Chapter 758
In the summer of 1991, Nanning felt like it was thrown into a furnace, and the air was so hot that it could make you sweat.
The market in the old city was bustling with activity. Bamboo baskets were piled with golden mangoes, with water droplets hanging on the peels. The lychee stalls were crowded with people. The crimson shells were very attractive, and the sweet fragrance mixed with the stall owner's shouts filled the air in the steaming heat.
Su Miao followed his father, walking through the crowded market.
Su Yuanzheng was holding two bulging plastic bags filled with incense, candles, paper money and various offerings.
Having just returned from the capital yesterday, the father and daughter came shopping early this morning. After buying things, they will go back to Sujia Village to pay homage to Su Miao's grandparents.
After the car left the city, the road became gradually bumpy.
Outside the window, in addition to the endless sugarcane fields, there are occasional small plots of sisal fields. The leaves of the plants are like sharp green swords, pointing to the sky, and the sharp thorns on the edges of the leaves flash coldly in the sun.
Su Miao pointed out the window and said, "Dad, it seems these sisal fields were only created during the Chinese New Year. Weren't they used to grow bananas before?"
Su Yuanzheng glanced in the direction she pointed and turned the steering wheel slightly:
"Yes, I heard from your second uncle that there is a subsidy policy now, and some small-scale farmers have started to grow sisal in small quantities. It used to be grown by mountain farms."
"The farm has been planted for many years, right? I remember that as far back as I can remember, there were large sisal fields over there, and then they grew more and more."
"It seems that they started to introduce sisal cultivation in 1971, when you were not even born. Then it gradually developed to a large scale, and they even put forward the slogan of building the first sisal cultivation base in the country," Su Yuanzheng recalled.
"Great! Strive for first place, so our Ning County can become famous!"
As they were talking, the car had already turned into the intersection of Sujia Village. Smoke was rising from my second uncle's house, and the barking of a big yellow dog could be heard from the yard.
They called back in advance yesterday, so when they got home, their second aunt had already cooked the chicken and they could go up the mountain with their things.
My second uncle and Zhige also went with them, carrying hoes, sickles, bamboo baskets and water bottles.
Su Miao's grandparents had their bones collected and buried in the Su family cemetery.
There is a large circle of graves, all of which are related to the elders of the Su family. One cannot just pay tribute to grandpa and grandma when going there. The weeds in the entire garden must also be cleared.
Although the Su family had already built the ground of the garden with cement, it was exposed to the wind and sun every day, and grass had grown on the graves and some cracks. It would be exhausting for the father and daughter to do it alone.
Even though Su Miao was empty-handed, he felt a little tired after climbing to the front of the cemetery, and the strands of hair on his forehead were stuck to his face by sweat.
Looking at some waist-high grass, he gasped and said:
"Oh my god, didn't we just sweep the graves on March 3rd? How come the grass has grown so tall in just a few months?"
Second uncle laughed heartily:
"It proves that our ancestral tomb has good feng shui and is full of spiritual energy! Come, Second Uncle will test you to see if you can find where your grandparents are."
"Uncle, my sense of direction is pretty good. Of course I can find grandpa and grandma. Look! They're right here!"
Su Miao walked ten meters to the southeast and accurately found the grave of his grandparents.
There are two bluestone steles placed side by side. The one on the left is engraved with "The Tomb of My Late Father Su Gong, whose name was Zhiyuan", and the one on the right is engraved with "The Tomb of My Late Mother Su Pan, whose name was Ruxiu".
Before the worship, they had to clear away the overgrown plants in the garden. The men worked with hoes and sickles, while Su Miao squatted down with gloves and pulled out small weeds. It took him a while to finish.
Su Yuanzheng placed the offerings he had brought and lit the incense and candles. Green smoke curled up, drawing soft curves in the still air.
"Dad, Mom, I brought Miaomiao to see you. This time I have good news to report to you."
His voice trembled slightly as he opened the bottle of rice wine and slowly poured it into the glass.
"I've done what you asked me to do. The chess pieces... have been delivered to Uncle Qin. Uncle Qin cried when he saw them, saying that you were stubborn and that a game of chess dragged on for twenty years..."
At this point, Su Yuanzheng suddenly burst into tears, and years of longing and regret rushed out like a broken dam.
Su Miao had never seen her father so out of control. In her memory, her father was always as calm as a mountain and never shed tears even in the face of great difficulties.
She gently hugged her father's trembling shoulders and comforted him:
"Dad, if Grandpa knew, he would definitely be very happy."
Su Yuanzheng took a deep breath and wiped the tears from his face:
"Dad, Mom, Uncle Qin is doing well. He works in the military district's retirement home, has a high rank, and has a driver and a service staff. This time when Miaomiao and I moved, he and Qin Xue came and gave us a huge gift..."
Su Miao stayed quietly by his side, listening to his father talk for a long time, until only a small incense stick was left, and then they burned paper money together.
The firelight reflected on his face, and the fine lines at the corners of his eyes hid indescribable emotions.
It was already two o'clock in the afternoon when we went down the mountain. The path was winding and overgrown with weeds on both sides.
Su Miao walked in the middle, carrying an empty sacrificial basket in his hand, kicking away stones blocking the way from time to time.
"Be careful, it rained the day before yesterday and the road is slippery." Second uncle warned from behind, dragging the hoe in his hand on the ground, making a rustling sound.
After going down the mountain and crossing the stream, they arrived at the village. Su Miao suddenly screamed, jumped back three steps as if pricked by a needle, and the basket fell to the ground with a "clang".
"Snake! What a big snake!"
A snake as thick as an adult man's wrist was rushing out from the grass by the roadside. Its yellow and black scales shone glossy in the setting sun, and it was sticking out its forked tongue. It was only one step away from Su Miao's feet.
"Miao Miao, be careful!" Su Yuanzheng shouted, raising the hoe in his hand high.
He took a big step forward, and the hoe drew a silver light in the air, and with a "bang" it landed heavily on the snake's vital point.
The big snake twisted violently a few times, then fell down, with only its tail flicking a few times unwillingly, and it could no longer crawl.
Su Miao patted his chest and looked at the snake on the ground in shock:
"Dad! You're so awesome! I almost stepped on it..."
Second uncle bent down and picked up the snake's tail, weighed it, and smiled brightly:
"Wow, it must be over 6 pounds! King cobra, the non-venomous ones are so delicious. We're in for a treat tonight. Let's go home and make some dragon and phoenix soup and fry a plate of snake segments. It's perfect with wine."
Zhige swiftly took out a hemp rope that he had used to tie up paper money, incense sticks, and candles, and expertly tied up the snake's body.
"This is good stuff, very nourishing. Are you afraid, Miaomiao?"
"I'm not afraid!" Su Miao said stubbornly, not daring to glance at the snake. "I was just startled when I saw it suddenly."
Only when the snake was tied up tightly did Su Miao dare to move closer to take a closer look.
As soon as she got close, she smelled a fishy odor, like rotten fish intestines. She quickly covered her nose and stepped back.
"Ugh! This snake is so unhygienic and smells so bad. It must have stinky mucus on its body. Can I really eat it?"
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