Chapter 65(1)
Worried about his eldest daughter's condition, Gu Yan went to find his former coach the next day. He is now the highest leader of the commune and is in charge of all the people who come here.
"Let's get a gymnastics coach to our commune, preferably to the junior high school."
"Auntie, you can do whatever you want. They are all divided into different industries."
"Can't you use some connections? They're all assigned to us anyway, so it doesn't matter where you go. Why can't we come to our commune?"
"You can find a way. Get me a few bottles of good wine. Otherwise, I really can't do it."
"Okay. What kind of wine do you want? Lao Bai Fen will do?"
"Okay. A porcelain bottle is best."
"It's settled."
Gu Yan is very good at drinking and he is also very efficient in his work. I don’t know if he had heard the news before and deliberately tried to get Gu Yan to drink. No matter what, the coach’s problem was solved, and Gu Yan didn’t care about the two bottles of wine.
The two girls went home on the weekend, and Xiaohua went to the ear room and told her mother that the boy who had committed the crime had dropped out of school. "Mom, they didn't cause you any trouble later, did they?"
"He came once, and was beaten up by me and your dad. What's going on? Is he causing trouble at school again?"
"No, he didn't dare. He saw my sister running very fast, as if he was afraid that she would do it again."
"He deserves a beating. Just give him a beating."
As the mother and daughter were talking, Dahua came in from outside, hunched over, eyes darting around, sneaking around like a thief. Gu Yan found it funny. Xiao Hua raised her hand to pat her sister, but she grabbed her arm swiftly.
"Stop it, I have something to tell mom."
Seeing her serious and cautious look, Xiaohua stopped joking and listened attentively like her mother.
"There's a great chef at our school..."
After waiting for a long time without any follow-up, Xiaohua asked curiously. "So what?" What's so mysterious about the new chef? He makes it sound like he's meeting an underground party member.
"She is a gymnastics coach for the national team."
"Oh!" So that's how it is, no wonder you are so excited. "Have you connected it yet?"
"Yes. She said she would teach me secretly in the future. It's really rare to meet a good seedling with a solid foundation in such a small place."
The child suppressed his excitement, and after he said this, he saw that his mother and sister had strange expressions, so he added another sentence. "That's what the coach said, not me bragging."
Gu Yan smiled and reached out to touch his daughter's furry head. "Okay, that's great. But be careful not to give anyone a handle on you."
"I know. The warehouse where the kitchen stores food is spacious. We can practice there."
Xiaohua quickly said, "I can help you keep some fresh air."
"No need. Just help me cover up and ask for leave. We can practice when no one is in class or during evening self-study."
"Okay, I'll cover for you."
Gu Yan thought about it and gave his daughter some instructions before leaving the next day. "If you are caught, remember to deny it. Then inform your mother and don't do anything on your own."
"Yeah. You're so nice, mom."
Xiaohua hesitated for a moment and asked in a low voice: "Can Xiaoer know about this?"
"Don't tell him directly. He's with you guys every day, and if he's careful, he'll find clues. Just see how he behaves."
"The waiter will definitely help us." Xiaohua smiled and was very confident in her friend. "Aunt Xu told him to protect us. My sister acted too quickly last time and didn't give him a chance. He was so stunned holding the stool in the back that he secretly told me several times that my sister is like you. She is so fierce. There is no room for a man to perform when he is with her."
"Haha... this is just an excuse for his own incompetence. Let him learn from your father. As long as he is capable enough, he can always perform in front of a woman."
The two girls nodded in agreement. Daddy is always there to help with anything. He helps his mother with the accounting, he temporarily takes over when his mother drives the tractor, and when his mother fights with others, he can also help with a kitchen knife and a rolling pin.
"Xiaoer is done. Take our dad as an example. He has a lot of struggles in his life." Xiaohua smiled. "Let alone other things, it's hard for him to catch up with our dad's calligraphy and painting skills. Those are all skills that he has practiced since childhood."
The two girls shed tears of sympathy for their little friend, and went to look for him with their schoolbags, smiling. It's time to set off at this hour, why is this guy taking so long?
