Chapter 2 Disrupting the Ancestral Hall
The chanting came from inside the ancestral hall, solemn and sacred.
At the entrance of the ancestral hall, several middle-aged men sat, discussing something in hushed tones.
Lin Ziyan was led inside by her aunts.
Straw mats were laid on the ground, with two coffins lying across the middle, and smoke filled the air.
The pungent smell of incense made it hard to open one's eyes.
A wave of bitterness welled up in her heart, and her eyes gradually filled with tears.
Another kind of grief that she couldn't control suddenly struck.
A dull ache in my heart kept stirring up feelings of sadness.
The second sister, Lin Xiaori, sat on the mat expressionlessly, not even glancing up at the person who came in.
It was as if his soul had already left his body, and he was no longer aware of his surroundings.
The younger sister, Jiaojiao, who had followed Lin Ziyan in, let go of her hand and walked over, obediently sitting down next to her second sister.
The eldest daughter sits in a specific spot and is required to constantly follow the chanting master around her.
"Ah Yan, it's good that you're here. We need you to make the decisions for tomorrow."
"Come over here first, let's talk," Aunt Chen's husband said in a low voice.
He gestured for her to move to the other side.
Lin Ziyan pursed her lips and followed.
After listening to him, Lin Ziyan had a vague idea in her mind.
When money is needed for errands, these neighbors have always helped to pay for them in advance.
In those days, people didn't have much money, and even when they pooled their money together, it wasn't much.
Now that I've hired a craftsman and bought the necessary supplies, I've already spent almost all of it.
The people who come to help tomorrow need to be provided with two meals, and some necessities need to be purchased and the workers paid.
With no money in hand, no one dared to make a move.
"Uncle Chen, how much more money do we need?" Lin Ziyan asked directly, knowing they couldn't bring themselves to ask.
At this moment, she was glad that the original owner's father was farsighted and that the family always kept cash on hand for emergencies.
Otherwise, she really wouldn't know where she would find the money to solve her immediate problem.
"It will probably cost another 80 yuan," Uncle Chen said after a moment's thought.
Lin Ziyan breathed a sigh of relief; at least the amount of money she had set aside was not exceeded.
But Lin Ziyan was well aware that she couldn't let her neighbors pay for things for her family.
"Uncle Chen, how much will it cost in total to get this done?" Lin Ziyan asked directly to avoid any future resentment.
In the small fishing village, life was hard for everyone.
Going out to sea to fish is a life-or-death gamble.
She couldn't just accept everyone's kindness without thinking, otherwise if something happened to her family again, no one would be willing to lend a hand.
"We did the math today, and it will cost a total of 153 yuan."
"Before you woke up, several families pooled together 73 yuan." Uncle Chen's face didn't look good, and he seemed quite troubled.
These 73 yuan were pieced together by several of their neighbors.
Previously, when investing in shrimp farms, everyone took out all their money, squeezing out their savings of many years.
Lin Ziyan nodded; there was 200 yuan left at home.
That's enough with the funeral arrangements, but what about life afterward...?
Without giving it much thought, she decided to take it one step at a time and focus on getting the immediate task done.
"Uncle Chen, I'm going back to get the money now. Please help me return all the money that everyone contributed."
Lin Ziyan spoke firmly, giving them no chance to refuse, and walked out of the ancestral hall with unsteady steps.
Aunt Huang hurriedly followed, silently trailing behind her, afraid that she might fall again, since she had only just woken up.
Lin Ziyan thought to herself that she definitely owed a favor, but she could repay it later.
She ignored the suspicious looks from the people behind her and started planning her departure.
"After Ah Yan woke up, she was like a different person," Aunt Chen muttered softly.
Uncle Chen gave her a look, signaling her not to talk nonsense.
They exchanged glances, all thinking the same thing.
Who can remain unchanged when both parents suddenly pass away?
This whole family will depend on this little girl from now on.
Their eyes held helplessness, worry, and an indescribable emotion that spread around them.
When Lin Ziyan returned to the ancestral hall, everyone had already suppressed their emotions.
In the adult world, nothing is easy.
Lin Ziyan handed the money to Uncle Chen, adding ten yuan extra.
"We'll talk about it if it's not enough." Lin Ziyan put her hemp clothes back on, put on her hat, and walked into the ancestral hall.
Uncle Chen took a deep drag on his pipe, squinted his eyes, and felt a sense of relief creeping into his heart.
His nose stung, and his vision blurred. His friend could finally rest in peace; at least there was someone in the family who could handle things.
…
The chanting in the ancestral hall stopped the following afternoon.
After the funeral, the three sisters can go home and get some sleep.
The funeral was considered a success.
The master performing the ritual is reciting the final farewell words, instructing the family members to bow and weep as they see him off.
At that moment, a group of people came in and rushed into the ancestral hall.
Uncle Chen rushed forward, but before he could stop him, the person was pushed to the ground.
No one dared to cause trouble at the ancestral hall, even though these people were from the same village.
Lin Ziyan was the first to react, shielding her two younger sisters behind her and looking at the newcomers.
This person was also a close friend of the original owner's father, but he didn't come to offer condolences until now.
"Wei Er, what do you want to do?"
A neighbor stepped forward and blocked the person who was trying to rush forward.
The young people of the tribe surrounded them, preventing them from getting closer.
Lin Ziyan pursed her lips, a bad feeling creeping over her.
"I've come to offer incense and also to have everyone confirm the IOU."
"So that when the time comes, the villagers won't say that I'm bullying the old people and children in the Lin family."
“Since ancient times, sons have been responsible for their fathers’ debts. I want a clear answer today.” Wei Er said with a serious expression. He took out the IOU, let the others see the contents first, and then handed it to Lin Ziyan.
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