Chapter 89
Aunt Six sighed and simply put the peach cakes and biscuits in.
Xie Jinxuan walked over and touched her brother's head. Xie Jinyun looked up at her brother and immediately hugged his arms tightly. It was obvious that he was very scared.
Xie Chengye ran in from outside and shouted, "What a coincidence! Dad's car won't start and it's too early to find anyone to fix it."
Xie's mother immediately jumped up from the sofa: "Then let's walk to the train station now! We can't miss the train!"
Xie Chengye walked over and held her down: "Don't worry, don't worry. I borrowed a car from the Luo family. I'll just give them the gas coupons later."
Mother Xie suddenly lost her strength and sat back on the sofa: "Can you... finish what you are saying in one breath? Do you want to... scare me to death?"
Before she could finish her words, Xie's mother started crying again.
Xie Chengye was a little panicked. He said a lot of words to comfort her for five or six minutes before her mother's tears stopped.
Soon, the borrowed car drove over. Five people sat in four seats. Fortunately, there was no concept of overloading at the time, so Xie Chengye sat in the passenger seat, and the remaining four people squeezed in the back seat.
Grandpa Xie, Grandma, and Aunt Six all came out to see them off. Grandpa Xie said, "Call me if you have any questions. You should be more alert after Chengye passes away. There may be more trouble regarding the distribution of the inheritance. You must be careful."
Xie Chengye immediately said seriously: "Don't worry, Dad, I understand."
"The other thing is to take good care of Guoqin and the children. The weather is so hot, if you are too sad, it's easy to get into trouble. You have to pay special attention to your health."
"I've made a note of that."
"There's nothing else to do. You can go now and have a safe trip." Grandpa Xie waved his hand gently.
Grandma simply said to Aunt Six, "Take care of yourself," and said nothing else. She just watched the car drive away with a worried look on her face.
This was the third time that Xia Qingtang had followed Xie Jinxuan to his grandmother's house. The previous two times she had gone there happily and full of anticipation, but this time, she would not be able to see her grandmother's smile and her thin but elegant figure... Thinking of this, Xia Qingtang also shed tears along with Xie's mother in the dark carriage.
They arrived at the train station more than half an hour in advance and then waited for more than an hour before the train arrived.
The soft sleeper tickets that Xie Chengye bought were indeed very good, and the four tickets were not together, but divided into two rooms. Xie Jinxuan and Xia Qingtang happened to be in one room, and Xie Chengye and the other three were in the next room.
It was Xia Qingtang's first time riding in a soft sleeper, but she was not in the mood to observe the comfortable furnishings. She just held Xie Jinxuan's hand and sat on one of the lower bunks, just quietly accompanying him.
But they left the house too early, and they had hardly slept the night before, so with the rhythmic rumble of the train, Xia Qingtang fell asleep on Xie Jinxuan's shoulder after a while.
She had many dreams, and there were many bizarre things in her dreams. Xia Qingtang shuttled between them, sometimes feeling scared and sometimes feeling excited.
Suddenly the scene changed, and she saw herself standing in a hospital ward in the late 1990s, being complained by her cousin: "Cousin, your health is getting worse and worse. You can faint on the street when you go out to buy vegetables. How can we rest assured? We have discussed it and we dare not let you continue to help our family with work. Otherwise... you should change jobs. Or, you can take a rest for a while, and when you are fully recovered, we will help you find a family to be a nanny. You are a skilled worker, and your cooking is delicious. You can find a job in our community alone."
Xia Qingtang was shocked. She couldn't go back to her parents' home and she had no place to live. Now if she couldn't even stay at her cousin's house, wouldn't she have to live on the streets?
Thinking of this, she rushed over and grabbed her cousin's sleeve, but for some reason, she couldn't say a word and could only gesture for a long time.
The cousin was annoyed and pushed her away: "Go in and lie down to rest. We have helped you enough."
Xia Qingtang's body was soft, and after being pushed like that, she fell backwards. This time she finally made a sound, and she woke up with a scream.
