Jiang Suchu didn't know how long she had been crying in Lu Zhinian's arms. She only remembered that Lu Zhinian had been holding her and never let go.
She was sobbing a little while crying, her hands tightly holding the hem of his clothes at the waist, and unconsciously calling his name, "Lu Zhinian... Lu Zhinian..."
He responded to every call she called him.
He gently patted her back with his hand, and kept whispering in her ear to calm her down, "Suibao, be good, I'm here, I'm here..."
At the end of her crying, there were no tears left, only dry sobs left.
Shu Yuan stood outside the door. After hearing the crying inside, she raised her hand and knocked lightly on the door, "Sui Sui A Nian, we have to leave."
There was no extra room in the uncle's house for Shu Yuan and the others to stay. After offering incense to grandma, Shu Yuan and Lu Shenghua were going to stay at the resort hotel in Muyang Town.
After the funeral on the third day of junior high school, Jiang Suichu was picked up directly.
Jiang Suchu left Lu Zhinian's arms and raised his hand to wipe away the tears on his face.
When she turned around to open the door, Lu Zhinian grabbed her hand and asked, "What's wrong with your hand?"
There were several scars on her palms, and the scabs were swollen and white.
At first glance, it looked like it had been soaked in water.
Jiang Suchu glanced at her hand, her fingertips moved slightly, and she forgot that the injury on her palm was not healed yet. During this later period, grandma became somewhat incontinent. She often had to change her grandmother's clothes, and her hands were soaked in water for a long time. The wounds finally scabbed and became swollen. It has been repeated over and over again, and now it has become somewhat inflamed.
Lu Zhinian looked at her, frowning, "Is it Jiang Mingjie?"
Jiang Suichu pursed his lips and nodded, "....Yeah."
When Lu Zhinian saw her nodding, he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists with his hands hanging by his side.
Jiang Suchu didn't want him to worry, so he held his hand and said, "I'm fine, and I fought back."
Although Jiang Mingjie's arm was not broken, it did make him swell for more than ten days before he recovered.
Lu Zhinian knew what she was thinking. He put away the darkness in his eyes, raised his hand and rubbed her head, praising: "Well done."
........
Before leaving, Shu Yuan hugged Jiang Suichu and said, "Our Suibao is a strong child. Aunt Yuan believes that you can get through it."
Jiang Suchu gently rubbed Aunt Yuan's shoulder, "...Yeah."
Lu Shenghua also patted her on the head, and Jiang Suchu smiled hard, trying to reassure them.
Jiang Zhiguo and Qu Ping's family all got up to see them out. When Jiang Mingjie saw Lu Zhinian, he stood behind Jiang Zhiguo with a guilty conscience, avoiding Lu Zhinian's sight.
Lu Zhinian and Jiang Suichu had been in the room for a long time just now. He didn't know if Jiang Suchu told Lu Zhinian that he hit her.
Lu Zhinian stood next to Jiang Suchu, his lips tightened, and he glanced at Jiang Mingjie indifferently.
According to the custom in the village, a vigil is held the night before the burial.
The night before the third day of junior high school, many people came to the Jiang family, and the house was full of people.
There is no air conditioning in the countryside, and heating is done by burning coal in enamel basins. Relatives and neighbors naturally sat around the brazier, warming themselves up and chatting.
Many relatives came to Qu Ping's family. Jiang Mingjie and Jiang Mingzhu were surrounded by those relatives, chatting and laughing, which was very lively. Jiang Zhiguo entertained guests from room to room, talking and laughing.
It seems that this is not a funeral, but a New Year's party.
Jiang Suichu's grandmother's family is not from here, so naturally she has no relatives from her natal family.
She sat alone in the room where the mourning hall was located. There was no brazier to keep warm and no one to chat with.
There was chatter and laughter in the next room.
She sat on the small bench, hugged her legs and buried her face in her knees.
