Just as I finished preparing the incense, I heard a series of hurried footsteps.
"Excuse me, who is Miss Li?" a clear male voice rang out.
“Yes, that’s me,” Li Man replied, turning around.
"Everything you ordered has been delivered. Where should I put it?" the man said with a smile.
Li Man looked at it, pointed to the empty space in front of the tombstone, and said, "Put it here."
"Okay." The man gestured, and the eight staff members behind him, all dressed in white shirts and black pants, quickly placed the items they were carrying on the ground.
First, there was a round table and four chairs. After covering the table with an elegant tablecloth, two staff members took out dishes one by one from the insulated box.
Next came six sets of sterilized bowls and chopsticks, a pot of tea, a bottle of juice, and a bottle of Moutai.
The last parasol covered the dining table.
After the setup was complete, the man led eight employees and bowed slightly to Li Man: "Enjoy your meal. Please let us know when you're done eating so we can come and clear the tables, chairs, and tableware."
Li Man nodded in satisfaction: "Okay."
Gu Nian, Luo Shimiao, and Luo Jianxing were completely bewildered. What was going on?
After they left, Luo Shimiao asked, "My dear consort, you said you didn't need breakfast this morning, was it because of this?"
Li Man nodded: "My dad said that in his dream, my grandparents said they wanted us to have dinner with them. They eat alone every year, and it's too lonely."
"Please sit down. The dining environment is a bit special. Just think of it as eating outdoors and ignore the surroundings."
"It's good that you're here with me. If I were sitting here eating alone, the cemetery staff might have thought I was crazy and kicked me out."
Luo Jianxing was the first to sit down: "I think it's more interesting than the terrorist restaurant last night. The environment here is more realistic and closer to the underground."
Luo Shimiao and Gu Nian also sat down.
"My dear consort, your father is truly filial." Luo Shimiao gave a thumbs up.
Gu Nian helped her unpack the tableware and set it out one by one.
"Yes, it's a pity my grandparents passed away early." Li Man put the two sets of bowls and chopsticks that had been taken apart, filled them with rice, poured tea and wine, and placed them on the stone platform in front of the tombstone.
Then take their favorite dishes and arrange them neatly on top.
Then he took out his phone from his pocket, tapped it on the screen a few times, and placed it on the stone platform.
Just as everyone was wondering about her behavior, a deep, mature male voice came through the phone: "Mom and Dad, your son is unfilial; I can't come home to see you this Mid-Autumn Festival..."
Li Man explained, "This is a recording my dad made in advance. When my dad gets emotional, he can be a bit long-winded, so just think of it as listening to a comedy routine."
The three nodded in disbelief; that was an amazing move!
During the meal, everyone spoke very softly, afraid that if they spoke too loudly, it would disturb the two people downstairs who wouldn't be able to hear the recording.
Luo Shimiao lowered his voice and said, "My dear consort, do you think we should offer a toast to the two people next door? After all, we're neighbors, and no one has come to them today. If we make such a fuss here, will they think we're disturbing them?"
"Miaomiao, you're so thoughtful." Li Man poured a glass of wine: "I'll toast this one, you toast that one."
"OK." Luo Shimiao gave an OK sign, picked up the wine that Gu Nian had poured for her, and ran to the tombstone on her right.
Just as he was about to pour the wine onto the stone platform, his gaze fell upon the photo on the tombstone. His eyes flashed, he straightened the glass, and walked back.
Li Mangang had just returned from toasting when she saw the wine in Miaomiao's glass: "Miaomiao, why didn't you pour the wine out?"
“He’s a kid, he shouldn’t be drinking.” Luo Shimiao poured out the wine and replaced it with juice before walking over again.
Her words caused a moment of silence at the table.
"We can drink the wine next time we're older." Luo Shimiao squatted in front of the tombstone and slowly poured the juice onto the ground.
They had finished eating, but the recording wasn't finished yet.
Li Man took out a lighter from her canvas bag and began burning the offerings.
Everyone gathered around the stone container for burning offerings, putting the offerings in little by little.
It had been burning for more than ten minutes and was still not finished. The container was not big, but there were many offerings.
The white smoke from burning paper attracted the attention of cemetery staff.
Two staff members in the monitoring room are discussing something.
"What an interesting bunch of young people."
Another staff member, staring at the screen, said, "How long do you think their incense will take to burn out?"
"It will probably take seven or eight hours. If it's windy, it might be faster."
Another ten minutes or so passed, and the burning was finally finished, and the recording was played.
The tables, chairs, and other items were also removed, and the worship ceremony came to a successful conclusion.
Back in the car, Li Man said, "Thank you for coming with me."
Luo Shimiao winked at her: "We're all family, no need to be so polite."
“Yes, yes, yes,” Luo Jianxing echoed from the passenger seat.
Li Man shook her head and chuckled, drove the car out of the parking space, left the cemetery, and followed the navigation back.
"Go back and get some sleep, or there'll be trouble tonight," Luo Shimiao said, resting her head on Gu Nian's shoulder.
Li Man: "Why?"
Luo Jianxing replied on behalf of his sister, "Because my eldest and second eldest brothers will be bringing their children back this afternoon to celebrate the festival. The little ones will be chattering non-stop and will be quite a nuisance."
"It's so nice to have so many people around. In my family, during holidays, there are always three pairs of eyes staring at each other," Li Man said enviously.
Gu Nian looked down at the girl beside him: "My house is also deserted. Why don't you come home with me for dinner tonight and make it more lively?"
Luo Shimiao: "Next time, I can't bear to leave my beloved concubine to fight alone!"
"With me here, there's nothing to fear," Luo Jianxing said confidently, patting his chest.
Li Man glanced at her best friend in the rearview mirror: "Miao Miao, don't worry, I'll go home tonight."
"No way!" the brother and sister said in unison.
“There’s no one at your house, it’s not even as lively as the cemetery. Besides, we already agreed that you’d stay at my house whenever you come back.” Luo Shimiao sat up, leaned forward, and moved closer to her: “You’re not allowed to go back. Even if you do go home, I’ll sneak you out in the middle of the night.”
"I'm not going back, I'm really scared of you," Li Man said, both amused and exasperated.
She had no doubt about the truth of those words; given Miao Miao's personality, she really could do it.
I got home around 3 p.m.
Gu Nian wanted to get out of the car but was stopped by Luo Shimiao.
Luo Shimiao looked at the man and said, "How about I take you home now?"
“No need to go back.” Gu Nian recalled the message she received half an hour ago.
"Oh? You're not coming home for the holiday, won't your aunt and uncle nag you?"
Gu Nian pinched her cheek, his eyes filled with laughter: "Your maternal grandfather invited our family to your home to celebrate the festival together."
Luo Jianxing unbuckled his seatbelt, opened the car door, and jumped out: "Tsk, tonight's going to be even more lively."
"It's a bit like the dinner where our two families discussed your marriage. Miaomiao, I prepared my wedding gift for you when you came of age." After saying this, Li Man took the keys and got out of the car.
Only the two of them remained in the car.
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