On the day Song Xinfu and his wife left, Grandpa Song, Grandma Song, Song Zhicheng's family, and Song Yun and her daughter all came to the Song family home.
There are only a few children left in the family.
Grandpa Song leaned against the door frame, his eyes stinging with tears. He never imagined that his second grandson would have such a thing happen to him.
Dark clouds loomed over the Song family. So, Grandpa Song and Grandma Song moved into the Song family home, into the room that the eldest son and his wife used to live in.
With Big Dog and his wife gone, the old man has to hold the family together.
Grandpa Song sent Song Zhicheng's family back first, and said he would talk to Da Gouzi and the others when they returned.
Song Yun and her daughter live nearby and can come over every day.
People passing by in Heping Lane also felt sorry for the Song family.
The eldest, third, and fifth sons of the Song family were no good, while the second son was a good person in the army. It was precisely because he was too good that God had to take him away.
Liu Aimei couldn't help but mutter to herself.
Now that their second child is gone, the old couple will definitely change. They'll realize how good their children and grandchildren are, and they'll surely send them back home soon.
Liu Aimei has had enough of living in this cramped space!
Song Guomin would go to the Song family every day, but Old Master Song didn't like him. After trying to get rid of him several times without success, he just let him be.
On the fifteenth day after Xu Guiying and her husband left home, Liu Aimei forcibly took Song Guomin back to her parents' home.
Surprisingly, Xiong Jing's mother and sister were also there, as were Xiong Jing and her husband Zhuang Pinghua.
Xiong Jing's belly was already showing. After hearing about the Song family's affairs, Xiong Jing sneered, "This is retribution. The Song family did such ruthless things that even God couldn't stand it."
Liu Aimei gestured for her to speak softly, otherwise Song Guomin would get angry if he heard her.
Zhuang Pinghua's injuries from the beating have also healed.
"Thank God for all the mistreatment Song Yun's father caused us!"
Old Lady Liu glanced at Liu Aimei's expression and whispered, "What does it matter if Song Yangmin gets into trouble? It's best if his parents—"
When news came from outside that they couldn't add more, Old Lady Liu didn't say anything more.
Xiong Jing's mother chimed in, "Pinghua, how's your job search going?"
Zhuang Pinghua is literate and found a job as a gatekeeper in the city. "It doesn't require much physical effort. I just register the vehicles coming and going. I'll be starting work in a few days."
A happy smile spread across Xiong Jing's face. "They look down on us, but we're determined to live better than them!"
Zhuang Pinghua narrowed his eyes and asked, "I heard that Song Yun has also come to the city. What is she doing now?"
Liu Aimei rolled her eyes. "How should I know?"
Liu Aimei only cared about whether they could return to the Song family smoothly, and didn't care about anything else.
Zhuang Pinghua's face fell.
Xiong Jing looked at Liu Aimei, "Cousin, can you help me find out?"
Liu Aimei frowned. "We'll talk about it another time."
Outside, Song Guomin was smoking outside the Liu family's gate. He had been kicked out of the house for several months. Liu Aimei said they could go home, but Song Guomin had lost the will to do so.
If we can't go back, we can't go back. Living in a house in Heping Lane is fine for now.
-
Xu Guiying and her husband returned to the capital nearly a month after leaving home.
The couple had aged considerably, their eyes had lost their sparkle, and their clothes were dusty and grimy. When the neighbors saw them return, all they could do was offer words of comfort, advising Xu Guiying and her husband to take things easy and remember that they still had a long road ahead.
Xu Guiying was holding a cloth bag in her arms, inside which was Song Yangmin's shoe.
When Grandpa Song and Grandma Song saw the couple return, they breathed a sigh of relief, but couldn't help but tear up again.
"Now that we're home, let's have a proper meal."
Song Xinfu moved his lips and called out "Dad".
Grandpa Song patted his eldest son on the shoulder, "Big Dog, give the child a proper funeral."
Xu Guiying sat blankly at the table, took a deep breath, and said, "Yes, we should give the second son a proper celebration."
The house is still the same as before, but something seems to have changed.
The second child might be watching them from somewhere in the house right now.
Xu Guiying went to the three brothers' room. The second brother's things were untouched, and Xu Guiying wouldn't let them touch them either, because the second brother might be sad if he came back one day and saw that his things were missing.
In the days that followed, Xu Guiying seemed to have found something to do.
She went to Baoguo Temple to find an old monk to perform a Buddhist ritual for her second son, and then chose a day to hold a ceremony for him.
It was set for January 13th.
It snowed at night, and everything was covered in white.
Qian Yu'an has been absent-minded lately. It's been a long time since Song Yangmin mentioned the mission. Is it still not over?
A colleague joked, "Yu'an, are you missing your boyfriend?"
Qian Yu'an blushed and denied it, "No, he is not my boyfriend."
"We haven't even said who it is yet, and you're already denying it."
Qian Yu'an blushed even more. She hurriedly packed her things and left work. Tomorrow was Monday, and Song Yangmin might also be off tomorrow and come to see her today.
Back downstairs, Qian Yu'an waited for half an hour, but still didn't see Song Yangmin.
It was still snowing outside, and she was freezing, so she had to go back upstairs.
That night, she kept looking out from the balcony, but she didn't see Song Yangmin anywhere.
Meanwhile, the Song family, after laying the body in state tonight, will return to their rural home tomorrow to erect a cenotaph for their second son at the ancestral graves.
Later generations will also worship them.
The snow outside is falling heavier and heavier.
The Song family, including the eldest son and his wife, and Song Yun, were also there. Zhuang Xiaoxiao couldn't come because she couldn't get leave from her school's final exams.
The sound of weeping came from the main room, and late at night, the snow on the lintel outside the door slid off, making a noise.
Xu Guiying's eyes flickered. "Is it the second son who's back?"
Everyone in the main room looked out as snowflakes drifted down, but there was no sound at the door.
The Song family stayed in the main room all night, while Liu Aimei stayed for a little over an hour before going home.
Before dawn the next day, the group went to the countryside. The pit had been dug in the past few days. After the coffin was placed in it, the yellow soil gradually buried it, and it was as if there was a layer of sand in front of Xu Guiying's eyes, so she could not see anything.
A living person has been reduced to a small mound of earth.
Xu Guiying was finally helped down the mountain by Song Xinfu.
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