The child found a way to pursue his hobbies and slowly became his former cheerful and optimistic self again. As a mother, Gu Yan felt relieved seeing this. I silently prayed that the day of the sports school reorganization would come soon. It was always so sneaky and made me nervous!
While I'm worried about my eldest daughter, the team has work to do over there. A group of intellectuals who were sent down to the countryside were assigned to the Kono Brigade.
Having received the news in advance, she set fire to the small house separated from the cowshed. Livestock were raised here and it leaks a bit. The damp smell is unpleasant. It’s better to repair it again.
Just after the planting, everyone started to volunteer to repair the cowshed. Everyone started talking in surprise, wondering why a fire broke out here as the Jiaoyuan Brigade had just burned down the cowshed.
"I heard that cow dung is used as fuel on the northern grasslands. It is very easy to catch fire. Someone's pipe must have let out a spark and ignited the cow dung, which caused the fire."
"No way? Cow dung can be burned as fuel? That would be so smelly."
"I've heard of it, but I've never seen it. But people are shaped by the land and water they live in. People in the south cook with firewood, but we cook with coal. Do you know that people in the northern grasslands can't burn cow dung?"
"It's rare. This place is so big, there are all kinds of rare things."
"No, as the old saying goes, traveling thousands of miles will allow you to see a lot and gain knowledge. Unlike you country bumpkins, the farthest you've ever been to is a county town."
This remark aroused public anger, and everyone started to criticize him. "Aren't you an old-fashioned person, Wu Laoliu? You are more old-fashioned than anyone else, and yet you dare to laugh at us. I don't know where you heard these things from, but you come here to show off to us."
A group of people were cleaning the foundation when Gu Yan came over. I just threw the previous topic back to her.
“On the grassland, people burn cow dung.”
"Director, how did you know that? Although the provincial capital is in the north, it's not close to the grassland, right?"
"I heard from Li Zhongxia that he has been to the grassland."
"Oh!" The curious men responded in a low voice. "It's still Zhongxia! He's more knowledgeable than us."
"Of course. He used to be a senior official."
The mud and thatched house was rebuilt quickly, and when Gu Yan went to the commune to fetch urea, he brought the man downstairs back with him. I heard that he was a professor from some university, about 40 or 50 years old, wearing a pair of black-framed glasses and looking very gentle.
When they were driving the carriage halfway, Gu Yan turned around and handed the man a pancake. The man looked at her in surprise, not knowing what to do. How long has it been since anyone gave him a good face since he started going downhill? Not to mention giving him food.
"Take it. It's so late. You must be hungry."
"……Thanks."
After hesitating for a while, the man chose to believe her and accepted her kindness. I ate a multi-grain pancake with cold water from the kettle. I thought it would be hard and rough, but it turned out to be surprisingly sweet and smooth, even better than white flour.
After bringing the person to the thatched hut, Gu Yan helped him take down the gifts. "There's a pot here, you can cook for yourself. I'll take you to work tomorrow. There's not much work to do these days since we just planted the seeds. It's just weeding, not difficult."
"Thanks."
"It's okay. If you need anything, just come to me. Just carry some people with you."
The man nodded and smiled for the first time in many days.
The next day, Gu Yan arranged the people to a plot of land of more than one acre in size. The millet has just been planted here and has not sprouted yet. Don't be afraid that he will pull up the seedlings without knowing the difference between the five grains.
The members didn’t understand anything, they only knew from the surrounding environment that they were not allowed to approach these people, otherwise they would bring harm. So everyone stayed far away and no one came close to talk.
When he got off work in the evening, the man found a small bag of golden millet in his room. He let out a long breath, becoming more and more confused about Gu Yan. This thing has no other thoughts except her, but why does she take care of him so much?
Is it because women are soft-hearted? Thinking of this, the man laughed and felt it was impossible. So what is it for? I thought about it for a long time but still couldn't figure it out. I waited for the water in the pot to boil, then added rice and made myself a bowl of porridge.
In the following days, Gu Yan continued to take good care of him. The work assigned to us was simple, tiring but not difficult at all. So as not to do anything bad and give people a reason to criticize him.
