Chapter 94: Return to the village. Buy a yard.
A bowl of fresh fish soup warmed Qiu Xuan's body.
She now had to admit that after the serious illness, her body was no longer as healthy as before, and now she sneezed whenever the wind blew.
My grandmother put some tofu in the fish soup, which turned out to be milky white and tasted especially good.
Seeing Qiu Xuan drink a whole bowl, the clan mother smiled with relief.
"Mom, who of us will go up the mountain tomorrow?" Zong Anji ate a lot in the afternoon and was full after drinking two sips. He rubbed his stomach and looked up to ask.
There was no need for the whole family to go back for something like burning paper. The mother pointed at herself and then at Zong Xiao.
"The three of us can go back. There's no need for so many people just to burn paper."
Qiu Xuan: "I'll go too. It's a good opportunity to go into the mountains and take a look. I won't go into the mountains when it gets cold."
Qiu Xuan actually wanted to see where the cemetery was and whether it was the place in her dream.
"You can go if you want, but I'm worried about your health." The clan mother hesitated.
"Then I'll wear more clothes tomorrow." Qiu Xuan said.
Seeing that she was determined to go, the clan mother had nothing else to say but to agree.
The next morning, Zong Anji pulled out a mule cart with two baskets of things on it, all for burning paper.
My grandmother didn't pay attention yesterday, but she was shocked when she saw it today.
“Why buy so much?”
"Mom, didn't you say that Dad and the others didn't have enough money down there? I thought of buying more so that we can spend more money down there while we're still alive. Once we're gone and go down there, we won't need to make money anymore." Zong Anji became more and more excited as he spoke, completely unaware of the look in his mother's eyes that wanted to beat him to death.
Qiu Xuan held back her laughter and turned her head to look at Zong Xiao.
"Oh, by the way, Mom, isn't Third Aunt buried there too? Don't try to steal Dad's money."
The mother of the clan finally reached her limit of patience and slapped Zong Anji on the back.
She lowered her voice and said, "Shut up!"
In autumn, all the leaves on the mountain turned yellow. Qiu Yu saw that the trees that were full of fruits last year were now bare.
"It's been tough for every household this year. The fruits are being picked before they're even ripe."
The grandmother knew how difficult it was, after all, that was how her family had gone through that.
Sometimes in winter we had to dig grass roots. Life was so hard back then. Who would have thought that a few years would pass and now we don’t feel bad about eating meat.
A few of them left home early, and when they reached the mountain the sun had just risen.
It had been a while since he had returned. The grandmother looked at the dirt in the yard, picked up a broom and started sweeping it.
They made quite a noise when they came back, and the neighbor next door heard the noise and came over with his hands in his pockets.
"Aunt Zong." The woman was from Li San's family, and she was usually called Sandiu.
"Sanniu is here. Look, there's not even any hot water at home. Please sit down first. I'll ask them to boil some water."
Although I haven't seen the villagers for a long time, my grandmother is always very enthusiastic.
Sanniu sat on the bamboo bench in the yard. She looked around and saw only a mule cart there.
She curiously asked her mother, "Aunt, are you moving back?"
"No, it's time to move. Come back and burn some paper for the old man and the others." The grandmother grabbed a handful of melon seeds and put them on the stone table.
The two of them ate and chatted.
When Sanniu heard that they were coming back to burn paper, she asked in a low voice, "But it's for Lao San's family?"
"How is that possible? Don't talk nonsense." The clan mother quickly denied it.
"We've long since severed our ties. A person's life has nothing to do with us, and a person's death has even less to do with us."
When Sanniu heard this, she stopped asking questions.
She happily ate the melon seeds on the table, drank two cups of tea, and then left.
After everyone left, Qiu Xuan came over from the next yard.
She had seen Sanniu at that time, but she didn't like dealing with them, so she hid herself.
The villagers love to gossip, and this Sanniu has talked about the Zong family before.
It’s just that the Zong family is living a much better life now, and everyone speaks with a hint of flattery.
"Mom, Erlang and I have almost finished packing. When can we go over?"
When you go to a grave to burn paper, you not only have to bring paper money, but also offerings.
