Chapter 379

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Protagonist:

Chai Mi

Chai Mi looked over; it was Second Aunt Su Hui, who lived in a Zhuangzi even farther away, arriving with her husband. Second Aunt rushed through the door and headed straight for the Ling Tang, her weeping instantly merging with the weeping already inside.

"Second Aunt, Second Uncle, you've had a hard journey." Chai Mi went up a couple of steps to meet them.

"Chai Mi..." Second Uncle was an honest, straightforward man, his eyes red. "Got the letter and rushed right over... hurried as fast as we could... still didn't make it in time to see Father off on his final journey..."

"Grandpa passed peacefully, without suffering. Come inside quickly." Chai Mi led them toward the Ling Tang.

In the Ling Tang, Second Aunt Su Hui threw herself onto Grandpa, weeping heart-rendingly; Eldest Aunt Su Wan held her, comforting her. Second Uncle silently walked to the front of the coffin and kowtowed heavily three times.

After a good while, Second Aunt's weeping gradually subsided, and Su Wan and Eldest Aunt helped her aside to talk.

"Sister, did Father... did Father say anything before he passed?" Second Aunt Su Hui asked between sobs.

"He just said he was cold..." Su Wan replied.

"Sigh... Father suffered a lifetime..." Second Aunt wiped her tears again.

"Don't cry anymore, Father is watching." Eldest Aunt Su Jin advised, "Now we must pull ourselves together and handle Father's funeral arrangements properly. Thank goodness for Chai Mi; she advanced all the money and managed everything inside and out."

Second Aunt Su Hui looked at Chai Mi standing to the side, gratitude in her eyes: "Chai Mi, Second Aunt... Second Aunt thanks you. This money..."

"Second Aunt, let's not talk about this yet." Chai Mi once again cut off the talk of money, "You're tired from the journey; go to the West Room, have some water, rest your feet. My Eldest Uncle, Second Uncle, and the others are keeping watch here."

Second Aunt and Second Uncle were persuaded to go rest. Chai Mi had just let out a breath when she heard Song Qiushui's voice in the courtyard: "Chai Mi! Chai Mi!"

Chai Mi walked out of the Ling Tang and saw Song Qiushui leading Chai Xiu standing in the courtyard.

"Qiu Shui? Xiu'er? Why are you here?" Chai Mi was a little surprised.

"I wasn't at ease, took a day off from School. Qiu Shui Jie escorted me here." Chai Xiu said softly, her eye rims also red.

"Chai Mi, I figured no one was home, Xiu'er would be scared alone, so I brought her over to see. Also convenient to kowtow to Grandpa." Song Qiushui explained, "Don't worry about home; the Donkey's been fed, the door's locked. I had my mom go keep an eye on things."

"Mm, that works too." Chai Mi nodded, patted Chai Xiu's head, "Xiu'er, go kowtow to Grandpa. Quietly now, don't disturb Grandma."

"Mm." Chai Xiu obediently agreed and followed Song Qiushui into the Ling Tang.

Before long, Chai Xiu came out, walked over to Chai Mi, and said softly: "Sister, I saw Grandpa... he was asleep, wearing that new cotton-padded jacket."

"Mm." Chai Mi responded lightly.

"Sister," Chai Xiu tilted her face up, "the place Grandpa went, is there no more sickness and pain?"

"Right, it's warm and cozy there; Grandpa will never be cold again." Chai Mi answered in a low voice.

Chai Xiu nodded, standing quietly beside Chai Mi. Song Qiushui also stood silently to the side.

Then Chai Mi said to Song Qiushui: "You take Xiu'er back; this isn't a place to stay. Xiu'er has kowtowed anyway, so go back. Otherwise, no time to look after her..."

Song Qiushui nodded: "Mm, I know."

Then Song Qiushui took Chai Xiu and rode the Inverted Donkey back home.

"Chai Mi!" Eldest Aunt-in-law poked her head out from the Zao Fang again, "Look at this banquet spread; we have meat, but shouldn't we also get a couple of fish? It's just this fish..."

"Buy them. Have Cousin go to the Ji and bring them back." Chai Mi said immediately.

"Aye! Hao La! Xiao Fu! Xiao Fu! Make another trip to the Ji, buy two big carp!" Eldest Aunt-in-law shouted again.

"Mom, still running? I just finished carrying water..." Su Xiaofu's voice carried a hint of resignation.

"Go when I tell you to! What's with all the nonsense! Ride your Third Uncle's Bicycle, hurry!" Eldest Aunt-in-law urged.

Su Xiaofu grumbled and ran off.

"Chai Mi," Second Uncle Su Rende came over again, "The Mr. said we need to prepare the soul-guiding banner, the inverted-head rice, and the dog dry rations... these miscellaneous things..."

"Second Uncle, write a list; write down whatever's needed, let... let Liu San Cousin run the trip; he's fast on his feet." Chai Mi thought a moment and said.

"Aye, okay." Second Uncle agreed and went to find paper and brush.

