I borrowed money to buy a coffin for my mother, but I had no money for the burial. My father was bedridden because of my mother's death.
Wen Ge'er is in poor health and needs medical treatment and medicine from time to time, which requires money.
Sister Lin is smart, and he plans to send her to a private school.
besides……
Zhang Xiuyuan thought that after getting married, if his wife disliked him having a family, she might treat them harshly. He had to ensure that his father and younger siblings had a worry-free life. Moreover, if his wife divorced him for some reason, he would have a way out and could take his father and younger siblings away.
Fifty taels is actually not much.
The fire in the stove had slowly gone out. Zhang Xiuwen took the sweet potatoes and roasted them in the still warm firewood.
When Zhang Xiuyuan walked out with the pot, tears welled up in Zhang Xiuwen's eyes.
He knew that his elder brother was doing this for them.
He hated his own weakness, which prevented him from helping his elder brother and causing him to worry about everything.
Zhang Xiuwen, you must take good care of your health and be able to rescue your brother in the future.
-
As soon as Zhang Xiuyuan came out of the kitchen, he met Lin Jie'er, who followed him to meet Mr. Zhang.
Before, Zhang Dacui came to the Zhang family's door to make trouble, and the Zhang family knew about it. Zhang Xiuyuan asked Zhang Xiuwen and Zhang Xiulin to coax the sick Zhang Fulang and not let him go out.
Zhang Xiuyuan had promised to marry Zhao Chuchu, but Zhang Fulang later found out. He immediately asked Zhang Xiuyuan to cancel the engagement, but Zhang Xiuyuan refused.
Mr. Zhang and his wife are very loving. As their eldest son, Zhang Xiuyuan is their most beloved.
He knew his son's character.
Zhang Xiuyuan seems to be gentle and aloof, but he is stubborn by nature. Once he makes up his mind about something, he will not change it. But he also has an extremely pure and kind heart.
Zhang Xiuyuan seemed to know what Mr. Zhang wanted to say and once again expressed his determination to marry Zhao Chuchu.
"Daddy, stop trying to persuade me and just drink the medicine." Zhang Xiuyuan half-lifted Mr. Zhang and let him sit against the bed. He picked up the medicine beside him and fed him spoonful by spoonful.
Mr. Zhang choked back all the words he wanted to say to persuade her. Only after he had finished feeding her the medicine did he say, "Forget it. Since you've made up your mind, Dad won't stop you. Go out. I want to get some sleep."
Zhang Xiuyuan tightened his grip on the bowl and said, "Dad, don't worry. I'll be fine. You take a break. It's time for dinner later."
Zhang Xiuyuan went out with the bowl, the door was closed gently, and silence returned to the room.
Mr. Zhang slowly sat up from the bed, got off the bed, took the wooden crutch beside him, half-leaning on the table and chair until he came to the coffin. He lost his balance and fell to the ground. He crawled a few steps to the side of the coffin, half-hugged the coffin, put his face on the coffin lid, and gently stroked it with his hand.
He let out a sob as tears fell onto the coffin.
"Wife, we owe Brother Yuan a lot."
-
The next day, Mrs. Zhang was buried.
The people of Zhaojia Village were not familiar with the Zhang family, so no one came to the funeral, and they only hired people to carry the coffin.
It was still daybreak, most people were still asleep, and the surroundings were still quiet.
Zhang Xiuyuan was wearing a white linen mourning dress and a black veil on his arm. He was talking to the people who were going to carry the coffin. When he noticed someone was looking at him, he looked up and saw Zhao Chuchu, who had arrived at some point, standing outside the door. He was slightly stunned.
When Zhao Chuchu saw him, her eyes lit up.
Zhang Xiuyuan said something to the man again, then turned and walked towards Zhao Chuchu.
"Why are you here?"
"My mother-in-law is being buried today, so as her son-in-law, I naturally have to come."
Zhang Xiuyuan's eyes widened slightly, and he was speechless for a moment. After a few seconds, he said softly, "No need. You and I are not married yet."
Zhao Chuchu didn't give up: "It's only a matter of time before we get married. Let me see my mother-in-law off for the last time."
Meeting the sincere eyes of the person in front of him, Zhang Xiuyuan opened his eyes but couldn't say no.
Zhang Xiuwen and Zhang Xiulin watched helplessly as their eldest brother led a woman in.
"Who is this person?" Zhang Xiulin muttered.
Zhang Xiuwen's eyes fell on Zhao Chuchu, his pale face serious: "Zhao Chuchu." At the end, he added, "Big brother's future wife, our future brother and sister-in-law."
"I'll go and take a look." Zhang Xiuwen left the surprised Zhang Xiulin and followed.
-
"Do you have any mourning clothes at home?"
"No, but there is black veil."
Zhang Xiuyuan found an extra black veil and said, "Just wear this."
"That's fine." Zhao Chuchu stretched out her arms and looked at Zhang Xiuyuan.
Zhang Xiuyuan tightened his fingertips holding the black veil slightly, and after a while, he put it on Zhao Chuchu himself.
The young man approached, and the cool and clear aura lingered around him. He lowered his head slightly, and from Zhao Chuchu's perspective, she could see his handsome profile and his fair, slender neck.
Zhao Chuchu's throat rolled, her teeth inexplicably itched and she wanted to bite.
Perhaps sensing the burning gaze above his head, Zhang Xiuyuan subconsciously looked up after putting a black veil on Zhao Chuchu.
When their eyes met, Zhao Chuchu felt guilty, as if she had been scalded. She quickly looked away and turned to look at the little boy who was peeking in from outside the door.
The little boy's face was tense and serious, and his eyes were wary, as if he would rush over if he showed any ill intentions towards Zhang Xiuyuan.
Zhao Chuchu thought for a moment and guessed his identity. He should be Zhang Xiuyuan's younger brother, Zhang Xiuwen.
-
Four people carrying the coffin, Zhang Xiuyuan, his brother and sister-in-law, and Zhao Chuchu, walked up the mountain together.
Because of custom, Mr. Zhang, who had a broken leg and was bedridden, could not attend the funeral.
Zhaojia Village has a unified cemetery on the mountain. Outsiders who want to be buried need to buy land.
"Mother..."
The coffin slowly fell down and was buried. The two little ones couldn't help crying.
Their eyes were red and swollen, obviously they had been crying a lot in the past few days.
Zhang Xiuyuan looked calm until the tombstone was erected. Then he lit the white candles and burned incense and handed them to his sister-in-law. Zhao Chuchu took the incense he handed her, and the four of them knelt on the ground.
Next to Zhao Chuchu is Zhang Xiuyuan.
He stared at the tombstone and said, "Mom, I will take good care of Dad and my younger siblings. Rest in peace." He kowtowed several times.
"Mother-in-law, I'm Zhao Chuchu. I'm about to marry Yuan Ge'er, and I'm also your future son-in-law. Yuan Ge'er is a good man, don't worry, I will definitely treat him well and will only marry him in this life."
Hearing this, Zhang Xiuyuan turned his head to look at the person next to him.
Zhao Chuchu looked towards the tombstone, her back straight even though she was kneeling. "By the way, father-in-law, and Wen Ge'er, Lin Jie'er, your son-in-law will take good care of them."
After he finished speaking, he also kowtowed several times.
Turning to meet Zhang Xiuyuan's gaze, her brows softened a bit, and as if swearing an oath, she said firmly: "Brother Yuan, I will do what I say."
Zhang Xiuyuan withdrew his gaze and said "hmm" lightly, not knowing whether he believed it or not.
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