"Qingtang? What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" A gentle and elegant voice sounded beside her, and then Xie Jinxuan's handsome face appeared in her sight.
Xia Qingtang took several deep breaths and listened to the rumbling sound of the train. He finally realized that he was still on the train and everything before was a dream.
Xie Jinxuan took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off her forehead. She reached out and held his big hand, then whispered, "I had a nightmare."
"I guessed it. You looked very painful. What did you dream about?"
"I can't remember clearly. It seemed like a monster was chasing me." Xia Qingtang said randomly, and then looked into the already brightly lit carriage, "How long have I slept? What time is it now?"
"It's not long now. It's only half past nine." Xie Jinxuan said, "My parents and Xiaoyun are also asleep next door."
"Did you sleep then?"
Xie Jinxuan didn't say anything, so Xia Qingtang propped himself up and sat up, then sat cross-legged beside him: "Still can't sleep?"
"Yes, once I close my eyes, I will think of many past events and cannot fall asleep at all." Xie Jinxuan said: "Don't worry about me, if I am really sleepy, I will still fall asleep."
"Yeah." Xia Qingtang responded softly, and sat beside him, enjoying the wind and watching the scenery along the way slowly receding with him.
At noon that day, they were not in the mood to eat lunch. Xie Chengye and his mother also woke up at noon. Xie Jinxuan asked them how much the meal would cost, and they all shook their heads, indicating that they had no appetite.
Xie Jinxuan said: "Even if we don't eat the food on the train, we should eat what Aunt Liu made. The weather is so hot, if we leave it in the afternoon, it will definitely go bad."
"Then eat it." Xie Chengye said, "Don't waste food."
They shared the vegetable pancakes and eggs made by Aunt Liu, and each ate two small peaches, which was their lunch.
This train was a little late today, and they didn't arrive at their destination until around four in the afternoon.
Tian Feiyang drove over to pick them up. He was wearing a white shirt and army green pants, with mourning badges on his body. His eyes were red. When he saw Mother Xie, he rushed over and hugged her: "Aunt."
Xie's mother hugged Tian Feiyang and burst into tears again. Finally, Xie Chengye persuaded them both to stop.
However, Tian Feiyang cried so hard and was in a bad mood, so he was asked to sit in the back, and the driver was replaced by Xie Jinxuan, who looked calmer.
Xie's mother grabbed Tian Feiyang's hand and kept asking him questions: "Why didn't you tell us earlier? How could you wait until the person was gone before notifying us?"
Tian Feiyang said: "Grandma didn't allow me to tell you. Her will was to wait until Jinxuan finished the college entrance examination before calling you to tell you."
Xie's mother said: "You can tell me secretly. I can hide it from Jinxuan and say that I'm on a business trip. I can come alone to see my mother for the last time."
"My dad suggested this, but grandma said... Aunt, you will definitely not be able to hide it by then. If you can't hide it, Jinxuan will come back with aunt to see her. In that case, wouldn't the exam that Jinxuan has been preparing for for so long be wasted? The college entrance examinations are getting harder and harder, and so many graduates have also improved their grades. If Jinxuan takes the exam again in the future, her chances will become smaller. Grandma said that her death is inevitable, so we shouldn't ruin Jinxuan's ideals. Besides, didn't aunt come back to accompany grandma for several days last time? She said that she had said everything she needed to say at that time, and she no longer has any regrets. As long as Jinxuan successfully completes the college entrance examination, she will be very happy in the underworld."
When Xie's mother heard this, she suddenly stopped talking. She covered her face and remained silent for a long time. It was not until the car was about to arrive at the military compound that she put down her hands and said, "Fei Yang, where is the mourning hall now? At home or at the funeral home?"
"At the funeral home, but let's go home first. You just got off the train and it's getting late. Let's go home to have a meal and take a shower, and then go to the funeral hall to keep vigil. Tomorrow morning is the farewell ceremony for the body." Tian Feiyang said, "Grandpa is waiting for you at home, so let's go home first."
