He could scold the old man for everything, except that he was unclean. He would walk on the bed with his feet covered in mud without washing them. The couple had fought a lot because of this.
So she told her grandson that she would not be buried with the old man in the future, so that she could be alone in peace and quiet, and avoid having to take care of him in the afterlife.
He was buried in a spot slightly to the northwest of the burial site. The northwest corner is higher than the southeast, so it stays dry and doesn't flood after rain.
Cheng Baidong and Fang Qiao listened quietly.
When people get old, they always have endless things to say when they think about the past.
If you go past the cemetery and continue north, you'll reach the main road leading to the town.
Cheng Baidong led the old lady through village after village, finally arriving at the town.
It wasn't a holiday or festival, but rather the busy farming season, so there weren't many people in the town. It only got a little busier when we got to the supply and marketing cooperative building.
Passing by the supply and marketing cooperative, the old lady saw children eating candied hawthorns. She took out a few small bills she had saved and gave them to Fang Qiao, asking her to buy some for the children.
Fang Qiao couldn't refuse, so she bought some, without spending the money the old lady had given her.
Next to the supply and marketing cooperative, there is a photo studio.
The old lady reached out her withered hand, grasped Cheng Baidong's wrist, smiled and said, "Baodong, stop. Let's go inside and take a picture. I haven't had many pictures taken in my whole life. Let's take a picture so that when you return to the capital, I'll have something to remember it by."
People from rural areas are not well-educated and don't know the character for "photography," so they all say "Nie Ying" (聂影).
The old lady wanted her picture taken, and Cheng Baidong naturally agreed.
"Okay, let's take a lot more pictures. One solo photo, one of the two of us (grandparents and grandchildren), and one group photo."
Cheng Baidong carefully supported the old lady's arm and helped her down from the flatbed cart.
Then they helped Tian Tian and An An out of the car, and finally, together with Fang Qiao, they carried the two little ones out of the car.
The photo studio was simple, consisting of only one room divided in the middle.
The outside is for receiving people, and the inside is for taking photos.
The place isn't very big; they can only take small 2-inch photos. Anything larger has to be taken to the city to be developed, and then it takes a month to get it.
Fang Qiao and Cheng Baidong only took one photo here when they got their marriage certificate; afterwards, they went directly to the city.
The old lady is too old and doesn't have a car, so it's not convenient for her to go into the city. Let's take a couple of pictures here for now.
Don't be fooled by the old lady's rambling and sentimental reminiscing; she's actually in excellent health.
With the nourishing water of the spiritual spring, one can live to be at least a hundred years old.
Cheng Baidong couldn't help but say, "I told you to come to Beijing with us to enjoy life, but you refused. The children are around you, playing happily with you. Isn't that better than you looking at photos all day? You can see them but you can't touch them."
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