Although every winter is tough for the elderly, given Old Master Tang's health, he should be able to endure another three to five years. But this sudden incident, coupled with the gossip in the village and even some ignorant people spreading rumors that the father and son are likely to be shot and killed, and that the old man will be unable to cope once he gets home.
It's more accurate to say they were scared to death than angered.
The old lady wasn't much better. Despite her usual arrogant and domineering demeanor, when something really happened, she still had to rely on her husband and sons. Now that her husband was dead, her sons and grandsons had been taken away, and her remaining sons were all only concerned with their own families, not caring at all about their eldest brother and nephew being arrested. No matter how much she cried and how much Li Qingqing begged, she wouldn't spend a single penny.
The second son even said directly: "I can run errands, but I don't have money. Your son isn't married yet, and neither is my son. This money should be saved for my son's wedding. Besides, I don't even want to talk about the dirty things the eldest son has done over the years. I'd be ashamed to even mention them!"
"Exactly! Even if they didn't kill this person, why would they throw the body into your latrine and not someone else's? Who would believe you if you said you didn't kill him? And who can prove it?"
The fourth son, Tang Youliang, and the second son, Tang Youyin, showed no respect for Tang Youjin's branch of the family. Not only did they not offer any help, they also took advantage of the situation. The third son, Tang Youtian, was even more direct. His wife, Zhang Yanhong, held him back and he didn't even bother to get involved in the matter.
Tang Cuihua simply led her sisters to kowtow, then turned and told them to leave, not wanting them to stay and listen to the family's commotion.
Because the body would be kept in state for three days, Cuihua, as the eldest sister, was forced to stay and keep vigil. She didn't let the other sisters stay; they could just come when the burial took place.
Because the old man suddenly passed away, the old woman's body couldn't take it, and she was bedridden, constantly groaning and moaning.
Cuihua didn't bother to look at her. She just sat in front of the coffin and silently folded paper money, just like the other descendants in the family.
Tang Cuicui and her other sisters whispered about her, but she pretended not to hear.
When the villagers who came to help saw her, they all asked her questions.
"Cuihua, where are you and your sisters living now?"
"I'm staying at my godfather and godmother's house."
Without mentioning anything else, the village chief also kept quiet about the matter of transferring the household registration, so she naturally wouldn't be foolish enough to bring it up on her own, especially given the current situation at home. It was already quite good that she didn't rub salt into their wounds.
Because of various rules and regulations, but mainly because of a lack of money and people, the funeral was kept simple.
Most of the villagers who came to pay their respects were elderly; almost no young people came. This was mainly because the eldest son's family had offended too many people, which had ruined the reputation of the Tang family. Nobody wanted to be close to them. Besides, the old man's death was not honorable; he was angered to death by his own descendants. It was shameful!
The problem is that his death has ended everything, but how to deal with the remaining troubles has become a major worry for the old woman.
Tang Cuihua didn't care about any of that. She just kept vigil and folded paper money. When it was time to cook, no one in the family cooked, so she ate the dry food she had brought. Although it was hard, she could manage with a few sips of cold water. It was only three days, she could hold on.
The old lady bought the cheapest kind of coffin for the old man, a thin one, without any burial clothes. He was dressed in the clothes he wore when he died. There was no money to prepare anything for the family, not even an altar or the wreaths that were essential for the funeral.
The old woman was used to taking advantage of others. She had originally hoped that the villagers would give her gifts, but in the end, she didn't contribute a single penny. Her sons were all cunning and calculating, and in the end, she became the laughingstock of the whole village.
Tang Cuihua went her own way and gave a small gift of one cent, nothing more. She also kept her own separate accounts and didn't mix with the third branch of the family.
This is only because the old man received such treatment. If the old woman had died, Tang Cuihua probably wouldn't have even come, let alone offered any money as a gift.
At seven o'clock in the evening, Cuiju came to replace Cuihua and brought her some food.
The two sisters stood outside, ignoring the stares of others, and Cuiju let out a cold snort.
“I knew they wouldn’t feed you. Eat quickly while it’s hot, and then go back. I’ll stay tonight, and the third brother will come to take over tomorrow morning. Keeping vigil isn’t just your responsibility; we’re a family, so we’ll take turns.”
There's not even a place to stay here. I doubt anyone other than the sisters would stay in the mourning hall for a night, especially with a coffin in front of them. Cuihua hesitated for a moment, "Shall I stay and keep you company?"
“That’s our grandpa. What’s there to be afraid of? He hasn’t done anything wrong. We’re not in the wrong. We’ve done everything we could. Even if he wants to settle scores, he should go after his sons and grandsons. See who among the bunch he’s raised truly cares about him.”
Tang Cuihua was speechless at these words. Her cousins had long since disappeared, and only a few people came to pay their respects. The funeral was truly a disgrace. She sighed, patted Tang Cuiju's shoulder, and obediently left the village. Sure enough, she saw a person standing under a tree not far away. Who else could it be but Tang Cuihong?
It's so late, no one would feel comfortable letting a young woman walk home alone. But Cuihong is different; she's incredibly strong. She's as reliable as three or four men. She came with her second sister and will go back with her eldest sister. The bond between these sisters is something that can't be expressed in words.
After walking for more than an hour to get home, Tang Cuihua soaked her feet, but fell asleep while washing them. In the end, Tang Cuilian dried her feet, tucked her in, and Lao Wu poured out the foot bath water.
"Third sister, you should get some rest too, you have to take over the shift tomorrow!"
The Tao brothers have all returned, but Zhou Yue didn't. Instead, he went to the army base to spend the New Year with his brother Zhou Xing, saying he would come back before the start of the new semester. Cuihua felt a little guilty about this, wondering if it was because she had occupied someone else's house that made them feel embarrassed to come back.
When Grandma Tao found out, she shook her head with a smile: "You, you always overthink things. The brothers had planned this for a long time, but in previous years their studies were too heavy, so they couldn't find the time. Now that they're in university, their studies aren't so demanding, so Zhou Yue went to the Northwest to find Zhou Xing. The two brothers haven't seen each other for many years, so they should get together. Their mother died early, and their grandparents have also passed away. Sigh, they've all had a tough time!"
Grandma's smile faded as she looked at Tang Cuihua, replaced by a look of concern. She patted Tang Cuihua's shoulder.
"You, as the eldest sister, have had it really tough, enduring so much. Most people probably couldn't withstand these successive blows. Fortunately, you've pulled through, and your household registration has been transferred. Maybe this misfortune will turn into a blessing in disguise, and your luck will change for the better?"
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