Mother Xie nodded: "I understand, I'll listen to you."
Since she didn't object, no one else had any objections either. They all took a car to the military compound. As soon as Xie's mother entered the door, she saw Grandpa Tian sitting by the window holding a photo album. She immediately rushed over and hugged her father's legs.
"Dad, I'm sorry we came back late." Xie's mother burst into tears.
Xie Jinxuan and Xie Jinyun also walked over and called out "Grandpa".
Mr. Tian looked very sad, but his sadness was restrained, and his expression even revealed a hint of serenity.
He reached out and touched his daughter's head, and said softly, "It's your mother who wants you to come back at this time, not that you're late."
"Mom, was it painful... when you passed away?" Xie's mother said while choking with sobs.
"She passed away peacefully in the end. She was a little confused and didn't feel anything. She kept pointing at the roof and saying that so-and-so was coming to pick her up. Occasionally, when she was a little more awake, she would ask if the college entrance examination was over. In the end, she knew it was over, and she passed away soon after." Mr. Tian said, "Don't be too sad. Your mother fought the disease for so long and endured so much pain. Now that she is gone, it is a relief. You should be happy for her."
Mother Xie cried so hard that she could not speak and could only hold Grandpa Tian's legs in silence.
Mr. Tian looked at Xie Jinxuan and said, "How did you do in the exam?"
"I did very well in the exam." Xie Jinxuan said, "I think I have put into practice what I learned."
His eyes were slightly red, his voice was slightly choked, and his hands were clenched into fists, but no tears came out.
Mr. Tian smiled and nodded: "That's good, that's good... Just like what your grandmother said, she said you will definitely do well in the exam. Now that she is in the underground, we can rest assured."
"The results haven't come out yet, so I can't really feel at ease."
"Then when your notice arrives, bring it here and tell her the good news in front of the grave." Grandpa Tian said, "Don't be too sad. Your grandmother has already explained everything she needed to say. She has also met everyone she wanted to meet in the past six months. She said she has no regrets. You should all learn from her and be more free and easy."
Xie Jinxuan nodded with red eyes: "I understand, I will."
My aunt was not at home. Tian Feiyang came back with some food from the cafeteria. Everyone ate a little bit, took turns taking a shower, changing clothes, and wearing mourning marks. Then they got in two cars and went to the funeral home to keep vigil.
When they arrived at the place, Xia Qingtang found that her second uncle Tian Guoqiang and his family had not come. Peng Wei secretly told her that Tian Feiyang went there yesterday afternoon to inform her second uncle and his family, but they have not come yet.
Xia Qingtang didn't say anything. She guessed that Tian Guoqiang would feel resentful because of the issue of inheritance distribution, but no matter how much resentment he had, she was still his biological mother. If he didn't even show up, it would be too... inhuman.
Mother Xie fainted several times from crying in the mourning hall. Due to the hot weather, she became a little dehydrated. Tian Feiyang also found a familiar military doctor to come and give Mother Xie a bottle of medicine on the spot. Her condition gradually stabilized.
The summer here is much hotter. It doesn't get cool even after nightfall, and there isn't even a trace of wind. By the second half of the night, Xie Jinyun couldn't hold on any longer and fell asleep directly in the mourning hall.
There is a lounge for family members in the funeral home. Mr. Tian went to sleep there with Mother Xie and my aunt at around eleven o'clock.
Tian Feiyang discussed with Tian Guohao, walked over to carry Xie Jinyun, and whispered something to Peng Wei. Peng Wei walked to Xia Qingtang and said, "There is a rest room over there, but no one is there. Xiaoyun is still a child. If she wakes up alone, she will definitely be scared. Why don't we go over there to rest for a while and accompany Xiaoyun?"
Xia Qingtang knew that she wanted him to go over and have a rest, so he glanced at Xie Jinxuan over there.
He and Xie Chengye both stood there with their backs straight. Although their eyes were red from staying up all night, they did not look tired at all. One could tell at a glance that they were shrouded in sadness.