The days passed slowly. After the summer vacation, Dahua was busy practicing gymnastics, and Xiaohua often disappeared at night. Only after Gu Yan asked did the child tell her where to go.
"What, you went to that professor's class?" Gu Yan has practiced it recently. He lowers his voice unconsciously and automatically enters the thief mode.
"Yes, I'm very careful. No one will find out. His place is very remote, and usually no one is there. The one who feeds the animals is Uncle Xu, he will definitely not leak the secret."
"No. Girl, he's a university professor. What are you going to study there?"
"Learn English. He knows many languages, it's amazing." Xiaohua's eyes really light up when he talks about knowledge. "Mom, you know, he sings English songs very well. He said that countries need to communicate with each other, and language is indispensable. I think so too. Foreign languages will definitely be very popular in the future, and it will be beneficial to learn them well.
But our school doesn’t have any foreign language classes, not even in high school. When I go to college...I don’t know what the situation will be like yet. ”
"How do you know he can speak foreign languages? He even became his apprentice."
"I was playing with Niuniu and heard it by chance when I was digging wild vegetables. Later I wanted to contact him, but he ignored me at first. Later he talked to me after he knew I was your daughter. I persuaded him for a long time before the teacher agreed."
“…”
"Don't worry, Mom. We are very careful. We have cover in the house, and Uncle Xu is keeping watch for me. Even if the militia comes to investigate, we will find a way to get away with it."
"Okay, be careful. If you're really trapped in the room, just pretend to be looking for trouble and throw the dishes, chopsticks, quilts and everything else on the floor."
Xiaohua nodded, without much worry or fear on her young face. Gu Yan, however, was planning to win over the captain of the militia in the brigade. Even if he couldn't make her his younger brother, at least he couldn't go against her and keep an eye on her and cause trouble for her.
Did Li Chunfu ever cause her any trouble? The answer is no. This guy has the same surname as Li Zhongxia but is from a different clan. He usually looks quite capable.
Just when I was thinking about winning him over, this person came to my door that afternoon.
"Director, my son has diarrhea, and the medicine given by the health center is not working. He is so weak that he can't even walk. Can you drive a tractor to take us to the county town? I heard that a doctor from a large hospital in the provincial capital has come to the county town, and maybe he can help."
"If a member needs gas urgently, he will pay for it based on mileage..."
"I know that. I'll pay for the gas. But it's raining, sorry to bother you getting wet..."
"That's fine. We're serving the people. Go pack up and take the kids. I'll go see how much oil we have left and whether it's enough to get us to the county seat."
"Why."
The man agreed and turned and ran away. Li Zhongxia came over from the ear room and said he would go after hearing her story.
"Wait a minute, I'll find you a raincoat."
After some trouble, they not only found a raincoat for the man, but also found a large piece of plastic sheet for Li Guofu. The bucket behind the tractor is not rainproof. In those days, there are few umbrellas in rural families. Without it, you will get soaked all the way.
"Thank you so much, Director. If you need my help in the future, just let me know. I will do anything for you."
"Okay, stop talking nonsense and get in the car. Bring two shovels with you on the road. If you slip somewhere and can't get up, get off and find dry soil to cushion yourself. Li Zhongxia, don't rush back after you go. Wait until tomorrow when the rain stops and the road is dry before returning. Otherwise, it will be very dangerous if the car slips all the way downhill on the way back."
"I know." The two men answered at the same time. Li Zhongxia looked at his wife with a helpless smile. This woman is definitely used to being a leader, and she subconsciously takes charge of the overall situation when doing things.
It’s such a worrying life.
Li Guofu's son was given an IV drip in the county hospital for a whole night. The next day, his diarrhea stopped and the doctor prescribed some medicine for him to go home and recuperate. This is perfect. I don’t have to find another car. I can just take Li Zhongxia’s tractor back to the brigade.
The man has gained favor from Gu Yan and will be on her side in everything related to her. Someone had informed him about Xiaohua and the others' situation. He said on the surface that he was taking people to search, but in fact his son had already secretly informed Gu Yan.
With an insider, Xiaohua and her friends were naturally never caught. After several unsuccessful attempts, anyone who mentioned this matter again would be scolded by Li Guofu first.