Jiang Zhiguo: "Sui Sui."
Jiang Suchu raised his head and said, "Uncle."
Jiang Zhiguo had just finished entertaining the guests and wanted to come to the mourning hall to see if the ever-burning lights had been turned off. When he entered the room, he saw Jiang Suichu sitting here alone with his head buried in his head.
Jiang Zhiguo: "Why are you sitting here alone? It's so cold."
Jiang Suchu shook his head, "Uncle, I'm not cold."
She just wanted to spend more time with her grandma.
The ever-burning lamp had burned to the bottom, and Jiang Zhiguo replaced it with a new wick.
He knelt on the futon in front of the mourning hall, took a wad of paper money from the table, lit it, and then put it into the enamel basin in front of the table. There are a lot of ashes in the basin, which are the ashes of paper money burned by people who came to express their condolences in the past few days.
Jiang Suichu looked at his uncle. He looked different now than when he was entertaining guests just now. His face was not as relaxed as before, but full of sadness.
The burning smoke made Jiang Zhiguo squint his eyes, and he looked sideways, "Sui Sui, you can go to the Lu family after the funeral tomorrow."
Jiang Suchu was stunned for a moment and looked at his uncle without saying anything.
"Grandma told me before she was alive." Jiang Zhiguo's pupils reflected the burning flames. He looked at Jiang Suichu, "Mr. Lu and Mrs. Lu also told me about this the day before yesterday. They wanted to take you away after the funeral. .”
The wad of paper money was about to burn out, so Jiang Zhiguo threw a few more into it. "Sui Sui, I have been working outside all these years and have not taken care of you. Your aunt is a strong person and she spoils Mingjie and Mingzhu. I know that you have suffered a lot of grievances at home these years. The Lu family is very kind and sincere to you. You mean it. I'll... don't worry if you go to their house."
Jiang Suchu pursed his lower lip, his eyes burning with the flames of the paper money.
The tip of her nose was a little sour, "....Uncle."
Jiang Zhiguo turned away and wiped his face.
At this time, a car and a pickup truck parked on the road outside the courtyard gate. Behind the pickup truck were several wreaths of elegiac couplets and half a truckload of fireworks.
The car lights illuminated the somewhat dim yard, and everyone in the house heard the sound and looked outside.
"Hey, whose relative is this?"
"It looks like he has a lot of background."
"This truck of fireworks and firecrackers must cost a lot of money."
A relative from Qu Ping's natal family grabbed Jiang Mingzhu and said, "Mingzhu, what kind of relative is this in your family? I don't think I've seen him before."
Jiang Mingzhu glanced at the low-key and luxurious black car at the entrance of the courtyard. When she saw the people getting out of the car, her face sank slightly.
Then she saw Jiang Suichu trotting towards those people.
Relatives also saw Jiang Suchu and asked her, "Mingzhu, are these people your sister's relatives?"
Jiang Mingzhu looked at the two young men who were as bright as the breeze and the bright moon. When they saw Jiang Suichu, they had doting looks in their eyes.
She glared at her relative and pulled away her hand, "She is not my sister!"
After saying that, she turned around and went upstairs.
She didn't want to see those people surrounding Jiang Suichu at all. Just like when she was a child, she was obviously the youngest and most favored one in the family. But as long as Jiang Suichu returns to the countryside, everyone's eyes will only stay on her.
When he saw the people getting out of the car, Jiang Suichu was stunned for a moment and quickly got up and walked out.
"Aunt Yuan." She trotted over, "Uncle Lu, Uncle Pei, why are you here?"
There were also Lu Zhinian and Pei Shuo, all dressed in solemn black clothes.
She looked at the two of them, and they both curled their lips at her as if in tacit understanding.
Shu Yuan put her arms around her shoulders and straightened her messy hair and white Xiaopa, "We're here to accompany you."
They also learned that the village had the custom of keeping vigil with relatives before burial. Jiang Suichu had no other relatives here besides them.
