Chen Wanbai got up early as usual in the morning light. After washing briefly, she went out for a run as usual. The fresh air hit her face, and she breathed deeply and stretched her muscles.
After finishing her run, she returned to the house and quickly took a hot bath. The warm water warmed her whole body.
Then, she sat at the table and began to enjoy the breakfast prepared by Mrs. Liu. She ate the steamed buns made by Lao Mianfa, the steaming porridge, and the pickles pickled with green vegetables.
After eating the morning meal, Chen Wanbai started chopping firewood. As the weather gets colder, in order to have enough firewood for heating and cooking in winter, she has recently been either going to the mountains to chop firewood or chopping firewood at home.
She skillfully picked up the ax and chopped the wood again and again. The pile of firewood gradually grew taller, and she felt a little tired.
After chopping the firewood, Chen Wanbai raised his head and looked at the sky. It was not long after midnight. She wiped the sweat from her forehead, put the ax back into the tool shed, washed her hands, put on plain clothes, and got ready to set off.
She walked out of the house and walked along the path towards the village. The sky is gloomy today, and the air is filled with the coldness of early winter.
When arriving at Chen Genzi's house, Chen Wanbai found that there were only a few people in Chen Genzi's house, and they all washed vegetables and cooked.
Two simple large stoves were set up on one side of the yard, with two large iron pots on them. Two chefs were stirring hard with large shovels. On the other side of the yard, many women gathered together in twos and threes, some washing vegetables and some cutting vegetables, very busy. These people are basically related to Chen Genzi.
"Which family are you from?" A fat lady who was closer to the courtyard gate saw Chen Wanbai standing at the courtyard gate and walked up to ask.
"I am Liu Ya'er's daughter at the foot of the mountain, and I came to attend Grandma Zhang's funeral." Chen Wanbai thought for a moment and then said.
"You've just arrived? Then you go to the dojo first. You have to wait until the coffin goes up the mountain before you can eat it." The fat lady explained.
"Hey, thank you, auntie." After Chen Wanbai thanked him, he walked to the dojo.
After Chen Wanbai walked away, the fat lady looked at her back, pulled over another gray-haired woman, and asked curiously: "Whose family does that little girl come from? Why do I feel that in the village? Have you ever seen such a beautiful person?"
The white-haired woman put down the food in her hand, looked up, and shook her head: "It looks familiar, but I just can't remember it. There are so many little girls in the village, how can I remember them all? "Did she tell you whose family she is?" Who is this Liu Ya'er? "
"At the foot of the mountain?" Another woman who was cutting vegetables immediately stopped what she was doing and said, "At the foot of the Xinghua Mountain? There are many people living at the foot of the mountain, QinghuaiAt the foot of the mountain lived Wan Orion's family and Chen Daan's widowed daughter-in-law who had just moved there. "
"Isn't his wife's surname Liu? "The white-haired woman who was choosing vegetables slapped her thigh suddenly.
"Oh, is that the granddaughter of Mrs. Zhou's family? "The fat lady sighed and said, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, look, now that we have left the Chen family, everyone has changed. They look so fresh. "
When the women working in the yard heard this, they stopped what they were doing and started gossiping.
Chen Wanbai took his time and said We walked all the way to the dojo.
It turned out that the coffin was carried to the dojo in the village early in the morning.
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This is always the case in the village. On the day of the funeral, there are so many people coming to express their condolences that the courtyard cannot accommodate them. A coffin is placed in the ashram for the convenience of visitors. < /p>
At the entrance of the dojo, many villagers, relatives and friends have come to express condolences. A simple wooden table is placed at the entrance, and the village elder is sitting there, responsible for recording everyone who comes to express condolences.
Chen Wanbai stepped forward and handed the ten coins he had prepared to the clan elder. The clan elder took the money, nodded, and recorded her name and the amount. , without showing any doubtful expression.
In the center of the dojo, there was Mrs. Zhang’s dark coffin, surrounded by many paper works, including wreaths, paper figures, and other things. Some animals made of paper. A mourning platform was arranged in front of the coffin, with burning incense candles and various offerings neatly placed on it.
There was a brazier under the coffin, and Mrs. Zhang's grandson Chen Dabao was wrapped in linen. Dai Xiaozheng was kneeling in front of him, crying so hard that he was heartbroken. It was not because he wanted to be so sad, but because a man on the side was pressing him hard to prevent him from getting up. It must have been that he had been crying for a long time, and Chen Dabao's voice was hoarse, and his cry was not loud. It was so loud at first.
Later, Mrs. Zhang’s two granddaughters were kneeling there. They were kneeling there numbly, neither crying nor making trouble, like lifeless tools. An ordinary person.
Chen Wanbai did not need to go to pay homage. She walked aside and stood in an inconspicuous position, waiting for the funeral ceremony to end. There were many villagers around, and some people were rushing around. More and more people came to the funeral shed.
However, Chen Wanbai looked around and saw that there were very few people who were truly sad. Perhaps the only one who was truly grieved was Mrs. Zhang’s son Chen Genzi.
p>Chen Genzi's eyes were swollen and he was wearing a shabby suit. He stood blankly on the side of the coffin. When he saw an old man coming, he immediately knelt down on his knees, touched his forehead heavily to the ground, and shouted sadly: "Cousin, You are here, thank you for coming to see my mother on her last journey. "
The old man hurriedly stepped forward and helped Chen Genzi up with both hands. His voice was choked with sobs: "Good boy, my condolences! ”
There are no more unnecessary words.
Chen Genzi stood up: "Cousin, please come inside and offer some incense to my mother."
The cousin walked to the coffin, lit the incense, and then turned around , patted Chen Genzi on the shoulder: "Sorry, I still have children to take care of at home."
Chen Wanbai looked at this scene and thought that compared with modern customs, this is not much. difference.
After standing for a long time, Chen Wanbai felt her legs were sore. She saw an empty bench beside her, so she walked over and sat down.
Many women around her were chatting animatedly, and no one paid any attention to her.
Suddenly, a sharp and harsh sound came from the coffin. The group of women stopped talking for an instant, their eyes were shining, and they stretched their necks to look over there. .
Chen Wanbai also followed the voice and saw that the person speaking was a skinny woman. This woman has a stooped figure, her face is covered with wrinkles like criss-crossing ravines, her cheekbones are high, her thin lips are tightly pursed, and she has a pair of triangular eyes with a fierce light. She looks to be around sixty years old.
"Where's that bitch Hong Xia? Get out of here!" the woman shouted at the top of her lungs.
"My nephew, I'm not talking about you. You are a grown man, how come you can't even take care of your daughter-in-law? You let her bully your mother like this."
The mother-in-law said. He stretched out his hand to hit Chen Genzi, but Chen Genzi stood there with a sad look on his face. Fortunately, the two women who came together had quick eyesight and quickly caught her.