Xia Qingtang thought that tomorrow would be a very long day, so he whispered, "Then let's go over and accompany Xiao Yun."
Peng Wei grabbed Xia Qingtang's arm, said something to the people in the room, and then followed Tian Feiyang out.
Although this was a funeral home and it was pitch black outside, Xia Qingtang inexplicably did not feel any fear.
Maybe when people are particularly sad, they don't feel afraid.
They went to a lounge not far away. Tian Feiyang found the staff on duty, got the key to open the door, and then carried Xie Jinxuan in.
When I turned on the lights, I saw that the structure inside was that of an ordinary guesthouse, with two rooms in total, each with two beds. Because it was midsummer, there were no sheets on the beds, but instead rush mats, which looked clean.
But there is no bathroom in the room, and if you want to use the toilet, you have to go to the public toilet at the end of the corridor.
Tian Feiyang put Xie Jinyun on a bed in the outer room and said, "You two should sleep in the inner room for a while. It's already the middle of the night. There will be a lot to do after dawn. You should both sleep for a while, otherwise your body will not be able to bear it."
Peng Wei shook his hand and said, "I understand. Don't worry."
"Then I'll go over." Tian Feiyang walked out two steps and turned back, saying, "Tomorrow is the farewell ceremony. My second uncle's family will probably come over. I don't know what will happen then. You take Xiaoyun and keep an eye on grandpa. From the time grandma passed away until now, grandpa hasn't shed a single tear. I think something is wrong."
"Okay, leave it to me. I will keep an eye on grandpa more tomorrow." Peng Wei nodded.
After Tian Feiyang left, Peng Wei closed the door, opened the windows of the two rooms inside and outside, and found a mosquito coil in one of the drawers and lit it.
Seeing that Xie Jinyun was sleeping very soundly, she said, "Qingtang, let's sleep in the inner room for a while."
"Okay." Xia Qingtang certainly did not refuse.
She came here just to rest, otherwise, she would just stay there.
The two of them slept together on the bed in the inner room. The wick mat here had been wiped and smelled a bit of toilet water, but Xia Qingtang was still a little worried that the mat was not clean.
Peng Wei said, "It's not worth it. Just go to sleep for a while and take a good bath tomorrow night."
After saying that, she turned over and fell asleep.
Xia Qingtang was indeed a little tired, and fell asleep soon after.
This time she didn't have any dreams at all. She slept until dawn and was only awakened by Xie Jinyun's surprised cry.
"Why am I here?" Xie Jinyun sat on the bed in the outer room, her face looking extremely terrified.
Peng Wei rubbed her eyes and sat up, saying, "You fell asleep while keeping vigil, and Feiyang carried you here."
"Where...is this place?"
"It's the lounge of the funeral home, used exclusively by people who keep vigil." Peng Wei yawned, looked at her watch, and said, "It's half past six. Let's wash our faces and go over there."
Xia Qingtang also got up. They took Xie Jinyun to the public toilet at the other end. Everyone washed their faces and rinsed their mouths, and then returned to the mourning hall.
The men here had been on guard all night. Xie Chengye and Tian Guohao both fell asleep leaning on their chairs. Although Xie Jinxuan and Tian Feiyang were still awake, both of them were not in good condition. Not only were their eyes red, but their faces were also sallow.
Soon, Mr. Tian's orderly brought breakfast, fetched some boiled water, and made strong tea for everyone.
Xia Qingtang held Xie Jinxuan's hand and gently felt his pulse. He found that his heartbeat was much faster than usual. He couldn't help but feel a little worried: "You haven't slept for two nights. Do you want to sleep for a while while the ceremony is still early? Even sleeping for an hour will be fine."
Xie Jinxuan shook her head and said, "Don't worry, I should be fine. I can't sleep right now. I'll go to bed after... Grandma is buried."
"Okay then." Xia Qingtang sighed slightly, peeled a spiced egg and put it in Xie Jinxuan's porridge, "Eat this, it's nutritious."