As soon as she got in the car, she saw many people sitting together from a distance, except Jiang Suchu, who was sitting alone in front of the mourning hall.
"Mr. Lu and Mrs. Lu." Jiang Zhiguo also came over. He had never seen Pei Tian before and looked at Lu Shenghua, "Who is this?"
"Brother Jiang, he is also Zhiwei's colleague." Lu Shenghua introduced Pei Tian to him, and then said to Pei Tian, "Old Pei, this is Zhiwei's eldest brother."
Pei Tian nodded and stretched out his hand to him, "Hello, Brother Jiang. My name is Pei Tian, and I was Zhiwei's colleague during his lifetime."
Pei Tian looked dignified and upright, with a straight back.
Jiang Zhiguo was stunned for a moment and quickly reached out to hold his hand, "Hello, hello."
Jiang Zhiguo looked at the group of people with some confusion, "You...are you here so late? What's the matter?"
Lu Shenghua: "We are here to accompany Suisui to keep vigil and see the old man on his last journey."
Jiang Zhiguo was surprised, "How can this be done?"
Night vigils are a matter for relatives, and many people are taboo about this.
Pei Tian: "Brother Jiang, Zhiwei was our brother through life and death. Now that Zhiwei is gone, it is right for us to keep vigil for our aunt on his behalf."
Lu Shenghua also said, "Yes, let's keep vigil for Zhiwei."
When Jiang Sui first saw Uncle Lu and Uncle Pei, he was moved and his eyes were sore and swollen.
Shu Yuan patted her shoulder and smiled at her, "Be good."
When they said this, Jiang Zhiguo was deeply touched in his heart and choked up, "I want to thank you on behalf of Zhiwei."
Lu Shenghua: "This is what we should do."
Qu Ping came over with a smile, "It's cold outside, everyone, come inside and sit down."
Jiang Zhiguo also reacted, "Yes, yes, everyone, come in, come in."
Pei Tian said to the pickup truck driver, "Master, please help to unload the wreath."
Driver: "Hey, okay."
Pei Tian: "Brother Jiang, look where you put these things?"
Jiang Zhiguo stepped forward to help and said to the driver: "Just put the fireworks under the eaves over there."
Then he took the wreaths and elegiac couplets from the car and inserted them into the open space in the yard. There were already many elegiac couplets there, sent by relatives and neighbors.
Lu Zhinian and Pei Shuo also stepped forward to help, taking down the remaining wreaths from the car and placing them in designated places.
After unloading the things, the pickup truck driver left, and Jiang Zhiguo and Qu Ping led them into the house.
After Qu Ping saw a few people, she prepared a brazier and placed it in the room of the mourning hall.
"Everyone, sit down quickly." Qu Ping wiped the dust on the chair and greeted a few people with a smile. "There is no air conditioning in the countryside, so we can only warm ourselves by the fire. The dust is a bit heavy. Please be patient."
Shu Yuan sat down and said with a slight smile: "You're welcome."
Although Qu Ping is a bit philistine and mean, she has to say that she has a way of dealing with people. Compared with Jiang Zhiguo's honest duty, I don't know how smooth he is.
Pei Tian nodded, sat down with his legs spread wide, and stretched out his hand to warm himself up by the fire, "Where is that? When we were young, we also had firewood in the winter, and we still burned wood at that time."
There were not enough chairs, so Jiang Suchu went to the back room and moved two chairs out.
Lu Zhinian and Pei Shuo saw it, and they quickly stepped forward to pick it up.
Lu Zhinian took the chair in her hand and asked her, "How is your hand? Have you applied any medicine?"
He bought her medicine that day.
Jiang Suichu nodded, "I've wiped it, and it's much better."
Pei Shuo took the other chair in her hand and said anxiously: "Suisui, is your hand injured?"
Jiang Suichu curled his lower lip, "It's nothing."