"Can you please stop making wild guesses? Ah, do you all have nothing to do? Have you memorized all the documents? Have you understood the contents of the meeting? Have you done all the publicity? If you haven't done anything, do it now. Stop staring at this old man all day. What's so good about this stinky old man?"
Those who were scolded lowered their heads and dared not say a word. Old Xu is the one who feeds the animals, and they can't stay in the barn all day. Old Xu was like a piece of wood and knew nothing about anything. No matter how much they talk about the importance of the situation, in the end it's just like hitting a wall, and no one even responds. Just focus on feeding the animals.
As the weather warms up, the election for this year's workers, peasants and soldiers college students begins. Meng Yun did not go to the Li family, but still got the quota as she wished. Before leaving, he gave Xiaohua a Parker pen and gave a moving speech at the brigade meeting.
"I like the mountains and water of Heye Brigade, and every hardworking and kind-hearted fellow villager. I am grateful for your education and for the nurturing of the red land under my feet..."
When he spoke at the end, there were tears in the corners of his eyes. If you didn't know him, you would really think that this child didn't want to leave and had deep feelings for these mountains and dirt.
Gu Yan stood beside her and clapped his hands vigorously. This child has potential and is a film queen. Compared to others, she just looked like a rough old woman who only knew how to use force.
In 1971, news of the reorganization of the sports school finally came. Dahua jumped and danced on the ground excitedly, and couldn't help but do several difficult moves.
"Dad, I can join the national team this time. Our coach applied and it's been approved."
After the dance, she turned around with Li Zhongxia and Xiaohua, happily sharing her joy. The three younger ones saw how happy everyone was and joined in, holding hands.
"Oh! Sister is so awesome."
"Big sister is awesome."
The children were more excited than during the Chinese New Year. They jumped and ran to the edge of their grandmother's kang, taking turns to hold her hand. The old lady was also happy for the child. It was such a blessing to be able to do what he liked.
"Make dumplings, make dumplings. Wife, are there any chives in the field? Let's make chive and egg dumplings."
"Yes, I'll go cut the leeks." Li Zhongxia volunteered to pick the vegetables, and Gu Yan followed him out. The child was about to leave home again, and all they could do was see him off.
An unintentional move allowed Gu Yanxi to go directly to the national team. Three years later at the Asian Games in Iran, she emerged as a dark horse and won the Asian Games gymnastics championship.
At that time, Gu Yan and his wife were guarding the old lady's kang and did not dare to leave for a whole day. The old man is old and it is time for him to grow old naturally. In the past few days, he has been sometimes conscious and sometimes confused. Several doctors shook their heads and said that he was not sure and asked them to prepare for his funeral.
Li Zhongxia had prepared dinner and when he came in he saw his wife packing the old lady's clothes one by one. She looked lonely, and her big eyes, which were full of reluctance and confusion, turned to look at him.
He took a few quick steps and held her in his arms: "Don't be sad, everyone has to go through this. If you are like this, Mom will be worried about her death. She didn't suffer much in her life, and she lived a happy life in her later years. She was a blessed person. Let's send her off quietly and let her go with peace of mind."
He is a son, and he is also feeling sad these days facing his mother's impending departure. She should have been the one to comfort him, but he had to consider her and didn't dare show too much sadness. After living together for more than ten years, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law have become as close as mother and daughter. Faced with death, the tomboy was so sad that she didn't sleep well for several days.
"Yeah." A simple response with obvious sobbing sounds. Li Zhongxia reached out and stroked her silky long hair, looking at his mother's old face. The two of them stayed together quietly for a long time before they spoke.
"When children grow up, they will live their own lives, and parents also have their own paths to walk. These are all normal things, so just treat them normally. Don't be too sad."
The couple comforted each other and reluctantly ate a few bites of dinner. The children were sent to sleep in the side room, and the two of them stayed in the main room.
"You go to sleep, I'll watch you and call you if there's anything."
Li Zhongxia handed the towel to his daughter-in-law who had just washed her face and urged her on. Gu Yan subconsciously glanced at the old man who was breathing weakly on the kang next to him, sighed and shook his head.
