Xie Ying was so grateful that she didn't know what to say now.
"Uncle Li Zheng, I, Xie Ying, promise that no matter what you borrow today, even if it is a needle or thread, I will pay it back slowly in the future."
"My husband was a kind man in the world, and he loved teaching the children in the village to read and write. He also taught me a lot after I joined the Fu family. A drop of kindness should be repaid by a spring, Xie Ying remembered."
The girl was delicate and pretty, with a thin and small body, but her eyes were extremely bright and firm.
Li Zheng looked at her, as if her words were easy to believe.
Li Zheng said: "You little lady, you seem to be careless, but you are a powerful speaker. I agreed to borrow things for you because of your trustworthiness and because of Chang Ming's character."
"Go back now. I'll help you borrow the things you need for the funeral. Remember to pay them back in the future."
"Xie Ying will never forget it."
After hearing Li Zheng's words, Xie Ying felt relieved.
They kept vigil at the mourning hall for seven days, but Fu Changhe didn't come back. Xie Ying only heard Fu Changming say that the military camp where her second uncle was located was very far away from Changqing Village, which took three days and three nights, but she didn't know where that place was.
After waiting for seven days without seeing the second uncle of the Fu family come back, the family members invited someone to figure out the date of burial, and it was hard to wait any longer.
Xie Ying, wearing sackcloth and mourning, took Fu Changming to the funeral with Brother Run.
The old lady of the Fu family left it to Lan Xiang to watch at home. Lan Xiang couldn't stand it anymore. The old lady Fu knocked on the door and wanted to go out, so she had to call two strong laborers to block the door and lock it outside.
Just waiting for the funeral to be finished.
Xie Ying went home and asked her beautiful aunt to prepare several tables of meals and entertain the relatives and neighbors who came to help.
After eating, everyone left.
The people in the clan divided most of the gifts given by relatives and friends, and left some of the remaining things, which were not valuable, to Xie Ying, Mrs. Fu, and Brother Run.
Xie Ying knew that since there was no man in the family, she could not have a bad relationship with her clan members, so she just let them go.
She thought that when Fu Changhe came back, he would naturally get what he wanted.
Auntie Mei and Mrs. Chunhua were outside the door, and a fire was burning in the yard.
Xie Ying coaxed the old lady from the Fu family to rest. Brother Run was still young and fell asleep after eating and drinking enough.
Seeing that no one in the yard was leaving, Xie Ying walked out.
"A Ying, your Aunt Chunhua and I will stay with you tonight."
Xie Ying stepped forward, her face softened, "No, beautiful aunt, Aunt Chunhua, you can go back and rest. You have been busy with my family's affairs these past few days and haven't had much rest."
"A Ying, let's accompany you. You are such a young lady, but you are scared when someone is in the house at night."
Xie Ying didn't speak and fell silent.
She thought to herself that if Fu Changming's ghost could come back and he wasn't here to find her, what would she be afraid of?
Besides, he was so kind to her during his lifetime.
Now that she is dead and turned into a ghost, can she still be abused?
"Thank you, aunt and aunt, but I don't have any extra beds at home for you to rest. It's still early, so you should all go back."
Xie Ying said this several times, and the beautiful aunt and Aunt Chunhua looked at each other, then got up and walked out.
The beautiful aunt even shouted to Xie Ying: "Our houses are next to each other. If you are scared at night, just call me."
"I am the only female in my family. We have nothing to fear when we are together."
"Thank you, auntie." Xie Ying replied.
After the two of them left, Xie Ying closed the door and locked it. She did not go to the main room.
Even when Fu Changming was around, she had never slept in that bed. What's more, after he left, Xie Ying was even more reluctant to go.
She went to her grandmother and Brother Run's house.
The bed in Grandma's house was very big. Grandma slept in it, Brother Run was lying outside, and Xie Ying slept on the outermost side with her clothes closed. She slept very quietly, and after lying down, she would never move again.
The oil lamp was burning on the small table beside the bed until dawn.
Hearing the sound of rooster crow, Xie Ying felt the time and got up.
She didn't sleep well that night, and her grandmother kicked off the quilt at night.
He was also shouting Changming, Changhe...
She didn't know if she heard her grandmother calling Changhe. When she fell asleep at night, she didn't dream of her husband Fu Changming, but she dreamed of Fu Changhe.
In the dream, he was holding a shiny machete and questioning her with his teeth bared.
"I left my brother in your care, how did you take care of him?"
"Did you kill my brother?"
"Take your life."
When Xie Ying woke up, her forehead was covered with frightened sweat. She was really afraid of Fu Changhe.
***
After getting up, Xie Ying tidied up her bedding and put them away. Before she left, she heard Mrs. Fu calling her.
"Aying, you have worked hard these days."
Xie Ying turned around and saw that Mrs. Fu seemed to be in good spirits again.
"Grandma, don't get in the way. This is what I should do."
Xie Ying couldn't determine when Mrs. Fu was good or bad, and she couldn't really count on her for some things.
"Changming is gone. This family is counting on you. Aying, you are the eldest daughter-in-law of the Fu family. You have to support this family, do you understand?"
Xie Ying nodded and was about to say a few words to Mrs. Fu when she suddenly heard her shout:
"My granddaughter-in-law, I want to eat candy. If I want to eat maltose..."
Xie Ying was stunned on the spot, and Brother Run, who heard Mrs. Fu shouting that she wanted to eat maltose, also got up from the bed with a start.
"Wherever the maltose is, I want to eat it too."
Xie Ying smiled helplessly and said: "Grandma has bad teeth, so she can't eat sweets now. Brother Run is still young, and after eating sweets and damaging his teeth, he won't be able to eat, nor can he eat."
"But, today I can..."
The grandfather and grandson, who had heard Xie Ying say that they couldn't eat sweets, were stunned.
Hearing Xie Ying say that they could eat sweets again, the grandfather and grandson instantly became happy.
Overjoyed.
Xie Ying thought to herself that the world is too bitter. If eating sweets can make them happy, then they should be allowed to eat some sweets.
He prepared clothes for the grandfather and grandson, put them on, and gave them warm water to wash their faces.
She combed Mrs. Fu's messy hair and put it into a bun.
Clean up a bad old lady neatly.
The bronze mirror had a few broken marks, but it was still usable. Looking at herself in the mirror, Mrs. Fu seemed to be awake again. She said to Xie Ying: Thank you!
Xie Ying helped her brush the fallen hair off her shoulders and paused.
"Taking care of you is what I should do."
"Grandma, you and Brother Run will wait a moment while I cook breakfast."
When Brother Run saw the candy, he took it and started eating it. This was a white pagoda candy, a tribute to Fu Changming after his death.
He didn't know yet that the candy he was eating happily was a tribute placed when his eldest brother passed away.
Xie Ying's eyes were soft and she rubbed his head.
Brother Run called her sister-in-law with a slight smile on his face.
