there’s a good thing about being quiet,” she said softly. “But when it’s time to make a fuss, you have to make a fuss. We women need to have something of our own to feel at ease.”
Han Manjuan nodded and smiled: "That's true. When Jingjing is older, I'll go into the wholesale business with you. Let's do it together."
"Okay, let's do it together."
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