"I can't sleep. I'll stay with you."
After applying some skin care lotion, the couple went to the kang where the old lady was lying. Li Zhongxia placed a pillow next to him and moved a quilt over.
"Even if you can't sleep, just lie down and rest. I'm taking care of you here, don't worry."
"Well. Then don't fall asleep. If you feel sleepy, call me and I'll take your place."
I have children to raise. If you have elderly parents, you should take care of them and see them to the end of their lives. Husband and wife join hands and go through thick and thin together. We are together at every critical juncture. Just take a good rest when you are tired. I will be there to guard you.
My sister-in-law had just given birth less than a week ago. When she heard the news, she came to see me despite her health condition. Gu Yan persuaded him to go back. The old woman is already so helpless. If she were conscious, she would not let her daughter stay by her side without caring about herself and the children.
Lying on the kang, scenes after meeting the old man flashed through my mind like a kaleidoscope. She kindly sat on the kang and did her needlework, and always had a smile on her face despite the noises of the children...
"daughter in law……"
After hearing a faint shout, Gu Yan and his wife sat up at the same time and came to the old lady.
"Mom, are you awake?"
"Yeah." The old man hadn't eaten for several days and spoke weakly.
"Can I make you some malted milk?"
"No." Seeing that she still had something to say, the couple didn't dare to say anything. Quietly accompanying the old lady in what may be the last moment of her life - the last breath of life.
"Hello, both of you...Okay."
The couple nodded at the same time, and Li Zhongxia held his mother's hand. "Don't worry, mom. We will be fine."
"Don't...you two will remarry and each of you will have children...you will be easily influenced...Zhongxia..." When his name was called, Li Zhongxia nodded towards his mother to show that he was listening.
"No matter what happens in the future... I can't give up my wife..." The old man's gaze shifted to Gu Yan, and she quickly grabbed the old man's hand. "Gu Yan. They are both fine..."
"mom……"
"mother……"
After dragging out the last sentence, the old man closed his eyes and passed away. The tears in the couple's eyes could not stop flowing out. Li Zhongxia took a step back and knelt on the ground, and Gu Yan was crying so hard that he couldn't speak. The neighbors in the yard heard the noise and got up one by one after they had gone to bed.
Wang Xiaomai and the wife from the west room came in and pulled Li Zhongxia, then reached out and patted Gu Yan, "Don't cry, don't cry, now is not the time to cry. Hurry up and change the old man's clothes. My husband has gone to call the earthworks to prepare for the funeral. This is not the time to cry."
After she said this, the couple wiped their tears and quickly got up to prepare. Li Zhongxia went to fetch water for his mother to wash herself, and with the help of everyone, he changed the old woman's clothes. After everything was done, he placed the body on the kang.
The deceased can enter the museum only after one day, when the coffin will be moved to the mourning hall set up outside. Use a bowl to light the eternal lamp, burn incense and burn paper. Niu Niu and Xiao Hua also came over from the ear room. The two children knelt on the ground and cried so sadly that the neighbors had to work hard to pull them up from the ground.
He will go to his relatives' house to report the death tomorrow. When his father passed away, a tomb had already been dug. Now that his mother is gone, all he needs to do is bury her together.
"Mom, should I go to school tomorrow to call Xiaoya and Leilei back home?" Xiaohua asked Gu Yan while folding paper money needed for the funeral.
"You don't have to go. Your father has to go to your uncle's house in the commune tomorrow to report the death, and he can call them at the same time." Seeing that it was getting late, Niu Niu had already dozed off on the table. She pointed at the little guy and said, "Take your sister to bed. It's been several days in a row. You can't stand it. If grandma were here, she wouldn't let you stay up like this. Go to bed."
"I'm fine. I... I'll take Niuniu to sleep. Mom, you're tired. You can lie down for a while too."
"I know. Don't worry about me. Your dad is here. I'll take a nap when he comes back."
The next day, all of the old couple's surviving brothers and sisters arrived. As the elderly get older, they are more open-minded about such things. After lighting a stick of incense and offering sacrifices, he pulled Li Zhongxia to sit down and talk about business.
