The next day.
I groggily opened my eyes and checked the time: 6:30 in the morning.
I turned off my alarm last night, intending to sleep until I naturally woke up, but years of habit have made me an early riser.
After I got up and washed up, I headed towards the kitchen.
Today is the 14th day of the seventh lunar month, also known as the Ghost Festival.
In rural areas, people buy ducks and burn incense to worship during this festival.
As for why ducks are bought, the explanation in rural areas is that the ancestors came back to retrieve their belongings, but the Bridge of Helplessness wouldn't let them cross. To return to the underworld, they could only cross the river by riding ducks.
I was originally going to buy ducks to offer as a sacrifice today, but it just so happens to be my birth year, so my family doesn't do these things, just like twelve years ago.
I went to the kitchen and saw my fifth grandfather eating breakfast. I was stunned for a moment.
It's not strange to run into Fifth Grandfather in the morning; what's strange is what he's wearing today.
Fifth Grandfather wears almost the same two outfits every day, but today he actually wore a formal suit. Actually, it wasn't really a formal suit, just an old Zhongshan suit.
"Fifth Grandfather, what are you doing today..." I asked, genuinely curious.
"Curious about what I'm wearing?" Fifth Grandfather took a sip of wine and continued, "I'm not selling meat today. It just so happens to be your birthday. What dishes would you like to eat? I'll make them for you this afternoon."
I remember that ever since my fifth grandfather came to my house, he has never rested, no matter if it was windy or rainy or in the dead of winter. What's wrong with him today?
"There's nothing I want to eat, and besides, it's not my birthday."
"Then I'll see what I can buy later." Grandpa Wu finished his drink and got up to walk outside.
Although I still had doubts, I didn't ask anything more.
When I was halfway through my breakfast, I suddenly felt a pain in my left eye.
My expression was terrible. After finishing what was in the bowl, I didn't bother to clean up and hurriedly rushed to my room.
I went back to my room and lay down on the bed, because I had already experienced it twelve years ago, and soon I would feel a tearing pain in my left eye.
Before it flared up, I put on a one-eyed patch.
As soon as I finished doing all that, the excruciating pain struck me again.
I covered my eyes with my hands, rolling around on the bed in pain. The tearing pain was not just ordinary pain; no, it was definitely tearing pain.
At this point, I could feel that my left eye had split open, but strangely, no blood was flowing out.
"Ahhh..."
Oh, I finally couldn't hold back and let out a loud scream.
Although I had expected it, when I experienced it firsthand, it still hurt terribly.
And this time, without my grandfather's help, I have to get through this pain on my own.
"I will persevere..." I roared, then gritted my teeth, my whole body trembling violently.
The pain lasted until 11 a.m. before gradually subsiding. I almost fainted several times during that time, but I managed to endure it.
The pain didn't subside until noon. I was soaked in sweat. I sat up in bed, took out a cigarette, lit it, and slowly smoked.
After experiencing this pain, I realized how I would have endured it when I was 12 years old without my grandfather.
I got up, changed into clean clothes, sat down at my desk, looked at my pale face in the mirror, and gave a helpless, bitter smile.
His fate has truly been full of hardships.
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