Praise You
The road in the mountains is as long and gloomy as the night in the mountains.
A black commercial vehicle was speeding along the winding mountain road.
At this time of year, the orioles have just stopped singing and the night light is dim.
A woman sat in the back of the car's cab. She wore a black mask, and judging by the exposed skin and upper face, she must be a beauty. At the moment, she had her eyes slightly closed, her right hand raised to support her head, and she looked like she was asleep.
Only the constantly frowning brows indicate that the world in the dream is not beautiful.
On the day Ye Yuanyin returned to Jiutao Village, Aunt Long had already been taken to the funeral home in the county town.
The person lying on it was short and thin, with a serene expression on his dark blue face. He seemed to have shrunk a lot.
She was led into the inner room by her aunt without her knowing and was helped to change into mourning clothes.
"Your mother's teeth were so strong! She held on until the ceremony was over before collapsing..." My aunt was on the verge of tears when she said this, but she forced herself to comfort her. "She had a heart attack. She was dead the moment she collapsed. Look on the bright side, she didn't suffer much. This is a happy funeral, Yin."
Ye Yuanyin was like a puppet and had no reaction. She would stretch out her hand when her aunt asked her to, and lower her head when she asked her to.
"The day before, the coffin was at home, and your uncle had already invited Taoist priests and monks to help her soul rest. The third daughter was a very good person, and she will definitely go to heaven and reunite with your father after her death."
She was wrapped in a linen white dress, and my aunt pinned a white silk flower to her temples with a small black clip.
"Ayin, the dead cannot be resurrected." Her aunt deftly helped her adjust the hemp rope around her waist and consoled her again, "But we who are still alive have to go on living. Isn't this how generations have lived? I know you feel bad for her, but no matter how much you feel, you can't be too sad. Youshan has rented a car for the neighbors to come and pay their respects. When you see them later, kowtow to them and thank them. Just promise me."
She nodded slowly.
My aunt was still worried, wondering why this child refused to say a word?
From childhood to adulthood, the three girls had always been accompanied by Ah Yin, their little tail following wherever she went. Ah Yin and her mother were as close as a family. The sudden death of a loved one, especially when one is completely unprepared, is difficult for anyone to accept, let alone two people with such a deep love for each other.
Tears welled up in my aunt's eyes. Poor little A'in. First, her father passed away. She returned from the county high school to attend the funeral, feeling as if she had lost her life. Who could have imagined that now, even her mother would be gone? God just can't stand seeing people have such a good life. You see, two people worked so hard to raise their daughter to such an excellent level, finally supporting her so that she could earn money, and yet, she's gone without even a single day of happiness.
My aunt thought, people are just never satisfied, always wanting to get better! But the way things are in this world, how can you take all the good things for yourself? In her opinion, being alive is the greatest good! Once you die, no matter how good you are, it will be useless!
The farewell ceremony was held at ten o'clock in the morning. Everyone was shaking hands with her, comforting her, and crying. Only Ye Yuanyin was staring at the person lying on the stage in a daze. She couldn't understand why the person who said he would wait for her to come back the day before yesterday could completely disappear from this world today?
Hua Mei also came over and squeezed her hand tightly, saying, "Ayin, if you feel bad, just cry. Don't be like this. It's so sad to see you."
Ye Yuanyin could no longer tell which aunt or grandmother was persuading her, she just nodded or thanked them mechanically.
When the farewell ceremony was over and the funeral home staff were about to push her mother away, she suddenly stretched out her hand to stop them.
"What?"
The gentle woman who presided over the farewell ceremony patiently soothed her and said softly, "We are sending the deceased to the crematorium. Family members can go to the ashes collection area first and wait. Once the remains are cremated, they can be buried."
"No." She held on to the cart to prevent them from moving.
No matter how the staff persuaded her, she refused to let go.
Only then did my uncle notice something was wrong and quickly gave my aunt a look.
Her aunt hurried over, twisted her hands, and said, "Ayin, I know you're sad. But if you miss the time, your mother won't be able to go to heaven. Let go."
This girl is very stubborn sometimes, and no one can persuade her from doing something she has made up her mind.
The aunt couldn't pry her hands apart, and she was so anxious that sweat was about to fall from her forehead. Hua Mei also became anxious when she saw this, and came up to hold Ye Yuanyin's arm and pulled him back.
"Ayin, let go quickly. Just be good and let Aunt Long go, okay?"
Ye Yuanyin watched helplessly as her mother's cold and hard hand was pulled away from hers. How could the mother-daughter relationship of more than 20 years be broken just like that?
She used all her strength to break free from Huamei's control, rushed forward in two steps, and hugged her mother's cold body like a child who had made a mistake. "Mom, I was wrong, it's all my fault. Don't leave! Mom, I shouldn't have quarreled with you, I shouldn't have lost my temper with you, I shouldn't have put all my mistakes on you! Open your eyes and look at me, Mom, if you leave, what will I do in the future?"
Her aunt and Lin Huamei held one of her arms while the staff pushed the cart out. Ye Yuanyin broke free again, lost her balance, and fell headfirst onto the cart's frame. She crawled awkwardly to her mother on her hands and knees, and asked aggrievedly, "Mom, we agreed, we agreed. When I come back, I'm going to go to the mountains to see Dad. How could you leave me alone? Why don't you keep your word? Why don't you and Dad want me anymore?!"
Her grief-stricken cries forced her aunt's tears to fall. She pulled her hard and scolded her loudly, "Ayin! Let go! Do you want your mother to die in peace? How can she let go with peace of mind if you cling to her like this?"