Lu Zhinian lowered his eyes and looked at her, "Show me your hands."
Jiang Suchu stretched out his hand and showed him his palm, "Look, it's much better."
Lu Zhinian looked at the palm of her hand and saw that it was indeed much better, the redness and swelling had subsided.
Pei Shuo frowned when he saw the scar on her palm, "Sui Sui, who caused this injury?"
Jiang Suchu pursed his lower lip and looked at Lu Zhinian.
It seems that he didn't tell Pei Shuo.
Pei Shuo saw Jiang Suchu looking at Lu Zhinian and understood instantly. He gritted his teeth and said angrily: "Jiang Mingjie, this piece of shit, let's see how I deal with him!"
As he said this, he was about to go to the next room while carrying the chair, but Lu Zhinian pulled him back.
Pei Shuo looked at him, "Why are you holding me back?"
Lu Zhinian said helplessly: "Today is grandma's funeral."
He is now looking for Jiang Mingjie to cause trouble at grandma's funeral.
We have to wait until the funeral is over to deal with him.
Pei Shuo was stunned for a moment and understood what Lu Zhinian meant.
Jiang Suichu was worried that he would really go to Jiang Mingjie, "Lele, I already fought back that day. Jiang Mingjie was also seriously injured by me."
Pei Shuo looked at her pale face and thought how much you could hurt Jiang Mingjie if you were so thin.
But he still smiled and praised her just like Lu Zhinian did that day, "Princess Suisui is really amazing."
Shu Yuan saw the three of them standing there chatting and called them, "You three are not cold, stand at the door."
Lu Zhinian patted Pei Shuo on the shoulder and said, "Let's go, go first."
The three of them walked over. Shu Yuan took Jiang Suichu's hand and said, "Sui Bao, come sit next to me."
Jiang Suchu sat on the empty chair next to Shu Yuan, with Lu Zhinian and Pei Shuo next to her.
Jiang Zhiguo put some melon seeds and peanuts on a plate and put them in the middle, with a simple smile on his dark face, "There is nothing to entertain in the countryside."
Pei Tian: "Brother Jiang, you don't have to be polite to us."
Lu Shenghua also said, "Brother Jiang, please go and do your work. There is no need to greet us."
He saw that there were many guests in other rooms, and they either wore white Xiaopa on their heads like Jiang Suichu and others, or tied on their arms.
Lu Shenghua asked Jiang Suichu before, and she said that this is their custom.
It means wearing linen and mourning, usually worn by relatives or people who help at funerals.
Lu Shenghua: "Brother Jiang, please give us a few pieces of filial piety."
Jiang Zhiguo was stunned for a moment, and Lu Shenghua continued: "Since we are here to keep vigil for Zhiwei, we should pay tribute to him."
Pei Tian also said: "Yes. We pay tribute to Zhiwei."
Jiang Suichu was also stunned. In fact, they could come to attend her grandma's funeral and see her off for the last time, which was considered the most benevolent thing.
She didn't expect that Uncle Lu and Uncle Pei would pay tribute to her father.
Jiang Zhiguo was moved by their friendship for brothers, and he went to the house to get Xiaopa for several people.
Jiang Zhiguo: "Just tie it on your arm, you don't need to wear it on your head."
Pei Tian: "Yes. Brother Jiang, please go and do your work."
Jiang Zhiguo is a simple man and not good at sociability. I can't chat with them here, and they are embarrassed. After giving Xiaopa to them, they went to entertain the guests in the next room.
After Jiang Suichu helped Aunt Yuan tie the filial piety handkerchief, he turned around and saw that Lu Zhinian and Pei Shuo had tied it on their arms.
She looked at Uncle Lu and Aunt Pei Shuyuan. They also had white filial piety handkerchiefs tied on their arms.
The brazier in the middle was burning brightly, and the firelight shone on everyone's face.
It's warm.
