In the middle of the night, it was still raining heavily, and bursts of firecrackers suddenly rang out in the sky. They lasted for more than ten minutes, waking up almost everyone in the village.

But no one complained. After dinner, Xu's father and mother went to that house. The old mother at home was not well, so almost everyone, big and small, came, leaving only the little girl and boy who had not gone.

It was said that the man had a serious illness, lung cancer, but the medical conditions were poor, so he could only be dragged home on a cart and wait for death.

If it were in the future, maybe she could be cured in the hospital. When Xie Zhi was woken up, the first thing he did was to cover the girl's ears. Obviously, the effect was not very obvious, and he was still woken up.

If it was just a moment, it wouldn't be so easy, but it took more than ten minutes and even the deepest sleeper would be woken up.

Xu Jiaojiao turned over in the man's arms and said dazedly: "Husband, should we go take a look?"

Xie Zhi kissed the girl's mouth, which was sweet, and buried her head: "Be good, I won't go. Let's go tomorrow. It's OK as long as mom and dad go."

The girl hummed, and then fell asleep again in a daze. She was too tired in the afternoon, not to mention the night. The girl was tortured to death from tossing and turning, and even if she was asked to get up, she probably couldn't.

At the foot of the mountain in the village, an old woman in her fifties was covered with a white cloth and lying alone on the bed. The room was not big, but it was crowded with many people. Some of them had gone to the county town to buy things, so some firecrackers were absolutely indispensable.

People were kneeling on the ground beside the old woman's bed, crying miserably. Even though they had already anticipated their fate, they would still feel pain and sadness when it really came.

Father Xu was smoking a pipe and smacking his lips. Beside him were his parents and daughter-in-law. The four of them sat together, and all of them had heavy expressions on their faces. He died at such a young age, in his fifties. All one could say was that he had a bad fate.

But soon the respected elders in the village began to assign tasks. The men went to the selected places to start digging holes, while the women made shrouds and things for burning paper.

The people in the yard were busy in an orderly manner, and everything seemed to be in good order, even though people in the village often fought, cursed, and gossiped.

But before such a big event, no one said anything, and they even let go of past grudges and helped to deal with it, which seemed particularly humane.

I asked a fortune teller to calculate, and he said that at his age, he would have to sit for three nights. This also meant that the whole village would have to eat meals at this family's house for three days. Although there was gift money, it was still a burden anyway.

But this kind of saving cannot be achieved, and this kind of saving is the most taboo.

..........

Yan Fenglian bought steamed buns and steamed bread early in the morning and sent them over. She told Xie Zhi and Jiaojiao where to have lunch and also told her two sons.

Then he discussed with Xu's father how much money to give as a gift. In the past they gave one yuan, but now they have to give two yuan. Their family was better off and Xu's father was the village chief, so he had to help no matter what. So they decided to give three yuan.

After Xie Zhi took the breakfast, he went back. Xu Jiaojiao had also woken up and was washing up in the next room. After coming out, she ate in the room with Xie Zhi.

She had no feelings for the villagers and had never lived a life. All death was too far away for Xu Jiaojiao. She ate the meat buns in her hand and drank soy milk, enjoying it so much.

"Hubby, have you ever had a banquet?"

"I've eaten it, to be honest, it's pretty average."

The girl looked unhappy, but soon regained her composure and said heartlessly, "It's okay. Mom hasn't finished her braised chicken wings yet. We can come back and eat them."

Xie Zhi laughed softly, thinking that the girl was particularly cute. After finishing breakfast and wiping the table with a tissue, the two of them went there to see if they could help.

Fortunately, the rain stopped today, but the path outside was still muddy. Xu Jiaojiao put on fully covered leather shoes to ensure that her feet would not get dirty.

They arrived at the door and saw many people outside, even from the neighboring village. It was the first time Xu Jiaojiao saw so many people and she was a little frightened. She carefully hid behind a man.

Seeing so many people coming and going, Xie Zhi took the girl for a walk and went back. Anyway, his fourth and fifth brothers would save seats for them.

Sure enough, when the meal was about to start, the fifth brother came running back, while the fourth brother stayed at his original place guarding the three stools. When they rushed over, the dishes were just being served.

Everyone at the table was looking at the four people opposite them. They were so outstanding in appearance that many lesbians and gays blushed. But those who paid close attention could tell at a glance that the girl in the middle and the man in the white shirt were a couple.

They were so intimate. In these days, people pay attention to the word "fighting" when dining at a banquet. It might be because everyone at the table is young, or it might be because there is a certain degree of grace maintained between handsome men and beautiful women.

Everyone at their table was eating happily. No one was rushing to eat like those at the next table. No one even tried the vegetable soup.

Today was not a formal banquet, so the food was just average. The girl frowned for no reason. There was cabbage without oil, green peppers without even a piece of meat, only three dishes for ten people at the table, and a basket of steamed corn bread. It was not a very tasty meal at all, and even Xu Ze and Xu Yan found it difficult to swallow.

But to be honest, it’s not easy to have enough to eat nowadays. Think positively, at least steamed corn bread can fill you up.

It is rare to see a family like the Xu family where everyone makes money and buys some buns and fried dough sticks from time to time to improve their lives.

Xu Jiaojiao ate the steamed bread in her hand with difficulty. It was too hard. Xie Zhi glanced at the girl's face and moved closer: "Jiaojiao, if you can't eat it, don't eat it."

Xu Yan also coaxed his sister: "Jiaojiao, don't eat it. I'll make it for you again when we get back."

Girls are pampered by their families and have always eaten white flour.

This was always the case during the most difficult times at home. At that time, grandparents would send the white flour given by the government to Xu Jiaojiao.

It is no exaggeration to say that the girl has only eaten steamed corn bread a few times since she was born. Naturally, they felt very distressed. Xu Jiaojiao shook her head to indicate that she was fine.

But when the leftover steamed bread came into Xie Zhi's hands, he finished it in no time.

Yan Fenglian walked behind them and said to Xie Zhi, "Mom cooked in the kitchen this morning. I know you didn't eat well. Go back and heat it up and make Jiaojiao a cup of milk."

After all, we have to come. We are from the same village. If something like this happens, we have to come and take a look as long as it is nothing serious.

That's why Yan Fenglian asked her son to bring her daughter and son-in-law here instead of letting them eat at home directly.

Xie Zhi nodded, and the four of them left without taking the steamed bread in the basket away.

As soon as these people left, everyone at the table couldn't hold back any longer and almost scrambled to get a dip in the soup, and some even put the remaining steamed buns in their arms to take home.