It was already the second day of the funeral.
More and more relatives had arrived, and each one who came would cry a round, and with each round of crying, the suona would start playing. The louder the crying, the louder the suona grew, and for a moment, a somber atmosphere filled the hall.
“Dayong, how could you be so heartless as to leave behind your two kids—” the woman wailed, lying on the coffin and letting out a heart-wrenching scream.
She cried louder and louder, her hair a mess, while two people with red-rimmed eyes supported her.
As she sobbed, she pounded the ground, as if trying to summon the dead Jiang Dayong back.
Ji Huaichuan looked utterly confused at the crying woman. Who was she? He had never seen her before.
And who were the two people supporting her…
The suona reached a piercing pitch as the yin-yang master stood at the front, chanting scripture in a local dialect.
Nearby, someone was burning spirit money, and soon after, a burst of firecrackers suddenly went off outside, startling the crying woman and cutting her wails short.
Inside the room, Ji Zhaoxi woke up. It seemed she had been sleeping for a long time. As she stared blankly at the ceiling, a warm touch suddenly grazed her face.
“They’ve started now,” Zhou Chiye explained awkwardly.
Beside him was a basin of hot water, which Ji Huaichuan had brought earlier, saying it was for when Ji Zhaoxi woke up.
Zhou Chiye nervously wiped her face with the warm towel. If she said something, he would put the towel away. If she didn’t, he would keep wiping.
Either way, it was a win!
Ji Zhaoxi wasn’t fully awake yet, so she let Zhou Chiye wipe her face, her eyes slowly closing again.
The next second, the firecrackers rang out once more, and Ji Zhaoxi finally came to her senses.
She sat up and noticed that they weren’t alone in the room—a doctor was there too.
The doctor caught Ji Zhaoxi’s gaze and gave her an awkward smile.
Ji Zhaoxi paused, then forced a faint smile in return.
Zhou Chiye kept applying medicine, but his eyes never left Ji Zhaoxi.
She went to brush her teeth. Then she went to wash her face—even though he had just washed it for her! Then she went to tie her hair…
Watching Zhou Chiye twist his head almost 360 degrees, the doctor twitched the corner of his mouth.
Zhou Chiye stared at the certificates on the wall, then clumsily transferred money to Ji Zhaoxi again.
From outside, brushing her teeth, Ji Zhaoxi called out happily, “Zhou Chiye!”
“Why?”
Zhou Chiye cleared his throat and said calmly, “A reward for studying hard.”
“I’m so happy, thank you!” Ji Zhaoxi was overjoyed.
Today was a great day—free food and money!
Zhou Chiye noticed the doctor’s gaze and said with some pride, “She depends on me quite a bit.”
The doctor: …
No one had even asked about that.
In the village, they had started cooking large pots of food, and the smell of dishes filled the air. Many tables were set up in front of Ji Zhaoxi’s house, all packed with people, while children ran around and played in the fields ahead.
The old men and women who usually kept watch at the village entrance were nowhere to be seen. The driver stopped at the village gate and, seeing people rushing by with dishes, asked with a smile, “You back for the feast? Is it for a funeral or a wedding?”
Ji Fangyun smiled. “A wedding.”
The wind had mussed her hair during the ride, and she carried big and small bags as she walked home.
As the driver turned around, he caught sight of someone in mourning clothes and looked baffled.
So this village held weddings and funerals at the same time.
All along the way, Ji Fangyun greeted many people.
“Ji Fangyun, you’re back.”
“Coming back only now?”
“We thought you weren’t coming. They still made it quite the show.”
Ji Fangyun responded to everyone with a smile, “Be sure to eat well.”
As she neared home, the atmosphere peaked with her arrival.
“Hey, Ji Fangyun’s back! Our busy lady, we thought you wouldn’t return until the coffin’s carried out tomorrow.”
“Sit down and eat, you must be hungry from the trip.”
Several people gathered around, urging her to sit and eat.
Ji Fangyun kept smiling and declining. “Enough, enough. I just got back. Let me go see the kids first.”
“Go quickly, then come back and eat. Sit right here,” an auntie urged.
All eyes were on Ji Fangyun—some curious, some watching for drama. She didn’t care; she only cared about her gift money.
As soon as she entered the room, Ji Fangyun was hugged so tightly she stumbled back a few steps.
She tousled Ji Zhaoxi’s hair affectionately and scolded with a laugh, “You think you’re still three? You hugged me like that when you were little, and you’re still doing it grown up!”
Ji Zhaoxi looked at her with teary eyes. Ji Fangyun raised an eyebrow and tapped her head. “Stop, stop, stop!”
She was about to cry again.
Ji Zhaoxi followed Ji Fangyun around like a shadow—wherever Ji Fangyun went, she went too. Ji Huaichuan, who was eating in the room, saw Ji Fangyun and lunged to give her a big hug, but Ji Fangyun quickly dodged.
Ji Fangyun looked at the dishes in Ji Huaichuan’s bowl and teased, “Feeding a pig, huh?”
“Where’s your Auntie?” She set down her bag.
Ji Huaichuan looked at her reproachfully. “Auntie went to the county to buy funeral wreaths.”
Ji Fangyun pulled a red dress out of her bag. She had bought it decades ago, meaning to wear it for her wedding, but Jiang Dayong hadn’t agreed.
She didn’t wear it the day she got married, but she would wear it now.
Her parents had long passed away, and Jiang Dayong was dead now. Many times, she didn’t know whether to hate her parents or hate Jiang Dayong, but now there was no one left to hate.
Ji Fangyun pinched Ji Zhaoxi’s cheek and tied her hair up high. “I’m going to find your Auntie now. Call me if anything comes up.”
But as she was about to head out, she ran straight into a stranger.
Ji Fangyun frowned deeply. Just as she was about to ask who he was, the person spoke. “Hello, Auntie.”
Ji Fangyun still didn’t react. Ji Zhaoxi quickly stepped forward. “Mom, this is my classmate. He’s helped us a lot these past few days.”
Zhou Chiye stared at her in silence.
What classmate? Which classmate would come back to her hometown with her?
Ji Zhaoxi noticed Zhou Chiye’s gaze, hesitated, and corrected herself. “A good friend.”
Ji Fangyun immediately became enthusiastic. “So you’re Xixi’s friend! Thank you so much for your help this time. How about I treat you to a meal another day, okay?”
Zhou Chiye nodded nervously. “Okay, Auntie.”
“Then Xixi, take good care of your friend. Mom’s going to find your Auntie.”
Ji Zhaoxi nodded enthusiastically.
Ji Huaichuan continued sitting on his little stool, eating, and let out a loud burp. Ji Zhaoxi shot him a disgusted look.
Ji Huaichuan noticed her expression and yelled, “What, not allowed to burp?”
A burp, and she acts like that!
