Qiuhua and Zhao Meiying left the hospital not long after staying there. It took them more than two hours to walk back from the hospital.
As they left, Zhao Meiying hesitated and hesitated, as if she had something to say or something she hadn't done. But Xu Guoqing didn't understand and kept telling them to go back early and be careful on the road.
After listening to what Xu Guoqing said, Zhao Meiying turned around and her round black eyes were suddenly covered with tears. Xu Guoqing was surprised for a moment, but before he could react, Zhao Meiying pulled Qiuhua away in a huff.
Xu Guoqing felt a little baffled, but he really couldn't understand a girl's mind. Silence returned to the ward. After a while, he felt his eyelids getting heavy, and he closed his eyes again.
Walking back from the hospital, Zhao Meiying was unhappy all the time, with a sullen face as if something was bothering her. Qiuhua knew it was because of Xu Guoqing, but she couldn't find a specific reason. She looked around to see if there was anyone around and asked, "What's wrong? Why are you unhappy?"
"Well, he keeps sending me away after just a few words. I don't think he's interested in me at all. I think I'd better give up."
"This isn't like you at all, Zhao Meiying. You're not the kind of person who would just let it go. Besides, I saw you guys were having a good chat today, so why do you feel it's boring now?"
"What's so good about it? What we talked about is no different from what he talked about with you. I think he treats me the same as you, just like a sister!"
Qiuhua didn't know what to say. She had never liked anyone, and no one had ever liked her. She was still confused about this kind of girlish plot. She wished that Zhao Meiying and Xu Guoqing would get married. It was because she selfishly wanted to be closer to Zhao Meiying. Besides, both of them were very good people.
When Xu Guoqing woke up again, it was already getting dark. He slept a little longer this time, his mind was much clearer, and the pain in his arm was also relieved.
With nothing to do, he didn't want to think about his family. He thought of Zhao Meiying, the one who had left in tears and anger. What had happened to her? It was completely baffling. And was her face always red?
There seemed to be something different in the heart of Xu Guoqing, an outstanding man who had never been engaged.
That evening, Zhao Meiying also stayed at Xu Guoqing's house for dinner. Tomorrow was the day of the funeral, and the villagers had all come. It was crowded and lively. As soon as the chanting stopped inside, weeping erupted, even the people outside were affected and their voices became quieter. After the weeping subsided, the leading monk chanted for a while, and the monks on either side, one drum and the other gong, clanged a few times, and the monks began chanting again.
Dinner consisted of stir-fried shredded pork with garlic, braised tofu in broth, stir-fried bok choy, and braised pork. Braised pork wasn't served every day, but since the funeral was tomorrow, they'd be treating the villagers to it today and tomorrow. During the meal, everyone seemed less sad. Da Huang's cooking was delicious, and everyone enjoyed the meal with relish and chatted animatedly. Even the monks had gone to eat, leaving only Xu Guoqing's father in the room.
After dinner, the captain discussed the funeral arrangements for tomorrow, focusing on the work arrangements. The arrangements were pretty much the same each time, but the captain still had to go through them again.
Qiuhua and Zhao Meiying helped clear the table and wash the dishes before leaving. Zhao Meiying was staying at Qiuhua's house today. They washed their feet in one basin and their faces in another, then snuggled into the same bed.
Xu Guoqing's house was not far behind Qiuhua's. The sounds of chanting and crying came from behind, making it impossible for both of them to sleep.
"Qiuhua, we're not going to school tomorrow, are we?" Zhao Meiying turned to face her and said seriously, "Tomorrow Xu Haopo and Xiao Jianqing's funeral will be held. I think we should go and see them off."
Qiuhua nodded in agreement. She felt the same way. They had to go to school, but their schooling was always delayed by various things, such as the teacher's illness, the rice harvest, or a funeral.
"Xu Guoqing must be having a hard time in the hospital, and he can't be discharged. I feel sorry for him."
Zhao Meiying felt a little lonely after she finished speaking.
"It's okay, Xu Haopo and Xiao Jianqing won't blame him."
Qiuhua has always believed that as long as they are her relatives, whether they are alive or not, they will always take care of their descendants.
"What should I do..."
The distress in her heart was inadvertently revealed. Zhao Meiying simply stood up and said to Qiuhua seriously: "How can I let Xu Guoqing know? Should I tell him?"
She immediately rejected her idea: "No, no, this is too embarrassing, it's shameless."
Qiuhua also felt that it was not a good idea. She had never heard of a young woman expressing her feelings to a man.
"Why don't you talk to your mom and find a matchmaker to arrange a marriage."
"That won't work. I don't have the face to tell my mom. Besides, my mom and I aren't very close, so I can't bring myself to say it." Zhao Meiying lay down again, feeling depressed. "Besides, how can we find a matchmaker to arrange a marriage?"
Qiuhua suddenly felt that he was very stupid and came up with all kinds of crooked ideas.
Early the next morning, Xu Guoqing rushed back from the hospital. He wanted to see his mother-in-law and Xiao Jianqing off for the last time.
Just after breakfast, the door was carried outside the house. All the relatives and grandchildren were in mourning, each crying their hearts out. Little Jianqing's mother fainted several times, waking up to cry, then fainting again. The villagers, especially the mothers, stood by, silently wiping away tears.
First, the men knelt down in pairs, then some women with their children knelt down in pairs, and finally a broken jar was thrown heavily to the ground. Four men carried the door panel out, and their descendants and relatives followed behind them, crying all the way. A fire was lit in front of the house.
Everyone went out to attend the funeral, and Xu Guoqing's house was suddenly empty. Only Da Huang was left preparing lunch, and a few women were making dumplings. The sad atmosphere had not yet faded, and a feeling of desolation came in again, making the people who stayed here feel even more lonely.
Qiuhua and Zhao Meiying also helped.
Everyone returning from the funeral had to eat some glutinous rice dumplings, so Qiuhua and the others were rolling them. They poured all the white glutinous rice flour into a basin, made a hole in the center, and filled it with water. With one hand, they slowly stirred the mixture clockwise from the center outward, adding more water. When the rice flour was a little dry and wet, they stopped adding water and kneaded it vigorously with both hands until the whole rice dough became smooth.
After kneading the rice flour dough, everyone washes their hands, pinches out a little bit and rubs it a few times in their hands until it becomes a ball.
After rolling the dumplings, Da A Huang lit a fire and boiled a large pot of water. When the water boiled, he poured all the dumplings in. After a while, they all floated up.
When everyone comes back, the dumplings will be ready. Everyone has to step over the fire in front of the door and eat a few dumplings, so that they don't have to miss the deceased anymore.
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