"This time it's a joint burial. According to your family's conditions, there should be a flower banner. The old man is old and blessed. The banner should be carried by the eldest grandson. What did your son say? What did you tell your wife when you divorced? Is he still considered a root of our Li family now?"
These words were said by Li Zhongxia's uncle, who was the oldest of the Li family and had the final say over the old man's affairs after his death. If anything is not done well and no one's consent is obtained, even Li Zhongxia, the son, will not be able to bury his mother.
"I..." Li Zhongxia was at a loss when it came to this. He had visited his son several times over the years, but the relationship between father and son was never close. My ex-mother-in-law has always had a grievance against him and often says bad things about him in front of the children, saying that everything in the countryside is bad. As a result, the children are resisting him, let alone going back to their father's hometown.
"Can't Niuniu carry it?"
the old man glared at him fiercely. "Don't you know the rules in our hometown? How can a girl handle this?"
"Then I'll carry it."
This time the old man raised his hand and gave him a pipe. "Your parents have raised you in vain. Look at what you have accomplished. You have a son, but you treat him as if he were nothing. If you do this, do you think our Li family can still hold our heads up in front of others?"
"That's right." The old lady's younger brother, Li Zhongxia's uncle, also agreed with his in-laws. He looked at his nephew with disapproval on his face.
"Tell me about you, how have you been living all these years? Not only did you not take your own son home after the divorce, but the son of the wife you married later also took someone else's surname. You don't even have a son of your own, what's the point of this? You just work hard, but don't get any results? You act as someone's father, but they don't take your surname.
Everyone is praising your wife for being filial. What kind of filial piety is this? I've been married for so many years, but I haven't given you a child, and the child I raise doesn't have your surname. After the death of my parents-in-law, there wasn't even a grandson to carry the soul-guiding banner, which was a joke. ”
Gu Yan heard everything clearly at the door and suddenly felt very sorry for her husband. She has almost no relatives on this side, so there is not much warmth, but that also means there is not much pressure. Only Sister Gu would nag about having children.
And this is definitely not the first time these elders have said these words today. How much have his family and relatives talked about him behind his back over the years? He never told her how much pressure he was under and how he was treated like a fool. He didn't even reveal a single word or anything else, and he carried all the pressure by himself.
"Then let's take this opportunity to change the surnames of all the children to Li. Let Leilei carry the soul-guiding banner for grandma."
"That's right." Several elders all smiled and looked at her without any more speechless expressions. "If you become my father's family, outsiders will no longer gossip about me. This should have been done a long time ago. I have told Zhongxia so many times, but this child won't listen. Life is not just about having feelings. It's always a joke if you don't have a sense of belonging."
In the future, everyone will live in the city, and when they die, they can just buy a piece of land for cemetery and be buried. No one will say anymore that a family will be extinct if there is no soul-guiding flag at the ancestral tomb. As for the question of surname, you can take whatever surname you want. The clan is gone, all that matters is the bloodline, or even just the feelings during the upbringing. Who would care about this?
Gu Yan smiled and said nothing else. This is all later story. No one can keep up with the times at this moment. By changing the child's surname, she suffered no loss, and the children also suffered no loss. They even received fewer strange looks because their household registration book had the father's surname. Li Zhongxia will no longer suffer injustice or pressure because of this. If she had known this earlier, she would have changed it earlier and would not have waited until now.
The matter was resolved so easily without anyone raising any objections. Xiaohua and her sisters had already accepted Li Zhongxia as their father, and they were even secretly happy that they took their father's surname.
It’s not that I have a bad relationship with my mother, but every time I take my household registration booklet to register something, everyone looks at me strangely. Some people may even ask, why not join your father's family? Damn it, it’s so hard to explain to people. It feels awkward if you don't explain. Every time the kids have to take out their household registration books to register something, they get annoyed. It’s okay now, I don’t have to worry about this anymore.
"Li Yantong." Xiaohua called out her new name. I turned around and asked my mother quietly, "Is everything okay at the Han family?"