If you can't sleep, at least eat well.
Xie Jinxuan nodded at her: "Okay, I'll eat."
His eyes were obviously dull, completely different from his usual self, which made Xia Qingtang very sad.
The farewell ceremony was scheduled for nine in the morning. After they all had breakfast, the staff from the funeral home came over and began to finalize the final procedures with Tian Guohao.
Acquaintances from work units and the compound would go directly to the farewell hall before the ceremony, but some close relatives and friends would have already arrived at the mourning hall around eight o'clock.
Tian Feiyang and Xie Jinxuan were responsible for receiving them and leading them to bow in front of their grandmother's portrait and then return the greeting.
Xia Qingtang and Peng Wei were busy pouring water and tea for everyone. My aunt brought two large kettles and two large teapots from home. They were filled with boiled water and tea during breakfast just now. Now they just had to pour a cup for each person.
But because there are only a dozen cups, guests have to take turns using them. The orderly will take the used cups to the next room to wash them and then bring them back.
Xie Jinyun didn't know what she could do, so she listened to Xia Qingtang's words and stayed by Grandpa Tian's side obediently, paying close attention to the changes in Grandpa Tian's expression. If he looked not well, she would tell the adults immediately.
After more than twenty relatives and friends arrived one after another, Peng Wei's face suddenly changed. She whispered, "My second uncle and his family are here."
Xia Qingtang put down the kettle and turned around to see Tian Guoqiang's family standing outside the door, greeting their relatives.
This is my grandmother's funeral hall. All relatives and friends who come here wear white shirts and simple pants. This is to respect the deceased, and also because white shirts are the most common clothing in summer.
If the soldiers are wearing uniforms, there will be no problem in such occasions.
But Tian Guoqiang didn't know why, he wore a light blue plaid shirt, dark blue trousers, and a pair of brown sandals. He didn't look like he was here to mourn his mother, but rather like he was going to a department store to buy something.
My second aunt was also wearing a light yellow short-sleeved top with small floral patterns, light grey trousers and reddish brown plastic sandals. At that moment, it was a very fashionable outfit.
Tian Feilong was wearing a normal gray shirt, black trousers, and black leather shoes. He stood behind his parents silently, with no expression on his face.
When relatives and friends saw how Tian Guoqiang and his wife were dressed, many of them looked as if they wanted to say something but were hesitant to do so.
By the time they reached the door, Tian Guohao had already rolled up his sleeves and rushed over. Xie's mother also followed beside her eldest brother, looking angry and annoyed.
"Second brother and sister-in-law, what do you want to do?" Xie's mother asked through gritting teeth.
"Get out of here." Tian Guohao's red eyes were full of murderous intent, "Don't force me to attack you here, just get out of here on your own initiative."
"What if I don't leave?" Tian Guoqiang said sarcastically, "Didn't your son run to my house and inform my mother that he was leaving? As a son, I came here to attend the farewell ceremony, and you still want to beat me up?"
A relative whispered, "You and your wife came here wearing these clothes. Isn't this a slap in your mother's face? Your mother is gone, and you are now a filial son. Look at what you are wearing? Your wife is wearing red shoes. Are you trying to piss off your mother?"
Once the first person spoke, the others followed suit.
Tian Guoqiang waited until everyone finished scolding him, then said, "What's wrong with my clothes? I prepared them specifically for my mother. She left so many good things for me, her second son. Now that I'm wearing nice clothes and shoes, of course I have to show them to her, to let her know that I'm doing very well, so that she can feel at ease."
Friends and acquaintances may not be very clear about how my grandmother divided her inheritance, but most relatives are aware of it.
Now after hearing this, everyone knew that Tian Guoqiang was not satisfied with the distribution of the inheritance, so he deliberately made trouble in this occasion, hoping that grandma would not pass away in peace.
An older cousin walked over and said softly, "Guoqiang, no matter what's going on or what grudges you have, you can't make a fuss at this time. After all, you are her son, so just be patient, let your mother die in peace, and do yourself some good deeds."