She hugged her frail body into her arms, gently patted her back with both hands, and coaxed her while crying, "Good child, good child, don't stop her. Your mother knows your feelings, so just let her go on her way, okay?"
The staff took the opportunity to push the person away.
Ye Yuanyin couldn't break free from her aunt's restraints, and a painful cry of "Ah" burst out of her mouth hopelessly. Sadness surged over her like a tidal wave, blurring her eyes, covering her mouth and nose tightly, blocking her throat, leaving only a cumbersome body, being endlessly engulfed, swallowed up, and fallen.
"Mom... don't go..." Ye Yuanyin couldn't breathe, his eyes turned black, and he fainted completely.
…
The black commercial vehicle was still driving steadily towards Jiutao Village.
A tear fell from the tightly closed eyes of the woman in the back seat, and then more tears flowed out. She clenched her fists and trembled all over.
The man sitting next to her was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with thick eyebrows and sharp eyes, and a heroic and generous appearance. He reached out and grabbed her shaking arm, calling her repeatedly, "Ayin, Ayin!"
Ye Yuanyin suddenly opened his eyes and tears rolled down.
Qin Ling couldn't help but worry and asked, "Did you dream about your aunt again?"
She covered her eyes with her hands for a long time before releasing them. "I haven't dreamed of her in a long time. Maybe her death anniversary is approaching, so she came to see me."
Long Qinling is the son of my uncle and Ye Yuanyin's cousin.
They had met for the first time on the day of Aunt Long's funeral. Qin Ling had a fondness for his cousin, primarily because of her beauty. He had seen many beautiful women, from the dazzling beauty of delicate flowers to the timeless elegance of white flowers. While not all of his cousin's features were individually striking, their combination evoked a gentle, charming, and innocent air, a beauty more memorable than those who simply wore a monotonous beauty.
My father said that my aunt was a beauty. When she was thirteen years old, all kinds of men from all over the country came to propose to her. Unfortunately, God gave her what she wanted, so her life was so bumpy.
"I've contacted my uncle. I'll visit them soon and then go back to Ancheng." Qin Ling said, "Put down the sacrificial items first. We'll be back from Ancheng in a week."
Ye Yuanyin nodded.
Qin Ling said again: "Will you go back to check on my aunt's old house? I haven't been back for three years. I guess the grass must have grown to one meter high."
She felt homesick, especially since that house held so many memories. She thought she would never step through that door again in her life.
Three years ago, his mother passed away, and Ye Yuanyin followed his uncle to Peicheng.
It was a typical border city. My uncle had previously run a winery and an incense factory. My cousin, Long Qinling, disliked studying, so he followed his father to learn winemaking and incense making. Due to poor management skills, the winery lost three million yuan. Adhering to the principle of saving every penny, my cousin switched to making alcohol. But then the pandemic hit, and alcohol sales skyrocketed. He stumbled upon a golden opportunity, transforming his business and achieving a generational upgrade in wealth.
Ye Yuanyin was originally teaching at a psychological institution in Peicheng, but her uncle had already planned to enter the silver economy. He invested in a nursing home and a mental hospital in Ancheng, and since he had no one else available, he asked her to return to work. Before leaving for Ancheng, because her parents' death anniversary was approaching, she returned to Jiutao Village to prepare.
The car drove off the highway and continued driving for more than 20 minutes. The outline of Jiutao Village gradually became clear in the eyes of the two.
Qin Ling was filled with curiosity about this hometown he had never seen before. "Hey, it's different from what you said. It's not dark here at all. It's brightly lit!"
Ye Yuanyin also felt strange. Since when did the road in this secluded village get widened? Many street lamps were installed on both sides of the road for lighting. When the lights were on, it was grand and brilliant, as if it were daytime.
On an early summer night, many people in the village were playing cards for fun.
It was a card game that Duofu had arranged. Lin Huamei stayed close to her husband, diligently serving him tea and water. Seeing the tension, her card addiction kicked in. She threw her arms around her husband's neck, rocking him and coquettishly saying, "Afu, let me play the next round."
The excited husband replied perfunctorily, "I know, I know."
A black commercial vehicle pulled up at the village entrance, accompanied by the roar of its engine. Lin Huamei, a keen observer, eagerly watched. "Whose family is this? Why are you coming back to the village at this hour? Ah Fu, look, who is that?"
Duofu was only one card away from winning, and at the moment, his heart was wavering. Without even looking up, he said, "Wife, don't push me. Be good, and I'll give you the next round."
"Oh my god!" Duofu was frightened by Huamei's sudden roar. She flapped her hands like a penguin and ran away while shouting, "Ayin, ah! Ayin! You're back!"
Her rather plump body tightly embraced the woman who had just gotten out of the car, and she kept saying, "You damn girl, why didn't you tell me you were coming back in advance? Damn it, you're back so late, are you calling someone's ghost?"
Ye Yuanyin's eyes curved with laughter. He hugged her back and said calmly, "Give it to my mother."
Hua Mei's heart ached, and she smacked her back twice, saying repeatedly, "I told you not to talk nonsense, I told you not to talk nonsense!"
Ye Yuanyin begged for mercy, "Alright, alright, if you keep hitting me, I'll make you die."
Huamei stood there, stomping her feet alternately like a little girl. Then, an excited expression crossed her face. She asked, "Did you make an appointment with '100,000 Yuan' to come back together?"
When the severed worldly ties are brought up again, it seems as if the troubles have found a place to settle down.
Ye Yuanyin's heart sank. Hearing this long-lost title, he hesitated and said, "He...what is he doing here?"
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