"It's okay. The old lady is long gone, and so is Han Lao Er. The Han brothers won't cause this. They are smart and won't come to ask for a beating."
"Li Yanzhu, sounds nice too."
Today is the last night of the old man’s funeral. Tomorrow morning we will have to carry out the coffin and bury him. The whole family stayed up all night. They all sat in front of the old lady's coffin to accompany her on her final journey.
Niu Niu lay on the straw, leaning on her mother's arm. Gu Yan patted the child and covered her with the quilt he brought.
"Just take a nap if you're sleepy. Children don't need to observe mourning. Grandma won't blame you for this."
"Hmm...Mom, if I die, I'll never come back, right?"
"Yes, I will never come back."
The child hugged her tighter and said, "Then I don't want my mother to die. I want my mother to stay with me forever."
"Okay, mom won't die. Mom will always be with you."
The weather at the end of the seventh lunar month is a bit cool at night. Li Zhongxia had discussed with others outside about carrying the coffin the next day, and then came in and sat with them to observe mourning.
Li Bailu fed her child at home, then put on some clothes and went out again. Gu Yan moved to the side to make room for her.
"Can your brother-in-law take care of the child? It's hard to take care of such a young child. Stop running back and forth. Mom won't blame you for this."
"It's okay. It won't hurt for a child to cry a little. Bingbing will come and call me if there's anything. My parents raised me, and this is the last filial piety a child can show."
In the first half of life, we are accompanied by the parents who brought us into this world. At the end of life, the ones who accompany you are the children you raised. Between life and death, the people closest to you are probably those who raised you and those you raised. Without either one, life will seem bleak.
The Li family was considered to be small in size during that era, so the elders actually had many complaints about Gu Yan, but they were all suppressed by Li Zhongxia. Now that Gu Yan's children have changed their surnames, the team of filial sons does not seem so thin.
The brother and sister looked at their mother's coffin and recalled the scenes from their childhood. You and I were talking about how difficult our parents' lives were and how much hard work they had to do for their children. Gu Yan and the other children listened quietly, and would also interject when someone talked about something they had heard or experienced.
After more than half an hour, everyone got up to burn incense and paper for the old man. On the last night, you have to burn incense and paper nine times, and this activity must be completed before dawn.
Just like that, the night passed quickly. After daybreak, relatives and family members began to gather, and the coffin was started at around 12:00. After Li Zhongxia offered incense, he smashed a clay pot, and the women behind the coffin cried loudly. This is what the ancients meant by "go to the grave crying, and go to the underworld peacefully."
Lei Lei carried the soul-guiding banner and followed his father, walking slowly among the crowd who were helping to carry the coffin. The sound of the suona played by the drummer in front was loud and sad, while the sound of the drum was low and sorrowful, and every syllable was filled with strong sadness.
After relatives and friends sent them out of the village, Gu Yan and his wife thanked them and asked Xiaohua to return with the children. They went to the grave with their relatives within the five generations of mourning and buried the old woman together with her deceased husband. The wreaths were burned and the soul-guiding banners were inserted into the new grave soil.
"It's done. Let's take off our mourning clothes and go home."
Li Zhongxia's cousin shouted, and everyone began to leave the cemetery one after another. Li Zhongxia and Gu Yan stayed behind and knelt down to kowtow to their parents before leaving.
"Dad, Mom, we are leaving. We will come back to see you on the 100th day when we burn paper money."
Gu Yan wiped her tears and pulled him out. Men don't shed tears easily, all their sadness is suppressed in their hearts. It's only been a few days and he's already so haggard.
The eye sockets are sunken and the eyes are full of red bloodshot. Go home quickly, clean up and have a good sleep. The dead are gone, and the living must continue to live.
She only said that she felt sorry for the man's haggard look, but she didn't realize that she was actually the same. Not to mention the red bloodshot eyes from staying up late, even my originally plump cheeks have become deflated.
The two walked hand in hand, neither of them spoke a word. The people in the front looked back and saw that they had caught up with them, and then they all slowly returned. As a result, as soon as he entered the village, Gu Yan's eyes went dark and his body instantly collapsed. If Li Zhongxia had not quickly caught her, she would have fallen into the deep ditch on the side of the road.