People in the mountains mostly bring wild fruits, and some also put two dry buns.
Just put this thing in front of the grave, and no one cares who eats it.
The clan mother took a look at what they had prepared, and it was quite a lot.
"That's all. Put it in the basket and we'll walk over."
The cemeteries are all in the woods and mule carts can't get in.
Besides, the land is near the village, it’s just a few steps away and there’s no need to drive.
Qiu Xuan put the food into the bamboo basket, and Zong Xiao put the paper money into the bamboo basket.
After they packed up, they left the house without much delay.
The three graves were all in one place, with those of the eldest brother and his wife next to each other. They were all marked with wooden tombstones.
Maybe it's because I haven't been here for a while, and coupled with the wind and rain, the three tombstones are a little tilted.
Zong Xiao straightened himself up and wiped it bit by bit with a cloth.
Qiu Xuan helped take out the offerings and placed them in front of the grave.
We are all family, there is no need for any face-saving projects.
A few people burned paper money, leaving the grandmother alone to talk.
They had no intention of eavesdropping, so they found a place and went to pick wild chestnuts.
"I was thinking, let's change the tombstone for Dad, my elder brother and his wife." Qiu Xuan walked beside Zong Xiao and expressed her thoughts.
After all, the wooden tablet is not as good as the stone tablet. Now they are all alive and can recognize the boundaries.
But what if their generation is gone? Will their children be able to find it? What if they find the wrong grave?
Zong Xiao also had this plan, and today he picked a mushroom from the wooden tablet.
The wooden tablet will become damp in a few years.
Zong Anji walked alone in front. He muttered to himself for a long time but no one responded.
Then he turned his head and looked back, and shouted loudly:
"Second brother and second sister-in-law, what are you doing?"
"Here we are." Qiu Xuan grabbed Zong Xiao's hand and led them forward.
The three of them walked all the way to the deep mountains before they saw the wild chestnuts.
But it wasn't much, I only picked up half a bamboo basket.
If there were no disasters in previous years, wild chestnuts would be everywhere in this field and you would never be able to pick them all up.
Looking at the half basket of wild chestnuts, Zong Anji felt that it was a little too little.
He suggested: "Why don't we go deeper and take a look, just in case there is something else."
"No."
"No."
Zong Anji: ...
The grandmother spoke for a long time at the cemetery.
She didn't think she was so talkative before, but a lot of things happened in the past year, and she wanted to tell them now.
She started by talking about Zong Xiao's marriage and then mentioned the recent plague that had been spreading throughout the town.
The clan mother stroked the wooden tablet and said with a wry smile, "If you were still here, our family would definitely be in good shape."
"Old man, you would never have thought that an old lady like me would now live in a big yard and eat meat every day."
Thinking of Dalang's death in the mountains in winter, the grandmother's heart ached again.
She looked at the two graves that were close together and said, "Don't worry, Huaixue is much stronger now. The little girl is pretty and everyone in our family likes her."
The grandmother stayed in front of the grave for half an hour. When she had nothing more to say, she brushed off the dirt on her body and went home.
As soon as she left, the funeral procession from the third branch of the Zong family arrived.
The clan mother came down the mountain from another place and happened to separate from the group.
The ancestors of the clan are all buried in this area. The eldest son and grandson of the third branch of the clan walk in front. As they walk, they have to pass by the graves of the first branch of the clan.
Everyone looked at the fruits and cakes in front of the grave, and some of them couldn't help swallowing.
Although everyone had no idea that the Zong family was rich before, now they were jealous when they saw the plate of snacks.
Putting some snacks on the grave of the dead...isn't that a waste of money?
The people from the third branch of the Zong family took a look and quickly looked away.
There was nothing they could do at this time.
Even though I hate her in my heart, I can't show it.
The grandmother waited at home for a stick of incense before she saw Qiu Xuan and the others.
"Where have you been? Why are you back later than mom?"
Qiu Xuan stepped forward, took her mother's arm, and said with a smile, "Mom, we went to the mountains to pick some wild chestnuts. How about we have chestnut chicken tonight?"