"Accumulate virtue? Accumulate what virtue? What nonsense are you talking about? Can my accumulating virtue make that old woman crawl out of the ground and give me things again?" Tian Guoqiang sneered, "What's wrong with her dying? Should I treat her better just because she died? Why? She didn't even treat me as her son, why should I think about her? She wanted to leave with peace of mind? Then the things should have been divided equally at the beginning! So many good things were given to her eldest son and daughter, why should I, the second son, let her leave with peace of mind? I think she just wants me to come here and cause trouble today, so that she can leave without peace of mind!"
"You really don't want to leave, right?" Tian Guohao raised his fist.
Tian Guoqiang said indifferently, "Go ahead and hit me. I've called the police. If you move your fist, I'll have them take you away immediately! You're the eldest son, the one that the old woman cares about the most. If you're taken away by the police today, I don't think she'll be able to leave with peace of mind."
The words became more and more vicious. Not only did Xia Qingtang and the others feel uncomfortable listening to them, but the relatives and friends outside were also very angry.
From time to time, Xia Qingtang turned his head to look at Old Man Tian who was sitting in the corner. He saw that he was sitting there calmly, his eyes slightly looking at the ground, as if he didn't care about what was happening at the door.
After hearing this, Tian Guohao really became afraid to use his fist.
He is indeed the eldest son. Even if they can use their connections to ensure that he will not be locked up by the police, his mother will not be able to rest in peace if such a commotion is made in front of the mourning hall.
A relative outside shouted, "Okay, Brother Guohao is the eldest son, but I am not. I am just a cousin. I am here to beat you up. If I don't beat you half to death today, I will not be a human being! If you have the guts, just arrest me. I don't care anyway. When I am released, I will find your home and beat you up every time I see you. Unless you die, I will beat you until you are eighty years old!"
As I was speaking, I saw a tall middle-aged relative walking over outside. He looked like a very strong man, probably the kind who did physical labor all year round, so he must be very strong.
"Yes, Guohao can't beat you, but I can! I have never seen someone as beastly as you! I beat you today, and that's just for the sake of justice!"
"And me! Count me in!"
All the middle-aged men among relatives and friends stood up. Tian Guoqiang was stunned, then his eyes flickered and he exchanged glances with his second aunt.
"No need for you. Thank you all for your kindness, but just leave this to me. I didn't educate my son well and raised such a child. It's my fault. Please rest assured, I will handle it here." Old Man Tian, who had no reaction until now, suddenly stood up. He looked at his second son at the gate with a sharp gaze, and then slowly walked towards the gate.
Xie Jinxuan quickly caught up with Mr. Tian and held out her hand to support him.
Mr. Tian didn't sleep much the previous night, and his steps were obviously unsteady when he walked, but his temperament was very calm, so if you didn't look closely you wouldn't be able to tell there was anything wrong.
Seeing his father coming towards him, Tian Guoqiang calmed down again.
After all, Grandpa Tian had always been good to him since he was a child. Except for not helping him with the distribution of the inheritance before, he had never abused him. He felt that his biological father would at most give him a slap in the face, but he came here to make a scene today. If he could make his biological mother die in peace, then even if he was slapped in the face, it would be worth it.
Mr. Tian walked slowly to the door, stood between his eldest son and daughter, and looked directly into his second son's eyes: "If you want to come and see your mother off, then we welcome you. No matter what you wear, you are your mother's son. If you come, your mother will be happy. But if you don't want to see your mother off, please leave now."
Tian Guoqiang sneered and said, "Dad, are you getting old and confused? Mom said at the beginning that I don't need to see her off when she leaves. Why do you think I'm here just to see her off? I brought my whole family here just to make her feel uneasy!"
"This person is too vicious!"
"That's right, he's really worse than a beast."
Everyone was talking about it, but Tian Guoqiang didn't show any remorse. He still stood there complacently, looking at Mr. Tian with a provocative look. He said, "When you and mom made that decision, you should have been able to foresee this day, right?"