"Chai Mi," Eldest Aunt Su Jin also came over, a hint of hesitation on her face, "Look... your Second Aunt and them came from so far away, tonight's mourning vigil... should we arrange for them to take turns resting? And your mom, she's cried all day, her body can't take it..."

"Eldest Aunt, you handle the arrangements. We need enough people for the vigil, but they can't all stay up. You and Second Aunt keep Grandma and my mom company more. First half of the night let Eldest Uncle, Second Uncle, Second Uncle-in-law, Liu San Cousin and those male kin hold the fort. Second half of the night switch people." Chai Mi quickly gave the arrangement.

"Aye, good! That works! I'll go tell them right away!" Eldest Aunt got the plan and hurried off to arrange it.

Later Chai Mi simply gave Eldest Uncle eight hundred yuan and let him handle the procurement himself.

Fortunately everything proceeded in an orderly manner.

After a while, Grandpa was dressed in his shroud clothes and carried into the Coffin.

In this era cremation popularization rate is very low, so there was no cremation business either.

There were regulations saying to go cremate, but if you don't go no one cares.

So Grandpa just went straight into the coffin wood.

The Ling Tang is a plastic-cloth shed.

Grandpa entered the coffin, and everyone wept another bout.

"Chai Mi..."

"Mom."

"... Tired?"

"Not tired. Mom, you go inside and sit a while; I'm here."

"Mom will keep you company a bit... your Grandpa... doted on you the most."

"Mm. I know."

Mother and daughter stood silently for a while.

"Chai Mi," Eldest Uncle Su Renguo walked out from the Ling Peng, rubbing his hands, "The Mr. said before the funeral procession tomorrow morning, we must break the bowl, raise the coffin, filial sons and worthy grandsons must all be present. Look... this filial son holding the banner..."

By custom, this was the task of the eldest branch's eldest grandson. Da Jiu had only one son, Su Xiaofu.

"Let Cousin Xiaofu do it." Chai Mi understood what Da Jiu meant and said it directly.

Xiaofu was the only male of the eldest grandson generation.

Da Jiu visibly sighed in relief: "Ai! Fine! I'll go tell him right now, so he can prepare himself!" He paused, looking at Chai Mi. "Chai Mi, today... I owe you this. Uncle... Uncle knows what's in his heart."

"Da Jiu, it's nothing. Go do what you need to do." Chai Mi said calmly.

Da Jiu nodded, turned, and returned to the spirit hall.

"Mi ah," Su Wan's voice carried fatigue and the calm after grief, "after we send your maternal grandfather off... my heart will be at ease."

"Mm. Mother, life must go on. Grandfather watches over us." Chai Mi said softly.

"Yes... go on... Xiu'er still needs to go to Sheng Cheng..." Su Wan murmured.

Busy until noon, relatives and neighbors came one after another to offer condolences. Chai Mi stayed by the spirit the whole time, receiving and seeing off guests, directing everything with composure—who sent how many sheets of paper money, who should receive how many feet of mourning cloth, how many tables to set at the feast—all orderly. Even the village elder in charge nodded silently in approval.

Late at night, only family remained for the vigil. Chai Mi let Su Wan, who had cried all day, and Aunt (Eldest) go rest, while she and the two uncles and Liu San kept watch.

The candles burned dim yellow, paper money ashes spun in the air.

Chai Mi kept watch for half the night, then Second Uncle and Aunt (Second) took over and she went to Second Uncle's home to sleep.

The next morning, they found a Feng Shui Master to look at the grave site; actually there was little room to choose, just the spot below the parents' mound, though they still picked a location and an auspicious hour as best they could.

Afterwards they left several young strong men to dig the pit on the mountain, choosing the hour of the third morning.

That day, distant relatives also arrived.

To pay their respects to the maternal grandfather.

In the afternoon came the coffin sealing and opening ceremony.

This process, by local custom, was generally complex, with many steps, involving many unscientific things—basically taking a dish dipped in five-grain water to perform the opening ceremony for the old person, covering with red cloth, spreading mattress and quilt, pillow, and so on.

Finally the coffin board was placed on top.

They kept vigil one more night; in the morning, Da Jiu stood on high ground holding a soul-summoning banner and shouted three times loudly: "Father... the great road to the Western Heaven, take the middle path..."

(Sorry, quite a few words, but the author seems to have forgotten. There was a small notebook, on which were recorded the birth date eight characters and the time of death, similar to a certificate for reporting to the Western Heaven.)

Afterwards they ate breakfast, and everyone cried together for a while.

When the coffin was lifted by the coffin bearers, the crowd followed the coffin crying...

Da Jiu smashed the mourning basin at the door, then many filial sons and worthy grandsons kowtowed, and only then did the coffin bearers take their first step.

Da Jiu carried the White Banner, Su Xiaofu carried the Red Banner.

Others carried paper money, scattering it along the way; some carried sorghum stalks, some carried the five-grain pair, and some even green onions and big dog sticks, and a crowd went mightily toward the Su Jia Ancestral Grave.

Whenever they passed a family's doorway, the filial sons and worthy grandsons carrying the banners in front would turn back and kowtow; the same at crossroads.

The women cried all the way to the village entrance. The men continued on.