Qiu Xuan rarely opens her mouth to say what she wants to eat.
When she heard that she wanted to eat chestnut chicken today, her mother-in-law naturally agreed.
She scratched the tip of Qiu Xuan's nose and agreed with a smile: "Okay, I'll make it for you when we get home."
The few of them didn't delay on the mountain for long. They packed some things and put them on the bus. They hurried down the mountain before noon.
At home, Yueyang's mother came over.
Shuyun is now almost eight months old and can already sit and play by himself.
Yueyang placed him in the middle of the bed to prevent him from falling.
Mother Liu was so happy when she saw Yueyang's good complexion.
She took Yueyang's hand and asked, "A few days ago, I heard from your eldest brother that your second sister-in-law was sick. Mother was worried all day, afraid that you and the child would be infected too."
Yueyang shook his head. "Mom, it's all in the past. Back then, my second sister-in-law was sick and had been living in her own hospital. We were all separated. Besides, she had to take medicine every day back then."
"I was worried about you, you silly girl. Now that I see you are safe and sound, I am happy."
Liu's mother rambled on and on, and finally asked her, "If you have something to say, tell me. Don't hide it."
Yueyang was actually fine, but when Liu's mother asked this, she suddenly remembered something.
She had heard Zong Anji mention this a few days ago.
"Mom, what do you think of the courtyard we live in now?"
Mother Liu looked around and said in agreement, "Good, it's great. I've never lived in such a nice yard in my life."
When Liu's mother heard her ask this, she asked suspiciously, "What's the matter? Are you moving out?"
"No." Yueyang explained, "We want to buy this courtyard, but Second Sister-in-law doesn't have enough money. Sanlang and I counted what we have, and we might still be short."
Mother Liu immediately understood what she meant.
She asked quietly, "Tell Mom how much is left."
"It should be at least thirty taels." Yueyang didn't dare to say it was too much. It was already a lot.
Mother Liu pondered for a moment and said, "I'll go back and ask your father how much money we have left at home."
"Mom." Yueyang threw himself into Liu's mother's arms and acted like a child.
"Mom is here."
The next day, the clan mother came to the clan's house with a silver note worth fifty taels.
She didn't hide it and gave it to them in front of Zong Anji.
Zong Anji was startled and stammered, "Mother... Mother, what are you doing?"
"I heard from Yueyang that you guys want to buy this yard, but you're still short of money. Mom has some money, so you can use it first and give it to us when you make money."
Zong Anji was so moved that he almost cried.
That's fifty taels. Although the Liu family sells meat, it's not easy to save fifty taels.
"You're an adult, and you're still crying. Take it. When you make money next year, just give it to me with interest." Liu's mother said with a smile.
As an elder, she couldn't possibly be greedy for the profits. She just wanted the children to feel at ease after accepting the money.
"Mom, I will definitely pay it back next year." Zong Anji wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and vowed.
He couldn't hide such big news.
As soon as Liu's mother left, he quickly told Qiu Yun and the others about this.
"Brother and sister-in-law, I'm not sure what to do. What do you think we should do?" Zong Anji had to discuss such a big matter with them.
Qiu Xuan said, "Take it first. Your second brother and I will count the money in our pockets tonight and see if we can buy it."
"good."
Zong Anji's originally uneasy heart finally calmed down.
He walked out of the house.
Zong Xiao hadn't said a word just now, and now it was just the two of them left here.
He asked, "Are you really planning to buy it?"
"If you have enough money, buy it." Qiu Yu got up and took out the purse from the cabinet.
The bulging purse is now deflated.
"It's not enough." Zong Xiao knew it well. He had already spent fifty taels in the past few days, so there must not be much left.
"Yes, we're still a little short." Qiu Xuan was not discouraged. She cheered up and said, "But there's no rush. Winter is coming soon. We can still make some money from the restaurant."
But how much can restaurants earn? People have just experienced a plague and are now reluctant to spend money.
unless....
An idea came to Zong Xiao's mind. He looked at Qiu Xuan, who was sitting by the window and counting the silver for the third time, and did not speak for a long time.
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