Mr. Tian nodded and said, "I can understand that you have resentment. After all, you have always been a selfish person. But on this occasion, even animals would stop for a while. Unfortunately, you don't understand this truth. It is my fault that I have raised you to be worse than an animal. So today, let me solve this mistake."
Xia Qingtang stared at that place closely, and felt that there was something wrong with what Mr. Tian said.
Sure enough, amid everyone's suspicious gaze, Mr. Tian called his orderly.
The orderly handed a small bag to Mr. Tian and then stood quietly by.
"What are you going to do?" Tian Guoqiang narrowed his eyes and said, "You're not going to give me money and get rid of me with it? I'm telling you, I'm not that easy to get rid of."
As soon as he finished speaking, Mr. Tian quickly took out a pistol from his bag, loaded it like lightning and pointed it at the center of Tian Guoqiang's eyes.
There was an instant of complete silence, and everyone inside and outside the room broke out in a cold sweat.
"Use money to get rid of you? Who do you think I, Old Tian, am? I am a bad parent. I can only use a gun to kill that beast. How can I use money? Even if I burn all my money in a fire, I will not give you a single cent." Although Grandpa Tian is old, he is a real battlefield and has killed enemies. His hands are still steady and his aura is still chilling.
Tian Guoqiang's whole body froze. He didn't even dare to doubt his father's words, because he could understand the look in his eyes. What Grandpa Tian said was the truth. He came to the mourning hall with a gun, which meant that he was prepared for this moment.
If he is not careful, his head will explode in the next second.
What Xia Qingtang had been worried about finally happened. From the moment she arrived here, she felt that Mr. Tian was not in a normal state. He was too calm, so calm that it didn't seem like his wife had just left. He was so calm that he seemed to be following his wife...
What he said to Tian Guoqiang did not sound false. His tone was too real. He must have really wanted to shoot him, then shoot himself, and then die with his wife.
Thinking of this, Xia Qingtang hurriedly walked towards Grandpa Tian.
Fortunately, Xie Jinxuan over there also reacted immediately. He was the first to break the suffocating silence. He said: "Grandpa, grandma wouldn't want to see this. I know what grandpa is thinking, but can we not do this? Let's... let grandma leave happily?"
Grandpa didn't say anything. His sharp eyes were still fixed on Tian Guoqiang, and his hand holding the gun didn't shake at all, he was extremely firm.
Tian Guoqiang was covered in sweat, and cold sweat was coming out from all over his body. In a short while, the handsome shirt was soaked.
My second aunt and Tian Feilong were even more dumbfounded. They both stood there, not daring to move or breathe.
Xie's mother also spoke up. She said, "Dad, put the gun down. I'll tell Tian Guoqiang to get out. You can't dirty your hands."
Mr. Tian remained motionless. Xie Jinxuan looked at Tian Feilong and said in a deep voice, "Tian Feilong, if you don't want to hold a funeral for your father now, take your father away from here immediately!"
Tian Feilong shook violently, grabbed Tian Guoqiang's arm and ran out.
Tian Guoqiang's muscles were all stiff. When his son pulled him, he fell straight to the ground and fell hard.
Old Master Tian took a step forward, and the gun in his hand caught up with the fallen Tian Guoqiang, still pointing directly at his vital point.
The female relative quickly spoke up to persuade him: "Brother, you can't do this. Sister-in-law doesn't want to see this. Brother, calm down."
Old Master Tian's eyes were determined and he didn't say a word, as if he would pull the trigger in the next second and take his second son's life with his own hands.
Xie Jinxuan hugged Mr. Tian's arm and pressed it down hard: "Grandpa, please don't do this."
Tian Feiyang growled, "Tian Feilong, you idiot, take your dad and run!"
Tian Feilong was almost frightened to death. Even after being woken up, he didn't dare to stay. He grabbed his father and continued to run outside.