On the mountain road, they kowtowed every few steps, fearing the road was difficult and the coffin could not be carried.

Afterwards came the burial and filling the grave.

After noon, the women brought paper money, and the men brought iron hoes and such to fill the new grave and repair it.

In the evening, they went again to the small temple to burn paper money and paper carts, horses, cows, people, and road guides.

Grandfather's mound rose under the newly turned yellow earth, paper ashes spun in the air, mixed with the lingering scent of incense.

Reporting to the temple was crucial; they had to burn much paper money, and Grandfather's clothes from when he was alive, and so on. Afterwards they walked three circles around the small temple, footsteps stepping on dry grass with a rustling sound, heavier than the loud crying on the way. The stone weighing on the hearts of the Su family's old and young fell to the ground, and what followed was a more real emptiness and confusion.

Grandfather was finally sent off.

Back at the Su Jia Old House, the cups and plates left after the funeral had not yet been cleared, and leftover food gave off a stale smell. The helping villagers and neighbors had eaten and left in twos and threes, leaving a desolate courtyard and a whole family exhausted in body and mind.

The air was stagnant, oppressive enough to make one breathless.

Da Jiu's wife glanced several times at the locked door of the upper house, finally unable to bear it, she cleared her throat, her voice carrying deliberate fatigue and a sense of it being only natural:

"Father... has finally been laid to rest. The funeral was quite decent, thanks to Chai Mi's arrangements, and she advanced quite a bit of money." She paused, her gaze sweeping over everyone. "But we living still have to go on, don't we? Father lay in the house these years, the family savings were long emptied, and outside there's famine... Ai. Right now the most important thing is those few things Father left behind—shouldn't we... talk about it, divide them? So each can go their own way."

These words made everyone raise their heads.

Su Wan instinctively looked at Chai Mi, while Eldest Aunt Su Jin glared fiercely at Da Jiu's wife. Second Aunt Su Hui and her husband kept their heads down, silent. Second Uncle Su Rentang squatted on the doorstep smoking, smoke swirling so his expression couldn't be seen. Eldest Uncle Su Renguo furrowed his brow into a knot, rubbing his hands irritably.

"Eldest Sister-in-law!" Su Jin's voice rose, hoarse from crying and full of fire, "Father's bones are not yet cold! The First Seven hasn't even passed! And you're already thinking of his property? Do you have any human heart left?"

Da Jiu's wife's face tightened, then she raised her voice too: "Eldest Younger Sister, what are you saying? Am I someone without a human heart? Father's affairs—when did I not put in effort? But we can't go on living like this? The money Chai Mi advanced isn't money? Those old things in Father's room, left there they'll just spoil; better to divide them, repay debts where debts are due, subsidize the household where it's due! Father was always fair when he was alive; if he knew, he'd surely agree!"

"Right, right," Second Uncle's wife Wang Guizhi also chimed in softly, "Father's things, left there they'd just gather dust... Chai Mi advanced so much money, we feel uneasy in our hearts; if we could divide some valuable things to make up for it..."

Chai Mi didn't actually oppose this matter; she had known this scene would come. Grandfather's little "property" was nothing but old objects more sentimental than valuable, but in the eyes of people scared by poverty, even a mosquito's leg is meat.

Grandfather had been paralyzed for many years; Eldest Uncle and Eldest Aunt had taken care of him passably.

On this point, no one could blame them.

After all, a paralyzed person is truly hard for those who serve them.

These years of medicine also cost quite a bit.

"Eldest Aunt," Chai Mi spoke: "Before Grandfather passed, I said in front of everyone that nothing in his room was to be touched. Now, that still stands."

Da Jiu's wife felt a bit creeped out by Chai Mi's gaze, and hardened her scalp to argue: "Chai Mi, that's what you say, but..."

Chai Mi didn't give her a chance to finish, turning directly to Eldest Uncle Su Renguo: "Eldest Uncle, you are the eldest son. The key to Grandfather's room is with you. Now, in front of all the uncles and aunts, open the door. Take Grandfather's things out one by one and lay them out in the open. Whether to divide and how to divide, we'll see after looking at the things. Don't scheme behind backs—it's pointless."

Su Renguo was called out and couldn't save face. He looked at his wife, then at his younger siblings, then at Chai Mi, finally sighed heavily, and from his waist belt untied a string of copper keys worn bright.

"Open it... open it... listen to Chai Mi." His voice was low.

The room was dark, only a small window let in some daylight, shining on the neatly folded but washed-white bedding on the kang, an old cabinet with peeling paint by the wall, and an old camphor wood box bound with iron strips—this was Grandfather's "Hundred Treasure Box," and the focus of everyone's gaze.

Su Renguo groped to light the lamp. Under the dim yellow light, Su Rentang and Wang Guizhi together lifted the heavy camphor wood box to the ground in the center of the room. A piece of blue flower cloth, washed until its color was indiscernible, covered the box.

Opening it, there was none of the imagined pearls and jewels, only a stronger air of poverty...

?? Recently there's been something at home, I'm rushed off my feet, I updated early; you should all be asleep by now, I'll come again at ten tonight.