"Gu Yan, wife, what's wrong with you?"
Squatting on the ground and holding her, the man yelled anxiously. "Wake up, wife, what's wrong with you?"
"What's wrong? Wasn't it fine just now?"
"You are too tired." Li Bailu also squatted down and gently patted her sister-in-law, "Wake up, sister-in-law, wake up."
"Pinch the Ren Zhong, try pinching the Ren Zhong right away."
After being reminded by others, Li Zhongxia reached out and pinched it. Unfortunately, there was no movement. His cousin's wife squatted down and started pinching him hard, leaving a deep mark that almost made him bleed.
"Um……"
Seeing his wife frowning, Li Zhongxia quickly brushed away his cousin's hand. The woman didn't take it seriously and clapped her hands happily, "She's awake. Go home with her and have some rest. She's too tired and exhausted."
Li Zhongxia nodded, holding his wife in his arms and walking back quickly. Xiaohua and the others were startled when they entered the door. Niu Niu ran over and looked at her mother with tears in her eyes.
"Mom, Mom, please don't die, please don't die..."
"What's wrong, mom?"
Li Bailu quickly hugged her niece to prevent her from lying on her sister-in-law. "Don't cry, mom is just tired, just take a rest."
At this time, Gu Yan also opened his eyes. Although he felt like his whole body was falling apart and he had no strength at all, he still smiled and comforted the child.
"It's okay, Mom is still alive. Don't cry!"
Xiaohua breathed a sigh of relief and walked out. "I'll go make you a bowl of dragon beard noodles. Eat it and have a good sleep first."
After the workers return from the cemetery, the family repositions the ancestral tablets before they can start cleaning. Li Bailu led the children to do this work. Gu Yan was carried to the ear room by the man and forced to rest.
"Don't get up again, lie down and have a good sleep. You scared me to death, and I told you to have a good sleep, but you didn't listen. If mom saw this, she would scold you for being disobedient."
"I've always been in good health! I don't know why I felt so weak and empty when I came back."
"You're too tired. It's mainly because you didn't get enough rest. Go to sleep quickly. If you can't sleep, don't get up. Just lie down and rest for a while."
After saying this, Li Zhongxia suddenly remembered something. He looked at his daughter-in-law with suspicion. "Your period has been delayed for half a month this month, right?"
When he said this, Gu Yan was also shocked. Could it be what she was thinking? But her menstruation has always been regular, at most delayed for three or two days. This time it happened that her mother-in-law was seriously ill, and then there was a funeral. This... Is it true that there was something wrong with the condom and she got caught?
"Shall I ask Lao Wang to check on you? He's pretty accurate in taking pulses."
Gu Yan nodded blankly, and after the man left, he took out a pregnancy test stick from the space. She went downstairs, closed the door, and got ready. Her hands were shaking as if she had been electrocuted. She was more nervous than when she went to the battlefield.
Forget it, if you stick your head out, you'll get a knife. If you hide your head, you'll get a knife too. The sooner you die, the sooner you will be reborn. As a result, she saw two red bars.
After reading the instructions, she sat back on the kang. They waited blankly for Li Zhongxia to bring Lao Wang home. After taking his pulse, he said congratulations, and both of them were stunned.
"What congratulations? Is my sister-in-law pregnant?"
Li Bailu's eyes sparkled with excitement as she spoke. Like the old lady, she had always hoped that her sister-in-law could give her eldest brother a child. She had not dared to say it for so many years because she thought there was something wrong with her body. If she really was pregnant, it would be a great joyous event.
"Well, it's most likely that she's pregnant. Pregnant pulse."
"Oh my god, may our ancestors bless us, may our parents bless us!"
"Brother, congratulations!" My brother-in-law came in with a smile on his face. "You're so happy to have a child in your middle age, aren't you?"
The noise in the house immediately attracted the neighbors in the yard, and Wang Xiaomai congratulated them as soon as she entered the door. In this era, every family has many children, and people don’t care about having a child in middle age. But they are different. They have been married for so many years, and everyone thinks they should have another child. But they didn't expect to stay silent for so many years.
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