There was only a dull thud, and Tian Guoqiang fell heavily again just after he stood up. This time, no matter how hard Tian Feilong pulled him, he couldn't stand up.
"My legs... my legs..."
Tian Guoqiang's leg was broken, but this broken leg saved his life.
The relatives hurriedly carried Tian Guoqiang, who had a broken leg, out and left him at the door of the funeral home, leaving Tian Feilong and his second aunt to deal with it on their own.
On this side, Mr. Tian’s gun was also taken away by Xie Jinxuan and handed over to the orderly.
Xie Jinxuan helped him to sit aside, and then said softly: "Grandpa, you still have your uncle and my mother. They just lost their mother, and they can't be without a father right away. Grandpa, even if it's for my mother, please don't think too much, okay?"
Mr. Tian's eyes were shocked. After a long while, he slowly closed his eyes and said, "I understand."
He didn't open his eyes, but Xia Qingtang saw two lines of thin tears flowing from his eyes, and finally felt relieved.
At times like this, crying is better than not crying.
No one knew what happened to Tian Guoqiang later. They, together with countless relatives, friends, neighbors and acquaintances, gave their grandmother a good farewell.
That night, Xie Jinxuan, who had been unable to sleep, finally fell asleep for six hours, which made Xia Qingtang finally breathe a sigh of relief.
As long as I can still eat and sleep, the grief will eventually pass.
The next day, they and Xie's mother stayed with Grandpa Tian. Xie's mother held her father's hand and gently told him how much she missed her mother.
Tian Feiyang asked Xie Jinxuan: "How do you know that grandpa wants to be free?"
"It's obvious." Xie Jinxuan said, "But you can rest assured now. Grandpa won't do that again."
"Alas, but grandma is gone, and grandpa is all alone..." Tian Feiyang said, "You too, I know you have a good relationship with grandma, and you value relationships, so don't ruin your health because you're too sad. Look at your mother, and then look at your brother and sister-in-law, they all need you."
Xie Jinxuan stood in the corridor, glanced at her family through the screen door, and said softly, "I know, don't worry, sadness will eventually pass with time."
That night, Tian Guohao read the last letter written by his grandmother. There was nothing special in the letter, just a reminder for everyone to live a good life and be happy.
Grandpa Tian also sent people to move over all of grandma's belongings that had been distributed previously. Long before grandma passed away, they had someone pack and seal the portion that was given to Xie's mother in boxes so that they could take the bus home.
They couldn't stay here to accompany Grandpa Tian all the time, so the next day, Tian Guohao and his family took a large box and sent Xie's family to the train station.
Mother Xie hugged her eldest brother and said, "When you have time, bring dad to our place to play. I...I will miss you guys very much."
"Okay, I was thinking that when I have some free time later, I will take Dad out for a walk. The first stop will be your house, and then we can go to other places to relax Dad." Tian Guohao said, "You should also take care of yourself. Xiaoyun is still a child, Jinxuan hasn't given birth yet, and you still have your parents-in-law above you, so you still have a lot of work to do."
"I know." Xie's mother whispered, "I was chatting with my eldest sister-in-law yesterday, and she said that life is a matter of life and death. If someone dies, there will be life. No matter what, life must go on."
Tian Guohao smiled and said, "Your sister-in-law is not well-educated, but what she said is very philosophical. If you can listen to her, you will live a good life."
They sent the Xie family onto the train, and both sides said goodbye in a sad and reluctant atmosphere.
Just like my aunt said, no matter what, life must go on. They returned home, found a proper place to store the inheritance they brought back, and continued to work and live as usual.
It’s just that Xie Jinxuan lost 7 or 8 kilograms, and he slept even less than before.
Xia Qingtang knew that this was something uncontrollable, so he didn't say anything. He just tried his best to make delicious food for him, let him eat more, and try to ensure the absorption of nutrients.
Luo Xiangqian would often come to play basketball and table tennis with Xie Jinxuan, and he also brought a well-behaved new colleague with him, saying that he wanted to learn Go and chess from Xie Jinxuan.
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